One of my favourite travel adventures is a $200 Challenge. In both the northern mountains of Vermont and in Canada’s legendary Algonquin Park we've challenged ourselves to see if two people could comfortably travel for two days and spend just $200. It's ultra frugal travel at its finest. In both cases, we've had outstanding trips, learned a lot of financial lessons, and gained fresh motivation to attempt this challenge in new locations.

After two camping related challenges it was time to try something new. It was time for a place with a real bed and hot running water! Could that place be London? Everyone want cheap travel in London? But is it really possible? Budget travel, London style, was going to test all of my travel skills.

Ontario's Algonquin Provincial Park may just be the most famous park in all of Canada. The humble beauty of its Canadian wilderness has enthralled visitors for centuries. Tom Thomson and The Group of Seven found tremendous inspiration here, as did Canadian Prime Minister Pierre Trudeau. But for everyday guests such as myself, a weekend resident at Algonquin's Achray Campground, it just feels like home.  I hope you enjoy its beauty as much as I do!

Of all the words used to describe me, “keen outdoorswoman” is rarely employed. While I greatly appreciate nature, it is often in a relatively controlled and hygienic fashion. A stroll through a botanical garden, a gentle nature walk in a National Park, occasional car camping trips punctuated with wheels of Brie and flagons of wine. So when the idea of snow shoeing in the  Ontario Highlands was proposed to me, the very idea seemed so athletic, so intrepid, so…. snow-y that my anti-adventurist nerves were tingling. And not in a good way.

St. Patrick's Day was originally recognized in the 17th century to commemorate the arrival of Christianity and Saint Patrick in Ireland. Through the years, it has morphed into a celebration of the history and culture of the Emerald Isle. In honour of this festive day, here is a Irish travel photo essay containing 35 pics from Dublin, through Limerick, to the Cliffs of Moher, and back again. Every photo may be clicked on to enlarge. Enjoy!

Lá fhéile Pádraig sona dhaoibh!

Sequestered at the corner of Trinity College and College for my final days in Dublin, I planned on doing a lot of writing and a lot of neighbourhood exploration. This tourism mecca, home of the famous Molly Malone statue, would surely be the perfect location for another 200 meter challenge.

When you travel to Dublin it seems that all paths lead to Trinity. While O’Connell Street is the most significant street, it seems like every bus I take, every path I walk, every sign I follow leads me to this bustling corner in the city center. I’m certainly not alone.

​Hundreds of thousands tourists converge on this part of Ireland every year, eager to see the fabled Book of Kells, Molly Malone, and many other nearby attractions. Surely, amid this well-trodden tourism path there would be a little nook or cranny worthy of the 200 meter challenge. Confident in success of my task, I eagerly took on the challenge the next day, vowing to leave no pub or park unturned until I found my prize. 

Taking the back roads through County Limerick with my tour guide, and navigating all of the twists and turns like a local, I was taken aback by the simple beauty of the Irish countryside. But today wasn't supposed to be about the scenery. It was all about golf. But as it turns out, it was about the scenery as well!

Food trucks have been on my mind lately. An autumn visit to Traverse City, Michigan, revealed a diverse and delicious food truck scene and I vowed to discover more street eats in my hometown of Ottawa. But like many a travel related vow, I was slow to take myself up on my own promises. It was going to take a tremendously tempting food truck to get me out of my rut and chowing down on the sidewalk.