Off to Quebec

bonhomme glace2 LETTRE 1024x717 Off to Quebec

Bonhomme, the official ambassador of Quebec Winter Carnival

This morning finds me half-awake in the Toronto Airport on a 4-hour layover, cozy and increasingly caffeinated in Air Canada’s Maple Leaf Lounge.

Thanks to my Star Alliance miles, I’m flying coach; thanks to a generous fellow travel blogger, though, I’m hooked up for first-class lounge access on my journey to Québec City.

Later today, I’ll meet up with yet another fellow travel blogger to revel in the Winter Carnival, go snowshoeing on the Fields of Abraham, check out North America’s only ice hotel, and even drive to Montreal for a one-night stay.

I’m looking forward to some (temporary) freezing fun and trying Québecois specialties like the Caribou, a four-spirit cocktail guaranteed to make you not mind that it’s, well…zero degrees Fahrenheit.

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Valentine’s Day Gifts for Couples Who Travel

images Valentines Day Gifts for Couples Who TravelIn my household, Valentine’s Day (much like Ron Burgundy in Anchorman) is kind of a big deal.

For that matter, so is travel.

Allow me, then, to present my suggestions for travel-themed gifts for you and your squeeze! [Read more...]

Logistics of an African Safari

 Logistics of an African Safari

Most of an African safari involves sitting, excited, in a safari vehicle

If you’re planning (or dreaming of) an African safari, there are a few things to know and a few things you can forget.

Here’s your guide to both.

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Plnnr: Cool New (and Free) Travel Planning Tool

plnnr logo Plnnr: Cool New (and Free) Travel Planning ToolIn the last week, I’ve had conversations with three be-coupled friends about where they should go and when. At the end of each hash session, they seemed daunted by the prospect of researching hotels and choosing things to do.

In a stroke of good timing, I’ve just discovered a new travel planning tool called Plnnr.

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Adventures in Layover Land: Los Angeles

800px Manhattan Beach Pier2008 Adventures in Layover Land: Los Angeles

The Manhattan Beach Pier in Manhattan Beach, California

My home is in Los Angeles, so believe me when I say that I’m familiar with the hallowed halls of its major airport, known to just about everyone as LAX.

It’s a huge, sprawling place without much commerce (or beauty) to recommend it, which I’ve always found bizarre; L.A., after all, is one of the most vibrant cities in the world, and we’ve got just about everything here.

Including, of course, the Pacific Ocean…a whopping 12 minutes from the airport. You do the math.

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