Category: Our Views on Travel

Although English is the language of commerce in the European Union, and most folks in tourist and related industries speak English, I have found that a few choice words or phrases spoken in the native language is appreciated when you are travelling. In my case it is also a source of hilarity as my pronunciation is…

One of my first dinners in Italy was a simple pasta with sauce, roasted tomatoes, Parmesan and fresh basil.  Coupled with a basket of the best bread I have ever eaten and a cheap glass of house wine, which in Italy is still better than any other, it was a meal I will never forget.  Add…

Socrates is quoted as stating “The secret of change is to focus all of your energy, not on fighting the old, but on building the new.” As we enter the third year overshadowed by a global pandemic it is important to embrace the new normal as it relates to everyday life; social distancing, mask wearing,…

One of the draws of any Greek destination is the food.  A cruise does not necessarily give you enough opportunities to eat while ashore so the few times we did on this recent trip were very gratifying.  A quick lunch of gyros with cold Greek beer was our go to patio meal and was both…

When Norwegian Cruise Lines decided to return to international waters they chose a destination that was popular with their loyal passengers, the Greek Islands.  As luck would have it Greece was ready to accept travellers to their country at the same time. The seven day itinerary sailing from the port of Pireaus, which services the…

In less than a week we are packing up the car and heading for Pearson International Airport in Toronto for our first international trip in over two years. As the title of this article implies I am as excited as I am nervous.  Not only are we travelling again, but we are going overseas, with…

One insight that the pandemic has provided me is that in the process of missing everything I could not do, I almost missed what was available right in front of me. That was never more evident than last week. We are scheduled to travel in August and a good amount of my focus and planning…

As we entered an unprecedented time in international travel it is important that you understand what your risk tolerance is for planning and executing your travel goals. When, where and how you next travel is very much a personal choice and as the world climbs slowly out of the pandemic enforced shutdowns your decisions are…

The concept of risk tolerance is commonly discussed in financial planning.  It will help to determine your acceptance of situations where loss may occur, especially in investments.  The same consideration can be applied to travel. Risk is defined as “uncertainty about the implications of an activity you value often focusing on negative or undesirable consequences”. …