Margot Kalinowsky | The Great Canadian Travel Co.

STAFF PICKS

August 21, 2024 | Pearl McCallum

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.  …

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March 14, 2023 | Pearl McCallum

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 – …

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June 29, 2022 | Lois Farley

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 …

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March 17, 2022 | Lois Farley

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 …

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March 1, 2022 | Allison Silvaggio

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, …

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Walking Safari in Linyanti, Botswana

October 15, 2020 | Margot Kalinowsky

What would you do if you saw a 12,000 pound elephant Bull walking towards you?  Run, cry, scream??

I found out what I would do when I was lucky enough to be on a walking safari in the Linyanti region in Botswana.

Before leaving on our 2-hour hike we went over the rules and expectations. The rules are simple. Do not walk in front of the guide, walk in a single file, do not touch the leaves on the trees, do not be loud and noisy, and most importantly, keep your eyes open on the most amazing walk you will ever take.

A walking safari and a jeep safari are very different experiences.  While on the jeep you are always looking at the horizon, up in the trees, outcrops, bushes rivers, etc., focusing on the large macro experience and, in general, large animals and birds. However, when on a walking safari it becomes the smaller micro creatures, bugs and fauna you are watching for. A walking safari is like being a page in a book whereas a jeep safari is like being a chapter in a book.

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Okavango Delta, Africa Helicopter Tour

June 24, 2020 | Margot Kalinowsky

Okavango Delta helicopter tourWop wop wop goes the helicopter blades.  I am sitting next to the pilot in a small 4-seater helicopter ready for take off. Headphones on, buckled in, my heart a pounding!  I calm myself and silently tell myself I can do this!!!!!

Within seconds, and with a couple of jerks, we have lifted off and are flying over the runway, over Belmond Eagle Island Lodge towards The Okavango Delta in Botswana.  For the first few minutes I am breathless from the beauty, the fear I am experiencing and the fact that I have no door beside me and I literally feel like I am going to fall out.

I slowly start letting myself relax and begin to enjoy this most incredible experience I am having. From flying so low I have unbelievable views of the endless Delta. In flood season the Okavango Delta has an area of 15,000 kilometres. The vast number of colourful small islands, river (creek) channels and hippo highways (paths the hippos walk through at night to forage for food) is never ending. It truly was fascinating to see the areas from the air that we normally drive through on Safari.

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Merry Christmas Market

December 21, 2018 | Margot Kalinowsky

Welcome aboard. 

Hearing that every time I walked down the gang plank onto the ship made me feel so at home. It was even a warmer welcome when I was offered a hot towel and a glass of hot Gluwein (mulled wine) to refresh myself. I was on an Ama Waterways 7-day Christmas Market Cruise down the Danube River. Wow did I have some fun!  Read More >

Indigenous Peoples Day

August 03, 2018 | Margot Kalinowsky

Wow. You can see and do a-lot of things when it is light out for  24 hours in the day. We have had a marvellous day of meeting, sharing and being involved in the community. I have never been so warmly welcomed by so many people. The kids are so keen on knowing what your name is and why you are there. By the way, I wrote this note at 11:35 at night after having just come in from playing soccer with some kids. We actually heard the kids’ laughter into the wee wee wee hours of the night. Read More >

Where and What to Eat in Glasgow

June 26, 2018 | Margot Kalinowsky

When in Glasgow last month I had an evening to myself to enjoy the city. Being a solo traveller, I was not thrilled about sitting in a restaurant on my own, so I decided to find something unique to do. I had done walking food tours in others cities, so I was thrilled when I booked a tour with Walk Eat Glasgow.   Read More >

Gin Distilleries in Scotland

June 08, 2018 | Margot Kalinowsky

One thinks of the smooth, peaty, rich taste of Scotch when thinking of the alcohol of choice for Scots and the symbolic drink of Scotland. However the new trend is the distilling of gin. For hundreds of years Scotch has been distilled in oak casks in the Highlands of Scotland. It takes at least 3 years for a genuine scotch to be distilled and bottled, with the majority being distilled for far longer. Today, there are over 120 Scotch distillers in Scotland.  Read More >

One of the Top Beaches in the World in… Scotland

May 14, 2018 | Margot Kalinowsky

Who would have thought that in 2012, Luskentyre Beach on the Isle of Harris in The Outer Hebrides was voted by The Sun Newspaper one of the “Top Beaches of the World”? One thinks of the Caribbean, Floridian, Thai, Fijian sand beaches as being the most beautiful and softest sand in the world.  However, in the Outer Hebrides there are hundreds of stunning deserted beaches to walk along. I have been lucky enough to have walked on many beaches around the world but beach walking in the Outer Hebrides was a totally different experience.  Read More >

A Day at Ngamo School, Zimbabwe

August 30, 2017 | Margot Kalinowsky

“Welcome welcome, welcome welcome,welcome welcome we are all greeting you…….”

Wow, what a wonderful way to be greeted. Twenty five healthy, happy, talented and beautifully uniformed grade 6 students gave me a musical welcome like I have never had before. I was in the small village of Ngamo Zimbabwe, on the border of Hwange National Park.

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African Walking Safari

August 17, 2017 | Margot Kalinowsky

 

What would you do if you saw a 12,000 pound elephant bull walking towards you? Run, cry, scream, cry?

A few years ago, my husband and our two teenage sons were lucky enough to be on a walking safari in the Linyanti region in Botswana. Doing a walking tour at an African safari camp is a family travel experience I would highly recommend. It was truly interesting for both age groups, adults and teens (and an activity that appeals to both parents and their children is sometimes pretty hard to find!).

Before leaving on our 2 hour hike we went over the rules and expectations. The rules are fairly simple. Do not walk in front of the Guide, walk in a single file, do not touch the leaves on the trees, do not be loud and noisy, and most importantly keep your eyes open for the most amazing walk you will ever take. Read More >

Cycling and Cobble Stones

June 22, 2017 | Margot Kalinowsky

They say you never forget how to ride a bicycle and it hadn’t been that long ago since I had been on a bike, so I decided that doing a bike tour of Dublin would be a great idea. I did not think through the fact that that would mean that I would be riding on the wrong side of the road, through downtown Dublin traffic, and on many cobble stone roads. However, how hard can that be?????  Read More >

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