Polly want a cracker?
At the World Parrot Refuge on Vancouver Island, British Columbia, winged residents get lots more than a mere cracker.
This non-profit, educational facility operated by FLOPRS (”For the Love of Parrots Refuge Society”) provides a “Home for Life” for previously owned pet parrots.  Parrots have a very long life span, so it is very likely that they will have a need for more than one owner over their lifetime.  Many parrot owners fail to foresee or plan for this, making it increasingly common to have parrots turn up in shelters.  The Refuge is a home for life for …read more

Today is the very last day to travel between the United States and the Western Hemisphere (Canada, Mexico, Central America, South America, the Caribbean, and Bermuda) with only a driver’s license or voter registration card.
Beginning January 23rd, 2007, all persons traveling will be required to present a valid passport.  This means both children and adults must have passports.  Alternate acceptable identification includes the Air NEXUS card, a U.S. Coast Guard Merchant Mariner Document, or an Alien Registration Card Form I-551.
The new regulation does not apply to travel to and from U.S. Territories such as Puerto Rico and the U.S. Virgin …read more

Details:  The Calgary Tower in Calgary, Alberta.  (I had a chance to visit Calgary last week, my first time there.)
Photo credit:  flickr
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If you’ll be spending any time in Victoria, British Columbia, I highly recommend that you take an afternoon to visit the Royal British Columbia Museum.
Located in downtown Victoria, at the corner of Belleville and Douglas Streets, the museum is near both the Parliament Buildings and the Empress Hotel.
The Royal BC Museum is one of my favorite museums because of its unique presentation of exhibits.  The permanent galleries showcase the history of BC in highly realistic and inviting displays.  They are not only visually appealing, but are presented in such a way as to appeal to all of your senses.
From the …read more

We’ve definitely entered an era of niche travel:  Cruising, adventure, solo, etc.  So how about this one:  traveling with your dog.
Turns out that over 29 million dogs travel with their owners each year, and hotels have started to roll out the welcome mat to both two legged and four legged guests.
This month’s, Fido Friendly Magazine, The Travel Magazine for Dog, reports on the top 10 exclusive resorts that cater to pets and their owners.  When your dog is getting fresh gourmet dog biscuits, being walked by the bellman, and getting its own CD of music, you know that both of …read more

Flight Attendants hate delays just as much as passengers.  We, too, like to get home, or to our destination, on time every bit as much as everyone else.  But if you travel often enough, you realize that it just isn’t going to happen all the time.
Unfortunately, delays are an inevitable part of travel.  Whatever the reason (mechanical, weather, ATC holds, etc.), it means extra time spent at an airport.  Rarely is than fun or relaxing.
Since delays are going to happen, however, it’s always preferable to be at an airport with amenities to help make your wait as pain-free as possible.  …read more

As much as I love travel, there’s one thing that can top it.  And that’s traveling with friends. 
Every experience is different when shared through the eyes of another person.
That was my experience last week in Vancouver, British Columbia.  I was flying with my dear friend, Anita, and her family joined us there to celebrate her father’s birthday. 
Let me explain, first of all, that Big Al is a second father to me, having lost my own father over 18 years ago.  I have come to love him, and his wife Sharimae, as if they were actually family by birth, not just …read more

I’ve been traveling in Canada the past couple of weeks, and have had to contend with converting to the metric system. 
In my zeal to warm up my chilly hotel room, I misjudged the Celsius scale, and turned the room into a (pick one):
Sauna
Inferno
Circle of Hell
My ignorance apparently knows no limit in this regard, and if you were listening really carefully, you would have heard me mutter:  “What’s wrong with Fahrenheit?  Why can’t they just do it the way we do?”
Fortunately, common sense returned to my addled brain, and relying, once again, on the kindness of others, I finally was able …read more