Who is Allison:
Allison has been in the travel industry since 1997, and employed with Great Canadian Travel for the past 15 years. After graduating from the Travel Program at Success Compu-College she spent a year working & travelling abroad in Australia. She was employed at SeaWorld, and was known as the ‘Canuck’ at the Italian Restaurant she worked at on the Gold Coast.
She has a passion for designing itineraries for Iceland, Greenland and the Faroe Islands. And, specializes in expedition cruising in the Arctic, North Atlantic and Antarctica. Allison has travelled to some of the remote communities in Arctic Canada and has a love for selling travel within this amazing country, including the Yukon, NWT, and Nunavut.
Allison has just celebrated her 15 year anniversary with her husband Mark, and they share two very energetic and creative sons, Nicholas and Liam.
Together, they enjoy travelling, spending time at their cabin, along with activities such as tennis and golf.
What are Allison’s TOP 5 travel experiences:
- Experiencing culture, history and wildlife during the Northwest Passage from Kangerlussuaq, Greenland to Kugluktuk, Arctic Canada
- Snowshoeing in Antarctica
- Kayaking with the Beluga Whales in Churchill, MB
- 8km hike from Tjornuvik to Saksun in the amazing Faroe Islands
- Camping safari in South Africa, Botswana and Zimbabwe
What is Allison’s closing comment?
Wherever your travels may take you, always remember to take that moment to pause, breathe and take it all in. Plus, try one of the local beers!
The serenity of standing on the bow of the small expedition ship, watching the Southern fulmars fly back and forth over the wake of the vessel. Enjoying a morning yoga class where the gentle rocking of the ship puts you deeper into the stretch, followed by the silence of meditation. Snowshoeing among hundreds of wandering penguins, as they examine us with curiosity. Standing on the sea ice at the Floe Edge and staring out at the open ocean, hoping for a glimpse of marine life. Just a few of my ‘best vacation days ever experiences.’
Twenty-two years in travel has given me the opportunity to meet some fantastic people, and travel to some exciting and remote destinations. For fifteen years I have been specializing in polar destinations such as Arctic Canada and Antarctica, Iceland and Greenland.
From my first visit, my passion exploded and it’s exciting to plan a complicated itinerary for clients who are more invested in the culture and activities than how strong the WiFi signal will be.
I have been practicing Yoga for over thirteen years, which has tied in quite nicely with travel. From some of my early travels, I would return home with thousands of images, however, lacking the connection with the destination. I now return home with fewer photos but more satisfied with the experiences. Yoga has taught me to slow down, take a breath and absorb our surroundings.
I believe that the combination of travel and yoga have made me into the person I am today. Our world is extremely hectic and bombarded with technology. I find myself more at peace when I am traveling and try to bring this tranquility into everyday life.
Take a look at the piece I wrote for Wander Magazine about how I feel that yoga has enhanced my travel experiences from the Arctic Circle to the Antarctic!
