You are totally planning your first canoe trip right now
Once upon a time, in University, my friends and I sat around our living room, discussing all the things we’d rather be doing than studying for our finals. Somewhere between sky-diving and climbing Mount Everest, portaging came up as an option. Before we knew it, a trip was planned and packed, and we headed out into the Ontario wilderness less than one hour after our last exam. We were rained on, got lost and sidetracked down a disused, flooded snowmobile track, and ate mostly rice flavoured with soup mix in a tortilla with salsa. We came home tired, sore and dirty. And it was completely amazing. In honour of that first trip, here’s a guide on everything important you need to know/do to survive your first canoe trip into the wild.
Indonesian bathrooms and the beauty of the “butt hose”
Initially, the idea of forgoing toilet paper and embracing the butt hose made me cringe. It didn’t take long, though, for me to adapt — and now I’m a total convert. When we visit countries that use toilet paper, I feel gross and dirty. I suffer from butt hose withdrawals!
We want to do a Peace Corps-like program — who’s got suggestions?
My partner and I would like to spend some time working/volunteering abroad. We have talked about joining the Peace Corps and have friends who have had great Peace Corps experiences. But we’re wondering about alternative programs (specifically, programs that are not government-affiliated). Does anyone have experience with or know of Peace Corps-like organizations?
Tropical vacation tips for the non-tropical peeps
So what do you do when you are not a tropical person but are headed on a tropical holiday at an all-inclusive resort? I learned the hard way after being gifted with a wonderful trip. I hadn’t been anywhere even remotely tropical in years, and never an all-inclusive resort, and so I wanted to share some things I learned with those of you who don’t normally head for the beach when you think vacation.
My son, the elephant: Fostering an elephant at an orphanage in Africa
There was one Disney character that touched me so deeply, ruined me so wholly, that the effects are still in place today. I refer to Dumbo, the big-eared elephant. As an adult, I began to research the plight of elephants in captivity — in particular, those in circuses. Overwhelmed by the callousness and cruelty, and feeling powerless, I also researched ways I could help. This is how I came to foster a baby elephant.
Collect and display postcards from your travels over your bed
We recently featured Wendy and Drew’s gorgeous modernized Brownstone home tour. The thing that really resonated with a lot of the Homies was their great postcard “headboard” display. Or as Wendy explained it…
Send your friends on their way with a road trip care package
My best friend since I was a child/my downstairs neighbor just packed up and moved away. She’s driving with her husband and two dogs in tow from Los Angeles to their new home state of South Carolina. I didn’t know what to get her for a “going away present” so I put together a little road trip care package. Here’s what I included…
How to move your pets across large distances stress-free
Planning long-distance travel with your kitty in tow? Offbeat Home Ashley is doing exactly that and has been doing lots of research on the topic. Here’s here helpful tips about travling, stress-free, across long distances with your pets.