Hostel Bookers is running a game of photo tag and were kind enough to include us in their inaugural post. I love going back through photographs that I haven’t looked at recently. Each one tells a story and reminds me of a precious moment in time. Along with my fellow photographer friends, Bears and Beans, The Travel Tart, Traveling Canucks, Landlopers, Canvas of Light, and Virtual Wayfarer, we are kicking off the game and sharing our favourite Seven Super Travel Photos.

Play with us in 5 easy steps

1. Choose 7 of your own photos, one for each of the following categories:

• A photo that…takes my breath away
• A photo that…makes me laugh or smile
• A photo that…makes me dream
• A photo that…makes me think
• A photo that…makes my mouth water
• A photo that…tells a story
• A photo that…I am most proud of (aka my worthy of National Geographic shot)

2. Write a short description for each image.
3. Write somewhere in your blog post: ‘I am taking part in HostelBookers 7 Super Shots‘.
4. Tell us you have participated and tweet the hashtag #7SuperShots
5. Nominate 5 other bloggers by including a link to their blog in your post.

Hostelbookers will be retweeting and sharing the best posts from participating bloggers. Make sure to tag us on twitter with your 7 Photos so that we can tweet it as well!

Take a look at HostelBookers own list of 7 photos that… and see what photo we contributed along with our 6 other partners in crime.

1.       Photo that takes my breath away

Mount Doom and the Tongariro Crossing in New Zealand

It’s known as one of the best one day treks in the world. The Tongariro Crossing on New Zealand’s North Island certainly lives up to the hype. We started our hike early in the morning and the crisp air may have chilled our bones, but the brisk morning made for clear skies and gave the partially frozen dew a glimmering beauty. With Mount Doom looming in the background, I envisioned the Hobbits fighting their way up this epic mountain to return the ring. The colours and the beauty of the Tongariro Crossing took my breath away at every turn.

2.       Photo that makes me laugh/smile

Playing on a Water Buffalo in Myanmar

We were riding bicycles around Inle Lake, Myanmar when we came across these two little cuties. They were keeping watch on their water buffalo and when they saw us motioned us to come over and say hi. They didn’t speak a word of English, we didn’t speak a word of Burmese but they loved posing for Dave’s camera. The boy in the front was the real ham and kept shoving his little brother out of the way. Dave would snap  some photos, he would show them their shot on the screen and they laughed and giggled while motioning him to take another. It makes us smile because that was a very good day and these boys will always remain on our memory for the rest of our lives.

3.       Photo that makes me dream

Sunset in Chobe National Park, Botswana

Chobe National Park has one of the largest concentrations of wildlife in all of Africa.What is unique about a safari here is that you cruise the Chobe river to spot game. Elephants are a plenty in Chobe and we saw many as we rode our bikes along the famed Elephant Highway. But it was during our river cruise that we were truly at peace. As the evening came to an end, this bird spread it’s wings as if saluting sun while saying goodbye to another beautiful day on the continent of Africa.

4.       Photo that makes me think 

Malawi Portrait

We were visiting a project for Plan Canada, the charity we raised money and awareness for as we cycled Africa. The entire village came out to say hello to us and show off their schools, fields, well and medical centre all built with the help of Plan Canada. Today it is a sustainable operation that is independently run by the village itself. As swarms of children followed our every move, this young girl carrying a baby on her back caught my eye. Her calm manner stood out among the energetic group and I wondered what she was thinking about? I wonder what her future will be and where she is today?

5.       Photo that makes my mouth water 

The amazing lobster in Fiji

I don’t take a lot of food photographs, but while we were in Fiji, it seemed that food constantly caught my attention. We were staying at the Pearl Fiji and each night we were treated to a spectacular feast. When we entered the restaurant we enjoyed our welcome drink of Kava, sat down to a meal complete with local entertainment and enjoyed heavenly dished like this lobster. Mmm Mmm Good.

6.       Photo that tells a story

The Three Gorges Dam Project in China

China was a fascinating place to explore. The old is being erased to make for the new and modern 21st century. As we sailed through the Three Gorges, our guides explained how the massive feat of engineering, The Three Gorges Damn project flooded the entire area burying thousand year old villages under the later never to be heard from again. Ancient temples were destroyed and cultural monuments were lost only to be rebuilt and replicated for tourist to view. But there are pockets of China where people still cling to the past and a simple fisherman can be found working on the water. While cruise liners and luxury ships pass, rural families cling to their past and follow the traditions of their ancient ancestors.

7. Photo that I am most proud of (aka my National Geographic photo)

Sunset in Wadi Rum, Jordan

It seemed that every turn in Jordan offered an opportunity to take that “National Geographic Shot” but many have already seen my pictures of Petra. And I am more drawn to my time in Wadi Rum. Taking a camel ride in the middle of the Arabian Desert at sunset is something that I dreamed of doing as a child scouring through my parents National Geographic collection. When I think of the National Geographic of my childhood, I think of photos like this. Photos that give you a glimpse of the way of life in an exotic land.

I nominate:

• Fogg Odyssey
• Johnny vagabond
• Green Global travel
• Wild About Travel
• Aviators and a Camera 

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!

We have had friends from Europe tell us that they have never seen people celebrate it with so much gumption.  While we may celebrate Halloween in full force, there are a lot of places around the world that I would love to spend the night for a good scare.

The ones listed below have our vote.

Catacombs of Paris 

Nothing spells death like the sight of bones piled atop on another. Housing 6 million bones from the 1700′s it certainly has an eerie feel. Graveyards were over run in the 18th century Paris and bodies had to be moved to old quarries to protect the city’s inhabitants from the plague. It’s not for the faint of heart, but if you can look past the bones, you’ll be amazed with the artistry.

Cimetiere Pere la Chaise 

Everyone loves a good cemetery on Hallowe’en and this is one of the most famous. Housing the remains of Jim Morrison, Oscar Wilde, Chopin, Moliere and Edith Piaf. Its giant mausoleums, decrepit graves and ornate statues make for an extraordinary if not creepy experience.

Romania

When I think of Hallowe’en I always think of Dracula and what better place than to visit Dracula’s Castle in Transalvania. The Bran Castle, near the city of Brassov is Romania’s national monument. It may be one of many castles linked to Dracula, but it is definitely the most famous. How did the legend of Dracula begin? Well, ruler Vlad Tepes was known for his brutality where he impaled, skinned and boiled those who were against him. He became known as Vlad the impaler. When you kill upwards of 100,000 people this way, well a gruesome legend is bound to follow.

Tower of London

Beheadings, executions, prisoners and royal intrigue. If it’s a bloody past that makes a scary Hallowe’en haunt, the Tower of London fits the bill. Queen Elizabeth was imprisoned here but had a better fate than the martyr Anne Askew who was burned at the stake. Poet Sir Walter Raleigh was beheaded here but nothing sounds worse than Sir Everard Digby who was hung, drawn and quartered. Ew, what does that mean?

Cuchi Tunnels

If thought of close spaces give you a fright, consider the Cuchi Tunnels in Vietnam. We were there in the middle of December, but it gave me a fright as we crawled through the original caves. I don’t know how the VietCong survived in this 200 km tunnel system for so many years. It is scary without a war going on, imagine how people felt during the Vietnam War. The original entrance is tiny and the crawling is tinier if this doesn’t scream horror movie, nothing will!

Chateau d’If

There was little hope for prisoners of Chateau D’If once they were sent into exile of the coast of southern France. All they could do was look longingly;that is if they were lucky enough to have a view at the beautiful port city of Marseilles. Torture and suffering went on year after year. Made famous by Alexander Dumas in the Count of Monte Cristo, when you visit Chateau d’If, you will be treated to showings of the Count of Monte Cristo

Mexico

In Central America Hallowe’en is already in full force. According to Stephanie Yoder of 20 Something Travel, they are going crazy in Columbia!  In Mexico, The two days following Halloween are a big event known as the Day of the Dead – Da de los Muertos. It is in connection with the Catholic holiday All Saints Day (November 1) and All Souls Day (November 2). These days are in recognition of those who have passed on before them. Now that’s the place to be for Halloween lovers out there!

New Orleans 

Decorating the Tombs in the 1800s for All Saints Day

Joanna Haugan reminded us of New Orleans when thinking of Halloween. Filled with haunted hotels and stories of ghosts in the French Quarter, legends of vampires and oh yes, the scary cemeteries. St. Louis Cemetery calls for a visit to the tomb of the voodoo Queen Laveau. If anyone can come back from the dead, she can! It’s only open until 3:00 pm, but that’s ok, you can visit the cemetery by day and hit the Endless Night Vampires Ball voted the number 1 ball in the world!

Niagara Falls

Clifton Hill, the famous street in Niagara Falls, Canada filled with wax museums, haunted houses and restaurants is filled with kitsch but is oh so much fun. It is here that you will find Nightmares and is a must for anyone that loves a good scare. It is scary alright, legend has it that it was built on the site of an old coffin factory. The proprietor was killed in a prank gone bad and has haunted the halls ever since. If you become too scared inside the maze of nightmares you can chicken out. Don’t feel bad if you do, over 112,000 people have chickened out over the years.

Ottawa

The Ottawa Jail – Want a real fright night? Try staying over in a jail cell. When the Ottawa Jail closed in 1972 due to its inhumane conditions. Hostelling International purchased and converted it into a hostel allowing people to “spend a night in jail.” Many unmarked graves were found in excavations and it was here that one of  the last public hangings (if not the most famous) in Canada took place. It is said that the ghost of Patrick J Whelan still walks the grounds and haunts the walls of the hostel. Imagine the scary stuff that went on in here.

Social Media

We put the question out to people on Twitter and Facebook and here are the responses we got to What is the best/creepiest place to celebrate Halloween? Thanks everyone for your contributions. Make sure to follow the people listed below! They are fabulous travel bloggers.

On Twitter

WillingFoot Willing Foot Travel -  Transylvania has to be a bit spooky for halloween

ManVsClock Anthony Middleton - outside this shop window in Liverpool?  facebook.com/l.php?u=http%3…

ExciraMedia Shannon Steffen -  Edinburgh, Scotland underground! Creepy!

yTravelBlog Caz Craig Makepeace  - Chapel Hill

KellyDeanOttawa Kelly Dean - Celebrating #Halloween in #Ottawa is with @saundersfarm @hauntedwalk and the Ottawa Jail Hostel!

 

On Facebook

Runaway Brit - Transylvania

Jeremy Walker - Catacombs in Paris. Creepy

Greg Horsfall - Oddly enough, North America. The rest of the world isn’t as obsessed with it and the effort people put into it in the US and Canada is just creepy!

Stephanie Yoder - well I can tell you they are going wild here in Colombia! But I think Savannah or New Orleans would be nice and spooky

Nathan Hershley - The Villisca Ax Murder house is supposed to be really creepy during the night, it is in Iowa.

Alison Cornford-Matheson - Dracula’s Castle in Romania?

JoAnna Haugen - The graveyards in New Orleans are pretty creepy.

Pamela MacNaughtan Ottawa Jail Hostel- they offer tours, you sleep on old cells etc. Also the last public hanging in Canada…

Pamela Walther-Mabee spooky hollow on the end of Middletown Line – haha -

5 of the World’s Most Expensive rooms

Everyone dreams of staying at a luxury hotel, but hearing the colossal amount of money you have to drop just for a nightly visit leaves most people mouth agape, particularly when you can pick up Hawaii holiday packages and other great destinations at such heavily discounted rates. Nevertheless, here are the five of the most expensive hotel rooms in the world. Decide for yourself if the amenities are enough to justify such a large cost!

Ritz-Carlton’s Presidential Suite, Tokyo
Nightly Price: $25,000

This hotel room is a stunning 307 square meters that comes with a large four-poster bed located in the master bedroom. Guests get a personal concierge, and there is also a living room connected to the bedroom area. There is also a gym and indoor pool for people with this room. The bathroom itself is very spacious, and nearly everything is made of marble. Outside the window, guests can see the Imperial Palace and Roppongi Hills.

Perhaps the only disappointing aspect is the TV. Guests get a Sony BRAVIA, but it’s only 20 inches.

Westin Excelsior’s Villa La Capula Suite, Rome
Nightly Price: $29,000

Nearly twice as large as the Presidential Suite, this hotel offers guests luxurious amenities. There is a large Pompeii-styled pool for guests to relax in, and there are intricate frescoes of painted horizons.

Each guest gets their own balcony and stained glass windows. There is a private kitchen, and a wine cabinet featuring over 150 different wines to choose from. Nearly all the furniture is hand-carved wood, and there is an antique chandelier. Guests also get their own private cinema.

Four Seasons Hotel’s Ty Warner Penthouse, New York
Nightly Price: $34,000

The suite itself is composed of nine different rooms. The walls have mother of pearl, and all the fabrics are woven with gold and platinum. In the Zen room there is a waterfall, and guests can enjoy a private piano or hot tub soak. Aside from spa treatments, a private butler and a personal trainer, this suite also offers amenities that extend outside the hotel.

If the guest wants to go outside, they are chauffeured in a Maybach or Rolls Royce, and the L’Atelier de Joel Robuchon restaurant is guaranteed to have a seat open for this guest.

Palms Casino Resort’s Hugh Hefner Sky Villa, Las Vegas
Nightly Price: $40,000

This isn’t so much a hotel as it is a house. The room is made to imitate the famed Playboy Mansion, and has a glass elevator so guests can easily access the two stories. Yes, the suite is two stories large. There are three bedrooms, an exercise and spa room, a poker table, fireplace, and a 24/7 butler.

Aside from breathtaking strip views, there is also a rotating bed with a glass ceiling.

Presidential Wilson Hotel’s Royal Penthouse Suite, Geneva
Nightly Price: $53,000

Most hotel buildings are rather large, and getting an entire floor to yourself seems almost laughable. But that’s what you pay for at the Royal Penthouse Suite, the entire top floor. Made to accommodate 40 people, this room can only be reached via a private elevator and comes equipped with four bedrooms and six bathrooms.

There is an indoor library, water fountain, billiards table and a large dining room for 26 people. Security is the major concern here, because UN officials and celebrities use this hotel, so all the glass is bulletproof. This hotel easily dwarfs most houses, and is adorned with marble and hardwood, all in a contemporary style.

There you have it, 5 Outrageously priced hotel rooms. And here I thought the upgrade to the Yurt with wood burning stove as opposed to the non heated Yurt in Mongolia was pretty special. 

We love taking the train. There is nothing better than watching the countryside pass by as you relax in your compartment while getting to know your fellow passengers.

Dave and I regularly hop on the train to take the popular Toronto/Montreal route. It’s the perfect long weekend getaway. There’s no better way to avoid the heavy traffic on the 401 and travel from downtown to downtown.

The best thing about train travel is that Via Rail now has free wifi. How times have changed since my first trip with my parents when I was just a little rugrat. Riding the train was a rare event I felt like we were going on a great adventure.

Today, when people take the train, they are watching movies and chatting on facebook as they sip a fresh and delicious coffee from the snack cart. It is still a great adventure, the trip itself is just a lot more luxurious and comfortable. We all travel to our destination without a care in the world feeling refreshed and ready to enjoy our destination. In Canada our trains are pristine and clean, quiet and safe. There is no better way to see the country than to ride the rails and explore the beautiful countryside.

As the Shredded Wheat resident travel experts we are excited to share our favourite train Journeys from Around the World to inspire you to get out there and ride the rails. There is nothing like it!

1. India

A Not so busy Platform in India

No country travels by train like India. It is a crazy experience. Trains are booked weeks in advance, trying to figure out how to buy a ticket or book a seat is a confusing experience and standing on the platform with thousands of other people waiting for the train to arrive is down right terrifying. Once it does arrive, you better hurry because people will push and shove their way through to the front of the line leaving you in the dust and stranded on the platform after the door closes. But if you make it on the train, it is an experience you’ll never forget. Chai Wallah’s walk through the cars ready to sell you a cheap hot cup, but make sure that you don’t pass up the tomato soup. It was my favourite snack on the long train journeys through this immense country.

2. Peru

Taking the Vista Dome from Cusco to Aguas Callientas was an outstanding experience. We booked a last minute trip to Peru when we decided to visit Machu Picchu so we couldn’t get ourselves a permit to hike the famous Inca Trail. No matter, we managed to hike many an ancient trail in the surrounding Sacred Valley and it gave us the opportunity to enjoy the magnificent views through our glass roof of the Andes of Peru. We even had ourselves a fashion show on the way back!

3. Switzerland

Snowboarding in Switzerland was on our bucket list and we had the chance to fulfill that dream early in our lives. It was nearly a decade ago that we skiid it’s slopes in Gstaad and one of the most vivid memories we had was taking the train through the Alps to all of the different ski areas and surrounding villages. It was some of the most stunning scenery we have ever seen.

4. Sri Lanka

The country is small and the train routes are short, but in the few hours that we spent on the train between villages in Sri Lanka we witnessed incredible views of tea terraces and mountains, enjoyed conversations with friendly locals, bought cheap snacks from the vendors that walked through the cars and held on to the handrail as we hung outside the train to look at the view ahead and feel the wind on our face.

5. Vietnam

The overnight train from Hanoi to Sapa was one of the most exciting trips of our lives. It was 2004 and we boarded the platform late at night. People in conical hats were huddling by fires and smoke and steam were billowing off into the night sky. The air was chilled and it felt as if we had stepped back to 1969. We hadn’t been to China at this point in our lives so we were excited because we were heading towards the Chinese border to witness to this date, the most breath taking rice terraces on earth.

6. China

Speaking of China, we finally made it there last December. We loved every minute of that country and we were amazed by the train travel there. It is so efficient, clean and organized. It is a country of 1.5 billion people and yet we never felt like we were in crowd. In India, we fought crowds every day on the train, in China we stood in crowds but never fought. The trains were fast and modern and our compartments were clean and ornate. Hot water was provided for our tea and we had a wake up call with fresh coffee in the morning. It was the most pleasant experiences we have ever had on the train.

7. Thailand

Who hasn’t taken the train in Thailand? It was one of the first overnight trains we ever took and we still love hopping on a second class sleeper when we’re there. we’ve taken it from Chiang mai to Bangkok, Bangkok to Singapore and back again. It is so much fun to have a Chiang Beer while looking out the window before setting up your bed to be lulled asleep by the rocking of the train.

We’ve spoken during their Tuesday night inspiration series on more than one occasion and we always pop in to see what’s new when we’re back in town. It is the perfect store for the adventure lover.

As part of Shredded Wheat Canada’s, Live Simply and Win Contest Post Foods Canada giving away a $100 certificate to Mountain Equipment Co-Op. As Post’s resident travel experts, we thought we’d share four of our favourite climbing spots around the world with you.

the climbing wall and MEC Store

1. Krabi, Thailand

Deb Climbing in Thailand 2011

The very first climb that we ever did in our lives was on Raleigh Beach, in Krabi, Thailand. We have since returned three times to beautiful Raleigh Beach to work on our climbing skills. It was here that we first learned to lead climb and took on our first multi-pitch climb. The amazing karst formations of Krabi have made it a world class climbing destination where the best of the best return regularly to tackle its hundred of routes.

Dave Lead Climbing in Thailand

The newest fad to catch on in Krabi is deep water soloing. A person free climbs up a wall and once they are finished the climb, they simply jump into the water. It’s definitely not for the faint of heart.

Tip: For reasonable accommodations stay at Tonsai beach next door to Raleigh, that’s where the climbers camp and within a couple of months you’ll find your expertise soar.

2. Alberta, Canada

Dave on a multi-pitch climb in Alberta 2009

The Rocky Mountains are the place to climb for the true die-hard. While Squamish, British Columbia may be more famous, we were thrilled to be able to climb in Canmore, Alberta. There are routes for every level of rock climbing and one of its areas is home to the highest concentration of hard routes in the Rockies! When we climbed there, we had taken a couple of years off to cycle Africa and build our new business of travel blogging so we were a little rusty.

Climbing with a guide from Yamnuska Mountain Adventures was an amazing way to re-spark our interest in the sport. James took us through a great day that was fun yet challenging enough for these two former weekend warriors. He could have stayed at the beginner’s crag, but he saw a hint of our former selves during our routes so we partook in a multi-pitch and a few of the more challenging top rope routes.

There is nothing more exciting in life than to be able to say that you’ve climbed in the Rocky Mountains.

3. Yangshou, China

Beautiful Kharsts in China just Waiting to be Climbed

Yangshou is one of the most picturesque places in all of China and it is also one of the world’s leading sport climbing locations. Thousands of giant limestone cliffs burst out of the landscape just beckoning you to climb them.  We didn’t have a lot of time in Yangshuo, but we knew that we had to take a day to get out and tackle some of its routes.

Like Thailand, it is a climbers paradise and people come from all over the world to spend months at a time tackling its routes. Yangshuo is also extremely cheap, so you can spend months just chillin’ out and working on your climbing technique. By the end of your stay, you will definitely be a pro. We can’t wait to go back one day to spend an entire season in this very cool area of China.

4. Ontario, Canada

Climbing at Buffalo Crag at the Niagara Escarpment

It may not be known as the mecca of climbing, but Ontario has some pretty awesome cliffs. We started climbing seriously here in Ontario at Joe Rockheads Climbing Gym and eventually worked our way outside to climbing the Niagara Escarpment. While we frequented Rattle Snake Point, Metcalf, Buffalo Crag and Glen Eden, there are numerous places to climb in Ontario.

Lions Head is the most popular among our friends who have outgrown our climbing abilities. They climb the most difficult routes that require you to rappel down to belay from a ledge or even from a hanging belay. As our friends move on to become expert climbers, we are content in the fact that because of travel, we get to try different climbing routes around the world.

For more of our rock climbing adventures

• Rock Climbing in Raleigh, The Adventure Continues
• Climbing Adventures in Thailand
• Climbing in Hampi, India. Who Knew?
• Via Ferrata in France

Christmas Tree on Display in Beijing, China

It has been many a year since Dave and I celebrated Christmas on Christmas day with our families. We always tend to be traveling during the winter months and have yet to put down any roots to start a regular holiday tradition.

Our holiday tradition has been to run away from Christmas at home and go somewhere else. Anywhere else.

We have been feeling a little blue this year. We are missing our Christmas at home with our families more than ever.

Maybe it is because we were too busy and working too hard this past summer .  We had many goals that we wanted to fulfill during our three months in Canada and we neglected the people that matter most in our lives.  Instead we had our noses in our computers and the summer months flew by. Before we knew it, we were leaving again and had only seen our family and friends a handful of times.

So here we are celebrating another Christmas by ourselves in yet another country.  This year it is Thailand and we will be kickboxing through the entire holidays. That will definitely help to take our minds off of not being at home.

To cheer ourselves up, we reminded ourselves just how much we enjoy our Christmases abroad.  We have always chosen to go away and our families now have their own traditions without us.  We will just have to make our own Christmas traditions and it looks like our tradition is going to be to travel through Christmas. It is what we have done for the past 10 years, no sense changing things now.  By revisiting our past Christmases, we are reminded just how natural it is for us to be away.

Look Where We have Spent some of our Past Christmases

Eating Fine Cuisine in Quebec City. By far the best place that we ever spent Christmas.  It was freezing and snowy and we had to walk around the city in our snowboarding pants and Sorel boots all bundled up in our down jackets, but it was beautiful.  Quebec City is the most beautiful city in Canada and the Christmas lights made us feel as if we were in a fairy tale.

Skiing at Apex Resort in British Columbia. We were living in Vancouver at the time.  Our families lived in Ontario and we didn’t have anything better to do, so we went skiing for Christmas.

Snowboarding in Mont Tremblant, Quebec. We booked the cutest bed and breakfast over the Christmas holidays in Mont Tremblant village and spent Christmas Day on the slope.  The line ups were atrocious, because all of the hotels and timeshare resorts in the area were booked solid, but the conditions were perfect.

Mont St. Anne, Quebec.  What were we thinking?  The weather was so cold that we couldn’t stop for lunch or even a coffee.  If we stopped, we would never get ourselves back on the hill because of the intense chill.  At one point we were snowboarding in such white out conditions that we couldn’t even see each other let alone any obstacles in our way.  We were pretty sure that a blizzard had come in while we were on the slopes.  We made it down to the chalet and spent the rest of the day sitting by the fire drinking wine.

Skiing and Snowboarding at Christmas are our Traditions

Chillaxin in The Dominican Republic. It was our first trip together off the Continent. It was our first time to the Caribbean and it was our first time at a beach resort.  We loved every minute of it. Someone brought a mini Christmas Tree along with them and brought it to the beach.  Everyone put their empty glasses and drink umbrellas under it like little Christmas presents when they were finished with them.

Suntanning in Mexico. We had both finished The Zone diet and were ready for some fun in the sun.  We stayed at the now infamous Barcello Maya Resort the year it opened. We found an amazing opening resort special and fell in love with Mexico.

Scuba Diving in Honduras.  We spent a few months traveling and diving around Mexico and Central America and happened to be in Honduras working on our dive masters right around Christmas.  Not very festive, but a lot of fun.

Diving is an excellent way to enjoy the Holidays

Overnight Train in Vietnam. We had just finished an amazing time in Sapa. The most beautiful place in Vietnam.  We trekked through the rice terraces and slept in homestays getting a feel for the hill tribe culture.  Christmas eve was spent on an overnight train back to Hanoi.  Christmas day was spent looking for a place to stay and then a very long afternoon nap.

Hotel Hunting in Mumbai India. We were terrible at planning our itinerary in India and ended up in Bombay 2 days before Christmas arriving from Kerala.  Everything was booked and we couldn’t find a room.  We ended up having to spend a large chunk of cash on an upscale hotel and had to move on Boxing Day because they were fully booked.  We loved every minute though.  We stayed in bed curled up in our fluffy duvet and watched movies all day.

Rock Climbing in Thailand.  It was our first time to Thailand and we spend it climbing in Raleigh Beach with King Klimbers. This was the trip that changed our lives.  We’ve had the travel bug ever since.

Rock Climbing in Thailand during the Christmas Holidays

2010 marked the beginning of one of the best descisions of our lives. Actually, the decision happened in 2009, but 2010 was the year that it all came together.  We started traveling full time and are hoping to keep on going for as long as this new career path will allow us.

Yesterday we shared our Best Adventures of the Year, but there was a lot going on between adventures during our travels.  We enjoyed extraordinary moments in some of the simplest things.

Travel makes you appreciate the little things in life.  You have time to slow down and take in the moments that you would miss otherwise.

Believe it or not full time travel can be difficult. You don’t have a permanent place to lay your hat, sometimes you are hanging out in some very disgusting places, it can be exhausting and sometimes you just want to stop and relax. But it’s the struggles make the little things seem even more extraordinary.  And during our travels of 2010, we had some amazing experiences that stand out.

While December is a time to make best of lists, we thought that we would join the party and make a list of our best moments in travel.

So what were our best moments of 2010?

Click on the underlined words for links on more of each “best moment in travel 2010.”

1 -Best Flight - Qatar Airways surprise upgrade to business class.  What a surprise when we walked onto the plane, someone was sitting in our seats.  We had coach airline tickets, but we requested the emergency exit the best seats you can get back there. When we asked the flight attendent about the misunderstanding, she informed us that we had been upgraded. yay!

2 - Best View - Mt. McKinley. Our flight in a 9-seat 1966 De Havilland Beaver bush plane so close to the mountain that we could almost reach out and touch it.

3 – Best Beach - Hikkaduwa Sri Lanka.  An excellent location for learning how to surf and a long sandy beach excellent for long walks, Hikkaduwa was a beach to remember.  There are very few touts bothering tourists and the people are so friendly that you can have amazing conversations to learn about life in Sri Lanka.

4 – Best Guide - Karen of Intrepid Travel.  We have had a lot of guides in our day, but Karen was the most helpful,professional and honest guide we have ever had. Top notch!

5 –  Best Scenery - Himalayas.  There is nowhere more beautiful on earth than in the centre of the Himalayas. We walked for two weeks with our jaws dropping from the scenery that unfolded in front of us each day.  It was as if we were walking through heaven

6 – Best Wildlife Spotting - Nothing compared to seeing a leopard in Sri Lanka.  Our day at Yala National Park was filled with beautiful scenery and impressive wildlife from elephant herds, peacocks, crocodiles, jackyls and of course the elusive leopard.

7 – Best Sunset - Goa India.  We started our travels in India last year and spent three months there exploring this contrasting country.  From great beauty to compleet filth, from beautiful spiritual moments to overwhelming cruelty and dispair. India was a difficult yet exciting land to explore. And it gave us the most incredible view of the sun setting over the Arabian Sea.

8 – Best Temple - The Golden Temple of Amritsar was by far our favourite moment in India and the temples setting was second to none. The Golden Temple shone in the sunlight surrounded by a glimmering moat.  The grounds gave off an air of spirituality and you couldn’t help but feel closer to a higher power while you were there.  I

9 – Best Room – Our suite at The Pearl South Pacific Fiji. They put us into an incredible suite with sunken tub, full mini bar, king size bed and revolving TV.  Decorated in traditional Fijiian art and furniture, we felt like movie stars for our few days in the most beautiful suite we have ever laid eyes on.

10 – Best Spontaneous Moment - Heading to Montreal to meet Globetrooper and Wandering Trader for a spur of the moment meet up. We just happened to be on facebook at the right time. We had a quick online exchange with Lauren and Todd and they asked us if we felt like coming to Montreal to take advantage of 3 suites that they won in a contest.  We didn’t even think about it and immediately said yes! It ended up being the beginning of a wonderful friendship.

11 – Best Tweet Up - Meeting Paris Buff and KHegre in Paris.  We were invited to their flat in Montemartre where we were treated to a fun and informative walk through the area.  Not only did we make great friends to last a lifetime, we learned all about the classic and new movies alike.

12 – Best Budget Shopping –  Kathmandu.  We had heard that Kathmandu had some excellent shopping but we never dreamed that we would be able to clothe ourselves for our entire trek to Everest Base Camp.  We bought up all the trekking gear and clothing that we needed for our EBC trek and future travels.

13 – Best Budget Accommodation – Top Secret in Sri Lanka. Located right on the beach and only $10 per night. This is the perfect hang out area. With free Wifi, Maharaja Beds, clean rooms and central location. We loved it so much there we stayed for 2 weeks!

14 – Best Historical Site – Great Wall of China.  We didn’t think that we would care much for The Great Wall of China. We thought that we would be visiting a site over run with tourists and it would be a cheesy and campy experience.  It was exactly the opposite. We visited the Mutianyu portion of the Great Wall and barely saw another tourist on it. With spectacular views, a heart pumping climb and an extraordinary feat of engineering, The Great Wall was a site worth visiting.

15 - Best Eerie Tourist Attraction – Catacombs of Paris are filled with millions of bones.  But the bones are displayed with such beauty and artistry that you sometimes forget that you are looking at human skeletons. It is dark, it is several meters underground, it is damp and it is dingy. Not for the faint of heart, we highly recommend checking out the Catacombs.

16 – Best Festival - Holi India. We have been to a lot of festivals during our travels, but none are quite as intense or festive as Holi.  Bright coloured powder is thrown on everyone in sight.  All people look the same and caste and creed is thrown aside for one day of one wild party.

17 – Best Meal - St. Kitts Marriott.  When given the opportunity to eat anything we want on a menu, we’ll take it! Surf and turf cooked to perfection.

18 – Best City - New York City.  We didn’t think we would care much for New York City.  After all, it’s just a city. You see one world city, you’ve seen them all.  Not the case with NYC. It is the most exciting town in the world.

19 – Best Dining Experience - Fine Dining at Sri Lanka’s Hill Club. If you have been backpacking for a while and need to splurge on a meal. This is an affordable way to feel like a person of wealth. For $15 you get a 5 course meal and even get to borrow a dinner jacket.

20 – Best Trip - Princess Cruise to Alaska.  It was the trip of a lifetime. We could never afford to go on a cruise to Alaska, but we were lucky enough to be invited on The Follow Me At Sea Twitter trip.  From flying over Mount McKinley, taking helicopter flights over glaciers, driving in Zodiacs and watching whales, we fit everything that you could possibly do in Alaska during our two weeks there.

21. Best Country – We have been to 45 countries in our travels.  Last year alone we visited 10 countries.  Out of those 10, what was our favourite country that we visited in 2010?  Sri Lanka of course.  The people were the most genuine and friendly we have encountered in years, it had a diverse landscape, beautiful countryside, sandy beaches and strong spirituality and culture.

Winter Activities in Canada you just cannot miss!

Canadian winter is a manifestation of nature’s harshness. In most parts of the country, people trudge through the snow for almost six months of the year, from November to April. Though some may prefer to hibernate, there are others who do not wish to fall prey to the boredom of cabin fever during the long winter season. The sense of fun coupled with the spirit of adventure of winter enthusiasts has given rise to diverse outdoor activities that are truly entertaining. Hence, to experience the excitement of Canadian winter, you need to participate in the following activities…

Caving and Canyoning

Deb peering into a cave tube of Athabasca Glacier, Alberta

The sub-zero chill freezes the canyons, caves and crevasses in the regions of Banff, Lake Louise and Jasper in Alberta. Winter transforms these resort towns into gateways of icy wonderland. Climb the glistening canyon walls and walk across vast sheets of ice to explore the beauty of locations that are seemingly inaccessible during summer.

Ice Fishing

As the temperature drops, the fishing action heats up across Canada. Ice fishing presents a unique fishing experience to locals and visitors alike. Stepping on a frozen lake, drilling a hole in the icy water, inserting a fishing line and waiting in anticipation to catch a trophy fish can be a rewarding experience. Depending on the region, you can fish for trout, walleye, northern pike, whitefish, black crappie, perch and lot more! Lake Simcoe (situated 60 miles north of Toronto) is popular among anglers. During winter months, lakes in Alberta, Manitoba, Ontario, British Columbia and Quebec are also good for ice fishing.

Dog Sledding

5 Time Yukon Quest and Iditarod Champion, Lance Mackey

Dog sledding is a legendary Canadian winter adventure. It is so popular that you can go mushing in all thirteen Canadian provinces and territories. However, the sledding period is determined by the climatic variations across the country. For instance, Whitehorse in Yukon enjoys dog dog sledding from November to March, whereas Quebec’s mushing season runs from January to March.

Ice Climbing

Ice climbing is gaining increasing popularity among winter thrill seekers. It is a challenging and vigorous activity that demands sound physical fitness. If you feel the urge to scale new heights on frozen waterfalls and towering slopes of ice, head to the Canadian Rockies. TheGhost River Valley, Bow Valley, Stanley Headwall and IceFields Parkway in the Rockies have attracted climbers from across the globe to scale the glittering ice in picturesque surroundings.

Skiing and Snowboarding

Dave Relaxing before the end of the run: Snowboarding, A great way to enjoy the Winter

Canada is blessed with some of the best locations for skiing and snowboarding in the world. In addition to the beautiful snow-clad mountains, visitors can also check illustrious ski resorts that offer excellent accommodation and facilities that complement the outdoor fun. You can have the best skiing and snowboarding experience between Alberta and British Columbia, on the west coast of Canada. Mont-Tremblant, Quebec is another favourite skiing destination.

Watching the Aurora Borealis

The Aurora Borealis, also known as the Northern Lights, is a natural display of light in the night sky. This phenomenon is only visible in the Northern Hemisphere. The native Cree people called it “the dance of the spirits”. It will cost you nothing to gaze at the beautiful Aurora Borealis. Head to Yellowknife, Goose Bay, shores of Hudson Bay in Manitoba, and the prairie provinces of Canada to get the best view of the Aurora Borealis.

Cross Country Skiing

Dave having a Fun Day out in the park,

Canadian cross country skiing (also known as “XC skiing”) is a sport as well as an entertaining activity. Since its inception over a century ago, cross-country skiing has earned its reputation as a significant component in the national tourism industry. Cheered by professional athletes and winter enthusiasts alike, this activity is well-suited for races and competitions as well as for family fun and leisure. Moreover, it is inexpensive compared to mountain or alpine skiing. Popular cross-country skiing trails stretch from British Columbia to Nova Scotia, with branches extending into Yukon and Newfoundland. Lappe Nordic Skiing Center and Stokely Creek Ski Touring Center in Ontario, as well as the Huberdeau Trails and Parc National de la Mauricie in Quebec are considered as prime cross-country skiing locations.

Snowmobiling

If your legs cannot take the strain of skiing, you can gear up for snowmobiling. Over the past decades, snowmobiling has etched its mark among popular winter activities in Canada. Though it is physically less challenging compared to skiing or snowboarding, you can enjoy the speed and adventure of riding a snowmobile (also called as “skidoo”) in the vast snowy terrain. From Newfoundland to Vancouver, there are numerous trails that offer the perfect snowmobiling experience. Canada has gone beyond short trails by constructing the Trans Canada Trail, which connects one part of the country to the other over a 21,500 kilometer long trail.

Snowshoeing

Snowshoeing, a great way to get outdoors in the Winter

Snowshoeing is a popular activity among families, couples and fitness enthusiasts. The technique of snowshoeing is easy to learn and it is an inexpensive activity. Plan a hike in the winter forest, snowshoe across frozen lakes and ascend mountain slopes. As a bonus, it acts as a great workout too. As a matter of fact, many walkers, runner and hikers are choosing snowshoeing as their preferred winter activity because it burns many calories. The most famous snowshoeing destinations are Callaghan County in Whistler, the Canadian Rockies, and parks of Northern Ontario.

Skating and playing Pond Hockey

By late December, most of the lakes and ponds in Canada are frozen. Public skating rinks and ponds are present in almost all Canadian cities. The best part is that skating in public rinks is absolutely free. You can also skate on the lakes and lagoons located in parks. Whether you are gracefully sliding on the ice floor or playing a game of hockey, you are sure to have fun on the ice. Just watch out for the ‘Thin Ice’ signs. To have a memorable skating experience in a public rink, visit the Rideau Canal in Ottawa, Ontario. It is the biggest outdoor skating rink in the world and Canadians simply love to skate on this canal.

Building a Quinzhee or Igloo

Building a quinzhee from a pile of snow or constructing an igloo from blocks of ice with your friends and family can be a unique and fun-filled experience. Though it would take you hours in the snow to build your own cozy quinzhee or igloo, there is an overwhelming blissful feeling of crawling inside and resting within one. They also make ideal forts during snowball fights. Moreover, you can keep yourself warm in the freezing outdoors.

Author Bio -

This guest post is written by Vinay Shingornikar. He is a distinguished writer and has having authored a numerous articles across a wide spectrum of publications. Currently, he is happily employed with Flight Network. Founded in 1998, Flightnetwork.com has grown to become Canada’s second most visited online travel agency, specialising in offering highly discounted prices for domestic and international flights.

For more on traveling Canada, check out Summer Backpacking around Toronto and Vancouver

As many people know that have been following our blog, we are working on the business end of things this summer.  Well, the most important business aspect of blogging is keeping your site interesting, keeping people on your site for longer than one little blog post and expanding your readership.

The best way to keep people on your site is to build links.  Give people a place to click to read more articles by you and to make sure that your content is interesting and encourage conversation.

Problogger is the biggest Blogger on the Internet and when he recommends trying something new on your blog, we follow.  So we decided to take his 7 Links Challenge. The concept is to make a link to 7 specific posts in your blog.  He even gave guide lines as to what posts you had to link to.  It was a challenge, but we finally came up with the links for the following posts listed below.

Check out our 7 Links Challenge and then start your own!

Give us the link when you do at the bottom of this post when you do, so we too can check out your links challenge and read the older posts on your site.

• Your first post
• A post you enjoyed writing the most
• A post which had a great discussion
• A post on someone else’s blog that you wish you’d written
• Your most helpful post
• A post with a title that you are proud of
• A post that you wish more people had read

My first Post - Training What Training?

Wow, theplanetd blog has come a long way. Our very first post was sent out to family and friends and maybe 10 people read it.  It was about the training that we were doing before our cycle across Africa.  I sort of like this post. You can see that I am excited about starting a blog to write about our experiences leading up to our adventure, and you can see that I am excited about taking off to Africa soon.  The formatting needs a lot of work, but the same feel of the blog that we have today is still there. Honest, excited and maybe a little too much information.

Dave and Deb, Camping through Africa

Enjoyed the Most - 10 Least Romantic Situations Traveling Together

I loved writing this post.  Everyone always talks about the great parts of travel, like travel is some kind of utopia world.  Travel can be tough, tiring and downright disgusting at times.  This article shows just how much Dave and I love each other.  If we can survive these situations and still have romantic feelings toward each other, well, we can survive anything. It is these moments when traveling as a couple that either make the relationship stronger, or it all falls apart.

A Great Discussion - India is Filthy

This was a post that had to be written.  We were on an emotional roller coaster in India.  One minute we loved it and one minute we hated it.  One thing that never changed though was our feeling of just how dirty India is.  We have been to a lot of developing nations and India takes the cake for complete filth.  It stirred a lot of emotion in our comments section and while it isn’t our most commented blog post, it is definitely the most passionate blog post.

A Post on Someone Else’s Blog that you Wish You’d Written – Top 3 Temples by Travelers Around the World by Vagabond Quest

There are countless blog posts that we wish we wrote, we are constantly going through our RSS feed of blogs we follow and loving what people write about. This was difficult just picking one! So to choose, we went with the most recent post we read that we wish we had written.  I love this post because they have created a community of people contributing their top 3 temples from around the world.  We have been to many of the temples listed and when I read it, I thought to myself, Why didn’t I think of that? Asking for contributions from other Bloggers is an excellent way to drive traffic to yours and their site and to form a friendship with other people on the Internet while sharing excellent information.  This is definitely a post that I wish we had thought of.  Especially the 3 tips by different travelers.

Your Most Helpful Post – India Rail Travel Tips Part 3

It gets a lot of hits even today so I think that it must be helpful.  India Rail was difficult to figure out at first. We made a lot of mistakes and shared what we learned in a 3 part series.  Part 3 is the most helpful because we provide links to the first two posts and we have summed up everything that you need to know to travel on India Rail. We cover the process of booking your tickets online or at the station step by step to getting off the train at your destination.

Colours fly through the air during Holi in India

Title I am Most Proud of - Holi Mania it’s Spring in India

This was the most difficult link to add. We are terrible at writing titles. I am not very witty and I am always trying to let people know exactly what the post is about so that there aren’t any surprises.  Most of our titles are very boring and SEO friendly. At least Holi Mania it’s Spring in India was a lot of fun.  It would make me want to read more and see what Holi Mania is all about.  I am not sure though, titles are something that we are going to work on making more exciting this summer.

Post that I wish more People Read - Ian Redmond Talks About Gorillas

We really thought that this post would get more traffic.  Ian Redmond is an amazing man.  He is the foremost expert on gorilla conservation.  His mentor was Dianne Fossey and not only was his character a main part of the movie Gorilla’s in the Mist, he was also a consultant on this academy award winning film.  When we met him, we were astounded and honoured to be able to talk with such a respected man.  A UN Ambassador and star of countless BBC documentaries, our conversation with Ian Redmond deserves a second look.

Yesterday we wrote about The Top 10 things we Hate about Travel. You didn’t think that we would just leave you with that negative post did you?  We love to travel and believe me, we love more things about travel than we hate.  Otherwise we wouldn’t be doing it.
The problem with writing this post was narrowing it down to only 10 things. We love so much about travel that we could have written 100 things that we love about it.  (Hey, now that would make a great post) But we don’t want to bore you to death.

-Here are the Top 10 Things that We Love About Travel

-1. Adventure - Dave and I love adventure in our lives.  Even when we are at home we love to go climbing, snowboarding, cycling…anything.  We can’t sit still and when we travel, we love finding new adventures to try.  There are many different adventures in different countries that we can’t necessarily do in Canada.  From bungee jumping in Victoria Falls to camping in the White Desert of Egypt or going on a camel Safari in India to going on a big game safari in Africa.  We can’t do these in Canada and travel gives us the chance to try different adventures that we wouldn’t otherwise get to do. What do we love most about travel? Finding our next great adventure.

2. Eating out – We love food. Who doesn’t? What we love about travel is discovering new kinds of food.  We love the act of going out to eat and trying something new. We love eating with chopsticks, with our hands, we love eating out of hot pots, off of banana leaves or eating street food. We love the atmosphere of eating in restaurants around the world and we love the social atmosphere of going out to eat.

3. Meeting New People - We are a very social couple and we love to chat with people. We have made some great friends traveling and some of our fondest memories of travel have been moments with the people that we met. Most people that we meet traveling are very interesting and fun.  We just love meeting and making new friends in our travels and always look forward to seeing them again.

4. Being Together – Dave and I are one of those strange couples that just love being together all the time.  My parents are the same.  They ran a business together, they shared their hobbies and they have had a fantastic retirement sharing in activities together.  Well, Dave and I are the same.  We love how travel allows us to be together.  We just love climbing together, suffering together, relaxing on the beach together or just sitting beside each other while we read a book. I know it sounds corny, but that is us. We love being together.

5. Writing/Photographing our Travels – We have always loved to travel but now that we blog about it, it has added a purpose to our travels. When we are hiking or biking, surfing or sailing we are always thinking about how to write about it, what photos to include and how to describe it.  We love to share our travel tips with whoever is willing to listen. We love to write and photograph our travels, just as much as we love to travel.

6. Pushing ourselves to the Limit - When we are at home we tend to become a little bit lazy. But when we travel we just love to see how far we can push ourselves.  When we accomplish something extraordinary it is the most fulfilling thing on the planet.  From cycling 12,000 km to Africa, trekking up to Everest Base Camp or summiting Mount Kilimanjaro we just love the feeling of suffering for a great payoff. When we travel, we seem to push ourselves farther than we ever do while we are at home.

7. Witnessing Awe Inspiring Sites - Sometimes the beauty of travel moves me to tears.  Some of the things that we have witnessed have been overwhelming.  When standing at the top of a mountain, overlooking a world heritage site or witnessing an incredible sunset we cannot believe that we are there. Travel has allowed us to witness some of the greatest sites on earth. It has allowed us to be touched to the core and feel completely connected to the planet. What more is there to love.

8. Flying - Most people don’t like flying very much. But Dave and I love to fly.  We love getting to the airport early to check in and have a drink before the flight and we love browsing the duty free and other shops.  We not only love the preflight activities, we love to fly. We don’t sleep much on the plane, we play the video games and watch movies.  We just love the entertainment centres that flights have now.  We look forward to the meals to guess what mystery food we will get and we love the ice cream that we have been offered on our past few flights. We especially love when we are upgraded to business class or offered a flight from Air France on their Premium Voyageur class. Yes, we are that rare few that love to fly.

9. Hotel Rooms - Ok some guest houses can be a little rough, but we just love hotel rooms.  We love the fresh duvets, the movie channels and the room service.  When we get to a hotel, we check out all the drawers, the mini fridge, the bathroom. We  just love to see what goodies they provide and what services they offer. We then head out to explore the building and take advantage of whatever they have to offer. Is there a spa, a swimming pool, a sauna or lounge? We love hotels and when we find a nice one, we hate to leave.

10. Exploring History – We are always amazed when we are standing on a site that we have learned about in school or read about in books.  When we are exploring thousand year old ruins or walking through buildings that a great historical event took place in, we cannot believe that we are there.  We have learned more about the history of the world through our travels than we ever did in school.  There is something special and meaningful about a place and its history when you are actually there. It makes us want to learn more about its story. We love finding the story of a place.

So there  you have it, we have managed to narrow what we love about travel down to a mere 10 points. What do you love most about traveling? What we love is how travel is different for everyone.

I know what your thinking, how can you hate anything about travel?  How dare you complain.  You are lucky enough to be able to travel the world and hey if you don’t like it then why don’t you just stop traveling?

Read on my friends.

Dave and I love to travel.  It is the reason that we gave up our comfortable well paying jobs to live out of a backpack. Travel is in our veins. We can’t live without it.  Whenever we return home, we immediately plan our next trip.  But sometimes we just hate certain things about it and being on the road for months at a time amplifies the things that we hate the most.

We could have put in things like sub standard rooms or questionable transportation, but we really don’t hate that stuff.  We could talk about touts and scam artists or getting ill and lacking the comforts of home. But we don’t hate that either.  We could talk to you about a lot of things.  But the list below is about the things that really irk us time and again.  The things that we sit and talk about regularly (and when you are traveling 24/7 together, you can talk about things for hours). This is a list of stuff that no matter how often we see it, no matter how often it happens or no matter how prepared for it we should be, we still hate it when we travel.

1. Dirty Toilets – As budget travelers, we have seen our share of gross toilets; Bus stations are the worst, trains are a close second.  Many restaurants can be rough too.   We can handle a lot of filth in our travels.  We have developed pretty low standards over time.  But no matter what, we both really hate dirty toilets.  There is no putting it out of our minds and sucking it up.  We just hate everything about it.  We are tired of timing our bowel movements and having to avoid drinking fluids just so that we don’t have to go to the bathroom.  We just hate dirty disgusting toilets and really, who doesn’t?
2. Cracked Heel – Every time we travel we get cracked heal two months in.  We live in flip flops and that is an unfortunate side effect.  Walking in the polluted streets seems to dry our heels out.  We don’t really understand it because during the summer at home our feet stay nice and soft, but when traveling our heels dry up, crack and are perpetually stained with dirt.  We hate our cracked heel. We see other travelers with clean, crack free feet and we marvel at how they manage to keep them in such good shape.  Our feet are disgusting and we hate it.
3. Kids Working – We tend to travel to a lot of developing nations.  Sadly in most of the countries that we visit, many families have a hard enough time putting food on their tables let alone sending their kids to school.  Instead young boys and girls are out on the street selling jewelery and books or making tea and bussing tables.  It is heartbreaking to see kids missing out on their childhood.  It is even harder to see kids begging for food or money.  We hate seeing kids or anyone suffer.
4. Rude Neighbours – We don’t understand it.  If we have to catch an early bus in the morning or if we arrive at our room late at night, we try to speak quietly.  We cannot believe how many travelers are just downright rude. They speak at the top of their lungs and bang around in their rooms at four in the morning without a thought or care for their neighbours.  What is wrong with people? Stop being so rude and think of your fellow travelers are just trying to get a good nights sleep.
5. Getting off the Bus/Train – We love moving on to new places when we travel.  But we absolutely hate getting off the bus when we arrive at our destination. It is exhausting being inundated by touts trying to get you into their taxi, to take you to their guest house, to collect their commission.  We hate having to throw our packs on our backs and look for a place and we hate having to deal with the mob of people that awaits us at each stop. As our destination draws nearer, the dread grows. We just hate getting off the bus or train.
6. Leaving New Friends – One of the best things about travel is making new friends.  You run into like minded people and very often you hit it off and it is like you have been friends your entire life.  There is a strong bond that happens with people when we travel and we never forget the new friends that we make.  When we have to part ways and move on, it sucks. We hate it.
7. Being asked to buy drugs – It never fails, no matter what continent we are on, Dave is always asked if he wants hash or pot.  We used to think it was because he had long hair.  Now that he is older and has short hair. They still ask. In Kathmandu they asked so often that it really got on our nerves. It may seem like a little thing, but it is amazing how annoyed we get with guys asking us every time we walk out the door.
   
8. Bugs – Let’s face it, all tropical countries have huge and scary bugs.  Normally you only see them outside or in the woods, but when you are Dave and I and stay in budget accommodation, you see them in  your room a lot.  We can’t bring a snack into our room or our crumbs will be swarmed with ants, we have had cockroaches in our bed, we have had encounters with bed bugs and Dave has developed a major phobia to bugs due to some scary situations with fire ants…not once but twice.  Since his fire ant swarmings, he hates all bugs and can’t sleep if a bug is spotted in our room.
9. Pollution – In Asia and a lot of Africa the exhaust pollution is out of control.  Streets are thick with smog and we become quite congested and ill because of pollution.  We are starting to think that travel to these places is doing permanent damage to our lungs.  We haven’t been to South America since 2005 and as I recall Lima was quite polluted too.  Our next travel really needs to be in a place that has clean and fresh air.  Sadly,  I think that the list of countries that meet this criteria is growing shorter.
10. Smoking – As anti smokers, we can’t stand how much travelers smoke. Locals don’t seem to smoke much but fellow travelers light up every second.  It seems that as soon as they leave their country and are allowed to smoke indoors, they chain smoke for the entire time they are away.  The pollution outside is bad enough. It is awful to try to go inside for a break from the smog and heat only to enter into a cloud of smoke.  Our lungs are taking a beating on the road and we hate it.

We were sitting in our room in downtown Delhi enjoying our HBO when the power suddenly went out.  We were sitting in the pitch black and it made us think about everything that we take for granted in Canada. Third world countries have to put up with these inconveniences on a regular basis so we thought that we would share with you some of the things that people in India have to deal with daily.

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1. Power. It Canada and other similar countries, a power outage is a very big deal.  When the power goes out, it is an event.  There must be a terrible storm or problem. In India the power is cut regularly. Most hotels and restaurants have back up generators to keep the tourists happy, but the people that live her have to deal with the power going out daily.

2. Water. We have clean water in Canada.  We can drink out of the taps, we can drink from the fountain, we can go out for dinner and order a free glass of water with ice.  India and other third world countries do not have clean water.  People have to drink what they can, but they constantly face serious illness. It is scary to think that the water supply of the world is becoming more contaminated each day.

3. Hospitals and Health Care. We have free health care in Canada. We can go to the hospital or doctors and be treated for our ailments.  If there is an emergency, all we have to do is call an ambulance and it will arrive to take us to safety.  In India, health care is not free.  People cannot afford to get proper treatment and hospitals are few and far between compared to the amount of people in the country.

4. Sanitation. Last year we had a garbage strike in Toronto.  We got a small glimpse into what life is like in India. Now multiply that by a million and that is what life is like in India.  The streets are filled with garbage, sewers are open and nobody is out there cleaning up.  We are lucky at home, we walk the streets with free from feces and running sewage, we flush our toilets and know that it is going to a treatment plant and we have a well oiled machine taking care of all our sanitation.

5. Clean Air. We have laws at home that keep our air fresh.  Our autos have a catylitic converters that keep exhaust pollution down.  Our cars have to go through emission tests and our factories have strict laws.  While our system isn’t perfect, at least we can go for a walk or a jog and not hack up a lung. India is filled with pollution and everyone suffers from respiratory problems, ourselves included.  This causes everyone to spit on a regular basis spreading even more germs and disease.

6. Sidewalks. It sounds like a strange point to make. But in India everyone is forced to walk on the road in the midst of speeding traffic.  It is dangerous trying to get from point A to B.  The sidewalks are almost always non existent and if there are any, they are broken or filled with vendors.  It is exhausting walking in the middle of traffic having to keep an eye out for obstacles coming in all directions.

7. Silence. India has terrible noise pollution. People in Canada do not drive with their horns.  We have laws and rules and everyone drives in an orderly fashion. (for the most part) In India noise is a part of life.  Noise is everywhere.  We could go on and on about the noise here, but you might as well read our post 10 things that keep you awake at night in India. That explains the noise much better.

8. Corruption. Yes politicians are corrupt all around the world and there are some evil doers out there in the corporate world that are corrupt and there are a few corrupt people working in the public sector.  In India however, corruption is a part of every day life.  People have to make bribes for everything.  I can’t imagine having to live this way.  When the paper announces that bribes are not allowed as a tax write off, it goes to show that there is a problem in this society with bribes.  This shouldn’t be an acceptable way to live, but it is for now I am afraid.

9. Cleanliness. For some reason India is not clean.  Even in high end hotels things are off.  Walls are dirty, light switches have a layer of filth on them and bathrooms are never up to par.  Forget about lower end places, they are just plain dirty.  In Canada public restrooms are clean, hotels and restaurants are spotless and even our public transportation is clean.  We don’t know why India is dirty, but we will take the cleanliness of Canada anytime.

10. Personal space. People don’t believe in space here.  Standing in line is unheard of. People fight their way to the front of queues and if you happen to make it to the front of the line, people will be pushing and shoving up against you trying to get in anyway.  Trains are over crowded, cities are over crowded, buses are over crowded and streets are over crowded.  The mass of people in India is out of control and growing rapidly.  It is set to overtake China as the most populated country on earth by 2012.

It can feel pretty strange when you are in a foreign country and other travelers are heading out in the morning for their tours and sightseeing excursions.  You think that you should be doing something too, but you just can’t motivate yourself, so you give into the fatigue and enjoy some time not traveling.

Here are some signs that told Dave and I that we just may have a little bit of travelers Fatigue…

1 – You go to the Taj Mahal, its cold, misty and foggy for three entire days…
You don’t care.  You don’t even bother to go inside.  Instead you go to the only heated place in town…the coffee shop.

2 – You have a opportunity to see the astounding Amber Palace in Jaipur India…
Instead you go to the mall, walk around and buy some socks.

The Mall helps cure travelers fatigue

3 – Your hotel has traditional food and musicians playing on their rooftop restaurant. It has everything you would want for a night out in India…
You go to Pizza Hut instead.  Not once, but twice.

4 – Not far out of town, there is a village filled with dancers, artists and local cuisine.  They offer tours to go out there from the evening…
You choose to stay in bed and stream “Sherlock Holmes” with Robert Downey Jr.  On your computer’s free wifi.

5 – You have two days in Delhi before flying out. It is pleasant outside.  It’s not too cold and the sun is out.  You are centrally located close to some of the cities best attractions….
You order room service and channel surf between HBO and the BBC

6 – You should be heading east to Varanassi in central India.  You have planned to travel all the way to Calcutta…
Instead you buy a last minute ticket to escape for a month.  You’ve thrown the budget out the window and you couldn’t be happier.  Time to lay on the beach and enjoy your travel in style.
We are now starting our Sri Lanka leg of our trip.  The excitement of travel has come back to us. We are dealing with our funk on a beach in the southern coast.  Slowly we are recovering from our travelers fatigue.  A few days laying in the sand, playing in the surf and relaxing by the pool, just may do the trick.

Dave and I have been exhausted every day since arriving in India.

We can never put our finger on why each day is such a struggle to wake up. That is until we started discussing just how awful our sleeps have been.
It inspired me to write a post about the things that will ruin your sleep in India

10 Things that will ruin your sleep in India.

Dogs – India is filled with wild dogs roaming the streets and beaches and deserts and cities.  You can’t get away from them and as soon as the sun goes down, they own the night.  Dogs will bark and howl all night long and their vocal chords never tire.  They exhaust us.

Transport trucks - We can never escape the noise from the Transport Truck.   They can’t just have a quick honk, no they have to have horns that sound like elephants trumpeting, the trill of a saxophone or just an annoying sequence of high pitched notes.  We heard them in the desert, in the middle of the night on our buses, in our hotels and even on the beach!

Hard Beds – Every bed that we have slept on in India has been so hard, it hurts our backs.  I have developed chronic back pain and whenever I roll over in the middle of the night, a sharp pain jolts up my back waking me up.  It takes a good 10 minutes for me to get moving in the morning.  Even the most inviting beds are hard as a rock when we sit on them.  I guess our old bones are starting to feel the effects of aging.

Ghats - It seemed like a romantic thing to do.  Get a hotel overlooking the lake and the Ghats on the other side of the water.  The morning was another story.  Before dawn, women are out on the steps washing their clothes.  They don’t just scrub and wring out their loads, they whack and smack them with paddles. If they don’t have a paddle, they just end up smacking their clothes on a rock.  I have know idea how this gets the clothes clean, but it does.
It is like listening to an amplified game of tennis.

Crows - Crows are everywhere and they are loud.  They caw first thing in the morning and in Goa while staying in coco-huts, they jump on your rooftop with pounding might.   It wouldn’t be so bad if they didn’t have such booming voices.

Mosques – I wonder what made mosques decided to sing their prayers through crackling loudspeakers.  The world hasn’t always had electricity and technology, so it was just a short while ago that prayers were spoken in the Muslim Religion without the whole world having to listen.   As one girl said in Kerala, God can hear you even if you whisper.

Temples - I am not going to let the Hindu Temples off the hook. They can be loud too.  We have heard drums pounding from the local temple well into the night and then starting up well before dawn.  It makes it impossible to get into a deep sleep when you only have about 2 hours of peace and quiet.

Trains - We have been in places that we didn’t even think were close to railroad tracks, and yet, we would hear their blaring horns announce their presence as they rolled through town.  Just when you think you are going to have a relaxing sleep and are falling into that deep slumber, another horn jolts you awake in a start.

Pigeons - Who would have thought that pigeons could be so noisy.  If you are unlucky enough to have pigeons make a nest in your window, you are in for a noisy night.  Their cute little coos can become extremely annoying at 4:00 am as they fly to and from their nest.  I swear they just want to wake up their neighbours trying to slumber inside.

Cell Phones- There are over 500 million cell phones in India and people love to show them off.  They have their music blaring from their phones.  Many people carry two cell phones here! On the bus, on the train, outside your window, cell phones go off at all hours.  I love it when I am trying to sleep on the sleeper train and musical ring towns pierce through the air waking me through my earplugs.  Classic.

So there you have it.

The reason that Dave and I are exhausted each day in India.  Every morning after breakfast, we both feel like we could have a nap.
But, there are places to see, people to meet and stories to write.
Instead we walk around in a daze day after day catching a wink here and there but never really feeling relaxed.
Can a person relax in India?

It made us think about the other memorable massages that we have had around the world.  We love getting a massage, it is a luxury that we cannot afford to have regularly at home, so we take advantage of it whenever we travel.
Some experiences have been better than others and some stand our in our memories better than others.

Here is a list of our Top 5 most memorable massages

Reflexology: Penang Malaysia

In a back alley in the heritage city of Penang, Dave and I had our most painful experience while having a massage.  We thought it would be nice to have our aching feet massaged and tended too after traveling for about 4 months.  Well, this wasn’t your every day pamper me massage.  This foot therapy involved strong hands pushing on pressure points and not letting go until he was good and ready.  We squirmed in our seats and winced with pain while he prodded around our feet.  Our expert reflexologist told us exactly what was wrong with us and all of our ailments.  He was bang on about everything and even though it was painful, it was definitely an unforgettable massage for the feet.  Price: About $10

Back Bending Massage in Laos

We had been told my many that we had to get a massage in Laos.  We were in Vientiane when we had our first experience.  The two of us walked into a large room sectioned off with curtains and mats all over the floor. We had a massage side by side and these guys twisted our bodies in all directions.  They were pulling us back, sitting on top of us, pulling our arms.  It was a little scary at times, but we came out alive and feeling pretty limber to say the least.

About $5

Beach Massage in Vietnam

We were chilling out in Mui Ne after both experiencing about a week of illness.  A massage was just what the doctor ordered to make us feel better.  Two little unassuming women walked by as we lay on our lounges and asked us if we wanted a massage.  We decided to go for it and they put us through the wringer.  These little ladies had strength and they pounded and pressed on our muscles until we were literally black and blue.  Dave got the worst of it.  We assume since he was the man, the woman pushed even harder.  He had bruises all over his body for a week.

It was quite tender to touch as well. $3 bucks, you get what you pay for.

Heavenly Ethiopia Massage

We had just been riding our bicycles through Africa for nearly 2 months and by the time we reached Addis Ababa, we were in desperate need of some pampering.  We booked at room at the Ghion Hotel Resort a where they also had a spa.   Our muscles had been tight and sore since we left Cairo, so a massage was must.  We were led to separate rooms where we received our individual massages.  It was very sanitary and hospital like. But the massage was great.  Just the right amount of pressure to work out the knots, but not to hard that we were black and blue.  After the session was over, we were free to spend time in the steam room and  jacuzzi tub that they had just filled specifically for us.  We hopped in and out of the steam room from the cold water shower to the hot therapudic steam.  After a couple of hours there, we were ready for bed.  Luckily we had two rest days in Addis Ababa.

About $12

Bali Floral Bath and Massage

Ubud Bali is one of the most tranquil places on the Island.  It is a beautiful town set in the interior and it was a perfect place to book a massage.  We each booked individually, but they took us in together.  We walked into the office and were sent to a room where there were two tables side by side.  They closed the hospital like curtains then told us to take off our clothes and lay down.  We didn’t know how much we were supposed to take off so we stripped down to our birthday suits unsure if we were supposed to or not.  I guess that everything was O.K. Because they didn’t bat an eyelash when they came into the room.  It was a very soothing and professional massage.  They covered us with towels and worked on each section with expert hands.  After an hour, we were lead to another room where a floral bath was waiting for us both.  We hadn’t had a bath in months.  It was heavenly and we stayed in that tub until the water turned cool and our hands and feet pruned up.

About $10

Have you had some memorable rubdowns around the world? Let us know of a place where you had your best or most unique massage, we are always seeking out some pampering!

We have already enjoyed delicious meals unique to Indian Culture and their identity. Indian food has incredible flavour.  Great care is taken into preparing their food.

As you read this, we are on a house boat cruising the backwaters of Kerala with our own private chef cooking the best of what India has to offer.  The other night our hosts at Skylark Guest house in Varkala cooked us a traditional Kerala meal and it was incredible.  Sanji spent all afternoon grinding coconut by hand, cooking banana’a for a delicious custard, we had an amazing vegetarian meal with shaved beets, potato curry, pineapple, grapes, a dish made out of the leaves from a tree in the back yard and so much more.  Our banana leaves were alive with colour and as we scooped up mouth fulls with our hands, we enjoyed different rich flavours with each bite.

We have only been in India a week so we really cannot write a blog post about food yet.  We aren’t experts and don’t know a lot about the cuisine of this country, but it will make for a great article later on in our trip.

Canada’s Lack of Food Identity

All of the amazing uniquely Indian food has made me think about Canada and our lack of food identity.

Nobody ever says, “Let’s go out for Canadian Food tonight.” And with good reason.  We don’t have anything that really makes us stand out from the rest of the world.  We tend to have an international mix of cuisine in Canada. You can find Thai, Vietnamese, French, Italian, Moroccan or even Ethiopian in our hometown of Toronto.

You name a country, we have the food.  Even in small towns you will find a wide variety of international cuisine…So when you think about it, that is exactly what makes Canadian Food so unique.  We are diverse in every aspect of life in Canada and food is no exception.
We do have a few favorites that the rest of the world may or may not know about, so I thought that I would share a list of foods that are unique to Canada.

1. Maple Syrup - What tourist doesn’t leave the country without a bottle in tow?  The maple tree is a national symbol and the syrup that it produces is scrumptious.  Come to Canada in the dead of winter and you can take a tour out to the woods and watch them tap a tree for fresh syrup.  Bring it home and smother it over pancakes and french toast, sausage or bacon.  Maple syrup makes anything taste better.
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2. Back Bacon – Speaking of bacon, Canadian back bacon is a famous.  Even Bob and Doug Mackenzie (aka Rick Moranis and Dave Thomas) sang about back bacon for their 12 days of Christmas spoof.  It is part of our national identity.

3. Poutine - I think that the world is starting to adopt our little secret, but Poutine used to be a Canadian thing.  French fries draped with cheese curds and gravy is sinfully delicious.

4. Beaver Tails - Head to any tourist destination and you can be sure to see people munching on Beaver Tails. No, they are not what you think they are, these delectable treats are made of fried dough shaped in the form of a beavers tail and sprinkled with sugar and cinnamon.  They can also be topped with ice cream, whipped cream or jellies.

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5. Nanaimo Bars. Named after the town in British Columbia, this dessert made of chocolate consists of a wafer crumb-based with a layer of vanilla butter icing covered in anther layer of melted chocolate. They may be called a different name somewhere else, but rest assured, Nanaimo Bars were invented in Canada.

6. Butter Tarts. These are still a favorite desert of mine.  If I go to a buffet and butter tarts on the table, you can be sure that I will grab a couple.  Small pastry shells filled with butter, maple syrup, brown sugar and raisins creamed together to a delectable desert.

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I am seeing a pattern of very unhealthy foods here.  Time to change gears a bit.

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7. Smoked salmon - Our airports are filled with boxes of the stuff and ooh, we just love the smoked sockeye salmon. Eat it on its own or add some capers and goats cheese on some crackers.  Oh my mouth is watering as I write about it.

8. Lobster - Other countries eat lobster I know, but in the Maritime Provinces on Canada’s East Coast, Lobster is a way of life.  And the lobster that comes from the East Coast of Canada is among the best in the world.

9. The Winnipeg Goldeye - O.K. I am grasping at straws for this one.  I need 10 and hey, it is unique to Canada and we cannot neglect our Prairie Provinces. The Winnipeg Goldeye is a silver fish found only in Manitoba’s lakes and rivers that turns red when it is smoked.  Smoked fish, is a very popular food source in Canada.

10. Beer - It is a meal where we come from! Canadians like to think that their beer is superior to their southern neighbour’s watery brew. As a matter of fact, we think that their beer is superior to everyone’s. Canadians just can’t figure out why the rest of the world doesn’t feel the same way.

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I really had to scramble to come up with 10 foods unique to Canada. But that is exactly what I love about my country.  We are a land made up of immigrants and settlers making it a true melting pot of cultures and cuisine.  Just like our national identity, our food is a blend of the best of every land on the planet.

When describing Canadian food, the only true distinguishing character is that there isn’t one and we like it that way.

Now, time for me to go out and enjoy the best of what Indian cuisine has to offer. Yum!

Please check out these other great blogs that are running their targeted holiday gift campaigns:

Some blogs have their gifts scheduled and may not be up and running yet, but come on back and check them out later once they are published.

Holiday Gifts for the Guy Traveler
Holiday Gifts for Women Travelers
Holiday Gifts for the Sports Traveler
Holiday Gifts for the Budget Traveler
Holiday Gifts for the Green Traveler
Holiday Gifts for the Travel Writer

Holiday Gifts for Adventure Travelers

The Holiday’s are fast approaching and it is time look for some gifts for those adventure travelers and adventurers at heart.  Wondering what to get for those friends and family members on your list that always tend do push the envelope a little more than others?  Check out this list below.  These holiday gift items will be sure to satisfy travelers and adventurers alike.

Adventure Travel Stocking Stuffers Under $25

Klean Kanteen Stainless Steel Water Bottle Shoulder Sling (40-Ounce Bottles)

$6.50

When going on a trek or any adventure, you don’t want to have to carry your water bottle in your hand. Sling it over your shoulder freeing up your hands, but having it readily available rather than stuffed in your pack. Perfect for the Inca Trail to climbing Kilimanjaro.

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Belkin BZ103050vTVL Mini Surge Protector/Dual USB Charger

$16.99

Even the most adventurous of travelers carry computers and iphones with them into the wilderness.  We have many electronics today. Protect from surges as you charge your computer, camera, and ipod all at the same time! Any traveler would thank you for this gift!

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Lightload Towels Beach Towel (36″ x 60″)

$9.50
Light weight and fast drying, this is the towel we use.  This towel doesn’t take up a lot of space and doesn’t add a lot of weight to your packs. You will never bring a regular towel with you abroad again.

Travel Laundry Clothesline – Flexoline

$10.00
No need to carry clothes pegs or worry about tying rope. This elastic line is easy to hang and holds all of your clothes. When hiking or trekking on long expeditions, you may need to rinse or wash your clothing. Clothes pegs can be lost easily. You won’t need to worry about that with this flexoline.

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Adventure Travel Gifts Under $200

Pacsafe PacSafe 55 (Wire)

$59-$93

Worried about having your pack stolen on a train? What about unsecured hostels and guesthouses?  Put your pack inside the pacsafe wire protector and lock it to a bedpost and feel at ease leaving your belongings behind or rest easy on the overnight train. Don’t let your adventure be ruined by having everything stolen.

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Petzl Tikka Plus 2 Headlamp

$34.95 – $36.95
You will be amazed how much you need this gift idea. Having your hands free is important. LED gives better light with longer battery life and this headlamp allows you to focus your light. The long lasting bulbs keep your packs light by having to carry less batteries.

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Motorola Talkabout Em1000r Rechargeable Radio

$69.99

These radios are perfect for snowboarding in the Alps or any back country adventures.  They will help you keep in touch to plan your lunch rendevous or save your life in an emergency situation.  An excellent gift idea for your extreme adventure friends.

These radios have a range of 20 km.

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CamelBak Mini-M.U.L.E. 50-Ounce Hydration Pack

$27.99-$49.99

This pack is a perfect holiday gift for the adventure traveler. Whether you are a cyclist, mountain biker, hiker or mounaineer, you will use this pack regularly.  Drink your water hands free and carry several litres comfortably as it contours to your body.

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Therm-a-Rest Trail Lite

$49.95-$69.95

Needing to sleep outside or camp?  The Therma-a-Rest Trail Lite is essential.  It compresses down, taking up very little space and is light weight.  Easy to inflate with a few breaths, it instantly becomes a comfortable mattress for the adventure traveler.

Adventure Travel Splurge Gifts Under $500

Lowepro DryZone 200 Camera Backpack (Yellow)

$235.00

For any adventure traveler that finds themselves in a wet or damp situation, the dry zone is a must to protect your camera gear and electronics. It well laid out like any lowepro bag and easy to organize with its velcro compartments.  You won’t have to worry if your dump your kayak or are caught in a torrential downpour. Everything will stay dry and safe.

Garmin GPS 60CSx Handheld GPS Navigator

$277

If you are planning on cycling or trekking through a country and want to track your route this is the GPS for you.  Want to know your maximum altitude? How far you traveled or just where you are and where you came from? This GPS will tell you all the details that you need.  It is a dream gift for us.

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The North Face Roadrunner 33 Tent – 2009 Model

$214.95

We swear by the North Face Tent. The Roadrunner 2 survived our most extreme adventure to date. 120 days in Africa through the most gruelling conditions that you can imagine. Blowing sands, monsoon rains, mud and wind. We never had a problem.  Durability is not even a factor. The North Face Roadrunner 33 is larger and that is why we recommend it.

Brunton 26 Watt Foldable Solar Array

$286.50

If you are caught on a trek for several days at a time, you will be away from  outlets and civilization. There is nothing worse than having the batteries of your camera run out before you reach the summit or the pinnacle of your trek.  A solar charger will make sure that your electronics are charged and ready to go.  It will ensure that those important moments are not lost forever.

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These are our top holiday gift recommendations for adventure travel.

We  have used everyone of of the products listed above for one or more of our adventures around the world and find them invaluable.  So give the gift of adventure this holiday season, you may just kick start a whole new life for one of your loved ones.

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In the spirit of early compliance with the new FTC rules concerning disclosure by bloggers of content that is in any way remunerated, the above links do earn a small amount of money if you click on them and make a purchase. Not much, maybe enough for a cup of coffee or a beer, but every little bit helps keep this site going and helps us continue to provide you with great information, so we deeply appreciate your support!
~Deb and Dave

Do you have some suggestions for adventure travel gift ideas for the holidays? Share your thoughts!

Sure we have traveled for extended periods before, but this time, we are not planning on returning to our careers in the film business.  Nope, we are moving on to somehow become ful ltime adventurers!

Six months ago, we decided to work diligently on our blog.  It has been an amazing experience writing daily posts and it has made us reflect on our past travels.

In a few short weeks, we will be making new memories, but for now we would like to share some of our Favorite things that we have encountered in our travels.  We were brainstorming about moments that have stood out over the years and

Here is our list of Favorites from abroad.

1- Favorite Adventure – Climbing Mount Kilimanjaro had to be one of the highlights of our life.  We spent six glorious days with great people, fantastic guides and wonderful scenery.  To make it to the top of one of the most famous climbs on the planet is one of the most gratifying experiences a person can have.

2- Favorite Thrill Ride – I was freaking out when the police stopped us to warn us how dangerous it was to dune buggy through the sand dunes of Huacachina.  But once we got started, it was a thrill of a lifetime.  Roller coaster have nothing on climbing one of the highest dunes in the world strapped into a rugged 4X4 only to plunge down the almost vertical drop on the other side.

3- Favorite Adrenaline Rush – Dave had always wanted to go to Zambia to jump from one of the world’s tallest bungee jumps at Victoria Falls.  We took it one step further and booked a day abseiling, zip lining and swinging into the great gorge as seen on the Amazing Race!

4- Favorite Meal – food is always the main focus of our travels. After a good adventure there is nothing more satisfying than eating an amazing meal.  We were cycling Africa last year and by the time we made it to Addis Ababa in Ethiopia, we were famished.  Ethiopian is one of our favorite foods and having a great mix of stews and salads served with Injera at the tranquil Ghion Hotel downtown was simply heaven. We were even treated to a show with traditional dancers and music as we sipped our beer and stuffed out faces.

5-Favorite Sunset – It is hard to pin down the perfect sunset.  Our planet is filled with them. But we will never forget being on a boat cruise in Chobe National park watching the sun go down.  Hippos were munching in the water, elephants were lumbering on the river banks and the sky was ablaze with reds, yellows and oranges.

Roasting Coffee in Ubud

6-Favorite Coffee – Before we started traveling, neither of us were big coffee drinkers.  But to visit places such as Indonesia and Africa where coffee was born, how can you not become a lover of the caffeinated beverage.  We have enjoyed some rich and delectable cups of joe, but nothing compares to Bali Coffee.  It is the most delicious brew we have ever tasted.  We brought several bags home with us, and we just may have to take a side trip from India to visit Bali, just to stock up again.

7- Favorite Place to Chill out.  It isn’t always about treks and adventures. Sometimes we just want to relax and work on our tans.  Nothing compared to Gili Air for serious chill time.  We decided to venture to Lombok with the intent of staying a couple of days in the Gili Islands.  11 days later we finally pulled ourselves away from this small island that didn’t allow motorized vehicles.  Horse carts were the mode of transport or some good old fashioned foot power.  We slept in hammocks, snorkeled the drift in front of the beach and ate seafood until our hearts content.

8 – Favorite Wildlife Encounter. Wow, the wildlife we have seen over the years has been amazing. But nothing compared to our time in Belize.  Taking a sail boat out to the pristine coral reef near Caye Caulker to swim with the sharks with Juni was so much fun that we turned around and went right back the next day.  We saw eagle rays, manta rays, nurse sharks, barracuda’s and eels.  We had been diving throughout Central America before hitting Belize, but the snorkeling with our guide Juni was a touching experience.  These fish had personalities and I could see the intelligence and innocence in their eyes.

Spike through Cheek of Pilgrim

hooks in back at Thaipusam

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9- Favorite Festival.  We had stumbled into Malaysia in January thinking that we would use it as a stepping off point to go to Bali, Singapore and Malaysian borneo. Well, 6 weeks later we were still there and in that time, we witnessed the most shocking and amazing festival on the planet.  Thaipusam is a Hindu Festival where pilgrims pay homage to the Lord Muruga by piecing themselves with hooks and driving spikes through their cheeks and lips.  Unbelievable unless you have seen it with your own eyes.

10 –Favorite Trek. People may say that Sapa is ruined and that it is over run with tourists.  We loved our time in Sapa.  Dave and I had a private tour with Xin as our guide.  We walked through the vast rice terraces for 3 days. We picnicked on a high plateau, we enjoyed rice wine with the local villagers as they sang around the fire.  We ventured far into the mountains away from the town and away from tribes corrupted by tourism.  It was an incredible experience staying in a homestay. Xin brought a feast and the family prepared fresh vegetables and rice and the rice wine kept flowing. We quickly learned that you just cannot ever say no to rice wine when it is offered.

While I love movies like that, I often think about movies that I have seen on the road in our travels. Many times in a conversation, someone will mention a movie and it will trigger a memory.  Just the other day we were talking about Rambo at work and I said “hey, I saw that in Botswana” It happens all of the time and I will remember where I saw it and then relive that time in a country in my brain. It brings a smile to my face.

We have seen a lot of movies during our travels.  Most of the time, it is exactly the same as being in Canada, but there are a few memories of movies that stand out and will be remembered for the rest of our lives.

Top 5 Travel Movie Memories

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1- Starship Troopers.  We saw this movie on a loop on a bus from Chang Mai to Bangkok.  It played over and over dubbed in Thai.  We were both extremely hung over from running into Canadians that owned a bar the night before.  They kept our glass filled with Thai Wiskey all night long.  We managed to wake up in time for our 7:00 am departure, but it was not a happy ride.  The air-conditioning wasn’t working, the windows wouldn’t go down, I was dizzy and dehydrated and all I had to distract me for the next 12 hours was Denise Richards speaking in Thai.

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2 – Return of the King.  We were in Laos when the third installment of Lord of the Rings came out.  We were really looking forward to seeing it and a restaurant was playing a bootleg copy that evening. Of course we went to check it out.  The sound was terrible and it was cut to shreds.

There are bootleg copies of movies all over South East Asia, so this was nothing new. But the reason I remember this so well is that I tried to adjust the sound because they had the reverb on high and the volume on low. Nobody was around to ask to fix it, so I decided to give it a try.  Boy, was I told off for touching the knob.  I don’t know where she came from, but a lady came running out of the back with rage in her eyes and scolded me to the point where we decided that we had better leave.   I never have seen the entire Return of the King.

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3 – Kill Bill. We love seeing movies in Bangkok.  The theatres are modern and state of the art. What we love the most though  is the montage of the King at the beginning of each movie. The King is revered in Thailand and before each movie, everyone stands to pay their respects as a slide show plays depicting his life. This was in 2004 that we were there, but I am sure that their respect and love has not subsided and I am sure that this slide show must still play.

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4 – Mona Lisa Smile - Kutching Sarawak, Borneo.  Borneo is not exactly a place that you would think to go and see a movie. It is a place for adventure, wildlife and trekking.  But we found ourselves relaxing in Kutching for a night and saw that a Julia Roberts movie was playing at the local theatre.

The movie was terrible, but what we remember is a cockroach climbing up Dave’s leg.  We watched the rest of the show cross legged. And we remember the delicious caramel corn.  No buttered popcorn, only caramel on the menu.

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5 – Tracks of a Killer – Nobody has heard of this movie and even less have seen it.  But it was one of the first movies that Dave ever worked on.  It starred Lance Henrickson of Aliens Fame and Kelly LeBrock AKA Steven Segal’s ex wife.  It went straight to video, but we just so happened to see it while we were sitting in a small bar downtown Paris.  We thought that was pretty cool, and then a man walked in wearing a Panavision Jacket.

For some reason we were feeling pretty bold so we asked him if he worked in the film business. It turns out he did and then we told him that Dave worked on the movie that was playing on the T.V.  We were all best of friends instantly and we ended up drinking closing the bar.  We actually stayed until way passed closing time and the owner bought all of our rounds of drinks as we drank wine and beer until the wee hours of the morning.

The next day at Les Invalides was not a pleasant experience.

Honorable Mention

The Italian Job. It was 2004, we were traveling around South East Asia for several months and it never failed, every time we stepped onto a bus, The Italian Job was playing. We got to the point where we hated that movie.  We also got to the point where we knew every line and moment.

For some reason now though, I now really like The Italian Job.  I was even laughing the other day when we were talking about the timing of Toronto’s traffic lights and how because our city is amalgamated with other city’s, all of our traffic lights are on separate systems.  Dave said, “hey if they had the guy from the Italian Job that was the Real Napster inventor, he could fix all of our problems.”