According to the Oxford Languages, travel is defined as: “going from one place to another, typically over a distance of some length.” Whether it is big and luxurious or small and thrifty traveling you do, in my opinion, travel is a must. Here in the Third, we are so fortunate to have one of the most beautiful places to travel and explore.
In this monthly feature, I will take a closer look into the world of travel. As a certified travel agent with The Travel Agent Next Door, I will share some of my recent and upcoming travel experiences, share some tips and tricks, and explore some destination spotlights.
These days the world of travel has expanded to places where our grandparents would never have thought possible to travel. Even in my generation, growing up in a family of eight on predominantly a steel worker’s salary, the big trip was heading to the Highlands to camp in the summer. One of my favourite memories is watching the Wide World of Disney and thinking to myself “I’m going to travel to Disney World.” I didn’t know how but as I watched Cinderella’s castle appear on the TV screen before me, I made a promise to myself. I was five years old. Fast forward a few years to just before my 30th birthday. I finally got to Walt Disney World for the first time. It would not be the last time. For me, travel has become a way of life. I absolutely love traveling for both work and pleasure.
There are so many different forms of travel. Do you fly out of your local airport, or do you travel a bit to get to one of the larger airports where there are more flight options? Our country is one of the most beautiful countries to explore. I’m sure that traveling via train across our beautiful country is on a few Thirders’ bucket lists.
When is the last time you jumped on the Newfoundland ferry to explore that beautiful province? Road trips are one of my favourite forms of travel. It is so fun to get up early, fill your coffee (or tea) mug, pack the snacks, download the songs, and hit the road. Isn’t it amazing that on travel day you can wake up at the bleary-eyed time of 3 a.m. to start your day of travel? This is without having slept a wink the entire night before and somehow you manage to get on the road to your destination on time. Something that is amazingly challenging on a workday.
These days you must prepare to be as flexible as possible. Especially during the winter months. I try to support our local airport J.A. Douglas McCurdy as much as I can. However, with only Air Canada present and limited flights it makes it challenging. Price and availability of flights dictate some of my travel out of J.A. Douglas McCurdy airport. A huge shout out to all the employees at the airport for making fly day as easy as possible. The Air Canada employees are always kind and helpful as well.
As we take a closer look at travel together, we will tackle questions such as what the differences are between an ocean cruise and a river cruise. Is going on a cruise better than going on an all-inclusive vacation? I will come to learn if Thirders prefer to travel on their own or like the security of a group? What about adventure travel? Do you like to go to a beach to relax or or are we people who seek out adventure travel like Hiking the Camino de Santiago in Spain?
Travel also can be trendy. There will always be “the place to travel” but do Thirders follow the trends, or do they march to the beat of their own drum? People are always asking me “What is your favourite place to travel?” In the past I usually said Disney or California. This past June I escorted a small private group to Spain to hike the Camino de Santiago. That was an amazing experience. So much so that I am taking another team (I have 16 spots available) back in June 2024! Spain is such a beautiful, warm, and welcoming place. Everything from the warm colours and textures of the buildings to the warmth and welcoming personalities of the locals will always be remembered. And the food was fresh, delicious – and all local.
So, as I travel this world, I will enjoy sharing with you the good, the bad, and the beautiful of the world of travel. I will also try to find out what travel means to you, where your dream place to travel is and outline how the world of travel is continuously changing and adapting around us.
Please feel free to contact me and share your thoughts on travel.
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