Canada's Adventure Couple

---

• Spectacular Banff Helicopter Tours with Exclusive Snowshoeing in the Rockies
• Experiencing Mandalay: Myanmar’s Hidden Gem
• A Good Ol’ Hockey Game: Skating on Lake Louise, the Most Beautiful Rink in the World
• Hotels in Banff – Our Top 8 Picks for Where to Stay in the Rockies
• Hello Goodbye: Real Life Tales from the Airport
• The Best place to go Dog Sledding in Banff National Park
• Catch of the Day – a Lobster Safari in North Wales
• 2015 Wrap Up – Why Learning from Mistakes and Shifting Focus is Important
• Our Most Beautiful Photos of 2015
• Greenland – The “It” Destination of 2016
• How Travel Got Me to Finally Let go of Being a Control Freak
• You Can Make a Difference – Give the Gift of Survival

Spectacular Banff Helicopter Tours with Exclusive Snowshoeing in the Rockies Posted: 10 Jan 2016 07:37 AM PST When viewing spectacular landscapes like the Rocky Mountains in Banff, there is really only one way to truly understand the magnitude of their beauty – from the air. Yes, hiking through the mountains, taking a dog sled tour or driving up to lookouts can offer outstanding views, but it’s from a helicopter that you really get to see how massive, awe-inspiring, and extraordinary the Rocky Mountains are. We met with our pilot Ralph Sliger of Rockies Heli Canada for one of their Banff Helicopter Tours on a crisp and clear winter’s morning for the most impressive helicopter tour we have ever taken. The views from our Banff Helicopter Tours with Rockies-Heli. Banff Helicopter Tours with Rockies Heli Located just an hour from Calgary and a short drive from Canmore or Banff, Rockies Heli is one of the premiere helicopter tour companies in Alberta. Our helicopter tour was taking us over Banff National Park to witness the famous peaks like Mt. Assiniboine, The Three Sisters and Mount Lougheed, but we also had the added bonus of landing on a peak just outside the park to go snowshoeing where nobody else dares to go. When landing a helicopter on the top of a mountain, you can be sure you won’t see crowds of people during your hike! The helicopter is state of the art with headsets and bubble windows giving everyone inside great views of the rockies. Beautiful Rocky Mountains It was our last day in Banff and we stopped for our flight with RockiesHeli en route to the airport. We couldn’t believe our luck that our last day just so happened to be the clearest day of our entire trip. The skies were blue with just enough clouds in the sky to create perfect photo opportunities. Enjoy This Video Journey Through the Rocky Mountains Subscribe to our Youtube channel for weekly travel videos After going through our safety check and being weighed, we were escorted to the helicopter where we were strapped in and suited up with our headsets so we could hear the commentary of our captain and talk to each other. See our Helicopter Tour over Mount Rushmore and Crazy Horse Dave managed to snag the front seat giving him an excellent vantage point but I felt that my backseat view was equally extraordinary. I could look out both sides of the window and even look ahead as the bubble windows bulged out enough letting me see the side of the helicopter. Our chopper pilot Ralf, made sure that he circled around each sight enough to give each person on each side of the helicopter a birds eye view. There were so many sights to see, I could have soared through the air all day. Spray Lake, endless mountains, and extraordinary glaciers. It was the glaciers that really took my breath away. I could see deep into the crevasses carved out in the side of the mountain and Ralph flew so close it felt as though we could reach out and touch the peaks. The beauty of a helicopter tour is that it is never the same. We were originally planning to fly over one part of Banff National Park, but a low cloud came in making it impossible to land. I didn’t mind that we couldn’t land because the mountains peaking out of the top of the clouds made for the most breath-taking views. Check out our helicopter tour over Victoria Falls at our Top 5 Adventures in Zambia Our flight lasted for about 45 minutes mixing together two of RockiesHeli most popular tours, the Ultimate Alpine Glacier Tour and the Grand Rocky Mountain Tour. The flight was smooth, comfortable and we were toasty warm and safe inside from the winter air outside. But soon it was time to face the elements. The second part of our tour took us to a peak where we landed high on a mountain just outside Banff National Park. (no helicopters are allowed to land within the park boundaries) We put on our snowshoes and set out on a 30 minute hike through the forest. Landing in the Rockies Ralph pointed out animal tracks as we hiked and showed us different viewpoints to witness the Rockies. It was a fun walk through the woods, hiking over a few logs and making some fresh tracks. The best came when we stopped for hot chocolate and Baileys. This was the spot. The clouds opened up to let the most beautiful landscape unfold before our eyes. Dave shows off the Rocky Mountains of Alberta We could have used a blanket had we wanted to, but with our blood pumping from the hike, we felt warm and comfortable as we looked on at Mother Nature’s finest work. Enjoy our Helicopter Tour of Maui It was a special feeling to land in a secluded spot at the top of a mountain. Normally when you do a helicopter tour, you take off and arrive only at the launch pad of the company. But when doing a heli hike tour, you get to feel what it’s like to land and take off in the wilderness. It also makes for some pretty sweet photo stops! Amazing views over Banff Rockies Heli offers many different helicopter tours over Banff and Canmore. They also have another branch for helicopter tours over the Columbia Icefields near Jasper. If you go to Alberta make sure you take a helicopter tour over Banff. Seeing Spray Lake slice through the snowy peaks of the Rockies is something you won’t soon forget. See our helicopter tour over the Great Barrier Reef in Australia Our group! During our time in Banff Lake Louise, we went on a backcountry tour with fellow travel lover Johnny, of the Banff Lake Louise tourism board. While skiing, he asked us what mountains we thought were more beautiful, The Rocky Mountains or the Alps. We said, that both are beautiful there is no doubt about it, but if we had to choose, it would be the Swiss Alps. But after doing our Banff helicopter tour, we’d like to change our answer. We’ve now seen the Rocky Mountains in a whole new light and our heli hike tour through Banff was definitely more extraordinary than anything we saw in the Alps. So if you ask us again what is more beautiful? Our answer will be, “The Rocky Mountains” For more information on Banff Helicopter Tours visit Rockies Heli Canada.  Tours start at $195 per person for a 20 minute flight (we’ve done 20 minute flights before and they are plenty too if you are on a budget) and range to $395 for the 55 minute ultimate glacier tour. You can also book private charters and even weddings! There are plenty of upgrades you can do too like Front Seat Upgrade $25 and a 1 Hour Exploration Hike/Snowshoe (Dec-March) $75/person Read Next: Hotels in Banff – Our Top 8 Picks for Where to Stay in the Rockies Read the original post Spectacular Banff Helicopter Tours with Exclusive Snowshoeing in the Rockies on The Planet D: Adventure Travel Blog.

Experiencing Mandalay: Myanmar’s Hidden Gem Posted: 09 Jan 2016 02:00 AM PST In the center of Northern Myanmar lies the country's second largest city of Mandalay. Serving as the last royal capital before the country came under British rule, the city is home to stunning historic structures, a wealth of history, and, like all of the country, wonderful people. Surprisingly, you won't find my tourists there. Mandalay The Hidden Gem Mandalay's draw must be taken within the larger context of Myanmar. In recent years, the country's economic and political liberalization has led to a steady increase in the number of foreign tourists permitted to enter the country. Today, western tourists certainly aren't uncommon, but frequent sightings of foreigners are most typical in one of perhaps three or four major destinations – for example, Bagan, Inle Lake, and the capital city of Yangon with its Shwedagon Pagoda. Mist of Mandalay Elsewhere, outsiders are far less common. Even major tourist destinations will generally see mostly Burmese sightseers, with only an occasional international traveler spotted among them. Throughout much of Mandalay and the surrounding area, I even discovered that I was often a tourist attraction & asked countless times to pose for selfies or other photos with friends and family, just for the novelty of being a westerner! Mandalay Palace The most prominent feature of downtown Mandalay are its breathtaking Palace Walls, a huge structure nearly 5 miles in perimeter and surrounded by a moat, which occupies the city's central tract. Contained deep within those walls are the Mandalay Palace grounds, which constitute the buildings of the last royal palace of Burmese monarchy. Although by no means huge, I would recommend dedicating more time to such attractions than you may anticipate, especially if traveling in the hottest months of April and May, as I did. Temperatures of 112 degrees with a heat index of 115 (46 Celsius) were not uncommon. As a result, a few hours in the heat warrants a cold drink and some time in the air conditioning before setting out again. That said, I walked the perimeter of the palace two days in a row and loved it each time, getting a sense of this city and its wonderful people on my own terms. The heat was not as oppressive as I had feared. Mandalay Hill Not far from the palace lies Mandalay Hill, home to several significant pagodas and monasteries, as well as excellent views of the city and its surrounding countryside. Visiting major pagodas also provides the opportunity to see and interact with Burmese locals in a more natural environment – like you, many come to these temples to relax, spend time with family and friends, and enjoy the view! An afternoon could easily be spent exploring the various pagodas along Mandalay Hill, many of which see few visitors, despite being located in a central area of a major city. It is almost obligatory to stay and view a sunset from the hill. Unlike many western countries, it is fairly easy to find a taxi driver to take you up, then wait for you or return at a pre-determined time. In my experience they were always punctual! Beyond Mandalay As countless guidebooks will tell you, there are a number of wonders to explore beyond Mandalay as well. Most can be reached on a day trip, and I recommend hiring a taxi to take you – they know the area extremely well, can act as a tour guide, and it spares you having to worry about logistics or getting lost. Rates are affordable – hiring a taxi for nearly a full day was about $40-50, and included up to 3 passengers. One of the most famous sites near Mandalay is the ancient imperial capital of Inwa with numerous historic structures. Getting there entailed a taxi drive, a boat across a river, then hiring a horse and buggy to explore the ruins, which provided for a once-in-a-lifetime experience itself! After visiting perhaps a half dozen structures, my driver recommended we return to the car and visit the famous U Bein bridge, a long teak foot bridge not far from Mandalay. U Bein was not only beautiful, it was lively! This is where many Burmese must go to relax on a Friday evening, as we saw plenty of people (nearly all locals) and a slew of beer, ice cream, and other food vendors. The bridge itself is breathtaking, especially seeing traditionally-dressed monks stride gracefully along. Go Off the Beaten Path Visiting Mandalay revived for me one of my forgotten joys: traveling off the beaten path and exploring places organically, without a travel book or foreign guide pointing the way. This allows you to meet new and interesting people who are often most representative of a country's diverse social, ethnic, economic, and religious composition. In my opinion, there are few better cities in which to do it, especially if you're up for a little adventure, unpredictability, and more than a little hot weather! Author: Matt, The Prodigal Dog Bio: Matt is a travel and photography enthusiast and author of The Prodigal Dog, a blog featuring his photos and peregrinations around the world. He loves hiking and has visited over 30 countries — he hopes to visit all seven continents (five down, two to go). He can be found on Instagram, Twitter, and Facebook. Read the original post Experiencing Mandalay: Myanmar's Hidden Gem on The Planet D: Adventure Travel Blog.

A Good Ol’ Hockey Game: Skating on Lake Louise, the Most Beautiful Rink in the World Posted: 07 Jan 2016 02:00 AM PST “The good ol’ hockey game! Its the best game you can name! And the best game you can name, is the good ol’ hockey game!” Music and Lyrics by Stompin Tom Connors Game On! Ready for our Good Ol Hockey game and Skating on Lake Louise If you find yourself in Banff National Park in the winter, you must go Skating on Lake Louise.It’s the most beautiful ice rink in the world. I dare anyone to claim a better spot for a game of pond hockey than Lake Louise in Banff National Park. Set at the foot of Victoria Glacier, Lake Louise is an incredible setting surrounded by the Rocky Mountains. Nestled in a corner of the lake is the luxurious Fairmont Chateau Lake Louise, and once winter arrives and the ice freezes over, it’s time to skate. Skating on Lake Louise There is nothing more Canadian than skating on Lake Louise and a game of pick-up hockey Lake Louise is famous for its world-class skiing and snowboarding. Every year they host world cup events and it was home to the Winter Olympics downhill race. It’s as world class as it gets drawing tourist from around the world. But there are other things to do in Lake Louise during the winter months such as cross country skiing, snowshoeing, spas, and fine dining. For your outdoor winter adventures, Wilson Sports has you covered. We met up with Bill and Julie at Wilson Mountain Sports where they suited us up with skates, pucks and sticks for a friendly game of pond hockey on the ice. Enjoy our Video of Skating on Lake Louise! Subscribe to our YouTube Channel for Travel Videos every Tuesday and Thursday Bill took us downstairs to see his state of the art skate and ski sharpening machine before heading out and told us the story of how his sharpening is so good, he recently had someone FedeX their cross country skies across Canada from Quebec to have his guy sharpen their skis. Now that proves just how good the job is done. Chillin’ with Bill from Wilson Mountain Sports When visiting Banff and Lake Louise, you don’t have to come with every piece of winter sports gear you own. You can rent from Wilson Mountain Sports or buy any forgotten items. Never fear, Bill is here! Read: The Romance of Lake Louise: The Perfect Couples Vacation Destination After we gathered all our gear, we took a short drive to the Lake Louise parking lot where we left our trucks and walked along the path towards the Fairmont and the lake. Zambonies were hard at work clearing the ice and creating different skating rinks for people to enjoy. One skating rink was for people wanting to skate around or learn while the other was for the pond hockey players. A Wayne Gretzky view from behind the net. Bill told us that as the season goes on the entire lake is cleared of snow and fit to skate on. Now that would be awesome! The arenas have mini pond hockey nets so you don’t have to bring your own and it’s the perfect size to play a good game. It had been years since we’d been on skates, but as Canadians, we grew up on skates, so it didn’t take long to get our legs. Soon we were shooting the puck and scraping to a halt with ease. The only time I fell was when I went to get a puck in a puddle of slush and misjudged the spot where the ice meets the slush and turned right where the show went deep. It was a bit of a wet mess, but luckily the weather was balmy so I stayed warm, even if I wasn’t dry. Deb looking like a pro skating on Lake Louise. Dave looked like he know what he was doing too! Playing pond hockey at Lake Louise is a communal game. Anyone can join in at any time and everyone is friendly and talks to each other. Nobody felt up to joining the four of us though. I put it down to we were just too darn good. The couldn’t bring themselves to being slaughtered by our team of four shooting the puck back and forth. (okay, maybe I’m exaggerating a little) Deb playing goalie in front of the Fairmont Lake Louise Check out another iconic Canadian place to go ice skating: Ottawa’s Winterlude and skating on the Rideau Canal Taking in the view after an afternoon of skating on Lake Louise We never did get a proper game going, but it was fun shooting the puck around and taking turns at being goalie. We ended up on the ice for a lot longer than I expected. I had forgotten how much fun it is to skate on an outdoor arena. It’s way better than in the rink where you are forced to skate around in circles. At Lake Louise, there’s so much room. The beginners can stay on one rink in the middle, while everyone has free run to go wherever they please. If you go to Banff in the winter, make sure to skate on Lake Louise at least once. You’d be doing something truly Canadian. For gear rental and sales visit Wilson Mountain Sports located in Sampson Mall on Village Road in Lake Louise.  Our trip to Banff was in partnership with Banff Lake Louise Tourism, for more information on Travel to Banff and Lake Louise, visit their website BanffLakeLouise.com Read Next: Get Your Winter Adventure on at Arrowhead: Fat Biking and Skating on the Ice Trail Read the original post A Good Ol’ Hockey Game: Skating on Lake Louise, the Most Beautiful Rink in the World on The Planet D: Adventure Travel Blog.

Hotels in Banff – Our Top 8 Picks for Where to Stay in the Rockies Posted: 05 Jan 2016 06:02 AM PST We’ve had the luxury of visiting Banff on three different occasions during our travels. Whenever anyone asks us where we think the most beautiful place is in the world, Banff always springs to mind. It’s no wonder we jump at any chance to return. We’ve visited Banff National Park in winter and summer and have sampled many different lodges and inn during our time in Alberta. Since many people are planning their ski vacations and winter holidays, we thought it would be a good time to share our opinion of what the best hotels in Banff are. Besides the Banff Springs and Lake Louise Fairmont hotels, there are plenty of other options for where to stay in Banff. So without further ado, here you go! Traveling this winter? Check out our Packing Tips for Winter Travel Hotels in Banff – Where to Stay in the Rockies. Hotels in Banff: Buffalo Mountain Lodge Buffalo Mountain Lodge If you want to be in the heart of the action of Banff proper. Buffalo Mountain Lodge is a great choice for a hotel in Banff. Situated just minutes from downtown, Buffalo Mountain Lodge offers free shuttles for guests to go out for dinner, drinks or downtown shopping. We loved building a fire in our room as we overlooked our Rocky Mountain view. Staff provide kindling, newspaper, matches and wood to create the perfect fire for a romantic or cozy atmosphere. The Sleeping Buffalo Dining Room is a great choice for dinner featuring local fruits, vegetable and grains plus hormone and antibiotic free bison and elk raised on their own game ranch. For an authentic Alberta meal, this is the place to dine. By the way, we had deer and elk walking through our backyard. How incredible is that? See more about dining and hotels in Banff at the Buffalo Mountain Lodge Website Juniper Hotel Our room at the Juniper Hotel was to die for with whirlpool bath, wood burning fireplace, and leather couch propped in front of a big screen TV. But its the outdoor hot tub looking at the striking Rocky Mountain view that sticks with us. Juniper sits at the foot of Mount Norquay making it the perfect getaway for families wanting to ski nearby. There’s a trail leading into the woods from the hotel that we took a great little hike on spying a family of deer, and the Juniper Bistro offers delicious home cooked meals straight from farm to table. Check rates for your next stay in Banff at the Juniper Hotel Looking for things to do in Banff? Check out The Best Place to go Dog Sledding in Banff National Park Sunshine Mountain Lodge For serious ski lovers, Sunshine Mountain Lodge is the top choice. It’s the only slope side hotel in Banff. This luxury hotel is located at the top of the gondola giving guests the unique opportunity of being first on the hill. With spa service, ski and snowboard lockers, and Banff’s largest outdoor hot pool, Sunshine Mountain Lodge is a full service winter retreat. Their restaurant offers Albertan beef and vegetarian options, and the loft rooms overlooking the ski hill are outstanding. We turned on the gas fire and ate fresh local cheese as we looked over the ski lifts while staff groomed the trails for our day on the hill. For skiing and information on accommodation visit the Sunshine Village Website Sundance Lodge It may not be a typical hotel in Banff, but when visiting the National Park, you really need to get out to the backcountry at least once. Sundance lodge is a cross-country ski or snowshoe in during the winter months, or a horseback ride or hike in the summertime. This 10-room log cabin is nestled on the bend of Brewster’s Creek in the valley of the Sundance Mountain Range. Located 16km from Banff, it takes you away from it all where you can truly get away from cell service, noise and light pollution. You are in the true Canadian wilderness but you’re not roughing it. Your stay offers a personal chef, wood-burning fire, hot showers and solar heating. A great Rocky Mountain escape awaits. For backcountry tours, trail rides and lodge information visit the Banff Trail Riders Website Storm Mountain Lodge A view of Storm Mountain For the truly romantic getaway, Storm Mountain Lodge is our top choice. Guests stay in private cabins ranging in size for couples to families with a spectacular view of Storm Mountain. The lodge was originally built as a way for the Canadian Pacific Railway to attract more tourists to the Rocky Mountains in 1922. Eight log cabins which are still used by guests today. Storm Mountain Lodge is completely self sufficient with water, power, and sewer creating a sustainable green environment. Our cabin had a fireplace and sofa where we sipped wine reminiscing about our day before dining at their all Canadian menu. It’s fine dining in a forest setting, nothing could be more superb. It’s a bit away from it all and that is exactly the way we like it. Beautiful cosy rooms at Storm Mountain Lodge. For more information on the history and accommodations at the lodge visit their website: Storm Mountain Lodge Looking for Romantic things to do in Banff? Enjoy our post Romantic Lake Louise, a Perfect Couple’s Getaway.  Deer Lodge Hotels in Banff- Deer Lodge The sister lodge to Buffalo Mountain Lodge, Deer lodge is located just a short walk from Lake Louise. If you are snowboarding or skiing at Lake Louise, this is a great nearby choice. During ski season, daily complimentary shuttles run from Deer Lodge to the ski resort. Originally built in 1923 as a teahouse, it has grown and expanded over the years to a four season lodge. The accommodation is rustic yet elegant offering fine dining at one of the most noted dining rooms in the Rockies. There is an incredible rooftop hot tub that looks out at Victoria Glacier and new traditional dry wood sauna. Visit the Deer Lodge Website for rates and packages Check out our snowboarding experience at Lake Louise Ski Resort Fox Hotel and Suites Hotels in Banff: Fox Hotel Located downtown Banff, Fox Hotel and Suites is walking distance to all the main dining and hot spots. What sets Fox Hotel and Suites apart from other hotels in Banff is the large hot pool modelled after the Cave & Basin hot pools. The original Cave & Basin was Canada’s first national park. We had a two bedroom suite that echoed the perfect ski lodge setting. For roadhouse dining we ate at Chilis Restaurant located in the lobby. When you’ve had a busy day of adventures in Banff, sometimes a quick meal at the hotel restaurant is in order. For this downtown Banff Accommodation visit the Fox Hotel and Suites website Num Ti Jah Lodge We last stayed at  Num Ti Jah Lodge on Bow Lake back in 2009, but we visited it again this trip to take some winter photos of the mountain setting. Num Ti Jah is closed during the winter months, but I wanted to put it in this round up because it really is one of the legendary hotels in Banff.  Surrounded by mountains with the Crowfoot Glacier towering overhead the lodge is as rustic as it is historic. Founded by Jimmy Simpson in 1898, you really feel that time has stood still here.  If you want to get away from it all, this is the place to be.  The main lodge has  cozy fireplace with simple rooms keeping with traditional virtue the simple life.  The Elkhorn dining room has many elk, bears, moose, wolverine and deer trophy's hanging on the walls but never fear, they were hunted and killed during the early 1900s. But that shouldn’t stop you from sampling some of the elk or bison on the menu! See more and check availability at Num Ti Jah Lodge There are many choices of accommodation in Banff. From Inns to lodges and full blown hotels in Banff, there’s something to suit every need and budget. We’ve had the good fortune of testing out several hotels in Banff and can attest that whatever you choose in the list, you won’t be disappointed. Our latest trip to Banff is in partnership with Banff Lake Louise tourism more information on hotels in Banff, visit the Banff Lake Louise Tourism Website. Read the original post Hotels in Banff – Our Top 8 Picks for Where to Stay in the Rockies on The Planet D: Adventure Travel Blog.

Hello Goodbye: Real Life Tales from the Airport Posted: 04 Jan 2016 07:30 AM PST Dave and I fly a lot. After 7 years on the road, it’s been awhile since anyone has been waiting for us when we arrive home. Our families are used to it. They are actually a bit blasé when it comes to our world travels. We may not have crowds with signs welcoming us home, but each time we land at Toronto Pearson, I can’t help but come out beaming when I see the crowds of people searching for their loved ones. It warms my heart. I often wonder what their stories are? How long has it been since they’ve seen the person that is about to step through that door? Are people coming home for a celebration or is it a tragedy that brings them to the airport? As a storyteller, I make up scenarios in my mind as we whisk through arrivals and head to our car. Many times their faces are etched in my memory and I hope that they have a happy outcome. I’ve watched people say tearful goodbyes and scream joyful hellos. The airport is one of the most emotional places to be on earth making it the perfect setting for a heartfelt drama. A Real Life Love Actually During the holidays I re-watched one of my favourite Christmas movies, Love Actually. The airport scene at the end definitely brings happy tears to my eyes every time. It’s amazing to me that nobody has thought of capturing these real life moments on film before. Until now! The CBC series Hello Goodbye launching this January is a touching series showcasing the stories from people in Canada’s busiest airport. We had the chance to watch a couple of episodes, and Hello Goodbye accomplishes exactly what Love Actually did in the movie, only this time it’s true life. Remember this scene? Hello Goodbye The ten episode series airs Fridays at 8:30pm ET on CBC  and runs from Jan 8 to March 10.  I like how they hired a professional psychotherapist who operates a practice in Toronto rather than a hired actor. You can tell that host Dale Curd is in tune with the people he’s talking to. He knows what questions to ask without prying too much. Instead he lets them tell as much or as little of the story as they like. Curd’s approachable manner makes strangers open up telling their most intimate stories of love and loss. Hello Goodbye Host: Dale Curd Episodes of Hello Goodbye are a mix of stories submitted in advance and stories discovered in the moment on location. Only 20% of the scenes showcased are submitted in advance giving the series a raw and honest feel. I had a difficult time telling the submitted stories and discovered stories apart. The entire episode feels off the cuff and unrehearsed. The format starts with Dale talking to people about their story. He asks them what brings them to Canada’s busiest airport and they freely let him into their life. It is at this time that we get to meet the people, discover why they are at Toronto Pearson and have them share their personal feelings. It is moving, funny, and heartbreaking depending on the situation. The camera then pulls back to let the travellers and loved ones have their personal moment letting the reactions and emotions play out on their own. What’s interesting is once the moment is over, they don’t follow up with more interviews.  The people have either arrived, left, said yes to marriage or sometimes don’t receive the reaction they were hoping for. It is real life after all. As we watch them walk away, we wonder, how will things unfold in the future? We may never know. Just like the people I see when Dave and I arrive home on our own, I am left with thoughts about their lives. Will things work out? Will they live happily ever after? Life is unpredictable and one can never know. Unlike fiction, not every story has a proper ending. Instead, Hello-Goodbye captures a moment in time and we’re left to wonder what the next chapter will bring. What’s next for Dave? In a world of Kardashians and TMZ videographers chasing down stars at the airport trying to embarrass them with silly questions, Hello Goodbye is a breath of fresh air showing the bonds of family, joyful moments, and grief that one feels with loss and love. It moved me to tears on many occasions. The soundtrack blends beautifully with the story and the truth coming from each person resonates with you long after the credits roll. For more information on check out the Hello Goodbye website and Follow Hello Goodbye on Twitter and Facebook. Read the original post Hello Goodbye: Real Life Tales from the Airport on The Planet D: Adventure Travel Blog.

The Best place to go Dog Sledding in Banff National Park Posted: 03 Jan 2016 06:30 AM PST It’s the quintessential Canadian adventure, dog sledding in the Rocky Mountains of the Canadian North. If you go to Banff National Park in winter, you must add this to your to do list of winter activities. We met our team of Alaskan huskies waiting not-so-patiently in the parking lot of the Great Divide trail leading deep into the heart of the Rocky Mountains. Their energetic barks alerted everyone that they were raring to go and couldn’t wait to be let off their chains and left to run freely into the wilderness. Check it out! The Video of Dog Sledding in Banff NP KingMik Dogsled Tours is not only the best place to go dog sledding in Banff National Park they are also the only dogsled outfitters allowed in the park and they put on a great adventure. We’ve gone dogsledding before with pure Siberian Huskies and they are the more beautiful dogs of the breed, but they are smaller than the mixed breeds of Alaskan Huskies. Alaskan Huskies were bred to run and when they took off from the starting line, they went with vengeance. Dog Sledding in Banff National Park, Alberta Dog Sledding in Banff National Park, Alberta Before setting out, Dave and I met our musher Kylie from Australia. It seems nearly everyone that works in Banff, Lake Louise is from the Land Down Under. They already know what most Canadians still need to find out. Banff is perfection. I don’t know if there is a better place in Canada for beauty, adventure, and outdoor activities. It’s attracting people from halfway around the world to live and work here and more and more Canadians are finally catching on! Not sure about Dog Sledding? Read our article, The Misconceptions of Dog Sledding Our guide from KingMik Dog Sledding Kylie from Australia Kylie has been with KingMik for years and looks after the dogs in the off season, so she knew a lot about our team of eight. Two of the dogs – Lexi and Hamish are on the racing team and were out with us for what is an easy training run for them at the anchor position right in front of the sled.  The rest – Snapper, Tuzu, Ginger, and Blackie were following our two strong lead dogs Two Step and Bronte. Cozy and ready to go with KingMik Dogsled Tours in Banff National Park Wrapped in a cozy and thick sleeping, Dave and I spent the first half of the 16km tour relaxing inside the cocoon snuggled up in the windproof sled. We were toasty warm as Kylie drove the dogs through the fresh snow telling us about the personalities of each dog. We hit the trail! Some were young and new to the game while others were old vets that refuse to go into retirement. Whenever Kylie stopped the sled to look at lynx or porcupine tracks, the dogs looked back in frustration wondering why she put on the break. “Doesn’t she know by now that all they want to do is run?” Traveling to Banff? Check out Ottsworld’s post on What to do in Ski Town if you Don’t Ski Each sled dog has his own personality. The Great Divide The Rocky Mountain scenery is one of the most spectacular locations on earth and out here in the Great Divide, you get to see it in all its beauty. The Great Divide Trail from Banff was part of the original Trans Canada Highway which must have been a hair raising experience for driving crossing Canada. There are twists and narrow turns on going through a high mountain trail. It is also the spot in the Rocky Mountains where the East meets the West. It’s the pinnacle of the Rocky Mountain Range where the water drains on one side towards the West and on the other towards the East. We’ve been lucky enough to trek now to two of these interesting watershed locations. The first time we were out in the winter witnessing the change in waterflow was when we trekked 100km to the Arctic Watershed in Northern Ontario. It was there that we reached the spot where the water stopped flowing south to the Atlantic Ocean and instead began it’s flow North to the Arctic Ocean. Deb at the Great Divide! I am always in awe of spots like this. It seems like a sacred place. It is here that is the water source and from this point is where water spreads to all living things, north, south, east and west. British Columbia Too!  It’s also a spot where we briefly crossed into the province of British Columbia. If you have never been to Canada before, this is your chance to tick two provinces off the list in one trip! We were there for just a short time but it was pretty cool to cross into BC in what feels like the middle of nowhere. Time for us to help mush the dogs Read: Dog Sledding Ontario – Your Ticket to Adventure Deb takes her turn at the wheel! After a brief rest for the dogs, we turned around and it was on the way back that Dave and I had the chance to join Kylie and help mush the dogs. They didn’t need a lot of encouragement though, they still had tons of energy, so all we had to do was hang on and enjoy the ride. The views back were even better than the views heading out and we saw the massive rocky peaks of Banff National Park welcoming us home. At the end of our trip, we rewarded the dogs for a job well done with a big piece of frozen chicken. They each caught it like a tennis ball and devoured it with delight as we gave them big hugs and pats for working so hard for us today. A reward for a job well done They take turns running so after their tour, they get to relax in their kennels while the next set of dogs goes out with the next group. I never knew how much these dogs love their kennels until we went dogsledding with WinterDance and saw the excitement in their eyes when they saw the trucks. These dogs were the same. For now, their bellies were full of chicken, water and chow. They got a good dose of loving from the mushers and guests and it was time for a nap in their cozy kennel. Ah, it’s a dogs life. Thinking of doing Winter Travel? Learn from our 8 Tips for Safe and Comfortable Winter Trekking The dogs take some rest time in their kennel. For more information on Dog Sledding in Banff visit KingMik Dogsled Tours. For more information on what to do in Banff, visit Banff Lake Louise Tourism for information and accommodation. While dog sledding at KingMik, we stayed at: Storm Mountain Lodge Tip to Know for Dog Sledding in Banff: Bring Goggles instead of sunglasses (or both) your face will stay warmer and you’re goggles won’t fog up. Wear mittens, a dicky or neck warmer, and warm hat as well as winter coat and waterproof pants. (even though you are wrapped up you do need to get out of the sled once in a while. Have good winter boots or you won’t be able to drive the sled. Hand and toe warmers are a good idea as you aren’t doing a lot of physical activity so you extremeties will get a bit cold. Give the dogs a lot of love. The more you give, the more you get! For more information on winter travel read our 5 Winter Layering Tips for Winter Travel Read Next: Our Yukon Quest Training Run Read the original post The Best place to go Dog Sledding in Banff National Park on The Planet D: Adventure Travel Blog.

Catch of the Day – a Lobster Safari in North Wales Posted: 02 Jan 2016 02:00 AM PST Dave and I have been on our fair share of safaris. We’ve seen lions and cheetahs in Kenya, Leopards in Sri Lanka, and Polar Bears in Canada. But a lobster safari in North Wales is definitely the most unique safari idea we’ve ever heard of. Not just anyone can catch a lobster. You need a license, a fishing boat, and there are many rules and regulations that you need to follow. Lobster Safari We met with marine biologist and skipper Carl Davis at Beacon’s Jetty in Conwy Morfa North Wales. Today, we were going on safari to learn how to catch a lobster, but to also understand the conservation of this popular seafood entrée known as the Black Gold of the Sea. Skipper Carl has more than 20 years of fishing experience taking over his father’s business after working for several years in conservation. We didn’t know what to expect. I wasn’t sure I wanted to see lobster being caught, but I do believe that if you are going to eat something, you should understand where it comes from. Our food isn’t just neatly packed in plastic for us to enjoy after magically appearing from nowhere. Someone has got to do the dirty work. Having recently gone vegetarian, I’ve had a difficult time with food. The reason I decided to stop eating meat is because I was disheartened with humanity. I know that sounds ridiculous, but with all the senseless hunting, animal cruelty, over fishing and excess waste, I felt the need to do something, even it if was very small. I miss meat, I love meat, and I want to eat it, but the other half of my brain is telling me, no you don’t, you feel terrible for the pain and torture animals go through each day. I don’t think there is anything wrong with eating meat. I actually love the taste and believe that humans should be able to have proper protein in our diets. The problem is how raising livestock was taken to a whole new level in the 21st century. I feel that if you are going to eat it, you should understand where it comes from and you should be very aware of conservation. And that is why this lobster safari is very important to me. Carl Davis cares about the seas, cares about the future of the seas and cares about conservation of lobster fishing (or is it trapping?) for  years to come. Moving on.  The two hour safari isn’t about catching lobster at all, it’s about having fun on the sea and learning about the fishing industry. We set off through the bay enjoying the gorgeous scenery of the Wales Coast. Taking in the view, we spied many sea birds soaring through the air and we even spied the Kashmiri goats teetering high on the cliffs of the Great Orme. The goats live in the wild here and they are so popular that they are the mascot of military battalion, the Royal Welsh Fusiliers for the past 200 years! It was a beautiful ride out to Carl’s fishing grounds where he has lines of traps strung out on the ocean floor waiting for their catch. Wales is famous for Coasteering, check out our post about it: Coasteering, It’s not as Scary as you Think During our lobster safari, he brought up the last four traps on each line in search of the week’s catch. Each cage had 1-2 lobsters in them. We learned that the size of the lobster is very important. If they are too small, they are put back. Carl measured each lobster carefully and decided whether they were ready to be kept. For a lobster to grow to legal size, they are approximately 5-7 years old. When it comes to size, regulations are strict and fishermen can’t sell lobsters that are too small. I like that they have a long free life before they meet the boiling pot. We learned the difference between male and female lobsters, although if I saw one again on my own I probably wouldn’t be able to tell them apart. Basically a female lobster is thicker and wider in the tail giving her breadth to carry her eggs. A female with eggs Speaking of eggs, Carl snagged a couple of pregnant females. Female lobsters carry thousands of eggs at one time. When he turned them over, we saw huge clusters of black eggs attached to their underbelly. Carl told us that they don’t have to throw pregnant females back, but he always does as it’s an important part of conservation. pregnant female lobster If they kill the females before their eggs hatch, they’ve just killed off the future of their business. We agree with Carl, this is a good way to assure future catches. But I guess some fishermen are desperate and don’t think of the consequences. He told us that they used to not allow pregnant lobsters to be caught, but fishermen were just scraping off the eggs anyway and throwing them in the batch. They found it to be a losing battle. However today there are ways to tell if the eggs have been scraped so he doesn’t understand why the fisheries don’t change the rule. Hopefully if enough people know about it, they eventually will. Carl explains the lobster lifecycle In the end, Skipper Carl came away with 3 lobsters that day. Instead of taking them into shore, he put them in a holding cage for when he was ready to take his catch in. Watch: Coasteering in Wales – You Travel Video Break After banding their claws: because lobsters are cannibalistic and will eat each other, he put them into another holding cage under the water, and we went in for the night. The life of a lobster fisherman is hard work. It can be dangerous with all those heavy ropes and cages being thrown off the side of the boat that could potentially drag you to the sea and there are many a cut hand and finger that go with the job. But it can be a very lucrative life if you know what you are doing and with people like Carl Davis working the waters, it will hopefully be an industry that is around for years to come. Watch Next: Bounce Below – The Ultimate Playground for Adults  For more information on booking your own lobster safari visit North Wales Sea Fishing Trips.  Our trip to Wales is in partnership with Wales Tourism and Visit Britain. Check out Visit Wales for more great adventures in Wales. Read the original post Catch of the Day – a Lobster Safari in North Wales on The Planet D: Adventure Travel Blog.

2015 Wrap Up – Why Learning from Mistakes and Shifting Focus is Important Posted: 01 Jan 2016 07:03 AM PST 2015 turned out to be memorable year of travel. It was also a year of soul searching, change and discovery. We weren’t sure how it was going to turn out since Dave spent the first couple of months recovering from breaking two vertebrae in his back. This time last year we thought our lives would be forever changed. I think about how far we’ve come. It took four months for Dave to recover from hospital stays in both the Peruvian Amazon and Canada. He had to learn how to walk again but after his ordeal in hospitals, home care and physiotherapy he was back in action exactly four months after his fall. As a matter a fact, we were already on the road again in March 2015 doing a cross Canada media tour discussing travel health. A very fitting and timely subject. Dave talks about his road to recovery By April we were ready to start our travels again, and started with a Caribbean Cruise. We thought that would be a light enough travel that wouldn’t affect Dave’s tender back too much. We looked at the as a way to enjoy tropical weather and some much needed pool time. But we weren’t prepared for group travel, the crowded ports or the poolside parties. We had made the wrong choice and instead of having a positive experience for our first time back in action, we felt numb and uncertain of the future. Enjoy our Best Adventure Video Round up of 2015   After the cruise we set off to Costa Brava, Spain where we spent two months getting our travel feet back. While there, we realized that we may have pushed things a little too soon. We weren’t there mentally yet. Dave’s back had healed, but both of us never dealt with the trauma we faced. We couldn’t motivate ourselves to get out and do things. A hike downhill caused Dave to remember the feeling of falling in the Amazon and he lost the joy of being outdoors. I had spent the past four months caring for Dave and stopped taking care of myself. In Spain, we were both mentally unprepared and had a lot of physical strength we had to rebuild. We didn’t know how to balance travel and work anymore. All we wanted was to go home, start over and create a healthy routine. But that routine would have to wait. While in Spain, we had many offers on the table and like so many things in life, one feels that they have to “make hay while the sun shines.”  A TV show offer came our way that we couldn’t pass up. So we flew home to Canada only to have that sweet deal fall through. We were bummed, but we realized that this was probably a blessing. We weren’t camera ready after gaining a lot of weight by sitting on our butts for four months. We weren’t prepared to face a gruelling shooting and travel schedule and now that we were home, we could start to focus on the future. What now? A little while later an Instagram trip came our way and we decided we wanted to take it. Instagram had turned into the hot thing of 2015 and we wanted to be a part of it. It turned out to be another wrong choice for us. We had already done group press trips at the start of our travel blogging career and quickly learned that wasn’t for us, so starting over again on a group Instagram trip was a mistake. While an Instagram trip allows you the chance to get photographs of all the hot spots, we don’t feel it gives you a good sense of the destination. We didn’t have a moment to catch our breath, talk to the people or learn about the little things. It felt empty, even though it looked gorgeous. Travel Blog to Tell a Story I didn’t have time to find the story I wanted and I felt like a third wheel being there capturing videos and taking notes while everyone else focused on snapping photos. Even though Dave is the photographer, he is also a storyteller and always looks for more than just a pretty shot. He likes to capture the true to life moments, to think about what story we will tell on ThePlanetD, and discuss the camera angles and script we will use on our videos. (as well as capturing his gorgeous sunrises and sunsets through the lens.) We like to travel alone, on our own schedule and hand pick the activities we want to do and the sights we want to see.  While our photographs let our readers see the beauty of South Dakota, we felt that we never couldn’t get a story beyond a Top 10 or Photography round up. That was our mistake. We should have done what we always do when invited to a destination. We should have said, we’ll come on our own and do what we do best. Beautiful photo, but it was a moment put together for the photographers to take a photograph, not capture a moment in time Staying true So we came home from that trip discouraged. Is this the future of travel media? A series of snapchats and Instagram photos creating an endless stream of noise? We wanted more, so we decided to refocus on our travel blog and put more emphasis on our travel videos. We want to dig into the good, the bad and perhaps the not so glamorous side of it all. Because like every day life, travel isn’t perfect. How many vacations have you been on where you have had a huge fight with the one you love? How many times have you chosen the wrong hotel room, or the wrong side of the island? We’ve made so many mistakes in our travels. We’ve overpaid, gone at the wrong time of the year, missed out on visiting something because we arrived too late or stood in line too long. It’s never perfection. It has its ups and downs and that’s the way we like it. Travel is not all glamour So the rest of the summer was spent doing short and sweet trips, attending conferences, and catching up with friends and family while we “found ourselves” again. We’ve always said that you should never run away from life to find yourself. We’ve never encouraged people to use travel as a crutch to find themselves. You can refocus and reinvent your life exactly where you are. At home. And that is what we did. While home, we had the peace and calm to decide what the next chapter of Dave and Deb would be. Why We Are Travel Bloggers We got into this business for the love of travel. It was a way for us to spend more time together and build something out of our passion. We got into this because ever since our first trip in 2000 we always yearned to show people the beauty of this world. We often said “If only others could see what we are seeing right now.”  Eventually that became possible and our travels felt complete. We found that we had purpose. We could inspire people to visit new destinations, try new things, and travel together with the one they love. To us, there’s nothing better than traveling together Shifting Focus So when the final half of 2015 began, we started taking projects that excited us. We have already travelled extensively independently and we will continue to do so, but we also want a fulfilling career. We thrive to be creative and to work. For the first time in our seven years of blogging, we are in a confident place where we can pick and choose. We don’t need to take projects that don’t inspire us and we don’t need to jump on every opportunity that comes our way. Once we focused on what was important, the latter half of our year was filled with working on the right projects with the right people. Visit Nova Scotia We loved working with Pam of Visit Nova Scotia where we travelled the province showcasing the South Shore. We met the people of the East Coast TMAC chapter through Pam and talked about photography and videography with them. We were excited again and it showed. Our content from Nova Scotia went crazy around the Internet. Dave’s photograph of Lunenburg went wild in social media and sales offers of his photography from that destination have gone through the roof. One of Dave’s many popular photos from Nova Scotia Nova Scotia was followed by a fulfilling and creative collaboration with Visit Britain. We loved capturing travel moments from our time in Wales. We can’t tell you about it yet as it hasn’t launched yet. But our travels through Wales are going to be a part of one of the most creative campaigns we have seen from a tourism board yet. We then flew to Greece to explore the lesser known destinations of Skiathos, Pelio, and Meteora and met one of our favourite new men in travel, George of Visit Meteora. All this time we thought we were working with the Greece tourism board, but when we landed in the country, we learned that George is an entrepreneur who has put Meteora on the map. He and his brothers have opened a travel agency that is determined to draw tourists to this fascinating destination. And with good reason. It is one of the most interesting places we have been to on earth. We’ll be writing about it more in the coming months. Seeing the photographs of these three destinations will inspire you to add them to your Greece itinerary. Meteora, Greece We slowed down a lot in 2015. And after Greece we took time to relax, speak at a conference and visit my parents in Florida. We went to Key West, a destination we have wanted to see for years. We combined that trip to partner with IHG rewards Club and learned that we could travel on our own terms and find people to work with along the way. We enjoyed the feeling of what it’s like to travel again. Enjoying our time in Key West Our final chapter of 2015 travel took us back to Alberta where we worked with our friends at Banff and Lake Louise. This was a magnificent winter campaign that was as fun as it was creative. It was a year in the making. We had phone calls and meetings with Kym and her team discussing the best activities that would suit our audience and fulfill their needs. We talked about how we would promote and support each other and we created an editorial schedule for both social media and content. This planning will now become the blueprint for our future campaigns as we have never worked so intimately with a tourism board before. And it paid off. We had so much fun and it shows in our content. We loved every single moment in Banff Lake Louise and our followers and readers will love it too. When you have fun in a destination, you can’t help but inspire others to go. The beauty of Banff What’s Next for 2016 Last year, we both decided that it was time to slow down, scale back and only do things that inspire us. A paycheque isn’t worth feeling unfulfilled. So we are excited to continue to work with companies that spark our creative side. We are continuing to work with TravelSmith as Travel Advisors through 2016. We feel that they are a strong travel brand offering amazing gear and clothing to travellers but we also love the creativity that they bring to the table. They have carefully and slowly picked travel advisors that we are honoured to be along side. Each person is doing their own thing focusing on their own strengths and creating their own campaigns with the company. Deb modelling TravelSmith Like TravelSmith, TripIt is another company that has let their travel representatives keep their own identities and focus on their strengths. Everyone that works with them does so in a different capacity bringing their travel experiences and media expertise individually to the table. We were excited with our final quarter of American Express pulling together creative ideas and thinking outside the box and are looking forward to our conversation in January to brainstorm 2016 ideas. And we are thrilled to take our relationship with Quark Expeditions to larger scale. Keep an eye out for another polar adventure in 2016!   I think that 2016 is going to be the best year yet. It has been 7 years of travel blogging here at ThePlanetD. After 5 years we reached all the goals we had ever dreamed of, and the past two years were about working to find a balance between life, travel, and making a living. We feel that we are in a comfortable place to speak our minds, and take our readers on a journey with us around the world. So stick around, it is going to be a wild ride. Read the original post 2015 Wrap Up – Why Learning from Mistakes and Shifting Focus is Important on The Planet D: Adventure Travel Blog.

Our Most Beautiful Photos of 2015 Posted: 30 Dec 2015 05:11 AM PST Well I must say that 2015 didn't really start out the best, recovering from my broken back and all, but it sure turned into a stellar year for adventure and photography. We visited a few countries we had not been to before and re-visited some old favourites. One of the things I love about putting together posts that include our most beautiful photos of the year is being able to re-live each moment. Scrolling through my photos is almost like being there in the moment again. I think that is one of the things that I love about photography. It captures that moment in time and stirs up the emotions and memories of what it was like to experience it in real time. It was a changing year for my photography as I switched from being a long time Canon user to a Sony Mirrorless convert. Let me tell you it was the best thing I could have done. I am so happy with not only the quality of the images and durability of the Sony system but the weight difference has been a real blessing on my back.  I also changed my processing techniques. I used to process all of my images solely in Lightroom but have since moved to a combination of Lightroom and Photoshop. Thanks to my friend Elia Locardi's Photographing The World: Landscape Photography & Post-processing tutorial (which I highly recommend and will be writing an in-depth review in the coming weeks) that he produced in conjunction with the amazing guys over at F-Stoppers, I was able to elevate my processing and in-camera techniques to another level. I can't wait to continue learning and improving in 2016. So as 2015 comes to a close and a new year begins sit back and enjoy these glorious destinations from around the world from yours truly.... Our Most Beautiful Photos of 2015 Banff National Park, Alberta, Canada Maui The Best Way to See Maui: From the Sky  Outrigger Canoe – Maui's Perfect Cultural Adventure The Road to Hana and Beyond – Maui's Great Coastal Drive Manitoba, Canada Nova Scotia, Canada     Greece Your Greece Travel Guide An insiders Guide to Zante, Greece Santorini: You will Fall in Love with this Island Dubai Wales, United Kingdom South Dakota, Usa Spain Why Costa Brava, Spain is Good for Slow Travel Your Spain Travel Guide Catalunya Spain in Photos Key West, Flordia, USA Niagara Falls, Canada     Daytona Beach, USA Luxury & Romance in Daytona Beach Our Top 4 Motorsport Experiences Your United States Travel Guide Would you like to see more beautiful photos?   CLICK HERE 1 Read the original post Our Most Beautiful Photos of 2015 on The Planet D: Adventure Travel Blog.

Greenland – The “It” Destination of 2016 Posted: 28 Dec 2015 05:00 AM PST National Geographic Traveller and Lonely Planet have it on their top destination lists for 2016. And Dave and Deb of ThePlanetD have been touting Greenland as the hot “it” destination for two years now. Glad you could join us LP and NatGeo! Yes, we are ahead of the curve when it comes to travel trends. (Insert smiley face here) But in all seriousness, we’ve been in love with Greenland since visiting with Quark Expeditions in 2013. Massive Iceberg overlooking the Arctic Tundra Greenland is that destination that makes us feel excited about travel. Very few tourists visit the country, Greenlanders still cling to their ancient culture, and the mountainous scenery and polar ice-cap is awe-inspiring. I can still picture the massive icebergs dwarfing our ship as we looked on from our kayaks while exploring an uncharted fjord. Kayaking in through the Incredible Greenland Scenery Greenland – The Hottest “It” Destination Greenland is one of those places where people’s eyes widen when you mention you’ve been there. What’s it like? They ask. Is it similar to Iceland? We always say, “A little, but not really.” Thinking of an expedition? Check out Arctic or Antarctica, How to Choose Your Polar Expedition Greenland settlement Compared to Iceland, Greenland is bigger, bolder, and untamed. There are no roads connecting villages. You either must travel it by plane or on ship. A small expedition ship is the way we travelled down the West Coast along the South Shore and over to the East. Our ship’s captain navigated through fields of ice taking our small group of 50 passengers deep into fjords to view enormous glaciers and giant icebergs. Incredible Greenland Ice Love this Greenland Photography? Check out 23 Epic Photos of Arctic Ice Each day was spent hiking along the Arctic Tundra, exploring smaller inlets by zodiac, and kayaking to the hardest to reach places. At night we’d watch the Northern Lights dance in the sky as we sat on lounge chairs bundled up in our warm parkas. Greenland leaves a lasting impression. Dave and Deb enjoying the Northern Lights Greenland Tours and Savings Right now Quark Expeditions is offering 25% off when you book seclect Arctic voyages before Jan 15, 2016. Want to learn more about Greenland, Download the New Quark Expeditions brochure. Enjoy Greenland Adventure Video Subscribe to our youtube channel for weekly travel videos Greenland Tours  There are shorter 10 day trips for those who don’t have a lot of time where they can fly North and South to trips lasting up to 21 days where you can really delve into the magnificent destination. Greenland offers you the chance to spy polar bears, musk oxen, and whales. You can hike on the tundra, climb mountains, or take a more relaxed cruise to watch from zodiacs and the ship’s deck. Hiking on the Arctic Tundra Greenland is the final frontier, and Quark is making it easier for anyone to visit. Greenland is still one of the most isolated regions in the world making independent travel difficult. But this also makes it one of the most interesting and untouched regions of the globe. Our ship in Greenland The smaller expedition ships led by Quark allow passengers access to remote villages where you can meet the local Inuit and learn about their fascinating culture. Many villages see very few people each year and they look forward to ships coming in. They allow you into their homes, welcome you to their community, and even play a game or two with you. Playing a game of soccer with the locals There are so many things to do on a Greenland tour. Our days were never boring. In fact, they were a bit tiring. But as we say, you can sleep when the trip is done. If you want to learn more about what it’s like on a Quark Expeditions trip to Greenland, enjoy our video below. Greenland, a Day in the Life This post is in partnership with Quark Expeditions. All opinions are our own. For more information on polar travels visit the Quark Expeditions Website.  Read Next: Antarctica Expedition Explained Read the original post Greenland – The “It” Destination of 2016 on The Planet D: Adventure Travel Blog.

How Travel Got Me to Finally Let go of Being a Control Freak Posted: 26 Dec 2015 02:17 AM PST I've had meltdowns at the top of the Eiffel Tower. Conniption fits in the snowy streets of Amsterdam. Battles of will with my husband in international airports. Hello, my name is Susan, and I used to be a terrible traveler. It all begins with my incessant need to have everything go my way. Control freak. Type A. Anal. Whatever you want to call it, that was how I lived for most of my life. Then I started traveling, and those skills really came in handy, or so I thought. I'd spend weeks researching every place I wanted my family to go, using Google Earth to check out the neighborhood we would stay in, and making spreadsheets to organize all my OCD information. The problem was, once we got there, nothing went the way I'd planned. Our delayed flight would cause us to miss our next flight at the layover. We'd get lost on our way to one of my meticulously-planned activities. I'd get sick as a dog from eating snails in Barcelona and spend the night in a dehydrated fugue, ready to curl up and die. I should have gotten the memo years ago. After dating only three months, my then-boyfriend-now-husband threatened to leave me in Paris because I was whining so much. I can't remember what I was peeved at specifically, but it was probably something like my wanting him to visit yet another long-dead author's home and him (logically) refusing. The Turning Point It wasn't until I got serious about travel writing that I knew I had to change how I traveled. I was making the people around me miserable with my need to control every situation, and I wasn't any happier. If I wanted to build a career around travel, I'd have to reduce the stress it was causing. Earlier this year, we started planning a 5-week trip to Provence. My husband already knew what to expect. We'd worked out a metaphor to help me deal with my need to control, and he used it then: "So…you ready to let me drive this trip?" Provence Changed it all Letting me drive was our code for me to metaphorically hand over the keys and sit in the passenger seat quietly while he navigated us through airports, customs, and general travel. Whenever I was able to hand over those invisible keys, I found myself enjoying travel more. Still, it took this conversation to really shake me into changing. Me: "Yea, sure, that's fine. Totally cool." My 10-year-old son chimed in, "You don't want it to be like the time you cried at the Eiffel Tower, Mama."   And suddenly, I saw myself through their eyes. Fierce. Angry. Unable to let serendipity just wash over me and enjoy the experience. I didn't want my son growing up regretting every trip he took with me, and I wanted there to be many trips. I didn't want my husband to leave the hotel room under the guise of buying groceries just to get away from my ranting. I wanted to be a person who was pleasant to travel with. In addition to being a control freak, I'm also willful. So as soon as I decided I needed to make some serious changes in how I traveled, I set to work on them. I named my controlling self Uptight Ursula. I spent time understanding what motivated her, and why she felt like she needed to have things go her way. I understood I didn't need her, and in fact, would be happier without her. So I locked her up and threw away the key. Sure, it was a silly visualizing exercise, but it worked. As anyone knows, changing ingrained habits (especially bad ones) is pretty challenging, so I won't say that I was an angel in Provence. But it was a lot more fun. When we got lost, I opened my eyes to see where we ended up. It was often better than where we'd planned to go. When I was hungry, I let my husband choose the restaurant. I'd ask my son what he wanted to do. We all got to experience the Provence we were interested in, and we shared those experiences. I didn't get a medal for my good behavior from my family when we got home, but the real reward was finally letting go and finding a way to let travel happen to me, rather than molding it to fit what I wanted. I now understand travel better. The reason I travel is to experience the unfamiliar. Yes, it's uncomfortable, but if I wanted comfort, I could stay home and save a hell of a lot of money. Travel requires being flexible and open to whatever comes, and I finally get that. When I try to control my experience, I limit it, and I don't see a destination for what it is: a magical slice of life in another place. About the Author When Susan Payton isn’t running her marketing company, she’s traveling and writing about it on The Unexplorer. She’s written several books (business, as well as travel) and has been published on Forbes, Mashable and other sites. Follow her on Twitter: @unxplorer, Instagram: @unxplorer, or Facebook. Read the original post How Travel Got Me to Finally Let go of Being a Control Freak on The Planet D: Adventure Travel Blog.

You Can Make a Difference – Give the Gift of Survival Posted: 24 Dec 2015 02:00 AM PST The holidays are the happiest time of the year for many of us. It’s a time to visit the ones we love, spend time with friends and family, and give thanks for all that we have. We are the lucky ones. We have comfortable beds to sleep in at night where we feel safe and warm. We don’t have to worry about when the next meal with come or if we will have a roof over our heads. With so many parties and festivities going on it’s hard to imagine that there are people out there suffering. But right now there are a staggering amount of people facing hardships. UNICEF Survival Gifts Dave at a project in Malawai Did you know that 16.7 million children are currently refugees around the world? Many will not have a safe place to sleep tonight on Christmas Eve. But you can make a difference. Read: Empowering People, one Brick at a Time UNICEF has made it easy for Canadians to help people going through difficult times buy putting together survival gifts for those in need. You can visit www.survivalgifts.ca and browse 60 different life-saving items like vaccines, blankets, and survival food kits to help a child in need. UNICEF is in 190 countries, so you can be sure that these emergency items are reaching the hardest to reach. There is no child too far. Canadians are a generous bunch and many have chosen to give the gift of generosity. Instead of running to the frantic Boxing Day Sales to buy something you really don’t need or won’t remember in years to come, give from the heart and join those who have already purchased 22,899 Survival Gifts totalling $1,157,260 in humanitarian support. Generous Canadians I am touched by the generosity of Canadians. So far they have made a significant difference in the lives of the 1,129,208 children reached so far who are living in some of the world's most dangerous places. For as little as $9 you can make a difference. As Canadian’s we are blessed with some of the purest drinking water in the world. Other people are not so lucky, but you can help make their water safe and clean by choosing a water package to suit your budget. From water purification tablets that cost a mere $14 to donating a water pump and maintenance training to a local community you can easily change lives. It’s an easy website to navigate where you can choose how your money is used. From emergency gifts to brighter future gifts it’s up to you how you want your donation to be spent. Read about the Christina Noble Foundation in Mongolia Virtual Reality Viewer Something I love that UNICEF is doing is how they are using VR tech, Google Cardboards and a mobile app to let you see what they see. You can purchase the viewer for $12 or if you purchase one of the 9 qualifying gifts you will receive a free virtual-reality viewer that will allow you to walk in the shoes of Sidra. You will be able to see what life is like for this 12 year-old girl currently living in the Za'atari refugee camp after fleeing conflict in Syria. 3D Virtual Reality There is nothing more powerful than stepping in the footsteps of someone else to appreciate what they are going through in life. If you have never used virtual reality before, you will be blown away by this. As you look up, down, right and left, you see what she sees. The camera moves with each turn of your head and you get a 360? view of the refugee camp, her temporary home and school. It’s a wonderful way to bring people into the lives of others. So, this year instead of buying yet another video game, blockbuster movie or LEGO toy, help those who need it the most. Last year UNICEF Survival Gifts helped children in 135 countries. Conflict and unrest have only gotten worse this year, with everything that is now going on in the world, we need to do everything we can this Christmas and into 2016. Read Next: How you Can Help Raise 2 Million Air Miles for Children in Need Read the original post You Can Make a Difference – Give the Gift of Survival on The Planet D: Adventure Travel Blog.

You are subscribed to email updates from The Planet D: Canada's Adventure Couple. To stop receiving these emails, you may unsubscribe now.	Email delivery powered by Google
Google Inc., 1600 Amphitheatre Parkway, Mountain View, CA 94043, United States