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| Vol 3 , Issue 7 |
July 2009 |
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Greetings!
When I decided to do a monthly newsletter I figured each one would have a theme to it.
As I'm sure you've noticed, that didn't happen! There is always such a wide range of little tidbits I want to share that to make the newletter 'timely' I couldn't save things until a themed issue.
So, as always, here are some more tidbits... Enjoy... |
| North American Toll Free Number |
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This little tidbit is to let you all know that I now have a toll free number that works from anywhere is North America!
If you are long distance from Toronto, you can reach me at 1-866-794-5226. |
| Geocaching? |
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A Global Treasure Hunt Game
On our Alaskan cruise, we met a couple in Skagway doing something called 'Geocaching'.
Once they explained what it was, I absolutely HAD to look into it...
For anyone with a GPS, this is the ultimate high-tech global outdoor scavenger hunt! What fun!
'Geocaches' or containers are hidden outdoors and then the GPS coordinates are uploaded to their website. Anyone can hide a geocache.
Some items are meant to stay in the Geocache, others and meant to be taken. If you take something, you leave something of equal or greater value in it's place.
Once found, you sign the log book, return the geocache to it's hidden location and share your experience online.
Registration on www.geocaching.com is free.
From there, you visit the website page to find the coordinates of a geocache, enter them into your GPS and get hunting! There are currently more than 836,000 geocaches worldwide. There is even one 0.1 km from my home!
The couple we met were looking for the Geocache in Skagway, Alaska.
Certainly this is a hunt that can be local or done while on vacation just about anywhere in the world! Great fun for the whole family.
If you don't have a GPS, they are widely available at reasonable prices these days.
Who says hide-n-seek is for kids!!! |
| Motion Sickness No More! |
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| Exerpts from an article by Amberly McAteer
Canadian Living Magazine
 Feeling ill is never fun, but being uncontrollably nauseous while in a car, boat or plane can ruin your holiday.
Your brain is constantly receiving information about your balance and movement from your senses and balance monitors, including your inner ear. When you're in a moving vehicle, your eyes tell your brain that you're stationary, but information from your balance monitors says you're moving. Your brain interprets this confusion between what you see and what you feel as a signal to get rid of a foreign invader. The result? An urge to purge the toxin from your system.
 Prescription and over-the-counter drugs can give you quick relief. Antinausea medications such as Gravol (also called Dramamine) are convenient treatments for symptoms of motion sickness. Acupuncture and other holistic treatments can ease a queasy stomach. Targeting the pressure point located two thumb-widths up from your inner wrist with acupuncture needles can calm your digestive system. Certain bracelets, available in major drugstores, aim to put pressure on this same point. You can also apply firm, massaging pressure yourself to the spot for three to five minutes.  What you eat and drink can also prevent motion sickness. Don't travel on an empty stomach; eat a good breakfast of oats, muesli or wheat germ, avoid greasy fast foods and acidic drinks, such as orange juice and coffee, munch on light snacks, such as whole grain crackers, or chew on a piece of fresh or dried ginger at the onset of any symptoms. Sucking on a piece of lemon or lime might also help you feel better.  Drinking plenty of water and warm juices, such as apricot or carrot juice, can help settle your stomach.
Focusing on a distant object eases motion sickness.
Staring at something stationary in the distance, such as a building, tells your confused brain that you really are in motion, despite what your body feels. In a car, look straight out the front window. On a cruise ship, stay on deck and focus on a boat or island. Don't go inside because you'll remove that visual cue and further confuse your brain. Until the nausea passes, don't close your eyes for an extended period of time.
To read the full article on the Canadian Living website
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| Money Matters on the Road |
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Courtesy of independenttraveler.com
Before you leave for your next trip abroad, take a moment to think dollars and cents -- or should we say pounds and pesos? Get the most for your money when traveling internationally by doing a little homework first.  The most important step is to know your options. While traveler's checks were once the most popular way to carry money overseas, today's travelers are much more likely to rely on credit cards and ATM withdrawals, which usually offer better exchange rates and lower fees. But what's the best option for you? Are traveler's check cards worth a look? And is there any way to avoid those pesky currency conversion fees when using your credit card? Read on for answers to these questions and a comprehensive roundup of all your currency conversion options when you're traveling overseas. To read the pros and cons of all your options Click Here |
| 10 Cruise Ships Kids Love |
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By Anita Dunham-Potter
Travel columnist, Tripso
A cruise vacation is a great way to travel as a family, since many elements of the trip are conveniently wrapped up into one stress-free package.
 From accommodations and meals to entertainment and activities, the almost all-inclusive cruise experience is a tremendous value.
The value aspect is precisely why cruising continues to attract more families and keep them coming back for more.
It's no surprise then that cruise lines are investing heavily in more family-friendly features and innovations in their youth programs.
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| Voluntourism |
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For those who want a unique experience...
As the word implies, voluntourism combines vacation travel with volunteering at the destination visited.
Ideally, voluntourism is a people-to-people experience, in which both the helper and the helped become acquainted with one another. Just as Peace Corps or UN Volunteers strives to create cultural exchange and understanding, even brief periods of working together gives everyone involved insight into the world of the "other."
Voluntourism provides you with perspective and balance. You are able to utilize your "six" senses and interact with your destination in ways that had previously existed beyond your capacity of expectation. This is travel that unites your purpose and passion and ignites your enthusiasm in ways unimaginable.
Singles, families and everyone in between can benefit from a voluntourism vacation.
Our own Canadian Gap Adventures has lots of opportunity to join this growing trend toward service vacations.
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