Pulling the trigger

Sometimes the hardest thing about traveling is making the choice to go.

In university I had a friend I use to go to coffee with.  We would grab our tall, nonfat, extra hot, half sweet caramel macchiatos and sit at one of those wooden tables that seem to be standard on most campuses.  We'd drag our books out like we planned to study, then chat for the next hour about our aspirations, philosophical inclinations, and romantic leanings.  Occassionally we would also stray onto the topic of travel.  As it turned out, I was just planning my first trips to Europe and so was she.

My friend's dream was a trip to Scotland.  Her family had immigrated to Canada from there generations back and she wanted to see where it had all began.  She spoke of driving across the highlands, of visiting churches and graveyards, of stopping for a pint at a local pub, and really coming to terms with who she was.  Her plan was to save the money through university, then travel when she graduated.

She never went.

I think of her story as a tragedy, and it's one that is surprisingly common.  In many ways we look at travel as an investment, something that is hugely expensive and needs careful planning.  There are bookings to be made, routes to be planned, sites to visit (or not!), foods to try, and a million other choices.  Do you take a taxi to the airport or park in a lot?  If you park, which lot do you chose?  Does the country your visiting need a visa to enter?  Can you get it on arrival?  Do you need a letter of invitation?  Are there any medications you need to consider before flying?

The list goes on and on.

Perhaps it's because the list is so long or the investment so large, but we humans often have trouble pulling the trigger.

So for those of you out there who are challenged, let me tell you a secret: I can't count the number of times I've sat at my computer late at night with a ticket in front of me.  The lamps are on but my eyes are tired.  I've been looking at options for too long and I can feel the burden of my choice heavy on my shoulders.  The price tag is painful, but I can't stop.  With a deep breath, I close my eyes and click "Confirm".

That's right.  Even after booking countless flights, I still close my eyes and look away when I pull the trigger.  I still have the anxiety associated with the purchase, the doubts that what I'm doing is right, the uncertainty.  But the difference between my long ago friend and I is that final step, the commitment.

I think one day I'll look back on my life and consider my regrets.  When I do that, I'm sure that what I will regret most are the things I didn't do, not the things I did.  It doesn't make the choice any easier.  I'm still scared I'm making a mistake, but that's alright.

Travel is like that.  It's a commitment, it's a bit scary, it asks a lot of you, and it's entirely worthwhile.

So the next time you'resitting looking at a flight and you see a way to get halfway around the world for less than $1,000 CAD, don't think about it too much.  Instead, pull the trigger and see what happens.  I doubt you'll regret it.

Tough Travel Decisions: South Pacific Islands

So many pretty, pretty islands, so little time!

The South Pacific is littered with bits of paradise separated by vast spans of water.  The sand is white as snow, the waters crystal clear, and fish swarm the docks so thickly it seems impossible that they all fit.  On some of the islands you can spend the day walking the perimeter, barely running into another person.  The populations are small, the tourists few, and the opportunity to be lost in a dream is almost guaranteed.

But how to choose?

I can't say I'm an expert.  I've chosen my islands based on circumstance, convenience, and momentary desires.  I'm whimsical and frivolous, and most of the time there's only the bare minimum logic behind my choices.  I understand not everyone is that way though, so I was pleased when an analytical sort took a crack at outlining a methodology for choosing that perfect Pacific paradise.

Apparently Lonely Planet agreed, as you can find it on their website.

Enjoy the article, and best of luck choosing your paradise.  Even with a methodological approach, you'll still be spoiled for options.

Airline Food = Yummy?

Have you ever looked forward to a meal on a plane?

Okay, okay.  Let's exclude Singapore Airline's first class "book the cook", Thai's similarly impressive inflight cuisine, and the like.  First class is special.  First class has Dom Perignon and caviar on request, some seats have doors, and several offer a Mercedes or BMW upon arrival to whisk you to the lounge.  If you aren't looking forward to that, there's something wrong with you.

Even in business class you can at least drown your taste buds with French champagne and freshly baked bread and butter.  There are cheese plates and fruit plates, pastries for desert and a detailed list of options for your main course.  Plus your seat usually turns into a bed.  So let's be honest, while you can complain about business class, it's likely you won't get many sympathetic nods.

Economy.  Now economy is where the sympathy lies.  Narrow seats built for midgets with a recline that is questionable at best, tray tables that leave you with room to think about moving but not actually accomplish much, and food that is highly questionable.  I mean, which of us has ever gotten on a flight and said to themselves: I'm really looking forward to that chicken or pasta!

Perhaps that's the problem.  That first question:  "Chicken or pasta?"

It's usually said nicely enough, but I can't say I've ever gone to a restaurant and ordered based on the main ingredient.  I want to know:

• What kind of sauce is the chicken served in?
• What vegetables come on the side?
• Is there meat in the pasta?
• Are we talking manicotti or linguine?

And those questions don't even address the starter and desert, though on a plane you usually don't have a choice anyways.

So, step 1 in my mind would be for airlines to give a brief introduction to the meal they are serving.  Do it over the loudspeaker, and sound enthusiastic.  It's amazing how perception can be shaped by tone.

Obviously there are more challenges to an airline meal though.  The food is cooked hours before, packaged, loaded on the plane and reheated at 30,000 feet.  The air at that height is pressurized and dry, dulling the taste buds so that besides limp and pasty noodles you don't actually taste the subtleties of the food as well as you would at sea level.  Layer on the cramped conditions and you have an environment that is not conducive for a good meal.

It's not all bedbugs and bleak horizons though.  Airlines are aware of these challenges and have worked over the years to address them.  An article this month on Roads & Kingdoms talks about the intricacies of airline meals, including advice like "make immediate use of those salt and pepper packages" and "if you drink wine, make sure it's the most powerful grape on hand"(if! ha!).  So there is hope, even if it does sound a bit like an infomercial at 3a.m. (i.e. follow these 3 easy steps, and you can change your life!)

Take it as you will.  For me, the highlight of a flight will never be the food.  It's all about the French champagne.  Bring on the bubbles and leave the bottle.  I have a ten hour flight and I'm not planning to land sober!

Where have you been?

Where have you been?

When chatting about travel, that's one of the most common questions asked.  It's an easy way to judge the interests of the person you're travelling with.  At the same time, you can establish common interests and areas to continue the conversation (or not!).  It's a great question in the beginning, but as you travel more you sometimes want the question to become "where haven't you been?"

No one ever asks that one.

A map can serve as a bit of a solution.  Save the picture on your phone, and you can flash it up on request.  The conversation flows from there, starting first and foremost with "cool map!"

Here is a website that specializes in helping you create your own map, free of charge of course:

Check it out!

I've added mine below.  Proof that I really do need to see more of Africa!

Coming Soon: A Cure for Jet Lag?!

"How do you possibly do Europe in a weekend?  The jet lag would kill me."

I was chatting with a coworker.  Actually, I was trying to end a conversation with a coworker, but that wasn't going well.

The discussion:  The value of a weekend away.
The challenge: Jet lag.

Apparently even a two hour change in time zone is difficult.  Beyond that, a one hour flight is tiring.

"It's not just about the flight time, it's getting to the airport, going through security and customs, then being trapped in a plane for hours on end."

"One hour," I corrected.

"The time doesn't matter.  It's tiring jumping through all the hoops it takes to travel.  Add jet lag to that, and I can't understand why you would bother for just a weekend."

I considered.  I had dozens of answers, but I didn't really think they cared what my opinion was.  Some people just like to hear themselves talk.

I considered a bit longer.

"Jet lag, eh?" I finally said.

"It's the straw that breaks the camel's back.  You dream about going somewhere for years, finally get there, and are laid out for two days by the time difference.  What can you do when you're up at 2a.m. in a foreign city?"

"Party?" I suggested.  I got a blank look.  "I understand where you're coming from," I continued, nodding sagely.  "Jet lag can be a real challenge."

"You have no idea.  This one time when I flew to..."

I cued out at that point.  I'd heard the same story from the same person a few weeks earlier.  It always amazed me that people didn't realize how repetitive they were.  I beg of you, my readers, travel more, see the world, bring back stories, and avoid repetition!  Originality is a blessing to your listeners!

I thought about trying not to yawn, hid my boredom by taking a sip of my lukewarm coffee, thought about the new eye shadow I bought over the weekend, then reoriented on the discussions.

A suitable amount of time had passed and the repetitive bit had passed.  Now they were just whining about jet lag.  Again I looked for an exit that wasn't socially awkward.

Then I wished I didn't care about social graces.

Then I wished there was a drug that counteracted jet lag.  There was a drug for everything these days.  Lots of innovation in the pharmaceutical industry, and surely someone was looking out for the travel-worn road warrior.  Really, all those brains had to see the opportunity for a significant ROI with bringing an end to jet lag (and this discussion!).

As it turns out, I'm not the only one wishing on a star here.  Scientists at Oxford's Nuffield Department of Clinical Neurosciences are also looking for a solution.  The testing is in mice right now, but there is hope that eventually we will be able to pop a pill that allows our body to reset much more easily to changes in time zones.

"Wouldn't it be great if there was a drug for jet lag?" I interjected into the conversation.

"It's been promised before," my coworker replied.  "They don't work.  Pipe dreams."

"Yeah, well I guess time will tell,"  I replied.  In fact, I think it will but I had no intention of getting into that discussion.  Cue exit.  "Speaking of time, I have to dash to a meeting..."

I dumped my half finished coffee in the garbage as I exited stage left, thinking it would be nice if the pharmaceutical industry also came up with a drug that treated the side effects of boring conversations.  That I would pay big bucks for!

Video: Facts that will make you want to travel

I'm suppose to be reading a very serious document.  Instead, I'm surfing the internet.  Sound familiar?

I thought I would share what was distracting me.  This is great for those of you out there that need another reason to travel (as if there aren't enough already!).

Check it out!

Extra! Extra! I'm a guest poster on Spa Travel Gal!!!

Exciting news!

As most of you are aware, I'm fairly new to blogging.  So I was super excited to be asked to guest post on a fellow travel writer's site.

I met Ava, the mastermind behind "Spa Travel Gal", at an lounge in EWR last April.  My one hour flight was delayed four hours and I was considered what exactly you do in a domestic United lounge for that length of time.

She was in the same boat.

We started chatting and traded stories.  Turns out I had met a kindred spirit!

I started writing this blog a couple months after that and it's been a wonderful journey thus far.  So here's one more adventure to report, this one about a spa I visited in Bali.  Hope you like it!

Check it out! 

Booking flights: A bit of a treasure hunt

Last night I was laying on my sofa.  The TV was on mute, images flashing by in quasi-meaningful ways, my laptop perched on my knees while I investigated what wonders the internet had on offer.  In the process, I reran an old search on kayak that I had been eyeing about a week ago.

Sometimes I like to check flight prices or routings; see where I can go and how much it's going to set me back.  Sometimes I'm lucky and a truly ridiculous route pops up, one of the ones you just have to shake your head at because no one in their right mind would ever book it.

For example, did you know you can go from Toronto to Belize via London, U.K.?

Really!  Thank you British Airways!

Of course these crazy options come with equally crazy price tags, but they're useful to know about when it comes to booking an award flight where cost is less an issue and crazy routings make for cool layovers.

When I reran my search, I took a quick glance at the cities and dates but didn't look at much else.

The flights came up.  The lowest cost was $868 CAD from YYZ to BZE with one connection in IAH.

I was a bit disappointed.  You see, two weeks ago I could have gotten that flight for just shy of $600 CAD.  The Avianca option via SAL had been $622 CAD just the other day.  Now I was looking at over $200 CAD more.  I could argue that the flight with Avianca wasn't really an option for me, that I was looking at the United flight which had jumped to $741 CAD earlier in the week, but a 50% increase in price over a  two week interval was pretty stunning.

Then I noticed the booking class.

$868 CAD was the price for business class.

Well!

Well, well, well!  Not bad!  My $741 CAD United flight wasn't gone, but for $127 CAD more I could take that same flight in business class.  Of course it's only North American business class so it's nothing spectacular, but there is food involved, larger seats, and 50% more qualifying miles which will push me into their next tier.  Definitely worth it for me!

As it turned out, the friend joining me from the west coast was able to book the sale prices and we are set to meet in IAH.  A beautiful solution to a girl's getaway!

So my advice is this: play with your flight options before you make your choice.  You would expect that the results will be consistent, but sometimes you'll be surprised.  It's a bit of a treasure hunt, but if you strike gold you won't regret the time spent.

What is the most devalued airline frequent flyer program in north america?

Travel enough and you're bound to sign up for a loyalty program or two.  It might be for an airline or a hotel chain, something that offers free upgrades or even free travel if you visit often enough.

Over the last several years quite a few airlines have been hit hard by the global recession.  This has especially been the case in North America, where competition has become tougher than ever with the introduction of low-cost carriers like Spirit Airways.  This has resulted in scaling back on the offerings of many frequent flyer programs, and begs the question: what is the most devalued program out there?

I can't say that I know the answer, but an article recently went up on boardingarea.com that does.  The lucky winner?

Air Canada!

So perhaps all those flyers out there still clinging to their program might look elsewhere soon, because this program is starting to smell pretty bad.

Check it out!

Where am I?

Update: Seems this was a difficult one given no one got it!  Buenos Aires, Argentina.  Good luck next time :)

***

Because last week's was a bit easy for some, here's one that's a bit tougher.  Go for it!

Hint: This is a well-known area of a major city.

A guidebook that's just for fun

Sometimes choosing a guidebook is a difficult balance of pretty pictures and useful content.  There seem to be dozens of options, all jammed with information.

• Lonely Plant
• Frommers
• Rough Guide
• Let's Go
• Footprint
• DK
• Timeout
• Bradt

The list goes on.

Most of these I'm sure you're well able to track down, but for a bit of fun have a look at Jetlag Travel Guides.  Not useful for travel, but endlessly useful for entertainment.  Why?  Because they are guides to places that don't exist, and even if they did you can be certain you wouldn't want to visit them.
Leave one on your coffee table the next time you have guests over.  If someone asks, tell them you're considering it for your next vacation.  See what happens next.

Don't judge a book by it's cover

Ever hear the advice "don't judge a book by it's cover"?

Ever ignore that advice entirely?  No?  Really?

I was wandering in YEG the other weekend waiting for a flight back to YYZ.  Time on my hands and a very nondescript airport in which to spend it.  As much as I love the lounges, I wasn't in the mood.  That's how I found myself in the little book store across from the arcade and next to one of those anything/everything stores where you can buy overpriced cough drops because you forgot to bring any along (I wouldn't do this, of course).

I was flipping through the fiction aisle, not really intending to buy anything but always on the lookout for something interesting.

When I say I'm looking for something interesting, I mean more glancing and my focus is on the covers.

The fact is, while we can rely on the classics to have crap covers and still contain good writing, I have a hard time buying a more recently written book with an ugly cover.  My little pea brain doesn't translate low-budget printing into a quality adventure.  If a publisher wasn't willing to commit, why should I?

When I was in high school I bought a book by Steph Swainston called The Year of Our War.  It was a phenomenal book that I would highly recommend to fantasy lovers out there, however I didn't know that when I bought it.  My purchase was based entirely on the cover, which I fell in love with at first glance.

The cover was white as snow with the title and author's name scrawled across it in silver.  Simple, sleek, clean lines and no clutter.  I thought it was the most pretentious cover I had ever seen.  Consider this: in years past, classics were published with just the title of the book on the spine and the author's name scrawled across the front.  Picking them up, you knew you had something good waiting for you.  That signature was a promise.  Any author who is brazen enough to parallel the greats of literature is worth my judgement, for better or worse.

I still think that cover is pretentious, but I don't regret buying the book.

Back in YEG, I was looking for another The Year of Our War.  A cover that tempted, intrigued and drew my attention to the point where I couldn't walk away without it.  I was looking for a cover that promised to trade my life and my problems for someone else's, and perhaps a guarantee that it would all turn out well in the end.

All things considered, that's probably what I look for in a vacation destination as well.

Think about it.  How often have you decided you want to go somewhere because you saw some pretty pictures?

Yeah, I saw that guilty look.

Perhaps you ordered a brochure, looked up some sights on Lonely Planet, eyed a few hotels or pondered a tour.  You might be on a quest for relaxation or for a solid adventure that sets your heart racing.  Regardless of what it is, the fact is that likely you'll go in with expectations set.  You'll judge by the cover, so to speak.

It's not surprising that we do this.  After all, we've spent a lifetime building those expectations.

• Paris:  A concoction of the Eiffel Tower and Notre Dame.  Flavoured with butter and crusty bread, and seasoned with the romance of lover kissing under bridges.

• Tokyo:  Filled to the brim with people, traffic flying by, lights and action and shinjuku girls with too much make-up.  Everyone eats raw fish with chopsticks and watches anime over dinner.

• Rome:  A city of ruins.  Italians out in the street shouting their conversations while wives hang sheets from the windows or berate their no-good husbands from kitchens suffused with mouthwatering smells.

These are cliches, obviously. Yet we cherish them as our book covers to the world.

In the end, I hope you'll think about this when their next opportunity to travel arises.  If you're booking because of the pretty pictures, be aware of that fact.  If you're after the culture, recognize that Hollywood has formed many of our preconceived notions.

I'm hoping to book a trip to Africa soon.  I've already been a number of times, but I'm not picky about where I go next.  I want to see more of the continent, but in myself I recognize that I'm not immune to judging without seeing.  For me, Ethiopia is a land blanketed in the dust of the past, in West Africa await the origins of voodoo and their curious practitioners, in Rwanda there will be hardship, and in Morocco the snake charmers sit in alleys playing music that permeates the city streets.

I know there's so much more than that.  This is why we travel.  The cover, it might be good and you might be tempted to fall in love, but there's so much more to be had.

So my challenge to you is this:  Don't be satisfied by the pretty pictures and inconsequential words.  Go out into the world, do things you never dared when the opportunities arise, roar at lions, walk in the Amazon at midnight, watch the sunrise from a mountaintop, drink French champagne on new years before kissing a stranger, and laugh because you're having the time of your life.

It's simple really:  Savor the book, not just the cover.

Gorgeous Beachs You Won't Find on a Top 10 List

I'm going to be honest with you.  Really.  In kindergarden when all the other kids were learning to share, I'm pretty sure I was distracted by a butterfly.

Fact is, I'm not good at sharing.  I like things to be mine.  This especially holds true for beaches.  I don't like to share my sand.  As a result, most beach resorts aren't all that appealing.  I have tested this several times in the Caribbean and while the beaches were nice, they didn't make me want to shove my flag in the sand and claim it for Canada.

The biggest issue?  Too many people.

My favorite beaches don't include company.

So for all those beach-lovers out there, let's talk about the more remote, jaw-droppingly beautiful bits of sand out there that you aren't going to see on a Top 10 list.

1. Easter Island, Chile

Easter Island: better recognized as that island with all the statues of the giant heads.

Fly to Santiago, Chile.  Board a LAN jet and head straight into the Pacific for 5.5 hours.  If the captain is worth their title, they'll find the most remote inhabited place on the planet, Easter Island.  The next closest populated place is Tahiti, but that's almost 6 hours away.

Easter Island marks the southernmost tip of Polynesia and boasts a population just shy of 6,000.   Surrounded by an azure-blue sky that stretches to the horizon, the water here is as clear as Bombay Blue gin and as refreshing as cool breeze of a hot day.

There are multiple beaches on the island worth visiting, some framed with the island's famed moai (giant statues) and others utterly deserted.  The island also has an issue with wild horses, so if you're sunbathing and think you hear thunder, check behind you as a herd may be galloping past (note for parents: this fact should be shared with caution to your 10 year old daughter.  Side effects can include endless pestering to visit.).

Easter Island

2. Fiji

This south Pacific gem is more modernized and easier to access than the other islands on this list.  That said, it's still a trek to get there.  For North Americans, the easiest option is a direct flight on Fiji Airways (formerly Air Pacific) from LAX to NAN.  This flight runs on a regular basis and prices tend to be lower than other options.  In addition, Fiji Airways has flights continuing on to Australia which allow free layovers, an excellent break on the front or back end of a trip (or both!).

Fiji

3. Giza, Solomon Islands

The Soloman Islands make up a small nation in the south Pacific.  It is difficult to get to, which translates into a very low rate of tourism.  Giza is one of the 922 islands that make up this nation, some hardly big enough to land a plane on, or so you'll think as your captain heads downwards.

The waters are crystal clear and chalked full of tropical fish.  Many hotels simply dip a line off their pier to bring up a dinner of some of the most succulent fish you'll ever taste (note: if you don't like fish, you'll be challenged for options).  Biking, kayaking, snorkeling, diving, and kicking back in a hammock are the most popular activities on this island paradise.

Imagine for a moment being stranded here, no internet or cellphone coverage, just peace and quiet.  Not so bad, right?

Giza, Soloman Islands

4. Champagne Beach, Espirito Santo, Vanuatu

Vanuatu is another fun one to find on a map.  Like Soloman, it's made up of a series of 82 islands, not all of which are inhabited.  Espiritu Santo is the largest of these islands (though oddly not where the capital is located or the main airport), and also one that lays claim to one of the most beautiful beaches in the world: Champagne Beach.

You can find this beach by driving down a long dirt road off the main highway (this highway is paved, luckily, and allows for two cars passing at most points).  You might run into a couple other people there, but in general you'll have it to yourself.  Bring a towel, some food and water, and a bottle of champagne to toast not just the beauty of the place but that you managed to make it all the way there! 

Champagne Beach, Espiritu Santo

5. Eritrea

My final choice on this list is also my favorite.  Like the others, it's difficult to reach by entirely worth it.

Let's start with a geography lesson.  Eritrea: located on the horn of Africa.  It's surrounded by Ethiopia, Djibouti and Sudan, and sits across the Red Sea from Saudi Arabia and Yemen.  It's at war with the majority of its neighbours, and has strict requirements for tourists wanting to travel there.  That said, it's 100% worth the effort.

Below are examples of two islands located off the coast of Eritrea in the Red Sea.  Both were reached by power boat, both were entirely uninhabited, and on both we were left entirely to ourselves.  The water was warm and filled with fish, the boats having to edge around the reefs to make their landings.  Truly, I haven't seen anything to match the stunning beauty of these bits of sand.  For the brave, this is an experience not to be missed.

Desert Island, Eritrea

Sand spit, Eritrea

Note: These are just beaches I've come across in my journeys.  The fact is, the more remote you go the more spectacular they get.  There are tons more out there, just waiting to be discovered!

Where am I?

Update: Apparently this one was too easy!  Guesses are bang on.  NYC, and one of the most beautiful murals I've come across.  Wouldn't it be nice if Toronto hired this Kobba for a bit of work!

I promise to make the next one more of a challenge.  Prepare yourself.

***

Any guesses?
Hint: A phenomenal city offering just about anything you could ask for... at a price.

The Friendliest and Unfriendliest Cities in the World

"Excuse me," I said politely in my English-accented French.  "Do you speak English?"

I had just walked into a travel agent's office in Libreville, Gabon.  Large posters of airplanes and exotic islands peppered the yellow walls, many with Africans posing happily in the foreground.  Wooden desks that looked unmovable purely based on how chunky and old they were stretched across the front of the shop.  Behind two of these desks, a pair of women sat chatting.  They hadn't looked up as I walked in.

"No," one of the women said, answering my question while seeming completely disinterested in my presence.

I shifted my feet.  I may be Canadian, but my French was similar to my Mandarin; I could wish you happy new year, but that seemed to only go over well one day of the year.  The rest of the time I got odd looks.

Regardless, I tried.

"Le passport picture?"  I held up my passport and camera, looking hopeful.

The woman frowned.  "I don't understand."

Personally, I though it took a special sort of intelligence to misinterpret my gesture.  Her expression clearly showed that she understood perfectly and was disinclined to help regardless of my request.

"We don't speak English here," she continue in English.  "We cannot help you."

She turned back to her friend and they continued their conversation.

I turned and walked out.  They obviously weren't going to help me, likely didn't even want me there.  Ironically, I didn't want to be there either.  I was hunting for a shop that did passport pictures so I could tag one on a visa application to Congo and get the hell out of Gabon.

For me at least, Libreville was the most unfriendly, pretentious, unenchanting city I had ever visited.  Sadly, my experience in the travel agents shop was what I had come to expect from the city.

Conde Nast Traveler recently posted their list of the friendliest and unfriendliest cities in the world.  It's an interesting collection, definitely offering some food for thought.  Can a whole city really be considered friendly or unfriendly?  Should we base our decisions where to travel on personal judgements that would ultimately be heavily biased?

I don't know.  I did notice that Libreville wasn't on their list, but just as the ladies in the store ignored me, I would prefer to ignore their glorious capital city as well.

Have a look at the full list here!

If $$$ were no object, where would you go?

Too often I find myself mildly inebriated when someone asks that dreaded “what if?” question.

• What if you only had a year to life?
• What if you could travel anywhere for the first time?
• What if you won the lottery tomorrow?

Bored yet?

No one is going to walk up to you one day and tell you when you’re going to die.  There are no opportunities for “do-overs”, and winning the lottery is not something I would bet on.

All the same, it is nice to dream…

So what should die-hard travelers dream about?  I have a few suggestions. 

Beware: These trips are moderately to obscenely expensive.  Drool if you like, but don’t fall in love. 

1. The Ultimate African Safari:

 

Imagine a jeep to yourself in the wilds of Ngorogoro Crater, camera ready as a leopard leaps up onto a strategically placed log in the distance.  Not ten minutes previous you were surrounded by lions sunning themselves in the grass, a pair of cubs playing while their mother studiously ignored them.  The sun will set soon, at which point tables will be laid out with chairs and drinks will be poured.  You’ll toast to a day well spent before returning to your luxurious hotel for a sumptuous meal, a nightcap, and a restful sleep.  Repeat as necessary in the days to follow.

Micato is a safari company that can offer this and more.  This family-run company is based out of Africa and doesn't pull any punches when it comes to the perfect safari experience.  They have won awards from "Travel & Leisure" year after year, are featured as the best safari operator in east Africa in "1,000 Places to See Before You Die",  and reviewers can’t speak highly enough of them.

In terms of safari experiences, you can expect a personalized trip regardless of whether you choose to travel in a group or solo, overland or by private plane.  Just book, then charge your camera batteries because there's nowhere quite like Africa for obsessive photographers and their favorite toys!

The website: http://www.micato.com
The catch: Starting at ~$8,000USD per person, double occupancy

2. Round-the-world on a private jet

Why settle for just Africa though?  Aren’t we intrepid souls out to see the world?  So why not do it in class, in style, and in luxury on your own private jet.  

You like?

Just think, numerous flights that won't leave until you arrive.  You are simply driven onto the tarmac, flash a bit of ID, and while your baggage is whisked away you stroll leisurely towards the bar where your champagne or Johnny Walker Blue are waiting.  Does it really matter where you go?  For once we can all agree, half the joy of the trip is the flying!

Several companies offer luxury round-the-world vacations.  These include flights, hotels, meals and tours.  Basically everything, including guides with impressive credentials.  The one challenge consistent with the itineraries is the locations, which tend to be less adventuresome that I would like.

National Geographic Expeditions: http://www.nationalgeographicexpeditions.com/expeditions/around-the-world-jet-tour/detail
The catch: ~$70,000 per person for 24 days

Smithsonian Journeys: http://www.smithsonianjourneys.org/tours/around-the-world-private-jet?display=itinerary
The catch: ~$70,000 per person for 23 days

Abercrombie & Kent: http://www.abercrombiekent.com/discover/private-jet/
The catch: ~$105,000 per person for 25 days

3. Visit Every UNESCO World Heritage Site

So if my complaint is that most round-the-world trips aren't adventuresome enough, this trip is the solution.

The UNESCO World Heritage Site List includes 981 locations of cultural or historical significance (http://whc.unesco.org/en/list).  Most travelers will visit at least one of these on a given cultural/historical trip.  Common examples include:

• The Great Wall, China
• Machu Picchu, Peru
• Stonehenge, UK
• The Great Barrier Reef, Australia
• Yellowstone National Park, USA
• Serengeti National Park, Tanzania

Some travelers count not just the countries and continents they've visited, but also the world heritage sites.  With so many, it’s hard to think that someone might be able to visit them all.

Until now.

This two year trip sells itself as an opportunity to visit every UNESCO World Heritgage Site on the list (excluding those in war zones where safety issues may arise).  The company will help travelers arrange a schedule that meets their travel objectives, offering both luxury and flexibility.

The catch: To date, only one of these trips has been sold for a reported £990,000 per couple (£1,370 per couple per day).  Based on this cost, the trip is touted as the most expensive overall vacation currently available.

Offered by Very First To (note this site requires a login): http://veryfirstto.com/experiences/view/every-world-heritage-site-in-1-holiday/

Write-up by the UK's Daily Mail: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/femail/article-2295636/Around-world--962-Unesco-sites-Luxury-experience-company-offers-ultimate-trip-long-TWO-YEARS-990-000-spare.html

4. Space

Perhaps Earth has gotten a bit blase?  Virgin Galactic is your solution.  Details are still somewhat sketchy, but the itinerary appears to include several days of pre-launch training, followed by a single flight that has a brief period spent in zero gravity conditions.  Tickets have already been sold to several hundred passengers globally, and passengers are welcomed to attend special events Virgin Galactic hosts in advance of the project launch.

If you're someone who wants to stop looking at the stars and start experiencing them, this trip is one to watch.

The website: http://www.virgingalactic.com/
The catch: $250,000 per person

5. Antarctica

Space may be considered tempting for the elite traveler, but not to be missed back on Earth is the stunning scenery of the seventh continent. 

Recently the international community decided to disallow large cruise ships from sailing through antarctic waters.  This means the only options remaining are the smaller and considerably more costly expedition ships.  These set sail only a few months of the year, but are better equipped to provide experiences that not only include viewing the scenery, but shore landings, kayaking, camping, and authentic Antarctic snowball fights.

National Geographic has partnered with Lindblad to offer several fantastic itineraries to the frozen continent.  These are guided by renowned scientists and photographers, have chefs aboard prepared to cook extraordinary feasts, and a variety of luxurious bedrooms that make it hard to believe you're on an expedition ship and not a private yacht.

The website: http://www.expeditions.com
The catch: Starting at ~$12,000 per person

As with many trips, it's not just the locations themselves but the company you keep while seeing them.  These trips almost guarentee fascinating joiners, and if you get tired of those you can always entertain yourself asking dozens of uninformed questions to the expert guides or convincing the professional photographers to teach you a few tricks.

So next time you're drunk as a skunk and someone asks that dreaded "what if..." question, don't roll your eyes.  Instead, tell them you have a list of choice travel options, but you'd prefer to start with a new drinking game called "Name that UNESCO World Heritage Site!". 

Where am I?

Update: got it right in 1!  

The beautiful picture below was taken at 5am at the gates to Dubrovnik, Croatia.  Rain had been falling through the night, leaving the cobblestones shining as they reflected the lamplight.  

***

For all you travel snobs out there, take a guess where this picture was taken!

Hint: This city has one of the most complete and walk-able city walls in Europe.

Quality Entertainment: FlyerTalk

Want to know the menu on an upcoming flight?  Advice on how to navigate FRA?  Trying to decide between SQ or LX for that next big trip (SQ, obviously)?  Debating between the Fours Seasons Singapore and the Marina Bay Sands?

FlyerTalk is a great place to start.

FlyerTalk is a forum for people obsessed with flying, collecting points, and traveling (in brief, it's a pretty loaded website).  It has thousands of members, some of whom post obsessively.  As such, it's a great place to go for a bit of entertainment.

Note I said entertainment, not necessarily information.

My experience with FlyerTalk is mixed.  There are some very knowledgeable people on it, but there are also some very authoritative people who don't seem to have a clue what they're talking about.  Wading through these is time consuming and at times frustrating, especially when you are yourself looking for an answer.

That said, post a question and you will get a response.  Just be sure to take that response with a grain of salt.

Check it out!

Liechtenstein: A Seriously Quirky Country

"So, I'm going to be in Zurich for 17 hours at the end of June.  It's the perfect layover, from 6am to 11pm.  Come join me."

Cue silent consideration.

"It'll be fun," I continue, eyeing my friend's grainy face over Skype.  "And think of all the yummy chocolate."

I know, I know, playing the chocolate card early.  It is Switzerland though.

"Also, we could go to Liechtenstein!"

She didn't look sold, but she was thinking about it.  "What's in Liechtenstein?"

"No idea," I shrugged.  "That's why we should go."

Note to reader: I am very strong in the illogical argument department.  Such arguments are infinitely more fun than stating "we could go for the culture, for their unique food, for a historical museum with a pretty glass front, or to better understand the people of this little European nation."  Honestly, I'm bored just writing that.

"Plus it's close," I added.  "It can't be more than an hour for you, and I can see flights for next to nothing."

Cue quick search on kayak.com for flights.  Of course I'm right, inter-Europe travel is gloriously cheap.

"$300 round trip with fantastic flight times, less if you don't mind getting up early.  Plus you can stay for the weekend, see a bit of Zurich and sample multiple chocolate shop offerings."

This wasn't the way to break her resistance. Germans are very difficult to talk into things.  Recently though, another friend and I had introduced her to the world of what we call "crazy trips".  These are trips which sacrifice logic for pure, chaotic fun.  You essentially see an insane amount in a short period of time, potentially with flights in between, then dash home in time to walk into the office at 8am.  The fun continues when someone asks what you did over the weekend.

"It'll definitely be a crazy weekend," I hedged.

She looked at the ceiling.  On Skype it always seemed a bit odd when she did this.  I'm fairly certain she was looking at something on the wall opposite, but not knowing what was there made it seem strange.

"You can do all the planning, we can do whatever you like.  I just want to go to Liechtenstein and Laderach."

"Laderach?  Where's that?"

"What.  It's chocolate," I smirked.  "Only the best chocolate in all of Switzerland, and there is a shop right next to the main train station."

Yes, it is possible to play the chocolate card more than once.

Her pause was shorter this time.  "I'll look at flights, see if there's anything that works."

Of course there was, I had already looked that up.  She was so in!

***

We met in Zurich a month later, her for the weekend and me for a 17 hour layover before continuing on to Singapore and Bali.  On arrival, I ducked into the Swiss arrival lounge for a shower and a shot of espresso.  It's possible I also had ice cream for breakfast, but we won't dwell on that.  I took a shuttle to my friend's hotel, and by 9:00am we were strolling around Zurich station, waiting for the next train to Sargans where we would connect by bus to Liechtenstein.

Liechtenstein in a nutshell:

• A landlocked principality in central Europe, it shares borders with Switzerland and Austria. 
• The Central Intelligence Agency ranks it's residents as the second wealthiest in the world, with an average per capita income of $89,400 (https://www.cia.gov/library/publications/the-world-factbook/rankorder/2004rank.html), slightly ahead of Bermuda and behind Qatar.  
• The entire country boasts a population of only about 36,000 people.
• The capital city is Vaduz.
• It is one of the 25 least visited countries in the world.

To get to Liechtenstein from Zurich is simple, which made me wonder why it ranked among the least visited countries on the planet.  The train tickets were 75 euros each, round trip in second class, and the journey was 1.5 hours each way.

The train itself is modern and efficient with comfortable blue chairs that face each other.  Both leaving and returning to Zurich it was fairly full and we had to hunt to find seats together, however sitting alone would have been easy.  This was an express train, making only two stops along the way, with the conductor circulating in between to check tickets.  There was also a woman selling food and drinks, but we decided to hold out for the Liechtenstein Special.

The connection to the bus is directly outside the train station.  Passengers are only given a few minutes to connect to the first bus, so we didn't delay finding it and taking our seats.

For those concerned with taking buses in a non-English speaking country, put your mind at ease.  These aren't the buses of days past.  There was a TV screen at the front that listed off the stations, including where you were along the route and how long until the next stop.  It was beautifully simple to get anywhere based on this.

We arrived at a bus stop along a very tidy but uninspiring street.  There was no sign that said "Welcome to Liechtenstein", and even when we left later in the day we didn't spot one from the bus window.  All the same, a stroll up to the post office confirmed we were in fact in Liechtenstein.

"The guidebook says we can get our passports stamped here," my friend said authoritatively.  It was the tourist information building across from the post office.

I followed her in, already dragging out my passport.  Obviously I needed some proof I'd come here.

In equal measure to my unrealistic "I want an official passport stamp from Liechtenstein" was the price take of 3 CHF to get it.  Steep, especially for a stamp that noted it was from the tourism office.  Of course I still forked over the cash.  Who am I to not encourage completely illogical pursuits?

"Postcards," my friend then reminded me.  She was embracing her German heritage but going down the list of things she had planned.  Postcards was obviously #2.  It was my fault for allowing her complete control over the planning.

We argued back and forth over whether we should send a beautiful or peculiar postcard to a mutual friend (I voted for the quirky one, but got outvoted somehow...?), bought a handful of stamps, shoved them in our bags and looked upwards towards the castle.  That would be #3.

Side street off the main square.

The castle overlooking the main square.

"That looks far," I said, eyeing the castle on the top of the hill.  There didn't appear to be a funicular to ride up.  

"It's not that far."

"It looks far.  You have to be nice to me, I took a red eye flight to get here."

"You flew in business class, and it was your idea."

"I only got three hours sleep."

"You had a flat bed and French champagne.  You have no room for complaint."

This was true.  "Do you really want me to be tired and cranky later?"

"You'll probably be that way regardless."

This was also true.  

What did Oscar Wilde say about people?  

"I choose my friends for their good looks, my acquaintances for their good characters, and my enemies for their intellects."

Though pretty, my friend was fast moving into enemy territory.

"Fine," I grumbled.  "Which way?"

Of course we argued about the road to take.  I didn't like the one going up, she stated that we couldn't get to the castle without going uphill.  She won.  Again.

View overlooking the city.

View of the main square from a platform near the base of the castle.

Beautiful winding road.  Would love to have a sports car to drive here!

I'll admit, though grudgingly, that the hike was worth it.  Viewpoints showed sweeping vistas down and across the valley towards the snow-capped Alps, the puffy white clouds pressing heavily against the azure sky.  The landscape itself was incredibly green, to the point where it was almost surreal how vibrant the colors were.  

The walk took about half an hour, with signs along the way describing the history of the country and it's political structure.  Because the castle is still the main residence of the royal family, tourists were not allowed inside but could ogle the grounds and even (gasp!) touch the stones if they so dared.

Author's note: basically it was an unimpressive stone castle you couldn't enter and didn't get a good sense of from the outside.  Unfortunately, this was the main tourist attraction.

The castle, which sits atop the hill overlooking the town.

One of the towers of the castle.  This is as close as you can get as it's a residence and isn't open for tourists.

Other than the castle, the sites in Liechtenstein were sparse.  This is probably why so few tourists visit here.  There was however one very strange feature of this small country we couldn't help but be drawn to: the statues.  Odd, odd statues.  And they were everywhere!

The centre of it all.

Mini-library (granted, I've seen these elsewhere, just never in the middle of a square).

At first we were convinced this was hiding construction, but in fact it's a permanent statue.  Defies logic.

A plastic statue devoted to music.

Artistically rendered horse.  What's wrong with its butt?

There had to be a gnome around here somewhere!

Odd, odd house with odd, odd statues in the yard.

Naked superman.  QED.

Back down in the square, we grabbed lunch at a nondescript, overpriced cafe.  A few European tourists milled about, but in general the area was empty.

"So..."

"So..."

My friend and I shared a glance.

"Time to go?"

"Yeah," I nodded.  We had lasted 3 hours in this weird little country.  That was quite enough.

We mailed our postcards, waved goodbye to Naked Superman, walked to the bus station, and headed back to Zurich.

What can we say having been to Liechtenstein?  Well, I feel I can now authoritatively answer the question "What's in Liechtenstein?"

A castle you can't visit and a series of statues that make you question the sanity of the artists.  Other than that?

Not a whole hell of a lot.

Excellent Information Source: Travel.gc.ca

Most travel research starts with Google (or your other favorite search engine).  You progress through websites showing flight schedules and prices, hotels and reviews.  You may choose a restaurant and a few sites to visit, noting the opening and closing times of that museum you're sure will change your life.  Whatever shape your research takes, some of it can by done casually but other parts require more accurate sources.


For example, do you need a visa to enter a particular Middle Eastern country?  In advance or on arrival?  Do you need the address of an embassy, the most current information on health concerns, perhaps a country report that provides a bit more background than Lonely Planet?

You can Google all of this, however the answers often conflict and its hard to choose which is correct.  That said, in these cases it's fundamentally important to know the facts, and fact #1 is:  Sometimes sources matter.

I would never, ever, EVER trust visa information from Wikipedia.  Similarly, vaccination information needs to come from a health authority.  The implications of getting it wrong are just too severe.

So where do you go?

For years the Canadian government has hosted an excellent website that I recommend highly.  The information is useful to both Canadians and foreigners, is up-to-date, and provides telephone numbers, addresses and links to other sources.  This website doesn't pretend to be the authority on all things travel, but rather provides a very solid starting point for information you need to get right.

Check in out!