Nothing But a Dream

Bloor Street Roots Canada Staff Helping us Achieve our Dream

We arrived armed with nothing but the clothes on our backs and a dream to look gorgeous. Danielle was waiting patiently for us on the second floor as we charged into the room like a running bull in Pamplona. Oh Yes, we would conquer the racks of clothes and piles of perfectly folded t-shirts.

So Much to Choose From

Shopping with Confidence

We weren’t intimidated by the staff and patrons who were dressed in their fashion forward, trendsetting frocks. We were inspired to look more like them, to model ourselves after their great style and have their expertise rub off on these two traveling slobs stuck in the rutt of wearing micro fiber gear and quick dry garments.

See the World in Style

Feeling Good at Roots

So we embraced our new chapter in ThePlanetD’s Round the World Adventures. We’ll now walk through the airport with our heads held high looking “travel chic” in our new Roots wardrobe. There’s no time like the present to put our new found confidence to the test, we’ll be draped in high quality fabrics from Canada to Antarctica and back again.

Dave and His Swag

With their grand assortment of cozy pullovers and soft hoodies, warm hats and breathable water resistant shells, Roots Canada has prepared us for any situation.

We’re now going to rival Angelina and Brad, George and Stacy and Tom and Katy. Between our Roots clothing and our Rudy Project Sunglasses, we’ll have that “hollywood incognito,” “oh you look so perfect feel” after each and every long haul flight.

Fashion Shoot

We embraced our new found celebrity status (in our heads anyway) and posed for photos all over the store.

We modelled beside the sock display and leaned on the traditional canoe, we postured in front of the classic T’s and strutted along the wall of history.

We worked the room in a way that would make Tyra stand up and take notice.

Celebrity Status

Oh Yes, we’ll be gracing the covers of Travel Vogue and Travel Enquiring Minds Want to Know and we’ll be in the latest, who’s hot?  and Who’s not of travel? We can already predict we’ll be sizzling like a side of Canadian Back Bacon on open fire in the middle of Algonquin Park on a hot summers day. We’ll let you decide if that’s a good thing or not!

• 
• Head over to Roots to join the movement…Look Good With ThePlanetD
• For more on the men’s fashion line, check out Roots Canada’s newest arrivals. 
• Don’t forget about the women’s line, let Roots Canada help you decide What to Wear on Date Night. 
• And of course make sure to follow them on Twitter and Facebook 

During the month of January the ice wine festival is going on and Niagara Wineries are open for business. Not only are they open for business, they are running special promotions and events.

We were invited to tag along with Pam of Spunky Girl Monologues and had a fun day tasting wines, eating food and learning about the ice wine process.

Deb, Pam and Dave in Niagara's Wine Region

Photos courtesy of SpunkyGirlMonologues

Thirty Bench Wine Makers

Pam trying to keep up to all the wine they fed us!

Our first stop was Thirty Bench Wine Makers where we did some snow shoeing and wine tasting in the great outdoors. We spent an hour walking through the vineyards overlooking Lake Ontario. It was such a special touch to enjoy a glass of wine outdoors while standing among the grape vines of the winery. We had wine before the walk, wine during the walk and wine after the walk along with a delicious mushroom soup as we sat by the fire. We shared our experience in our post Snowshoeing a Niagara Winery, but we wanted to share our video with you as well today!

Inniskillin Wineries

Our next stop was Inniskillin Winery. It was here that we really learned how to taste ice wine properly and enjoy what foods are the proper pairings for ice wine. Did you know that you shouldn’t have sweet desserts with your ice wine? It actually pairs better with savoury foods. Ice wine is harvested in the dead of winter and it was here that we saw the frozen grapes left hanging on their vines for visitors to have a look at.

We shared our experience at Inniskillin in our post The Niagara Ice Wine Festival, but we put a lot of work into our videos and hav a brand new introduction that we’d love to share with you!

Jackson Triggs Estate

Finally we ended at Jackson Triggs where we had a very mellow night cap. We tasted 3 different cocktails; A heated mulled red wine spiced with cinnamon and mixed with Apple Cider, a Niagara Kir Royal where a Cabernet Fran ice wine is blended with Jackson-Triggs sparkling Wine, and and ice wine martini combining premium vodka with Inniskillin Vidal Icewine.

Mulled Wine at Jackson Triggs

Hilton Niagara

Note: We did not take this aerial photo of the Hilton, but we sure love it!

After all that wine, it was a nice touch to be able to stay over in Niagara Falls at the Hilton Niagara. Attached to the Fallsview Casino, this is the perfect location for overnighting in Niagara Falls. Our room overlooked the Horseshoe Falls and you can actually see both the American and Canadian falls from this hotel which is right in the heart of the action.

Jacuzzi Tub Overlooking the room that is overlooking the Falls.

For offseason specials, check out their website. 

Everything is within walking distance of the Hilton.

You can walk indoors to the Casino and shopping concourse, you can walk to world class dining; my favourite is the Brazilian Steakhouse Copacabana and you can catch premium entertainment at the 1500 seat Niagara Casino Theatre. You feel like you are in a resort when staying at the Hilton. They have several restaurants and unlike many hotels, people actually hang out in the lounges and lobby bars so you don’t feel like a loser sitting alone while you enjoy one of the regions award winning wines.

interior two bedroom suite

We’ve stayed here before and will stay there again. Both times we’ve stayed at the Hilton, we’ve been too busy taking advantage of everything Niagara Falls has to offer that we have yet to swim in their 10,000 square foot pool complete with waterfall and waves. What’s wrong with us? We gotta go back and take advantage of this!

Want some inspiration? Check out the Hilton’s Falls View Web Cam showing Niagara Falls in Real time.

Right now there are amazing off season deals. As people who have frequented Niagara Falls over the years, we can attest that it is an amazing getaway no matter what season.

Canada’s largest winery, Jackson Triggs is also one of the most popular brands of wine in the country and we had the chance enjoy a few of their latest cocktail creations.  The ice wine festival is going on right now and it is an amazing opportunity to embrace the cold and enjoy the unique wines that are created during the bone chilling freeze of winter.

The Niagara wineries have come together to attract tourists to the region during the Canadian cold and it is an exciting event. There are ice sculptures, snow shoeing, wine tastings and food pairings all with special deals at the local eateries and hotels in the surrounding area of the picturesque Niagara on the Lake.

It was at Jackson-Triggs that we enjoyed special wine cocktails such as heated mulled red wine spiced with cinnamon and mixed with Apple Cider. We enjoyed a Niagara Kir Royal where a Cabernet Fran ice wine is blended with Jackson-Triggs sparkling Wine, and and ice wine martini combining premium vodka with Inniskillin Vidal Icewine.

I can’t wait to try making these at home!

While we relaxed in the warmth, we looked out over the  vineyard and were treated to this view of the winter sun setting over the rows of vines in the backyard of the Jackson-Triggs estate winery. This was the last stop of the day before heading back to Niagara Falls where we spent the night at the Hilton Niagara overlooking the mighty falls.

The sun sets over the Jackson Triggs winery in Niagara, Ontario

We arrived late to our food pairing demonstration due to our snowshoeing experience going long, but the people at Inniskillin were kind enough to slot us into another tasting.

Ice Wine Bottles on Display Outside

While we waited for the previous tour to end, we enjoyed a sampling of the ice wine discovery pass. Accompanied by a delicious warm apple tart the internationally acclaimed 2007 Vidal Icewine was served in the signature Riedel ice wine glass.

Plain Old Glass with Beautiful Riedel Tall Glass

Pam and our server assured us that that glass makes the difference and as skeptical as I was, I gave it a try.

We first tasted the ice wine in a regular old wine glass and it tasted sweet and tangy at the front of my tongue. However, once I learned how to swirl it in the Riedel glass, and take a good sniff of the nose before sipping, I actually enjoyed the taste. The wine was smooth and delicious.

Now that I had found my appreciation for ice wine, it was time to head over to the food pairing. 

Demonstration Kitchen

This is such a great event that we highly recommend adding to your wine tasting. With the discovery pass, it is only an extra $10 and the meal is devine. To book your own demonstration, visit the Inniskillin website.

I thought we were going to be fed some pre-prepared food, but to our surprise, it was all cooked in front of us as the chef explained how to prepare each dish. When we saw the giant scallops sitting on the counter, we knew we were in for a treat.

Our Gourmet Meal Cooked Right Before Our Eyes

Chef, David Penny and wine expert Bruce Jackson put on a great show talking to us about how to prepare the food and what wines complement each dish. Their presentation was informative and entertaining. As a non foodie, (I love to eat it, but I’m not an expert on cooking or fine dining) my interest was kept throughout the entire presentation and I couldn’t wait to dig in.

I learned a lot as well. Chef David made it all look so easy, I almost thought that I could re-create this at home. I knew that my Dave could for sure and I look forward to him whipping up this meal for me in the future.  I am blessed with a husband that is an awesome cook. Not only is he great in the kitchen, he enjoys cooking as well. Yes, I really do have the perfect man.

Executive Chef David Penny and Wine Expert Bruce Jackson

Our sample consisted of scallops atop a heap of pulled pork shoulder sitting on a creamy butter sauce. I don’t think I have ever tasted such a delicious dish. It all simply melted in your mouth and the pairing of the ice wine was perfection. I’d take a bite, enjoy and then have a sip of wine and enjoy that. I couldn’t decide what I was enjoying more, the ice wine or the scallops and pork. Heavenly.

Scallops and Pulled Pork Shoulder on Cream Sauce

After topping it all off with home made French onion soup, I realized that Pam was right. I did love ice wine. Especially when it is paired with savoury foods as opposed to desserts. The ice wine complements the flavours of rich and delicious foods much better than having a sweet, chocolaty dessert. I actually think that I will buy a bottle of this stuff and enjoy a glass every once in a while.

Riedel Ice Wine Glasses with Sizzling Scallops in Back

After we finished our tasting we went for a tour of the cellar where we learned even more about the wines of Inniskillin. This day was so decadent that I had visions of quitting everything and becoming a sommelier. However, I was quickly snapped back into reality when .. sat us down for a nose test.

Inniskillin's Wine Cellar

We each took a sniff of the aromas in a bottle and I realized that I don’t have a nose at all. Dave on the other hand is a rock star. I always knew that he could sniff the nose of a glass of wine like a pro, and today he proved it.

Smelling the natural aromas in wine

While Pam and I sat in our chairs wondering what the smell reminded us of, Dave confidently took one sniff of the extract and knew exactly what he was smelling. He said his answer with confidence and was right!

Could a Vineyard be in our future?

Frozen Grapes for Making Ice Wine

The tour ended with a walk outside to look at the frozen grapes still on the vines. Ice wine is harvested in the middle of the night in the middle of January. Ice wine is literally harvested in ice. Once the grapes are properly froze, they are picked in the middle of the night. It’s a lovely addition to the experience to see the grapes still on the vines. The winery keeps the first four rows of grapes on the vines until the end of the ice wine festival giving visitors a first hand look at the process.

Ice Sculpture of Wine Bar

Another lovely touch was the ice bar outside just waiting for wine lovers pose for a truly memorable photo opportunity.

The Ice Wine Festival definitely made an ice wine lover out of me.

For more information on Inniskillin visit their website
The Ice Wine Festival Runs to the end of January, click here for more information, a Discovery Pass is $30
For event information at Inniskillin check out their calendar here.  

However, this is the first time I have heard of sampling wine in the dead of winter while snow shoeing through the picturesque Niagara Winery estate of Thirty Bench Wine Makers in Beamsville.

Snowshoes and the grapevines of Thirty Bench Wine Makers

We arrived early on a picture perfect day. The snow was falling hard the day before and there was just enough snow in the nick of time for Thirty Bench to open it’s snowshoeing excursion for the beginning of the ice wine festival. The first thing we were handed was a glass of wine as we enjoyed perusing the vintages on display indoors.

Looking out over the vineyard in Niagara

After we finished our glass, it was time to brave the crisp air and suit up for our tour.

Janine and Adrienne were our guides for the day and they helped us with our snow shoes. Snowshoes have come a long way since we were kids stomping around the fields after a fresh snowfall. They are now a sleek and modern design with build in crampons to dig into the ice allowing the hiker to keep from slipping.

Adrienne Checking to Make Sure my Snowshoes are a Good Fit

We started with an introduction to the winery and learned that our guide Janine is a local gal and sommelier that has worked at this estate for years. She talked about the wines we’d be sampling today that she chose herself, and what parts of the winery we’d be visiting ruing our leisurely hike.

We were lucky that the snow wasn’t too deep which made for a very easy walk through the vineyards. We’ve been snowshoeing before in deep snow and it can be an amazing workout to say the least. Today however, was about enjoying the view and tasting the wine and having a blast!

Dave Snowshoeing in Niagara's Wine Regions

After a short walk through rows of grapes from the riesling vineyards, we came to our first tasting. A table made out of casks of wine was covered in nature chilled glasses waiting to be filled with delicious white wine. We had heated our bodies from our walk and were ready to relax and enjoy while Janine talked to us about the grapes and wine making process.

Pouring our First Wine Tasting in Niagara

As Janine talked, we snuck away to take some photographs of the gorgeous surrounding landscape and pose for a photo of an old door placed on the edge of the forest. It was a great added touch to the tour. Who doesn’t want to be photographed outside with a glass of wine in hand.

Dave and Deb at the Outdoor Door

We moved on from our first stop and as we lagged behind the rest of the group to take photographs and video, Adrienne hung back to fill us in on everything that we missed.

As wine lovers, but not wine connoisseurs, this was the perfect tour for us.

We enjoyed the hike through the outdoors and taking in the outstanding scenery of the Niagara Region. We didn’t have to focus and try to stay interested in the finer details of the types of wines we were tasting, we were genuinely interested in what Janine had to stay because we were standing right in the middle of the award winning vineyard and we could see and touch the grape vines. This is the type of tour that gets a person excited and actually makes you want to learn more about the process and what makes a good wine. Sitting around a table tasting wine is fun, but this experience is outstanding!

We enjoyed two more tastings out on the trail and learned that dried vines make for the perfect addition to a bar-b-que. Put them in a metal pan and it will add a delicious flavour to your meats. It was at our final stop that we tasted a delicious riesling with a piece of decadent chocolate. Mmm Mmm Good.

Relaxing After the Wine Tour

After thoroughly working up our appetites for about an hour of walking, we were back at the main lodge to sit by the outdoor fire and enjoy even more wine. A Cabernet Franc and an fine ice wine accompanied our outstanding fresh wild mushroom soup.

We were saddened that we had to leave in a hurry for our next tour, but happy that we live close by to return to Thirty Bench in the near future.  We cannot recommend this tour enough. If you are looking for a unique and romantic way to explore a Niagara Winery, head out to Thirty Bench while there is still snow on the ground and book the snowshoeing excursion, buy a couple of bottles of wine and then book a cute little B&B in town to enjoy the lovely Niagara Region.

Thirty Bench Winery

For more information on Thirty Bench, visit their website for details. 

Snowshoeing Through the Vineyards
$30 per guest exclusive of taxes. Includes snowshoe rental, guided trek and wine tasting experience.
Join us January 14, 15, 21, 22, 28 & 29 and February 4, 5, 11, 12, 18, 19, 25 & 26 at either 12 noon or 3 pm. Book now by emailing info@thirtybench.com or call us at 905-563-1698 to reserve your snowshoes and space in our favourite winter wine country event

For more information on the ice wine festival check out the events page. 

Big thanks to Pam of Spunky Girl Monologues for inviting us along!

Stay tuned for the video coming soon! 

Clearly, Everyone whose Anyone Stays at the Royal York

Year’s later, when Dave and I lived at Harbourfront, we walked through it’s lobby many a time as we took a short cut to “The Path,” Toronto’s famous underground city where we’d make our way to the Eaton Centre in the winter months. Eventually we started working in the film business, and every so often we’d shot a movie at the Royal York in one of their grand ballrooms or luxurious suites. The stars of the movies would be staying here during the duration of filming, while we would come and go to set, getting a glimpse of life of the rich and famous.

I always wondered what it would be like to stay there. 

Well, this holiday season, we had the chance to stay at the Royal York, and guess what? Ordinary every day people stay here right alongside the rich and the richer.

Deb Showing off our Travel Pro Luggage

It felt so decadent to be walking to the elevators rather than walking straight through to the subway. We waited for the lift alongside a well to do couple and said to ourselves, “yep we belong here.”  We had our brand new TravelPro Luggage in hand rather than our usual backpacks and instead of jeans or trekking pants we were dressed up, I even had on high heels and Dave wore a smart jacket. We played our part well.

Our Welcome Platter

We entered our suite to a welcoming bottle wine and their signature cheese where we immediately relaxed on the fluffy duvet on our king size bed while being careful to not spill our  red wine on the crisp white sheets.

Can’t we just stay here forever?

It was a nice touch to have our media contact give us a quick call to make sure that everything was ok with our arrival.

Is it Ok? I’m staying in the Royal York Man!

Unfortunately we had a jam packed schedule during our overnight stay in Toronto and had to leave for our CTV appearance first thing in the morning, but if we did have the time to enjoy the Fairmont, we would have taken advantage of everything it had to offer.

The Library Bar, Courtesy of Royal York

Instead, we only had the chance to enjoy our room and a final late night cocktail at the Library Bar. The Royal York is everything that you would expect from a Grand Old Hotel, luxurious and opulent. The suite we stayed in seemed a little bit dated and the bathroom could use an overhaul, but the furniture had been upgraded along with two flat screen TV’s which was a nice contrast to the antique style of floral printed sofas and drapes.

While the rooms may be small due to the hotels age, the lobby, pool, meeting and ballrooms are absolutely posh. It is fit for a Queen and that is exactly what the Royal York is, The Grand Dame of Toronto.

For more information on staying at the Fairmont when visiting Toronto, visit the Fairmont.com

Dave and I are the type of people that make resolutions.

We tend to make goals all year long, but we always take our New Year’s goals more seriously. After all it was a New Year’s Resolution in 2007 that made us join the Tour d’Afrique in 2008 where we cycled down Africa and changed our lives.  So keeping with traditions, we have made a lot of goals and plans.

So far we are doing OK.

The only thing is, we haven’t gone to the gym as much as we wanted to. We wanted to do yoga every day, but we haven’t kept that promise. We’re only going a few times a week. Not only is yoga good for the body, it is good for the mind. Our minds have been racing with ideas and lists and goals and we need that hour to completely relax.

This fun infograph from Brighter Life came just at the right time as well because we needed a reminder. This is a crucial time to make sure you follow through with your goals. If you can get over this hump, you can do it!

Do you make New Year’s Resolutions or do you think they are a waste of time? Have you made a resolution that you have followed through with and felt great because of it? Share your stories and inspire others in the comments below.

A Brighter Life is out there to help you stay focused on you goals and have polls and discussions going on their facebook page right now.
What’s your biggest obstacle to sticking with your resolutions? Head over now to take the poll!

Founded in Toronto Canada in 1973, Roots has become engrained in the Canadian psyche as a part of our national identity. Sure it dressed the American and British Olympic Teams at one point, but is was our stylish athletes making a splash in 1998 dressed in Roots apparel that made the world stand up and take notice. Canadians couldn’t get enough of the design and we flocked to Roots all over the country to buy our own Olympic dream wear and pay homage to our athletes. I’ll never forget wearing my Canadian Roots beret all over Europe in 2003 when I was traveling in the cooler months. I had never been so proud to be Canadian.

From 1998 to 2004 Canadian athletes were always hailed as the best dressed in the Olympics thanks to the smart designs of Roots Canada.

Elvis Stojco Prince Charles, William and Harry Wearing Roots

So its a natural fit that Roots should be working with the tourism board of our nation’s capital. Ottawa!

We had the opportunity to attend The Let’s Go Outside event at Roots flagship store on Bloor street in Toronto last night and meet the fine people of both Roots Canada and Ottawa Tourism.

Jantine Van Kregten Director of Communications Ottawa Tourism

James Connell, VP of E-Commerce,

With fine wines and cheeses from Prince Edward County being served and trays of Canadian centric foods such as smoked trout tacos and butternut squash soup circling around, we enjoyed a pleasant evening of mingling with tourism heavy weights from both Toronto and Ottawa.

GirlsGetaway, JourneyWoman and Dave

But What are they Doing together you ask?

Roots Clothing in Ottawa

Photo Courtesy Roots Canada and Ottawa Tourism

 Roots Canada and Ottawa Tourism have come together to give away a trip for two to Ottawa for their Let’s Go Outside Campaign.

All you have to do is sign up for more information on Ottawa, and you’ll automatically be entered for a chance to win a ‘Let’s Go Outside’ Getaway in Ottawa.

Prize Includes:

• Round-trip transportation to Ottawa
• 3 nights’ accommodation at Fairmont Chateau Laurier
• An overnight rafting adventure with RiverRun Rafting
• Two $500 Roots gift certificates
• Two sets of Roots hats and scarves
• Dinner at Le Cordon Bleu Bistro @ Signatures
• Admission to the National Gallery of Canada and the Canadian Museum of Civilization
• Two bike rentals at Rent-A-Bike Ottawa
• Two day car rental
  Contest Closes Feb 14th, see Terms and Conditions

Enter Now!

This Canadian Braving Winter in Canada

Ottawa is a fantastic winter destination. Canadians love to brave the cold and as we bundled up in our puffy coats and furry hats, we get outdoors to enjoy what mother nature has to offer. This year Winterlude happens from Feb 3rd to 20th. It’s a great time to get in the Canadian spirit and embrace the cold. Skate on the Rideau Canal, witness masterpieces of giant ice sculptures, celebrate the cuisine of Canada’s Top Chefs and explore Canada’s prettiest city.

This year, Ottawa is hosting the NHL Allstar Game, if that’s not a picture perfect Canadian moment, I don’t know what is.

Hockey, Canada’s Capital + Winter = Truly Canadian. 

We have saved thousands of dollars by seeking out free accommodation on our travels. These opportunities are easier to find than you’d think and have not only saved us money but led us off the beaten track, provided some of our most interesting travel experiences, enabled us to connect with local communities and been a refreshing break from the backpacker trail.

If you want to travel and think you can’t afford it; if you are feeling burnt out and tired of constant sightseeing; or if you are just looking for a unique travel adventure, then we recommend trying these opportunities for free accommodation around the world.

House Sitting

House Sitting in Jacksonville

People all over the world are looking for house sitters to look after their homes while they are away. You can stay in a whole house, often very comfortable or even luxurious, for absolutely nothing. Your role in exchange varies: you’ll need to keep the house in good condition and usually you’ll need to look after pets too.

House sitting has enabled us to visit places like Japan that we wouldn’t otherwise be able to afford, and has led to us visiting cities we wouldn’t have thought of. We love staying in residential areas rather than the touristy parts of town, and getting to know a place by living like a local. It’s also a great way to enjoy some home comforts while travelling. After months on the road a comfy couch, hot shower and well equipped kitchen is just what we need.

House sitting isn’t just for long term travellers, as opportunities are available for a few days up to many months. Why not plan your vacation around a house sit for an interesting and very affordable trip away?

Our Experience

Simon House sitting in Argentina

We have looked after a puppy and large house in the countryside of northern Argentina; a spacious condo overlooking the river, with a pool and four cats in Florida; and a traditional house and three cats in Kyoto, Japan. Each of these has been for 3-4 weeks and we have saved about $5000 in accommodation costs and had some wonderful experiences.

How to Find a House Sit

Register with a house sitting organisation such as HouseCarers, Mind My House, or Trusted Housesitters, pay a small annual fee, create a profile, and keep an eye on listings that come up. When you find one that suits you apply to the owner via the site.

Tips

• Be flexible ñ you might have to go where the opportunities are.
• Create a detailed profile and include any relevant experience and a link to your blog if you have one.
• Sign up to daily emails from the house sitting website and apply quickly. House sits are competitive.
• Provide references. If you are starting out maybe house sit for a friend.
• Keep trying if you have no luck at first. You will be more successful choosing less popular destinations.
• The most opportunities are in North America, Europe and Australia.

House Sitting Pros: Saves money, you have a whole house to yourself, privacy.
House Sitting Cons: Have to look after pets (may be a pro!), commitment to a certain period of time.

Couchsurfing

Couchsurfing is an organisation that connects people around the world. A huge network of hosts offer their couches or spare rooms to travellers for absolutely free. It’s about more than just free accommodation though, it’s a way to meet interesting people and tap into their local knowledge. It’s a much more sociable experience than house sitting and is best for short term stays. Couchsurfing isn’t just for young travellers ñ we know families who regularly couchsurf.

Our Experience

Couchsurfing in Canada

We have stayed in spare rooms in Argentina, Paraguay, Colombia and Canada. All our experiences have been excellent, we’ve made some great friends and seen a different side to places that we wouldn’t have seen staying in hostels.

How to Find A Couchsurfing Host

Sign up to the couchsurfing website, create a detailed profile, search for a host using certain criteria (location, number of people etc.), and send the host a couch request with your dates.

Tips

• Host couchsurfers before you travel to get a feel for how it works and build up some references.
• If you are worried about staying with strangers choose hosts who are vouched for and have lots of references.
• Send a personalised couch request, saying why you think you’ll get on with the host.
• Start with two nights and see how it goes. We usually extend our stay if it suits the host.
• Help out around the house and cook meals for your host.
• You don’t have to stay with someone. You could just meet for a coffee or attend a meetup that many couchsurfing groups organise (search for groups for the city you are in).

Couchsurfing Pros: Meet local people, no time commitment, saves money, access to local knowledge.

Couchsurfing Cons: Less privacy, may not be a comfortable sleeping area, might not get on with host.

Work in Exchange For Food And Accommodation

By working in exchange for your room and board you can save a lot of money on the road and have some really interesting experiences. Many opportunities are on farms but you can also work in hostels and even private homes. Usually you’ll work for four hours a day so you’ll have time to explore the area too, but make sure you agree the terms before you sign up.

Our Experience

Simon Wwoofing in Australia

In Australia we used the WWOOF (Worldwide Opportunities on Organic Farms) programme to find an opportunity in the Northern Territory. We stayed with a family and helped in their large garden in exchange for meals and our own private room, bathroom and wonderful outdoor lounge. We got on really well with the family and loved our experience.

Work Exchange at Stables in Costa Rica

In Costa Rica we use the HelpX website to find a placement at a riding stables in a remote, untouristy part of the countryside. We had to pay $20 a day but we only worked two hours a day and got to ride horses twice a day. It was tiring but an amazing experience getting to know the horses and family, and I even got to ride with local cowboys in a traditional cabalgata (group ride).

How To Find A Work Exchange

Erin Horse Jumping in Work Exchange, Costa Rica

There are a number of websites where you can find placements. WWOOF is the most well known, focusing on organic farms and you have to join the programme for each country you’ll be visiting. HelpX and Workaway have a range of different opportunities all over the world. After paying a small membership fee you’ll have access to listings that you can apply for.

You can also find opportunities informally, maybe by asking at hostels. We arranged to stay at a lodge in the Peruvian Andes for three weeks in exchange for creating their NGO’s website.

Tips

• There are more opportunities in North America, Europe, Australia and New Zealand. In developing countries they sometimes charge a fee and accommodation standards are lower as they can get cheap labour locally so your services aren’t as needed.
• Agree your working hours, days off, included meals and type of accommodation in advance.

Work Exchange Pros: Interesting experiences, spend very little money in rural areas, could add it to your CV, provides a sense of purpose, meet people.
Work Exchange Cons: Living conditions could be basic or shared, you have to work!

These opportunities for free accommodation are a great way to travel inexpensively but they are much more than that. They have taken us off the beaten track, introduced us to new friends, taught us about local cultures, and left us with some of our best travel memories.

For more advice on travelling cheaply don’t miss Dave and Deb’s helpful post on how to travel on a budget. <awe, thanks guys

Erin McNeaney and her partner Simon sold everything they owned and left the UK in March 2010 to travel the world forever. They run a WordPress web design business on the road and have travelled to Latin America, North America and are currently in Asia. You can follow their adventures at Never Ending Voyage, on Twitter and on Facebook.

When I saw that The Planet D were looking for inspirational stories about travelling and how the experience has helped shaped people’s lives, I immediately thought about my own travels and whether or not I could express accurately how the experience affected me. It has taken a few drafts but I think (and hope) I have managed to communicate how spending just under a year living out of a backpack has given my life a direction it so sorely needed!

by Ricky Durrance

From Little Englander to Travel Lover!

Like most people who frequent travel blogs as readers, visitors or bloggers, I spent a certain time abroad exploring different regions of the world after finishing university. Prior to this trip, I was what we in my country call a “Little Englander.” I rarely left these shores, apart from the odd cheap all inclusive holiday with friends and family to Greece, Spain and alike (think Karl Pilkington, just with more hair and a less grumpy outlook on life!) Going abroad never really appealed to me that much – that was until I was persuaded to join my friends on a round the world trip that seemed to be a lot more appealing than carrying on with a dead end job in central London.

Ricky Teaching in Cambodia

So off I went. Cambodia, Thailand, Vietnam, Laos, Malaysia, Singapore, Australia, USA and New Zealand – in little under a year I visited more places than I previously had in my whole life. But here is the crux of the issue. Unlike some people, I did not have a one single moment that stands out as a life changing experience. Of course there were moments – visiting an orphanage in Cambodia; having a beer with a man and his wife who were planning on spending seven years living and exploring the Australian outback; spending 36 hours travelling through Malaysia on every mode of transport possible. All great memories which have, to some extent, shaped my outlook on life. At the same time, though, I didn’t think about how these experiences were shaping me as a person. As far as I was concerned, I was a long way from home with a group of mates, having a laugh.

Finding a Purpose Through Travel

However, what I did take away did not become apparent until a few years after I returned. Travelling had inadvertently given me a purpose in life – a direction I badly needed. Being location independent is not something I could ever commit too – I would miss the comforts of home, my friends and family far too much. But just because I am no longer a traveller does not mean I do not love talking, writing, tweeting and researching everything to do with travel.

Ricky at the Grand Canyon

Before and after university I had no idea what I wanted to do with my life. As a history graduate, I quickly came to the conclusion that the chances of me becoming a history professor were relatively low. After a few meaningless jobs and failed ventures, it hit me. What could be better than interacting with, writing for and developing relationships with the sort of people I have met and greatly admire? What I also find extremely rewarding is helping the ordinary holidaymaker find a holiday, just a week or two here or there, that will appeal to them. Not everyone is a traveller; in fact the vast majority are not. But this does not mean that the average person who goes abroad for a break from work does not love travelling – they just prefer to do it a bit differently to the travel blogging community!

Ricky at the Great Barrier Reef

Travelling has done much more than just providing me with a few experiences. It opened up a whole world that will ultimately shape my career and day to day life. Just think, if I had stayed at home – what would I be doing now?

Ricky Durrance is Web Relations Executive for Beat the Brochure. Follow him on Twitter @rickydurrance

Inspirational Series 

This is an ongoing series of inspiring stories from intrepid travellers around the world. If you have an experience in travel that changed your life, made you look at the world differently or an amazing moment that you want to share, please contact us for more details and we will email you right back.. You can also read more about submitting an article to this series at Calling All Writers, Share your Inspirational Travel Story

Read More Inspirational Stories

Freedom Found
 The Yoga Retreat That Made Me Quit My Day Job

Learning that it’s OK to be a Quitter 
Zulu Memories in South Africa by Green Global Travel

What I Would Tell You (If I Had the Words)
 Charity for the Philippines a Birthday Adventure
Habitat for Humanity in Alaska
Inspired at the Summit of Mount Roy 
Inspirational Travel: Fishing For Friendship 

If our recent trip to Seattle is any indication, the future of travel blogging is looking bright.

At the Expedia Head Office

Just before the holidays, we were invited to meet the Expedia executives at their head office in Seattle to talk about the future of travel and to listen to their big ideas for the future. Expedia Blogger Day is the brainchild of Expedia PR gal Sarah Keeling. Joining her and the rest of the Expedia heavyweights for a delicious mexican feast at Barrio restaurant downtown Seattle, we enjoyed conversations with Expedia VP and General Manager Joe Megibow, VP of Brand Marketing Paul Leonard, Director of Marketing Jeremy Xavier and many more.

One thing we noticed during lunch was that the people who work for Expedia are excited about travel and they are excited about the company they work for. We were impressed to see that they truly wanted to talk to us about what we are all about and what our ideas are about the online business of travel.

Social Media Sharing at Lunch

Expedia is ready to work with Bloggers and they want to discuss ideas and options with us. They want to connect with their clients in a more personal way and what better way to do that than to work with people like us who are in direct contact with our readers.

Expedia Headquarters

After lunch, we moved onto the Expedia Headquarters where we talked with Expedia President, Scott Durschlag.

Instantly, I knew I liked this guy.

Having the same beliefs that we do about travel, he commented that “Travel is Transformational.” I couldn’t agree more. When someone experiences a different culture, event or witnesses something spectacular, it can change a life. It can give you a different outlook on how you view the world and it can inspire you to create a more fulfilling existence.

Expedia president, Scott Durchslag

Durschlag clearly believes this as well. He understands that the most precious thing in life is time and as he puts it, time on vacation is even more important. So Expedia is working to make the entire vacation experience painless and easy.

They are working to make Expedia.ca a one stop shop for people planning their precious vacations and their goal is to give their clients the best local experience when working with Expedia.

So Where do travel Blogggers fit in? 

The skies the limit.

More and more companies want to humanize their brand and connect with their customers on a more personal level. Travel Bloggers give an alternative to an advertisement or banner ad. We can explain and share our experiences first hand with our readers.

A person like President Scott Durschlag isn’t just a rich suit in a high office tower. Through us you get to know the man behind the corporation.  He’s a guy that backpacked around the world and once tried to climb Mount Everest on the cheap. We talked to him about his time in Tibet when he hired a couple of Sherpas on the spot to help him climb the world’s highest mountain. Did he make it? No way, but he has an awesome story to tell and gained my respect and admiration for giving it a good shot. And I loved that he travelled on a budget. He’s a guy that journeyed overland through Africa and has a zest for life and a love for travel. Like all of the Expedia executives we met, he’s a regular guy who’s easy to talk to. And that’s the type of stuff we like to share – The story and the inspiration.

“Travel is Transformational”

People who work at Expedia have a passion for travel and that is exactly the type of company we want to work with. As a matter a fact, Expedia not only encourages their employees to take holidays, they are rewarded when they travel by receiving reimbursements for their leisure travel each year. As Scott Durchslag said, a vacation encourages productivity. It’s important.

We were very impressed with their openness and excitement about working with travel bloggers in the future.  As VP Joe Megabow said, “working with bloggers is a proven business plan.” Other industries have already done it with great success. It’s little risk for Expedia to work with us because the plan is already laid out. Sports, Tech, Entertainment, Fashion….these industries have already embraced the influence of the blogger and we think 2012 will be the year of the travel blogger.

We were honoured to be invited alongside some other really cool travel bloggers and we all got to know each other during a Seattle Seahawks game from a private suite in the NFL’s loudest stadium.

Getting to know Johhny Jett, Kim of Galavanting & Chris J Faust of C Around the World at the Seahawks

It was a whirlwind two days in Seattle, but we had an amazing time and are excited to see what Expedia has in store.

Our trip to Seattle was courtesy of Expedia.com and we wanted to give a shout out to the beautiful boutique hotel that we stayed at, Hotel 1000 right in the heart of downtown.

To see more on Expedia and travel blogging, check out our fellow attendees of Expedia Blogger Day 2011. Here’s to an exciting

Airfare Watchdog, Bloomberg Business Week, Chris Around the World, Galavating
GeekWire.com, Johnny Jet, Otts World, Social Media Labs, Stuck at the Airport,
The Traveling Philosopher, Travel Junkie Julia, Travelllll.com, What a Trip

Thanks to Expedia Canada for sponsoring our trip to Seattle to meet our American friends.

This has been a short Christmas season, it seems shorter than usual with Christmas and New Years falling on a Sunday. It seems like the holidays just got started and they are already coming to and end!

We are home for the holidays this year and as we watched the snow fall outside, we started to reminisce about where we’ve been for New Year’s over the past decade. It’s been a very fun ride.

So while we celebrate at home for the first time in a few years, enjoy our trip down memory lane and share your stories of where you’ll be this year and where in the world you have celebrated New Years abroad in the past. 

Thailand

Dave and Deb Dukin' it Out at New Years in Thailand

Last Year this time we were in Studying Muay Thai Kickboxing at Rawai Muay Thai in Phuket. A fun New Years on the beach complete with Karaoke, Lady Boys and a little Thai Wiskey. Not much though, we were all in training!

India

Hussein and His Mother in Udaipur India at New Years

We were staying in Udaipur at the Lakeshore Guesthouse where we grew close with it’s manager Hussain. He took us up to the rooftop of his families building to overlook the magical city at midnight. Fireworks were let off over the Lake Palace Hotel standing proud in the middle of Lake Pichola. It was a beautiful sight.

Egypt

2008 Started Off With a Bang, Cycling a Continent!

We were about to start our ride down the continent of Africa and celebrated New Years on the plane to Cairo. We weren’t really thinking about the celebrations we were missing out on, we were getting ready to change our lives and live our dreams.

Somewhere between Florida and Toronto

Our Home Town, Toronto at Night

We had just spent a couple of weeks visiting my parents in Florida and were going to stop at Myrtle Beach on the way home when we left late Dec. Instead, we decided to drive straight through to Canada ended up crossing the border at Niagara Falls somewhere around midnight. It was raining, it was late and it was depressing. It was that night that we made the New Years resolution to change our lives. We watched an interview on CBC with Ray Zahab about how he is now living his dream as an ultra marathon runner and made a pact to do something like that ourselves. One year later we were in Cairo at the start of the Tour d’Afrique and have never looked back!

Quebec City

The Fairmont Hotel in Quebec City Christmas

There isn’t a more romantic city in Canada than Quebec City. We bundled up in our down jackets, snowboarding pants and Sorrel winter boots to walk around the old city and take in its historical architecture. Fondue, cheese, fresh fruit, wine and hot chocolate made for the perfect getaway after a few days of snowboarding at Mont St. Anne for celebrating New years.

Honduras

Starting our Dive Masters in Honduras

We were ready to take our dive masters and there was no where cheaper on earth to study than Honduras. Hanging out on Utilla for a few weeks was an awesome way ring in the New Year. We made new friends and celebrated together like we had known each other for years. When the New Year came, we said our good byes, never to see them again. But we came away with memories to last a lifetime.

Laos

OK, So We dont' have Photos of Vang Viang, It was 2003 we didn't have digital yet!

We had arrived in Vang Vieng just a couple of days after Christmas. I hear that it is over run with backpackers these days, but when we were there on the even of 2004, things were fairly quiet. We walked down the dirt streets and sat with some locals by a fire. We walked some more and grabbed a Bear Lao on a floating bar on the river and eventually settled in while trying to drown our the blaring music coming from the empty bar next door.

Mexico

Traveling Around the Yucatan in Mexico During the Holidays

There’s nothing like celebrating New Years in the tropics and the Yucatan Peninsula of Mexico is one of the most gorgeous places on earth. Dressed in a sundress for Deb and Shorts and a Hawaiian shirt for Dave we put the cold of winter out of our minds while sipping Margaritas at the beach bar listining to Mariachis serenade the crowd.

So, Where are you this New Years Eve? At Home with your family, somewhere exotic, an awesome party? Share your plans, we’d love to live vicariously!

Happy New Year and See you in 2012! 

This past year was an interesting one. We got to re-visit some places we had already been but more importantly we got to take in some of our dream destinations for the first time. We thought the best way to show you why we loved all the places we visited was through our favourite photos from each country. So sit back with a cup of coffee and come travel with us for a few moments.

Thailand:

Sea Canoeing in Thailand

Malaysia:

Thaipusam in Penang, Malaysia

New Zealand:

The stunning New Zealand Landscape

Jordan:

Petra at Night

Had to put this one in! the Bedouin girl in Jordan

London:

London Landmarks- The Tower Bridge

Brussels:

Prague:

The main Square in Prague

Russia:

The Astrakhan Kremlin in Russia

Kazakhstan:

The uncanny modern city of Astana in Kazakhstan

Mongolia:

Mongolian Traffic

Mexico:

The ruins of Tonina in Mexico

Jamaica:

Grabbing the Catamaran in Jamaica

Egypt:

Alexandria, Egypt

Freedom Found by: Verdant Lee

I was raised in a minefield.  Every action, every word was scrutinized & critiqued. Nothing ever passed muster. The most minor infractions, such as leaving fingerprints on a polished table, were punished with ferocious physical or verbal assaults.  As a teenager, I believed what I had been told:  I was fat, lazy, worthless, stupid, irresponsible, and incapable.  Less than a year out of school, I married.  This relationship, though, only added to my already impressive list of insecurities.  Trapped in a town where women were only meant to “cook, clean, and make babies”, my dreams of self-sufficiency and a career also seemed impossible.

At the age of 25, I was given the miraculous opportunity to work on Windermere Island, Eleuthera, Bahamas.  Eleuthera is not well known to tourists; there are no casinos or big fancy resorts.  She is The Bahamas, pure and unsullied, as nature intended.  Like the adjacent and more-well-known Harbour Island, Eleuthera also has her share of pink sand beaches.  Her eastern shores vary from calm cerulean shallows to turgid depths met by steep cliffs of ancient coral, now exposed and weathering.  On the leeward side are tranquil bays where the faintly choppy waters glisten with the last glorious rays of orange and pink light at sunset.

Windermere Island lies just below the point where Eleuthera takes a sharp turn due south.  Windermere has long been somewhat of an “openly secret” getaway for Royals, members of the peerage, and celebrities for decades.  For that reason, it is intensely private.  One does not simply decide to “go check it out”.  One must be expected and / or invited.

The owner of two recently inherited homes needed someone to redecorate, refurbish, and prepare them for rental.  Years of less-than-careful maintenance in the oceanic environment had corroded, splintered, or eroded nearly everything.  Now, while I had done some rather amateur-level interior décor, I had none of the knowledge or experience expected for such prime real estate.  I’m still not sure exactly why she asked me to take it on, but in retrospect, I am eternally grateful because this tropical hideaway turned out to be the perfect place for a tortured young woman to escape a horrible marriage and the dismal prospects of a rural town.

Verdant Lee in Bahamas

Appliances and other large items had to be purchased in the U.S., crated, shipped by boat, and cleared through customs.  The nearest hardware stores were in the States, too, so forgetting even a single packet of drapery hooks was a serious problem.

Thinking it couldn’t be that hard to do, I drew floor plans of the rooms using a measuring tape, graph paper, and a ruler.  Using scale paper cut-outs to represent furniture, I worked out how to re-arrange or place furnishings.  Drawing from the surrounding ocean, sea life, and rainbow-hued bougainvillea, I coordinated fabrics, paints, and wood finishes.  After seeing something on TV about how decorators make boards showing what they plan to use in a room, I did the same thing.  Shells, coral, and other interesting finds were assembled into abstract sculptures, fabric designs were reproduced in paint on walls, and I collaborated with local artists to create custom works for various rooms.

I paid the bills and kept the books for both properties.  There was a small army of seamstresses, gardeners, electricians, and plumbers to hire and supervise.  There were parties to plan during high season, major repairs to complete during low season, and marketing tasks in between.

When I began this journey, I’d had no clue how to even begin.  I asked a lot of questions, figured out many mysteries (such as how to operate a drill), and read how-to books.  When I made mistakes, I found solutions.

And, when all else failed: I chanted what became my mantra: “Improvise. Adapt. Overcome.”

Every Sunday, I would venture onto the mainland of Eleuthera.  I explored hidden coves, climbed into blowholes, beachcombed on every beach, swam in every bay, snorkeled the near reefs, and hiked barely visible trails to see where they ended.  I sat for hours on some rock, staring across the ocean, dreaming and contemplating.  Occasionally, there were visitors to accompany me, but 300 days a year, for almost two years, I traveled, worked, ate, slept, and explored alone.

The sense of isolation was comforting.  For the first time in my life, I was on my own, in charge of and responsible for supervising people who knew much more than I did.  It had its moments of outright frustration, but the most important gains from the experience weren’t measured by a paycheck.  I learned how to be really alone; sometimes I would go days without seeing another person, or uttering a single word.  Even more priceless, I came to know I was capable of so much more than anyone had ever given me credit for.

Eleuthera means “freedom.”  Fitting, because that is exactly what this place gave to me.  As a young girl, I had dreams of being a self-made woman.  I left there feeling as if I had been forged, galvanized; I had been liberated from my past.  I not only escaped that small, suffocating town, but that nightmare marriage.  The skills I discovered on the island led me to help start and grow a very successful company.  I achieved my dreams, and beyond.  Most importantly, I learned a new vocabulary for myself: resourceful, intelligent, creative, kind, responsible, accomplished, and beautiful.  I’ve weathered many a storm and gale since then.  But I survived, and I stand now, still gazing intently across the horizon, searching for the next miraculous opportunity.

Who is VerdantLee?

By day, I’m a technical writer and math geek; by night, I indulge a pretty serious addiction to singing and karaoke.  As if I didn’t have enough on my plate, I started writing a blog earlier this year.  I don’t profess to have the answers to most of life’s questions, but the hope is that some of my stories will help someone to avoid some of the crazy pitfalls that seem to pop up everywhere I go.  The topics are a real mixed bag: travel, food, relationships, good causes, the midlife experience, and a few good rants here and there.  The goal is to be very observational, possibly informative, intermittently inspirational, and (hopefully) occasionally humorous.  In short, I’m just a 40-something, pretty well-travelled, self-made chick with a random crazy life and some stories to tell.

The blog is called Verdant4Ever, it lives on wordpress, and the platform is “Living a Verdant Life”: One that is full of hope, acceptance, accountability, and growth.  You plant the seed of yourself, give it nourishment, and reap the blossom of truly experiencing your life.  And, you get to do it again each and every day.  Beautiful. Follow Verdantlee at Verdant Forever and on Facebook  twitter

Inspirational Series 

This is an ongoing series of inspiring stories from intrepid travellers around the world. If you have an experience in travel that changed your life, made you look at the world differently or an amazing moment that you want to share, please contact us for more details and we will email you right back.. You can also read more about submitting an article to this series at Calling All Writers, Share your Inspirational Travel Story

Read More Inspirational Stories

 The Yoga Retreat That Made Me Quit My Day Job

Learning that it’s OK to be a Quitter 
Zulu Memories in South Africa by Green Global Travel

What I Would Tell You (If I Had the Words)
 Charity for the Philippines a Birthday Adventure
Habitat for Humanity in Alaska
Inspired at the Summit of Mount Roy  

The Suite We stayed in at the Iberostar, Montego Bay

But this article is not about the resort.

While it’s amazing to have a gorgeous suite to lay our heads, we normally spend our days exploring our destination to the fullest, and luckily our hosts understood that about us and made sure that we sampled everything!

Our Group on our Adventure Tour of Jamaica before our hike at Bracco Stables.

Remember the jingle “Come back to Jamaica, What’s Old is what’s new?” Well, Jamaica ain’t stickin’ to its old slogan. There is so much new to do that I think if you haven’t been in 10 years, you will see a huge change. Especially in the off resort excursions. So, maybe it is time to come back to Jamaica, only this time get yourself off the beach and explore the island. There’s so much fun stuff to see and do, you’ll never want to go home. Maybe you’ll just end up wastin’ away in Margaritaville at Jimmy Buffets famous cafe. I know we were tempted to stay!

1. Jamaican Blobsledding 

If there is one thing you have to do when you go to Jamaica it’s hit the bobsled track. You can spend a day at Rainforest Adventures. After you ride the scenic chairlift up to the top of the mountain there are a flurry of activities such as the history museum, pool bar and café, waterslides and zipline and of course the star attraction, The Bobsled. Whiz down the hill as fast or as slow as you want, you have control of the brakes but let me tell you now, fast is fun! A fifteen minute chair ride takes you up to the top of the mountain where you can have a look around before you hop on the bobsled. The ride is fast and over before you know it, but it’s exciting and you feel giddy racing through the rainforest.  Take the day to sign up for the full package and experience and sample every adventure Rainforest Adventures has to offer.

For more information visit Rainforest Adventures. 

2. Jamaican Dogsledding 

Jamaica Dogsled

Yes, you heard me right. But in Jamaica, the dogs are pulling carts and instead of being of the husky mix breed, they are rescue dogs taken off the street and trained to be sled…err…cart dogs. They are trained to run and you can tell that they just love getting chosen to pull a bunch of tourists around the track. When our guide entered the kennel to choose a half a dozen to give us a demonstration of how the whole Jamaican Dogsledding experience works, the dogs went crazy yapping and jumping. It seemed they couldn’t wait for their turn. While I am not comfortable with dogs being chained, we were told that they run often and that they are well taken care of. These dogs would have been put down or been left to run wild in the streets, so this charity spearheaded by Jimmy Buffet seems to be doing great things for the dog population on the island.

To Find out more visit Chukka Caribbean

3. Zip Lining

No Caribbean Adventure could be complete without a zip line excursion. We arrived at a different location of Chukka Caribbean than our dogsledding adventure to take part in our zipline canopy tour. Our guides were absolutely fantastic and although this particular zip line was one of the more mellow canopy tours we’ve been on, it was beautiful and a lot of fun. We recommend it for first time zip liners. It has enough speed to make your heart race and the platforms are high enough to make you realize that yep, your way above the ground. Located on an old plantation, it is very picturesque. The jungle is dense and scenic and the highlight is zipping right through an opening where the branches split in large old growth tree.

To Find out more visit Chukka Caribbean

4. ATV with Chukka Tours 

Chukka Caribbean is everywhere on this island and we visited yet another location of this Jamaican staple. We were running a little late due to our catamaran tour going long so we missed our dune buggy adventure that we had booked, but Chukka was kind enough to move us to an ATV tour. I actually enjoyed this ATV experience better than our trip we took in Alaska. We were hesitant on taking part as we find ATV trips to be a little light on adventure due to the liability risks for the company. They never allow you to let loose. But these guys were great. They kept a steady even pace that gave me enough of a thrill to be content with the speed. It was also cool to climb the steep mountain and take a look over the island once we reached the top. The best part of the trip though was the delicious Jerk Chicken bought from the little stand on the premises. We were told that Scotchies was the best Jamaican Jerk in Jamaica, but I would say that this rivalled theirs. The chicken was tender and juicy.

To Find out more visit Chukka Caribbean

5. Catamaran Tour – Island Routes

I have always wanted to go on one of these picture perfect catamaran tours in the Caribbean. It’s these boats that you always see in the commercials promoting the Caribbean Islands. I’ve never taken one of these famous island excursions until this trip and it didn’t disappoint. As soon as we were on board the staff took great care in making sure we had a super time. The music was blasting and the snacks were laid out. No drinking until after the snorkelling where we followed our guide into the warm water and spotted trumpetfish, puffer fish and star fish. It was back onto the boat for a scenic tour of the Jamaican Coast before popping back in for another swim to explore the caves and check out the famous divers of Rick’s cafe.

For more information visit Island Routes 

6. Hike and Bike: Bracco Tours

Enjoying fresh coconuts after a day of Hiking and Biking

Have you eaten too much on the resort? Get yourself out for an informative hike followed by an all downhill bike to the Caribbean Sea. We stopped to learn about the flora and fauna and tried a tasted of the termites in the large mound. That wasn’t exactly part of the tour but one of our fellow hikers Steve told us all that they taste delicious. Never one to back down from a challenge, I thought I’d give them a try. Our guide gave the mound a good shake to wake up the termites and out they came. They weren’t too bad! We hiked up further enjoying the conversation and were greeted at the top not only to a great view, but cold towels to clean ourselves off. After a quick relaxation, stolled back down to grab our mountain bikes and ride through the fields to the beach where we enjoyed fresh coconuts and a dip in the water if we so desired while listening to that wonderful island music!

For more information visit Bracco Stables. 

There is so much to do off the resort in Jamaica above and beyond the activities we did. We only had 5 days to sample the adventures of the island and there is still so much to do. Try horseback riding through the sea, hop on a dune buggy or try one of at least 3 other zip lining adventures. There’s snorkelling and diving, parasailing and kite surfing. While it is great to relax on the beach with a Mojito in hand, it’s exciting to get yourself off the resort and enjoy everything that Jamaica has to offer.

We have travelled to some amazing lands that offer incredible winterscapes. I’m looking forward to grabbing my camera to take more photos as the winter goes on and these shots definitely are getting me excited for our upcoming trip to Antarctica.

Enjoy the Snow! 

Winter Photos: Cold Can be Beautiful

Glacier Bay National Park in Alaska

This photo of Icicles really screams winter

The Athabasca Glacier in Alberta, Canada

A photo of Winter Wolves

Winter sets in this Nepal Photo

The St. Lawrence River in Winter

It is while putting it all down on words that I realized that we just lived a year of adventure travel that I never thought I would have the opportunity to ever do in my life. We left for Fiji last November knowing that we would be going to China afterwards but then, the plans were all up in the air. All we knew was that we were going to fly to Thailand to hang out for a bit because its a cheap place to visit.

It was then the Real Adventures Began.

2011 started off with us studying Muay Thai Kickboxing at Rawai Muay Thai in Phuket. We spent a month boxing, skipping, sparring, visiting an orphanage, learning the wai kru and making new friends.

Thailand

Muay Thai Training at Rawai Muay Thai

Malaysia

After a month in Thailand we had to do a visa run to Malaysia so we thought we’d stick around a bit to witness Thaipusam. This festival is an adventure unto itself. Imagine seeing people with spikes through their cheeks, hooks on their back and carrying heavy kavadis on their heads walk by you so close that you could reach out and touch them. It was our second time experiencing Thaipusam and no less thrilling.

Worshipper at Thaipusam, Malaysia

Thailand

We were then back in Thailand doing a great adventure with the Tourism Authority. They sent us on a two week custom itinerary showcasing the great adventures that Thailand has to offer. From rock climbing in Railay to paddling into sea caves of Phuket with high tide rushing in to add to the thrill. We then flew north to take a week long motorcycle journey to the Myanmar border through tea terraces, mountain passes and hill tribe villages. It all rounded off with a mountain bike adventure, elephant safari and longtail boat back to Chiang Rai.

Mountain Biking in Northern Thailand

New Zealand

Just when we were trying to figure out what to do next, we received an email from our good friend Melvin on Travel Dudes. “Do you guys want to go to New Zealand?”" I can’t do it so I recommended the Adventure Couple!” Do we!

Sadly, the earthquake hit 2 days before we arrived in Christchurch and we witnessed the devastation that an angry planet can reap on civilization. But the Kiwis are resilient and they pushed forward.

The Devastation in Christchurch, New Zealand

We shared their story with our readers telling people to not forget New Zealand. It’s still open for business and outside the city of Christchurch it was business as usual. Even though the country was mourning the loss of life, they were doing their best to rebuild and move forward.

And move Forward we did!

How can I sum up 6 weeks of the greatest adventure of our lives…Do I dare put photos in of the 30+ adventures we did day in day out?

Ok, that will be another post but for now, imagine every thrill you can think of that happens in the World’s Adventure Capital, add some more and that is what we did.

Adventures in New Zealand

Skydiving, bungy jumping, paragliding, flying a stunt plane, white water rafting class 5 rapids, swimming with dolphins, paddling through glow worm caves, riding a jet boat, 4X4ing through old gold mines, sand boarding, glacier hiking, sailing, cruising, paddling, eating, camping, hiking, you name it, we did it!

Mexico

While we were in New Zealand we received an email from Jordan to come and sample their adventures but first we had commitments at Rancho La Puerta in Mexico where we spent 1 week working out and detoxing in such classes as cardio drumming, African Dance, walking the Labyrinth and spinning the Hoola Hoop just to name a few!

Walking the Labyrinth after a Workout at Rancho La Puerta

Jordan

Directly from Mexico we then flew to Jordan where besides witnessing the beauty of Petra, the classic landscape of the Arabian Desert in Wadi Rum, the medicinal elements of the Dead Sea and the gorgeous views from the Dana River Reserve, we also had the chance to go Canyoning in Wadi Majub. We’ve always wanted to rappel over a waterfall and this was our chance. We slid down rocky dams, waded through rushing rivers and yes, we jumped over a cliff and lowered ourselves into the spray of the mighty waterfall!

Canyonning in Wadi Mujib, Jordan

There was no rest after Jordan, our greatest journey of 2011 had yet to begin.

The Mongol Rally

In July, we met our teammates Sherry Ott and Rick Griffin to take part in the Mongol Rally. A 10,000 mile drive in an inappropriate car from England to Mongolia through 13 countries. We drove through the Ukraine and Kazakhstan and Siberia! Yes, Siberia! We then dodged camels, yaks, serious potholes and herds of horses through the Gobi Desert. All while nursing a broken exhaust, tender tires that were constantly being punctured, a busted shock and most importantly a dead horn. No honking at the wildlife or just for the heck of it. It was just us and our duct taped gear shift keeping us company.

Mongol Rally River Crossings

Canada

It was late September when we were finally back in Canada.

It was wonderful to be around family and friends and it was here that we had the opportunity to do an adventure in our own back yard with Samba Days. We took a flight over our home city of Toronto and it was spectacular. It was nearly as thrilling as the Stunt Plane in New Zealand.

At The Toronto Island Airport Awaiting Take-Off

It was then off to Mexico. While we didn’t do adventures there, we did go to the Adventure Travel World Summit where we learned that in the tourism industry, 16% of all travellers are adventure travellers. That is awesome!

Jamaica

We rounded up the year with a soft adventure tour in Jamaica where we went Jamaican Bobsledding! We then spent the next 5 days sampling the islands other adventure activities such as ATVing, catamaran sailing, snorkelling, ziplining, hiking and mountain biking and finally eating spicy Jamaican Jerk Chicken at Scotchies.

Jamaican Bobsledding

We are heading to Seattle this weekend to watch a Seahawks game and then we’re jetting off to Cairo next week to speak at the ioeti Conference.  While it is not going to be a physical adventure, speaking to the Middle East Market about the future of Travel Blogging is definitely going to be an exciting moment in our lives and we can’t wait to end our year with this wonderful opportunity. Plus, we’re really looking forward to seeing Alexandria, we missed it during our last trip to Egypt.

I don’t know how we are going to top this year, but 2012 is starting off with a bang to Antarctica. More on that next week!

Enjoying our Holiday Parties without the worry of driving home

What Does One Do?

During the holiday season money is tight, especially for these two world travellers who have blown the budget on trips to Mongolia, New Zealand, Mexico and China – just to name a few. However, because we have travelled so much over the past few years, we have a little nest egg that we didn’t even consider using until we started to learn more about using travel rewards during our time working with American Express Canada.
We may not be on the road for another couple of months, but that doesn’t mean we can’t enjoy mini getaways in our own backyard. Thanks to the travel rewards we’ve accumulated, we have extra points to book hotels without having to dig into our pocketbook.

Using TripFlex For The First Time

View of Toronto Skyline from our Luxury Hotel

For the first time in our lives, we actually booked a hotel using rewards instead of saving them for a flight. How liberating it was to call up a luxury hotel, book a night of accommodation and know that we have it for free.

You can book with anyone and still use your travel rewards.

With TripFlex – a feature of the Gold Rewards Card – it doesn’t matter who you book with, if you book last-minute or even if you find an extremely discounted travel deal. We used our resources to secure a great deal on a downtown hotel. If we play our cards right, we won’t have to pay for one night of accommodation for the entire holiday season!

How it works

Use Rewards for Free Travel

All we have to do is charge the night at the hotel to our American Express Gold Rewards Card, give AMEX a call once it is posted to our account and have them pay off the travel spend with our accumulated Membership Rewards points. There is no need to hurry either; you have up to a year to give them a call for a statement credit against that purchase.

For every 10,000 Membership Rewards points that we accumulate, American Express gives us $100 worth of travel spend. That is way better than our other cards, some of which offer half that amount.

Flexibility

 What we love about the American Express Gold Rewards Card over other travel rewards programs is the flexibility that it offers. We can transfer points to Aeroplan 1:1, we can use them for different rewards programs such as  Alitalia, British Airways, Delta, Cathay Pacific, Hilton Honors, Starwood Preferred Guest and Priority Club or we can simply purchase a travel deal of any kind and pay it off with our rewards.

Because we use our card for every purchase possible, we have accumulated a lot of points over the past few months. We’ve been driving to Toronto weekly and Amex gives double points for fill ups at gas stations, as well as on purchases at grocery stores and drugstores. It doesn’t take long for rewards to add up with this card and we’re taking advantage of every deal we can.

To find out more details about the American Express Gold Rewards Card Visit American Express Canada

Even though we have done a lot of zip lines over this past year, we do still enjoy playing Tarzan as we swing over the jungle canopy, and we’ll take any opportunity we can to take part in a zip line.

“If you’ve never done a zip line, you should!”

We started off at an old plantation house while we waited for another tour to join us. We were a little concerned at the beginning of this adventure as there were 10 in our group and another 4 came along to join us but our worries were put to rest as we were entertained by our skilled guides who require 200 hours of training before they are even allowed to lead a trip.

It’s the people that make the experience in every adventure and the guides at Chukka Tours certainly made it an enjoyable day.

If you have never done a zip line before, Jamaica is the place to do it. It’s a great introduction to adventure travel. A zip line give you a thrill in a controlled and safe environment. Some zip lines are more extreme than others and this one at Chukka Tours in Jamaica is one of the mellower rides over the jungle that we’ve been on.

That doesn’t mean it wasn’t just as much fun!

The tour started with a short walk to the first platform. We hiked up a set of wooden stairs to take us high into a giant tree where our first zip line awaited us. For safety sake we were hooked into safety lines the entire tour, even while standing on the stairs. At times we were so high in the air that one slip could be dangerous. However, Chukka Caribbean takes great care in keeping everyone safe.

Once we finished our first zip line, we leapt from treetop to treetop. For a total of 5 flights over the rainforest. The highlight was one of the longer routes where we zipped right through an opening of a tree. We had to make sure our legs were tucked up so that they wouldn’t hit the branches. It was a beautiful sight seeing the moss hanging off the old growth tree and witnessing the dense vegetations from above.

To see the beauty that we witnessed and feel the fun that we had, check out our video. 

I didn’t know that Jamaica had such rich jungle.

The tour was a total of two hours and normally it’s offered as a package with river tubing after the zip line. The plantation is a picturesque setting on 2000 acres and worth spending the day. There’s a shop filled with Jamaican hand crafts and its famous rum, a place to eat lunch and the river is devine.

Our last ride took us right over the river and it was beckoning us to jump in. Alas, we had to move on. There were more adventures to be had and the day was just beginning!

For more information Visit Chukka Caribbean Adventures
Zip Line tours start at $90

This trip was part of the #VisitJamaica campaign.

]]> http://theplanetd.com/zip-line-jamaica/feed/ 4 http://theplanetd.com/habitat-for-humanity-in-alaska/ http://theplanetd.com/habitat-for-humanity-in-alaska/#comments Wed, 30 Nov 2011 10:00:35 +0000 debndave http://theplanetd.com/?p=22298 When I first got home from my trip to Anchorage, Alaska, I couldn’t write about it. Everything I had seen, done, and experienced seemed to be too precious to put into words. Now that I’ve had over a year to reflect, I’m excited to finally be able to share my stories.

Last summer, having just graduated from college and looking to have one last adventure before I started searching for a full-time job, I decided to spend 1.5 months traveling to different cities within the U.S. as a congratulations to myself. Two weeks out of that month and a half was dedicated to my first Habitat for Humanity trip and my second time away from mainland America.

When I signed up for this trip, I knowingly went into it completely blind. I didn’t know anyone else on the team and knew very little about using tools to construct a home. Looking back, I realize that was the best way to do it. Just jump right in, eliminate my expectations, completely immerse myself in the project, journey, or destination, and have fun. Of course, when I was sitting at the airport impatiently waiting for my flight, all of these panicky thoughts were running through my head like “What if there is nobody else my age?” “What if everyone else knows what they’re doing?” so on and so forth. Sooner or later, I was forced to put those silly thoughts to rest, let go of the things I couldn’t control, and just go with the flow. But don’t get me wrong, for as nervous and scared as I was, excitement was as equally present.

Fast forward to when my team leaders picked me up from Ted Stevens International Airport where I immediately met some of my teammates, and it turned out that there were in fact people my age, teenagers, and even folks in their 80s. You can imagine my relief and immediate return to comfort. From the airport, we were escorted in an old-school Scooby Doo van back to the church where we slept on air mattresses and had a spacious communal dining area for everyone to eat and converse. It certainly wasn’t anything fancy, but it was cozy. The two girls I roomed with, Sara & Paloma, are a few years younger than me, but they both have the same sense of humor as I do which made it easy to get along. At night, we’d fall asleep laughing our heads off, and we grew close over the two weeks we had together. The room we slept in had two white boards on opposite walls, and every night before we went to bed, we wrote inspiring quotes on the boards to express our thoughts, gratitude, appreciation, and what we learned from the day.

At first, the days seemed to drag by, but after about five days, I didn’t want to go home. We worked at the construction site Monday through Friday from 8am-4pm for two weeks. During that time, I got a lesson on the proper use of power tools, helped paint the fence for the backyard, built storage sheds, worked on a bit of interior framing, and did so many things I never thought I knew how to do. We took half an hour out every day for lunch when our team leaders would take a few minutes to read an inspiring story, quote, etc. and then open it up for discussion. Those moments of unity, bonding, and sometimes vulnerability with complete strangers who have quickly become new friends are something I hope everyone can experience in their lifetime.

The evenings and weekends were saved for the fun activities including hiking, bike riding, mountain climbing, house visits hosted by National Habitat employees and leaders, and a myriad of other adventures. Our team leaders took us out one evening to go moose observing, and I was fascinated by how much they seem like such gentle creatures. They wander onto different paths much like geese aren’t afraid to stop traffic on a main road. It felt inappropriate to actually eat moose later in the trip, and for those of you who are wondering, it tastes just like a regular hamburger. I don’t think I’ll be eating moose again anytime soon, but since the unique opportunity presented itself, I had to take it.

Hailing from the flatlands of the Midwest, mountain climbing is not available as a recreational activity so it was a real treat to be up close and personal with such beautiful landscaping and scenery. Now keep in mind that I do exercise regularly, but I am not necessarily in shape for extreme sports. Given my lack of previous mountain climbing experience, you can imagine my difficulty getting to the top. At the halfway point, I was ready to stop, but there is something about traveling in a pack that motivates you to finish what you started. Climbing a steep path very fast made it difficult to breathe at certain points, but it was the best workout I’ve ever done. Being doubtful of whether or not I would make it, the sense of accomplishment once I finally reached the top was overwhelming and a real “wow” moment. I felt like I could do anything after that, if I continued pushing myself to new heights.

There aren’t any words in the dictionary that do justice to the beauty of Anchorage and so many other places around the world. I plan on visiting again one day along with a stop in Juneau.

All I know is that I grew by leaps and bounds as a daughter, a friend, and a human being. I learned more in those two weeks than I did in four years of college, and I am making it a priority to continue doing volunteer work whether it’s with Habitat or other charitable organizations.

Help me reach my goal of $7,000 to fund two Habitat for Humanity trips next August/September in Kenya and Zambia to help build homes for impoverished families. If you’d like to make a donation, please
click here. To learn more about Habitat for Humanity, visit their website here. To see photos from my first Habitat trip in Anchorage, Alaska in July 2010, click here.

“A girl with one foot in multiple worlds.

I am an independent Detroit native, stubborn New York City devotee, and working towards making every corner of the world a little slice of home. Aside from being a passionately curious traveler eager to learn about the world through my own eyes as opposed to the media, I am a pop music junkie, a big kid at heart, and a sucker for fresh, organic foods. Follow Kimi on Twitter at @WSouldier tumblr (whereintheworldiskimi.com) and google+.