Canada's Adventure Couple

How to Stay Healthy and Active While Traveling
Travel Trends of the Future – Here’s to the next 100 Years
Our Key West Vacation with IHG Rewards Club Points
You Can Help Raise 2-Million Miles for Make-a-Wish Kids
Why you will never travel if you don’t travel now
Flying Just Got Better – Premium Service Direct to Dubai
Bounce Below – The Ultimate Underground Playground for the Kid in You!
Toronto Transit is Growing Up – TTC compared to the world
Here’s to the Journeymakers, Celebrating 100 Years of Travel
Our Favorite Holiday Gifts for Travel
6 Ways This Introvert-Extravert Couple Makes Travel Work
The Fear of Travel: A Fireside Chat with Rick Steves

How to Stay Healthy and Active While Traveling

Posted: 21 Dec 2015 02:00 AM PST

This article is sponsored by Abbott as part of its LIFE.TO THE FULLEST. initiative. This story, thoughts and opinions are our own.

Staying healthy while traveling full-time is not an easy task. When you spend time in great foodie destinations like Greece, Italy, and France, it's easy to indulge in a lot of rich and delicious food.

How to Stay Healthy While Traveling

Having a routine is nearly impossible with our lifestyle and that is why we love incorporating adventures and activities into our travels. When Abbott asked us how we learned to live a full life, we answered through travel. Travel changed our lives. It strengthened our marriage, helped us find balance and it helped us fulfill our dream of working together while seeing the world.

Read more about our #fullosophy at How Travel Helped us Live a Full Life

How to Stay Healthy through Travel

But travel is just one part of our answer. There are so many things that help us live a full life, from making a difference in other people's lives to having fun and staying healthy and active. And the best way we found to stay healthy and active on the road is to try adventures like kayaking. When we thought about it we realized that kayaking is a huge part of our adventure travel routine. We've kayaked on all seven continents in countless countries. It's a way for us to keep in shape, but to also find peace and quiet. It's the stillness and solitude that lets us appreciate the beauty of this earth. And we have a lot of fun too.

Kayaking Around the World

How Do you Stay Healthy and Live a Full Life?

We're helping Abbott fulfill its mission of asking 1 million people around the world what living fully means to them. For us, it's living a well-balanced life. Career is important, but if you don't have your health and happiness, it loses its value.

So we have made our pledge to continue to strive to create a balanced, active and healthy life. What is your pledge to living a full life? Make your own declarationand take the quiz. Tell Abbott – and the world – how you imagine your best life to be and what steps you are going to take to get there.

Are you living a full life? Tell your story on LifetotheFullest.Abbott and share your mission to live life fully on Twitter, Facebook and Instagram using the hashtag #fullosophy.

Head over to @AbbottGlobal to take the quiz and share your #fullosophy of how you are living a full life.

Early Days of Travel

During the early days of travel in Kenya, people left notes on a thorn tree asking travellers to pass messages along or bring notes home with them. It was a lot tougher to stay in touch then. When you went travelling, your family wasn’t sure if they’d ever hear from you again.

We’ve Come a Long Way Baby!

It’s hard to believe American Express is celebrating 100 years of travel service. Back then it seemed like travel was only for the truly adventurous. Not many people were traveling for pleasure compared to today’s standards, but Amex has been there for travellers before it was popular.

They've been helping Cardmembers realize their travel dreams for decades providing end-to-end services from booking, to the airport to wherever in the world they touchdown.

Remember the days of traveller's cheques? We would never leave home without them. Our American Express traveller's cheques gave us peace of mind. Traveller's cheques may have gone the way of the Dodo, but the great service continues.

Travel Trends of the Future

Having just returned from the ultra modern city of Dubai, Dave and I have been thinking a lot about the future of travel and what travel trends are ahead. That city is as futuristic as it gets and has given us plenty of ideas of where the world is going. After looking back at the past, let's look at the future of travel.

Mega Malls

Ever since we took part in the Mongol Rally, we think that mega malls will be the future of travel. In Astana, the Capital of Kazakhstan, there is a giant mall that looks like a spaceship. The Kazakhstan malls has midways, skating rinks, arcades, and movie theatres and today it’s not uncommon for many malls in Asia and the Middle East to have these amenities. Dubai takes the cake for the most amazing malls. The Dubai Mall has an enormous aquarium where people can scuba dive with sharks, cage dive with great white sharks, and walk under a glass tube to see all the marine life on display and the Mall of the Emirates has an indoor ski hill complete with snowboard park.

With luxury hotels attached to the malls that continue to get bigger and bigger, people will be booking their vacations around the mega mall. There's something for everyone. Mom and dad can go to the spa followed by a romantic dinner while the kids go skiing, and can catch a movie. Sounds nice, right?

Complete Connection

You think we’re connected now, wait until the future takes hold. With Periscope and Snapchat taking over the bandwidth, more and more people will be sharing every single moment of their travel experience with others. Attractions, restaurants, and hotels will be completely connected and you’ll be able to check your smart watch or smart phone to find out about daily specials and instant deals.

Connection in the middle of the desert

You won’t even have to do a Google search anymore. If you are downtown Toronto and you have your latest travel app set to “tell me what’s up” you may get information telling you the times that the Hockey Hall of Fame closes, how much it costs to go up the CN Tower, where the best place around you is to eat, and how long the queue is for the latest Star Wars movie.

Technology Interventions

On the opposite end of the spectrum, people will need a break. People have talked about the digital detox for some time now, but I really believe it is going to come to life soon. We are all overloaded with noise and social media and people need a break from their smart phones and computer screens. Computer neck syndrome is a very real and true ailment.

I have a feeling cameras and photography equipment won’t even be allowed on a digital detox vacation. What would people do if they couldn’t document every single moment of their lives? The technical intervention vacation will find out.

Luxury Travel will Explode

It seems that the days of the broke backpacker is disappearing. When we first started travelling, Dave and I could get a basic beach bungalow for $5 a night. It was a no frills room with nothing but a bed and a squat toilet bathroom, but it was cheap and it was all we needed. It seems that people aren’t willing to rough it anymore, even the twenty something's want luxury.

I admit, we don’t want to stay in basic accommodations anymore either. Dave and I now require a more lavish set up. We don’t want to rough it anymore and it seems that millennials don’t want to rough it either. The world is turning to luxury and premium experiences.

Rewards and Loyalty Programs Continue to Grow.

Luckily, there are rewards programs out there offering deals on luxury accommodation and premium experiences. As people become savvy travellers, they will look for ways to stretch their dollars for the best deals and discounts. They’ll remain loyal and true to one program to reach optimal benefits and shop smart for their next vacation. Our American Express Platinum Card gives us luxury perks like elite tier status at hotel programs and Front Of The Line for events. When travelling, we breeze through security, take advantage of free WiFi and have access to free valet service at Toronto Pearson International Airport.

Loyalty Programs for Perks

We have access to more than 850 airport lounges around the world offering us Platinum travel experiences wherever we go. We might not be a celebrity, but we often travel like a star by using our Membership Rewards and Platinum benefits.

The Future of Travel

I think travel will constantly evolve and change in the years to come. It’s fun to try to predict the future, but who knows if we are accurate or not. A lot has changed in 100 years, it’s hard to imagine what will happen in the next centure. It doesn’t matter though, because the world is travelling. More people than ever are crossing continents and exploring the globe and they are looking to programs to help them travel more. We use American Express to help us reach our travel goals. What do you use?

To learn more about the breadth of Amex's travel offerings and the benefits offered by being an Amex Cardmember visit americanexpress.ca/potential

About Make-A-Wish

Make-A-Wish is an organization doing great things. The power of positive thinking can do wonders for healing. It’s so important to let kids be kids again and to give them a break from all the tests and procedures they need to endure each day. To give a seriously ill child a chance to live out one of their biggest dreams is the greatest gift anyone can give.

That is why I was so excited when I heard that our pals at TripIt have once again teamed up with Make-A-Wish to raise 2-million miles to help make dreams come true. Can you believe that Make-A-Wish turns a child’s dream into a reality every 38 minutes? Out of all those dreams, 74% of them include travel—that's 2.5 billion airline miles and over 50,000 round trip tickets needed to fulfill this mission. So they need your help.

make a wish and tripit

TripIt and Make-A-Wish

For the past two holiday seasons, TripIt users donated more than 2-million airline miles to make wishes come true. Each year TripIt has exceeded its goal of 1 million miles, but for 2015, they want to raise the bar and reach 2 million miles in 1 year! They will be able to make a lot of dreams come true like the one below in this video.

Check out how Keena had her dream fulfilled and met her donor in Australia.

How you can Help

Did you know that many airlines delete your miles if you don’t use them? If you have unused or expiring miles that will just go to waste, why not donate them to a good cause? (Note donated miles NEVER expire) Head over to TripIt where you can instantly donate your United or Delta Miles to help a kid in need. And make sure to check out more details on how you can transfer miles to the Wishes in Flight^® program.

You have the power to make a child’s wishes come true this holiday season. Donate today and lift the spirits of a child. It will make you smile in the process.

Read the original post You Can Help Raise 2-Million Miles for Make-a-Wish Kids on The Planet D: Adventure Travel Blog.

Why you will never travel if you don’t travel now

Posted: 11 Dec 2015 02:16 AM PST

My life would have been awesome had I never started traveling. With a beer in hand I thought about all the things I didn’t have but my peers did. I don’t have a house. I have never owned a car. My bank account isn’t padded, and my retirement funds wouldn’t stretch very far.

I know beyond all doubt, had I not started traveling five years ago I never would have. And, if I had not, I’d be able to match the milestones of others my age.

Today I would not be a globe trotter, but I’d wake up every morning, and spend the hours of 9-5 in a cubicle. This would certainly have put me in greater standing in the ol’ tit for tat game that we all play, but would have been the worst thing for my happiness, personal development and well-being.

Travel Now

Start traveling now, or you never will

I’ve lived in both Germany and Italy and spent over a month backpacking through Colombia. I’ve been to over 20 different countries in South America, Europe, the Middle East, the Baltics and more. I’ve driven four-wheelers across Greek Islands, canyoned through rivers in Slovenia, hiked up mountains, biked down mountains, floated in the dead sea and visited coffee plantations.

My desire to move pushed me away from a cozy suburb and reliable job and into the streets of places I couldn’t pronounce. What if you too have a desire to move, but don’t know where to begin? What if you are sitting here reading this and wishing you could leave everything behind, travel half-way across the world and encounter new places and people? My advice: leave and do so as soon as possible. If you don’t travel now you never will, and here is why.

Travel Isn’t a Typical Investment

As of now there are few ways to invest $2,000 on a pleasure trip somewhere and see that $2,000 turn in to $3,000 next year. Instead you purchase experiences. While you gain innumerable soft skills such as compassion, the ability to read people, serenity under pressure and more, you very rarely receive a return on your investment in monetary terms.

When it comes to spending money you will always find more tangible, “better” things to spend your money on. If you don’t start budgeting for travel now, budgeting later becomes impossible, as each dollar disappears to other needs. Travel rarely ranks high against material possessions. Despite thinking you avoid the curse of vanity you don’t. Neither do I. I like nice things, just as much as the next person.

tay_colombia

Summing up my point in one sentence, a highly articulated sentence by a very intelligent friend of mine, “whoever dies with the most shit wins.” Travel is by no means a collection of shit with 350 horsepower that you can wash on your front lawn in full view of your jealous neighbors. As time passes by your dependence on “keeping up with the Joneses’ will require more of your money, leaving less to spend on travel.

Too Many Useless Distractions and Choices

In the morning, when we wake after a good night’s sleep, we are full of energy and willpower. Then the day begins and our gas tanks diminish. What should you eat for breakfast? Do you have time in your schedule for a meeting with Mr. Joe Blow today? Which emails require immediate attention in your inbox?

By the end of the day your energy and willpower tank is on "E." You have spent your energy reserves dealing with work, kids, finances, emails and a slew of other things. Your willpower is also gone, burnt away making choices, which is one thing we have an abundance of today.

Choices tap into our limited supply of willpower and energy, depleting our most precious resources: time, energy and mental stamina. So, when you finally have free time, how do you spend it? In front of the television, surfing the internet, or doing some other mindless activity that doesn’t require a lot of energy or thinking. Your mind is shot for the day.

queen_snow

We have reversed priorities. Instead of putting our big life goals and ambitions as must do’s, we make them must do’s when we have time. We put losing weight, traveling to the mountains, learning a new language, working out, reading more, or other important life changes as priorities at the end of the day when we are mentally and physically drained. A task will always expand to fill the available time, it’s a fact of the universe. So, if you don’t budget time and energy to focus on change, you will crawl into bed at 11 pm wondering where the day escaped to yet again.

This pattern continues your whole life until retirement, at which point the system reverses itself. Suddenly, with an empty nest, with no job and fewer priorities you can once again think about your lifestyle, your health and traveling. The irony, of course, is that in your latter years you have less energy and desire to change.

Studies have shown that change requires a series of steps: pre-contemplation, contemplation, preparation, action, and maintenance. In essence, we have no awareness or desire to change something in our lives; then when we become aware we delve into the possible obstacles of changing. Finally, we act and change, and then every so often we refortify our behavior to stay on track. Interestingly, we most often fail between the preparation and action stages, or in philosophical terms we can conceive of what is needed to change, but can’t actualize it in reality.

We are also affected by something called the St. Petersburg Paradox. This paradox argues that all humans not only have different levels of risk aversion, but also different perspectives when it comes to utility gained. Meaning, a person already in peak physical condition knows and sees the benefits of working out; hence, he has an easier time continuing to devote the time and energy to pumping iron or going for a run. For other people it may be too much of a risk, too big of a commitment and a scary situation to go to the gym every morning. What are all the fit people going to think of me? I’ll be made fun of. I don’t fit in. I’m not part of this crowd. I don’t know what to do. When faced with a risk deemed too great, whether financially, socially, or otherwise, people will not partake in an activity.

The amount of energy, willpower, and mental fortitude required to make a change in your life is the number one reason you won’t travel when you retire. The patterns you set in life begin early on, and it is easier to live with the status quo than change. After all, it is more desirable to know which side your bread is buttered on than be left with sticky uncertainty on your hands. Which leads to the next reason you will not start traveling when you suddenly find the time for it.

col_hike

Settling

For a long time, philosophers have been justifying their philosophies by saying it is better to know what you are getting for certain today, even at the cost of giving up something greater tomorrow. Now, I’ve done this on several occasions, I’ll admit. Just recently I was in a Colombian city with night approaching and no place to stay. I found myself in a sketchy situation with a hotelier on a far too remote beach. This led me to grab my passport copy and any identifying information from his desk and high tail it out of there. I also accepted, regardless of the price, a different hotel I knew would be safe, and passed over many cheaper options because I didn’t have the time or energy to find a better alternative.

I’ll admit, the allure of "one in the basket vs. two in the hand" is strong. But, when moving beyond basic needs such as food, safety and shelter you would think the allure of giving up something greater for certainty of the moment would decrease. This is not true, however. You only need to look at history to see many examples of people choosing to live under a poor system versus risking the displacement of a tyrant and the unknown, possibly worse, new system.

Relating this to travel, even though you may have always dreamed of traveling the world when you retire the pull of familiarity during a time of age decline keeps you rooted to the constant, which is the antithesis of travel.

Retirement is a period not only marked by a sudden increase in personal time, but also a period of decline in the human body and mind. To put this in perspective, the average retirement age in the US is 66, and the average age of death is 84. That gives you 18 years to get your adventure on, unless your body says otherwise.

Waiting to travel until retirement is like investing in a penny stock, the situation is volatile. You may not always have the health to travel at age 66 and above. Plus your body cannot handle the stress of travel as well as it could when you were younger. Consider the following.

Studies have shown that older people actually make worse decisions than people of all other ages. After age 27 your brain is already deteriorating. By the age of sixty the signs of deterioration become more evident. With that in mind can you justify traveling out of the country for the first time knowing your brain is prone to making poor decisions and bad rationalizations?

With our minds deteriorating, our bodies follow suit. Especially when we have spent 30 or 40 years in the same location, doing the same thing day in and day out, our bodies become accustomed to a pattern of life. Did you know that infants and senior citizens are more prone to illness then any other age group?

The reason is simple: when you are young or old your body is less adept at adapting to viruses and foreign substances. Your body cannot produce antibodies as efficiently or as fast. When you are old you have trouble acclimating to changes in your environment. Guess what, travel is all about adapting to new situations, climates, foods and germs.

With an aversion to risk, a psychological desire to maintain the status quo, and a declining body and mind there is a great tendency to say, "my life is good enough, I don’t need more." Settling wins again. We become okay with okay. We no longer need travel, or the new, or the challenge.

Doom and gloom aside, I’m not saying you can’t travel when you’re retired. I’m saying the odds of you miraculously packing your suitcase and hopping on a flight for an exotic, foreign location are against you.

greece_fishing

Instead, travel must be a lifestyle from early on. Travel must become a path you set yourself on that allows for change when needed, adaption when necessary, and pushing the boundaries of the status quo.

Several years ago there was a man in the UK who showed up at a clinic, reporting signs of possible memory loss. He was an avid chess player who played regularly for most of his life. His MRI scan that day came back normal. At most he had minor memory loss, which was expected with old age. Two years later when the man died examiners discovered that he actually had advanced Alzheimers but had showed no signs.

The moral: regular stimulation can improve brain function well into old age and keep energy levels high. This man broke the status quo by investing in himself. So invest in yourself and begin a regular routine of travel today, for I know of no greater mental and physical stimulant than travel, and there is no better time than to travel now.

Hank Martin writes for Breaking Trail Online, a resource for young men and women that combines travel with practical tips for investing in your greatest asset: you. Get social with Breaking Trail on Facebook, Twitter and Google Plus

Read the original post Why you will never travel if you don’t travel now on The Planet D: Adventure Travel Blog.

Flying Just Got Better – Premium Service Direct to Dubai

Posted: 09 Dec 2015 04:45 AM PST

Air Canada knew what they were doing when they added a new non-stop service on the 787-Dreamliner from Toronto to Dubai this past November. It seemed that half the people sitting in the Air Canada Lounge at Toronto Pearson were heading to the most populous city of the United Arab Emirates. Dubai is a hot destination right now. It seems that everyone wants to visit the city that houses some of the tallest, most over-the-top skyscrapers on earth.

dubai flight toronto direct

Toronto to Dubai?

It was April when we were in Hawaii for an annual summit when we drew names out of a hat for a big surprise. Our hat said November, that was all we knew. So we waited until our fellow bloggers chose their dates and the announcements were made. It turns out, Dave and I drew the dream destination of Dubai. It was another seven months before our trip, but it was worth the wait. Especially when direct flights were introduced by Air Canada direct from Toronto to Dubai at the beginning of November. Amazing! We escaped the dreaded connection through Heathrow or New York.

If you follow us on social media, you’ll know that we always fly Air Canada. We’re proud Canadians, so naturally, we should fly Canada’s largest airline. It’s interesting to note that our national airline is also among the 20 largest in the world serving 35 million customers a year.

Since we already had a flight booked, we took a chance and contacted Air Canada asking if they’d be interested in letting us test out their premium economy and business class seats for our flight from Toronto to Dubai. We already have 50k Elite status on Air Canada and probably could have gotten an upgrade for a fee, but why not make it an guarantee? After all, this is the new 787 Dreamliner. We wanted to travel in style.

The Air Canada Lounge

Lucky for us, Air Canada kindly accepted our proposal and offered a media upgrade to review their new service. They couldn’t guarantee a seat, so we held our breath as we waited at the airport. Luckily, our wait was in peace and comfort as we enjoyed the amenities of the Air Canada International Lounge in Terminal 1. It’s our favourite lounge in Toronto Pearson Airport with an excellent choice of food and beverages.

What I like is the dedicated Wifi to Air Canada and Star Alliance status members. You don’t have to share the bandwidth with the rest of the airport that is being sucked up quickly with all the free iPads on offer in public restaurants. We arrived early and spent our time getting a lot of work done. I don’t know what it is about airport lounges, but we are very productive when we sit down to work in them. Time flew by and 15 minutes to boarding and we decided to walk to the gate early to see if our names would be called.

air-canada-dreamliner-premium-economy-3

Toronto to Dubai Upgrade

The moment of truth arrived and sure enough, we got the upgrade to premium economy.

We’ve flown business class several times on Air Canada, but it was our first time flying premium economy. It was a pleasant surprise. First of all, it was premium economy on the 787 Dreamliner so you know it’s going to be bigger and better than anything else. The 787 Dreamliner is big. It has bigger windows that tint dark and light at a push of a button, bigger TV screens with movies, television, and game choices, and bigger bathrooms. I couldn’t get over the room in the toilet when I finally went. Had I known, I would have gone much earlier. I always put off going to the toilet on airplanes, they are usually an unpleasant experience. But not this one!

air-canada-dreamliner-premium-economy-10

What is Premium Economy?

Premium economy gives you many of the perks that business class has at a fraction of the price. Star Alliance Gold Members can get upgrades using their eCredits or you can buy premium economy seats for approximately 35% more of your flight fee. Our premium economy seats felt like the business class seats that you sometimes get on shorter flights. We even received our own amenity kit with toothbrush, chapstick, moisturizer, and eye mask. Needless to say we were quite happy with the extra width and legroom.

We were treated similar to business class receiving our choice of sparkling water and juice, and we were given headphones, blankets, and large pillows for the flight. And just like business class, we had a proper dinner menu.

I normally like to settle into a movie at the start of the flight. What I love about Air Canada is how I can start using the entertainment system the minute I get on the plane. While other passengers are embarking, I’ve already chosen my movie, I’m in my own little world relaxing with a cold beverage. Since we have Elite Status we have priority boarding and this makes all the difference. We never have to worry about running out of room in the overhead bins and we have freedom and a lot of room to settle in while the plane is still empty.

Premium Economy passengers automatically receive priority boarding. So, as I was saying, I’m already into my movie before most passengers have even boarded the plane. A difference I noticed on the Dreamliner was that I could easily fast forward to the ads at the beginning of the movie and get on with my programming.

I rarely work on a flight even though these seats were made for working. There are USB and power plugs and the tray table is large enough to spread out my workstation. However, I watch movies instead. Movies helps me unwind until meal service where afterwards I promptly go to sleep to feel refreshed at my destination.

Premium Economy Food

But before I go to sleep, let me talk about the meal. The food in both the international MLL and on board premium economy & business classes are part of the new menu created by Canadian celebrity chef David Hawksworth. Let me tell you, I noticed a difference. This is gourmet meal to make your mouth water.

Just before dinner, I was brought a hot towel which I always put to my eyes. Since my LASIK surgery, my eyes are dry and that hot towel is a warm welcome. While others wiped their hands, I felt the heat on my eyes. But I digress…Meals on Premium Economy are the same as what you get in Business Class. They’re served on china plates,the choices were diverse, and there’s complimentary wine and spirits.

Dave had the beef and I had the pasta and we were both thoroughly satisfied. Probably too satisfied. Between the warm roasted mixed nuts, warm rolls, appetizer, main course and dessert, we were stuffed! One of my favourite parts of flying Air Canada business or premium economy are the mini salt and pepper shakers and little bottle of olive oil and vinegar. I never put salt and pepper on my food, but I always do on a flight because I love those shakers! And I always save half my oil and vinegar bottle to dip my second roll of bread into. Mmm, I’m drooling right now.

Premium Economy Feels like Business Class

The most noticeable difference between business and premium economy was that the seats don’t go back all the way. In business you are in pods and can lay right out.Premium Economy seats recline farther than coach, but you still sleep sitting up. But we did receive we larger pillows and had extra wide seats, so we were very comfortable. Naturally there are more luxurious perks to business class that I’ll tell you about in a later article since we flew business class home from Dubai. But I can honestly say that my experience in premium economy was comfortable and pleasant.

Dave and I slept like babies and when we arrived at our destination, we were feeling relaxed and refreshed. Because of the advanced technology in building the 787-9, one of the signature features on the new aircraft is the higher humidity rate. This helps you feel more rested when you arrive and we definitely noticed a difference. It’s amazing how you can feel the difference between good and bad air. I had a much less stuffy nose than usual and that was Ah-mazing!

Wouldn’t love to look this refreshed after a flight?

If we do lose our elite status one day when we slow down our travels, I’ll be sure to book premium business for long haul flights. Trust me, as someone that has flown coach around the world, the extra splurge is worth it. You’ll be able to function the first couple of days of your trip rather than walking around in a fog.

For more information on direct flights from Toronto to Dubai visit AirCanada.com
For more details on the Dreamliner See more on the Air Canada Website

Read the original post Flying Just Got Better – Premium Service Direct to Dubai on The Planet D: Adventure Travel Blog.

Bounce Below – The Ultimate Underground Playground for the Kid in You!

Posted: 07 Dec 2015 02:00 AM PST

Have you ever wanted to get back to your childhood roots of jumping around, crawling on the ground, and falling down without a care in the world? There’s a place in Wales that lets you do exactly that! Bounce Below is what we like to think of as the ultimate jungle gym for adults. It’s a series of trampolines, nets, ladders and slides inside a giant underground cave. This isn’t an ordinary cave, it’s twice the size of St. Paul’s Cathedral.

Bounce Below in Wales

Arriving at Bounce Below in Wales

We arrived on a rainy day to Bounce Below located at the Llechwedd Slate caverns in Blaenau Ffestiniog. (If you can pronounce any of that, you are a better persona than I!) It was a good day to be underground as the wind was whipping through the valley and the rain was pouring down. We were grateful to be heading indoors. err, underground.

The cave is the result of an old mining quarry, and when you walk through you can see the remnants of a bygone era. The Llechwedd caverns even offer tours of its slate mining history.

Bounce Below is in an old mining quarry.

We met our fellow jumpers in the holding area where we sat on wooden benches waiting for our time to be called. We had an hour to jump around inside and something told me, one hour would be more than enough. The group before us came out with big smiles and lots of sweat running down their faces.

Check out more Wales Adventures: Coasteering in Wales Video Break

All jewellery needs to be taken off and anything loose needs to be left behind. We brought our GoPro and small snappy camera with us. We did regret not bringing our larger camera because this place is so photogenic, it would have been awesome to photograph. However, we never would have had as much fun either.

Getting ready for our Bounce Below experience in Wales

We made sure nothing was fastened to our appendages. I had visions of a Jimmy Fallon type fall in the cave ripping off my ring finger, so Dave and I both opted out of wearing our wedding bands into the playground.

We entered the chamber lit up with psychedelic lights and we were set loose to explore the many different caverns, passageways, and colourful trampolines. I felt like I was in a live game of Tron.

The Bounce Below Experience

This is what it looks like in Bounce Below

These nets were bouncy to say the least. We couldn’t get our rhythm and ended up falling down and giggling like school girls. (Yep, Dave giggled like a school girl)

Once we got our footing, we started to have some fun catching air at an already jaw dropping height of 180 feet.

The nets are all hung over the cavern dangling in mid air. There’s one spot where you really get a feel for how high you are when you go out to a dark chamber in a back corner and bounce above what feels like a never ending drop into darkness.

What does it look like inside bounce below

Bounce Below has nets everywhere

As other people joined in on the fun on the tight trampoline, we were propelled from one side of the net to the other.

It was then time to start our climb. We wanted more height. We found a tunnel with a wooden ladder and climbed higher and higher until we reached the top of the obstacle course. There were small slides and pockets to play, but it was the huge chute that got my heart racing.

I had to be coaxed into dropping into the abyss. Dave as usual was gung ho for any adventure and dropped in first so that he could give me words of encouragement from the bottom.

“You can do it Deb, no problem!”

I took a deep breath, covered my nose and mouth (something we were advised to do) shut my eyes and fell into darkness. Before I knew it, I was at the bottom laughing and rolling like a 6 year old.

“That was fun, lets do it again!”

We made our way through more tunnels and found a winding trail back up to the entrance.

Feeling more confident the second time around, we explored more chambers and found more chutes.

Deb having a blast at Bounce Below

We compared each chute with the last saying things like “Oh, the last one was so much faster” “This one gets a little skinny at the end, we gotta lose some weight” I want to try that one over there, how do we get there?”

We ran around huffing and puffing for the entire hour. We commented on how out of shape we were and how we need our own bounce below in Canada. If I had one nearby, I’d get a seasons pass to jump and fly into the air. It’s a great workout! I think Bounce Below may just be future of adult workouts in place of a boring gym!

Before we knew it, the hour was up and like the group before us, we came out of the caves with big smiles and running sweat.

We handed in our helmets, dried off our faces and emerged from the depths to sunshine and happiness. Like our mood, the day had turned bright and sunny.

For details visit Bounce Below for pricing, location and information.

Our trip to Wales is brought to you buy Visit Britain and Visit Wales. Check out their websites for more great Wales and UK adventures!

Introducing Metrolinx

The UpExpress is part of Metrolinx

In 2008, Metrolinx launched The Big Move: a visionary plan that introduced a new way of moving people around one of the largest and fastest growing urban areas in all of North America. That would be Toronto.

There is a huge population living outside the city centre that need access to public transportation to the downtown core. The plan is no small task since it is trying to develop a world-class system alongside the 1.8 million acres of environmentally sensitive land known as The Greenbelt. But Metrolinx is staying strong. It recently won the American Public Transportation Association (APTA) gold award for its achievements in environmental, social and economic sustainability. Metrolinx lowered their environmental footprint by lowering their water consumption by 14 per cent, criteria air pollutants emissions by 9 percent, greenhouse gas emissions by 5.4 per cent, and waste generation by 3.8 per cent. Go Canada!

Metrolinx is moving 65 Million People a Year

Deb at the Union Pearson Express

While doing my research, I discovered that 65 million passengers ride the Metrolinx system each year. That was an astounding number to me and I can now understand why the Greater Toronto and Hamilton (GTHA) area is struggling with moving people from one place to another. It truly is one of the fastest growing cities out there.

The transit system is changing, even if the regular local commuter doesn’t notice. As someone who pops in and out of Toronto just a few times a year, I’ve noticed big changes that make me feel excited about the the direction things are going.

toronto pearson airport

Honestly, I’ve paid attention to transportation around the world when we travel. Until recently, I’ve always been slightly embarrassed about my city's public transit. For example, we’ve often flown into airports around the world and been able to catch a train to the city centre. In the past you couldn’t do that in Toronto. Beijing may be an overwhelming metropolis where everything is written in Chinese, but their transportation system was orderly and straightforward. We’ve followed their metro map with ease to getting ourselves to and from the airport quickly and comfortably.

Navigating Public Transit in Hong Kong

We feel it’s an important part of tourism to give visitors several different options to get to where they want to go once they land at the airport. One doesn’t always want to pay extra for a taxi or sit on a bus that stops at several hotels before getting to your final destination. Many people are more comfortable taking a train. Even if it hasn’t been the norm for North American residents, the rest of the world is used taking transit. It’s exciting to finally see that the Union Pearson Express has opened up.

Trains depart Toronto Pearson Airport every 15 minutes and arrive at Union Station in 25 minutes flat, making stops at Weston and Bloor Stations. (Two other popular Toronto hubs)

UP Express

When we took a look at the UP Express, we were impressed that our little old Toronto transit system, was finally looking like the state of the art transit systems we’ve seen around the world. Heck, it even has arrows telling people where to stand when the doors open. Just like the trains we’ve taken in China.

Buy one Get one Free!

If you are flying into or out of Toronto Pearson, make sure to take advantage of this great offer. Metrolinx, the provincial agency that runs the train, began distributing coupons this month inviting travellers to try the UPX for $27.50 return — the price of a standard one-way fare. For now the deal is good until the end of January and doesn’t apply to any discounted or Presto fares.
The buy-one-get-one-free coupons are available at UPX stations in Union Station and the airport and online. But you must purchase the ticket in person to get the free return ride.

Presto Card

Presto Card Made Easy

Another cool feature we learned about was the PRESTO card. Riders can now carry one card that they can use across Go Transit and nine different transit systems in the greater Toronto area. We’ve come a long way baby. I remember when Go Transit was a completely different entity and you had to carry around all these different papers and tickets with you.

paris metro sign

Everywhere from Dubai to Paris has easy to use automated transit passes where you don’t even need to talk to an attendant to travel around. You go to a machine, put in your credit card and out pops a transit pass that you use to get in and out of the station. Collector booths and machines are now taking debit and credit cards and the old tokens we are used to are finally being phased out and will be completely replaced by the PRESTO card by 2017.

I feel like Toronto has grown up and the TTC is growing up with it. When I used to take transit in other parts of the world I said, “Why doesn’t Toronto do this?” Now I am starting to see that it is on the right track.

Feeling very modern on UP Express

While Toronto has much fewer lines than other places like New York City where you can literally get to any corner of the city or surrounding borough, what it does have is quite pleasant. The cars are bright, clean and pretty comfortable to ride. Paris may have a huge train system that can get you anywhere you want to go, but you do feel rather stuffy in the old tunnels.

The busy and stuffy Paris Metro

Toronto may not be adding a lot to its subway lines, but it is expanding transit system, mainly Go Trains, Go Buses complete with free Wifi and its famous streetcars. Visitors love our streetcars and I have to admit that I’ve been proud when I’ve seen our old Toronto street cars driving around San Francisco. Love them or hate them, streetcars move a lot of people.

Our Toronto Streetcars

With the plans that Metrolinx has in store, I think the future is looking bright for Toronto. We’ve been slow going compared to other cities around the world, but I don’t think Toronto was ready to join the ranks until recently. It now has the mega skyscrapers, luxury five star hotels, the sparkling condominium towers, and the world-class restaurants and bars to rival the best of them. Toronto is ready for a transit system that will meet the global standards. It’s the right time for the TTC to grow up, just like Toronto already has.

For more information on expansion and projects visit Metrolinx for details.

It’s that time of year again! The time when everyone is scrambling to find the perfect gift for the ones they love. If you are anything like us, I’m sure you have a friend or loved one that enjoys their vacation time, so we thought we’d help make things easier for you by rounding up a few of our favourite holiday gifts for travel.

Gifts for Travel by TravelSmith

And better yet, we’re giving you a deal! You’ll receive 15% off your purchase at TravelSmith when you spend $50 or more by using PlanetD discount code.

So without further adieu, enjoy our these holiday gifts ideas for the travel lover in Your life.

Holiday Gifts for Travel

For Him

See more gift ideas for men’s travel at Travel Clothes for Guys

Audio-Technica Noise Cancelling Headphones
If your husband is anything like mine, he loves his music. Dave cannot travel without it and noise cancelling headphones are the way to go when it comes to traveling.

Harris Tweed and Leather Dopp Kit
A man needs to be organized and this dopp kit is a classy way to store all his toiletries in one place. It’s leather base keeps things dry and easy to clean to.

Merino Blend V-Neck Vest
I’m ordering this one for Dave for Christmas (shh don’t tell him) I love how a vest spruces up a simple shirt and pants. It’s perfect for a night out when you want to look smart, but don’t want to look like you are trying too hard.

eTools Organizer
My guy loves his electronics but all the chords and accessories that go along with them can be overwhelming, that’s where the eTools Organizer comes in handy with elastic loops and different compartments for all his electronic accessories.

Leather Touch Screen Gloves
There’s nothing worse than having to take your gloves off on a cool day to to use your smart phone. The touch sensor technology has put an end to all that and they look classy too!

For Her

Looking for more gift ideas for travellers? Check out 10 Must Have Items to Make Air Travel Easier

Rejuvawear Footless Compression Leggings
These leggings are perfect for the after holiday season when we all have enjoyed a little too much holiday cheese balls and egg nog. The compression leggings hold everything in in all the right places.

Ushma Gold Silk Wrap
I recently ordered this wrap from TravelSmith and fell in love with it. It keeps me warm on the plane when the air conditioning is cranked too high, it dresses up my evening outfit, and it keeps me modest when walking into a temple overseas. It’s great for everything.

Pacsafe Cross Body Bag
I love my Pacsafe tote and if I didn’t have to carry a computer with me and so much camera gear, I’d use the cross body bag instead. It’s streamlined and stylish and best of all, it blocks cyber thieves with RFID technology.

Dual Voltage Flat Iron – I have ruined more than one flat iron and curling iron while traveling overseas. While many electronics now automatically have dual voltage, hair accessories normally do not. That’s why a dual voltage flat iron is a must for the female traveller in your life. I use my flat iron to straighten and curl my hair. I haven’t used a curling iron in years once I learned how to curl and manipulate my locks with a flat iron.

3-in-1 Sweater Blanket
Women love a versatile piece of clothing and the 3-in-1 Sweater Blanket is as versatile as it gets. Use it as a pillow, a blanket or dress up an outfit on a cool evening this is stylish and functional.

Also see: 9 Anti Theft Accessories for Safe and Secure Travel

Stocking Stuffers

Check out more holiday gifts for travel lovers: We Recommend 8 Great Travel Organizers

Handle Wraps
I cannot tell you how many times my handle wraps have helped me differentiate my luggage from someone else’s. We put them on every handle we’ve got to make them stand out from the crowd.

Smart Envelope
Dave has never packed so well since he got his smart envelope. His shirts come out almost perfectly pressed instead of a crumpled mess when flying. After we unpack, we just give them a spritz with wrinkle wiz garment spray and he’s good to go.

T-Shirt Cubes
If you talk to any well-travelled person these days, their favourite item for packing is most definitely cubes. Packing cubes are a great way to save on space and organize your clothes.

Bottle Protectors – If you are like me, you always buy the local spirit of the destination you are visiting. We’ve got a great 16 year old whiskey that we’re nearly out of and we can’t wait to go back to Ireland to replenesh it! A Bottle protector ensures that your treasured liqueur will make it to its final destination instead of broken in your luggage caused by a rogue piece of gear.

TSO Foldable DayPack
Travelers often need a daypack when sightseeing but I hate to pack another heavy bag. Instead, we opt for foldable day packs. This one packs into its own pocket and is lightweight making it easy to pack away in your luggage ready for use whenever you need it.

An Introvert – Extravert Travel Couple

And Introvert and Extravert Go Travelling Together…

Are you a couple looking to travel together? Check out How to Survive Couples Travel together

But introvert and extravert are simply labels. Though Nathan and I are on separate ends of this spectrum, we are not complete opposites, and our tendencies often overlap. As well, introversion and extraversion are not just about socializing, as is commonly thought, but have a greater significance relating to the way we deal with the world. Indeed, these qualities affect nearly everything we do, including travel.
Traveling as an Introvert& An Extravert

What is an Introvert?

An introvert is a person who deals primarily internally with things. They typically have an active mind of great depth and enjoy spending time in solitude. This is because introverts have a rich inner world which keeps them occupied and delighted. Socializing or spending time in groups tends to drain the introvert, who has to use a great deal of energy to engage outwardly. Introverts may or may not be shy, but no matter how social they are, they need time to recharge. Spending time alone and doing solitary activities is the best way for an introvert to feel at their best.

Hey Travel Couples, enjoy this read: A confession to my Travel Partner

What is an Extravert?

Extraverts aren’t always social butterflies, but they do find that connecting with others gives them energy. These folks relate externally with the world. Extraverts are likely to be talkative and energetic. They may need human interaction to feel vibrant and to have a strong sense of self. Although they may enjoy spending time alone now and again, most extraverts don’t require it. Much of the time they would prefer to be sharing moments and memories with those they love.

Based on the descriptions above, Nathan is a true introvert and I a true extravert. But people are unique and more than just a description. As an extravert, my personal quirk is that I process my thoughts out loud. Thus, I talk probably 95% more frequently than Nathan, who considers things privately in his own mind. He has to bear with me when I’ve got a lot to get out! Of course, there are no cut and dry rules and both of us drift into the opposite territory now and again. Nearly everyone possesses characteristics of both extremes.

Introvert – Extravert Travel Tips

Traveling as a ‘Vert

As a traveler, it may be easier to be an extravert, particularly if you’re traveling alone. Meeting people is often more doable when your inner energy is driving you to connect with others. Then again, traveling alone might be the dream for an introvert. Total freedom, total anonymity. It’s alone time all the time.
But whether you are an introvert or an extravert, travel is for everyone.
When traveling as a couple, there are many challenges that come into play. Add to that the balance of extraversion and introversion and you’ve got another quandary to contend with.
How do you travel successfully as a couple when one of you is an introvert and the other is an extravert?
After more than 3 1/2 years together, we’ve discovered several key ways to make sure your travel experience is fulfilling and wonderful… for the both of you.

Know Yourself

The best way to ensure your needs are met at home or on the road is to know what those needs are. This has been especially important for Nathan as an introvert. After days without any time on his own, Nathan knows he needs that break. Even I, his favorite person, can drain him after awhile. I’ve learned not to take that personally, but to realize that this is simply the nature of the introvert.Nathan knows he needs to have this time alone, so he has to plan for it. It’s easy to ignore that yearning to dive into a book or go for a solitary walk, but if he neglects his needs, he starts to get distracted, irritable, or even stop talking altogether.

Tips for Travel Couples: How Traveling as a Couple Makes Life Easier

When traveling as a couple, it’s a good idea to take time by yourself every couple of days, particularly if you are traveling long term. While I personally don’t usually feel a pressing need to do this, when Nathan goes off to recharge, I find that I, too, treasure this time on my own. I can shop all afternoon, go on a long, thoughtful walk, or sit around the hotel room and belt out showtunes to my heart’s content. And admittedly, singing loudly is sometimes what I need to recharge!

Balance Your Activities

The most successful relationships are those in which both people are willing to meet their partner’s needs, even if occasionally that means their own play second fiddle. Though Nathan is not as keen on constantly meeting new people or making rambunctious travel Snapchat videos with me (psst! follow us at twodrifters) he will do these things. Why? Because he loves me. While at times we may spend an afternoon or several hours on our own, mostly, we like to be together. Everything is more fun and more memorable when it is shared with our fellow drifter. So, now and then, we choose to give of ourselves for the other person’s happiness. In long-term love, it’s just what you do.
Since Nathan does it for me, I repay the favor. We ensure that our travel plans are pleasing to both of us. Fortunately, a lot of our interests are very similar, so we have plenty of activities we both want to pursue, but when our interests or preferences diverge, we make sure to include each of them in our trip.

Have a Code Word

It’s all about balance. As the extravert in this couple, I know I have to remain attentive to how Nathan feels (although the real responsibility for that lies with him). If we are out and about or socializing heavily with new people, we have a code word we’ve agreed upon that lets me know Nathan is fading fast. Introverts can only give so much, and though our lively conversations may be invigorating to me, they may be stealing every shred of energy from him. When the code word is spoken, we know it is time to wrap it up. This may mean we bid goodnight and head back home together, or it might mean Nathan excuses himself and lets me spend some more time socializing with friends. Either solution is great, and ensures we both get what we want and need.

Have Fun YOUR Way

As an introvert, Nathan says he often feels a certain pressure to be more social or to want to be outgoing. These pressures can increase when a person is traveling. You feel pushed to “take advantage” of every possible activity and meet every other traveler. Isn’t that what travelers are supposed to do? But most of the time, that isn’t what Nathan naturally craves, and sometimes, forced social situations, or moving fast to see every single site ends up as nothing but stress. You know what? He’s had to come to terms with the fact that that is okay. We are all unique and different and though he’d prefer to read in a coffee shop than party in a crowded pub or beat the crowds to the Trevi Fountain, that decision is completely normal and acceptable. And extravert or not, I am generally on the same page. Couches, lattes, and books are our jam.

Consider Accommodation Carefully

As we get older (cough cough, 30’s) we know we’ll stay in hostel dorm rooms less and less. When we were younger and single, dorms were fine. In fact, with a low budget they were ideal. But now we know we crave privacy as a couple, and would rather shell out a bit more cash to have the comfort and sanity of our own private room. Knowing that Nathan is an introvert, I can’t imagine how he handled those crowded, noisy dorm rooms in the past. A moment alone is impossible to obtain in those situations. If you are an introvert, consider springing for a single room if you’re on your own, or try to opt for the smallest possible dorm. Both solo and as a couple, knowing and meeting your needs starts to come first where travel is concerned. Saving a few pennies is not worth your happiness.

Most Importantly, Communicate

Nearly every relationship issue can be solved by simple, ongoing communication. How will your partner know what you need if you don’t tell them? Even now, as well as I know Nathan, he has to let me know when he’s yearning for alone time. And if I’m having a rough day and need to vent and cuddle, Nathan doesn’t automatically know this. I just have to ask.

Keeping an ongoing dialogue about our needs is what ensures we travel happily and successfully together.

And the next piece? Compromise. A mature relationship is about working together as a team. When one team member needs us, we have to roll up our sleeves and help them out. This isn’t always easy or pleasant (in fact sometimes it’s a downright pain), but if you love someone, it’s what you do.

And if you’re both committed to doing your best, when its your turn to be down and out, it’s your partner’s turn to be your solid rock. Compromise and giving when its needed will ensure that your introvert/extravert travels–and your life together–will truly go the distance.

Author Bio:

Amy is one half of Two Drifters, a couples travel blog that focuses on adventure and love. Alongside her fiance Nathan, Amy enjoys living a digital nomad lifestyle, working from home, and journeying wherever the wind takes them.

Follow their journey on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, Pinterest & Snapchat

There is a lot of fear floating around the world these days. Each time I turn on the news, there are images of destruction and unrest all around the world. It’s no wonder people are fearful of travel. When all you see are countries in turmoil, you want to hold up in your own little corner and wait for things to settle down. But if you hold onto that fear of travel, you’ll be missing out.

fear of travel

Recently we spent some time with my parents in Florida. Mom and dad had 24 hour news stations going on whenever we were in the house. It was a barrage of constant negativity and destruction. They could filter it out and not let it affect them, but I felt depressed just watching it. When we told them our next stop after Florida was Dubai, my dad’s question was, Is it safe? As I read Rick Steves latest Op-Ed for the Los Angeles Times entitled Tune out Cable News and Turn Away Fear, I thought of my dad’s question. Rick Steves first line states “I miss the days when people would say “Bon voyage” to travelers heading off. Today, Americans instead say “Travel safely.”

Fight the Fear of Travel

You don’t have to fear travel.

Dave and I have travelled the globe for 15 years. We’ve been to 105 countries, and in that time we’ve travelled through many places that people are afraid of. Places like Sudan. We visited Sri Lanka during an election following a 30 year civil war and we were in Myanmar during the reign of the military junta. I don’t think we ever had anyone say “be safe”, or ask us” is it safe to go there” more than we have these past few years. But does a riot in Baltimore stop you from traveling to New York or LA? Of course not.

If I went by the images on my TV set, I’d never travel to the United States. Last year there were shootings at Canada’s national parliament. The images on the news were terrifying, but that hasn’t stopped people from visiting our country. So why do so many people decide not to travel abroad when something happens elsewhere?

Enjoy our: 6 Tips to Help you Face Your Fears

A Warm welcome in Sudan

We have always believed that travel breaks down barriers and opens people’s minds. That is why when we saw TripIt’s latest interview with Rick Steves talking about the fear of travel we were excited to share it. Rick Steves is a travel icon. He has been traveling through Europe for more than 30 years and has seen it all.

When we first travelled to Paris in 1998, we watched his videos on VHS to get an idea of what to see and do. He says, “It is really no more dangerous now than it was before.” And we agree. Sadly, human nature hasn’t changed. There has been violence and corruption since the dawn of time and I don’t see anything changing any time soon. However, through our travels, we have seen and learned that the majority of people in the world are kind and good.

Read: Inspirational People we’ve met during our travels

Rick Steves Discusses the Fear of Travel with TripIt

Now don’t get me wrong, Dave and I don’t go looking for trouble when traveling and we aren’t saying you should travel to unsafe places. We avoid places that have unrest or are in the middle of a military hotspot. We didn’t know elections were going on when we booked our flight to Sri Lanka, and when cycling through Africa, we made sure to steer clear of the Western side of the country and Darfur. As it turned out Myanmar, Sudan and Sri Lanka are the three countries that touched our hearts the most. The people were friendly and welcoming. They loved to talk to us and they made us feel safe. We aren’t saying to seek out areas of unrest, but we are saying, don’t let the images flashing through your TV screen scare you off leaving your house.

Need help overcoming your fear of travel? Read Gise and Andy’s Post: Top 10 Fears of Becoming a Traveler

What is Fear?

Travel helps educate us.

Fear is the unknown. Get out there and educate yourself and learn about other cultures and religions and you’ll see that we are all more similar than you think. Rick Steves says, “The flip side of fear is understanding, and we gain understanding when we travel.”

We’re not talking about travel to Disneyland. It was a sad statistic when Steves said that the only guidebooks that outsell his are the guide books to Disneyland. Is that what people think travel is? I like Disney, but wouldn’t you rather do something real than fabricated? I have had people talk to me about the international food they ate at Epcot Center like they were actually visiting Italy. It’s not the same people. Rick Steves is a little more eloquent than I am and simply says, “Maybe branch out a little bit.” After four or five trips to Orlando, maybe you could consider somewhere else like Portugal. That’s excellent advice.

Enjoy: Freedom to Travel, Never Take it for Granted

Smiling book sellers in Yangon, Myanmar.

Dave and I have been to Disneyland, Epcot, and Universal. We enjoy them for what they are, they are play time and they’re not real. We forget about them once we leave and the fun is over. Travel stays with us for years to come. We have never learned so much as we have during our travels. I think we are better people because of it. Travel is the best education. You can read all you want in a text book or look at photographs and research online, but until you visit a place and experience the sights, the smells and the sounds, you won’t understand it.

Enjoy: How to Make Your Travels Meaningful

Travel to Places People don’t Understand

Hanging out with locals in the Sudanese desert.

Many people worry about Iran, but we have only heard incredible things about the people there and it’s been high on our list of places to visit for some time. But looking at the news, one would never consider a visit to Iran. We were happy to hear that Rick Steves visited Tehran and talked about how he was nervous to bring his big camera. He didn’t know how the public would react to an American video crew. It turned out, he has never encountered such friendly people anywhere. This is a man that has been everywhere.

So the message is, don’t let your fears stop you from traveling. It’s a big world out there filled with beautiful people. Isn’t it time we started celebrating the diversity of the world rather than fearing it?

Traveling has never been easier and TripIt wants to help you make your travels easier. Visit www.tripit.com/pro and use promo code “Rick Steves” for 30 days free, plus 20% off a year of TripIt Pro.
*Offer valid for first-time Pro users only. Promotion applies only to purchases made on the TripIt website and is valid for a one year subscbription to TripIt Pro. After one year, the subscription price will be the regular

Tuesday, December 22, 2015