Canada's Adventure Couple

You’ve found your Purpose, Don’t let it Consume You
Coasteering in Wales – Your Weekend Travel Video Break
Sziget Festival – Everything you Need to Know to Enjoy the Party
A Winter Wonderland in Banff Lake Louise
Coasteering, It’s Not as Scary as you Think
CN Tower Edgewalk – Taking on The World’s Highest Sky Walk
Top 10 Things To See and Do in Wisconsin
Moroccan Cuisine – Foods to Try and How to Eat Them
8 Things That Can Make or Break Your Hiking Adventure
Travel Blog Gold! Honored to win Two Years in a Row
10 Expert Tips to Ease the Stress of Holiday Travel
What My Kids Learned from Living in the Dominican Republic

You’ve found your Purpose, Don’t let it Consume You

Posted: 16 Nov 2015 02:00 AM PST

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

It's been 7 years since Dave and I started ThePlanetD and it's been the most exciting and fulfilling time of our lives. We found our purpose, we reached our goal of working and traveling together, and we turned something we loved into a full time career. But just because you found your purpose, you shouldn’t let it consume you.

Find your Purpose

This is our job!

When we partnered with Abbott to help them fulfill their mission of asking 1 million people around the world what living fully means to them, we took a long hard look at our own lives. We are living a fulfilled life, but it is always a work in progress.

Turn Your Passion into your Career

Our love for Travel Turned into a Successful Career

When we turned our passion of travel and adventure into a career, we thought that everything in our lives would magically fall into place. We were making money at a job we loved, we spent every day with the one we loved, and we were constantly inspired to try new things and push ourselves outside our comfort zone.

Dave punches through Ice – Pushing our Limits in the Arctic Watershed

But after a couple of years of living the dream we learned that old habits die-hard.

We have a tendency to be workaholics and when work consists of travel and adventure, it can easily consume every aspect of your life. We soon found that once again we spent every single day working.

Without knowing it, we fell into the pattern of working too hard and neglecting our health and relationship all over again. Even though we were together every day, we felt separate because we were both glued to our computers frantically meeting deadlines, editing photos and videos, and constantly trying to catch up on work. Even when we were doing adventures, we found that we weren't enjoying them because we were too busy documenting the experience.

It was last year that we started to realize that things had to change or we'd be right back in the rut we were in near the end of our film careers.

We Learned Your Purpose Shouldn’t Consume You

Life has a funny way of giving you a sign when it wants things to change. We were finishing up the last of our travels for the year and had every intention of slowing down after a frantic first half of 2014. We only had a few more months before we were going to take a much needed break from travel to focus on getting back in shape, spending quality time with each other, and taking on less work so that we could enjoy our travels and focus on creating a better website.

Wanting to slow down

A Wake Up Call

It seemed that Mother Nature had different plans and while on an Amazon Cruise, she forced us to slow down sooner than expected. Dave fell and broke two vertebrae in his back and had to be air lifted out of the Amazon and eventually air ambulanced back to Canada to recover. His recovery took 4 months, but we looked at this as an opportunity to refocus on the important things in our life.

Since his accident, we've started a new chapter in our lives. We have learned to balance travel with other interests and relaxation because we decided that we had to make sure that no one thing should ever consume our lives.

Last month when Abbott asked us how we learned to live a full life, we felt confident with our answer. Last year we may not have been so confident because we were needlessly stressed and tired. But because we took a step back and re-examined our lives, we now feel that we are living life fully.

Enjoying the quieter moments in life

This is Your Life

Take the Quiz and see how others around the world are living life fully

Take the Abbott Quiz

It's easy to put 110% of yourself into something when you’ve finally found your purpose. It's easy to put friends and family on the backburner when you are working on an exciting project but it is important to make sure that you live a well-rounded life.

To us, living fully is not only about finding the job you love, but having people in your life to share the good times and the bad. It's about having your health and endless energy to wake up each day because you are excited about what lies ahead.

Dave’s jumping for joy!

A full life is a balanced life. We've been talking a lot about balance this year because it's very important to us. Just because we found our purspose, it doesn't mean that we are one-dimensional. It's important to us to have stillness to appreciate the life we are living. If you live each day in high gear, you eventually burn out: no matter how much fun you are having.

So we have are making our declaration to continue to pursue balance and stability in our lives. It is our mission to encourage people to follow their dreams, but to make sure they don't lose themselves when doing so. Take it from us, it's a great thing to follow your dream and still have time to smell the roses.

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.

Coasteering with Preseliventure

Coasteering in Wales

I like that definition. We went coasteering with Preseliventure, and that is exactly how our guide Rob described it to us. I was worried about jumping off big cliffs and getting swept out to sea, but he assured me that Coasteering is what you make it. you don’t have to jump of 9 metre high cliffs. You don’t have to swim into churning waters of scary looking caves. You don’t have to do anything if you are not comfortable with it. But once you try coasteering, you’ll find that when you are out on the water, you are braver than you think!

Check out our Video: Coasteering in Wales!

If you liked our coasteering in Wales video: Subscribe to our YouTube Channel for weekly travel videos

Coasteering in Wales was surprising. I can honestly admit I was intimidated and worried about tackling this adventure, but it ended up being fun, exhilarating and just enough of a challenge to put me out of my comfort zone. Dave and I have always believed that travel should involve stepping out of your comfort zone. You don’t grow if you don’t try new things. So if you are like me and one of those people saying, “Oh I’ll never try that” think again. If I could get in the water, anyone can. Honestly. Cold water is not my thing and I am a bit terrified every time I get in the ocean. But with each new adventure, my fear eases bit more each time. The next time we try coasteering, I’m going to be fearless!

Preseliventure is located in Pembrokeshire, Wales and they offer everything from sea kayaking adventures, surfing and of course Coasteering in Wales. You can drive to the eco-lodge or take the train and they will pick you up. Coasteering with guide is starts at €45.

Our coasteering in Wales adventure was courtesy of Wales tourism and Visit Britain, find out more about travel to Wales at Visit Wales

How to Enjoy the Sziget Festival

The festival is best experienced while camping, that said, staying at a Hostel/Hotel gives you the luxury of going back to a clean toilet and a warm shower. It is a trade-off between comfort and deeper festival experience, I have been to the festival two times, staying in a Hostel and Camping the other time. I stayed for all the 7 days on both the occasions, Yes! it’s worth it.

Camp Unknown: The Camp which I was a part of, during my time at Sziget.

Enjoy festivals? Check Out: Summerfest – The World’s Largest Music Festival You’ve Never Heard of

Staying outside the Sziget Festival

Budapest and it’s Danube river

While staying outside the festival, I spent most of my days exploring Budapest, eating food from the city and heading over to the festival around sometime in the afternoon. Budapest is an exciting and happening destination on its own and there is a lot of things to do, especially the Parliament, the Ruin pubs, the magnificent architecture and the natural thermal spring baths. During that visit, I loved the city so much that I skipped the festival for a couple of days and just enjoyed the city, which also has a great nightlife.

One of the Ruin pubs with bizarre ambience – Szimpla kert

Camping at the festival

During the second visit, camping on the island turned out to be a richer experience, but also a much more difficult one. You are given a Sziget passport when you enter the festival and you have all kinds of activities to participate in, where you earn a stamp as you visit a particular area of the Island or perform a certain task (Felt a lot like playing Pokemon again!). I realized that I could not get all the stamps on my passport even after 7 days, and saw another side of the festival which did not really make me miss the already amazing Budapest City.

After becoming an Official Szitizen of Sziget.

The Camping days usually begins with me waking up due to the people talking around my tent, and the adventure begins, we camped closer to the main stage and there were quite a lot of mechanised toilets, which were cleaned regularly. They also had charger plugs for trimmers, which were mostly used to charge phones by ‘Szitizens’. The biggest struggle is taking a shower, as the queues can be quite long and this whole process of getting ready takes about an hour, though the showers are pretty good and some do have warm water facilities. The next part of the day is usually finding your friends or going alone to explore the Island, the island is quite big and get tricky to follow the map. There are a lot of campers who prefer to sleep or just chill around their tents, let’s say I wanted to experience more of the Island.

The Sziget Beach

The Sziget Beach was calm and soothing.

This is a hidden treasure on the island, I managed to visit it only once during my first visit, but I was there almost every day during my second. It offers beautiful views, Shisha (Water pipe), non-alcoholic drinks, mats and pillows for sleeping and free yoga classes and massages everyday. This place also turned out into a haven for people this year, as it touched forty degrees in Budapest during the Sziget festival and many preferred sleeping here by the beach. You could find me lying here on most days doing nothing but sipping my Chai.

The Labyrinth

The Labyrinth – A place that tries to get your questions answered spiritually, eh, not so much.

You are supposed to enter this place with a question in mind and you are asked to perform a few activities and answer some questions to exit the lab with a clarity over the question in your mind. It was an interesting experience for me, I got more questions than answers by the end of the visit.

Read: The Top 3 Sizzling Open Air Festivals in Prague

The Foam Party

Wonderful addition at Sziget 2015 – The Foam arena.

This is one of the new additions of Sziget – 2015, and it was a pool filled with foam and dancing music. With foam being poured over from the top every fifteen minutes, it was a place I often visited. It was the place to be, as it was also a perfect alternative to one of those long queued showers on the island.

The Street acts and Circus

Cirque du Sziget – Full of mesmerizing acts.

Streets acts are to be found everywhere, from dances to magic tricks, you just need to keep your eyes open on this island. The Circus brings in some international talents from around the world to show some really cool acts. There is also a street theatre, which I could not make in time, but it seemed pretty cool, there is a lot of non music artists who are involved in this mainstream Music festival, which makes it very different from the conventional festivals.

If you like Sziget Festival, you’ll enjoy Montreal – A City of Festivals

The Ability Park and LGBT Center

Trying to play Football, blindfolded.

These two places makes Sziget a friendly festival. At the Ability Park, Szitizens go through activities like Blindfold walking, using a wheelchair to play basketball and other activities to better understand the life of a differently able person and experience what it’s like. The place gave me a better perspective about the differently able and I just felt a lot more grateful for life. The LGBT center aka Magic mirror has regular sessions talking about LGBT issues and has acts performed by the community.

For more on Ability Travel Read: Unlimited Freedom – Travel in a Wheelchair

Two of my friends from Camp Unknown got married at the Sziget wedding tent. Nope, it was not Official.

Among other numerous activities like Bungee jumping and The Giant wheel, there is a lot of artwork around designed by local artists and architects. You can basically do everything from yoga to play table tennis or solve some rubik’s cube. Besides these, there are crowd themed Color, Confetti, Bubble and Balloon parties that happen everyday on the Main stage.

Sziget Festival looks fun to you? Enjoy – 3 Awesome Asian Festivals

My Entourage at the festival after the Color Party.

The good bands usually play as the evening begins to kick in, so after a long day of exploring, we usually head off to the music stages to experience the big bands live. Last year had a great line up, with Blink 182, Queens of the Stone Age, Skrillex, Stromae and Macklemore & Ryan Lewis being my favorites.

Classic Sziget in the night.

This year, I was in more for the experience than the lineup, though there were some really cool performances from Robbie Williams, Avicci, Kings of Leon and Alt-J. One beer cost about 2 euros in the festival, it’s about the same for a cold coffee as well, It's pretty decent for a festival. Many prefer going to the supermarket close-by called ‘Auchan’ to get a cheaper meal or to buy some water, you can bring it into the festival. Auchan also sells some cheap tents, you could buy one of these, if you just want a tent for 7 days.

The Weather and struggles

Water sprayed into the crowd to keep the heat down.

It was burning for most of the days, and it was super dusty in the island. There were a lot of people coughing, it was quite difficult to breathe properly at a point, but I guess it’s part of the experience. I would suggest bringing a mask along, which can be really helpful. It rained quite intensively on the last night of the festival, luckily I left by then, but camping after that would have been quite a mess.

Confetti Party – Sziget 2015.

Sziget is a festival that lets you experience a high quality music festival in a completely different ambience, It offers adventure, culture and some really good music, It can be a festival that you want it to be. I met some really cool people there, the weather and the living conditions pushed me, But it was all part of an experience that I can never forget while not troubling my wallet too much.You will usually start the week with strangers and end with a family who you will want to visit again.

I got Szigeted, pretty much.

Watch My Experience at Sziget festival on Youtube here :

The Sziget Festival is held every August in Budapest and is one of the largest music and cultural festivals in Europe. For more information visit the Sziget Festival Website: A 7 Day Szitizen Prime Package costs 235€ and a 5 Days Sziget Festival Pass costs 199€

Bio:
Vishanth primarily works as a Research assistant at The University of Gent. He likes to write about his travels and life experiences in general and is the creator of vishualization.com with a goal to inspire and be inspired. His recent interests include travelling alone and volunteering with animals and children. Follow his journey at vishualization.com or via Facebook, Twitter or Instagram

Banff Lake Louise: Winter Wonderland

Beautiful Lake Louise

Our trip to Banff Lake Louise is a year in the making and we are so excited to finally make it happen. It was this time last year that we were in the final planning stages for our winter return to Banff/Lake Louise, but then Dave took a tumble in The Amazon and fractured two vertebrae in his back. We had to postpone our trip, and we are grateful for Banff and Lake Louise for their patience.

For more winter travel: See our post about the Best Winter Activities in Alberta

Banff National Park is going to be the perfect ending to 2015

Beautiful Banff National Park

I can’t wait to see Dave’s photographs of the night skies over the Rocky Mountains. There is something magical about astrophotography in the winter and I know Dave is going to capture something special.

The last time Dave photographed the night skies was in Ontario, Winter

I’m looking forward to cross-country skiing to the backcountry lodges of Skoki, Shadow Lake, or Sundance Lodge. It’s going to be a blast capturing our lack of cross-country skiing skills on video (but then again you are all used to that). This epic adventure take us 12 -14 km into the heart of Banff National Park all by the power of cross-country skiing. It is here that we will truly be able to show you the grandeur of the landscape.

The last time we went cross country skiing was in Alberta!

Love Winter travel photography? Check out Under the Veil Winter: 15 Image that Define Norther Ontario

Banff Lake Louise, For all Travel Lovers

This trip has been meticulously planned to suit not only the adventure lover, but also the lover in you!

Romance in Banff Lake Louise

A romantic skate on Lake Louise

Winter travel is becoming more popular each year. Technology is making cold weather trekking more comfortable, people are seeking more adventurous activities, and lodges and resorts are popping up in remote locations. Alberta is simply a winter wonderland.

Read: How to Pack for a Winter Vacation

Lake Louise Sleigh Ride

Something you may not know is that Banff National Park is the only National Park with an urban infrastructure. With more than 100 restaurants, and bars, hotels, and shopping, you can be in the backcountry one minute and then dining in a five-star restaurant while enjoying local wine and spirits before turning into your luxurious hotel room for the night.

Luxury Hotels like Romantic Deer Lodge

Speaking of spirits, we’re going to visit Park Distillery. It’s Banff’s first distillery. Their motto is from Glacier to Glass. Can you imagine how pure the water is that goes into that vodka! We’ll be sure to have a shot or two to let you know.

Nothing is more romantic than a winter vacation

Dave and I haven’t had a romantic getaway in quite sometime. After he took four months to recover, we had to get back on the road to fulfill some work commitments. Banff is going to give us the romance we’ve been seeking. There is nothing better than snuggling up by the fire while the snow falls outside.

See Romantic Lake Louise: The Perfect Couple’s Getaway

Snowshoeing while taking in the Rocky Mountains

Mixing up our romantic getaway with adventure is the perfect vacation for Dave and I. We have always loved pushing ourselves to the limits and then talking about the day over a candlelit dinner. Imagine the stories we’ll have after trying Heli-snowshoeing for the first time! It’s going to be magnificent and we’re going to share the entire story in real time as we go on Facebook, Snapchat (@theplanetd), Twitter and Instagram. After the trip, you’ll see it all on video and right here on the travel blog.

So, stay tuned and follow along. A winter adventure in Alberta is like nowhere else. For more information on travel to the Rockies, visit BanffLakeLouise.com

Have you dreamed of traveling to the Rocky Mountains in Alberta?

What is Coasteering?

Loving Coasteering in Wales

Coasteering was invented in Wales and we decided that if we were ever going to give it a try, it would be here. Wales is fast becoming the adventure capital of Europe. People here love to try quirky and zany things and coasteering is definitely at the top of that list. We were told that it was invented by cold water surfers who were looking for an alternative to surfing when Wales coastal conditions weren’t ideal. They still wanted to be able to get in the water and play, but they also wanted the challenge that surfing offered. Coasteering fit the bill and it has grown in popularity over the years.

Love adventures like Coasteering? Check out our adrenaline junkie page

Coasteering is all about getting in the water and having fun.

Preseliventures was one of the first (if not the first) outfitters to offer coasteering tours. Our guide Rob told us that Coasteering could be as extreme or as tame as you want it to be. Contrary to popular belief, it’s simply a traverse along shore and an excellent way to explore the coast. Once Rob put it that way, I relaxed. If I felt like jumping later, I could, if not, no worries.

Rob was such a great guide and made us feel comfortable.

The jumping is the popular part for marketing, but it’s only one small aspect of Coasteering. Coasteering is actually more about exploring and traversing than simply jumping from big rocks. There are caves, wildlife, rocks and islands to explore. So to put it plainly, coasteering is for everyone. Not just adrenaline junkie thrill seekers. Although if you are one of those, you won’t be disappointed.

Preseliventure Coasteering

We met Rob and owner Sophie at the Preseliventure Eco-Resort to suit up for our afternoon in the waves. The lodge is the perfect getaway for nature lovers and they even offer pick up from the train station. You can leave London in the morning and be on the coast of Wales in mere hours! There are several rooms where couples, families and groups can book accommodation and meals and drinks are available at the lodge.

Coasteering: The Essential Gear

When coasteering, you need to have a good pair of rubber-soled trainers that you don’t mind getting wet (or they have a few on hand that you can borrow if you are in a pickle) and they supply wetsuits, helmets, pdfs, and booties.

Once we were suited up and thoroughly looking like the Pillsbury Doughboy, we hopped in the van for the 5-minute drive to the coast.

Coasteering is all about fashion!

My heart was pounding as we walked along the shore to our jumping in point. I was trying to act confident, but Dave told me my face was white as a ghost. Coasteering was something I have avoided for much of my travel life. There is something about being swept out to sea that utterly terrifies me. But Rob had a calming way about him that made me feel confident and ready for the challenge.

I think Dave’s face says it all…The water was cold!

He and Dave got in the water first and I could tell by their reactions, it was cold. I followed Rob’s advice and bit the bullet and just jumped right in. It took my breath away and I could feel my chest squeezing shut as the cold water flowed into my wetsuit. It took a few minutes, but once the water warms against your skin, it’s all-good. And soon my breathing was back to normal.

See Dave and Deb take on the Polar Plunge in Antarctica

Hurricane Joaquin

Coasteering at the end of a Hurricane!

Leave it to us to go Coasteering during the tail end of a hurricane.

As we swam to the first set of cliffs, Rob said the ocean was quite rough as Wales was experiencing the remnants of Hurricane Joaquin. Great, just what I needed rough seas. But as we learned, it really doesn’t matter what the weather is like, Coasteering can easily be modified to suit the day. Lucky for us, we wouldn’t be able to go out to the high cliffs that Orlando and Aline jumped off of because the water was too rough to swim through to get there. Aw, too bad so sad. I shed my single tear and happily went on with our day knowing that I wouldn’t have to face the choice of jumping from high sea cliffs. It all turned out in the end!

So, we spent our time playing in some waves feeling what it was like to be in a washing machine. Dave was far braver than me and loved every minute of it. He’s a Pisces and was made for the water, so with each crash, wave, jump or churn, he was gung ho with full force.

Check out the Polarbear Plunge in the Arctic

After playing around on the shore for a while, Rob suggested we cross the channel to check out the views from the nearby island. Sea lions played in the water and watched intently as we crossed. At times I almost felt that they wanted to join us.

Incredible Views of Wales

Coasteering has its rewards…Like this view!

When we got to the other side, we climbed up more cliffs and then enjoyed a leisurely walk to the top. Wales is known for its majestic coastline and this was the most beautiful view we had seen during our time there. The swim was definitely worth it as we looked out over the sea and saw an endless line of imposing sea cliffs.

See the coastal shots of Ireland’s Sea Cliffs

We fell in love with the view!

I think we spent a little too long up there, but Dave and I couldn’t stop taking photographs and video. (Full Video to come soon on YouTube) It was magnificent. And I appreciated it when our guide said, “This is what coasteering is all about. The fun in the water is one thing, but exploring the coast is the payoff.” It was truly a great payoff to a great day.

It was truly a great day Coasteering.

The weather couldn’t have been better. It was early autumn, but the sun was shining, the air was warm, and our view was endless. Who could ask for more?

We made our way back across the channel and our sea lion friend was still out there keeping an eye on us. The van was waiting for us when we got back and after changing into our warm and dry clothes Sophie asked us how it was. I was amazed to reply, I loved it and I’d do it again!

Will I go Coasteering Again?

Now that I’ve done coasteering once, I know that it’s no the big scary thing that I made it out to be in my head. I do believe that when given the chance, I may even jump off one of the high rocks into the churning sea. But that’s easy to say when I’m sitting here warm and dry at my computer. You’ll just have to follow along to see if I follow through.

Preseliventure is located in Pembrokeshire and they offer everything from sea kayaking adventures to surfing. You can drive to the eco-lodge or take the train and they will pick you up. There are multiday adventures or single day activities and an afternoon of coasteering with guide is a very affordable €45.

So what are you waiting for? Want to try a brag worthy adventure? Coasteering is for you!

CN Tower EdgeWalk

We met at the base of the world’s third highest tower for our safety briefing. My mom was a nervous wreck thinking about all of us going outside up in the air, but she was able to watch us get ready from behind the glass wall. And once we were outside, there are cameras that broadcast the skywalk to videos in the CN Tower Observation deck.

The 3 Muskateers taking on the EdgeWalk

After signing our waivers and watching the video of the previous group, we left mom and started to suit up for our adventure ahead.

Read about the Calgary Tower

Dad signing his life away

We all changed into our red jumpsuits and took off anythings that could possibly fall off our bodies.

Dad and Dave in their EdgeWalk Jump Suits

There’s no jewelry (even wedding rings need to be taped) no hairpins or combs and no cameras allowed. Your guide wears a camera on his helmet and shoots photos and videos of the adventure so you are free to enjoy each and every moment of your time over Toronto.

Hands Free

After checking to make sure we hadn’t been drinking, doing a final check of our harnesses and signing our lives away on the waiver form, we were on the elevator climbing to the 116 floor of the 147 story structure.

Feeling confident after a few tests of the nerves

I felt nervous of how I’d react standing on the edge of the steel platform looking down on the city below. I’d seen photographs of people leaning over the edge and I wasn’t sure if I’d like it or not. Dad on the other hand, was cool as a cucumber.

Like doing things like the CN Tower EdgeWalk? Check out our Adrenaline Junkie adventures

Dad is cool as a cucumber on the EdgeWalk

Dave had broken his pinky toe that morning (I’m not joking!) and was worried about doing the walk, but he sucked up the pain and was thrilled that he didn’t drop out. It’s an adventure of a lifetime that you don’t want to miss!

Dave is happy he came!

Check out the Video of our CN Tower EdgeWalk

Like the CN Tower EdgeWalk Video? Subscribe to our YouTube channel for weekly travel videos

We all walked out single file and our guide made Dave the anchor man at the back of the pack. Walking out was no problem at all, and we all hoot and hollered once we were standing in a line looking over Lake Ontario. Everything was fine as we got used to settling into our harnesses and feeling the wind in our faces. But I’m not going to lie, when we had to do our first nerve test, I felt a bit shaky.

The View of the Rogers Centre Below

All we had to do was walk to the edge and put our toes over the side, but my knees felt a bit weak as I shuffled closer to the side of the CN Tower. I had to chuckle when I think back to how slow everyone in our group of 5 walked to the ledge. You could see everyone’s minds saying “this isn’t normal”

Check out: The Best Adventures in New Zealand for Thrill Seekers

But the adventure around the 360 degree walk builds slowly and you are tested to try different maneuvers. The toes over the edge eventually moves to a lean over the edge and a pop up onto your tip toes. Soon you are leaning backwards and waving your hands in the air and feeling completely confident at you dangle 356 m / 1,168 ft in the air.

Hey Adrenaline Junkies: Read: Top 5 Thill Seeking Things to do Around the World

Our Group is feeling pretty comfortable!

The 30 minutes outside is well worth the $195 fee. The time outside is the perfect amount to view the city below and it’s enough time to settle your nerves so that you can really enjoy yourself high up in the sky. I wasn’t wishing for more or less time. As Goldie Locks would say, “it was just right.

Dad and Deb celebrating accomplishing the EdgeWalk

As we all stepped out of the elevator, we felt like heroes as the crowd below said to us, “Did you do that?” Yep, we’re a bunch of brave souls facing our fears dangling over the edge of the world’s highest skywalk. The fun didn’t stop there either. With your EdgeWalk pass you also given access to the Lookout, Glass Floor, SkyPod and other attractions.

Enjoying the view from inside after our EdgeWalk

Book yourself a meal at the revolving restaurant, and you could spend the entire day at what was once the tallest structure in the entire world while having an adventure that you can brag to your friends about for years to come.

Congratulations to my dad, Jim Corbeil for surviving his first adventure with ThePlanetD. He made it look so easy and is ready for more. He told us afterwards, he’s ready for skydiving!

Dad conquering the EdgeWalk

The EdgeWalk goes all year long (weather permitting) and should be booked at least a couple of days in advance. The cost is $195 CAD for the 90 minute experience. (30 minutes is spent outside) The cost also includes access to the Observation Deck, SkyPod, Glass Floor and attractions. For more information visit the CN Tower for Details.

10 Things to do in Wisconsin

10. Learn Magic Tricks from Houdini

Appleton, Wisconsin, is such a welcoming city that Harry Houdini adopted it as his own–even though he was really born in Budapest, Hungary. So, it’s no surprise that the city returned the favor by honoring Houdini with exhibits covering his life and magic tricks. The collection is housed in the History Museum at the Castle, a fascinating rough hewn stone building of Norman Revival architecture originally built as a Masonic temple. The best thing about the Appleton’s Houdini room is that it’s interactive, so you can give your own magic shows. Me, I levitated a table (with a little help from magic).

Glass fusing project

9. DIY Art at the Fire Art Studio

I love do-it-yourself, or DIY, home improvement t.v. shows, but I’d never heard of a DIY art studio before visiting The Fire Art Studio in Appleton. What happens at a DIY studio? Well, anybody can walk in off the street during business hours (Closed Mondays; open until 8 every other night but Sunday) and create their own masterpiece–with a little help, of course. After all, I knew absolutely nothing about glass fusing before selecting it from my list of options (pottery, mosaics, and more). The glass fusing was a hands-on experience with owner, Freddie Haas, there to guide me. From showing me how to safely use the tools to cut the glass, to tips on gluing the colored bits into a pattern, to “cooking” my work in the super-hot kiln and mailing it to me a week later, Freddie was an awesome teacher.

Orchard Country

8. Try Out the Cherry Pit Spit With Cherries I Picked

Okay, so this one sounds more like a tongue twister than something you can do on vacation, but it was a lot of fun! Picking the famous Montmorency tart cherries at Orchard Country Winery and Market in Fish Creek was a great introduction to all that Door County has to offer during its summer cherry season. Equipped with a pail and enthusiasm, my morning in the orchard showed me why agritourism is gaining so much popularity. Then, of course, there was the market visit with all the tastings from salsa to fresh baked cherry pie to the Lautenbach family’s Cherry Blossom wine. And if you’re wondering, nope, I didn’t win the cherry pit spit!

Goats on the Roof

7. Watch Goats on the Roof

Along with a thriving cherry industry, Door County has a strong Scandinavian heritage that’s celebrated with everything from food to summer events, like the Scandinavian Festival weekend on Washington Island or the Fyr Bal Festival in Ephraim. Visitors flock to Al Johnson’s Swedish Restaurant and Butik in Sister Bay for its great traditional food–and the opportunity to see their goats grazing on the sod roof of the restaurant. As they’re quick to tell you, the goats just graze up top during the day, but spend their nights on the ground, and their winters elsewhere too.

Rowleys Bay Resort

6. Dine at a Traditional Fish Boil

I don’t know about you, but I’d never heard of a fish boil until I visited Wisconsin’s Door County. There, I learned a lot about this traditional Scandinavian meal–along with the history of Sturgeon Bay–from a local storyteller masquerading as Peter Rowley, a curmudgeon who’d lived in the area in the mid-1800s.

As Peter spins his tales, he gradually adds the ingredients for Rowley Bay Resort’s first dinner sitting (the resort does two per evening). Onions are first into the large cast iron pot of water simmering over the open fire. Peter tosses in red potatoes next, and finally, chunks of white fish. The real excitement, though, comes when the oils from the boiling fish are burned off. Peter does this by pouring kerosene over the fire–not into the pot–and letting flames engulf it! Within minutes, all the fish oils floating on top of the pot boil over from the excess heat, doing a much better job than I ever have on my kitchen stove!

Then, when the entertainment is done, guests all eat dinner. In addition to the fish boil, Rowleys Bay Resort provides a buffet with additional items on the menu. And the fish? Well, it was surprisingly tasty!

General Store

5. Hike High Cliff Park and Visit the Historic General Store

When I plan an itinerary, it has to have opportunities for exercise and discovering local history–High Cliff State Park has both. The park is situated on Lake Winnebago, Wisconsin’s largest inland lake. It wasn’t, however, always a park, but was once a small thriving “company town” built around a limestone quarry that operated from 1895 to 1956. For me, the most fascinating part of my visit was talking to Cindy Muller, the park naturalist whose grandparents had lived in town. I thoroughly enjoyed her guided tour of the historic general store brick building, hearing stories about the original fixtures and artifacts. The hike was scenic and a moderate workout, with lots of views of the limestone cliffs and the lake, the Indian mounds, ruins of the old quarry, and a climb to the top of the 40 foot observation tower.

Giant muskie

4. Meet a Giant Muskie 4.5 Stories High

The giant muskie at the Fresh Water Fishing Hall of Fame & Museum isn’t from a dinosaur era, but it sure looks like it could be. Made of fiberglass, concrete and steel, it’s a giant that dominates the park–although there are plenty of other larger-than-life fish statues to see on the grounds too. I found the whole complex impressive, much more than I’d ever anticipated seeing at a fishing museum. In fact, it has over 50,000 sportfishing artifacts, 300 mounted fish, and 1000+ boat motors.

Log rolling

3. Roll Logs Like a Lumberjack

Lumbering is hard work–but it’s also a traditional skill that’s alive and well in Hayward. I found Fred Scheer’s Lumberjack Show not only great entertainment with its humorous cast of young lumberjacks, but also a fascinating recreation of history. It’s always amazing to me when a sport grows out of an industry, especially one that has changed dramatically with technology, creating a way to keep generations of skills still relevant. With Wisconsin’s long history of lumbering, it’s no wonder that Hayward also became home to the Lumberjack World Championships. If you have log rolling somewhere back in your own family’s genetics, you can always join one of the weekly open log rolls to try your skills. For me, it’s all about the size of the splash I make when I fall, not how many turns the log will make!

Beer Factory

2. Visit a Beer Factory

Like log rolling, beer making is another traditional skill that’s making its way back into popularity in Wisconsin. There are numerous microbreweries popping up all over the state, but my favorite was the Appleton Beer Factory. Visiting the Beer Factory puts you right in the middle of the business, since the huge “beer train” of shiny vats is in the beer hall where the tasting also happens. The owners, Ben and Mairi Fogle, run a 20 barrel system with seven staple beers ranging from blonde ale to oatmeal stout. I found the black ale, a malt roasted to near charcoal, had an amazing taste with a surprisingly smooth flavor. Besides sampling the beer there, you can also have a meal, and what goes better with beer than pickled eggs with tabasco (I enjoyed a crock of Reuben chowder too)!

Kayak Lake Michigan

1. Kayak to Horseshoe Island

Kayaking is one of those sports I find more exciting with every new lake or river I try. Peninsula State Park, on Lake Michigan, provided me with the perfect opportunity to pretend I was an explorer with a one-mile paddle out to Horseshoe Island and a one-mile hike along a rustic path onshore. A friend, Mirei, and I picked up our kayaks at Nicolet Beach Rentals, then set out across the bay. I’d mostly done river kayaking before, so the wide–and deep–expanse of water seemed like an ocean to me, but I was up to the challenge. And so was Mirei, who I captured with both arms raised to celebrate her first ever paddling adventure! We both agreed it was a perfect way to spend a Wisconsin afternoon.

Divine Moroccan Cuisine: A Cooking Course in Marrakech

We spent an afternoon preparing and cooking an incredible multi-course meal at Riad El Cadi in Marrakech. When we arrived they had tea and appetizers waiting for us. The appetizers consist of fresh nuts, olives and tea.

Love Moroccan Food? Check out a Local’s Guide to Marrakech

Dave enjoying the Moroccan Cuisine

Once we settled in, we got down to business and spent the afternoon learning about and cooking Moroccan Cuisine. Our night ended with a candlelight feast. We could tell you all about our day, but instead, why don’t we show you! It was one of the best afternoons we had in Marrakech. If you go, make sure you book a cooking class of your own.

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Read more about our cooking class at Moroccan Cuisine: A Feast for the Senses

The Best Moroccan Foods you must try

Ingredients for a Moroccan Meal

When eating Moroccan Cuisine, be sure to use your right hand. Often times you’ll be scooping up dips, stews, and salads with fresh bread. Some of the cheapest eats are on the streets, so be sure to go to the market or enjoy a kebab at a street side stall. My recommendation is to look for a spot filled with locals and join in. Moroccans are friendly people and they’ll be happy to help you out if you look confused. I never shy away from asking, what’s good?

Moroccan Cuisine – What to Eat and How to do it

To help you decide what dishes to start with when you do sit down at a restaurant, here are some must try Moroccan food dishes to get you started.

Tagine

Deb shows off a Chicken Tagine before it hits the oven

Tagine is probably the most popular entre you’ll order in Morocco and it is magnificent. Tagine can either be chicken or lamb and it is a dish slow cooked in a clay pot with a myriad of vegetables, spices, and meats. The flavours infuse during cooking and everything comes out tender and delicious.

Zalouk

Eggplant Zalouk

When we prepared our Moroccan meal, our feast started with many salads. If you are vegetarian, you are going to love dining in Morocco. We had so many different salads ranging from cabbage base, carrots and even lemon and oranges to our favourite salad , eggplant (aubergine) zalouk. The eggplant is slow cooked and then puréed into a flavourful dip with garlic, spices and tomatoes.

Couscous

spices are a large part of Moroccan Cuisine

Couscous is the staple side dish in Morocco similar to rice or quinoa. However, Moroccans mix flavours in their couscous including raisins, spices and vegetables. Remember, Morocco was a part of the spice route, so when you visit the country, be prepared for meals filled with flavours like you have never had before.

Chickpea Stew

Moroccan Stews

Moroccan cuisine must be the healthiest in the world. It’s filled with endless vegetables, spices, and legumes. I love eating the array of stews with fresh bread. For the vegetarians out there, chickpeas are an excellent source of protein. Slow cooked with tomatoes and potatoes, this is the perfect dish served over couscous.

Mint Tea

Delicious Mint Tea

So it may not be Moroccan food, it is a staple in Moroccan cuisine. Morocco is a Muslim country so you won’t find a lot of alcohol (although, Westerners will be able to drink wine and beer at restaurants and riads) The mint tea of Morocco is fresh and filled with leaves. We had the best mint tea at the main market of Marrackech (Djemaa el-Fna) where they put blocks of sugar cubes on top of min leaves. Once you order a cup, they pour hot water over the ingredients melding them all together.

Harira Soup

Dining Moroccan Style

Harira Soup is a popular starter dish in Morocco, but it is often eaten at lunch on its own as it has everything you need for a well balanced meal. This tomato based soup is filled with chickpeas, lentils, vegetables and meat. Add some bread to that dish and you have yourself a hearty and filling meal.

Nuts and Olives

You’ll be able to order starters of olives at any eatery and often nuts are on the menu or easily picked up at supermarkets. Olives are usually tossed with spicy ketchup or preserved lemons. But the way we like them, is with nothing at all. Make sure to indulge in pistacios when in Morocco, they are so expensive everywhere else in the world. It’s a treat to be able to munch on them at will.

Brochettes or Kebabs

If you are looking for a quick eat, stop at a streetside stall to enjoy a kebab. These skewers of chicken, beef, or lamb are spiced to perfection. They’re quick, cheap and delicious. It’s Moroccan fast food and a kebab will tie you over between meals.

Baklava

moroccan cuisine

Baba ghanoush

Baba ghanoush has always been one of our favourite dishes, even before visiting Morocco. This eggplant based dip is mixed with onions, tomatoes and various Moroccan spices. It’s a delicious starter served with breads for dipping.

Briwat Rolls

Dave is very content after his Moroccan Meal

Briwat Rolls are layered filo pastries stuffed with sweet or savoury ingredients. They can be served as appetizers or deserts depending on what you put in them. These bite sized snacks come in different shapes like triangles, long spring rolls or squares. Speaking of desserts, make sure you try Moroccan dessert, there are plenty of delectable snacks to be had and they know how to enjoy a good sweet.

Moroccan Cuisine is some of the best in the world. If you get the chance, try to eat at a local’s house. I said it earlier, Moroccans are very friendly, so don’t be surprised if you are invited home for dinner by a friendly local. If you don’t feel comfortable eating with strangers, there are many tours that offer home cooked meals as a part of their itineraries. I suggest booking a food tour or a cooking course like the one we did at Riyad El Cadi.

Make the most of your hiking adventure

This was decades ago, and I still remember that hike as one of my worst ever. Not to get into the nitty gritty of everything we did wrong, but the trip was a disaster.

And now I am sitting here, hitting these plastic buttons so that I can get a message over to you, a novice hiker, on the DOs and DONTs of a hiking adventure.

So, let’s dig in…

1. Be diligant now so that you relax later – my list obsession

It was after that hike in the Alps that my “list obsession” started. In the years to come, before every hike, I would make a list of everything I need to do and prepare before I set foot on that trail.

I would block out the rolling eyes and the sighs of my friends, take my time and calmly put together THE LIST. I was quickly becoming known as the dull one in the group, but I didn’t mind.

I didn’t mind because I was the one who, on the trail, was able to relax, breathe in the fresh mountain air and the beauties of the trails, only occasionally interrupted by the tired voices of my friends asking me if I had a Band-Aid or an extra bottle of water.

The list soon became engraved in my brain, and I didn’t need to actually put it on paper, but it was one of the good habits that made all the difference. I was always the best-prepared person in the group.

2. Think height, not distance

hiking adventure

A common mistake amongst the newbie hikers is to judge the difficulty of the trail by its distance. What the years have thought me is that length of the trail speaks much less about the difficulty than the difference in height between the start and the finish point. You might dismiss this thought the moment you read it but before you do , ask yourself one thing – why do the signposts on the most serious trails show hiking times, not distances.

3. Start early

In my early days, hikes would often feel like a school field trip.

On holidays and weekends, the most popular trails will have people walking in squared columns. If you were ever in a situation like this, think back and try to remember what you enjoyed most about the hike.

It’s very likely that the first thing you’ll remember is the thought, “Let’s get this over with.”

4. Make sure you know how to read a Top map and use a compass

Learn how to read a compass

I know, I know, you have a GPS, and you have the signposts, but a true hiker will learn how to read a Topo map and how to use a compass. It will make your experience more pleasurable because you’ll feel more like a real adventurer and more connected to the nature surrounding you.

More importantly, it can save you from getting lost. Yes, I’ve seen it happen to people with GPSes, too.

5. The Apple Pie effect

Just before I leave for my hike, I take a minute or two in the privacy of my bedroom, sit on the floor, breathe deeply and repeat the thought, “Today, I’m not going to think about my problems.”

I’ve had this before-I-go ritual for as long as I can remember, but it’s just recently that I started calling it the Apple Pie. If you’ve seen Men in Black 3, you can probably understand what’s the idea behind the name.

You’ll agree that these days we go through our lives on autopilot. I know too many people walking the trails and talking about the stock market. That’s a wasted day and a wasted hike.

If you don’t feel calmer and have a changed perspective on your life and problems at the end of the day, you’re doing something wrong. Hiking is about getting away from the rat race.

If you are having problems with letting go and need a rational reason to do it, know that your brain is working on the solution to your problems even when you are not actively thinking about them.

If you haven’t seen Men in Black, let me explain the gist of what I’m talking about. There’s this scene where the two main characters chasing a guy who is out to destroy the planet (as they always are in these movies) take a moment to go to a diner and eat some apple pie. They talk about things completely unrelated to the problem at hand, but the solution simply comes to them through the conversation.

My point is -your body is on that trail, but your mind might still be in the office. Condition it to leave the office and follow you into the wilderness.

Prepare like a pro and expect the unexpected

hiking adventure

Aunt Hypothermia is disciplinarian like no other. Trust me, I’ve learned this the hard way.

Small tweaks to your preparation can make all the difference on the trail:

make sure you know the basics of the trail and what you might expect
think of a worst case scenario and what you might do if, God forbid, it happens
research the weather “moods” of the trail and come prepared, no matter what the weather man predicted for the day
rain gear and a hat are hiking essentials, don’t let anybody tell you otherwise

My backpack almost always includes these essentials: a headlamp, an emergency whistle, a water purifier and a firestarter (waterproof), duct tape and my trusted multi tool. Anything beyond that depends on the trail I’m taking on.

Check out: 8 tips for Safe and Comfortable Winter Trekking

Your feet are your best friend

Get the right boots

If there’s one thing that I’ve seen ruin hikes it’s not choosing right when it comes to hiking boots or shoes, whatever the trail calls for. This is especially true for a novice hiker.

Again, do your research on the trail, what kinds of terrain conditions you are facing and what the best hiking shoes, boots or sandals for the trip might be. Read reviews of hiking boots or whatever you need and choose what suits your needs best.

Your feet are one of the few priorities. You want to think about the beauty of what’s around you, not your painful blisters or cramps.

Finish like a true hiker

I have the “Apple Pie” to kick off the trip and I have a post-hike ritual to celebrate the day. It keeps that feeling of joy and achievement going long after the hike is finished.

It can be anything from a few cups of hot chocolate or beer to a plenteous dinner with your fellow hikers or family.

No matter how tired you are, when your hike is finished, and you start thinking about the post-hike, it gives you a burst of energy. If you haven’t tried it, your next hike is a chance to give it a go. It rounds up a pleasant day outdoors perfectly and brings it to a perfect closure.

At the end of the day, deep, refreshing sleep is guaranteed.

Final thoughts

I hope that this guide on getting the most out of your adventure has a little something for everybody, from a novice to an experienced hiker.

For a novice, I hope it can even serve as a reference to taking your experience to whole new level and for the more experienced ones – I’m happy if I provided small bits to think about and use to spice up your next adventure.

Safe trails

Read more from James at : Sleeping in the Cold, 5 Tips to Keep you Safe

—————————
Author Bio:

James Menta is an experienced hiker and outdoor enthusiast. He is also the Editor-in-Chief of SoleLabz.com where he reviews and rates best hiking footwear.

You can connect with James on: Twitter, Google+, Pinterest and Facebook.

Travel Blog Gold: The PlanetD

Check out the awards video! It feels like the Oscars when we watch it, and to see our names announced is beyond exciting! The Travel Blog Award is the first up so you don’t have to wait long, our category is announced at just 42 seconds in. We get a nice little cameo appearance as an interview that we shot with Garine Tcholakian for Travel and Escape is featured in the video!

The Lowell Thomas Awards are considered the most prestigious in travel journalism, and for us to be recognized as the best travel blog for 2014 and 2015 is an enormous honour. There are so many incredible travel blogs on the Internet today, and standing out amongst the crowd is becoming more difficult each year. We’ve worked hard to continue to evolve and stay relevant in a highly competitive market. Our love for travel and having the privilege of doing something we love together has kept us inspired to keep learning, developing our skills, and embracing an ever changing landscape.

It was a thrill for us to read the judges comments when the winners were announced:

A word from the judges:

“Even the world’s most remote destinations feel well within reach when reading “The PlanetD.” Readers can sense the passion of this blog’s owners in every one of their carefully crafted posts. They combine a light-hearted, conversations writing style with stunning photography to create one of the most authoritative travel blogs on eh market today. “

ThePlanetD Travel Blog

It has been a wild ride running our travel blog these past 7 years and we want to thank all our readers and followers for their support and encouragement. It has been the personal emails, private messages, and comments and tweets that have motivated us to continue to prove that ordinary people can live extraordinary lives.

Ordinary People Can Live Extraordinary Lives

If you asked us 10 years ago what we’d be doing now, we would tell you we’d still be working in the film business dreaming of retirement so that we would have the freedom to one day travel the world. It has always been our mission to inspire people to live the life they want. It took us a long time to find our calling, but we never stopped searching and we hope that you too are either living the life you want or will continue to follow your dreams.

Read: How Travel Helped us live a Full Life

Thank you to the SATW for this huge honour and thank you to Mitch Canter for helping us with our new web design this year. Last year’s website was good enough for 2014, but the Internet changes quickly, and without this new design, I don’t think we would have won two years in a row. We feel that our new website captures our personalities better than ever, it’s easier to navigate and showcases our work. We love it and we love travel blogging.

Read: Our Journey from a Travel Dream, To Professional Travel Bloggers

A big thank you to everyone that has supported us and most importantly a huge thanks to my mom and dad, Jim and Marlene Corbeil. We couldn’t have achieved so much without your support and encouragement.

Here’s to another 7 years of ThePlanetD. Who knows where the future will take us, but we can say one thing for sure, we are going to definitely enjoy the ride!

Tips to Ease Holiday Travel Stress

Take Away your Holiday Travel Stress

Our travel tips will help you east the stress of holiday travel and let you get on with what's important about the holidays. And that is enjoying the time spent with the ones you love.

Ease your holiday travel stress by also reading about how to stay healthy abroad

Use the right app like TripIt Pro

The key to having a pleasant trip is to be informed and up to date about any changes or surprises. Knowing when you are flying, where you are sitting, exactly when you can check in, or when you can choose or change your seats makes everything so much easier. The TripIt app alerts you of all flight information including delays, gate changes, and when better seats become available. Once you've given TripIt permission to access your travel information, it does the work for you letting you concentrate on what matters like, how many shoes you need to take with you.

Dave gets an update from TripIt

Arrive Early

It sounds so easy, but we see people all the time scrambling at the airport. We're frequent fliers and we still always arrive early. The more we travel, the more we realize that anything can go wrong at anytime. We've seen people standing at the parking lot complaining about waiting for the shuttle because their flight is leaving in less than an hour. All I want to say to them is "why are you here so late?" If they gave themselves the suggested 3-hours they wouldn't be stressed or worried.

We always arrive early

If you want even more convenience, utilize the valet service. We always use ParknFly (a popular airport parking lot in Canada) in Toronto (we see there is a U.S. ParknFly as well) and buy our parking online. For a low fee of $20 we upgrade to valet service getting us closer to the airport with more frequent shuttle buses. We never wait more than 5 minutes. It's worth it to us to have ease and convenience. Check with your airport parking service to see if they offer Valet upgrades.

Check in online

The TripIt app will alert you the moment you can check in, and checking in online will save you a ton of time at the airport. You can print out your boarding pass or upload it onto your phone and bypass the long lines at check-in. If you travel carryon only, you can go directly to security. If you do have luggage, many airlines now have a luggage drop-off desk for those travelers savvy enough to have already checked it. It moves faster and more efficiently than the regular checkin line.

Skip the security lane

ease the stress of holiday travel by arriving early

get through security fast to enjoy your day

There are many premium credit cards that allow you to use the fast lane. Or if you are like us and loyal to one airline, you will most likely have membership status that lets you go through a separate security lane. The regular holiday travellers will be standing in the long security lines filled with people who don't quite know all the rules thus slowing everything down. If you have the right travel credit card for your airport (ours is American Express Platinum for Toronto) you can bypass the pubic line and join the frequent fliers. Check with your credit card company to see which premium card gives you travel perks.

You can also apply for Global Entry (for Americans) or Nexus (for Canadians) and be granted access to the express security lane for frequent fliers. Believe me, every little bit of time saved adds up.

Find out How the TripIt App Makes Travel Easier

Be prepared for security

Going through security is the biggest hassle of airport travel. There are so many rules it's difficult to keep up and with each airport it changes. I am simply prepared for all situations. I keep a separate tote bag handy before going through security with my computer and liquids already separated. That way I don't have to rummage through my carryon roller looking for things. All liquids are less than 100ml and already separated in a plastic bag. When it gets to my turn, I whip out my computer and liquids, put them in the tray and then set my bag either in the bin or on the belt.

I prefer to wear slip on shoes for quick security checks and instead of asking if they need to be taken off to go through security, I just take them off anyway and put them in the bin with my sunglasses, purse, and sweater. It's just easier that way.

Once our bags go through, I put everything I had in my tote into my suitcase and conveniently roll it away.

Check out more travel tips at : 7 Steps to Stress Free Travel

Go to a lounge.

holiday travel stress made easy in a lounge

Enjoying the tranquility of the lounge

This is your holiday and time to invest a bit of cash to make your time at the airport enjoyable. Lounges aren't just for airline membership status members anymore. Anyone can pay a fee to stay in a lounge. Look for lounges that are not associated with an airline. We have Priority Pass through our credit card and have free access to more than 600 lounges around the world. If you don't have Priority Pass, you can buy a day pass. Lounge passes cost anywhere from $25-$40 and are worth every penny. There's unlimited alcohol (although we don't recommend drinking too much when flying) hot food, quiet areas, free Internet, charging stations and lounge chairs. Often times there's even a shower to freshen up between flights. While chaos is happening outside in the public part of the airport, you'll be listening to relaxing music or watching TV in a tranquil setting.

Create a Care Package for the flight

I love having everything I need at my fingertips. Before boarding the plane, I make sure to have a small tote filled with anything I may need during the flight. There is nothing worse than having to rummage through your carryon bag stuffed away in the overhead bin to search for an item you need. Instead, I have a small package containing must have items.

My care package consists of:

Headphones, eye mask, Advil, earplugs, Chapstick, small tube of moisturizer, a pen and a sweater in case I get cold. It fits conveniently under my seat and if I need anything, I can get to it easily.

Pay a extra for a Premium Seat

As a frequent flier I can attest that premium seats make all the difference. While it's difficult for people who don't have airline status (meaning you fly a lot) to get an upgrade, many flights offer premium economy seats that make your flight just a little more comfortable. The premium economy seats are located near the front of the plane, there's extra legroom, and seats are usually wider. That extra space makes all the difference during the flight and being near the front of the plane lets you be one of the first off the plane, so you can beat the lines to immigration.

Download your own Entertainment

Many airlines are now charging for entertainment and often times if they do offer inflight entertainment, it doesn't work of the selection is awful. We never rely on others for entertainment; we download our favourite TV show or a few movies on our iPhone and have hours on stress free entertainment.

Enjoying our own entertainment

Stay over at the Airport Hotel

And finally, if you want to start your holidays a bit early, book a night at the airport hotel. Many hotels offer parking packages where you can book a night before your flight and leave your car for up to two weeks in their parking lot. You can then catch their free shuttle to the airport in the morning. It takes all the stress out of holiday travel and gives you an extra bonus night for your vacation. When we travel for short periods, we always use an airport hotel. Many times, the nights' stay is the same as booking a parking space for a couple of weeks.

Sign up for the TripIt app for your smart phone now and start making your travels easier. New customers receive a 30 day trial of TripIt Pro

This article is in partnership with TripIt but like everything on ThePlanetD, we would never endorse or recommend something if we don't use it and love it ourselves.

Read the original post 10 Expert Tips to Ease the Stress of Holiday Travel on The Planet D: Adventure Travel Blog.

What My Kids Learned from Living in the Dominican Republic

Posted: 23 Oct 2015 02:00 AM PDT

We are in our 5th year of living in the Dominican Republic with our two babies that were born here, on this beautiful island. I know, immediately you think we live the life of tropical dreams: kids with messy, salt-water hair that knew how to surf before they knew how to crawl, coconuts for snacks, and piña colada happy hours. While some days absolutely look like this, it hasn’t all been easy. Parenting never is. Parenting abroad is even trickier.

What We’ve learned Living in the Dominican Republic

With that being said, there has been a lot we’ve learned from living abroad and, specifically, a lot that our kids have learned as a result from living in DR, all by the tender age of 4.

The world is their playground

When you’re living in the Dominican Republic where there is no need to check the weather because the forecast is sunny and sunnier, there isn't much inside time. We spend our days at the playground or the pool or the beach or our courtyard or the basketball court or… well, you get it – and because of that our kids live their lives outside, endlessly playing in a continual summer. They live most of their waking hours exploring the outside world and it’s fabulous.

Living in the Dominican Republic

They Learn How to talk to everyone

Dominicans are a social culture. People hang outside and talk with their neighbours. Strangers chat in line at the supermarket. A gas attendant once stood next to my car window the entire fill-up time asking me about one of my dogs in the passenger seat. I wasn’t even sure one could talk that much about a dog to a stranger. This isn't a culture that shies away from interaction so when my daughter strikes up a conversation with a guard at the U.S. embassy I'm not all that surprised. My kids have learned that communication is an essential skill to connecting with others and they are outgoingly fabulous because of it.

Read: 8 Must Try Caribbean Water Sports

Outgoingly Fabulous Living in the Dominican Republic has also taught them to see everyone as the same. They say hi to the Haitians working construction or the nanny with the umbrella walking in the opposite direction of us on the sidewalk or the businessman they pass in the mall- to them there is no difference. Manners, simple hellos and thank yous, are not reserved for the affluent families that they see everyday at my husband's school; they are for everyone they come in contact with. Living in Santo Domingo has showed them to accept people of all places and levels and statuses.

You can buy COCONUTS in the supermarket but why when they grow on trees?

I can’t think of a time when I was a kid that I just found a random apple tree whose apple I could eat, unless it was autumn and we went apple picking at an orchard. Not the case here. We have, our complex, several coconut trees, a Guayaba tree, a banana tree, and a mango tree. All with pick-able, eat-able fruit.

Check out: Why I travel for food and show should you!

Coconuts

Learn how to be kids

Living in the Dominican Republic, kids (and pregnant women) are mini gods, like cows in India but in human form. People stop their cars and let you cross the street when you’re pregnant. They let you cut lines in the bank and grocery store. And kids have the same right of way. Our kids get gushed over by older Dominican grandmas, 20-something-year-old skater boys, middle-aged Domino players, young mothers, or Catholic nuns alike. If they’re running or making noise, no one looks at them and rolls their eyes. They don’t look at us either and wonder why our kids are acting like kids. This is a culture that loves kids, that embraces children and it shows in mine. They are fearless in public, assuming that people will love them… and people do.

Need Inspiration? Read “Kids Who Inspired their mom to step out of here comfort zone”

Being Born

You say Hola, and I say goodbye

It was never a doubt that I wanted my kids to be bilingual. As the first generation, Cuban -American of my family, I wasn’t always confident in my second language of Spanish but I knew how important being bilingual was… and is. I made the decision to only speak to them in Spanish before they were born; living in Dominican Republic has made it easier, and since my husband works at an English school, learning both languages has been natural. Getting to watch them navigate between the two languages is – to put it lightly – freaking awesome. They know who to thank in English and who to give gracias to in Spanish and they don't bat an eye switching between the two. P-r-etty cool. Now, they’re working on mastering Spanglish.

Enjoy: 11 Fun and Not so Obvious Things to do in Cuba

You don't need a reason to celebrate

It's Friday afternoon so we have friends over with their kids. People bring snacks, we order beers from the colmado*, we play some YouTube playlist and it's a party. We do the same thing Saturday mornings for brunch or on Sundays afternoons… or on Monday because it’s the beginning of the week. It doesn't have to be someone's birthday or a special occasion to have a good time with friends here. Dominicans love getting together; they love music (the louder, the better) and rum drinks and laughter. There is no “right” reason to celebrate when everything is a reason to celebrate. Life is one big party if you keep dancing.

Celebrating and Dancing

* tiguere is Dominican slang for a hustler or street smart guy.

* colmado is a corner store, like a bodega, that is found everywhere in DR.

Jen has been a storyteller since she was a kid, though at that time, she was telling stories to get her out of the principal's office. Now, she uses storytelling to author her ambrosial life abroad as an expat, island wife-mom. Jen writes at Drinking the Whole Bottle (a metaphor for life… and a confession) about savoring every moment, every last drop, of life. She has been featured on the Huffington Post, Matador Network, Elephant Journal and is a contributor for Women Who Live on Rocks.

Besides storytelling, Jen loves fireflies, her rescue dogs, and celebrating with fermented beverages. She hates cockroaches, bullies, and regret. In her next life, she hopes to come back as the Dos-Equis Man but as a bigger and badder woman version. Currently Jen lives “Somewhere,” that place where it's always 5 o'clock… You could find her drinking – metaphorically speaking – on Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter.

Monday, November 16, 2015