Five Things Canadians Miss When They're Abroad

With Canada Day just coming to a close, I thought it would be appropriate to write about five things a travelling Canuck misses when they’re away from home. Of course, these are just my opinion, but I think they hit pretty close to home.

1. The Wilderness: There are plenty of startlingly beautiful places in the world, but I would argue us Canadians are partial to the encompassing evergreen forests, the towering mountains and rugged coastline. When I travel I always appreciate the new sights I see, from the bustling cosmopolitan of a huge American city, to a historical chapel in Italy, to the sprawling Outback in Australia, but I find myself thinking of the beauty at home. For me, nothing compares!

2. Tap water: There’s just something so great about going anywhere in Canada and not having to worry about whether you can drink the tap water or not. And to top it off, it’s delicious!

3. Friendly strangers: Sure, it’s a generalization to say that everyone in Canada is polite and pleasant (I’ve worked in customer service, so I know this is not true!) but I can definitely say there’s a sense of openness surrounding Canadians that you don’t feel anywhere else in the world. Whether it’s asking a bus driver for directions or just grabbing a coffee, you’re more than likely to have a positive encounter with a Canadian.

4. The air: One of the coolest things about traveling is getting off the plane and taking a deep breath, inhaling the new scent. There’s even nuances between Canadian air; I could always tell the difference as soon as I stepped off a plane from Toronto into Victoria. But there’s nothing quite so sweet as being away from home for a long time and stepping off that plane and taking a deep drag of clean, Canadian air.

5. Hockey: Is there anything more exciting than being in a foreign country and seeing someone with a hockey jersey on? It’s like finding an instant friend…or a mortal enemy depending on the jersey! Having to endure other country’s national sports plastered on billboard and TVs just makes me crave coming home to watch the best sport on Earth.

But what’s the number one thing I miss when traveling abroad?

Tim Horton’s!

Do you agree or disagree with my choices? Let me know in the comments!

The Road to Adventure: Our Route Around Oz

The east coast of Australia has to be one of the most famous destinations for backpackers, and for good reason. From its gorgeous beaches, to the seaside towns, to the beautiful natural wonders, the east coast is filled with things to do. Plus, the east coast of Oz is also great for first-time backpackers because of its clear road signs, rampant hostels and tours, and plenty of like-minded travellers.

On our trip, we flew from Sydney to Alice Springs to Brisbane, then drove up to Cairns, before flying back to Sydney. Below, I’ve done a step-by-step guide of all of our main stops, so you can decide what’s right for your road trip!

1.     Sydney (One Week): It’s a must-do on any Australian road trip. From the iconic Opera House to the Sydney Bridge, this major city has something for everyone.

2.     Alice Springs/Uluru (4 days): Flying to the outback is not usually included in the average Australian road trip, but if you can fit it in, you definitely should! There is nothing like seeing the natural wonder of a wild kangaroo hopping against majestic Kata Tjuta. Plus, Alice Springs is a cute, quirky little town with tons of hidden gems!

3.     Brisbane (2 days): Like Sydney, Brisbane is a cosmopolitan town with it’s own wonders. You can spend hours at the Queensland Museum, relaxing at the beautiful lagoon, exploring the wonders of the universe at the Brisbane Planetarium, or hitting it off with your fellow travellers at one of the wild hostels!

4.     Byron Bay (1 day): Byron’s a quiet little hippy town right on the seaside. Although there’s no major tourist attractions, Byron has a beautiful beach and many gorgeous lookouts, and tons of quirky little shops.

5.     Nimbin (1 day): A hidden gem just outside of Byron, Nimbin is the definition of quirky. Rainbow benches, graffiti spouting messages of peace, and tons of head shops decorate this little town. If you’re offended by the “green” way of life, Nimbin is probably not for you!

6.     Gold Coast (2 days): With a big amusement park, a huge water park, and tons of nightlife at Surfer’s Paradise, the Gold Coast has something for all types of the young at heart.

7.     Sunshine Coast/Noosa (2 days): The Sunshine Coast bleeds into Noosa Heads, a gorgeous area of Australia filled with sparkling beaches and national parks. Spend a day playing with koalas and kangaroos at the Australia Zoo or relax in one of the beachside suburbs, like Coolum Beach!

8.     Rainbow Beach (2 days): One of the most popular destinations on the east coast, stunning Rainbow Beach is the jumping off point to Fraser Island. Fraser is home to the only pure-blood dingoes left in the world, as well as crystal-clear lakes, warm creeks, and it’s own shipwreck.

9.     Airilie Beach (3 days): Airilie Beach is most famous as being the connection to the Whitsundays, a collection of some of the most beautiful islands in the world. But Airilie is fun in it’s own right, with tons of cute shops and funky bars. Don’t forget to schedule a day (or two!) to explore the Whitsundays, an unforgettable experience!

10. Townsville (1 day): Compared to the other sights on the road-trip, Townsville can seem a bit bland, but it’s a good place to rest between the long road from Airilie to Cairns. Grab some grub at one of your favorite chain restaurants you’ve been missing or see a movie to relax!

11. The Atherton Tablelands (1 day): Take a western detour from Innisfail to access the Atherton Tablelands, an area of rolling green pastures and grazing cows. The must-see is the waterfall route, three incredible waterfalls that only require short hikes to access. The climax is Millaa Millaa Waterfall, where you can swim in the pool right below the falls.

12. Daintree Rainforest: Not to be missed is the absolutely unbelievable Daintree Rainforest, about an hour and a half north of Cairns. If you’re like us and unable to make it all the way to Cape Tribulation, check out Mossman Gorge on the southern end of the rainforest. Be prepared to get hot, wet, and awestruck!

13. Cairns (2 days): With tons of souvenir shops, a huge lagoon, and restaurants galore, Cairns is a tourist’s dream. The main attraction is the many tours leaving to see what has to be Australia’s greatest wonder: the Great Barrier Reef. If you’re only going to do one tour on your trip, make sure this is it! There is nothing like peering through the turquoise water and seeing the many tropical fish living among the coral. Cross this one off your bucket list in Cairns!

14. Palm Cove (2 days): We opted to spend the last two days in a small suburb outside of Cairns called Palm Cove. A five-minute walk from a beach with bathtub-warm water, plentiful cafes with great coffee and pastries, and a selection of tiny shops with beautiful hand-painted souvenirs made this a great choice!

There you go! That was the route we chose to explore Oz with! If you’ve backpacked Australia, where did you go? If you’re planning a trip, do any of these spots appeal to you? Let me know in the comments!

A Little Housekeeping...

Hey guys,

So it's been quite a while since I've posted, but a lot of changes have happened in the last few months. Leah and I are really just trying to get the ground back under us! Notably, I graduated from college (just a benchmark achievement in a very long list of obstacles to finally getting my degree!), moved into a new house, and have some very exciting writing news that we're going to share soon...

But most notable of the changes (and most significant reason for our blog/vlog absence) was our month-long road trip across Australia! It was an amazing, once-in-a-lifetime experience, and I can't wait to share our journey with you. If you're planning your own backpacking trip or just interested in all that Australia has to offer, stay tuned for tips, tricks, tales, and reviews from the land of Oz!

From now on, you'll be seeing blog posts from me every Sunday andWednesday, while Leah will be posting vlogs every Monday and Thursday, so don't forget to check out our Youtube channel!

If you have your own blog or Twitter, leave it in the comments below as we'd love to connect with you :)

I Slept through New Year’s Eve in Australia | Dealing with Travel Disappointment

Hi guys, Leah here. As many of you know, I recently made the move to Australia, and it is awesome. 2014 was the year I moved to Australia. 2014 was my year of big change and adventure. And how perfect would it all be to ring in 2015 in Australia!

New Year’s Eve was all planned out. I was heading up to the Gold Coast to celebrate the night at Surfers Paradise...which means I was up at 5am to catch my flight from Sydney to Brisbane. (You can probably see where this is going)

Once my friends and I arrived in Brisbane, we spent the whole day at Wet’n’Wild. It was over 30 degrees Celsius. 

We had a great day, splashing in the wave pool, and braving slides where the floor gave out beneath our feet. But after standing in lines, in the 35 degree heat, by the time we made it home we were exhausted.

We ate dinner, and then proceeded to get ready. Despite being super tired, I was still excited.

This was the first New Years Eve in my entire life where I wasn't in my home town. This was my first New Years being single in 5 years!

Maybe I’d kiss a hot Aussie at midnight, maybe I’d watch the fireworks appear over the beach and it would somehow set 2015 on the right track!

Except it was only 9pm, and we didn’t have to leave till 10, so I just lay on my bed…and when I opened my eyes, it was 12:40am. I bolted up—I couldn't believe it. I’d slept through New Years Eve.

But not just any New Years Eve...my New Years Eve in Australia!

I sort of sat stunned for a moment. I couldn't believe it. It was over, gone, and there was nothing that could be done to change it.

So what happened next?

I went back to sleep, and in the morning my friends and I had a good laugh about us all falling asleep.

And then?

We had a great rest of the trip.

We went to Movie World, explored Brisbane, swam in the pool, and by far made up for missing NYE with a fabulous night ( and morning ) in Surfers Paradise. 

Sure, missing the main event of our trip could have put a damper on everyone’s spirits and made everyone bitter and angry. But what would that accomplish? It wouldn’t have brought NYE back, and it would have just made the rest of the trip suck.

When dealing with disappointment while traveling, you only have two options.

1.) Shake it off and move on

2.) Hold onto it and ruin even more of your trip
I’ve had my share of travel disappointments so far such as losing my camera, being so sick in Disney World that Kate had to push me around Epcot in a wheel chair, and visiting a Japanese onsen That resembled a bathtub more than a pool.

But a great start to the New Years doesn't just happen because of a couple fireworks. Change doesn't just happen because you change a number at the end of the date.

For me, change happened when I stepped on the plane to Australia on October 23rd.

And plus, sometimes the best memories are because of travel disappointments. I’ll never forget that Kate and I had the entire Tokyo Disney to ourselves because of a giant rainstorm! 

We always learn from mistakes, so it’s going to take a quite a few disappointments before we’re seasoned travel pros. If you’re dealing with travel disappointment, the only thing you can do is shake it off and resolve to make the most of the situation.

What are some of your worst travel disappointments? Share your stories in the comments

5 Tips for Spending Christmas Abroad

Hi everyone,

Leah here. As many of you know, this year I am spending my holidays this year in Australia. It is my first Christmas ever away from home. (My mothers first Christmas in 25 years without me, as she so liked to remind me!)

Yes it’s a little sad, and the closer it gets to Christmas, the more those little homesick pangs come! (If I was at home I’d be doing this and this at home!)

However, there are a couple things I’m doing this year to really embrace being away from home during the holidays!

If you’re spending Christmas abroad please share your stories down below with me!

1.) Embrace the Difference

DO NOT spend your holidays picking apart everything that is different from home. Of course things are different, you're in a brand new place! I doubt you moved just to have things stay the same. . The differences can be as small as having apple pie instead of pumpkin, or as big as having a Christmas BBQ instead of a turkey dinner. Whatever it may be look at everything with a smile, and an open mind.

2.) Incorporate your own Traditions

So everything is super different abroad! Share some of your own Christmas traditions, whether its  with backpacking friends, or if you’re staying with a family like me, try and add in your own Christmas touch! Think about what really makes the holidays special for you and share it with the people around you. This can be anything from a holiday treat, favourite movie, or game. For example, every year my family does a Jack Horner Pie, and I made one for my host family.

3.) Connect with Home

Don’t try and NOT miss home. You’re going be a little homesick. Try and make it a little easier and plan some skype calls. My mother filmed my family putting up the Christmas tree and sent it to me. I found lots of fun Christmas cards and little souvenirs, so I made sure to send my family back an Australian Christmas package.

Even try and connect with home around you. Meet up with other expats,  take comfort in swapping stories from back home. Just searching facebooks groups, or couch surfers is a great way to connect with people. (Always remember to do it in a public setting!!)

I taped up all the Christmas cards I received and taped them up beside my bed to remind me of home.

4.) Take Ideas with Home

This tip goes hand in hand with the first tip. Once you really embrace your Christmas abroad you may really come to love some of these new traditions. Try and join in on as many of the new Christmas activities as you can. Your favourite ones you can take home with you, and make a truly wonderful and unique Christmas next year!

5.) Create memories

Try and many new things as you can! Takes lots of picture. Buy a special reminder. For me, I bought a special Christmas ordainment, that will always remind me of my Christmas in Australia.

I wish you all a Merry Christmas and Happy Holidays!


Just remember, this is probably going to be your only Christmas EVER where you are right now! SO MAKE THE MOST OF IT!

If you'd like to see my Christmas in Australia Video click the picture below!

5 Tips to Surviving a 15-Hour Flight

Hi there! Leah here. Recently, I traveled from Vancouver to Sydney. The flight is 15 ½ hours, one of the longest non-stop flights in the world. It travels over the Pacific Ocean, passing over Hawaii, before landing in Sydney. Now, I HATE flying, so spending that long on a plane is not ideal. However, the flight turned out to be okay—and here’s how you can also survive a 15-hour flight.

1-Select your Seat Wisely

Choosing the right seat for your flight can make a world of difference. Know your plane and check out seatguru.com. Know the kind of flight you want to have. If you like looking at the scenary, chose a window seat. If you want to get up and move around, choose an aisle. Also, you have to play your odds. It’s very unlikely you can get an entire row to yourself, but you can make it fairly likely that no one will sit in the middle seat. When selecting your seat, go for one that has someone either on the aisle or window already. It’s far more likely that no one will choose a middle seat, as opposed to a couple choosing the two empty seats beside you.

2-Stay Hydrated

I know you’ve probably heard this a million times, but planes are very very dry and staying hydrated will even help with jet leg. Don’t reply on the little cups of water they bring. Bring your own empty water bottle and fill it up once you pass security and ask the flight attendants once you’re on the plane. You don’t have to just drink water; have some juice or herbal tea. Keep your lips and face hydrated too by bringing travel-sized lip balm and face moisturizer to apply half way. It’s a really great pick me up during the flight.

3-Get Comfy

Select your clothes carefully; there’s going to be no runway shows up in the air. Layers, fuzzy socks, and an infinity scarf are my must-haves every time I fly.

 Neck pillows may not look glamorous, but they sure keep your tired head supported.  I like the blow up ones because they fold up so easily.

Take off your shoes. I recommend doing this early in to your flight, so you don’t have stinky feet! If you’ve been traveling all day before your flight, consider a new pair of socks just for the new flight.

4-Sleep

Sleeping is the best way to pass time on a flight.  Now it can be tricky to sleep when you’re 30,000 feet in the air, but there are a couple tricks. Take some medication. If you’re an anxious flyer a doctor can prescribe an anti-anxiety medication that usually can ease in fears and make you a little drowsy.  Use this in moderation once you consult your doctor. You can buy sleeping pills at your local pharmacies. Personally, I like ZzzQuil Nyquil because they don’t leave you feeling drowsy. If you’re not into medicated help, you can use some natural methods, such as herbal tea, limiting caffeine and maybe putting a dab of lavender oil behind your ears. 

Also, don’t forget to pop in some ear plugs to block out the sounds of the plane.

If you absolutely can’t sleep, just close your eyes, get as comfy as you can, and listen to some music. Creating a sleep playlist can help you relax and rest.

5-Keep Busy

Load up electronics. Buy a new DS game just for the flight, or do what I did and weed your entire Animal Crossing village! You can always load a new television series on your iPad, or read that steamy new adult book.  Audio books can be really convenient on a plane. Or you can even try to learn a new language with fun phone apps like Duolingo! Don’t count on getting as much important work done on a plane; there’s usually not enough room for your laptop.  Use this time to relax with your guilty pleasures.

Want even more tips? Check out our vlog!

Five Creative Good-Bye Gifts

Hey guys! Kate here.

So Leah has officially completed her big move and is safe and sound in Australia! As happy as we are for her to embark on this huge adventure, it was pretty tough for the fam to say goodbye to her for a year. If you’ve ever had a loved one go away, you know how hard it is to excited for them but be sad at the same time. You also feel like you should do something special so they know you care about them when they’re a bazillion miles away. If you’re at a loss for a unique, meaningful gift, here are five goodbye gifts that will wow the pants off your traveling buddy. These can be modified in any way so they could work for your best friend, your siblings, or your significant others.

1. Plane Activity Book: Leah came up with this idea when I first left for Tokyo six years ago, and I recently made one for Leah on her big trip to Australia. If your friend is in for long haul in that metal tube, you want to give them something to do! Grab a Duo-Tang (or a folder with prongs, for you Americans) and fill it up with all sorts of activities for your loved on to complete. Examples could be:

• Letters of encouragement from friends and family
• Word searches about the country they’re going to (just Google the name of the country and then ‘word search’ and you’ll find tons!)
• Make you own crosswords! Websites like A to Z Teacher Stuff let you create your own crosswords. You could do it on things like your family and friends, trivia of their favourite television series, or random facts about their hobby. I made Leah one based on our novel, Jane Unwrapped.
• Printed out poems or excerpts from novels. (The “I must not fear” passage from Frank Herbert’s Dune is an essential for any adventure in our family!)
• Special photographs in plastic sleeves
• Writing activities to keep your friend occupied. For example, in Leah’s book, I wrote on the top of a blank page of paper: Write a letter to yourself to read on the way home

2. Open When Letters: This one’s pretty well-known, but it’s such a great thought I had to include it. Open when letters are a series of letters you write to your friend, and they open them when they need to. For example, here are the titles of the ten letters I wrote for Leah to take to Australia: Open

when…

• You need to be brave
• You are homesick
• You need a laugh
• Life is good
• You need to remember your dreams
• You miss your ex
• You need some tough love
• You need to remember how much I love you
• We get good news about Jane
• It’s all too much
  

What kind of stuff should you put in your letters? Words of encouragement; funny memories; a reminder that even if you’re not physically there, you always have their back. Write from the heart.

3. Scratch Map: Leah’s goodbye present to herself was one of these awesome scratch maps from Chapters; a world map where you can scratch off everywhere you’ve been. If you wanted to personalize it for your wandering friend, write specific bucket-list activities you know they want to accomplish on the back for them to check off. They’ll feel awesome when they scratch off Nepal on the front and “Climb to Mt. Everest base camp” on the back!

4. Homesick Fix: As pumped up as your traveling friend is, there’s a good chance at one point during their travels they’ll feel a little homesick. Get a small, light-weight scrapbook and fill it with their favourite photographs, along with associated memories. If you have space, you can even include little keepsakes, like special receipts, tickets, or notes. Make sure you include an encouraging note at the end though! It’s supposed to give them a taste of home, not make them miss you more.

5. Emergency Loneliness Kit: Well, this one’s a bit of a stretch as a goodbye present, because it’s not for the person who’s leaving. My significant other knew I would be upset about Leah leaving, so he prepared an Emergency Loneliness Kit: a box filled with Kleenex, my favourite drinks and junk food, and funny knick-knacks like Silly String and glow-in-the-dark balloons. Maybe it’s not your traveling friend that needs the present when they leave, but their spouse, sibling, or parent. On the flip side, you can always make a small-scale version of this to slip into your wandering pal’s bag! (Just make sure it doesn’t include any liquids!)

I hope this sparked your imagination for a few creative goodbye gifts. A personalized gift will not only mean a lot to the receiver, but it can also be cathartic for the creator: it allows you to make peace with the good-bye and get all your feelings out on paper.

What’s the most meaningful goodbye present you’ve ever received?