Hey There Readers!

The croissant. That golden, crescent moon shaped delicious pastry. It is one of my absolute favourite guilty pleasures. Ever since my mom introduced me to these sinfully delicious treats when I was 14, I have always craved them!

Thanks to Vanessa, she helped me to cross an item off of my blogger's bucket list of posts. I have always wanted to go on a hunt to find the tastiest croissants in Ottawa to satisfy my croissant crush.

The most common question that travellers ask me is "How much will my trip cost?" While I know what my per diem costs are in Sydney, Quebec City, Paris, and Singapore, it's much more difficult to predict what the same trip will cost YOU.  And, as such, it's hard to create a one-size-fits-all vacation budget planner. But we're going to tackle it all the same!

But whether you rough it or seek out satin sheets; and no matter if you are taking a  jaunt to the next town or heading out to parts unknown; this travel budget template should cover every eventuality and help you gain an accurate estimate of your total trip cost. Remember that the cost of a trip isn't just the bottom basement flight you found on the internet -it's the sum of every cup of coffee, the new backpack, those dour passport photos, and every single carton of Chibuku. 

So here's to trips you can afford, locations worth saving for, and never suffering from post-travel credit card shock again!

At first glance, it may sound a bit silly to take a towel with you when you travel. After all, what kind of hotel wouldn't provide towels?! It turns out that there's actually a wide range of accommodations for whom towels are a luxury, not a standard amenity. People often ask me "Do hostels have towels?" and the answer is: Maybe. Many do. Those that don't usually offer rentals. But I still like having my own. It's not just hostels where the question of towels come up. Campgrounds usually require you to bring your own towel, along with some cottage rentals, university dorm accommodations, couch surfing, and even convent stays.

Even if you are staying in quality hotels with guaranteed clean towels, you still might want something with you to freshen up on overnight trains, buses, and flights. Lightweight travel towels are also helpful for drying your hand-washed laundry. So what's the best solution that balances comfort with practicality? 

Not once, not twice, but FOUR times this month readers have asked me about luggage tags. Do you really need to use them? What kind of luggage tags should you get? Where should you put them? And who, exactly, cares about this stuff? Um, that would be me - and you!

Let's pause for a minute and say a very special hello to all the folks reading TurnipseedTravel for the first time. This is one of our most popular posts for new readers and we're thrilled that you've found us and started here! Please stick around and tell us what you thought of this post at the end.

So why do luggage tags matter? I believe that it's often the little things that can make a big difference in travel. And while I wouldn't go so far to say that good luggage tags can make or break a trip, having reliable gear that makes your journey easier goes a long way in guaranteeing a great vacation.

​As always, I'm happy to do my very best and try to get to the bottom of things. Any info that makes your air travel smoother is good in my books! So let's dig deep into luggage tag rules, what to do about luggage tags at the airport, and more.

Farmers' markets are exploding in and around Ottawa and, if last summer's growth is any indication,  there will soon be a market in every neighbourhood of the city. I've had the chance to explore a lot of them, all in the name of my unflinching dedication to maintaining quality control of the city's baked goods, homemade jam, and strawberries. 

A stone’s throw away from the Parliament buildings is Old Hull. A little grungy and edgy, this area is often overlooked even by people that live close by.  Its imminent gentrification is obvious by the hip shops and restaurants sprouting up amongst condemned buildings.

Enter Cha-Yi (61 Eddy Street): a tea shop that is inviting, with room at the back to bring your laptop and get some work done while sipping a warm cup of tea.  The counter area resembles a Chinese medicine store.  Embossed, shiny silver containers line the shelves behind the counter, holding teas, some decades old, that were all chosen by the owner on his yearly trip to China.  The staff here are knowledgeable beyond expectation and will help you pick a delectable leaf to brew at home or to enjoy on site.

One of my favourite ways to wile away a day in Ottawa is to visit the National Gallery of Canada. When I first moved to Ottawa, nearly a decade ago, I spent about a year as a volunteer at the Gallery, passing every Tuesday in the volunteer office where I compiled statistics from the prize entry cards left by thousands of visitors. Even after I started to work full time, the Gallery continued to feel like a home away from home for me.