The Sparkle In His Eyes

Photo Of Dad Tami

  There once was a man who always had a sparkle in his eyes.   He was that special type of guy that EVERYONE LOVED.   He treated everyone the same – young or old, black or white or brown, fat or thin, quiet or outgoing, religious or not, rich or… Continue reading

Lombok Island, The New Bali

  Everyone dreams of going to Bali, the exotic island in Indonesia, but we were shocked to discover that dreamy Bali is not what it used to be. Now Bali is dirty and touristy with beaches full of garbage. Move over Bali – here comes Lombok.   Bali since 2017…… Continue reading

How To Make Roti in Borneo

  One of our stops on our way to a new jungle resort in Borneo was for Indian food. What a treat it was to watch this guy making each individual fresh roti, and with a bright smile that showed how much he really seemed to enjoy doing it. To… Continue reading

Bird’s Nest Soup: Most Expensive Soup in the World

Travelling through the mountains of Borneo, we made a stop at Gomantong Cave, known for its ancient Bird’s Nest harvesting. A delicacy in this part of the world is Bird’s Nest Soup.  [spacer height=”20px”] Inside the Cave [spacer height=”20px”] The first half-kilometre into the cave is a beautiful forest.  … Continue reading

Stomping Your Feet Does Not Help

  It started with a comedy of errors. Freezing rain cancelled our flight out of Toronto to Nicaragua so there were 40-minute line-ups at the pay phones just to try to re-schedule. T was relatively new at “travel glitches” and was wringing his hands in anxiety. After many years of travel… Continue reading

Women In Cuba Smoke Cigars

  If you want to get a feel for local culture in Cuba, settle down for a morning (or afternoon or evening) of people-watching in any one of Cuba’s central parks.   You’ll find a central park in every village, town, or in each area of a city all through Cuba…. Continue reading

Bad To The Bone and Tall Boy

  It was another warm sunny day, and we were down for breakfast at the Lobster Inn on Little Corn Island. Everyone was friendly and chatting, including the staff and locals.   One of the staff, the owner’s niece, tells us that there was a big fire on Big Corn Island last night…. Continue reading

El Nido, Philippines: Pompous Roosters, Leaping Geckos and a Heartbreaking Story

  As one of the most beautiful places on earth, El Nido was a week of pure indulgence. Relaxing in a hammock, staring out across an aquamarine bay studded with gorgeous islands, tucking into a good novel, eating great food, and with barely anyone else there, what could be better… Continue reading

Valentine’s Day On A Dangerous Island

  We didn’t want to go to crime-and-drug-ridden Big Corn Island but we had no choice. It was the only way to get to gorgeous Little Corn Island on the virtually unknown Caribbean side of Nicaragua.   First we had to fly from Managua to Big Corn Island, then take a small… Continue reading

Little Corn Island – No Cars, No Roads, No Worries

At last! Big Corn Island disappeared far off in the distance. No more threatening thugs, no more loud music, no more hurtling cars – just crystal clear blue water, soft sand, and the sweet sweet quiet of Little Corn Island.   That’s right – there are no roads on Little… Continue reading

6 Things To Know Before You Go To Penang & Best Value Hotel

  It was hard to leave raw natural Borneo, but we were on our way to Malaysia, and to another adventure. [mapsmarker marker=”75″]     At the airport in Kota Kinabalu, Borneo, we waited for Air Asia to open, and stopped for a bite to eat.   Wow. This simple… Continue reading

An Inflatable Car?

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  For years, we have wanted to go to Belize.    Belize is located directly South of Mexico, below the Mayan Riviera on the Yucatan Peninsula. It was cheaper to fly into Cancun and drive down the Mayan Riviera coast, scattered with delectable turquoise beaches, and then drive on into… Continue reading

La Citee Medievale de Carcassonne

The drive to Carcassonne was beautiful…   We loved the little towns perched on hilltops…     Then, as you come around a corner of the highway, you might think you are seeing a mirage, an illusion, but there in the distance on a hill, is an astonishingly huge citadel!… Continue reading

Canadian Woman Disgraces New York Opera House

    When a friend invited me to join him in New York to go the opera (his big obsession), I was hesitant. I was not that keen on opera, or even on a big city for that matter. We’ve always taken a ‘pass’ on big, busy, noisy cities, preferring… Continue reading

The Shortest Runway In The World

Flores Air Strip 2

  Given our preference for little known and quieter places, we headed to the smaller islands of the Azores. The smaller islands also have the most rich green countryside, and the most genuine people. Of the nine islands of the Azores, Sao Miguel, Terceira and Faial are the three islands with… Continue reading

Falling For A Stranger in Havana

  One day I was checking out all the shops around Parque Cristo in Havana Vieja, when I saw the Churros wagon in the park.   The Lure of Churros The delicious aroma of fried dough was wafting directly to me. Mmmm…  50 pesos (65 cents) for two freshly fried… Continue reading

Stopping By To See Goldie (Hawn) and Kurt (Russell) In The Muskokas

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Taking the Trans-Canada Highway from our home in Saskatoon, Saskatchewan, to our home in London, Ontario, is a long, long drive. 7000 kilometers, to be exact.   Crossing Saskatchewan and Manitoba over miles of prairie and whispering grain fields holds a wonderful sense of freedom. You can see for miles,… Continue reading

Borneo: Rare Sighting of the Cutest Pygmy Elephants

A Rare Experience   We felt extremely privileged to see the Pygmy Elephants in Borneo.   These Borneo Elephants are the cutest elephants you have ever seen! They look like they are straight out of a Disney movie. They have big baby-face heads, big floppy ears, chubby tummies, straight husks… Continue reading

Kicked Off The Train in Milan

  Managing the trains in Europe is not so easy as one might expect. Nice to Venice through Milan was $120C, changing trains three times with only 10-12 minutes each time to change trains.   Now when you have to find a new train, on a new platform, usually requiring you… Continue reading

Cyclone In Tonga

[mapsmarker marker=”1″]   Our dear friends survived a major cyclone in Tonga this spring. Their beautiful private island, Uoleva, and their amazing cabins on an absolutely perfect South Pacific beach were destroyed. Their entire resort was smashed and they were were lucky to withstand the cyclone alive.   First, here are… Continue reading