Your Guide To Trekking The Epic West Coast Trail On Vancouver Island

by Lindsay Shapka in , , , ,

The West Coast Trail will forever hold a special place in my heart.

I embarked on this epic 75 km trek with a group of fellow trekkers that included my dad, my best friend and her dad, and three of our dads' friends. We had no idea, standing at the trail head in Port Renfrew on our first day, the adventures that would befall us, the amount of mud that would be caked on our clothing, how much our hip bones would hurt every morning, and how absolutely unforgettable every moment would be.

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Explore Canada | Local Hot Spots, Tips, and Guides

by Lindsay Shapka in , , , ,

To embrace the local travel trend, we are pulling together local travel guides for destinations all over the world with content ranging from gorgeous spots you need to check out to things to know to make your trip better.

Whether you are a local planning your staycation, or someone looking for travel inspiration once quarantine rules are lifted, there is sure to be something in these guides to inspire you to explore!

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Your Guide To Trekking The Sulphur Skyline Trail In Jasper, Alberta

by Lindsay Shapka in , , , ,

There are a lot of stunning hiking trails in Jasper National Park, but when it comes to day hikes, the Sulphur Skyline Trail offers the biggest bang for your time and effort.

Yes, waterfalls are beautiful, glaciers are awe-inspiring, and fragrant flower-filled mountain meadows are delightful, but nothing beats a 360-degree view that seems to stretch out forever and makes you feel like you are on top of the world.

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Adventure Tales: Camel Trekking in The Sahara Desert

by Lindsay Shapka in , , ,

We had been traveling for what felt like hours on a winding road cut into the Atlas Mountains. The stop at the ancient city of Ait Benhaddou had been incredible, but the heat seemed to have followed us into the over-sized minivan that we were crammed into, and I could feel the gritty red sand we had trekked over mixing with the sweat in my sandals. I didn't think I would ever stop sweating. The only thing keeping me going was picturing what would be waiting for me when we finally reached our destination — camels.

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Reads For The Road: "Walking The Amazon" by Ed Stafford

by Lindsay Shapka in , ,

After retiring from the British army as a captain in 2002, Ed Stafford started running worldwide adventure expeditions. It was during one of these expeditions that Ed met Luke, and during one drunken night, they agreed on a plan to be the first (documented) people on earth to WALK from one end of the Amazon river to the other — ocean to ocean.

“It would have been fairly excusable to blame the bravado on alcohol but, as we scratched our stubble and our balls waiting for the shower, we were both even more animated about the idea than we had been the previous evening.”
— Chapter One, Conception to Birth, Walking The Amazon

This would mean crossing the Andes Mountains, trekking through the dangerous drug trafficking zones in Colombia, trying to appease suspicious indigenous-people living deep in the jungle (including those that were convinced he was going to steal their faces), and dealing with ALL of the challenges that come with living in a jungle — weather, bugs, injuries, bugs, and did I mention BUGS.

In Walking The Amazon — 860 Days. One Step At A Time, Stafford gives an incredibly honest account (fears, doubts, frustrations...) of his grueling 4,000-plus-mile journey (check out his Expedition Diary here).

If you are looking to be inspired by a real-life adventure, this is definitely the book for you! 

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