Travelrific® Travel Journal
Picture postcards in prose.™ Check out the blogroll on the front page for official merchandise and other resources!An Amazing Ride in Canada
By Linda Tancs
Icefields Parkway in the Canadian Rockies is a gorgeous mountain highway between Banff and Jasper national parks. Aptly named, you will see ancient icefields, covering majestic peaks like Mount Chephren. Of course, you can simply enjoy the five-hour one-way ride, or stop and enjoy the hikes, glaciers or wildlife viewing including bears, moose and caribou. The road is open year round, but the service stations are closed from October to May from end to end. Don’t let that stop you. Try a short guided tour, like Lake Louise to Bow Summit, the highest point on the parkway.
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An Eco Lesson for Kids
By Linda Tancs
Sandos Caracol Eco Resort & Spa, located on a beautiful white sand beach
in Riviera Maya, is one of the hottest destinations these days in Mexico. Because of its quiet location in the middle of a lush green area at the edge of the Riviera Maya exotic jungle surrounded by cenotes, mangroves and natural lagoons, the hotel caters to families. Of course, you’ll find a water park, video games, a jungle gym, trampoline and a bouncy castle. But the resort also boasts eco activities for children focused on teaching them to live in harmony with nature, like Sandos Planet, an educational program explaining the effect of our everyday actions on the land, oceans and atmosphere. We could all use a lesson like that.
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Tingo is Bingo
By Linda Tancs
Worried about spending too much on that hotel room? Are you biding your time watching the rates like a hawk, hoping to hit the jackpot? Tingo takes the worry and hassle out of hotel bookings. You’ll get a refund if the rate goes down after you book a “Money Back” room and an automatic re-booking at the lower rate. Your booking is protected as well if the rate goes up. Tingo has already saved consumers over $58,000. Will you be next?
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Where Conifers Reign
By Linda Tancs
England’s Bedgebury National Pinetum is home to an internationally renowned conifer collection, the most complete in the world, with over 9000 trees covering 350 acres. An hour away from London, Bedgebury is close to the Kent/East Sussex border. Voted “Best Picnic Site in the South,” the serene environs also beckon hikers, cyclists, horse riders and zipliners.
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Crocodile Rock
By Linda Tancs
There’s this thing called the Crocodile Rock. No, not the dance immortalized in Elton John’s song. It’s a painted rock on the Isle of Cumbrae in Scotland. You’ll find it in Millport, the only town there, reachable by car ferry from Largs on the west coast. Of course, there’s more to do than just look at a painted rock. This accessible island, inhabited since the end of the last Ice Age, also boasts Britain’s smallest cathedral with incredible acoustics. Now that’s something to sing about.
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Pumpkin Fever in Delaware
By Linda Tancs
Ever wonder what happens to all those Halloween pumpkins? It might surprise you to learn that people from across the country converge east of Bridgeville, Delaware to launch pumpkins into the air during the annual Punkin Chunkin competition in November. Now through 4 November, teams will use their engineering skills and ingenuity to hurl their pumpkins to the greatest heights. A nationally recognized event, a share of the proceeds is earmarked for charitable giving. What better reason is there to chunk than that!
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Sharing the Sky in Nepal
By Linda Tancs
From November to March, you can share the sky with birds of prey in Nepal. Known as parahawking, you’ll paraglide with a trained bird in the Pokhara valley. The 20 to 30 minute adventure will set you back around $185, but approximately $10 from every flight goes towards vulture conservation projects in Nepal. Go ahead, fly like an eagle.
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Ghosts in the Close
By Linda Tancs
Mary King’s Close in Edinburgh, Scotland is an underground labyrinth of now defunct closes and dwelling places that once rose seven stories high. The close was demolished to make way for council chambers in Edinburgh, leaving the remnants of the closes below ground. These remnants are a snapshot of life as it existed in the 16th through 18th centuries. Ghost stories abound, which makes this destination a good Halloween jaunt. Join one of their Supernatural History Tours.
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Splendid Isolation
By Linda Tancs
Big Bend National Park in southwest Texas is one of the remotest places on earth. Named for the vast curve of the Rio Grande, native peoples have lived in and passed through this expansive park (the 8th largest in the lower 48 states) for thousands of years. Archeological wonders are also represented, including fossils like a world-record pterosaur and a 50-foot crocodile. No surprise that the park offers idyllic hiking trails, like Grapevine Hills with its beautiful rock formations. Over 150 miles of trails await for day hikes or backpacking trips. Visitor information is available at any of the five centers, two of which are open year round. The busy season is generally November through April. Get there now before the crowds do. The closest commercial airport is Midland International.
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Cape Cod’s Most Popular Destination
By Linda Tancs
Provincetown, Massachusetts is one of the few places on the East Coast where you can watch the sun set over the Atlantic Ocean. Located at the tip of Cape Cod and preserved almost entirely as part of the Cape Cod National Seashore Park, its heritage dates back to the Pilgrims’ first landing in 1620. Dune hiking is a popular attraction. You can take a 40-minute hike on your own at the Snail Road entrance or opt for an organized tour, complete with lobster bakes or sunset and champagne tours. Provincetown is a regional public transportation hub with fast ferry, bus and air service from Boston and frequent local shuttle service.
Travelrific® Travel Journal 