Your passport to trouble-free travel

As you count down the days and dream of faraway lands, here are five ways your passport could derail your vacation and what to do about it

Your passport to trouble-free travelTravelling abroad this summer? As you count down the days and dream of faraway lands, you may be overlooking easily-preventable problems – including with your passport – that, unfortunately, many people aren’t aware of. Here are five ways your passport could derail your vacation and what to do about it: Your passport can be rejected…

A Bed and Breakfast by any other name

Driving or walking around in a non-English speaking country? Here's our guide to finding a Bed and Breakfast

A Bed and Breakfast by any other nameBed and Breakfasts, "B&Bs", are called by that name almost everywhere in the world, especially if you're looking on the internet. But if you're driving or walking around in a non-English speaking country, what should you be on the lookout for? You can go into a tourist office almost anywhere and ask for a B&B,…

How to survive your vacation flight

Whether a major holiday or just the summer travel rush, plans for surviving holiday flights will help you enjoy your trip

How to survive your vacation flightSurviving travel during any peak travel season  takes some thought and planning. You know there are going to be crowds. There are probably going to be inexperienced travellers. That means lines will be long. What can you do to make it better? Plan your flights strategically. Try to catch the first flight in the morning:…

Money tight? Take a staycation

You might just find that a once-in-a-while holiday at home will give you ideas and more money for future travel

Money tight? Take a staycationWhy would you want to holiday at home? You're into travel and adventure! But when the economy is in the skids, you might find that your budget just won't take a big international trip. The media even came up with a new word for a home holiday: a "staycation" instead of vacation. We all still…

Christmas in Germany

German Christmas markets, a kaleidoscope of colors and lights, are street markets that are usually held in town squares and spill over into adjacent pedestrian zones

Christmas in GermanyGerman Christmas markets, a kaleidoscope of colors and lights, are street markets that are usually held in town squares and spill over into adjacent pedestrian zones. While there are Christmas markets all over Europe, the tradition in Germanic speaking parts of Europe seems to go back to the Middle Ages. The markets generally coincide with…

Eating for cheap while on vacation

Follow our rules to find cheap restaurants that offer both good food and low prices, no matter what part of the world you're in

Eating for cheap while on vacationWhen you're visiting a strange country or city, how do you find cheap restaurants? Travel can get expensive, and whether you're on a big budget or a tight one, you might not want to be eating at expensive restaurants every night. We're not necessarily talking "greasy spoons" here. Low budget food doesn't have to be…

The bizarre and wonderful world of bazaars

The bizarre and wonderful world of bazaarsI love world bazaars – souks, suqs, markets. Call them what you will, they're just so much fun to prowl in. By definition bazaars are shopping quarters, especially in the Middle East. They were probably the precursors to our flea markets, shopping malls, and supermarkets all rolled into one. The word seems to have originated…

Sampling Trappist Monastery beers in Belgium

If you don't know it already, beer and Belgium go together

Sampling Trappist Monastery beers in BelgiumIf you don't know it already, beer and Belgium go together. Trappist Monastery beers are a unique and terrific little sub-set of Belgian beers, and you could set up a great Belgium tour to include sampling what the monks so lovingly produce. The Trappist monks have been brewing these beers for centuries. Six of Belgium's…

An epic fishing adventure at the Arctic Circle

Ten friends, a rustic lodge and days spent on the pristine waters of Great Bear Lake

An epic fishing adventure at the Arctic CircleBy Grady Semmens “Well, I guess I actually have to do this now that we’ve come all this way,” says Jeff warily as he eyes the cloud of mosquitoes that tracks our every move and bounces off the nets that cover our heads. And with that, he casts off every stitch of clothing save for…