tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-60084234984316203012024-03-05T17:09:59.433-07:00Past and future wanderings of a travel bug . . .Confessions of a (wannabe) globetrotter . . .a blog that aims to inspire others to explore the world.Mitchhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05962338521756351586noreply@blogger.comBlogger35125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6008423498431620301.post-11553258328049418332012-01-28T21:46:00.000-07:002012-01-28T21:46:36.337-07:00A Ticket to Nowhere...Exploring the Expansion at the EIAI got up and out of the house early (for a Saturday) and headed to the Edmonton International Airport. This probably doesn't sound particularly unusual after all this is meant to be a travel blog so surely I've been to my local airport before. True enough. Usually however I go to airport because I am going somewhere or at the very least picking someone up. Today however Mitchhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05962338521756351586noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6008423498431620301.post-63239401902498768942011-11-11T16:18:00.000-07:002011-11-11T16:18:18.209-07:00A Time to Honour and Remember all Veterans and Those Who Still Serve
Remembrance Day is important to me. I'm not a religious person so today trumps even Christmas. As a Canadian I am free to travel with little restriction to many places in the world. For this I am ever thankful. I've had the opportunity to travel to many places significant in past conflicts and the older I get the more important I find this day.
This year I Mitchhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05962338521756351586noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6008423498431620301.post-57159965903795499162011-06-12T21:17:00.000-06:002011-06-12T21:17:55.919-06:00P is for ProcrastinationAre you a procrastinator? I am. I admit it. It's awful. A couple of months ago I started thinking about making my summer vacation plans. I researched a couple of small tour operators, I looked into flights and buses and trains. And I booked nothing. Partly because I was waiting for the next seat sale. It came and went. And so did another one. Mitchhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05962338521756351586noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6008423498431620301.post-9872846812829840892011-05-24T22:45:00.000-06:002011-05-24T22:45:43.837-06:00Gearing Up for a Great Canadian Summer!For the better part of the year my country is cold. I mean really cold. I moaned about it last winter and come next winter I am sure I will again. I love my country---but I hate it's winter weather. So for Canadians the warm kiss of the breeze on a summers day is precious. It's why when it's 15 C in early spring (and a week ago it was -15 C) you will see people Mitchhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05962338521756351586noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6008423498431620301.post-77850237628160119392011-04-26T22:23:00.000-06:002011-04-26T22:23:37.006-06:00T is for Travel Blogger?So I've been absent for a while. I'm sorry. I really am. Real life has been my focus lately but I have still got my eyes on the prize. The prize being the next trip.
I've been working on improving my health and fitness level--which needs to happen if I am to tackle a couple of trips on my bucket list down the road--the Inca Trail and Kilimanjaro. I'm working Mitchhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05962338521756351586noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6008423498431620301.post-49143323999412938452011-01-19T23:31:00.000-07:002011-01-19T23:31:56.380-07:00Wandering into 2011I have to admit that 2011 has gotten off to a bit of a slow start. My internet presence has been negligible and real life has taken over. Since December my focus has been the holidays, family, friends and work. I had hoped for a winter getaway but instead stayed home and shoveled snow. A lot of snow--I haven't seen a winter like this since I was small.
2011 so far has alsoMitchhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05962338521756351586noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6008423498431620301.post-20274151035436798282011-01-19T22:38:00.000-07:002011-01-19T22:38:41.427-07:00Living with Less: What Travel Has Taught Me About Money & Material ThingsA funny thing happened to me as I attempted to do some Boxing Week shopping at the end of 2010. I made my way through several stores, amongst the throngs of bargain hunters, looking for a bargain myself. I had decided that if I didn't go on a trip over the break I would treat myself to a new (and bigger) TV. But even though I found many a tempting deal I just couldn't do it. &Mitchhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05962338521756351586noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6008423498431620301.post-28436722312491779782010-12-21T22:51:00.000-07:002010-12-21T22:51:28.273-07:00The Darkest Days - Seeking Sun on the Shortest Day of the Year!
Rhodes, Greece looking sunny and even ... tropical.
Today is the Winter Solstice--officially the shortest day of the year. Today the sun didn't rise until nearly 9 in the morning and set just after 4 in the afternoon. I don't know about you but the shorter days leave me desperately wanting to see more of the sun. Although I live (and grew up in) a part of the world that Mitchhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05962338521756351586noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6008423498431620301.post-10700360566584998322010-12-02T22:55:00.000-07:002010-12-02T22:55:20.845-07:00Feeling Under the Weather When You're on the RoadFor most of the last week or so I've been sick. Sore throat, chills, fever and feeling achy all over. Bottom line, it sucks. I've been dosing myself with Vitamin C, echinacea, chicken soup and the occasional Neocitran. There's not much worse than when you are are ill.
Except when you are away from home.
Even if you love to travel and were to make up a list of the pros Mitchhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05962338521756351586noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6008423498431620301.post-81103267033827365412010-11-17T23:51:00.000-07:002010-11-17T23:51:38.145-07:00Road Trip: The Sequel!
Maligne Lake, Jasper National Park
West. Go west. I love the west. As I mentioned in a previous post, Road Trip! my summer was bookended by two road trips. The first, to Saskatoon with an old friend happened on the May long weekend and was all about about good food and relaxation. The road trip at the opposite end of the summer was over the Labour Day long weekend Mitchhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05962338521756351586noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6008423498431620301.post-75451838120193721192010-11-11T18:30:00.000-07:002010-11-11T18:30:29.729-07:00Lest we forget...
Lest We Forget...
I know I am fortunate to live in a country that has not known modern warfare, at least within our own borders. Despite this, we have not been untouched by war as brave Canadian soldiers, both men and women have served our country preserving the freedoms that we enjoy as Canadians. Other places in the world have not been as lucky.
Today in Canada we recognize Mitchhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05962338521756351586noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6008423498431620301.post-36348440182161750902010-11-07T23:07:00.000-07:002010-11-07T23:07:56.981-07:00Job Opportunity of a LifetimeFind a job you enjoy and you'll never work a day in your life.
-Confucious
The Job Opportunity of a Lifetime!
I love this quote and I'm sure there is a lot of truth in this however as things stand I love the job I have now most days but it certainly is still work. On the best days not as much, but on the bad days...well you get the picture. I've definitely been lucky to have some Mitchhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05962338521756351586noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6008423498431620301.post-11860344344623620412010-11-04T22:46:00.000-06:002010-11-04T22:46:34.518-06:00Road Trip!I love a good road trip. On a really good one you will laugh, cry, love and maybe even fight. I've done my share over the years. I grew up in Canada in smaller city that only recently started public transit and having a car meant freedom. Summer camping trips, an impromptu trip somewhere 3 hours away to have a meal or just a drive for no reason--I'm guilty of all of these.Mitchhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05962338521756351586noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6008423498431620301.post-72574373305744613482010-11-01T23:16:00.000-06:002010-11-01T23:16:21.113-06:00Travel Contests Galore! Who wants a free trip?Lately it seems everywhere I look I see a new travel (or travel inspired) contest out there. I'm sure a lot of this is to do with the proliferation of the internet and social media sites like Facebook, Twitter and others. And another thing I'm sure of is that every company that sponsors one of these contests is getting an awful lot of bang for their marketing buck by running them. &Mitchhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05962338521756351586noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6008423498431620301.post-23167213037235217942010-10-27T23:32:00.000-06:002010-10-27T23:32:29.219-06:00Working Abroad--Why you should do it and why I wish I had done it sooner!
In the streets of London.
I spent much of 2008 and 2009 living and working overseas. Since I was young I had dreamed of experiencing life somewhere else in the world. In retrospect it was an opportunity that I would not trade for anything. I only have one regret and it's that I didn't do it sooner.
I recently received a message from an old friend of mine (who has been Mitchhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05962338521756351586noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6008423498431620301.post-20025948356064558852010-10-24T23:11:00.000-06:002010-10-24T23:11:10.836-06:00My (Travel) Bucket ListMost of us have goals that we may only ever dream about. For me, many of those goals have focused on travel. I have been fortunate to have been able to cross a few things off my own bucket list. So I thought I would take the opportunity to share it here with you. Since I have already managed to cross a few things off my list I have had to come up with new things to add toMitchhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05962338521756351586noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6008423498431620301.post-25271653607283604032010-10-21T23:01:00.000-06:002010-10-21T23:01:57.373-06:00The Great Debate...I've been getting itchy feet lately. It's almost been a year since I've been back home and I am feeling like its time for a new adventure. So the great debate begins. Where do I go next?
The possibilities are endless and I found myself at a travel show last month checking out some options. My problem is at least for the meantime I have already been to many of the places IMitchhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05962338521756351586noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6008423498431620301.post-41952614033066660792010-10-19T22:48:00.000-06:002010-10-19T22:48:07.325-06:00I'm baaaaack!Reality has come crashing down around me these last few months. New home, still learning the new job, summer...well you know how it goes. I have kind of withdrawn from a lot of things as a result. Unintentionally of course. But there are new things to come. First off this site is slowly going to get a new look. How do you like my header? It will be a Mitchhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05962338521756351586noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6008423498431620301.post-26563873442744457602010-05-20T19:55:00.000-06:002010-05-20T19:55:12.005-06:00Guest Post By Krista D. BallNot everyone has the desire to travel the world. Not everyone has the means, either. Yet, I think a little exploration can do our minds good. If we spend too much time in the same place, we become entrenched and our world view becomes stilted.
As a speculative fiction writer, the imagination needs constant stimulation in order to keep up with creating new worlds, cultures, and even races. Mitchhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05962338521756351586noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6008423498431620301.post-54037668430466372872010-05-19T21:38:00.000-06:002010-05-19T21:38:47.398-06:00I've been remiss...readjusting to life at home after a year abroadApologies for taking so long to post this. It seems as if the rest of my life has gotten in the way lately of sharing my travel stories. I am hoping this will soon improve. I've now been back for nearly seven months and I am slowly going about reclaiming the accouterments of the average person's life. The new job was found sooner than anticipated and while it started out as temporary and Mitchhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05962338521756351586noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6008423498431620301.post-14556194497562346952010-04-05T20:54:00.000-06:002010-04-06T18:01:34.611-06:00My (travel) story...and why I want to keep traveling!I have spent countless hours in my life examining maps, reading travel books (and phrase books) and daydreaming about the places I would one day go. Travel has changed me. I am not the same person I was before I embarked upon the trips of the last two and half years. I was fortunate in my early years to have traveled throughout a lot of Canada and the United States but I had never gone Mitchhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05962338521756351586noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6008423498431620301.post-55633126494894627342010-04-03T11:00:00.000-06:002010-04-03T12:11:28.920-06:00A Day in AthensOk, so I promised to tell you how I spent the day in Athens. So here it is. Anyone who has traveled to Greece will understand when I use the term "Greek Time". For those of you that are unfamiliar with this, the concept of "Greek Time" is this: things kind of run at their own pace in Greece . . .time tables are often rough guides for when transportation arrives and leaves. The pace is very Mitchhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05962338521756351586noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6008423498431620301.post-68762580910740791342010-03-22T21:24:00.000-06:002010-03-22T21:36:19.858-06:00Shameless Self Promotion . . .So I have fallen off the blogging bandwagon this last month as I have been working on some other projects--an article and a video. The video has just been posted for your perusal!WE NEED YOUR VOTE!My friend Alesha and I have been friends since we were in junior high school and have always wanted to plan a trip together. It has yet to work out but we decided to take a crack at winning one! Mitchhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05962338521756351586noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6008423498431620301.post-90982145560374462982010-03-14T22:35:00.000-06:002010-03-14T23:07:48.216-06:00Distractions, distractions . . .So this week I was planning on telling you all a bit more about what I enjoyed in Athens but I am afraid it will have to wait just a bit longer. I ran across a call for submissions yesterday for travel stories involving food. I think I might just have a story for it. So I am going to take a crack at it. May as well have fun with it anyways. I will let you know how it goes and if nothing Mitchhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05962338521756351586noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6008423498431620301.post-23105696540104734402010-03-06T21:35:00.000-07:002010-11-08T21:01:31.923-07:00It's All Greek to me . . .So far of all the places I have traveled my absolute favorite place is Greece. My love affair with all things (or at least many things) Greek began way back in Grade 5 when my teacher told our class the story of the Odyssey. It continued over the years as I discovered the mythology and the food. By the time I was university I was hooked. I very nearly took a minor in Classics and one of my Mitchhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05962338521756351586noreply@blogger.com1