“Sssshhhh, turn around quietly and look out the window.” Those were the words said in hushed tones by our tour host as we were happily sitting in the lounge car of the Tundra Buggy Lodge™, having a wee drink before dinner. We turned and looked in awe, as right outside the windows, casually strolling by in the tell-tale pigeon-toed gait, was a big, beautiful polar bear. You could hear the intake of breath as we all marvelled at the incredible wonder of nature walking right by us. “That’s a young male, about 3 years old” our guide informed us. His powerful muscles rippled underneath his fur telling us that he is a force of nature, a natural hunter and predator. But the round, black eyes and black nose set in that white face offered all of us that unmistakable sense of “Oh, you look cute enough to cuddle”. A feeling best kept as thought and not action! These are not cute and cuddly toys! Read More >
Category: Escorted
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 >
24-Hours in Halifax
June 05, 2018 | Allison Silvaggio
When attending travel seminars, there is never enough time to explore the destination in which you are visiting. However, I always try and give myself at least one full day to explore the sites, pick up some souvenirs, and try the local cuisine.
This time it was Halifax, Nova Scotia and one day was definitely not enough. I started my day with a Starbucks coffee, which was hard to find (definitely more pubs in Halifax than coffee shops). Then boarded my half day tour to Peggy’s Cove. Read More >
Farm Visit in Peru
June 01, 2018 | Karen Pearson
One of the many activities offered by Tambopata Eco Lodge is a visit to the nearby farm that supplies most of the produce served to guests and staff.
As our boat neared the dock, we were greeted by the farm’s friendly dogs. The first task was to feed the numerous free-range chickens. After that, our guides displayed most of the fruits grown on the farm and explained what each one was. Sampling many of the fruits was the best part of the tour. We tried papaya, plantains, lady-finger bananas, carambola, lemon, orange, grapefruit, and fish-eye peppers. Noni, a super-fruit related to the acąi which looks a bit like a spotted potato, was the least favourite; the consensus was that it smells and tastes like stinky feet or blue cheese. Read More >
San Bushmen of the Kalahari
October 13, 2016 | Margot Kalinowsky
What can one learn from walking in another’s shoes (or in this case, bare feet)? More than I could have ever imagined!!! When in the Deception Valley area of Botswana with my husband and our two teenage sons, we were fortunate enough to spend the day trekking through the Kalahari Desert with a fascinating father and son team from the local indigenous San Tribe.
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Africa on Safari
September 20, 2016 | Arnie Hydamaka
The more special your travel dream, the more we can help you get there! That has been the motto of the Great Canadian Travel Company since its beginnings in 1980 and was when I became associated with the company. I had a dream travel destination – Africa, and more specifically the legendary Timbuktu. Great Canadian Travel has since provided me the opportunity to travel to Africa on more than 30 occasions. My dream has earned me the designation of Africa Expert in the company.
Touring Georgia: some ideas and observations
April 21, 2016 | Max Johnson
Travelling to Georgia is a quite astonishing and unique experience, and I have had many requests for more practical information from readers. How, when, where and sometimes why are asked, and perhaps this will help. Read More >
Essentials for Every Adventurer…
March 31, 2016 | Allison Silvaggio
Have you ever heard veteran travellers talk in hushed whispers of their so-called ‘everything bag’? Ever wondered what this little, underappreciated, totally essential item might be? If so, I have written this article especially for you! I’d like to tell you about the items in my ‘everything bag’, because every single one of them has come in useful for me on numerous occasions during my 12 years of extensive travel. Read More >