We recently received a very good question from a traveller, Joan.
Joan was doing all the right things while on tour. She was making copies of important documents and 'safely' stashing copies in her hotel room while out. Her question was "but where is the safest place to hide important documents and valuables when they're not with you?"
First, it was great that Joan thought ahead and took photocopies of her passport and credit cards while she was travelling. And she was also right not to store the originals in the same place as the copies. She knew that if one set was lost or stolen, she'd have the second set as her back up.
Here are a few ideas we suggested to Joan.
If you are anything like me, you have read many blogs and posts about how and what to pack for a trip. Of course, it depends on the destination and the time of year you are travelling but I have a few personal favourite packing tips - three golden rules for packing:
The Galapagos Sea Lion is one of two types of seals found in the Galapagos Islands; part of the eared seal family. They stay in the Galapagos Islands all year and do not migrate.
Iceland is one of the most unique places in the world and over the last decade its popularity as a travel destination has been growing every year. It can be a stopover on the way to Europe from North America for 3 or 4 days or a place for your cruise ship to dock for a day but I recommend that you make Iceland a destination location to truly appreciate all it has to offer. Go there for the hot springs, volcanoes, and glaciers but you will want to stay for the exceptional food, the unique landscapes, and the fascinating folklore and people.
At The Travel Broker and Today’s Woman Traveller, we always encourage our passengers to sign up for insurance before they head out on a trip. No matter how healthy you are or how certain you are that you won’t need it, just get it!
Who doesn’t like roses! Although roses are not native to Ecuador, there are now over 500 varieties of Ecuadorian roses. Ecuador is the world’s third largest exporter of cut flowers with the majority being roses making up 75% of flower exports. Due to the advantage of the roses’ stem size, and larger rose buds and blooms, Ecuadorian roses are considered the best of the world.
You know that phrase “we’re not getting older, we are getting better”? We jokingly echo this saying to our friends as the age odometer slowly creeps up. Yet it IS true, and what better way to prove it than to witness it firsthand in beautiful Portugal where ‘older is indeed better’.
I was fortunate to travel to Iceland in June 2017 for a ten-day tour. Having lived in Canada’s Arctic for several years, I thought I knew exactly how to dress and what to pack for this adventure. I was on the right track but learned a valuable lesson on the differences between Canada’s Arctic and Iceland; namely, The Arctic has a dry cold with permafrost. Iceland has geothermal areas, hot springs, waterfalls, and geysers.
I went on my first yoga retreat two years ago. Eight ladies, all with different backgrounds with one common thread - yoga!
Helen Beatrix Potter was born in London on July 28, 1866 and died in Near Sawrey, in the Lake District of England December 22, 1943 at the age of 77. Over her lifetime Beatrix had many passions that included her pets, science, illustration and writing. In her later years, she became an astute businesswoman, farmer, sheep breeder and conservationist.
Back in 2001, I found myself looking at 2 full weeks with no pending obligations. So why not take a trip? At the best of times I require little justification to travel, and that time was no exception. So out came the maps to consider my options. While I adore Rome, Paris and London, I yearned for a more ‘off the beaten track’ European destination and for me, the ‘road less travelled’ is very appealing. Slovenia came to mind and it fit the bill perfectly. This being over 15 years ago I can assure you that Slovenia was definitely not on the radar for most travellers to Europe. In fact, when I told friends of my destination, they inquired ‘where is that’ or ‘why would you want to go there’? Well let me tell you...
When my Mum was a little girl, kids made fun of her because of her Sicilian heritage and her inability to speak English. Consequently, I grew up in total ignorance of the beautiful and diverse island of Sicily, until one day, out of the blue, it hit me “I’ve got Italian blood running through my veins!” Since that day, ...
If you are unfamiliar with The Azores and you Google it, one of the most symbolic images you will see of these beautiful, volcanic islands will likely be a photograph of Lagoa das Sete Cidades on the Island of Sao Miguel. This “postcard” photograph of the twin lagoons represents just a fraction of the spectacular views you experience exploring The Azores.
I remember asking this very question when I was first asked if I wanted to go to The Azores. I soon discovered that The Azores are one of the two autonomous regions of Portugal. This archipelago is composed of nine volcanic islands located in the North Atlantic Ocean about...
Take a step back in time as you walk through one of the seven gates in the medieval walls surrounding the Old Town Rhodes, Greece.
If you've known me for a while, you may remember I fostered a baby elephant, Dupoto, from The David Sheldrick Wildlife Trust in Kenya. Here's the 
This past weekend I enjoyed the fulfillment of a dream. In my past visits to Kenya I had never visited the David Sheldrick Wildlife Trust. This is an elephant orphanage begun by Dame Daphne Sheldrick in 1977 in memory of her husband David who even today stands out as one of Africa’s most famous and proficient pioneer and natural park wardens of all time.
Helston in Cornwall is a quiet town, pretty, lots of interesting local shops and a couple of great bakeries.