Blog — Trip Styler

Oh Canada!

canada tops future brand country brand index 2010We already know living above North America's 49th parallel is fantastic, but it appears others agree.

According to the global brand consulting firm, Future Brand's Country Brand Index (released November 5th, full release Nov. 15th), Canada ranks number 1, up from number 2 last year. Winning the enviable spot as the world’s top country brand is no small feat competing against the dollars and power of 100 other tourism-focused countries.

This ranking, thanks in part to the success of the 2010 Olympic Games as well as Canada's tourism, quality of life and strong value system, was generated by querying just under 3500 business and leisure travelers on five continents, and 'expert' focus groups on their image associations of various countries. The list's 2010 top 10 are: 1. Canada, 2. Australia, 3. New Zealand, 4. United States, 5. Switzerland, 6. Japan, 7. France, 8. Finland, 9. United Kingdom and 10. Sweden.

PS - Forget the mile high club, please tell me you've seen this crazy transformation occurring in the potty of an Air Canada flight from Hong Kong to Vancouver, where an "85'ish' year old man" went in and a 20-something guy came out. Maybe he wants 'in' to Hollywood North's make-up scene?

[photo: my own]

My Go-To Travel Sites 2010

2010 go-to travel sitesPeople often ask me about my go-to sites for booking travel. Ask and you shall receive---perhaps more than you bargained for. Here are my not-so-secret, preferred travel sites divided into categories so you can refer back to this page when you're planning your next jaunt abroad.

There are thousands of travel sites that do a thousand things, but, the below candidates are the clear and simple 'winners' as far as offering a great user experience and good prices. Let me know if there's a site or category you'd add.

Bon voyage!

Best 2010 Travel Sites & Apps All Round Kayak - One of the world's largest travel meta search engines. {app} ITA Software - The site that powers other travel sites like Kayak, Orbitz, etc... {app}

Flights In addition to always checking the sites listed above for flights, for routes I know well, I book through an airline directly, otherwise: DoHop SkyScanner HipMunk Allegiant - For short-haul trips out of Vancouver or Seattle. See my best practices for booking with Allegiant here. Seatguru.com - Find out the best seat on the plane, before you fly!

Hotels Kayak {Best for North America} Booking.com {Best for Europe and Australia} Opodod {Best for Europe}

Cars I'm not too picky about what car I drive, so I usually book my rental vehicles via discount travel sites (below) or the rental agency direct.

Discount Travel Sites Hotwire Priceline

All-Inclusive iTravel2000.com AirCanadaVacations.com WestJetVacations.com Cheap Caribbean Apple Vacations {USA}

Cruise Vacations To Go - A great place to find excellent cruises from most major and boutique lines in one place. Check out what's available in the short-term with their 90-Day Ticker. CruisesOnly - USA's largest cruise agency. RepositioningCruise.com - A great place to find cruises with interesting and off-beat itineraries in the off-season.

Luxury Travel Jetsetter - The Gilt Group's foray into travel... {join here} Vacationist - A joint-venture between Travel + Leisure Magazine and LuxuryLink.com. {join here}

Best Travel Review Site Trip Advisor {see all my trip advisor reviews here}

Vacation Rentals VRBO - Large vacation rental site with large presence in Canada and the US. AirBnB - Vacation rentals, private rooms and sublets.

Itinerary Planning/Management TripIt - Organizes all your travels plans into one intuitive list {app}.

Ones to Watch TripAlertz.com - The Groupon of travel. Kayak Explore - Love the visual flight search concept, and don't think it's been given enough credit.

Note You may be wondering why I'm not featuring Expedia or Travelocity in the above list. Though I've booked multiple hotel room stays with both of these travel suppliers, I usually---but not always---find better prices elsewhere. If you do plan on booking through one of these sites, compare and contrast the hotel you're looking at on both sites, as well as on the Canadian and US versions. Sometimes the price difference is minor, and sometimes it is major.

Healthy on the Road :: Stay Fit while Traveling

staying fit while travelling It’s all too tempting to put our fitness on hold while traveling, but it doesn’t do you or your trip any favours! Incorporating even just a little fitness into your travel itinerary can elevate your energy level, giving you more stamina for sightseeing or business meetings.

Though your daily routine may be gone, many other elements of travel are actually very conducive to health and fitness. Just think about all the downtime: hours on board a plane, long layovers and slow line-ups to name just a few. As tedious as these circumstances may seem, check out the ideas below for getting your heart pumping at each travel juncture!

At the Airport Airport Walking I’m the first to admit that I savour the idle time that comes with traveling, that magazine and airport lounge are way too appealing; however, a layover is the perfect opportunity to fit in the recommended 30-60 minutes of daily walking. Walk around the terminal and aim to do bouts of at least 10 minutes of continuous brisk walking (you can always return to your magazine in between). Wear a pedometer to motivate you to gather more steps. Aim to gather more on each trip, your goal should be 10,000 steps a day.

Line-ups While your fellow line mates may not appreciate you doing laps around them, a long line-up is great opportunity to do some light stretching.

Find a gym If you’re more inclined towards gyms, prepare in advance and find a gym close to the airport or at an airport hotel so you can work out between flights.

In the Air Move around Sitting still in an airplane for long periods of time can leave you feeling stiff, tired and restless. To avoid this, stretch your legs often and get up to walk whenever possible. If getting out of your seat requires you to climb over 2 people, at least do exercises from your seat: stretch your neck, arms, hips and ankles, roll your shoulders, and stand up at least once an hour.

Practice good posture Sit tall and keep your knees bent at a 90-degree angle---your back will thank you for it!

PS - For those who take long flights or fly frequently, deep vein thrombosis (DVT) is a potentially life-threatening condition you should take seriously. While often misunderstood to be an “economy class syndrome,” due to the cramped seating, it is more related to time sitting still vs. comfort. To learn more talk to your physician, but remember, movement is the best form of prevention!

{When she's not training clients or being trained by her dog Zuzu, Leah writes Healthy on the Road posts, published on the first Thursday of every month.}

[photo by lululemon]

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Travel Treats :: November

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Everyone loves a travel treat! Sounds fabulous, but what it is? A travel treat is a great buy you can't pass up, and over the next few months we'll be introducing more travel treats, published on the first Wednesday of every month. Yours is waiting! Whistler, BC whistler chateau [trip style = active & adventure] Take advantage of Whistler's La Nina (ie - a ton of snow) weather to ski by day and apres by night. One of my fave destinations at Whistler, the Chateau, caters to all ages in style. Details/Cost: Book by November 15th to save 40% on 4-night /3-day package and 3-day lift ticket. Starting from $499 per person per stay. Available on arrivals from November 26 - December 21, 2010. Book online or via phone 1.800.WHISTLER (1.800.944.7853). Alternatively, join the Fairmont President's Club (free) to access the once-monthly Fairmont deals that happen to feature rates at the Chateau from $109/night for stays during November and December. See you on the slopes! *See my review of the Fairmont Chateau Whistler here.

Sunshine Coast, BC rock water resort [trip style = glamping] One of the closest and most luxurious glamping options near Vancouver, BC is just a ferry away! From now until March 31st 2011, The Rock Water is offering a great weekend storm-watching package for their tenthouses. Hit the spa apres the inclement weather to soothe your senses. Cost: $649 plus taxes includes breakfast, spa credits and other goodies. *Plus, check out this fall travel treat: from now until Dec. 22, pay $109/night for an ocean view room or one bedroom cabin. Includes Breakfast. Once you get there, if you absolutely 'must' stay in a tenthouse, you can upgrade for about $100/night.

Seattle, WA bellevue westin [trip style = urban] I experienced the Westin Bellevue last month with my husband and dog @nachoking. We booked our weekend getaway using the Westin's shopping package. This package is the essence of a travel treat, here's why: it's a nice hotel, beside amazing shopping and your $199/night weekend rate + free parking is really only $100/night because you get a $100 gift certificate (per night) to any of the shopping or restaurants in the area. If you just want the gift certificate as cash, buy an appetizer or coffe at one of the restaurants or coffee shops and get the difference back! *See my review of the Westin Bellevue here.

PS - don't forget about last week's launch of the groupon-like travel site Trip Alertz. If you want some tropical therapy this winter, check out the Bahamas' free companion airfare (book by Dec 1, travel by June 30th).

{Stay tuned for more travel treats the first Wednesday of Every Month.}

[photos by rock water, fairmont chateau whistler, westin bellevue]

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Travel Apps :: Conde Nast Gold List

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conde nast traveler gold list app review[trip style = luxury] Need some golden inspiration for your next trip? Conde Nast Traveler readers have chosen their best of the best hotels, resorts and cruise lines from around the world, resulting in the Gold List, and now you get to benefit from their top picks. No searching for hours on the web to find that perfect destination, it's all bundled nicely in an app! Not only can you target a specific country, browse and book Gold List hotels, but you can also build your trip based on your preferences or 'spin the globe' and see where the wind takes you.

Gold List hotels close to home Vancouver - Wedgewood Hotel & Spa, Fairmont Waterfront and Fairmont Airport Whistler - Four Seasons, Fairmont, Westin and Pan Pacific Village Centre Tofino - Wickaninnish Inn and Long Beach Lodge Victoria - Fairmont Empress

Details

  • Free
  • Available for iPhone, iPod Touch, iPad; doesn't appear to be built for Blackberry or Android

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Other Travel Apps we’ve Reviewed