Euro Travel & More

We have been up in Halifax so many times but yet we haven’t seen everything and ate everywhere and each trip we seems to find something more amazing and more fascinating and we buy more new stuff every trip.   This trip was pretty fruitful because I found a place where I can buy shea butter and Japanese bento and Japanese incense stick – pretty awesome.  We also headed out to several Farmer’s market near the hotel and we found some interesting things to bring home.

An ice cream stand that is still opened in the fall is nice because some days it can still be quite hot.  We didn’t get any ice cream – but we definitely would love to the next time.

A music shop that we found.

A gift store that sells rubber duckies.

An ikebana store that sells lots of Japanese things – and we bought some very good incense here – and wished I had bought more – but most importantly, I bought all my beauty products that I cannot find where I lived.  I had a good trip despite the fact that the kid got sick at the end of the trip – what a bummer right?  but the next time – I’m going to buy more shea butter conditioner and lip balm.  I loved the shea butter range of products.

Friends also say tht when we go for vacation – we women are the ones who loved shopping but how untrue it is because whenever we go on vacation – the spouse is always walking around the mall looking for xbox deals from electronic stores.  And shopping from coast to coast in Canada – one can find one of the best deals for your xbox games and gadets from one store or another.   When it comes to electronics I find that shopping in Canada is a lot more cheaper than in the States – and even though our loonie is stronger – their games are still a little higher than us.  But you will noticed that in different parts of Canada – you can get different deals – so if you are like us looking out for deals all the time -  you have to be patient and shop everywhere you are vacationing in.

Canadians shopped a lot across the border – mainly because it’s cheaper to by just about anything – even though the loonie is stronger than the current US currency.  The finance minister a few days ago – just said that he was irritated by it – perhaps if they didn’t charge so much taxes – Canadians will stay home and shop home – and with coupons like lowe’s coupons i too would drive across the border to get tools for my in – laws for Christmas.   The variety is a lot more across the border as well – so you can really blame us for taking advantage of such good deals right?  We don’t get the kind of coupons they do in the United States – if you look at some of the grocery coupons some housewives had collected – you will be amazed how much savings one can get – in fact – there are a few who would even show you how to use the coupons.  Inspired by the coupon news one year – I try to search for as much coupons before going across the border to shop.

While the rest of the world are planning for a winter vacation during Christmas – can you guess where I will be heading for this Christmas?  I’m definitely not having a white Christmas – because I’m going somewhere sunny and with sand and the beach.   You really can’t blame me for wanting to be somewhere warm this winter – for I’ve been here for 12 years to-date – and had been spending Christmas in the freezing cold.   My christmas stockings may not be near a fire place – but it will be filled with goodies like always – so if you are planning a Christmas vacation away from home – now is the time to start looking.

There are many great destination during Christmas time – and Cancun plus Havana are always crowded with Canadian and American tourists this time of the year.  We are booking earlier this year – because we are bringing our extended family with us for a week long vacation – just sipping mojitos and margaritas  with massages and sun.  I had thought about going back to Asia during Christmas time – but i figured Asia is best when it is the coldest here in Canada – in February.   We are not going to be opening our christmas stockings or bringing any presents with us during Christmas – but when we get home – we can all open our presents.  Time to go look for a travel agent.

Before coming to Canada – I rarely look at the Roots product – but ever since buying a tote from Chapters the bookstore during Christmas as a Christmas present for a friend – I’ve been looking out for good buys at Chapters.  I found a weekender tote bag from Roots – and normally if you bought from Roots – you would have to pay at least $300 tax included.  But at Chapters – I found it for $79 – and of course I grabbed it.  A look at it this morning – to order more – it was not available anymore – bummer.  So look out for good deals from Chapters – for Roots product.  This Tote is great for those going on a weekend getaway and can be used for your carry all on the plane.  The quality is really good – made of real leather and we all know that Roots product is really good.  But let it be known that the ones found in Chapters is not lined – therefore you will find lint – or left over fiber inside your leather tote.

This summer had been an interesting summer for us – not only are we doing a bit of traveling ourselves – the nephews are going backpacking to Europe.   The grandparents and aunts were a little bit worried and apprehensive but i told them that I had gone backpacking at their age too and given the right information and safety procedures to follow – the boys will do fine – I believed strongly.   So the preparation started like 2 months ago – getting their passports and visa ready and of course their air tickets and accommodation plans – and since they are going on a budget – we had to get them some really good carry all – like the  Gregory Backpacks that was recommended.    So the boys left yesterday – and their adventure begins – and we will meet them halfway in Paris – in about 2 weeks.  More on the backpacking – and the nephews trips later.

I have a terrible habit when it comes to packing for a vacation – it almost seems like I’m packing my entire house with me – when I go on a trip.  I think I get too worried that I might need something and not have it handy – especially when I am traveling with a kid.  Once, the spouse asked if I wanted to bring our compaq desktops with us when i was packing to leave for Toronto – funny right !  but if I could I would – hahah!  afterall, we do love our compaq destops and we can really do some work even on vacation.

Anyhow, coming back to traveling and packing light – do you have trouble?  I do always!  admit it – we want to bring our comfort with us.  But we are trying to only pack what we can carry with us in the airplane – so that there is no need for us to wait for our luggage – and it’s easy to unpack when we come back.  So what if you need to buy stuff from your trip – well – that would teach you not to buy too much eh.   So from now on I’m packing as light as I can – no more few luggage for trips.  One can always hope right?

Many years ago – I thought I should take up a course to be a registered and qualified tour guide because I loved to travel so much and the only way to do it free is – either you become a flight attendant, marry a rich man – or become a tour guide.  So since you need to be very good looking and tall to join the Singapore Airlines – that was out, to marry a rich man – I need to be very pretty too – so that was out too – so the only way I could travel – was to be a tour guide.  But alas, I don`t like traveling in economy class – not that there is anything wrong with it – but I figured I should finish my studies and look for a job that would send me all over the world instead.   But seriously, a tour guide`s job is very important and he or she can make your trip a good one or a horrid experience.   A private tour guide are usually the ones we go for – when we are in another country – but being a tour guide has it perks too – you see the meet all sorts of people from all over the world and they have special connections to whatever you need.  From a doctor to a  wholesale dental supplies I would definitely ask my tour guide for help – you will be surprised at what your tour guide can find you.   How do I know?  I’ve traveled with bosses from all over the world and the things they want me to look for them as a assistant – you will be surprised how many times – the local tour guide helped saved my time and my job.  Yes  – do not under estimate your local tour guides – they know just about anything and everything and have the connections to get you stuff – legal ones of course – hahah!

While they say to never leave home without your American Express – my favorite though is never leave home without your blackberry bold 9700 .  Why?  because I loved my blackberry and it’s really a smartphone that does almost everything for me while we are traveling.  I could store photos, music on the on board memory and can add on additional media card – if I run out of space.  It even has a GPS on it! woohoo!!  you see why I never leave home without my blackberry now?  I can also email, chat, take pictures on my trips with it – during an emergency and of course make calls to the spouse when I’m done shopping for him to pick me up.   So if you travel a lot like I do – get a blackberry!  no need to bring your laptop no more.

I don’t know if it is because I am on vacation or because I’m fascinated with the things I cannot get easily at home.  Just imagine me – traveling all the way to Paris and being fascinated by the acne treatment that was being demo at the beauty counter in a shopping mall one day I was there.  But I was thinking of my niece who’ve always had acne problems and couldn’t find anything that would work for her.  So of course, like any good aunt – I had to get some for her  – because she is such a sweet thing – and I just wanted to help her.   And since I’m in Paris – thing has got to be good right?  after all it was Paris – known as the city of beauty products.  But yes! I do shop till I drop while on vacation all the time – even with acne creams.