View over Akaroa Harbour from Banks Peninsula, New Zealand

Akaroa Wildlife Experiences: Dolphins & Penguins

Why Our 10-Week Antarctica Trip Started at an Airport Hotel Ever wondered who stays at airport hotels, other than people who’ve missed a flight? It’s now us. Our trip to Akaroa, New Zealand for wildlife experiences on the Banks Peninsula, started the night before. We live about two hours from the airport. For a 9am […]

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Aqua Gliding with Beluga Whales in Churchill

A Rainy Morning and a Change of Plans Because of the beluga stop on the way back from Fireweed Island, we did not return to the lodge until close to 10 p.m. Our schedule originally had us kayaking the next morning, but with the late night and stormy weather forecast, the plan was switched to […]

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Fireweed Island: Polar Bears and Belugas in Churchill

Heading Out on the Churchill River After a hearty breakfast, we loaded into the van for a short drive to the marina on the Churchill River. The weather was slightly overcast, and I have to admit, I was a little anxious. Would we see bears? And if we did, would they be close enough that […]

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Travelling to Churchill to see Polar Bears

How Many Polar Bear are there in Churchill? Churchill is known as the “polar bear capitol of the world.” The Churchill region is home to an estimated 900 to 1,100 polar bears.   Regarding the status of the population, the way it was explained to us is that this is considered the number the local […]

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Snorkelling with Harbour Seals in Vancouver

Back to Nanaimo and Ferry to Horseshoe Bay After four days in Tofino, we made our way back to Nanaimo for another night at the Courtyard by Marriott. Another upgraded room, another glamorous view of the car park. The bonus this time was fast internet and, more importantly, a working phone. The stars aligned and […]

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Dolphin leaping above turquoise ocean under a clear sky.

Chasing Dusky Dolphins in Kaikoura

Though disappointed by the cancellation of the astrophotography workshop in Lake Tekapo, we remained optimistic about coming back at some point given New Zealand’s proximity to Sydney. The next leg of our journey was a drive estimated at about five hours to Kaikoura, with a planned stop in Christchurch to break up the trip. Christchurch […]

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A palm tree framing the crystal-clear turquoise waters of Aitutaki’s lagoon under a bright blue sky.

Exploring the Best of Aitutaki and Rarotonga

How to spend a perfect week in the Cook Islands In late October, I found myself staring at a massively selfish problem: I was 200 credits short of retaining my platinum status on Qantas. With our 25th wedding anniversary just weeks away, it hit me—why not turn this milestone celebration into a status run? Two […]

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