Love the Way You Travel Blog

I’m sure you’ve seen the iconic picture of the richly painted The Temple Bar in Dublin. No doubt if you’ve been to Dublin you’ve likely stopped in for a pint here or your friends have told you it is the ‘must see’ spot in the city. When I visited Dublin, I learned the secrets and ... Read more

Every year when the new year rolls around there’s a surge of energy and excitement for what’s coming for the year ahead. My favourite new-year-inspired thought as of late has been the question, “You have 365 blank pages in the book of 2023, what story you are going to write?” For the past nearly three years ... Read more

Every year when black Friday rolls around in November people go crazy for a good deal. We’re talking door crashers, long lineups, hair pulling … It’s a zoo out there! When it comes to travel, things are a little less competitive. No standing in line for hours, but phone queues will be busy and spots ... Read more

Prague What cities have you fallen in love with on your travels? There are only a handful for me as I prefer mountains and ocean rather than the hustle and bustle of the city, but there are exceptions to every rule, right? Istanbul, Lisbon, Cape Town and now Prague has been added to my list ... Read more

Before trying something new, there’s always a mix of fear and excitement. If I’m being honest, Mountain Biking in Colombia might have erred a little more on the side of fear for me though. After my first-day mountain biking in Colombia, climbing 4 kilometres uphill and succeeding, I was on a high. All the fears ... Read more

Inequality for Women Women play an important role in society and account for half of the world’s population yet they continue to have lower earnings, less access to education and funding. They also face many barriers to employment. Women are also less likely to have opportunities to advance to higher positions within companies, limiting their ... Read more

One of the best ways to travel for the first time, or to venture back into travel after the Covid-pandemic is to consider a small group tour. They are easy on logistics, have incredible local guides and adhere to current safety protocols while giving you incredible, authentic experiences in your chosen destination. You might have ... Read more

We all know it is way past the point of having itchy feet to travel! Our entire bodies and minds are itching. Most of you probably haven’t left the country (or maybe even your province) for nearly two full years. We hear clients tell us weekly (sometimes daily) that all they want to do is ... Read more

Travel is a luxury and a privilege, one that many people around the world don’t have on a regular basis, let alone during a pandemic. We all know getting back to travel is important for our own mental health. Who doesn’t need a vacation from all of this stress, gloom and doom? Trying to decide ... Read more

With wide eyes and an ear-to-ear grin, I stared out the window of our private transfer van as we left the city of Pereira, Colombia in the foothills of the mountains and headed to the countryside. I was tired but pleased all had gone smoothly to get me to Colombia without any hiccups. I was ... Read more

I did it! I broke free! I hopped on a plane and took off for Colombia for three glorious weeks of fresh air, mountains, great food, nature, sun, sea and new friends. Ah! The world of travel is a wonderful thing. It’s good for the soul. As a travel professional, I used to have all ... Read more

Colombia is an incredibly diverse country that has sadly been plagued by an out-of-date, bad reputation. Many years ago the country wasn’t safe to visit, but that political situation has changed immensely in the past 10 years. It is time to move forward! It is now an up-and-coming destination with rich cultural history, colourful communities, ... Read more

Photo Credit: Hacienda Venecia After two years of not travelling, it is time. I’m hopping on a plane and getting out of dodge! There’s still a pandemic. Life and travel are not in any way, shape or form back to normal. But I’ve stifled my wanderlust enough and as you all know the tourism industry ... Read more

Venturing into the dreamlike and uncharted world of Antarctica has never been easier. With more opportunities to explore than ever, there is truly something for everyone. If you are an adrenaline junky, animal enthusiast or photographer, you’ll feel right at home. Experience the freeing sensation of being officially nowhere. No country owns this continent which ... Read more

In some ways, travel is starting to move again. In other ways, it is still very much at a standstill. We are starting to see an increase in domestic flights and the beginning of the return of international flights, but there is still a very long way to go. Here in Canada, the avoid non-essential ... Read more

One of the most biodiverse countries in the world, Costa Rica is an animal lover’s paradise. It’s home to more than half a million plant and animal species and the wildlife spotting opportunities are abundant year-round. The country is home to a variety of habitats and it’s the poster child for eco-tourism. In fact, a ... Read more

Iceland is known as the land of fire and ice and for good reason. With varied terrain including glaciers, volcanos, and natural springs, Iceland is the place to go to experience adventure and relaxation. Snorkelling between tectonic plates, exploring vibrant tunnels formed by lava, and relaxing in natural thermal baths are only a few unique ... Read more

Photo Credit: James Wheeler | Unsplash With snow-capped mountain peaks reflected in turquoise lakes, exploring the picture-postcard sights of Banff National Park is a must when visiting the Canadian Rocky Mountains. The park is home to two of Rocky Mountaineer’s destinations, Banff and Lake Louise, making it easy to spend time here either before or ... Read more

Travelling in Ukraine offers so many distinctive experiences to visitors. Not only is the country beautiful, but it is also filled with rich cultural heritage, ethnic groups, and colourful history. Ukraine is an up-and-coming, off the beaten path destination that people are just beginning to discover. Since it’s still relatively untouched, it’s full of unique, ... Read more

Like so many Canadians, I’ve been saddened by the news of the children found buried on residential school grounds across Canada. I’m ashamed to admit I didn’t understand the depth of the residential school system. I didn’t understand the devastation it has had and continues to have on the Indigenous Peoples of Canada. There were ... Read more

Nova Scotia is open. The Atlantic bubble is coming soon. Different parts of the world are starting to open. I bet you are starting to think about travel even if you aren’t quite ready to book that trip yet! The idea that it will soon be possible gives travel lovers a reason to celebrate! Although the ... Read more

If you’re dreaming of a relaxing European vacation filled with history, culture, food and wine a Rhine River Cruise is the perfect fit! River cruising is one of the most in-demand styles of travel and, no wonder! You’ll only unpack once, get to visit several countries, travel sustainably on a ship rather than flying from ... Read more

It is hard to think about booking travel when there are still so many restrictions in place. Slowly, but surely, they are lifting. If you have a specific trip you’d like to take or are bound by specific vacation dates it is time to get into planning mode. Here are four reasons you should be ... Read more

Recently, I learned about McIntosh Run in Spryfield. It’s a multi-use trail system, built for mountain biking of various levels. What actually caught my interest was the story of McIntosh Run (a river) and how the McIntosh Run Watershed Society is working so hard to protect the river, the green space within the city and their focus ... Read more

Adventure travel is no longer a backpacker club of 18 – 25-year-olds. The new adventure traveller is nearing retirement but not ready to retire their adventurous spirit just yet. Nor should they! There is a whole world to discover outside of your comfort zone but tucked into a comfy bed at night. Get inspired by ... Read more

At over 30 years old, somehow I found the courage to give surfing a try in Sayulita, Mexico about 45 minutes North of Puerto Vallarta. It is a quaint little town with tonnes of restaurants and boutique shops along with a great tourist market. Not to mention a beautiful beach with great (small) waves for ... Read more

Most people, when they think of travelling to Nepal, immediately think of one thing: trekking. And, most notably, trekking at painful, nausea- and headache-inducing altitudes. And yes, while, Nepal is a haven for trekkers and is home to the dizzying heights of the Himalayas, there is so much more to do beyond trekking to Everest ... Read more

If geography isn’t your forte and you don’t know a whole lot about the continent of Africa, then you might have no inkling as to why Botswana is an incredible destination for your dream safari experience or what makes it special! Let me share with you a little about the country itself and then we’ll ... Read more

In 2019 I had the pleasure of travelling to Nepal with a group of travel agents for education with Intrepid Travel. What an incredible experience! Beyond the obvious excitement that comes with travelling to a new country; meeting the people, seeing the sights, tasting the food, there was a very specific “purpose” and educational component ... Read more

When I say Nepal, I bet you immediately picture snow-capped mountains and sherpas trekking up narrow pathways, right? I bet not even one person’s first thought would be White Water Rafting!  Little did I know, there is amazing river rafting in Nepal. There are opportunities to raft on several rivers and I was lucky enough ... Read more

In my mind, I’ve always known that Nepal is a diverse country. However, I’ve only known people who have travelled to Nepal to trek to Everest base camp or who lived in Kathmandu for work or volunteer projects. I know there are mountains and valleys, big cities and remote villages, but Everest (and trekking) was ... Read more

I recently spent three weeks travelling in Africa having some of the most amazing and fulfilling sustainable travel experiences of any of my travels to date. Let me share with you a little about why this trip was so different and so special to me. For the first nine days, I travelled with Wilderness Safaris. ... Read more

I love the ocean; the colours, the waves, the underwater world full of fish and coral. The power of the waves amazes me, and the sound of them crashing relaxes me. Sadly, its churning motion, the ups and downs and rocking motion also have been known to make me sick. Nonetheless, I’ve taken surfing lessons, ... Read more

For the past couple of years, the river cruise industry has been booming. What once was only for the retired and wealthy, has become a bucket list trip for many and a trendy way to travel for 21 – 45-year-olds. It is not just for 60 plus anymore! Be careful though, it’s addictive! You may ... Read more

A bad hair cut or dye job sucks. Come on ladies, I know you feel my pain and probably lots of men out there too! For whatever reason, much of our confidence, for better or worse is built around how we look. It directly relates to how we feel. Hence, the old advice to dress ... Read more

Exploring a country through food is one of my favourite things about travel. There are so many amazing ways to cook, spices to combine and varieties of fruits and vegetables that you just simply never get to try at home! Finding a great hands-on cooking class, or a local food and wine tour can be ... Read more

I had heard rumours that you had to be naked and that you’d be scrubbed so hard you would nearly bleed, yet, I was curious what all of the fuss was about with a Hamam. When I visited Turkey for the first time in 2014, I had wanted to go to a Turkish Bath but ... Read more

THIS is what it feels like to be in a city that LOVES football (soccer for us Canadians) … Tonight was River Plate VS Boca Juniors. Two local rival teams playing in the semi-finals of the South American Cup. The game started around 8 pm. Thankfully I had already made my way safely back to ... Read more

As I sit in my bed in a palapa this evening, under my mosquito netting, the world around me is singing. It is a constant rhythm of crickets with the symbolic chirps of various varieties of frogs whose music crescendos and minuends with the fresh tranquil breeze. Here I am in the mountains between Puerto ... Read more

Photography is a unique opportunity to see the world through another person’s eyes.  It gives you the ability to see exactly what the other person saw, through their lens. This often extends further to understanding the photographer’s emotion as they captured a particular moment or scene. It is no secret that travel inspires me. Getting ... Read more

Sometimes when we travel, funny things happen. Sometimes inappropriate or embarrassing things happen. And sometimes, they are worth laughing at.  I’m a pretty strong swimmer as I used to be a lifeguard. I’m not always 100% confident in open water though. I know that I can swim and I’m not going to drown, but when ... Read more

If you’ve ever dreamed of visiting the Galapagos Islands, I’m here to tell you it is worth every minute and every penny. What an incredible destination for wildlife viewing and encounters. The islands also have very strict measures in place for wildlife conservation and sustainable tourism. Santa Cruz is the island with the largest (albeit ... Read more