Backpacking Backpack

With more trips in the way I have decided to leave my suitcase behind and start looking for good backpack for backpacking. With the information I've gathered I'm now going to share these tips with you. Mostly now that I've learned that a simple school bag won't do. Like 3 countries in 6 days across Europe, just saying not the most enjoyable.

From what I knew from my education, I am kinesiology major, which means that i know a lot about the human body and ergonomics. I can alway tell you to reduce the weight from your shoulders with straps at the waist and the bust, if there are some with the lumbar bump it's even better this will help distribute the weight and will make it less painful. Remember that any time you increase the weight of the pack over 30% of your body weight it changes your walk which really isn't good for you. From what I know this is what I found:

As I have said you want to make sure the weight is distributed all over, and it's better on the hips.

Make sure everything is adjustable, from the  shoulder, bust and hip straps to the backpack's pouches itself.

Don't be cheap, look for good seaming, strong fabrics, well made zipper etc. Because if you go cheap, your backpack will break and you will have to spend more money one a new one instead of just getting a good one.

Try it on at the store to make sure it fits, if the shop assistants are nice you could probably ask if you can stuff the pack with stuff to see how it fells stuffed.

You don't need a huge backpack, you should be okay with a maximum of 6000 cubic inches of space.

Make sure you get a backpack for the type of backpacking you're doing, if you plan on camping on your travels you can get the ones with the loops at the bottom for a mattress but if you don't plan to use it to go camping you don't need these.

Don't go for a fully loaded model, the extra pockets, straps, zippers, elastics or whatever it may be just adds weight and gives you more places to misplace your stuff, you don't know how many times this has happened to me. Plus chances of these extras breaking are just so much greater and may cheat you of space in your pack.

Make sure it's waterproof or has a bag to put on the top of it because no one wants their stuff to get wet when they're trekking.

These are just guidelines but I hope they help. Now to face the world and find the pack to do it. Good luck to you on your adventures and until I share my next adventure.

It's Christmas morning and I got my back pack (yay!) I followed all the steps, I'm making sure i can fit everything I might need in it and I adjusted all the straps accordingly (FYI it's a 50L ASOLO, all it needs is a few Canadian flags and i'm good to go)

Road Tip Tips

With the upcoming holiday season I know many people will be traveling somewhere out of town some further than others so i thought I would post some travel tips for those of you planing a road trip.

1. Get the oil changed and your fluids checked before you leave.
2. Go with someone you love. Or like. A lot. (mostly if you are going for a long one)
3. Take turns driving
4. Bring your own music (and a variety because you may have different tastes in music)
5. Bring sunglasses and sunscreen (you do not want that embarrassing diver's tan where just one arm is burn)
6. Avoid stupid traffic tickets (know the driving laws of the places you're visiting before going)
7. Bring your own food and drinks (you never know how far it is between the next rest stop and it can get expensive and unhealthy)
8. Bring garbage bags (if not the car get out of control and into a pig sty)
9. Get gas before you're empty (again you never know how close or far the next station is going to be, or if it's in the middle of no where it's going to cost an arm and a leg)
10. Use the bathroom every time you stop (pretty obvious)

11. MEN let the woman pee!!
12. Plan time for unexpected stop (mostly when you see something cool on the side of the road, or the time it takes to find a place to sleep)
13. Sleep (for your sake and all the drivers on the road please sleep, it's safer that way)
14. Avoid rush hour traffic (it's a waste of time and will only piss you off)
15. Bring a map (not a just a GPS because chances are it might be wrong or the batteries might die)
16. If you travel with kids bring them something to do (there is nothing worse in a car than bored kids)
17. Wear slip-on shoes (if anyone spends time in a car, unless they're driving and than you have to put them back on every time you stop and that's just a pain)
18. Have Fun

Road trips are supposed to rule and be full of memories that are unexpected you can plan your route but not your activities, those are the ones you will remember. On our next adventure I will be telling you about my family's road trip to the furthest point west in Canada, a 28 day camping road trip so stay tuned for that adventure.

Have your own great adventure this holiday!

Packing... packing... packing

One thing I have learned from my travels is how to pack, what to pack and what I don't need to pack, today I share my wisdom with you.  I would hope I know how to pack since I packed for a 6 day, 3 country tour in a school bag and didn't find myself in need of anything.

The generic stuff you need to pack is:
- Shirts (I go for 3/4 of the length of my trip, shirts can be easily washed in a sink and re-worn)
- Pants (1/2 of the length of the trip so 3 pairs for a 6 day trip)
- underwear (if you get them quick dry and easily compressible you can bring less)
- swimsuit (can also be used as an extra pair of undies)
- a dressy outfit (for girls a skirt or dress and for boys nice pants and either a dress shirt and polo)
- small but warm sweater
- a scarf of some kind (multi-use, blanket, scarf, head wrap, towel)

if you're staying in one hotel or a bus I suggest your bring a small backpack to use as a day pack... you can also use it as a carry-on bag

More random stuff that's often forgotten but almost always useful:
- Flashlight
- sewing kit
- Plastic baggies
- elastics/rubber bands
- baby wipes (for those times on a night train or plane where you need to feel clean, or a hotel that doesn't offer towels)
- tape of any kind
- flash drive
- gum (except in Singapore)
- door stop
- instant stain remover

for bathroom essentials:

- toothbrush and paste
- shaving stuff
- hair brush
- shampoo/conditioner (if you get 2 in one it's a space saver)
- soap
- condoms
- sunscreen

other things you may want to consider depending on the places you are going:
- detergent
- rope
- menstrual products (mostly if you are going off the beaten path)
- ear plugs and eye mask

I always bring my travel journal with all my information, allergies, blood type, address emergency contacts, schedule, and to write the details of my tips.

Paper work wise:
- passport
- visa
- money
- driver's licence
- health card
all of these with copies with me and at home

If you are brining electronics you have to remember all the accessories
- memory card
- chargers
- download cable
- adapters

I hope this made your life a bit easier. I found this list on the internet and it really helps.
Also for the fun test your traveler IQ on this link.

Until the next adventure!

Australia 2005 part 3

On the third par of the journey we took a flight to Port Douglas where we rented an apartment for a week, just a two minute walk from the beach. The funny thing to us was that the complex was called "Nimrod" apartments which our Aussie family didn't find as funny, but I guess that's the way it is.

We got to visit the gorgeous beaches of north-eastern Australia. Going one way we didn't know why this perfect little path wasn't very traveled, but we used it anyways, on the way back on the path we used to go one way there was a "beware of salt water crocodiles" sign... needless to say we used another path because salt water crocodiles are some of the most dangerous animals on earth, the are also very persistent. While on the beach we got to go swimming in the ocean and we checked out some guys learning to kite surf, which is incredible to watch and made me want to learn one day.

The next day we ordered a seafood plater before heading off on our snorkeling ride. The platter included crab, lobster, oysters, clams, and some kind of raw fish. We joined the quick silver catamaran to go out to the great barrier reef to snorkel. It was such a great feeling, the fish we say the coral, the beauty of everything, it was mesmerizing. It literally felt like the colours were fake they were so bright and gorgeous. Of course being in Australia where anything can kill you we had to watch out for jellies but no one had problems with this. We got back to shore go in the car we rented, which was entertaining because they drive on the right and nearly every time my dad when to put his turning signal on he would put the windshield whippers on instead. Either way, we pick up the tray and brought it back to our apartment, we were so hungry and it looked so delicious we ended up eating standing around the corner until there were only the pickled oysters left (yuck).

Next we visited the Australian bird sanctuary, they had bird from every corner of Australia. We got to learn about the Cassuary a bird that's comparable in size and shape to the emu but with a giant claw on the middle toe which they use as a weapon and have killed humans before. A funny story that keeps getting shared withing the family about the sanctuary is that when we went out into the emu habitat, one charged at us and stopped at out toes to get some of the bird food we had, it was really scary because those are huge birds with sharp beaks and they run flipping fast!

We next joined a tour groups which lead us all over the corner of the land down under. The guide took us to see the rain forest where he scared the bejesus out of us by showing us all the dangerous things in the jungle, and thrust me there are A LOT, "this leaf can kill you... that butterfly can kill you... shh, I hear a cassuary... it can kill you... this is a good place to swim because we can see the bottom and further down... there are crocodiles they can kill you..."  I think you get the picture. The swimming was really wonderful because there were tea leaf trees lining the creek, which was clear as glass, and it made your skin super soft.

with out guide we went on a river boat cruise to see crocodiles and got some information about those creatures as well as good laughs because of the captain who would like to point out the buddy system, "If we sink, take a buddy and shove him towards the crocodile than swim really really fast... Parents, please do the same with your children"

We finished that day at a beach with our tour guide who freak out when he saw what one of the kids who was with us picked up, thankfully it was empty but apparently this shell that was no longer than 10cm would contain a little crab, who's method of defense was to sting the predator, the predator would than be instantaneously be paralyzed and the only way to keep them alive until the ambulance came would be to do CPR, same with box jelly fish.

We then flew back to Sydney to spend a bit more time with the family before we came back to Canada because we wouldn't see them for another 5 years.

Until the next adventure!





1- our rented car in font of "Nimrod apartments" because I can't make this stuff up. 2- my sister and I at the beach with a wind surfer in the background 3- a cassuary 4- the emu that attacked us.

Australia 2005 part 2

On the second leg of our journey we embarked on a bus tour of the red center starting in Alice Springs. How the tour worked is we stayed at a hotel for a night and the mini-bus would come to pick us up in the morning. Well we stayed at a backpacker's "resort". Resort was a stretch because it was disgusting. The beds were so gross we slept on top of the covers with our pants tucked into our socks, there was a 2 inch crack under the door the window wouldn't shut, the shower leaked... at least there was pressure. The barbecue was delicious but we had to clean the dishes and the uncleaned dishes would just get scrapped clean by the gunky hands of a biker guy.

We were happy to get on the bus in the morning. The plan was to visit the whole center followed by our awesome guide... I think his name is Mike. Either way we visited all the great sites there are to see in this province. We visited the Olgas the rock formation across for the famous Ayer rock, also known as Uluru. We got to see the sunset on the mountain, which is unbelievable. If you turn around and turn back every few minutes you get to see a magnificent change of colour on the originally orange rock. During the sunset we got to see it go from deep red to a dark purple and everything in between it was glorious. The following day we climbed Ayers rock. Many people in the group didn't because of religious reasons on the side of the aboriginals who find the rock sacred. The climb took us less time than the climb down because of the incline of the hill we had to be very careful because the only "safely measure" is this knee high chain. It was an accomplishment to get to the top and we were so proud.

The tour was one where we slept in pre-made tents, we also had to help with supper and clean up but it worked out great because we got to talk to the people in the group who were from all around the world. There were americans, germans, aussies, and kiwis.

We visited this gorgeous oasis called the garden of Eden, which was hidden within this canyon. I can't remember exactly where we went but we did a lot of hiking and we were very lucky that we went on this adventure in the aussie winter because it was perfect weather for hiking. Their summer would have reached 40degres which would have been way too hot for a good time of climbing.

While in the center we got to visit an aboriginal village and got to learn about their culture as well as their crafts.

I recommend to anyone who is planning to visit Australia at anytime to take one of these tours, you can do one like we did where you're on a mini-bus or you can be on a big greyhound/coach style bus while staying in lush hotels the whole way.

Until the last leg and until the next adventure!

The picture I posted: 1. my sister and I in front of Uluru, 2. climbing down Uluru, 3. our mini-bus. 4. do you see the crocodile? one of the rock formations we saw while on our hikes, 4. the changes of colour of Uluru it gets even darker but I can only fit 4 pictures here

Australia 2005 part 1

Quite a few years ago my family and I had an adventure of a lifetime by going to visit my uncle and his family in the Land Down Under. You will have to bear with me if the details are lacking because it was many trips and many years ago.

My parents started planning the trip about a year before we actually departed. The plan was to visit as much of the country within the month we would be there, as well as spend some time with our family. You have to understand that the trip itself is very long, just by plane from San Fransisco to Sydney was an eighteen hour flight, and in cattle/economy class it was very uncomfortable. This was also before the time of individual televisions on every seat. Either way, when we got to Sydney our biological clocks were 14 hours behind but we had barely slept on the plane and we were exhausted, it was 6am and our day was beginning by my aunt, uncle and the 3 kids coming to pick us up at the airport. My uncle lives approximately an hour south of Sydney, unfortunately the name escapes me right now, but either way it's a gorgeous city right by the ocean. To keep us awake we walk all over the city, mainly following the shoreline which is a two minute walk from my uncle's house.

It was their winter, which meant it was somewhere around 15 to 20 Celsius which didn't bother us being Canadian, but for them it was freezing. For the first week we spend a lot of time at my uncle's house. We did make sure to visit Sydney where we saw all the major sites, we went to the fish market to have some fresh fish and chips, spent almost a whole day at the Sydney Aquarium

We took a guided tour of the Sydney opera house, which was very interesting because while we were doing the tour the Sydney Symphony Orchestra was rehearsing therefore we got the chance to hear the awesome acoustics in progress. A fact I remember is that the SOH is based of an orange peel.

I loved the Sydney Aquarium, we went through the tunnels which ran underneath the aquarium, there are two tunnels like this one in the typical aquarium with the sharks and stingrays, the turtles and the beautiful fish the other ones you could see from the top and the bottom, was the seal aquarium which was entertaining. We also found NEMO! there was an aquarium full of clown fish and one of them had a gimp fin.

We climbed the harbor bridge, and visited the museum that was all about it. Unfortunately we weren't able to go onto the top because my sister and I were too young, I was 15, Karine was 12, you had to be 16.

My uncle also owns a big plot of land in the south of Australia, 2 hours south of the capital. We spent a few days there, my cousins loved it that week, my family and I weren't impressed... you have to understand that the southern hemisphere is opposite to the north, the more south you go to colder it get, and it was winter... There was an inch of snow on the ground. We visited the huge land by LandRover saw the House which is being re-built as well as the lake my uncle got created so he could fish by damning a stream and getting trout put in. You can say "You can take the boy out of Canada, but you can't take the Canada out of the boy"

On the way back to Sydney we visited the Australian Mint and the Parliament, it's easy to compare their government to the Canadian government.

In addition while in that part of the country we spent time with the tuns of animals at my uncle's house, my aunt breeds golden retrievers, and it turned out her dog sunny had just had a litter, there were also bunnies, birds, fish, mice, and a yabby, which is their equivalent of crayfish.

Every Sunday for breakfast it's tradition that they have a fresh brunch, so my uncle sets lobster traps and brings back the catch, and my cousins go to the bakery to get some fresh buns, we also had peppies which are kind of like oysters found on buried in the sand by the beach. Oddly enough their lobsters do not have claws like the ones we find on the coasts here. One of the Sundays we were there we had an unusual catch in the lobster trap, and octopus, just to say it was delicious.

We also went to a small zoo outside of Sydney where some of the animals roamed partially free, the kangaroos could easily escape their pen and were very friendly when pet, we got to see presentations which allowed us to pet some koalas and alligators and get up close and personal with exotic birds.

Back at my uncles house we had to prepare for the next leg of the journey which invoked us going camping in the Red Center. But that story will have to wait.

So g'day mate, 'till the next adventure!

The pictures seen are: 1. my cousin Jake hunting for shark eggs on the beach, 2. Me in the tunnel of the seal aquarium of the Sydney Aquarium, 3. My dad, my sister and I in front of the Sydney Opera House, 4. My sister and I in front of the Harbor Bridge, 5. My cousin Jake with two birds from the zoo, 6. My dad with a shark egg.

This is Wired's article on how to get through airport security quickly, than personally I get through security quickly using these tips, except the checking online thing, I'm too lazy for that.

Fly Through Airport Security

You might as well check your dignity curbside. Soon you'll be shoeless and flustered, spilling comics across the floor as you dig your MacBook from the depths of your duffel. But take a deep breath, frequent fliers: It is possible to pass security with your ego intact. Here's how.

1. Do recon online. Security delays vary widely by concourse and terminal. Go to www.tsa.gov to find average wait times. If you're not checking bags, print your boarding pass at home and head to the fastest line. (Be sure your gate is accessible from that security checkpoint.)

2. Carry a messenger bag. The topside flap gives easy access to your laptop and Ziploc of liquids and gels while the pockets provide plenty of storage for alarm-trippers. As soon as you get in line, tuck your belt, wallet, keys, watch, and phone into the sack.

3. Wear laceless shoes. And hole-less socks. Just think of all the foot fungi of travelers past. Or don't.

4. Don't wear clip-on suspenders. They set off metal detectors faster than large metal belt buckles.

5. Go! After you pass ID screening, make a beeline to the shortest x-ray queue. Don't wait to be directed, and don't hesitate to bypass dawdlers. Not only will you get there faster, you'll keep the whole line moving.

5. Use only two bins. Place shoes, coat, and toiletries in the first bin; laptop in the second; followed by the messenger bag. Keep the roller on the floor, where it's easy to manage, until the last minute.

6. Dress strategically. Don your coat and shoes while waiting for your bags. Put on your belt and watch at the gate. Consider avoiding wearing pants that need a belt in the first place, or wear a nylon or other non-metal belt to avoid that "stripping in public" feeling when removing it.

Originally submitted by Wired writer Mathew Honan. Illustrations: Jason Lee

I also want to add that getting at the airport 3 hours early for international flights, that saves you a lot of stress. For national flights be there an hour and a half early. These will save you a lot of stress and time than you can just chill at your terminal. 

Hope this helps you,

Until the next adventure, which will be soon, Australia's story is next so stay tuned!

thanks to my boyfriend for the new signature. Apparently mine looked like it was done in paint, which it was but that's besides the point!

Arresting Road Trip

I was inspired to start this Canadian road trip plan by the book You Can Get Arrested for That: 2 Guys, 25 Dumb Laws, 1 Absurd American Road Trip. The book tells the story of two guys from england coming to the states and breaking dumb forgotten laws in cities all across the U.S. Some of these laws include, fishing while wearing pajamas in Chicago and falling asleep in a cheese factory in New Jersey. Their trip got me thinking of setting up a similar road trip in Canada.

I started searching the internet and found that unlike the US, Canada didn't have that many dumb laws divided by cities, but I kept on searching:

Ontario:
Oshawa - It's illegal to climb trees.
Wawa - It's illegal to show affection in public on a Sunday
Ottawa - It's illegal to eat ice-cream on Bank street on a Sunday
Etobicoke - You cannot have more than 3.5 inches of water in your bathtub.

British-Columbia:
Victoria - Balloon animals are not permitted in public

Quebec:
Montreal - you cannot drive with a "for sale" sign in your car window
Quebec City - you may not swear in any other language than French "TABARNAC!"

That is all I could find so this road trip will be an Ontario-Quebec road trip. Victoria will have to wait, but in the mean time I can break a few laws that are general for Canada:
- Citizens may not remove bandages in public
- It's illegal to pretend to practice witch craft
- Comic books that depict any illegal act are banned
- It's illegal to send a letter or telegram threating a bird

How lovely is that, be prepared to see pictures and evidence of me breaking the law repeatedly.
Until the next adventure!

Tips for women travelling alone

Being a woman and doing a lot of travelling articles like this are a great help and I wish to share the information with you. This particular article is borrowed from the site Travelling Alone, it's great of good advice that I've personally taken while on my last trip. 

"The temptation of travelling alone offers countless possibilities and opportunities for adventure and is becoming more popular than ever before - and the number of women opting for solo trips in recent years has increased even more sharply than the number of men. Around 45% of solo travellers are now women - a sign of the times undoubtedly, and an encouraging one for those with a thirst for adventure but a fear of the big unknown.

A slightly less encouraging statistic however, is that 79% of those lone female travellers would prefer to have a companion but have no choice. But is the glass half full here or half empty? Should we bemoan the fact that with independence comes loneliness, or instead celebrate the fact that more people than ever now simply decide to go off and follow their dreams regardless? Because the truth is, there's never been a better time to take the plunge and go travelling alone whether you're male, female or something else.

Companionship and Security

If you are a woman considering travelling alone, well, you're er, not alone. Forty percent of lone female travellers aged over 35 have no 'natural' travel partner such as a spouse or close friend. Moreover, there are great advantages to be had as a woman travelling alone. A lone woman will usually find it easier to meet people and make friends than a man, and generally speaking, commands respect and admiration from men and women alike for her independence. Also, if you choose to hitch-hike, a lone female is the statistic most likely to get a lift, though this course carries obvious dangers.

Most women with doubts about travelling alone cite the lack of companionship and security as the two greatest negative factors. If you're one of the 79% who would rather not travel alone then fear not: thanks to the growing demand, there are countless opportunities nowadays for women to find other women in the same situation and some quick research on the internet will bring back a wealth of information, from women-only travel groups and package trips to simply finding travel buddies online.

Things to Bear in Mind

As a resource the internet is invaluable, but not just for finding useful sites and organisations - it's also a forum, quite literally, for you to find people who have done what you want to do and ask them personally about any issues you have in mind. Here are a few common samples of advice taken from various forums.

• Pack Light: When travelling alone, the sheer volume of baggage you carry is a greater factor than you would think. Most airlines now have a weight limit of less than 23kg (about 50lb) per bag for one thing; then there's the question of carrying it all up and down stairs in airports, train stations and underground stations in rush hour.

• Male Attention: Be aware that flirting or provocation are based on wholly different norms and social fabrics in every country. For example, simply making eye contact or accepting a drink can be construed as a serious come-on in some countries. Also, the law in other countries varies as to what may be considered provocation or even consent. Wearing a wedding ring is an internationally understood deterrent if that's what you want.

• Self Defence: Do not carry any weapons other than a can of mace, and check whether the law in your choice of destination allows even that. Always carry a mobile phone for use in case of emergency.

• Hygiene and Sanitation: Bring your own toilet paper, pads, toilet paper, sanitizer, toilet paper, condoms… and did we mention toilet paper?

• Dressing Appropriately: Check out in advance what constitutes 'appropriate dress' and bear in mind that lone women are very often mistaken for prostitutes in certain places. (check out this link for more info on how to dress appropriately)

• Other Useful Things to Take: A small handbag, just big enough for your valuable documents etc. yet small enough to hold on to at all times rather than set down; comfortable shoes; compact make-up; maps.

• And Finally: If you think walking in heels is bad enough in Britain, bear in mind that much of the rest of the world does not have as good quality roads and paths as we do; and maids do steal from hotel rooms, it's a fact, so don't carry anything valuable that is not essential."

  
  
  I hope this was helpful to you ladies. 
  To the next adventure!
  
  

Nepal: Future Warning

I am warning you that in May-June-ish all you will hear about is my current trip to Nepal.

Thanks to a great company called Projects Abroad I will be doing my internship in this wonderful Asian country.

The first question I get when I tell people where I'm going is "Where's that". Nepal is between China and India, if you follow the Himalayas you will find Nepal. This country not only has a funny flag, you can see it here. The capital is Kathmandu, just say it a few times you'll laugh a bit, or smile.

The next question I get is "Why are you going there?" The answer to that is kind of complicated, I don't really know why I chose Nepal over the other countries where the program were offered, I could have gone to South America, I didn't really want to go there for this it's more accessible to me. Cape Town, South Africa, is one of the most dangerous cities in the world so I didn't want to go there. Than Vietnam just didn't tickle my fancy. So Nepal it was.

I'm scared shitless I have to admit, but I'm more excited than anything! There are a few things I'm for sure planning to do whether it's while I'm volunteering of the extra week I'm taking at the end of the trip to travel with my best friend Izzie, with whom I went to EuroTrip 2.0.  I want to climb mount Everest, not to the top, I don't have the training or will or equipment to make it to the top, I just want to climb up like 5 steps, just so I can say I did. Within the mountains there are gorgeous rain forests where they offer tours on elephants which is really exciting. Other than that I hope my host family teaches me yoga and brings me to the temples around the country.

I can't wait to get the process started, I still have to register for the program itself than register with school, than tell my boss that I will have to take two months off...and raise the money so I can pay for the thing.

I also can't wait to share this with you, I hope you are excited too for me!
Namaste (which is hello/goodbye in Nepali, thank you Yoga!)

Vagabond's 27 quick travel trips

I am a big searcher of the internet, during my search I stumbled upon Vagabond.com and their 27, very intelligent travel tips, I suggest you read them and take the advice.

1) Say hi to other people who are traveling - you will learn a lot today and get to hear and share other stories

2) Don’t flash your bling 

3) Catch a cab and talk to the driver about cool things to do (Cabbies are almost always multi-lingual)

4) Scan a picture of your passport and give it to someone you trust - my parents at home always have a copy, as well as a copy of my credit card and debit card 

5) Get a nice padlock and use it when necessary (It takes two to steal: the thief and the one who left an opportunity) 

6) Wear long pants during long transport - Seats in trains and airplanes are disgusting and who want their bodies to touch those 

7) Look at the mattress…know what bedbugs look like

8) Stay where you get breakfast for free - don't pay for a breakfast at the hotel either 

9) Make sure hot water is included

10) Find paperback exchanges - mostly if you're gone long and read a lot

11) Stay longer and get cheaper room rates

12) Fill out your couchsurfing profile completely - look for tips online there are some great websites

13) Look for free fruit on the trees - but don't go in someone's yard, you may get charged for trespassing and stealing.

14) Look for language exchanges 

15) Don’t leave your phone in your room 

16) Bring your own condoms - don't trust the other party to do so... abroad or at home

17) Don’t get so drunk you can’t take care of yourself - always keep an eye on your drink too

18) Trust your instincts about people 

19) Eat the local food - because it's delicious and cheap

20) Always ask for a second price - the worst you'll get is no

21) Don’t wander around alone late at night 

22) Don’t give up your passport - always keep it on you in a money belt of in a safe pocket

23) Bring your valuables to the shower with you in a hostel - if it's electronic put it in a water safe bag

24) Eat lots of cheese if you get diarrhea - plus cheese is delicious

25) A handful of nuts makes hunger go away 

26) Get a haircut and a shave (or a wax and a style) 

27) If the locals drink the water you should too

thanks vagabond for the tips

EuroTrip 1.0 part 4

The last part of this amazing school trip brought us to Normandy. This being an educational trip this part of the trip we visited a lot of the Canadian war memorials.

We visited the Juno Beach memorial. It is not only a gorgeous beach filled with Canadian history but they have built a lovely museum which brings us through the whole lot of emotions, such as sadness for the lives lost and pride for our nation. It had beautiful artifacts and a nice interactive display, with wall that give us a chance to leave our opinions and feeling on this day.

Following our visit to Juno we also went to Dieppe, another site where Canadian soldiers played a big part during WWII, everywhere we went in the little town we were warmly greeted and commented thanks to our Canadian Flag pins and badges.

Continuing our tour of Normandy, we went back to Canada. Well technically we visited the Vimmy Ridge memorial which is on Canadian Soil in France. It was kind of grim walking along the wall and actually seeing my grand-mother's maiden name on the wall, it's not something we talked about in our family, I did not know I had ancestors who had gone to war. Some of my friends also saw some of their family names.

Before we left we were all assigned the name of a soldier. It gave us time to do some research on this soldier and do a little something special. For my soldier I didn't want to bring just a little flag but i found a Canada pinwheel. I also brought a bag of dirt to place onto his grave so that he could be buried in Canadian soil.

We got to Belgium and visited trenches mostly dedicated to the Nova-Scotian soldiers.

One of my friends had a great idea before leaving, she contacted our local Legion and got 3 reefs to place at the memorials. The legion shipped them to the hotels where we stayed and at each big memorial site we place one in memory of our fallen soldiers.

Our last stop was Brussels where we prepared to get onto the plane to come home, when we landed in Toronto we all feared that our plane was going to be delayed due to more snow, luckily we made it home.

There are a few things I learned on this trip that I can remember.
1. Don't go on long exploration trips with lots of friends, you will fight
2. Alone time is golden
3. Don't over pack. (I ended up throwing clothes away)
4. Don't buy souvenirs for everyone you left at home
5. If you love it and it's not crazy expensive buy it (I still regret not buying those blue boots)

Back to reality, next story will be even further back in my memory but will still bring up that warm fuzzy feeling.

Until the next adventure, Tata!

 

EuroTrip 1.0 part 3

Ah PARIS, when I left off last time we were getting on the night train to get to Paris, just a note for those taking the night train for the fist time, if you aren't one of those people who can sleep anywhere prepare yourself by either tiring yourself out by waking up early the day you leave or taking Gravol (or some other kind of non-prescription medication that knocks you out).

Once we arrived in Paris we stepped onto a bus which would take us on a tour of the city. The tour was very slow because travelling by bus or any motorized vehicle in Paris isn't convenient due to the high traffic and the massive amount of round-abouts. On the tour we were able to see all the major sites of Paris from the outside before actually going to visit, such as the Eiffel tower, l'Arche de Triomphe, the Louvre, and Notre-Dame de Paris. I am not quite sure the order but in Paris we had a very short time to visit the Louvre, I took the interactive audio-tour and selected the option to be brought to and educated on the main pieces in the giant museum. With this it took us to the Venus de Milo, the Triomphe de Samocrate, the Mona Lisa and a few other pieces.

We also did a night tour of the Sienne where we got to see all the beautiful old buildings that lined the river all lit up gorgeously.

I had the advantage of my dad being on the trip because it gave me the opportunity to go with my friends, her mom, another student as well as her mom and another mom (whom I adopted for the evening) to go to the famous Moulin Rouge show. It was a great experience which I will always remember because during one of the intermissions they had a ventriloquist doing a mini-show between the acts, at one point he needed human "dummies" and I got pulled on stage, therefore now I  can say I was on stage at Moulin Rouge, how many people can say that?

Before heading to Moulin Rouge we did the whole Eiffel Tower thing and went to enjoy the night time view of Paris from super high up. Which was wonderful. My friend also learned how to ward off those pesky people trying to sell you Eiffel Tower figurines, when one of them came up and asked if he wanted one my friend looked at him, pointed at the Tower and said "How much for that one?" the guy was so confused he left us alone the rest of the time we were at the base.

In continuation with visiting the big sites of Paris we visited Notre-Dames, and Eglise Sacre-Coeur in the artist district of Paris. Both gorgeous churches with a lot of history. Of course if you've seen Disney's Hunchback of Notre-Dame you know of the church and have an idea of what it looks like.

That pretty much covers Paris. If you just read the note you will notice we only bussed it once, the rest of the time we terrorized Parisian Subway takers by stuffing 65 high school students and their chaperons into the trains all trying to get on and off at the same time... they must have loved us.

We're only part-way through the journey.
au revoir!

once again here are the pictures you see - 1. me outside the Moulin Rouge. 2. My dad and my friend Edd in front of the Eiffel Tower before we go up. 3. I forgot to mention that our teacher paid for us to take a ride on a merry go round, my friend Sean was happy about that! 4. Me, Izabeau and Jess in front of Notre-Dame