That Place I like

If your making you way to Machu Picchu or the Sacred Valley, you will probably pass through Cusco.

Cusco is a vibrant city with lots to see and do, as well as a great place to start your andes adventure.

To make the best of your visit, here are a couple tips to get you started:

The altitude is higher then what most are use to. Spend your first day taking it easy and acclimatizing. If you feel sick, rest and have some Coco leaves.
Check out the central square - but prepare to be approached by many vendors trying to sell you anything and everything. Make sure to keep an eye on your stuff if you get distracted.
The bars and restaurants around the square tend to be a bit pricey, try places a bit off the beaten path.
Take it ALL in. It's an absolutely beautiful city with lots of culture and history. Take tons of pics!

Some of my favourite things to do:

Paddy Flaherty's Irish pub in the square (price was reasonable and its the highest altitude 100% Irish owned pub in the world!)

Jake's Café. Great food and portions (not pictured)

Check out the Cusco area ruins, especially Saqsayhuaman. Great ruins and one of the best views overlooking Cusco.

Stay at the Torre Dorada. Excellent service and just a great place to stay.

Figuring out what bring on vacation can be hard. Here are some ideas of what to bring depending on your vacation.

Caribbean Vacation
- Clothing (Shorts, TShirt, Tank Tops, Long Pants (just in case), light sweater (for those nights at the beach)
- Swimsuit
- Sunscreen
- Toiletries (toothbrush, paste, deodorant, etc.)
- Medicines (Immodium, Bandages, Pepto, Tylenol/Advil)
- Bug Spray and Afterbite
- Money (check your destinations currency)

South American Adventure
- Clothing (Bring both warm and cooler clothing - different altitudes can range in temperature)
- Sunscreen, Hat
- Toiletries (toothbrush, paste, deodorant, etc.)
- Medicines (Immodium, Bandages, Pepto, Tylenol/Advil)
- Bug Spray and Afterbite
- Money (check your destinations currency)
- Travel guide
- Spanish/English Dictionary or Portuguese/English dictionary

North American Road Trip
- Clothing
- Sunscreen, Hat
- Toiletries (toothbrush, paste, deodorant, etc.)
- Money
- Travel guide/Map

Today I went to my first ever Fan Expo in Toronto. What an experience! Where else can you see Wonderwoman and Iron Man hanging out, Anime characters mingling with Marvel Heros and Predators getting along with humans? Well apparently at Fan Expo you can see this and more. The event is huge and the turnout was amazing.. at least 100,000 plus people were there many dressed up as their favourite super heros. There was tons of stuff to buy, chances to meet your favourite celebs and lots of picture opportunities!

Some things I learned as a first timer:

- Come early. It gets packed!
- Its ok to dress up - in fact its encouraged.
- If you want an autograph, come early and make sure you check the time when they will be there
- Bring a big bag or backpack for purchases and swag
- Bring your camera and take LOTS of pictures

Here are just a few of my highlights from the day

Until next year...may the force be with you super peeps :-) #fanexpotoronto

Checked out buskerfest this year for the first time and loved it! Great for people of all ages and will definitely put a smile on your face. Theres tons of performers, musicians, vendors and even samples! (one of my favourite things). Admission is by donation and all proceeds go towards Epilepsy Toronto. Go for a great time and for a great cause.

Here are some of my highlights.

For more about Buskerfest, you can check out this link: http://www.torontobuskerfest.com/

#buskerfest2013 @cp24

I visited London, England for a course, but also got the chance to do a bit of exploring. London is a great place, with lots of history and culture.

While I could write forever on all the things to see and experience, here are some of the highlights you should check out.

High tea at the Corinthea Hotel

Enjoy a lovely tea selection in a beautiful, classic setting

Sunday Organ recital @ Westminister Abbey

We came upon this by chance and what a pleasant surprise! Sunday evenings they do a free organ recital for your listening pleasure. If you are in the area, check it out.

The Tube

Their subway gets you everywhere you want to go. There's no need to take cabs as their sophisticated and extensive subway system covers pretty much anywhere you need to get to. Tip: if you are staying for a week, get a week pass. It's cheaper and easier.

Pret a manger

Great quick place to buy coffee and a bite. You can find them pretty much everywhere.

Shopping on Oxford Street

If you like to shop, you want to check out the selection on Oxford. Piccadilly Circus also has quite a bit of shopping, but a bit more touristy.

Steak at the Hawkthorne

Here the steak selection is nothing like I have ever seen. I had a porterhouse steak and it was one f the best steaks I have ever had! Make sure to make reservations though. This place fills up fast!

Hunter Museum

If you like unusual museums, stop by here. This museum showcases some of the first experiences in medicine and surgery. Admission is free, but you may not want to plan this around lunch time as some of the exhibits are not for the weak stomach.

Trafalger Square

Great place to check out, and right near some great picture ops. This place is like one huge meeting place. We were lucky enough to see a play happening right in the square, but seems like if you go anytime there's lots of activity.

Shopping @ Primark

This place rocks! If you like discount shopping, go here. They have a huge selection and great prices. Everyone we saw coming out, at least had 2 bags of shopping in their hands.

Buckingham Palace

Buckingham palace itself is something worth checking out, but if you go during the changing of the guards, it's a huge parade! When we went thousands of people were lined up to experience it and trying to get the perfect shot. If you don't like crowds, you may want to avoid it but if you can get through the crowds and get a good spot, it's worth checking out.

London Eye

This has to be the best Ferris wheel I have ever been on. The view is amazing, even at night. And the compartments all include interactive screens that give you a tour and description of all the sites you are looking at.

Convent Garden

This area is great for specialty shops, restaurants and bars.

London is a great place to check out for a week, and if you have more time stay longer! There's tons to see and do :)

So it's been a couple weeks, and I couldn't let another day go by without writing about the carnival. Great times! This year, was even better then ever with more gorgeous costumes and tons of energy! We started around 10am and I swear the time just flew by. I usually just stay until the end of the parade, but this year we were getting right into all the action and didn't leave until 10pm. Great times for sure and can't wait to do it again next year. Here's just a few pictures from the parade.

My favourite memory was going with judging. That's when you are at the peak of your energy and its all about just giving it all you got and it paid off... Louis Salendah mas camp won first place!! Way to go!! http://bit.ly/16d0cyN

#TorontoCarnival @TO_Carnival - until next year...in the mean time keep wining!

Went camping to Killbear this recently and loved being surrounded by wilderness and beautiful scenery, right on Georgian bay.

While I definitely loved our camping experience and being surrounded by great friends, it may not be for everyone. Just a couple things to think about before you head out there:

- For August, the water was pretty cold. Not sure if its normal up here, but was a wee bit on the chilly side.

- Not all campgrounds allow radios/music. So if you want to listen to some tunes, you have to do it very quietly and hide it.

- The beaches don't allow dogs. Although this may not effect everyone, it was a bit hard for us with 2 puppies to determine puppy duty while the others went to the beach.

- Great for families. My friend brought her son and he had a blast meeting new friends. She even extended her time there, as did other families. But if you are a group of party goers, you have come to the wrong place.

- There are bears and snakes and signs to remind you... Enough said.

All in all we had a blast as it is what you make of it and good company always helps. Although this place was nice, I might try another place next time before I come back here.

It's July, it's summer and we can finally get out without being bundled up in several layers of clothing. As we try on the clothes from summers past we realize, damn... These don't fit anymore. Instead of going and feeling sorry, there is a lot of stuff you can do to enjoy some summer fun and get into shape.

How about this?

- Instead of driving to the store, try walking or taking your bike. Not only does it give you a goal, but is good on the environment.

- Call up a friend to play tennis.

- Gather up a group and play a sport. Nothing like a good game of baseball, soccer or even volleyball to get you motivated and have an excuse to catch up with old friends.

- Have a healthy, fresh food BBQ

- Take the dog for a longer then usual walk. Not only will your furry friend enjoy it, but so will you.

How do you keep active in the summer?

We spend all year waiting for it, and it's finally here... Summer.

There's so many things to do in Toronto and only a couple months of summer to enjoy. So how do you make the most of your summer? Here's a couple things you will want to check out.

- Listen to a concert at the outdoor Molson Amphitheatre

- Take a boat ride to the Toronto Islands

- Take a stroll along the Harbourfront

- Check out a game at the Rogers Centre (on nice days, the dome is fully open)

- Enjoy a street festival (and there are many!)

- Have a dog? Check out Woofstock

- Bike or rollerblade along the beaches

- Have drinks on a patio downtown

- Take in the Honda Indy

What do you do to enjoy the Toronto summer? Comment below and let's all make the best of this summer! :)

Happy doggies everywhere, people chatting, vendors at every corner and shows that entertain... Must be Woofstock.

Took the Whiskey to Woofstock today and he had a blast! Tons of vendors everywhere, freebies (you know how much I love freebies), dogs everywhere to meet. For a puppy this is huge! I loved the #purina experience, was really well put together. Loved the free goodies and toys, and everyone was so nice to Whiskey! #Petsmart was also giving out doggie ice cream with kibble sprinkles...too cute! Plus they had nice goodie bags. There was also a doggie fountain where all the dogs could splash around and get wet. Was great on a hot day!

The highlight of the day though would of when we ran into one of his litter mates from the rescue, his sister!! Same rescue, litter, everything. Seeing them recognize each other was amazing! Immediately they knew and just jumped into playing. We all exchanged info and planning on doing some puppy time together two they keep in touch... And in a greater twist, turns out the puppy mom is actually one of my cousins best friends...small world! Looking forward to keeping in touch.

When we got home from Woofstock, Whiskey had tons of goodies to go through he was actually overwhelmed. Now he's sleeping happily and just reflecting on a great day.

Such a big world, and such little time!

There's so many places in this world to check out its hard to figure out where to start. So how do you start to narrow down a destination? Here's a couple things to think about:

- What type of trip am I looking for? Do you want to lounge in the sun, climb mountains or check out historic sites?

- What's your budget? Determine a range of how much you're looking to spend, as that can effect whether you do a road trip or a trip to Bali.

- When are you going? A destination can be less desirable in rainy reason or hurricane season.

- Is it in my comfort zone? Some places might look amazing on paper, but might not be the safest or tourist friendly. For more information, you can check out the government travel advisory sites:

Canada: http://travel.gc.ca/travelling/advisories
U.S.A: http://travel.state.gov/
England: https://www.gov.uk/foreign-travel-advice
Australia: http://smartraveller.gov.au/

These are just a couple of the things I think about. What do you think about when deciding where to vacation? Please comment below!

Happy Travelling!

Went to TBEX today for the first time and learned a lot!

Started with a session about Blogging, branding and dollars. Gave me a lot of insight into more ways to maybe get a few bucks from my blog, other then advertising. My eyes are wide open now. Any freebies send them my way? I love samples.

Then checked out one about Facebook Contests and how to basically set one up easily on Facebook. I learned that Canadian legal around contests and privacy is a lot stricter then it is in the US. Great for the average Canadian, but maybe I need to read up a little more on this whole legal thing...

Lunch was included = happy Christine

Lastly checked out a session about twitter chat sessions...I never realized the potential of those until today...hmmmm who wants to twitter chat about travel? Anyone?

Great session, lots of info, good times....tonight is definitely going to be a spinning my wheels on new ideas kinda night.

It's been a busy week and i'm very happy to announce that there is a new addition to the family... a puppy! As some of you may know, I lost my dog in November to a brain lesion. It was a hard time and a heart breaking experience, as anyone who has a lost a pet can understand. Its like losing a member of your family. It took me awhile to even think about another dog, and at the same time missed the companionship and unconditional love a dog brings.

And that is where Whiskey comes in.. I found him through a petfinder.com rescue. He is a beautiful 8 week old German Sheppard/ Lab mix rescue pup who just stole my heart. Some people pick your dog, but I think the dog picks you as well and that's what he did. We had a bond from the moment we met. And as I sit on my couch, with my little Whiskey beside me, he puts a smile on my face. Looking forward to a summer of new learnings and good times together. Welcome to the family Whiskey!

The Gateway to Machu Picchu

If you are heading to Machu Picchu, chances are you will pass through Aqua Calientes. We stayed in this tourist town for a couple days, as we checked out the Machu Picchu Area. Its a vibrant city with lots of restaurants, stores and touristy things to do, plus the train station is right there so you can get to Sacred Valley, Cusco and Machu Picchu all from the same area.

The hotel we stayed at Taypikala was beautiful. Located on the top of the hill, you get a great view of the mountains and Aqua Calientes. The service was excellent, location great and the staff friendly. We weren't as happy with our room, and they upgraded us for free for no extra charge! They were even nice enough to give us food to take on our day trip to Machu Picchu. Very friendly and thoughtful staff.

You will find a lot to do in this city, especially when it comes to restaurants, tours and grabbing drinks. The area near the train station is really nice, a great view of the river and the mountains. Absolutely stunning.

Tip:

- When grabbing food in Aqua Calientes, be mindful of all the deals they offer you. Everywhere you will find 3 course meals for 15/20 soles. However sometimes the portions aren't what you expect and they will throw in a servico charge which is basically a high tip. You pretty much have to negotiate your meals. You will find that a lot on the main hill (which we nicknamed harassment hill based in being constantly harassed to come in to basically every restaurant).

- prices fluctuate here so sometimes it's worth taking a bit of a walk around to find the best price on items

- don't buy from the market here. It's way more expensive then the Pisac and cusco ones, which have the same things for one third the price.

An experiment in agriculture.

Moray is a place definitely worth a visit. In your trip to Peru, you will come across many ruins, however this place is very unique and sets itself apart from the rest. Moray was originally an experiment in agriculture and how crops respond to different conditions such as altitude. The Incas purposely tried different combinations to see which altitudes work for which crops. As a result they had more insight to help with their farming. This is brilliant especially for those times. While it no longer has the same function today, seeing the design on this area and knowing the history is really interesting and worth a trip. The area surrounding Moray is rich in agriculture and you can see lots of farming on your trek out there.

Remnants of a fortress, with a bustling market.

No visit to Urubamba area is complete without visting Pisac. Home to a huge fortress, you can spend hours exploring this once strong fortress and taking in the gorgeous views.

We hired a cab that day to take us to the Pisac and the surrounding areas. We were so happy that we did because we could go at our own pace and it wasn't that expensive (we got a whole day from 9am-5pm for $120).

Pisac is a massive ruins. To be honest I didn't realize how big it was until we got there. Plus it's quite the workout. I didn't realize how out of shape I felt until I started walking around. Mind you it was day two and I was still adjusting to the altitude so every step required extra work on my end and I became out of breath very quickly. I would definitely recommend some level of training or a good fitness level to start exploring this area in depth.

After spending a couple hours there, we headed to Pisac city to the market. I'm not one usually into the markets, but I gotta say this one was great! There was tons of great stuff there from artisans and all these unique pieces. We ended up getting some jewellery and a chess set. The prices here were really good, as well as the quality and selection. Plus you can negotiate here as well. We ended up getting a chess set for 85 soles, when we later saw it at other markets for 150-250 soles!! Unbelievable. One thing to keep in mind is that the market doesn't run everyday. Only Sundays, Tuesdays and Thursdays.

We also checked out a restaurant near the market where you can get a 3 course meal for $20. We weren't expecting much at first, just a snack. So imagine our surprise when heaping amounts of delicious food came out. It was soooo good and the portions very generous.

All in all, we really enjoyed Pisac and would recommend that you make some time to check it out. You can easily visit it from Ollantaytambo or Cusco, and it's definitely worth the trek.

In our recent trip to Peru, we decided to start off in Ollantaytambo. It was a lower altitude (great place to acclimatize), and seemed like a place to catch up on some relaxation. Located in what's known as the Sacred Valley, this smaller town is surrounded by beautiful scenary and a pleasant place to start an adventure.

We stayed at a nice boutique-like hotel called the Hotel Sol.The service was great and we just loved our room. We had our own patio overlooking the river and the Ollantaytambo ruins! Both nights we were there we made a point of grabbing some beers and sitting on the patio looking at the stars, was just magical and so many of them! We were very impressed with the location of the hotel, and the surrounding views. Plus the staff were super friendly and accommodating. (Check out Hotel Sol on Tripadvisor).

We had great food in Ollantaytambo. So delicious... There were some nice cafes, where you can sit in the Plaza de Armas or close to the mountains and have a coffee, drink or nice dinner. The food was reasonably priced and generous portions. Definitely try the Peruvian cuisine while you're there. One of our favourite restaurants there was called Puka Rumi, and located close to the ruins. The ambiance was great and the food delicious. Definitely worth checking out.

We explored the Ollantaytambo archaeological site, which is definitely a must if you're in the area. The construction of it is fascinating and you get an amazing view of Ollantaytambo and the surrounding towns from there. Prepare for a bit of walking uphill though, as there is a fair bit. Also, if you are just getting into the area and haven't fully adjusted to the altitude take it a bit easy and take your time with it. We didn't get Altitude Sickness, but there were points that I felt more tired then usual.

One of the great things we also loved was the location. The area has so much natural scenary and is so laid back, you really can get relaxed here. It was close to Moray, and not that far to Pisac. Plus there's a train station in town that takes you to Cusco or Machu Picchu.

Ollantaytambo is definitely a great place to start a Peruvian adventure.

Tips in Ollantaytambo:

If you plan on visiting some of the area sites (including Ollantaytambo). It might be worth getting the "Boleto Turistico Del Cusco", this will get you into places like Pisac, Moray Saqsayhuman and more. We paid 130/soles (approx $60) for access to 16 sites over 10 days.
If taking the train to Machu Picchu, keep in mind there are only a couple trains that you can bring your bigger luggage on. (check out Perurail for more info )
If you want to check out some local sites, but don't feel like a tour, ask your hotel to hire a taxi for the day. They are pretty reasonable especially if you split it with someone.
Don't overexert yourself too much in the first couple days if you are having trouble with the altitude. Take it easy.

Have you been to the area and have tips to share? Would love to hear them. Please comment :)

Thanks and happy travelling!

Ahhh Peru. I heard it was beautiful, but once you visit you realize it's much more then that. There is so much to see and do in this vibrant country!

We travelled to the area of Cusco, famous for its proximity to Machu Picchu. We started off in Ollantaytambo (Sacred Valley) to acclimatize, visiting the ruins and the Pisac market. Starting off somewhat relaxed really helped us to get use to everything. The scenary was gorgeous, the mood relaxed, the food flavourful and fresh, and the people so friendly! The ruins we visited were extraordinary and the way they were put together was just incredible. A LOT different from what you see on TV. This was a great place to start not only to acclimatize, but to ease in to the trip and relax.

After sometime there, we took the Perurail train to Aqua Calientes, the base of Machu Picchu. The train ride is beautiful and Perurail takes care of their guests very well. Through the trainride, you go along the Urubamba River. Take it all in and enjoy the view. One thing to note, if you are bringing luggage, make sure take train that allows baggage. There is only one per day, otherwise you will have to store your luggage behind.

Aqua Calientes was VERY touristy. A beautiful city with lots of restaurants and bars, but in this gateway town you will find it a lot more expensive then some other Peru destinations. Beware of the strip we call "Harrassment Hill" where you will be constantly bothered to eat and drink at every restaurant, and they are very persistent. Also, negioate the price of your meal before you go in. We were caught off guard by higher bills, and "servico" charges.

Machu Picchu, is absolutely stunning. Words can't even describe how beautiful this place is and pictures don't do it justice. Surrounded by an extraordinary view with rich plant-life and mountains, and the very impressive ruins. It's definitely a place you want to explore for at least a full day. We climbed Wayna Picchu, which although it was a challenging climb, the view on top was more then worth it. Highly recommend it, although keep in mind you will need to be in good physical shape to make the climb.

After spending a couple days in Aqua Calientes, we made our way to Cusco. Cusco is a vibrant city with lots of life and energy. We loved it here! So much to see and do, great nightlife, tons of ruins to explore and shopping for those who want to take home a few souveiners. We were fortunate enough to be there for a parade, where we got to see groups dancing in colourful costumes and throwing confetti around!

Our Peru experience had to be one of the most interesting trips I have been on, with so much to see and do! I'm in the midst or writing more details about some of the cities we went to, places we stayed and challenges we had so please check back soon :-)

Also, if you're heading to Peru anytime soon and want some tips or info, please check back here soon as I will be writing lots more about this trip, or until then please drop me a line and I am more then happy to share any info.

Until then, thanks for reading and happy travelling!

It's been a busy 4 months and time has just flew by!

While everyone was making New Years resolutions this year, I decided "hey, this is the year to travel a bit", and that I did. In the last 4 months, I have been to:

- Jamaica
- New York
- London, England
- Peru

Sure, thats quite a bit, but the experiences I have had along the way have been amazing. Along with great company and my handy travel journal, got tons of stuff to blog about and experiences to share, places people should definitely check out, what to avoid and my impression of the food and hotels along the way

And while my bank account isn't quite thanking me at the moment, I sure didn't break the bank either. Because believe it or not, its still possible to travel comfortably and have a bit of money left in your pocket.

A couple tips to saving money travelling?
- Research before you go
- Read the fine print...whats included? and take advantage of it.
- Ask, and ye shall sometimes receive..no harm in asking for a discount or a bonus inclusion.
- Bring a travel buddy
- Buy what you need, and a little of what you want
- Travel deals are your friend (especially web deals, and social buying sites)

Anyways, thats all for now, please check back for more about these great places and some more tips I hope help you in your future adventures.

Thanks for reading and happy travels!

That Place I like

To make the best of your visit, here are a couple tips to get you started:

Some of my favourite things to do:

High tea at the Corinthea Hotel

Sunday Organ recital @ Westminister Abbey

The Tube

Pret a manger

Shopping on Oxford Street

Steak at the Hawkthorne

Hunter Museum

Trafalger Square

Shopping @ Primark

Buckingham Palace

London Eye

Convent Garden

About me

Christine Worrall

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