It is August 2024. Since the return of travel in early 2022 following the Covid-19 pandemic, airlines have faced staff shortages, strike action (actual and threatened), tightening regulations, and higher operating costs. These conditions, in addition to the challenges of regular operations, can seriously affect an airline’s level of service. …
We want to paint a picture for you. Imagine you’re at a gathering with friends and acquaintances. It’s a fairly large group, let’s say around 15-20 people. Just as you begin to get hungry, someone brings out a large, layered cake. It’s smothered in rich, chocolate buttercream frosting – …
Way back in 2017 I wrote a blog in recognition of Canada Day; 50 Great Things Canada Contributed to the World. Since I wrote that blog I’ve been studying about the Indigenous peoples who have lived on this land we now call Canada for millennia – the First Nations and …
Saint Patrick’s Day brings Ireland and all things Irish to a lot of people’s minds. And, those of us lucky enough to be Irish or are of Irish descent, particularly so! My ancestors on both sides of my family emigrated to Canada from Ireland back in the mid to late …
There are so many things that we miss when it comes to travel, such as exploring new places, trying new things and meeting new people. What I miss the most, are those extremely peaceful moments where you can just take it all in. Whether you are enjoying a beautiful hike, …
So, you’re going on an adventure. Good for you! If you’re travelling out of your country, there are some things you should do before you go, so if you get into trouble (whether it be a flight cancellation, a medical emergency or a lost passport) you’ll know what to do. If you’ve booked with a travel consultant, they will always help you out as best as they can from home.
Here are some things you can do just to prepare yourself for the unexpected.
October 17, 2018 may not be a special day for you for any particular reason, but for those in Canada, it marks the day that allows adults (18+, depending on which province a person lives) to legally possess cannabis, share it, buy it, grow it, and make cannabis products from it. And whether or not you agree with this law, it will be there and those who wish to participate in such activities should know what they need to do if they decide to travel outside of Canada. Read More >
Churchill, Manitoba, Canada, is a town located on the edge of the Arctic that has a distinctive frontier town feel. It comes alive every time a new group of tourists comes to visit. The people are friendly, and the scenery is spectacular. The northern point of the Canadian Shield as the boreal forest ends and the Taiga begins is where this magical place resides, complete with snowshoe hares, ptarmigans, arctic foxes, snowy owls, and the majestic polar bear. Read More >
What do Antarctica, South Africa, South America, Australia and New Zealand have in common? You’d think there’s not much linking these countries to one another. They aren’t similar in size, the people who live there don’t all speak English as their first language, they don’t even have the same climates. There is, however a small, unassuming, mostly black and white commonality that lives on the shores of these landmasses, marching to the beat of their own drum. Read More >
My glamorous life as a travel agent you say? “Oh Nat can I fit in your suitcase”? And “oh please take me with you”? And the famous; “ I want your job”. Truth be told, you should be jealous!
Yes, I obviously love to travel and I have mastered the way to do it. I only need a carry on for a 7 day trek (includes at least 1 pair of high heels), I know exactly how long it will take me to drive into the city to catch my 6am flight and I could probably do it with my eyes closed. The Park n’ Fly staff all know me very well and I am always running into clients at the airport. My suitcase remains packed other than taking the dirty clothes out, washing them and putting them back in. Read More >
New Zealand changed my life. It was my first adventure all on my own, I was 20 and wasn’t necessarily heading in the right direction, or really in any direction for that matter. Not a shining moment in my life, but one that made me pick myself up, dust myself off and journey on. New Zealand was the beginning of that journey. One that would, unbeknownst to me at the time, change my outlook on life and help me create lasting friendships that are still going strong some 16 years later. Read More >
So, you want to take your family on a trip, but don’t really want to take them back to Disney World or land or where ever else Mickey Mouse has lent his ears. It’s not that Disney is a bad place, in fact, it’s the happiest place on earth! It’s just those lines and that heat, and maybe you’ve already done it and don’t want to elbow your way through the crowds just so your child can get Minnie’s autograph. Maybe it’s peak season and the thought of pushing your way to find the end of the line of It’s A Small World is making you sweat. There is another way! We’ve canvassed our consultants for their best family-friendly travel options and have come up with the following list to help you start planning your next family adventure. Read More >
Over-tourism is a concept that not many people realize is an epidemic to certain areas. Travel trends are changing – destinations, activities, even how one gets to and from the destination is changing. There is a lot of focus on studying the economic and ecological pros and cons surrounding certain areas, but we all still have so much to learn. What is attractive to adventurers one season (or even a few years), may be a forgotten place in the next season. And with offsetting our carbon footprint being ever-present in at least the backs of our minds, travelling anywhere is a little hard to swallow sometimes. And you may be thinking, why is a travel agency writing about over-tourism? Well, because tourism is our life. Travel is our life. And if the places we love are destroyed by over-tourism, that hurts our business, our love.
To bring home this point, the Philippines just announced that they are closing the popular tourist destination of Boracay for six-months because they are concerned about the sustained environmental damage to the beaches and clear blue water over the last 40 years, according to CNN. Last year alone, the island was visited by over 1.5 million tourists. Boracay is home to about 17,000 people, many of whom rely on these tourists for their livelihood. The island will be closed to tourists on April 26, 2018.
We are not saying that visiting these popular destinations needs to cease and desist, but maybe an exploration of the lesser travelled road will provide you with the quiet solitude you require to rejuvenate your body and soul and let you experience a different place than your fellow travellers.
Imagine yourself sitting amongst strangers on metal benches, that were surprisingly comfortable, waiting in anticipation for someone to come to the stage that is laid out before you in an open-air pavilion. The architecture that surrounds you is pristine, built in 1914, and looks like someone has taken great care in preserving the history of this beautiful venue. That’s because they have.
Although the month of February contains a celebration dedicated to showing how much you love someone, it is not necessarily the only month that one can show this emotion. There are 11 other months in the year that are available to show that special someone how much you care about them. That being said, here is a list of ten destinations, in no particular order, that we think are unconventional romantic locations. Read More >
