BikeHike Adventure Blog

Free Language Courses

2008-09-01T11:13:00.000-07:00

Welcome, Karibu, Bonjour, Bienvenidos, Willkamen, Haere Mai, Sawasdee, Bem-vindo, Dober dan….

In Sumatra, several years back when I was young and naïve and still glowing from fulfilling a childhood dream of mine (of seeing orangutans in the wild), I was handed a small box to take care of. Let me explain…My friend and I were taking an overnight bus from Bukittinggi to Dumai, which ended up being a van with just the two of us. At the beginning of the trip, the driver stopped at a house, went in for a few minutes, and then came back out and handed us each a box that was all taped up. We asked the driver what was in the box and he just shook his head at us with a perplexed look on his face. This immediately made me suspicious of its contents. We at this point overreacted and decided we didn’t feel comfortable holding a box for the overnight ride ahead, especially if we didn’t know what was inside. When we started to open the box the driver shook his head at us. Thus, we proceeded to jump out of the van and run like Forest Gump back to town. We decided to forfeit the $1.00 or so we spent on the 10-hour ride and booked with another company. We found out later the box contained breakfast for us. Wow, did I ever feel stupid and embarrassed! If only I had some grasp of the local language that I could have determined the generosity of the bus company before getting myself all worked up and jumping out of the van. I guess we live and learn….

With that said, I always think its useful to learn a few key words and phrases before travelling. It’s a great way to interact with the locals and enhance the travel experience. I find the locals really appreciate it when you try to speak their language, even if it’s barely comprehensible. After all, it’s the thought that counts…

There are several ways to learn a language. One is buy purchasing a pocket size phrasebook (the lonely planet books are hours of entertainment with random funny phrases), However, if you are like me the phrase book is not the most practical. It increases my vocabulary, but it doesn’t teach me how to say the words properly. I would win a spelling bee, but would most likely pronounce the words wrong so no one would have the faintest idea what I was saying.

That’s why I like utilizing the free courses online. Many have audio features so you can listen to the words and learn how to pronounce them properly. Some sites I recommend are:

http://www.bbc.co.uk/languages/ - has approx. 10 languages such as French, Spanish, Gaelic. Japanese etc. I find this the most comprehensive of all. It has crosswords, beginner courses, refresher courses, videos, etc. You can also sign up and track your progress.

http://www.babbel.com/ - This website is a combination of learning a new language and social networking. You can connect with people from all over the world and find an online study partner.

http://www.internetpolyglot.com - This site is not as good for beginners but acts more as a refresher for those who want to maintain and practice their vocabulary, There are plenty of games to play to test your vocabulary.

http://www.livemocha.com/ - This website is an online “learning language community” . It has interactive lessons that help you build your reading, listening, speaking and writing skills in your own time. You can also track you progress.

Happy Learning,
Meghan

Triathlons: The Best Sport Ever Conceived

2008-08-25T12:32:00.000-07:00

This past weekend I participated in my first triathlon. It was an Olympic distance (1.5km swim, 40km bike, 10km run) race held in Kelowna, British Columbia. I’ve competed in a number of sports in my lifetime; including basketball, volleyball, track, football, rowing and running. I can honestly say I’ve never been as happy during a race as I was bouncing around from the lake, to the roads, to the streets of the Okanagan valley. The experience was so amazing; I have no reservation around unabashedly proselytizing the sport. Everyone should try a triathlon at least once in their lifetime.

Before you dismiss my enthusiasm. Consider I only decided to do a triathlon two months ago, I borrow a road bike to train and race, and I am regularly passed in the pool by the elderly and the pregnant.

Despite all this, I still can’t wait for the next race, and cherish all the time I am able to spend swimming, cycling and running.

Perhaps one can gain a little incite into the enthusiasm behind the sport by looking into its origin. According to sports historian Scott Tinley, early triathlons were held as off-beat training exercises for runners in history-rich port towns like La Rochelle and Marseille.

Let’s paint a picture here. You’ve been running along the French coast for the longest time. There’s nothing but pristine beaches, fine wine, ocean-side cafés, and blue skies for miles… I know… total yawnsville. But, you need a little something to shake things up. You look at the pristine blue water and some locals in their haute couture riding to work on their bikes. You think,”Ah oui!… I am going to float around in the water and take a little jaunt along the coastal roads before my run today”.

Et voila! That sums up the total vibe behind a triathlon. It’s all about having fun participating in a race built on three free-wheeling activities in the most picturesque of landscapes. What other sport offers this?

You may be think, "what about the labored breathing and excruciating lactic acid build-up"? The honest truth is: you decide whether you want to push yourself to those limits in a triathlon. You could chose to go out like Simon Whitfield in the Beijing Olympics; pushing your body to extremes only to race across the finish line on pure mental will. However, there is nothing saying you can’t take breaks, enjoy the scenery, and do the entire race with a smile on your face. As sure as the sun rises every morning, there will be others doing the same and feeling absolutely wonderful for their accomplishment.

If you are still not convinced. I simply ask you to give it a try. Join a local triathlon club, pick a race, follow the training and do the race at your own pace. You'll be sure to come out the other end beaming from ear to ear.

Happy racing!
Stephen

Finding Cheap Flights in Turbulent Times

2008-08-12T13:31:00.000-07:00

Frustration, long lines, delays, bad food or no food at all, one blanket per row of 9, questionable movies, lost luggage….this is generally my experience of flying, but in order to get from A to B I have to grin and bear it and try to find the positives in flying…hmmm, frequent flier miles, the destination at the other end, views on a clear day to the landscape below, an excuse to read a good book for 10 hours straight.

I like to consider myself pretty good at finding economical flights on the web, but it requires some research and patience. If you have the time, it is best to shop around and wait a few weeks before making your purchase, unless of course, you find that one deal that is too good to be true.

I have worked in the travel industry for close to 4 years now, and have traveled for many more, but I am still no closer to understanding how airlines work then I was 10 years ago. Prices change all the time, and there seems to be no pattern to why this happens. We hear all the time from our travellers “the flight was $800 yesterday and then today when I went to book it, it had increased to $1200”. I don’t get it either, but chances are the next day the flight might be back to $800 again. So if you have the time it’s worth checking on the flight for a week or two to see if and what changes are occurring in the price.

Below are some suggestions for booking and finding the most economical flight for your next adventure:

1) Search the web and check various sites for the best deal. Some websites for booking flights are Expedia, Travelocity, Kayak, Orbitz and Sidestep. When booking on these sites check prices daily to see how they fluctuate before making the purchase. Everyone on a plane pays a different price because there are so many classes of service, which all have different rates, plus seat sales. I've saved as much as $500 off of a ticket by monitoring sites for a week or two.

2) These days there are so many different classes of travel. Airlines are cutting out services and then giving us the option to either purchase this service for an extra cost or reduce the price of the ticket by not opting for the service. Some of the “extra services” include advanced seat selection, the ability to change or cancel your flight, meal packages or complimentary hotel accommodations if flights are delayed. Correct me if I’m wrong, but weren’t most of these services included in air ticket prices not so long ago?

3) Booking flights on points can be time consuming, and oftentimes needs to be done far in advance to secure a seat. However, if you have time, check daily for availability because seats almost always open up. People either cancel or lose their reservation for not confirming within the allotted time frame. I have always gotten the flights I wanted when booking on rewards, yet I often hear people complain that they never do. It requires a bit of diligence, but it is well worth the effort.

4) When purchasing flights, check to see the amount of points you will be rewarded to your air miles. I know some of the cheaper flights only reward 50% of the air miles, so in the long run you might as well spend the extra money on the flight to get all your miles rewarded. As well, if you're flying with an airline that you don't have air miles with, but you do with one of their partner airlines, check to see that the class of service your ticket is booked in qualifies for rewards with your air miles membership.

5) If you have extra vacation time and are heading to Europe, we recommend finding a cheap charter flight to London and then flying from there with one of the many cheap airlines such as Ryan Air and Easy Jet. Sometimes these flights can be ridiculously cheap.

6) Give us a call and we can check to see if our air consolidators can find you economical flights. Consolidators get bulk rates because they are booking in volume.

Happy Travels
Meghan

Save the World… Travel

2008-08-08T11:06:00.000-07:00

A number of years ago I was driving from my home town of London, Ontario to Satellite Beach, Florida. I stopped at some random gas station in West Virginia to buy a drink and some gas. I started a conversation with the middle-aged attendant. The name on his shirt was Alowishus. He was quick to observe that I wasn’t a local. In a long southern drawl, he asked me, “Where’re you from?” I told him I was from Canada. He didn’t know where that was. I explained Canada was the country just north of Detroit. He said he kind of knew where Detroit was, but he didn’t know there was a country north of Detroit. Then, all of a sudden he lit-up and asked, “Hey, isn’t that where they live in igloos?” I thought he had to be kidding. It turned out Alowishus was dead serious.

It’s easy to be critical of such a character. How could anyone be geographically and culturally ignorant of an entire country that borders their own? It would be so simple to turn this piece into a segment from The Tonight Show’s Jaywalking.

But, that would be missing the point, and hypocritical.

When I was last in Thailand, I expressed surprise that Thailand had a monarchy from the back seat of a taxi. The taxi driver huffed at me through is rear view mirror as if to say, “How could you not know?”

How could I not know?

I work in the world of information. I have a laptop and access to Wikipedia. Really, how could I be smug about Alowishus thinking 30 million Canadian’s carve their homes out of ice?

When I told a friend and wise mentor of mine about my conundrum, he was quick to point out there are things I know (e.g. I know how to drive a car), things I know I don’t know (e.g. I know I don’t know how to speak Russian), and things I don’t know I don’t know (i.e. everything else I am completely unaware of). The point being: You can’t beat yourself up for not knowing what you simply don’t know.

The truth is we can’t be conscious of everything. But, when you travel you have a chance to open your eyes to new ideas and new ways of seeing things. Attitudes change from one of incredulity and intolerance, of difference perspectives and attitudes, to one of deep interest and acceptance.

The next time I bump into Alowishus or someone like him, I'll invite him or her to check Canada out first hand and see we have cities, cars, grocery stores instead of the white expanse he might have imagined. Hopefully, they'll catch the travel bug to see how the rest of the world lives. Hopefully they'll tell their stories and inspire others to travel, learn and appreciate the beautiful world we live in.

Happy Travelling,
Stephen

Great Videos from the World of Travel - Part 2

2008-08-05T08:53:00.000-07:00

Here is the second installment of excellent video shorts from the world of travel. We found some fun takeoff and landing video from St Maarten.

Enjoy!
Stephen

Have the Best Stories... Travel

2008-07-28T09:21:00.000-07:00

Arguably the best stories in life come from travel. When our individual preconceptions clash with those of a foreign country, we are presented with surprise, humor and potentially unending degrees of confusion.

I had my first real taste of a completely foreign culture when I was 25. I went to Korea for a summer to teach English in small town in southern South Korea called Yeo-chun.

The experience was outstanding. I had an apartment that overlooked the seaside, made plenty of new friends, and took every opportunity to dive into the local culture –“when in Rome…”

However, everyday, there was something new that shook my preconceptions about the world and my place in it. Here are some of my stories.

English Classes: Teaching was one of the most fulfilling things I’d ever done. All of my students were absolutely fantastic. My classes ranged from kindergarten to university and professional levels. My students all progress at remarkable speeds with the exception of one thing. Regardless of their grade level, G's were pronounced like Z's and Z's as G's. And, if you worked to switch the two, they both came out sounding like "dwee", which is how V was pronounced.

Student Riots: I’d fly up to Seoul almost every other weekend to meet up with friends. A half dozen times throughout the summer, we’d turn around some random corner only to be engulfed in a thick cloud of tear gas. Almost every weekend, young adult students rioted against young adult soldiers. It seemed so ironic. Regardless, it was good fun to see my friends turn into a pathetic mass of tears. I am sure I looked just as sad. I think the store clerks gave us refuge just so they could share in the laugh.

Sun Tanning: Simple... sun tanning was considered indecent before May 31st and after August 31st. If you did it in the off-season, even by one day, expect to be frowned at. And by frowned at, I mean get a look of disappointment that’ll rip the very fabric of your soul.

Mosquitoes: They were organized, in numbers, and out to drain your entire circulatory system. I had an infallible layer of netting over my windows. Regardless, when I woke up in the morning, there were usually two dozen of them on my bedroom walls fat with my blood. I’d take my revenge, but my room started to look like something out of Amityville Horror. I had to think twice about adding “clean blood off my walls” to my desk top calendar at work.

Soju: Korea produces a rice-based spirit called Soju. To date, I have never had a worse hangover in my life. Certain brands should be labeled with that toxic symbol you see on bleach containers. The director of my school had to be hospitalized for a couple days for drinking too much one night. Strangely, I felt a touch responsible. In some ways I think my western ways may have been a touch liberal for him and the local community.

Kind Gestures: I left the school one late evening at the same time as one of my female students. Since it was dark, I decided I’d be responsible and walk her to the bus stop just around the corner. The next morning I was met at the school by two policemen who were there to extradite me back to Canada. Apparently, alleged fraternization with female students is a contemptible offense. To get me off the hook, it took the school director to explain western cultural differences and a guarantee from me that I’d never do it again.

Food: Food is not what food is at home. To highlight some of the differences, here are a few examples:
• Live seafood: A live octopus is taken out of its water tank. The tentacles are immediately cleaved off. You put one of the wiggling digits in your mouth, chew, swallow and chase it down with a shot of soju. It's a lot like doing tequila shots, but in reverse. When doing shots of tequila, you bite into a lemon to hide the taste of the liquor. With octopus, you take a shot of Soju to numb the feeling of the tentacle wiggling all the way down your throat.
• Stir-fried silkworm larvae (Bondegi): They are fried in a big wok and sold by the Dixie cup. You eat them as you would popcorn in a movie theater. A friend and I tried them together. The experience hardly lasted one second after my friend opened his mouth and I equated it to the textures and tastes in my mouth.
• Dog (Kegogi): Enough said.
• Raw livestock parts: Again, enough said.
• Chicken: You think you are safe with this one. Think again. Never count your chickens till you see it hasn't been boiled in a pressure cooker to the point it's turned into poultry gel.

Driving: Driving in Korea is a fine art. Drive fast and honk your horn at as many things as you can (moving or not). Shoulder checks are optional. Here’s a little anecdote. A friend and I went for a car ride with one of our adult students. He somehow managed to get into a fender-bender with the only other car on this nearly abandoned country road. My friend and I walked home willingly.

The Mentally Insane: I have not been able to confirm this. I’ve been told the homeless mentally insane are made to wear a white square eye patch over one eye. I saw the eye patch and the crazy person wearing it. However, it just seemed so very strange to be true.

Fumigation: Fumigation is done periodically throughout apartment complexes with infestations. However, if you can not understand evacuation warnings blasted out over outdoor loudspeakers in Korean, expect to find yourself lost, choking and near death as you stumble five flights, completely blind, down the only available stairwell to safety. (Note: Important! Fumigation smoke does not leave a thin layer of clear air one foot from the floor as we've all been told in case of a house fire).

Of course, stories aren’t really worth anything if you don’t share them. I invite you to share the moments that made you laugh, cry or shake your head.

Great Videos from the World of Travel - Part 1

2008-07-23T11:20:00.000-07:00

Being in the travel industry, we come across some excellent video shorts related to travel. This week we thought we’d start sharing some of our favorite picks.

Enjoy!!
Stephen

Where the Hell is Matt (4:29 mins)

Vietnam Traffic Intersection (0:09 mins)

Secret Seats on Airplanes (1:28 mins)

Lyra Bird (3:59 mins)

Panama Canal Timelapse (1:56 mins)

My Favorite Backpack

2008-07-19T19:51:00.000-07:00

As a follow-up to last week’s blog on packing, I thought I’d share a little story on the purchase of my favorite backpack.

Everybody comes across things in life they just have to have. I used to think I had to have my own a beach house loaded with every kind of sports gear imaginable, set in front of a pristine coral break where a dolphin, named Rah, would get me mixed up in varying degrees of shenanigans on the high seas.

However, the subject of wanting and having, all came into perspective around a black backpack a few years back when I went window-shopping with my friend Kevin.

It was mid-afternoon when we walked into a high-end sports superstore with the sole purpose of perusing through our individual wish lists. I was mainly into the biking section and Kevin was giving the climbing gear a good once over.

When I was walking back to meet up with Kevin, I stopped dead in my tracks in front of a counter near the backpack section.

I was definitely not in the market for a pack. But, what I saw... this thing was stygian black, titanium stitched, nuclear grade composite, polymersaturated majesty. In addition to being the prefect size for my laptop and papers, it had special compartments for rappelling gear and spent rounds. The knowledge of its existence carried my soul away to Stirling Lines in Hereford, UK. If I had been a policeman in a bust, I would pull this thing out instead of a gun and I would most certainly have got the same level of attention.

A tear formed in the corner of one of my eyes. If you read Men's Journal and you weep over the equipment section near the back of the magazine, you know what I am talking about.

I walked right up to the backpack. I contemplated picking it up, but I didn't know if some alarm would go off or some massive cobweb covered boulder would come rolling out of the ceiling to crush me. A split second before deciding I was going to go for it, Jeff the super-sales-clerk, wisps by, picks up the bag, holds it up in front of my face, and with a big-ole-smile says, "nice pack eh?"

Poor Jeff's prepubescent acne covered face looked like it had been hit a couple times by the boulder in the ceiling. I knew he'd grow out of it, but it was more than enough to kick me out of my trance. I followed the conversation and asked Jeff for the cost for the backpack. He showed me the price tag. The price, $210, was well over what I was willing to pay for a 30L backpack.

I was upset. The backpack caught my attention on such a profound level, yet there was no way I could justify the expense. The end did not justify the means. I was beat, and I loathed the feeling.

I sincerely thanked Jeff for helping me out, took one last look at the backpack, sighed, and went to the climbing department to find Kevin.

On the drive home I told Kevin about the bag and fumed over the price.

Out of the blue, Kevin came up some grand words of wisdom. He asking me how often I saw something that truly blew my hair back. I told him it rarely happens. He then suggested that, if in a couple of weeks the backpack still weighed heavy in my mind, I should go back and get it. I admit it; I felt a little man-crush on Kevin at that moment.

One week went by. Then two. The backpack was still at the front of my thoughts. I was clearly hooked because I caught myself doodling pictures of me and the backpack on scrap pieces of paper and daydreaming about hiking through the Himalayas with it. I even told some other friends about it. They all thought I had lost my mind --the thing was they had not seen the backpack and they did not know the reality of what I was talking about.

On the fourteenth day, I decided I could not stop thinking about the backpack and that it was time to go shopping. After two weeks of personal atonement, the end did justify the means.

To get into the mood, I put my credit card in my pocket, stretched, did a few push-ups, and walked out to my car. It was a good thing I recently put new spark plugs in the old Civic, because I was looking to break the land speed record on the way to the sports store.

With a big smile on my face, I made my way over to the counter where I'd last seen the backpack. I felt like a character from a 70's disco theme movie. My imagination when to a scene with friends everywhere cheering me on, while a skull-snaps groove played in the background among a hundred high-five's, head bands, tight pants, and pointing fingers. The sparkling ghost of Bruce Lee was standing next to the shades rack and he did the thumbs up thing as I walked by. Poetry I had once heard by D. H. Lawrence rang in my head, "The ebb and flow of the Atlantic tides, the drifts of the continents, the very position of the sun along its ecliptic. These are just a few of the things I control in my world", I was king!

It was too bad it all ended pretty quickly when I noticed that the backpack, I had so very much wanted to purchase that day, was not on the counter anymore. I checked behind the counter, but it was not there either.

I went hunting for Jeff D. Supersalesclerk. I knew Jeff wouldn't let me down. He had braces and was in pain and I knew he wouldn't think to impose the same on me.

I never found Jeff, but I did spot the name tag of the Sr. Manager of Outdoor Sports Superstore, who just happened to be walking by. I asked if he could please help me get one of the backpacks they had on the counter, which obviously must be stashed away in the storeroom.

I bet he used to be a Marine or something, because he seemed to know exactly what I was dealing with --that or he really liked impulse buyers interested in spending money on high-margin merchandise. With authority, he waved over the closest sales clerk, looked at her nametag, and asked, "Karen, could you please go into the back and see if there are any more of those backpacks we had on display."

The look on her face gave me chills. It was foreboding. It was like she was in possession of information she did not want to share.

Regardless, she left us and went into the back.

Things just weren't going my way, because she came out a few minutes later empty handed. She looked really sorry and told me that they had sold the last one that very morning.

Whatever Karen was trying to tell me, it was not sinking in.

I looked to the Sr. Manager for some answers, but all he could offer me was a self-negating smile that seemed to say both, "I am truly very sorry" and "there is no sale here; now’s probably a good time to leave”.

I was about to try to vocalize something when the Sr. Manager cut me off and excused himself. Before leaving, he let me know that Karen would be pleased to help me with any other questions I had.

I thanked him for his help and he left.

Suddenly, I was hit by a memory from grade school. I was at my desk laughing and kidding around with all my buddies. I was all smiles that day. We were supposed to be going on a much-anticipated field trip to the Zoo. It was a beautiful day. That was until our teacher walked in the classroom and informed us the trip had been canceled indefinitely due to a transportation scheduling error. Then, without batting an eye, she told us to take out our spelling books.

The same agony was back.

This was supposed to be a happy day. I played by the rules. I waited for two weeks and I wanted the backpack. I wanted my peace.

I took a minute to collect my thoughts. I simply had to accept they were out of stock for now. No big deal. I pulled myself together, turned to Karen, and asked, "Could you please let me know when you'll be getting another shipment?" Her eyes squinted like she was being asked to handle some highly-sensitive explosives. She took a step back and let me know that the bags were a one-time limited quantity special edition order.

My jaw dropped. What was I supposed to do with that information? What could I do?

I just had to accept that I had waited on something and lost. All I could do was try to make the best of it. I tried to chalk it up to experience. I thought to myself, the next time I really want something, I will buy it or walk away and never look back.

My attempt to rationalize the situation faded. It was too weak. The disappointment was overwhelming.

The reptilian part of my brain took over. I attacked the situation with boolean logic. I thought to myself, "If, I give up and go home, then, I will probably take a major blow on my self esteem, start drinking heavily, lose my job, buy a couple Nine Inch Nail CDs, and walk the streets mumbling something about pigs. Else, if I don't give up, then, I might get the bag."

I cleared my throat and turned to Karen. I told her I wanted the backpack and that I'd really appreciate her help in looking for some other options. Karen said she'd see what she could do and took off to look for her supervisor.

About a minute later, she came back with her supervisor, Rae. I explained the situation to Rae. You could tell Rae had been in her job way too long. She tried to handle the situation like a seasoned pro but seemed slow on the follow through. She basically covered what Karen had already told me and apologized for not being of any more service.

I decided to up the ante.

I asked if the backpack was distributed to their competitors across the road. I think I had hit a nerve, because Rae came to life after that. It was almost like she finally related the price tag to her commission and there was no way she was going to let the cash drop into someone else's pocket. She never answered my question. Instead, she took my name and phone number, and promised she'd try to get a hold of one of the backpacks for me.

I walked back to the car and got in. I knew I was leaving empty handed, but I was feeling a little better knowing there was still some hope.

About two weeks later Rae called me at home. She seemed so pleased to inform me the backpack had arrived. I didn't bother to ask how or why, I just told her I was on my way.

I put my credit card in my pocket, did some push-ups, and like Forrest Gump, "I was-a-running".

The backpack has proven to be well worth the trouble. When I brought it out for the first time, each and every one of my friends apologized for doubting me. I use it pretty much every day. Even though I am fairly aggressive with it, the backpack has never let me down. At a Halloween party last year, I used it as part of a S.W.A.T Officer costume. When I burst through the front door of the house, everyone who was doing things they weren’t supposed to be flew out the back door. I was vindicated.

Throughout this experience, I thought I had learnt a couple more things about perseverance and doing whatever it takes to get the things you want in life. However, after thinking it over more, I understood something more profound. I truly understood, for the first time, that anything worth wanting is really only worth having if it inspires imagination, humor and goodwill.

My next major acquisition... a beach house.

Stephen

How to Properly Pack a Backpack for Adventure Travel

2008-07-11T16:01:00.000-07:00

A poorly packed backpack always leads to unnecessary degrees of suffering. Here are some tips for making it the least of your worries.

1) Maximization
You can fit more sand in a jar than pebbles. Use the same approach to packing. Use every ounce of space by stuffing loose items like your raincoat or tent fly, around solid items like your sleeping bag. It's important to get rid of any air pockets in your pack, as this will allow you to pack even more stuff.

2) Convenience
Clipping or strapping belongings on the outside of your pack can be a nuisance to you, as well as your fellow backpackers. There is a greater chance of hooking into things around you such as loose branches, or banging into people causing annoyance to all involved. Do your best to keep all your belongings inside your pack. This also helps keep everything protected from the rain.

3) Organization
Stuff bags are a great method for organizing your belongings. Stuff sacks come in a wide variety of colours, so a great way to pack your items is by utilizing a colour-coded system. This will make it easier to find what you are looking for. All you have to remember is your own system, and what you packed in each bag.

4) Weight Distribution
Make sure you balance your load and don't have too much weight on one side. All your heavier items should be packed closer to your back and your natural centre of gravity. If you pack all your heavy gear on top, you’ll be looking at the ground all day resulting in a sore neck, and not to mention missing all the scenery, like an eagle soaring high in the skies above. If you pack all your heavy gear at the bottom of your pack, your shoulder straps will constantly dig into you. Load too heavy to one side, and your shoulders, hips and feet will begin to ache. A properly loaded pack should feel comfortable on your back, and you should be able to stand upright without too much pressure on your neck, shoulders, back, or hips. The one time it might benefit to pack some of your heavy stuff at the bottom, is if your hike involves scrambling over rough terrain. This will help improve your balance and lower your centre of gravity.

5) Consistency
To make life easier on the the trail, try to work out a system and pack your backpack the same way each time. By finding a method that works best for you it will be easier to remember where things are in a pinch. Practice packing your bag at home. Perfecting your tent rolling technique and trying to stuff it into a compression sack should not be first attempted in the pouring rain out on the trail. The same rules apply for load balancing, this should be dealt with before the hike begins to avoid any unnecessary aches and pains.

6) Accessibility
Make sure the important gear like rain gear, warmer layers, sun screen, bug repellant and water can be easily accessed without taking your pack off. This is especially important for your water supply, as a water bottle in your pack is not very practical for keeping yourself hydrated. In an unlikely event, make sure that some of the essential equipment like a knife and waterproof matches are kept in at least two locations, one of them being on yourself.

7) Temperature
One of the downsides of backpacking is getting a sweaty back, especially when it comes time to taking the pack off. If there is a chill in the air you can become cold quickly as the moisture in your clothes evaporates. Having mesh back panels that vent can help, but when the back of your pack is lined only with plain fabric over smooth foam panels this can make for a sweaty hike. Try to wear synthetic fabrics that wick moisture away from your body. Also, try placing a shammy towel between you and your pack. The absorbent material pulls the sweat away from your body, which helps keep things dry.

Happy Trekking,
Stephen

5 reasons why I love Peru

2008-07-03T12:12:00.000-07:00

I just got back from a week in Peru and it was just as captivating the 2nd time around. There are so many reasons I adore the country. Some of the highlights for me are:

1) The vibrant and colorful culture. From the intricate hand embroidered traditional clothing and hats, farmers herding their sheep and woolly alpacas, workers harvesting cactus to make a homemade mortar paste, the omnipresent flute player, underground fire pits for cooking potatoes, etc. I can go on and on.

2) The architecture. Everywhere you look in the Sacred Valley, the hills are marked with Inca Ruins dating back to the early 13th century. The cobblestone streets, alleyways and ornate doors and balconies of Cusco. The setting of Machu Picchu leaves ones mind boggled trying to figure out how this ancient city was built in the middle of a mountain range.

3) The children. They are just so adorable. Maybe it is the big smiles and smudged dirt on their faces? We had a chance to visit a local school and the soccer ball we brought lit up their faces. It was a great way to interact with the local children and make them smile even more. It was a highlight for many on my trip.

4) The diversity of food. I am not convinced the Peruvian cuisine is my favourite, but they have a great variety to choose from. Some must tries are the cream soups (according to Wikipedia along the Peruvian coast there are more than two thousand different types of soups), Paltas Relllenas (avocado stuffed with chicken), and ceviche. For those more daring, I was told the Cuy (guinea pig) is quite good. This is a specialty in the Andes that is prepared many different ways. Rumour is it is better fried than boiled. Be prepared for the chance it might come served to you still fully intact (i.e.: with the nails and teeth).

5) The outdoor activities. Hiking in the footsteps of the Incas following their old travel routes, rafting the Urubamba river through canyons with cactus, Inca ruins, abnormal sized hummingbirds and donkeys with views of snow capped mountains, biking through local villages swerving past wildlife (roosters, cow, sheep) and saying hello to all the people who came out of their house to cheer us on.

6) And last but not least, Lake Titicaca, just because of the name. For some reason it always seems to make people giggle. According the locals in Peru, the "titi" belongs to the Peruvians and the "caca" to Bolivia. For those who don't know, the lake is the largest commercially navigable lake in the world.

Garbage Clean-up in Halong Bay, Vietnam

2008-06-30T09:41:00.000-07:00

It's low season in Vietnam, and our partners in Hanoi are all out of the office on a mission to Clean up Halong Bay. The cleanup is scheduled for 3 days, and everyone is picking up garbage off of the pristine islands. Halong Bay has been nominated as a UNESCO World Heritage Site and includes some 1,600 islands and islets, forming a spectacular seascape of limestone pillars. Because of there precipitous nature, most of the islands are uninhabited and unaffected by a human presence.

I was with a group in April and was dismayed to see the littered state of these spectacular islands. We landed our kayaks on a tiny island, really just a patch of whitesand that would be carried away in the high tide and it was laden with garbage. We found shoes, light-bulbs, water bottles, coke cans, clothing, bags, you name it, we found it. Our whole group started picking it up and in just a few minutes filled 4 garbage bags. I arranged for a boat and captain to pick it up and take it to the dump. This cleanup is essential to the environment but also to educate the local people to take care of this area that will be a sustainable source of income for them if it's protected.

This "Clean up Halong Bay" is also happening in July and August from the 15 to 17th and is open to anyone who wants to help us on a very worthy cause. If you wish to join us please contact us at info@bikehike.com. It's a different way of exploring Halong Bay and helping to keep the bay clean for the future.

In the spirit of the environment and sustainability,
Trish Sare

BikeHike Turkish Delight, Day to Day by Mike Oswald

2008-06-23T13:18:00.000-07:00

Mike Oswald is one of our dedicated BikeHike Adventurers who always writes great trip journals on his adventures. Since we're offering a discount on our September Turkish Delight we want to give you the insiders story, so please enjoy Mike's trip journal. We shared his Costa Rica journal in an earlier blog entry.

Turkey:
Much More Than Carpets, Mosques, Muslims, Cucumbers, and Tomatoes!!

In July of 2007 I set out on my second BikeHike Adventure (www.bikehike.com). This time I was headed to the magical land of Turkey. When I left, I had extremely limited notions as to what I was going to get myself in to. Now, just days after the trip, I look back and I can't help but think about the Turkey being 98% Muslim, mosques on every corner, cucumbers and tomatoes for every meal, Urgup = Ice Cream. My first thoughts, would lead you to believe that it fits the simple, minimal infrastructure, conservative Muslim, Middle Eastern stereotypes that the media has ingrained in our minds. But, the reality is that Turkey is one of the most geographically and culturally diverse countries that I've ever been to. Turkey's history stretches back nearly 4000 years to the Hittites. The Byzantine and Ottoman Empires emerged out of Turkey and the history of these empires can be seen simply by walking through the numerous ruins scattered across Turkey. Culturally Turkey is unique due to the Eastern and Western traditions adopted by containing a border between Europe and Asia within the country’s border.

Turkey is an absolutely amazing place to travel (adventure styling or for the extreme history buffs), and I wish that I would have had more time to see a little more of what Turkey has to offer. However we did get a lot done in two weeks time. I went from having knives thrown at a wooden block placed squarely on my crotch to Scuba diving around a replica of the oldest shipwreck known to man.....come on and have a look at these events and everything that happened in between.

What happens in Turkey stays in Turkey??- Istanbul on my own 7/14 to 7/15
If anyone knows my friends and I, you'd know that Ben Willis coined the phrase "what happens in Vegas, goes directly to the internet!" I signed up for a two week BikeHike adventure, but I chose to come two nights early simply to get acclimated to Istanbul, and to wander around a bit on my own.

I arrived in Istanbul around noon on a Saturday, caught a lift to my hotel, and then I went around the old town, checked out some mosques got made fun of by some local Turks for writing in a diary, and I capped the night with of with dinner and some local entertainment (folk dancers, belly dancers, and a singer).

The next day I took a "Two Continents" tour, which was supposed to be myself, a few other tourists, a guide, and a driver, but it turned out to be just myself, the guide, and the driver. It was pretty awesome, they tailored the trip to me, so we got to go up to a beach on the Black Sea, and we did spend a lot more time in a van then I would have expected but they were pretty entertaining Turks. The trip ended with dumping me off at a carpet shop where they tried to swindle me in to a carpet purchase.

Let's get our BikeHike on: Here's the cast of Characters:
Here's the Group (more or less, we had too many guides for me to keep track of, so I'm going to have to leave them out (except Deniz):

Trish: Owner of BikeHike, lover of cats

Marc and Beth - Respectively bread-maker and bread-spender, not afraid to get a serious rub-down from small Turkish men

Jerry and Eileen - Engineers in the middle of a long distance relationship (Sacramento and Bagdhad)

Kristan - Does stuff that I don't understand with money

Peter - Probably could have diagnosed my recent broken ankle

Pelin - Our Turkish trip coordinator, and requester of "more air-conditioning please!"

Me - I'm Mike

Touring Istanbul with a retired Belly Dancer - Istanbul - 7/16 to 7/17
Snow Flower (a retired Belly Dancer) took us around the town. We walked through the Blue Mosque, Hagia Sophia, the Underground Cistern, the Grand Bazaar, and the Spice Bazaar.

That night we had dinner at a restaurant that overlooked the Bosphorus straight and we met a friend of Trish's whom's name she thought was the Turkish word for hello.

The markets were a bit ridiculous. There were 1000's of shops but none of them had anything other than leather goods, carpets, silver or gold trinkets, touristy junk, jookahs, or t-shirts. I don't know why they needed so many stores to sell all the same stuff, but I guess it keeps people busy.

Everyone's "Crazy" in Mustafapasha (at least everyone named Mehmet) - Cappadocia Day 1 - 7/18

Even though Istanbul was an amazing city, and by far the most friendly and welcoming large (population > 10M) city that I've ever been to, I think most of us were ready to get a little more adventure in our life.

To do so, we hopped aboard Turkish Airlines and went to the region of Turkey called Cappadocia. Here we would mountain bike where one week earlier the European World Championships were held, Hot Air Balloon above one of the most geographically unique area in the entire world, ride horses for hours across the Turkish country side, and most importantly, find some amazingly delicious ice cream.

I honestly thought I would be dancing with a 68 year old man well before this - Cappadocia Day 2 - 7/19
The fun continues. Mustafapasha's Greek Hotel is an absolute gem. The food is amazing, everyone is friendly, they've got a ridiculously playful little white kitty, and then they made every effort to immerse us in their culture.

I have a hunch that I am mixing and matching days, but I really don't want to spend the time looking at people's clothes or the date/time of my pictures to figure it out........

Anyway, today we road our bikes all day. We stopped to eat lunch in the middle of a valley filled with fairy chimneys (the large natural penis looking things), and then it was back to the hotel for dinner and entertainment.

.........and then I discovered Turkish Ice Cream - Cappadocia Day 3 - 7/20
Now this is one thing I most definitely didn't know. Turkey has some amazing ice cream. In my opinion, ice cream is one of those things that you would categorize with sex and pizza, so even though all ice cream is good, this was exceptionally good ice cream. It was convenient that I was going through some extremely active days because I was on an ice cream binge. We're talking, putting down several rounds of ice cream a day and as many as 9-12 small scoops of multi-flavored ice cream per serving.

I don't think I would go back to Turkey for the rugs or the food, but for the ice cream, I would definitely have to think about it.

Now for this day, we went to an open air museum, toured a carpet factory, met an amazing little man that would get as many as 3 miles of silk out of one silk worm cocoon, and we did some more biking. The trip, definitely seemed to be building as each successive day was better than the last. That's saying something too, because the first day was pretty darn good.

........it's on - Urgup = Ice Cream - Cappadocia Day 4 - 7/21
I would have been a happy man if I spent all day, every day in this little open air restaurant that had the world's greatest ice cream........but, instead today we took a few horses out for a stroll. This was pretty spectacular, our horses were spirited but opedient, and my little guy just had to be in the front of the pack so it was extra fun for me. Afterwards we went to a pottery shop and Trish had arranged that each of us got a BikeHike bowl!! Thanks Trish, I haven't used it yet, mainly because I eat ice cream straight from the container. That's how you do it when you're a bachelor.

Up, up, and Away - Cappadocia Day 5 - 7/22
Our last full day in Cappadocia was a big one. We took to the air in a hot air balloon and then everyone whose butt could bare it after the pony rides hopped on our mountain bikes for one last ride.

I'll let the pictures do the talking for this. Enjoy.

A long drive and some Dervishes - Cappadocia to Antalya - 7/23 to 7/24
After 5 of the most amazing days of my life it was time to head for the Mediteranean Coastline. On our way we stopped to look at a fiery mountain (literally, it was all metamorphic rock that gives off CO2 gas that is constantly on fire), the home of the whirling dirvishes, and an old hotel.

In Antalya we hopped a late night cruise, drove to Aspendos and Thermosses, and then we headed up the coastline to Kas.

The four S's: Sea Kayak, Scuba/Snorkel, circumsision parties, and Sweating - Kas - 7/25 to 7/27
To my friends and I the four S's are something completely different but in Kas it went a little something like this:

Sea Kayak - couldn't beat it. Every day was over 100 degrees and it felt great to be out in the mediteranean paddling around the Sea looking at sunken cities, or taking snorkel pit-stops to look at what's going on beneath the surface.

Scuba - It was my first time actually scuba diving and it turned out I was a little bit of an Oxygen guzzler, but other than that things went well. We dove down to a replica of the oldest shipwreck known to man: a Bronze age ship nearly 3500 years old. There wasn't a whole lot of sea life but the ship was really cool.

Our stay in Kas was capped with a Circumcision party. Nope, not a member of the group, but as we were walking back to our hotel we all caught a glimpse of the celebration.

Goodbye to the sea and goodbye to the group - Kas to Istanbul via Antalya - 7/28 to 7/29
We left Kas early this morning. We drove to Antalya to fly back to Istanbul for our last night of fun (as a group) in Turkey.

We taxi'd to a restaurant and this little Turk selling devil ears didn't seem to be getting too many customers so Kristan and I helped the kid out and bought a set for everyone at our table.

I'm really in a hurry to finish this, so I'm going to leave it as is. It was a trip filled with great people, delicious food, beautiful geography, culturly diverse, and adventure abounds.....

Animals of Turkey
The one thing I found strange about the Turkey is that there wasn't much wildlife. It's not like I was expecting there to be wild turkeys running around everywhere (alright I was), but I figured there would be some weird things that I would only see in the zoo back home. Alas, this is what I saw.

Sweet Home Wisconsin!!
Sure I missed my friends and my family, and it's really nice to be back in the land of beer, cheese, and bratwursts, but all I have to say is GO CHECK OUT TURKEY FOR YOURSELF!! You won't regret it. I learned that I was as good as Turkish before I even left, as every day at lunch I would eat cucumber and tomato, I guess some things were meant to be.

$200 US Discount on September 08 Turkish Delight

2008-06-19T15:07:00.000-07:00

With fuel prices soaring and the US economy suffering, we're getting aggressive with our pricing at BikeHike. We're offering a $200 US discount off of our “Turkish Delight” multi-activity holiday on the September 3-14, 2008 departure. The adventure kicks off in Istanbul, straddled in both Europe and Asia, and is "an exotic blend of fitness, adventure, culture and history."

Among highlights: walking tour through Istanbul to some of the world’s oldest and most popular mosques, markets and ancient palaces; and exploration of the fairy tale landscape of Cappadocia, and of course the Mediterranean Sea. Means of travel: bike, hike, horseback ride and hot air balloon, sea kayaking.

For details on our Turkish Delight visit http://www.bikehike.com/turkey/turkey_trip01.html

Cheerio,
Trish

Romania, Laos and Combo Vietnam and Cambodia, New BikeHike Adventures Trips for 2009

2008-06-12T22:35:00.000-07:00

One of the best parts about my job is developing new trips all over the world. I truly love it. We choose our new trips by listening to you, our travellers, and where you want to go. I must admit, though, some of the new destinations we start trips in are because of my itch to get there. What can I say, it's just another one of the advantages to this exciting profession we work in.

On that note, we have three new trips and destinations coming in 2009, Romania, Laos and a combined trip in Vietnam and Cambodia. Here's a brief outline of the trips but stay tuned to our website because we'll be launching the pages very soon.

And if you have any questions, drop us a line or give us a call.

Romania, Transylvania Traverse
10-days, Mountain Biking, Hiking and Horseback Riding

Romania. The name alone conjures up iconic images of Count Dracula, Transylvania, the Carpathian Mountains and old world Eastern European culture. It's a country where Western and Byzantine influences meet, shepherds still tend their flocks, horse drawn carriages are more numerous than cars, and medieval villages retain their traditional character. On BikeHike's Transylvania Traverse we explore the South East of Romania by mountain bike, horseback and foot. We'll show you ethnic diversity from Romanians, Hungarians and Saxons to Gypsies, Ukrainians and Poles and we'll learn about their traditions and beliefs. We'll sample the region’s local cuisine and wines in the ambiance of a medieval castle, visit Dracula's Castle and hike and bike in the legendary Carpathian Mountains, the backbone of Eastern Europe. Our trip to Romania and the Transylvania Alps is an artful blend of active adventure, traditional culture, exquisite scenery and ancient history.

Dates 2009: May 22-31, June 26-Jul. 5, Aug. 7-16, Sept. 11-20, Oct. 9-18, 09
Price: $4299 (2 travelers) and $3799 (3+ travelers) Land Only

Laos, A Captivating Culture
13-days, Mountain Biking, Trekking, Kayaking and Elephant Riding

They say that variety is the spice of life and on this Northern Laos Sports Extravaganza, there is plenty of it. Our adventure starts and ends in the ancient royal city of Luang Prabang, a UNESCO World Heritage site surrounded by forested mountains, the mighty Mekong River and golden Buddhist monasteries filled with chanting orange-robed monks. In 13-days we mountain bike into rural communities where time seems to stand still. We spend four days on foot, trekking high up in the magnetic mountains through Hmong and Akha hill tribe villages with overnights in family homes. We ride elephants through expanses of bamboo forests and float down the peaceful Nam Ou river in kayaks. This adventure to Laos is a trip into the past, to a quieter, less hurried time.

Dates 2009: Jan 18-30, Feb 15-27, Mar 29-Apr. 10, Apr. 19-May 1, May 17 - 29, Sept. 6-19, Oct. 11-24, Nov. 22-Dec. 4, 09
Price: $2299 USD per person Land Only

Vietnam and Cambodia, Active Indochina for the Deluxe Traveler
12-days, Mountain Biking, Hiking, Sailing and Sea Kayaking

This double dose of adventure in Vietnam and Cambodia is for those travelers wanting a luxurious experience in South East Asia. We stay in deluxe boutique hotels and on a Luxury Indochina Sailing Junk. The first eight days are in Northern Vietnam, kicking off in Hanoi, where we hike and ride cyclos around the bustling old quarter. We mountain bike through remote villages past mountainsides of terraced rice paddies, trek into the Sapa Region to see the colourful Dzao hill tribe and overnight in a cozy Eco Lodge high in the lush mountains. In Halong Bay we explore a labyrinth of limestone cliffs that rise out of the sea from the comfort of our sailing junk and in our sleek ocean kayaks. The last four days are in Cambodia, visiting Ankor Wat, the epitome of classical Khmer architecture. This 12-day ramble is loaded with comfort, culture, nature and adventure and is a sure bet to satisfy.

Dates 2009: Jan. 21-Feb . 1, Mar. 4 -15, Apr. 29-May 10, May 27-Jun. 7, Sept. 16-27, Oct. 28- Nov. 8, Nov. 18-29. Dec. 9-20, 09
Price: $3599 US per person Land Only

Digital Photography Tips: Part 1

2008-06-06T15:26:00.001-07:00

Even though trip memories can last for a lifetime, we also recommend taking a camera with you on your adventure as another way to capture those special moments. Upon return home you can share pictures with your friends and family and make them jealous of the places you just visited, you can get them enlarged and frame them on your wall, or you can flip through them years from now and relive a part of the trip you might have otherwise forgotten. Below we have included some tips on how to take great photos with your digital camera.

1) Changing the ISO (International Standards Organization) Setting. This setting changes the sensitivity to light of the image sensor inside of it. The lower the number that you select (eg. 100 or 200) the less sensitive the sensor is to light and vice versa. A higher ISO setting means more grain in your pictures.

2) The Golden Rule of Composition is to keep the subject out of the centre. Use the Rule of Thirds when taking pictures.

3) Get in Close to your subject. Improve your people images by zooming in or getting close to your subject. Have fun with it. This is a good way to interact with the locals (if they don't mind their picture being taken). Smile and engage in conversation with them and then show them the photo after it is taken.

4) Fill the Frame. Move in close and think in two dimensions like the camera. We see in 3 dimensions and might not notice the tree coming out of someone's head.

5) The Quality of Light. Once you become aware of the quality of light in your scene you can become a fabulous photographer. Note the time of day, direction, colour, artificial or natural light, etc.

Happy photo taking,
Meghan

A Day in the Life of the Adventure Travel Industry

2008-05-29T23:06:00.000-07:00

I truly feel blessed that I have one of the best careers in the world. People continuously ask "How did you get into adventure travel?" It's not the most common of jobs for many. So I thought I'd dedicate a blog topic to how I got into the industry.

From a very young age I had my nose in the travel section of the newspaper, even though I'd never been outside of Ontario until I was 17. My first trip was to the Bahamas, with a girlfriend. We booked on a two week soujourn, that turned into one month when we were invited to sail from Freeport to Nassau. From here, I became hooked.

Sadly my mother passed away very young, 46. She always wanted to travel the world, but never had the opportunity because she was raising children. Before she died she told me to see the world. She told me not to wait until tomorrow because one never knows what tomorrow holds. Those words of wisdom have made me what I am today. She was, and still is my inspiration.

At the age of 20 I set off for a 5 year trip, my goal was to work my way around the world. I started with a job in Vancouver, I'm originally from Toronto. I worked for 8 months at Expo 86. I had 3 jobs there, all tourism related, working day and night trying to make as much money as I could to fund my long journey as long as possible. It was here that I met so many interesting people who were heading to Asia and the Pacific and I got the inspiration to follow their tracks. I booked a circle Pacific ticket with 17 stops for $1500. Destinations included Tahiti, Cook Islands, Fiji, New Zealand, Australia, Hawaii and LA. I stayed for 8 months in Australia working and bunny hopped through the other countries, staying as long as I felt the need to.

From here, I was inspired to make it to Asia. My first destination being Japan. Now I heard that Japan was really expensive and for a backpacker, would have to find work quickly before the funds started to deplete quickly. My plan was to teach English. I bought second hand Levis from the Venice Beach in LA, and sold them to the first shop I found in Tokyo. The Japanese loved anything American in those days.

Japan was my first challenging destination because I couldn't read the street signs, the language was so very foreign from English and the emperor died when I arrived. The latter meant that the whole country stopped and it was impossible to find work during that time. I stayed one month, but my funds were depleting quickly so decided to head to South East Asia where my dollar would stretch further. I flew to Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, and arrived just as the Thaipusam Hindu Festival was taking place. Wow, talk about culture shock. This festival is a fascinating religious festival that occurs annually to cleanse the soul. It's too indepth to write about here, but I'll perhaps dedicate a blog entry to it at a later date.

I found Malaysia difficult because of the festival, and as a young 21 year old, was overwhelmed when the locals were trying to touch my hair and get into my personal space. I didn't realize at that time that people in Asia don't have the same sense of space that we have in North America. One of the many experiences one encounters from venturing outside of our comfort zones.

I took the bus through Malaysia up to the south of Thailand and landed in beautiful Ko Phi Phi. One of the islands that was devastated by the tsunami. I fell in love in Thailand, not only with the country, but with one of the locals. This is where the cultural side of BikeHike was born. I stayed for two years in Thailand, living with the local people, as a local Thai. I was the only white person on the island of Koh Yao Noi in those days, so it was challenging, yet culturally fascinating. I lived like a Thai and really got to know the culture and the language intimately. It was fascinating.

I worked in marketing and sales for a sea kayaking company in Phuket for a good portion of my time in Thailand, as well as part time guiding.

After 2 years in Thailand I decided I needed the west so ventured south to Australia again and then made my way to LA where I worked as a fitness instructor for awhile.

Finally 5 years later I returned to Canada with lots of travel experiences under my belt and decided it was time to return to school and get the piece of paper under my belt. I studied tourism and fitness leadership for 2 years and as soon as I graduated got picked up by a couple of companies asking if I'd be keen to guide full time. One offer was in Thailand and the other Costa Rica. Now since I'd never been to Costa Rica, that was very appealing to me and that was the one I chose.

Although I'd never been to Costa Rica, the company I worked for knew that I'd had plenty of travel experience, which made me a desirable candidate for a job as a tour leader. It came easily with all of my international experience.

I stayed in South and Central America for 2 years, bouncing between countries guiding in Costa Rica, Ecuador, Chile, Belize, Argentina and Peru. It was pretty heavenly while in my 20's.

In my late 20's it was time to be a little more settled, and have a place I called home, rather than just a suitcase so I returned to Canada and found work in another adventure travel company, this time in the office. That lasted one year. I learned a lot but soon realized that I had too much of an independent streak to be able to work under someone else. With all of my years of travel experiences and contacts that I'd made I decided to give it a try on my own. That was in 1994. It's been an amazing ride and I know that there are many fabulous years to come.

For those of you who are interested in following this path, my advise is to get out there into the world, experience, taste, meet people, network, let the wind blow you in the direction you are meant to be. That type of experience is what it takes to make it in this industry, first hand, hands on, life-altering experiences. You will be very valuable to any adventure travel company if you can show that you have lived abroad and experienced the world and the many exotic cultures.

I hope this little bit of insight is something that can help lead you down a very exiting path.

In the spirit of adventure,
Trish Sare

Tips on Bargaining

2008-05-23T15:45:00.000-07:00

One of my fears when traveling to the developing world is bargaining for souvenirs. One of these days I am determined to master and feel comfortable with this art form. The vendors must love me as I'm usually one of those suckers that pays the asking price (within reason, that is). When the asking price is $2.00 for a T-shirt, it doesn't feel right to get the price down when it already seems ridiculously low. But then again, I am probably disappointing the shop owners since bargaining is an expected custom and a way of life in many places. Every country has their own traditions for bargaining, my favourite being in Turkey where the shop owners always give you a little cup of tea. That was the one place where I felt comfortable bargaining, for some reason sitting down and having tea with the shop owners put me at ease. I left the Grand Bazaar with an assortment of spices, dishes, musical instruments, pillowcases, chess sets and jewelery. Anyways, I thought I would relay some tips to make your future bargaining experiences fun and easy:

1) Remember to smile and remain friendly. Don't argue or get angry with the vendors.
2) Don't take it seriously and have fun with it. Remember what is your savings is another person's shortage.
3) Unless you know the price of the item involved, always try to have the seller make the first offer.
4) A good rule of thumb is to offer 1/2 of the asking price, and then negotiate from there.
5) If you are not interested in an item, don't start bargaining for the sake of it. Once you start bargaining and agree on a price, you are expected to make the purchase.
6) Don’t pass up something you really like because the seller will not come down in price. The item may be unique and difficult to find elsewhere.

This isn't related to bargaining, but in my travels, I learned to use the phrase "maybe later" carefully. While in Vietnam several of the rickshaw drivers kept asking my friend and I if we wanted a ride, when we said no, they would reply with "maybe later". We would then agree and say yes "maybe later". In the city of Hue, the one rickshaw driver who we muttered "maybe later" to made it his job to find us everyday (and the city is not that small, over 1 million people) and ask if we wanted a ride. We finally gave in to his persistence, as it was just too hard to resist...not to mention the fact we were impressed that he could keep seeking us out in a city of 1 million people. We ended up just touring around the city for the fun of it, but at least we made the rickshaw driver happy.

Happy shopping,
Meghan

Toilets from around the World

2008-05-21T15:43:00.000-07:00

Going to the restroom, whether we like to admit it or not, is something everyone around the world does. Until I moved to South America I had always assumed that a toilet was a toilet was a toilet, however I quickly learned this was not the case. The first public toilet I used was quite the experience. I didn’t speak any Spanish at the time so I didn’t know what anyone was saying to me. I walked past some people who I thought were just selling toilet paper (which didn’t make any sense at the time) and into the washroom and was thoroughly confused. There was no toilet seat for starters, and there was no toilet paper! It was after that I learned that public toilets were not free, hence the people selling the toilet paper, and an extra supply of toilet paper was well worth the space it took up in my bag. Once arriving at my host families home and having discovered a fairly normal looking toilet with a seat on it, I learned that in South America (and many other countries) you don’t put the used toilet paper in the actual toilet, but rather in the bin beside the toilet, also a bit of an adjustment to make.

This led me to further investigate toilets in other countries. Since having embarked on this mission to discover how the rest of the world does their thing, I have learned that there are a wide variety (and I mean a very wide variety) of facilities. I have seen photos of everything from glass urinals shaped like flowers, to ones with heated seats, with an automatic air freshener and armrests, to ones set up like an actual throne, to a small hole in a cement slab (good aim required please). And for the environmentally aware and sustainable folks out there, composting toilets are becoming more and more popular these days. The technology has advanced to the point where you’d hardly even notice the difference, minus the water in the toilet bowl of course.

So in the end, I have realized that before heading off on an adventure in a foreign place, it is probably wise to investigate the style of facilities to be expected so you won’t be caught off guard in an unusual situation. Also remember to keep small change and spare toilet paper in your bag, and if you see a small bin beside the toilet, it’s meant for the toilet paper. And in case anyone was curious, the most expensive toilet I used in South America was at the bus station in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil.

Also, a new date to note in your calendar is November 19th – world toilet day! This day is dedicated to the celebration of the wonderful toilet (any and all styles of course) while bringing awareness to the global sanitation crisis affecting 40% of the world’s population.

Enjoy!
Meghan G

Tips for Getting Over Jet Lag

2008-05-15T13:25:00.000-07:00

Travelling the globe is always an exciting adventure, with the exception of jet lag of course.

Jet lag is a temporary condition that causes fatigue and insomnia from air travel across multiple time zones. It occurs because of the inability for the human body to adjust immediately to the change in time, throwing off your body’s internal clock, or body clock. There are many factors that play a role in the extent of jetlag, including age, direction of travel, number of time zones crossed, dehydration, and the amount of time spent travelling between places.

Below is a list of suggestions to help prevent (or at least lessen) the onset of the uninvited, and all too common, jet lag.

• Be as healthy as possible before departure by eating well and getting exercise. The better physical condition you are in, the less susceptible to jet lag you’ll be.
• Avoid flying with a hangover or while sick, and get a good night’s sleep before departure.
• Speak with your doctor before the trip if you have any health or medical conditions.
• Change your schedule in advance (little by little) to match the destination you are heading to, this way the adjustment won’t be as extreme upon arrival. This will also help you to prepare in advance and avoid last minute stress.
• Don’t drink. As appealing as the free alcohol can be on international flights, it is a bad idea because it aids in dehydration.
• Avoid caffeine for the same reasons as above because it causes disruption in sleep patterns, which also contributes to jet lag
• Drink lots of water! It is the best medicine for combating dehydration.
• Take off your shoes and walk around during the flight. This small amount of exercise can help to revitalize and refresh your body while also helping to prevent blood clots.
• Wear comfortable clothes and shoes, and dress for the destination.
• Bring sleeping aids such as ear plugs, blow-up pillows, and extra socks for walking around. Avoid using sleeping pills, and try not to sleep for more than an hour at a time.
• If you land during daylight hours, go for a short run or brisk walk.

With these tips in mind, your next adventure should be a breeze!

Happy Travels,
Meghan G

The Essential Personal First Aid Kit

2008-05-09T16:36:00.000-07:00

Most travellers these days seem to have a story or two about various injuries incurred around the world. I even have one myself. A few years back, (and by a few I mean eight) I tripped over a rock while hiking the Inca Trail and cut the front of my shin and knee open. There I was, amazingly unprepared, in a lot of pain, and not really sure of what had just happened. I had had little training in first aid and had no idea what to do. Luckily for me, our guide had a pretty nice first aid kit and hooked me up with some iodine, band-aids, and ibuprofen and I was ready to hike again.

I’ve put together a list of essentials for a basic first aid kit below. Many places sell first aid kits containing most of this in them so all you have to do is add a few more, and you’re good to go.

• Band-aids (various sizes include butterfly ones)
• Gauze
• Multi-tool (such as a Leatherman Juice)
• ACE bandage
• Multiple Ziploc bags (irrigation, waterproofing, disposal)
• Moleskin (you can add an extra anti-blister kit if footwear is a concern or questionable)
• Duct tape
• Safety pins
• Ibuprofen
• Imodium A-D
• Water purification tablets (such as Pristine)
• Iodine
• Tweezers
• Latex gloves
• Pocket mask
• Krazy Glue
• Some kind of mild non-antibacterial cleanser (like baby shampoo)

It is important to also take into consideration the destination. If you are heading somewhere hot and humid, you’re going to want to have some bug repellant, if you’re venturing into the desert, you’ll want to bring some oral re-hydration salts, and if you’re heading to the mountains, it’s a good idea to pack some altitude sickness pills. A good thing to keep in mind while packing your kit is the flexibility of the contents. The more multi-purpose the contents are the better the kit will be.

Another good step is to take a first aid course. Having a sound knowledge of first aid will only help you out in unpleasant situations. For adventure travel, a good course to take is Wilderness First Aid. It’s offered in most places and is an excellent way to prepare you for the unexpected in pretty much any situation imaginable.

Enjoy the weekend,
Meghan G

Trip Report from Vibrant Vietnam

2008-05-06T12:42:00.000-07:00

I've just landed back into Vancouver from Vibrant Vietnam. I'm still pretty jetlagged, but the memories are very vivid in my mind, so I have to capture them in words now before I fall back into western life too quickly.

We were just a small group this time, a journalist from Flare Magazine, who will be writing a story on our BikeHike Adventures Paddle and Play Vietnam trip this coming October, and 2 other solo male travellers. In total, there were 6 of us, 2 guides, 1 driver and 3 clients, not a bad guest to staff ratio is it?

We started our adventure in Hanoi, in the northern part of Vietnam. I absolutely love Hanoi. It's a chaotic city where just crossing the road is an adventure. There are hundreds of motorbikes and rickshaws on the streets in no orderly fashion, no lanes, no rules, they just drive forward. I was impressed to see that there is a new helmet law in place and also a maximum of 2 people on a motorbike at one time, unless they are young children. Then you're allowed up to 4.

Crossing the road in Hanoi is one of the first things you must learn upon arrival. You just have to walk into the thick of it and the motorbikes and rickshaws will maneouver around you. You can't run, or hesitate, you just have to walk with confidence. I actually enjoy it now, it's a sense of accomplishment to get to the other side and see how they weave around you.

We spent our first day in Hanoi exploring the city on rickshaw and visiting the mausoleum of Ho Chi Minh and managed to get a foot massage in before we got onto our night train up to Lao Cai. Massages are one of the big highlights of Vietnam, they are everywhere and I managed to get 6 of them on a 12 day trip. That's traveling in style.

Upon arrival into Lao Cai it was pouring rain and I told the group that we'd have breakfast and by the time we finished the sun would be shining for us. Low and behold, the sun came out just as we were sipping the last of our very strong Vietnamese green tea. We jumped on our bikes then set off for a 3 day bike trip from Lao Cai to Bac Ha.

Our first day of biking concluded with a boat trip down a peaceful river that cuts through a rugged canyon. We ended up in a small village where we spent the night with a Tai family in their home. The accommodation in a homestay is basic, but the experience is completely authentic. They cooked a delicious meal for us on a wood fire on the ground of the kitchen floor. There were at least 7 different dishes, and the group was amazed how our local host could whip up so many special dishes with such basic amenities. Everything we ate was fresh and organic.

We wandered through the village and met the local people herding their water buffalos and pigs, and even helped a guy who was stuck in the mud on his motorbike. We visited a few family homes and went to the local store to by some warm beer. There is no electricity in this village, so warm Tiger beer was the best we could get and it tasted so good.

The next two days of biking were equally rewarding with loads of cultural encounters along the way. Everyone rides bicycles here and the local people truly love to ride up beside us and pedal along side. We had so many cultural encounters. Around every bend in Vietnam is an interesting site. Tourism is growing here, as their economy is doing very well, but we stay well off the beaten track and have authentic cultural encounters.

We were invited into a family home where they were making fresh sticky rice cakes, of course we got to try them. We went to the Sunday market in Bac Ha. Now if you want some interesting dishes to try, this was the place. Some of the specialties were monkey brain, all of the insides of a horse, python fat, dog, bee syrup, fresh blood of a pig, amongst all sorts of other things that I couldn't even recognize. I personally am not that adventurous when it comes to food, but one must remember that this is real life of the indigenous groups of Vietnam, so it's fascinating to see, even if it's a little hard to stomach.

We ended our biking with a transfer up to Sapa, a beautiful town nestled in the mountains. Some of the group commented how the setting could have been the Swiss Alps with the misty clouds hanging over the mountainside carved with rice terraces.

We set off on foot from Sapa for 2 days of trekking and a second homestay with another family. This area had a few other indigenous groups, Red Tzao, Tai and Hmong. We hiked along the rims of the muddy rice paddies and past water buffalos plowing the fields. We visited a couple of schools where we dropped off some supplies. We soaked in steamy hotsprings and feasted on sweet potatoes baked in a fire, provided by a hospitable woman who lives in the area. I think all of us lost our balance at one point trying to walk the edge of the rice paddies and landed in the thick of the mud. But when we got back to Sapa we got our shoes cleaned in 2 hours and they looked almost brand new.

The last leg of our adventure was a 3 day soujourn to Halong Bay where we paddled sea kayaks to the many limestone karsts rising out of the sea. There are villages on the water where people live with their many dogs. They survive on fishing in this area and tourism provides many jobs as well.

Two of the big highlights that stand out for me here was a night paddle to view the phosphorescence. It was magical. Dipping our paddles into the sea was like waiving a wand into the water with magical dust. With the stars up above and the phosphorescence below it was a heavenly experience.

The other moment that was priceless was stopping our kayaks on a small stretch of whitesand beach that we knew would be taken in the high tide. We went for a dip in the Red China Sea and Mike said, "oh how I'd love a cold beer in the Red China Sea". There was nothing around us and all of a sudden, a woman appears out of nowhere, with a boat full of beer and snacks. Ask and you shall receive, isn't that the power of attraction.

Our journey ended back in Hanoi where we had a final evening to get massages, pedicures, enjoy the night markets, shop until we dropped and feast on great Vietnamese cuisine.

I really love Vietnam, but I do see it changing rapidly as the economy is booming. If you're considering a trip to Vietnam in the near future, try to get their soon as it still has the gentle and wonderful authentic experiences and on BikeHike Adventures we ensure that we stay well away from the mainstream tourism areas. For details on our Paddle and Play Adventure, visit http://www.bikehike.com/vietnam/vietnam_trip01.html

Until next time,
Trish Sare

Inti Raymi: Festival of the Sun

2008-05-02T11:40:00.000-07:00

One of the joys of travelling is being able to truly see the culture of the places you visit, and what better way to do that then to go to a festival!

I’m talking about the Inti Raymi, or Festival of the Sun, which takes place in Cusco, Peru. This festival is an ancient Inca tradition that dates back centuries and honours the God of the Sun, Wiracocha. The Inti Raymi symbolizes the eternal consecration of marriage between the Sun and his sons, the human beings. This was the most important festival of the Inca Empire, which based its religion on the cult of the sun. The Inca considered the sun to be a divinity of the highest rank and built their temples in honour of the sun. During the days of the original festival llamas were sacrificed, which was believed to ensure a good cropping season. In 1572 the viceroy Francisco de Toledo banned this traditional ceremony.

The festival is now the second largest festival in South America. More than 200,000 people come and more than 500 actors proudly bring alive the past. Inti Raymi takes place during the month of June in Cusco, Peru. It lasts for a week, but the actual day of the festival is June 24th, which marks the winter solstice and the beginning of the sun’s new year in the southern hemisphere.

Inti Raymi starts in Qorikancha (or the Santa Domingo), which was the centre of the Inca Empire until 500 years ago. It then proceeds as a procession to Sacsayhuamán, an archeological complex also known as the Sacred House of the Sun. Some of the main events include: fire, live music, street fairs, and plays representing historical figures, namely Sapa Inca and his wife Mamma Occla.

Inti Raymi is also known throughout Peru as Peasants or Indians Day. Entry is free for the all day event, but seats can be reserved at a price. This modern day festival has been taking place since 1944 and is a must see if you are in Peru at this time. We offer trips to Peru during this time, both the 12-day Andean Mountain Medley and the 8-day Trek the Lares Trail, that can be customized to allow you to stay longer to see the festival and take part in the activities. Visit http://www.bikehike.com/ for more details about these trips.

Happy Travels
Meghan G

Global Food

2008-04-25T16:20:00.000-07:00

Food, it’s definitely a topic I can talk about for hours on end. I just love it! One of the highlights of travelling for me is trying different foods around the world. When I was in Thailand I couldn’t stop eating. The food was that good. There was no better way to start off the morning than with a whopping bowl of spicy noodle soup. I’m not sure about the seagull I devoured in Fiji though. It won’t be on my list of things to eat again in the future.

This blog topic led to a discussion in our office about the strangest foods we’ve eaten throughout our journeys around the globe. Meghan Graceffo is going to take over and share her experiences from South America.

Personally I feel a little left behind in the realm of bizarre food experiences, but the one strange food I did have is of high quality…BBQ cow heart. Yes that’s right, there I was, living in Peru, celebrating my 18th birthday with friends from school and next thing you know I have this skewer of what looks like normal meat on my plate. So I dig in for my first bite and upon declaring that I thought it was pretty delicious I was told I had just eaten cow heart. Clearly my next reaction was of disgust, but once I got over that, it became one of my favourite things to eat while I was there. One of my less favourable food memories is when I walked into the kitchen of the host family I was staying with just as the cook was heaving this giant obscure looking piece of something out of a pot. My curious mind got the best of me and I just had to know what it was, a question I definitely wish I hadn’t asked. Low and behold it was a huge cow tongue! Needless to say watching what took place in the kitchen put me off trying it despite hearing how good it was meant to be. Perhaps if I had eaten it without knowing it would have been just fine but I couldn’t seem to get the image from the kitchen out of my mind.

Our other co-worker Stephen got in on this discussion as well, but his stories are far beyond anything we could come up with. We’re going to give him his own blog entry cause we couldn’t do it justice. Stay tuned.

Until next time!
Meghan²

Happy Earth Day!

2008-04-22T14:32:00.000-07:00

Spring is in the air and the birds are chirping outside our office. It's the first day of the year we can open the patio door and enjoy the fresh air. The sun is so bright we don't even need the lights on in the office. What a great time of year!

Trish Sare, the Director of BikeHike, has left for a 2-week adventure in Vietnam. She is hoping to be able to access e-mail a few times during the trip so she can blog about her experiences on our 12-day Paddle and Play Adventure. I can't wait to hear her stories. Vietnam is one of my absolute favourite countries. I travelled there in 2001 so I am curious to hear the changes it has gone through in the past 6 years. Hanoi is a vibrant, chaotic city, but incredible at the same time. I remember my friend and I sitting in our hotel leaning over a map of the city, trying to figure out the best way to get from our hotel to dinner with crossing as little roads as possible. It was a challenge to cross the street but after a few days in the city we had mastered the art. We realized the drivers are skilled in knowing how to go around pedestrians and wouldn't harm us. But hey, that's all part of the adventure.

Bye for now,

Meghan