Website Review: Air Canada Vacations

One of our life goals is to visit 5 new countries every year, so finding a good travel deal is very important to us. We make all of our own travel arrangements and rarely seek the advice of travel agents, so we rely heavily on the Internet and online booking engines.

We prefer to research for flights and accommodations on our own terms, so we’re always open to testing new websites and online booking engines. Most recently, we reviewed the Air Canada Vacations website – http://www.aircanadavacations.com/

When booking a hotel, flight, cruise, car rental or vacation, there are literally thousands of travel websites to choose from. So the question becomes - how do we choose which site to book with?

Above anything, we look for the BEST price. This doesn’t always mean the cheapest price – but a combination of price, schedule, airline, route and airports (many budget airlines depart from remote airports that are usually inconvenient and can actually be more costly in the long run).

We also look for efficient website navigation and websites that offer multiple options for flight itineraries, airlines and destinations.

What we Like about AirCanadaVacations.com

1. Its for Canadians!
   Most travel sites focus on the United States, often limiting options to/from Vancouver. In many cases, we have to fly out of Seattle or Bellingham to find the cheapest deals. We then need to worry about long-term parking and the border crossing (headaches we’d rather avoid). Air Canada Vacations is focused on Canada so they only offer destinations from Canadian cities.
   
2. Displays the full price, including taxes
   Nothing frustrates us more than thinking we’ve found a great deal but later realizing at checkout that the taxes weren’t included and now it’s twice the cost. Feeling deceived, we often stop our search at that point and move to another website. We were happy to see that it wasn’t playing games with its pricing.
   
3. Displays preferred departure city results
   At the top of the website you have the option to select your preferred departure city. Once you have selected your city, the intuitive website auto-populates the best deals from that departure city, ultimately helping users cut through the mountain of offers.
4. Vacation search box – Travel inspiration
   Sometimes we don’t care about specific destinations when we’re in the planning stages. If we want to go someplace warm, we don’t care if its Mexico or an island in the Caribbean, we just want a deal. What we’re really looking for is travel inspiration. The quick search box has pre-packaged vacations (flight & hotel) for broad searches, like “All Europe” or “Top Sunny Destinations” and it has a function that allows all-inclusive options and flexible dates.
5. Browse by interest
   If you have a specific travel interest, like Ski & Snowboarding Vacations or Couples Only Packages, there is an option to do a quick search by clicking on the link. It then provides a more comprehensive search that focuses on your travel interest, making for an efficient search.
6. Flight schedule from major Canadian cities
   In the vacation search box there is a link for “View flight schedule” that opens a 3-page document that breaks down the daily flight schedule from major Canadian cities. We like this feature because we are often creating our own itinerary and it allows us to plan our itinerary better. Here is the current flight schedule
7. Easy to earn and redeem Aeroplan Miles
   We love rewards programs and often fly with Air Canada because of its relationship with Aeroplan and Star Alliance. We like that we can use and earn Aeroplan miles by booking with Air Canada Vacations. Integrating the programs is smart.
8. Alternative packages offered when there is no availability
   We love this feature. When there is no hotel availability for your preferred dates, the search engine offers alternative options for the same destination. For example, we selected a vacation package for Varadero, Mexico that was full during the dates we selected. Instead of saying “Sorry – no availability”, it offered us 3 alternative options in the same area.

What we Dislike about AirCanadaVacations.com

1. Toronto and Montreal have the most options
   It’s understandable that Toronto is a larger market than Vancouver, but when searching for last minute deals the difference in options is significant. Toronto and Montreal have over 240 destinations to chose from. Vancouver offers only 55 and Winnipeg has only 2.
2. Limited options for “Last Minute Deals” page
   There is a “Last Minute Deals” tab on the main toolbar that takes you to a page that allows you to select from a “Going to” list. The drop down list has several destinations to chose from, but when you do an actual search there are rarely any results. We searched for Boston, Turks & Caicos, St Kitts and Barcelona and it returned zero results.
3. Some selections are not compatible with iPad
   We use our iPad – a lot! Currently, we are not able to switch to the “preferred city” feature at the top or middle of the site. The issue is that we are in Vancouver, which is at the bottom of the list, and iPad users cannot scroll through the drop down list, which is annoying. There is currently an iPhone app, so we assume that a feature correction is in the works.

We found some good deals on Air Canada Vacations, especially last minute packages to Mexico and the Caribbean. As long as you are departing from a major Canadian city, it’s an easy way to research and book vacation packages online.

We found round-trip flights to Honolulu for less than 0 dollars, so perhaps a trip to Hawaii will be in our future travel plans!

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What is your preferred travel booking engine?
Share your top picks in the comments section below, we’re always looking for new sites to try!

Disclosure – we were compensated to review this website, however the expressed opinions are entirely our own.
The photos used in this post are property of AirCanadaVacations.com.

Website Review: Air Canada Vacations is a post from: Traveling Canucks

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Traveling Canucks

We were recently asked to participate in a charity program that helps send children in Ethiopia to school. The program will raise 0,000 to fund a 3-year primary school project (implemented by imagine1day) in Ethiopia, with fundraising by participants from around the world. Although we are unable to visit Ethiopia this October, we wanted to spread the word about this great cause with the hope that you will either donate, share the message or become a participant yourself!

The Journey of a Lifetime: Imagine Ethiopia 2012

In support of imagine1day‘s big goal for all Ethiopians to have access to quality education funded free of foreign aid by 2030, a Dream Team of 14 participants will be heading to Ethiopia this October as part of Imagine Ethiopia. The journey will be the experience of a lifetime, and a way to really see the sustainable difference an organization is making.

Together, the Dream Team will unite around a goal of raising 0,000 to build a new school & provide access to quality education for one of imagine1day’s partner communities.

Faced with this big goal, participants will discover how their passions and talents combine as catalysts for a new form of contribution. Once the funds are raised, the fruits of the Dream Team’s labour will culminate in an epic, awe inspiring, world changing, shake it up, transformative adventure.

Click here to view the video on YouTube.

Experience Culture

Over 15 days, you will experience the wonders of Ethiopia’s heritage and culture. Your heart will open as you develop a new appreciation for Ethiopia and its people through conversation and tradition. From authentic coffee ceremonies to local food and brew, join us as we dance and drum our way into the heart of an ancient culture.

Experience Adventure

You will hike, bike, climb and joy ride through stunning and varied landscapes. You will pinch yourself to prove you really made it to one of the world’s most inaccessible and immaculately preserved churches from centuries past.

Experience Connection

La piece de la resistance is your experience immersed in imagine1day’s communities. Be touched by the presence, smiles and possibility of children and witness the impact of your contribution as communities welcome you with an immense appreciation for your partnership.

This is Your Year to Make a Difference!

APPLY to join the Dream Team for the Imagine Ethiopia trip this fall. Check it out and see if you’re game for the adventure of a lifetime – both locally and globally.

Email: ie2012@imagine1day.org

Imagine1day: www.imagine1day.org

Facebook: www.Facebook.com/imagine1day

Twitter: www.Twitter.com/imagine1day

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Please note that we are NOT being compensated for promoting this campaign in any way. We feel this is a worthy cause and want to use our website and social media reach to help spread the love.

The Journey of a Lifetime: Imagine Ethiopia 2012 is a post from: Traveling Canucks

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Traveling Canucks

Photo Essay: Snowboarding in Tignes, French Alps

We love everything about ski resorts and alpine villages.

The crisp, fresh mountain air. The gorgeous snow-capped peaks. The morning chair lift up the mountain. The anticipation of fresh powder runs. The afternoon beer(s) after hours of playing in the snow.

We’ve spent a lot of time snowboarding in British Columbia but always dreamed of one day snowboarding Europe’s celebrated Alps. So, when we found ourselves traveling around Europe during winter, we knew that our time had finally arrived.

We decided on Tignes in the Tarentaise Valley of France’s Northern Alps, a region that boasts the highest concentration of world-class ski resorts in the world. It’s also the freestyle skiing venue for the 1992 Winter Olympics in Albertville.

Tignes and neighbouring Val d’Isère combine to make up the Espace Killy, a massive ski area that covers over 300km of terrain and 90+ chair lifts that transports skiers and snowboarders to over 150 marked runs.

We spent five days over the Christmas holidays in a small alpine village named Tignes-les-Brevières. Tignes-les-Brevières is surrounded by trees because it sits at a lower altitude than the other villages that make up the Tignes Ski Resort. The alpine villages are connected by a network of chairlifts and gondolas, making it fairly easy to get around (assuming you’ve got your ski’s or snowboard).

Below are some photos from our action-packed ski trip to the French Alps.

Riding the chair lift from a high altitude village in Tignes (no trees in sight)

Tignes is made up of five alpine villages:
Val Claret, Tignes le Lac, Le Lavachet, Tignes Les Boisses and Tignes-les-Brévières

Gorgeous snow-capped peaks

It’s easy to feel insignificant in the presence of the French Alps

Photo break

Massive bowls and endless terrain

Good times in the French Alps

Look at all that fresh powder under that chair lift in the distance!

Freshly groomed runs and ski lines on a bluebird morning

Steep, rocky peaks miles above the tree line

WOW!

Which way?

Nicole ready to rock this bowl!

Catching some freshies on Christmas morning!

Happy Cam

Every chair lift took us to different terrain – it’s a MASSIVE ski area!

Cruising towards the lake near Tignes-les-Brevières

The picturesque village of Tignes-les-Brevières – our home for 5 days

Winter wonderland

Breathtaking snow-capped peaks

Christmas morning session – we had the mountain all to ourselves!

Christmas morning happiness in the French Alps

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Do you like to ski or snowboard? Where is your favourite ski resort?
Share your favourite spots in the comments section below, we’d love to check it out!

Photo Essay: Snowboarding in the French Alps is a post from: Traveling Canucks

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Traveling Canucks

Flying Low Over Cairo, Egypt

We were fortunate to have clear skies during our approach to Cairo International Airport. It gave us some kick-ass views of the mega-city and allowed us to fully appreciate how massive it really is.

We also caught a glimpse of the Great Pyramids of Giza, which was probably the most incredible sight to witness from the passenger window of an airplane. The photo below is not the best quality because of the hazy smog and sandy air, but you get the idea!

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What is the coolest thing you’ve seen from window seat of an airplane?
Share your experience in the comments section below and feel free to share a link to a photo if you have one!

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Find and compare airline tickets and travel deals at Cheapflights.com 

Photo of the Week: Flying Low Over Cairo, Egypt is a post from: Traveling Canucks

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Traveling Canucks

Now then this is a bit weird.Up until now weve been travelling into the future. The further East we go the more into the future with respect to the UK we go.So in Australia we were 11 hours ahead of the UK. We could see things that were going to happen for a few hours at least we knew the UK lottery numbers did you get them we knew what you in the UK would be doing for the next
Travel Blog | Travel Journals, Diaries and Photos

All over the years, Greece has been thought of as one of the most frequently visited nations in the world. It doesn't take a rocket scientist to determine why. It is the birthplace of lots of myths of gods and heroes that we know in our literature classes. It is an area of a variety of ancient relics such as the Parthenon, the Acropolis, and the Erectheum. It is a region filled with natural wonders that are still untouched by man.

Similar to any other traveller, you might feel obligated to give a tip to servers during your nights in the excellent hotels in Greece. Or you might feel obligated to give some cash to the waiter who unfailingly served you at the restaurant where you had your meal.

Although tipping in Greece is not compulsory, it is still a good gesture to give tips to people who have made your experience a momentous one. Take note of these pieces of advice when it comes to tipping in Greece.

1. Many hotels do not require you to tip for the services being offered. But you can provide a bit of cash to the personnel when they haul your bags to your room or when they provide room service. Before doing this,check with the front desk about the tipping policy of the establishment where you are staying.

2. Similar to hotels, you do not need to tip in restaurants. Nevertheless, it is a common practice for the establishment to round up the amount paid, especially if you make the payment in cash. For instance, if the price of your dinner is 13.30 Euros, the restaurant personnel will round it up to 14 Euros. Of course, you might like to give a tip the waiter for great service. Merely place the cash on your table and tell the waiter to keep the change.

3. In diners that are often visited by tourists, you might notice a "service" fee added to the final bill. In general, the service fee is around 10 to 20 percent of what you need to pay. In this case, you are not required to tip; the service charge covers that "tip." Traditional or local restaurants on the other hand do not add any service charge.

4. If you ride a taxi, you need to know that taxi drivers are not expecting to receive tips. But they won't turn down the opportunity to have additional cash either. Furthermore, remember that most charge for handling your bags. Realize that this is not a tip. It is an official charge.

Whether you are spending holidays to Cyprus, Greece, or other nations in the European Union and in the Mediterranean region, it is useful to know a bit about the tipping policies of the area you are in.

Tours of Europe

How to Teach English Overseas and Travel the World

Everyone knows somebody that has taught English in a foreign country. Teaching English overseas is a fantastic way to see the world, gain valuable work experience and immerse yourself in new cultures.

It’s one thing to visit a foreign country, snap a few photos of its landmarks, drink its local beer, sample its cuisine and head back to airport. It’s a completely different experience to actually live abroad, riding local transit to work every day and having daily routines.

So how does one go about teaching English overseas? To answer this question, we turn to fellow travel blogger Nomadic Samuel to learn about his experiences teaching English abroad.

Teaching English Overseas – 5 Questions with Nomadic Samuel

Before we get started, please introduce yourself and tell us about your recent travels

My name is Samuel Jeffery. I’m from Canada but I’ve been living overseas now for six consecutive years. I have a travel blog that documents all of my adventures and misfortunes. I’ve recently completed a two year backpacking trip across South America and Asia. I’m now based in Asia, once again, working on several different projects.

Oh, I almost forgot – I’m a HUGE Chicago Blackhawks fan! **Cam here – we’ll try not to hold that against Samuel, but no promises!

Q1 – You have taught English as a way to help fund your travels around the world. What do you like most about teaching English overseas?

I love being able to stay in one particular place and really get to experience what it is like to be a part of the local community. I often forge friendships and relationships with locals which affords the opportunity to have highly personal encounters. For example, when I visit one of my favourite restaurants, I can interact with the server by name and they’ll often remember some of my favourite dishes.

When I’m backpacking, I’m constantly stimulated by moving on from one place to the next, but I sometimes feel as though I’m not getting to experience a place fully before I move on.

I’ve come to discover that I really enjoy teaching and it allows me to save up quickly for my next adventure. I feel lucky to have the opportunity to work and live abroad and I never take that for granted.

Q2 – Can you walk us through a “day in the life of an English teacher”. Share the good, the bad, and the ugly!

A typical day can vary wildly depending on where you are teaching and what level. I’ve had experience teaching kindergarten all the way up to mature adults.

A typical day teaching adults would involve having to wake-up very early in the morning to teach classes before that adult goes to work, with classes continuing until midday. The afternoon is free with several more hours of classes in the evening.

When I’ve taught children in a public school the hours are usually the standard nine to five schedule. I’ve found that working in a government position allows me to experience more reasonable working conditions with less teaching hours. I wrote an article about the pros and cons of teaching different ESL age levels.

I’ve been most happy in situations where the students are well behaved and eager to learn, which is a wonderful experience. On the other hand, when you have a challenging and unmotivated class it can be torturous.

Personally, I’ve found the majority of my students and classes to be excellent. When I’ve had problems it’s mostly been with administration and other co-teachers. During my first year in Korea, my contract was not honoured properly and I wasn’t assertive enough, at the time, to properly deal with it. Now I’m far more selective about where I work and when something regarding my contract or working conditions is not being met I deal with it immediately.

Q3 – If our readers are interested in teaching English overseas, where should they start? Are there education or work experience requirements?

If you’re interested in teaching overseas, I would suggest you start researching where you like to go. In certain countries one can teach without a degree, and in others it’s a requirement.

Application procedures and Visa processes are quite different depending on the country. Generally speaking, taking the time to do a bit of volunteer work related to teaching ESL and investing in a TESOL or TEFL certificate are going to make one more desirable to companies and institutes overseas. A TESOL/TEFL certificate, in many cases, actually qualifies one to earn a higher monthly salary, which is well worth the tuition.

The website most recognized with ESL teachers is called Dave’s ESL Cafe or simply ESL Cafe. It has numerous forums that cover everything from expat activities to finding jobs all over the world. I’ve personally used it to secure teaching positions overseas.

Another option is to go with a recruiting service, such as Footprints, that helps place teachers all over the world taking care of the small details. Using a recruiter is a good way to find your first job, but for those with experience it’s best to try and find jobs directly from an oline job board or by using personal connections.

For anybody seriously considering teaching English overseas, I would say – go for it! It’s been one of the best decisions I’ve ever made in my life.

Q4 – Do teaching assignments dictate where you will travel next, or do you look for teaching opportunities after you have arrived in a new country?

I’ve always taught in South Korea, where securing a Visa is bit of a cumbersome process. I’m not only limited to a certain school, I’m also not able to change jobs freely without obtaining a release letter, which is typically not granted.

Moreover, the entire Visa process is completed externally. Hypothetically, if I was unhappy with my current position I’d have to leave the country and return with a new Visa for another specific job. However, the perks of teaching in Korea include big ticket items that many other countries do not offer, such as free housing and return airfare.

For those looking at flexibility and a decent salary, Taiwan is another great option. Not only can you arrive without a working visa, you’re also able to change jobs. Although airfare and housing are not typically provided.

Q5 – Can you share some tips that might help a first time English teacher? What should a newbie look for when researching teaching assignments?

My number one suggestion for someone interested in teaching English overseas is to be very flexible and patient. It can be intimidating getting up and leading a class for the very first time and/or dealing with cultural differences in the classroom. But if you are confident and patient, you’ll become a natural in no time.

I would also highly recommend obtaining a TESOL or TEFL certificate. You will have an opportunity to plan lessons, learn about culture shock and go through a practicum with real classroom experience. It can make a world of difference if you arrive somewhere new with some experience under your belt.

I wrote an article entitled 4 tips before signing an ESL contract that offers the following 4 pieces of advice:

1. Don’t believe everything your recruiter tells you
2. Confirm your living conditions with photographs
3. Don’t settle for anything less than what is stated in your contract
4. Have a back-up plan

The more preparation and research you do before heading overseas, the less likely you’ll have a bad experience or a dud school. It can be exciting to be offered a position, but accepting your first offer is not to one’s advantage.
**That reminds us of our Number One Rule for Travel!

Working conditions such as overtime, salary, holidays and housing are the most important things to consider. As mentioned previously, I would suggest starting at ESL Cafe to find more regional/country specific information and to search the job boards and put out lots of inquiries. If you’re persistent enough, you’ll find an ideal position.

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Big thanks to Samuel Jeffery for sharing his experiences teaching English in Korea!

You can follow his adventures by visiting his travel blog or following him on Facebook, Twitter, Google+ and YouTube. He also runs other travel related sites: Smiling Faces Travel Photos, Travel Photography Tips, Teach English Travel Overseas & How to Make Money Travel Blogging.

How to Teach English Overseas and Travel the World is a post from: Traveling Canucks

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Traveling Canucks

If you are considering an international vacation sometime in the near future you will need to have a valid United States passport in your possession. If you do not yet have a passport or need to get a passport renewal, you can go online and download a passport application. Once you have your passport you can decide where you want to travel to. A very popular tourist destination for travelers around the world is London, England. London is one of the most exciting and dynamic cities in the world and would make a fantastic international travel destination.

Markets

If you are going to be doing any shopping while in London you should consider making a visit to the famous Portobello Road Market. This is an incredible experience for anyone who loves spending the day strolling through the crowded streets of London looking for something unique to take back home. The best way to get the full experience of the market is to visit it on Saturday or Sunday. Most of the best known street vendors only open their shops on the weekend.

Westminster Abbey

If you are going to be in London and are looking for an interesting tour that discusses the royal culture in England, consider visiting the Westminster Abbey. This medieval church is thousands of years old and has been a tourist favorite for many years. You will be able to step foot in the same place that has hosted many royal wedding ceremonies and coronations. Keep in mind, however, that pictures are not allowed to be taken inside the church. Instead, you can purchase memorabilia from the gift shop to take home. Also, another downside of visiting Westminster Abbey is that the cost of admission is comparatively high when compared to other attractions in London.

Royalty

No vacation to London, England would be complete without seeing the world famous Buckingham Palace. You can actually take a tour and see the building that has housed England’s royalty for hundreds of years. You may even pass by the Queen in the storied hallways! Tours are available to the public and generally last about two hours. The tour is a fantastic way to get a better understanding of England’s royal history and how it influences the culture in London. Anyone who has some time to kill while in London, England should absolutely consider taking a tour of Buckingham Palace. Or, if you do not have that much time, you can witness the changing of the guard outside of the palace that takes place every morning.

If you are trying to decide where to go for an international vacation, think about visiting London, England. London is widely regarded as one of the most interesting and exciting destinations on the planet. If you need to get a expedite US passport renewal before you leave you can go online and find a U.S. passport application. This is important to remember because a valid United States passport is a requirement for anyone wishing to travel overseas. Once you receive your passport in the mail you will have the ability to travel anywhere in the world. Again, if you are thinking about making a voyage overseas, consider choosing London, England as your destination.

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Soltspangt the Tim Ton TravelTeamltspangt finally left our dreary rainyltspangt small countryStarting at 15.00 hrsltspangt on the 19th of February atltspangt Schiphol Amsterdam to Heathrow LondonWhile in Frankfurtltspangt and with Iberia airways the strikes are going on we areblissfully unaware of this. Before entering the aircraft the guys of an ambulancecarry
Travel Blog | Travel Journals, Diaries and Photos

 Luxurious Escape on the Volcanic Cliffs of Santorini, Greece

Santorini certainly has a way of making a grand first impression!

Few places on earth can compete with the “WOW” factor that Santorini provides its visitors, especially if you’re staying at a luxurious villa with a private infinity pool that overlooks the sea (like this one).

Located in the Cyclades group of islands in the sparkling Aegean Sea, this picture-perfect Greek Island is a destination unlike any other we have encountered on our travels. The white-stoned city of Fira literally consumes the volcanic cliffs, serving up insane panoramic views that will surely leave you speechless.

Seriously – how inviting are these chairs?!

Have you had the pleasure of visiting Santorini?
We’d love to hear about your first impressions, share you story in the comments section below!

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Luxury on the Volcanic Cliffs of Santorini, Greece is a post from: Traveling Canucks

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Traveling Canucks