Saguenay is the best place to go kayaking in Quebec - even if there are a few misadventures along the way.
Brimming with confidence and cutting a dashing, athletic figure, I nimbly slid into the stern of my sea kayak, ready to embrace the elements and be one with nature.
Wait a minute.... that's not me! I've never been nimble at anything I do, let alone anything to do with boats! But when I had the opportunity to kayak the Saguenay, Quebec, Fjord - and specifically be in the Saguenay St Lawrence Marine Park, adjacent to Fjord National Park- I WAS truly ready to be one with nature. The chance to navigate a fjord here in Canada was a rare travel experience I couldn't miss. As for the confidence.... well... let's just say that I was about as confident as I was nimble. But it didn't take me long to hit my stride, with only a few minor mishaps. And it was all worth it to be better acquainted with an absolutely incredible corner of the world. Here's why I think sea kayaking is among the best things to do in Saguenay (even if there were a few awkward wetsuit moments along the way). Beluga whale watching in Quebec is an exhilarating travel experience - but what would a queasy girl like myself think about it?
Vomiting. Vomiting on people. Toppling over furniture. Quietly crying. Some of my most woe-begotten travel moments have involved motion sickness and many of those have involved boats. Who can forget when I had motion sickness while on the Houseboat Museum of Amsterdam? I'm not an adventurous girl and, on the rare times that I am, that adventurous spirit does NOT involve boats. But all that changed when I had the chance to go beluga whale watching in Quebec; Tadoussac to be exact. "Whale watching: Quebec" has been on my travel bucket list for a long time, and for good reason. Whale watching in Tadoussac is reputed to be among the best in the world and there was no way that I was going to miss it - no matter what my stomach wanted to do!
All roads really DO lead to - and from- Rome. If you're interested in biking the Appian Way in Rome, this post is for you.
Julius Ceasar, Saint Peter, Spartacus, and now the team from Turnipseed Travel.... there's been more than a few legends who've walked, rode, and peddled their way down the Appian Way. This ancient highway, nearly 400 miles of engineering marvel, connected Rome with southern Italy and the sea, forming a critical trade and communications link with Greece and Egypt. Considered the world's first super highway, everyone who was anyone traveled along the Appian Way, along with over two thousand years of worth of anonymous citizens too. We were happy to start our first day in Italy by following in their footsteps and biking the Appian Way in Rome.
In Stockholm's Archipelago, an RIB is the best way to travel.
My list of enemies may not be long, but it is firm. And boats have been at the top of that list for my entire life. I am a seasick, motion-sick mess at the mere thought of boats. I have thrown up in public. I have nearly thrown up on people. I have inadvertently taken too much anti-nausea medication and have fallen asleep on the floor of a whale watching vessel. I have taken too little medication too late on an overnight ferry and have cried myself to sleep.
I even felt queasy on the Amsterdam Houseboat Museum. A docked vessel in an inner city canal designed for human habitation. I take my ginger capsules with a hearty dose of shame. Needless to say, had I really known what an RIB was and what it did, I never would have gone to the dock in Stockholm. I hate boats. I hate speed. Sometimes I even think I hate fun. I’m an absolute scaredy cat, the saddest wimpiest traveler to ever tentatively hit the road. Who on earth would have thought I’d have one of the best experiences of my life?! I love the water and I couldn't wait to try submarine tours in Hawaii. But how would I feel about hanging out on the ocean floor - in a tube? It was time to take a trip with Atlantis Adventures Kona.Submarine tours in Hawaii have been on our travel bucket list for a long time. There's absolutely no way you can go to Hawaii and not explore the ocean! The water is lovely, the scenery is great - and what lies under the surface is even better! The snorkeling and scuba diving in Hawaii is fantastic. The Big Island is arguably less famous for underwater activities than the other islands but we have always enjoyed ourselves and have several beaches we call our favourites. There's great ocean experiences there - don't let anyone convince you otherwise!
But not everyone is comfortable in the water and fortunately there's a great alternative for those who prefer to keep dry while they explore the ocean depths. We did a submarine tour of the Kona harbour with Atlantis Adventure Kona Tours and we really enjoyed our experience. But what was it like stepping on board a submarine for the first time? And did the tour offer good value compared to other things to do in Kona? Read on to learn more about our adventures (from the anti-adventurist herself!) What could be better than cycling through Amsterdam, passing by canals and cobblestones? There is perhaps no image of Europe more romantic and relaxing than that of a gentle bike trip across charming, cobblestone streets. Unless you're an anti-adventurist, that is! Your inner chicken will be cringing with every turn, fretting the buses, the cars, even your fellow cyclists. But cycling through Amsterdam is a travel dream, even for those of us who are entirely less adventurous in their travel style. Here's how to survive and thrive while biking in Amsterdam.
On the icy surface of Lake Simcoe, I went fishing for adventure...I've often thought that there is no better way to enjoy the splendor of the great outdoors and the beauty of the Canadian winter than from the warmth of a cozy window seat, with a latte and good book in hand. But a girl cannot live on caffeine and Jane Austen alone - sometimes you just need to get outside for a breath of fresh air. I'm sure that this is what was going through my head when I agreed to go ice fishing on rural Ontario's Lake Simcoe. This was going to be as anti-adventurous as it gets!
Hampton, Virginia's annual Blackbeard Festival would bring out the adventure in anyone!
I'm not a very adventurous girl and it's safe to say I don't go out of my way to hang out with a particularly adventurous crowd. Nope, it's safe and sedate all the way for me. The very opposite of what a swash buckling, grog swilling, plank walking pirate would do! So with the hopes of catching some of their infectious enthusiasm, I headed to Hampton, Virginia to participate in the annual Blackbeard Festival and become a pirate for the day.
Often just called the Hampton pirate festival, I think Blackbeard himself would be proud the city. Hampton is the ideal place to get into the spirit of things, as the region played host to the infamous pirate Blackbeard's final stand in 1718. A trip to Varvakios is not for the faint of heart! But this is the best market in Athens - you don't want to miss it.An old man is sprinkling salt on his cold, hard boiled eggs. A very large, very dead fish of unknown origin is staring at me with its milky, unfocused eyes. In fact, eyes are all around me - teeth, noses, tongues, and tails are too. A tiny plate of bread, olives, pickled hot peppers, and grilled meats are in front of me - strong foods, says the chef, as I need something to regain my strength. For I'm at the Varvakios, otherwise known as the Athens Meat Market, and I just caused a scene.
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