The looming peak of Telica volcano gradually got closer as our Land Cruiser bumped along the rough trail. At road’s end, we hiked up the steep hillside, huffing and puffing as steam belched from Telica’s gaping crater. We reached the top just before sunset, when the sun and clouds co-operated in a dazzling show, and […] Read more
Robin And Arlene Karpan
Stories by Robin And Arlene Karpan
How to get the most for your money when travelling
A big decision to make when travelling abroad is how to manage your money. Should you take a pocketful of cash, bank cards, credit cards or travellers cheques? The answer varies depending on where you’re going, but here’s a few things to consider. Our first choice is using credit cards where possible, followed by cash […] Read more
Heading back to school in Antigua, Guatemala
Going to school doesn’t immediately spring to mind when thinking about vacations, but hitting the books turned out to be a highlight of recent travels to Antigua, Guatemala. We took Spanish language classes at Proyecto Linguistico Francisco Marroquin (PLFM), a non-profit foundation specializing in teaching Spanish and local Mayan languages. It was a return to […] Read more
Christmas alive with light displays
It’s getting easier to find the top light displays almost anywhere. Simply do an internet search for Christmas lights and the name of a community and chances are that you’ll find a few pleasant surprises. A useful resource in Saskatchewan is www.sparkletour.ca, which includes maps of 15 communities and addresses and descriptions of Christmas displays […] Read more
Take your time driving through Alberta’s Icefields Parkway
Towering snow-capped peaks, magnificent river valleys, picture-perfect waterfalls galore, wandering wildlife and walls of ice dripping from the largest glaciers in the Rockies can all be seen without getting out of the vehicle. National Geographic described the Icefields Parkway as one of the world’s most spectacular driving tours. Fortunately for those of us living in […] Read more
Ancient treasures, captivating landscapes
The approach is breathtaking. Travelling across the mostly level farmland near Brooks in southeastern Alberta, we come to a valley rim where the land suddenly drops into a vast expanse of spectacular badlands, the largest anywhere in Canada. The parched land of crumbling slopes, fairy-tale hoodoos and assorted bizarre formations appear in various shades of […] Read more
A road trip through Manitoba’s Waterfall Alley
Massive walls of water thunder over a fault line. Cataracts and rapids twist through a narrow canyon. Most intriguing of all, a rapid-filled spring seems to gush mysteriously from a solid rock wall. The best part is that all of these spectacular natural features are easily accessible along a paved highway following the Grass River […] Read more
The spectacular sights of Cape Breton’s Cabot Trail
L istings of the most scenic drives in North America usually rank the Cabot Trail on Nova Scotia’s Cape Breton Island near the top. We decided to see what all the fuss is about and discovered a rare place that more than met our expectations. A third of the loop route snakes through Cape Breton […] Read more
Plan ahead for healthy travels abroad
Getting sick at home is bad enough, but dealing with illness or injury while travelling can be traumatic. It’s even worse if you’re in a country where you are not familiar with the medical system or language. The International Association for Medical Assistance to Travellers, a non-profit organization, lists recommended doctors and clinics abroad that […] Read more
Expert tips for memorable vacation photos
Well-crafted photos can provide lasting memories from a summer vacation. Whether you’re embarking on a grand tour to far-flung lands or spending a week at the lake, keeping a few simple techniques in mind can make a big difference to the quality of your photos. There’s a saying that painting is the art of addition, […] Read more
