#30memories

[marcmytravels]

#30Memories memory #16 Local, local, local. Whenever I have a choice I always try to support “small” and local businesses. This is so important in our regular everyday life but doubly important when we travel. This photo was taken at a tobacco farm in the Cuban province of Pinar Del Rio. Cigar shopping is a must for any visit to Cuba. Even though I don’t smoke they make wonderful gifts for friends and family, which is exactly where my cigars went. I could have opted for a Cigar factory tour in Havana, but when I found out we would be driving through Tobacco farm country I had to visit an actual Tobacco farm. No factory and mechanized cigars for me. Our farmer gave us a tour of his land which included the barn where the tobacco leaves were dried. Then one of his master cigar rollers gave me a first hand lesson on how to roll one. There is more to rolling a cigar than you realize. After the tour I made sure to buy my cigars directly from the farmer. They make a lot more money selling cigars to tourists directly versus selling their crops to the big cigar company factories. I know my tour in Havana would have been great but this hyper local experience was awesome, and way less crowded as well. So the next time you have the option, whether it is on the road or at home I hope you choose the local option. It’s a good thing for everyone. #ShopSmallShopLocal @minturcuba @karencitapuebla @nicolablazier @jesson.company (at Pinar del Río, Cuba) https://www.instagram.com/p/CTksf_vh2lI/?utm_medium=tumblr

[marcmytravels]

#30Memories memory #15 There is magic in your own backyard. This is a lesson I learned very quickly in my inaugural blog series. In June of 2012, I spent 30 days in a row exploring different adventures in and around Vancouver. I was a tourist in my own city and had an absolute blast. Just over eight years and a global pandemic later the rest of the world is catching on. With international travel at a standstill people had to explore local adventures, and I mean hyper-local. Not just your own country, but your own province, city, and even so far as neighbourhood. This photo of a glass of wine at @okcrushpad in Summerland, BC is the perfect example of appreciating local excellence. While I love great French and Italian wines I really enjoy supporting BC winemakers, especially when the wine is just as good as many international varieties. One of the many benefits of exploring businesses and adventures in your own backyard is you are supporting the local economy. This has been vital to many businesses over the past 18 months and is the only reason some of them have survived. When life goes back to normal will you continue your local adventures? I sure will as there are so many magical discoveries still to be enjoyed. #SupportLocalSupportYourNeighbours (at Okanagan Crush Pad) https://www.instagram.com/p/CTiFntEBJQM/?utm_medium=tumblr

[marcmytravels]

#30Memories memory #14 Lean into your fear. Fear is a great motivator. It can move you forward in ways you can’t imagine or it can freeze you in place. This photo was taken by my friend @johnbiehler on a trip we took to explore @tourismpg . We had been invited on a rock climbing adventure on t outskirts of town which of course we said yes to. What I didn’t realize at the time was that I would encounter vertigo on the route up to our climbing base camp. Worse than the vertigo was the huge irrational fear I faced when I was trying to repel down the cliff face. Like lock me in place fear. It probably took me 30 mins to get in place so I could repel down. Btw I love repelling, it’s climbing over the edge that totally freaked me out! Even though I was freaking out in the inside I did it. I breathed, I focused, and I pushed through it. I could only have done it though because I’ve pushed through many other fears in the past. Some I’ve succeeded at and some I’ve failed, but I always survived them and in fact I’ve thrived. So the next time I face a fear, and there will be a next time. I’ll remember this moment on a rock face in Prince George and face my fear. #Whatdoesntkillyoumakesyoustronger (at Prince George, British Columbia) https://www.instagram.com/p/CTVmOVlpkrK/?utm_medium=tumblr

[marcmytravels]

#30Memories memory #13 Say yes. Now I’m not saying that “no” isn’t also important to say but when it comes to adventure and experiences I have learned that saying yes is a much better thing to do. Take a trip to Maui I took in 2016 with my friend @dawnchubai . We were having a blast hanging out in Kaanapali Beach Resort Association, eating, sunbathing, and drinking Mai Tais. It was awesome. Then we got a surprise message from one of our favourite Vancouver chefs, Wayne Sych. He had booked us a reservation at a restaurant in Lahaina that he was working with and wanted us to check it out. Of course, we said yes and wow were we glad we did. The restaurant is called @fleetwoodsonfrontst and is owned by Mick Fleetwood of Fleetwood Mac fame. Dinner was nice (The chef’s menu hadn’t started yet), views were spectacular but the great surprise of the night was the show after dinner. Mick Fleetwood was performing!!!!!! As part of our reservation, we had a chance to be in the greet line and as you can see in the photo I even got my arm signed. The rest of the night we were 20 feet away from one of the most legendary drummers of all time. I was on a “high” for days afterward and it all happened because we just said yes. Some of my best adventures started when I said yes and I know there are many more yeses ahead for me in whatever my next chapter will be. #SayYesToYes (at Fleetwood's on Front St.) https://www.instagram.com/p/CTTRkVfpXhi/?utm_medium=tumblr

[marcmytravels]

#30Memories memory #12 Timing is everything. I was in Palm Springs on a combined work/vacation and was there with one of my favourite travel buddies, @johnbiehler . I had arranged a guided tour of @joshuatreenps with one of the park rangers and we couldn’t have been more excited. When you look at almost any photos of Joshua Tree National Park all you see are endless blue shies and the iconic Joshua Tree. Not on our visit. Then like now forest fires were ravaging parts of the state. We were no where near the fires but, thanks to the wind the epic blue skies I was expecting were blocked by hazy smoke. I’m not gonna lie, I was disappointed until I started looking at the pictures I was taking. They were amazing. Our ranger had never seen the sky look the way it was and as luck had it, we were taking photos he had never seen before. I’m not a professional photographer but I do know that part of what makes a great photo is light and on this day we were able to capture a moment that not many before us had. #TimingIsEverything (at Joshua Tree National Park) https://www.instagram.com/p/CTQbpurvxMn/?utm_medium=tumblr

[marcmytravels]

#30Memories memory #11 Leave your preconceptions at the airport. Over the course of 9+ years of travelling I have been invited on my trips that would not have been my first choice if I was paying for it. I’m not saying I wouldn’t have wanted to go on my own but perhaps I have a few destinations I would like to see first if I was paying out of my own pocket. That is one of the many gifts my travel blog gave me over the years. It took me to some unexpected places I may not have visited on my own. As you can imagine saying goodbye to the blog is a bit bittersweet, but I have no regrets. Take this photo. Where do you think I was when I snapped this pic? Wrong. I was at @bitnervineyards in the Snake River Valley, Idaho. Yup, Idaho. Who knew that Idaho had a wine region? I didn’t until I took the chance and explored it thanks to an invitation from @dianemnorton and @visitidaho . I had such a blast on that trip and discovered so much about the state that I had no idea was possible. Great breweries, my first ever tailgate party, wineries, ziplining, fantastic food, and even delicious handmade chocolates. No matter what I thought about Idaho before I visited my views were definitely changed once I experienced it for myself. That’s why I never say no to an adventure because chances are I will discover something awesome I didn’t expect. #UncoveringTheAwesome (at Bitner Vineyards) https://www.instagram.com/p/CTNvooEBkfg/?utm_medium=tumblr

[marcmytravels]

#30Memories memory #10 Live life like you are on vacation. Have you ever noticed how much happier and relaxed you are on vacation? That’s because we are not focused on the day to day drudgery of our lives but instead on the possibility of adventure. Discovering a beautiful beach, shopping at a one of a kind boutique, and expanding our culinary palette at new restaurants. If we could only live our lives like we were always on vacation … Many of my adventures over the years have taken me to cities and places I have never been to before. I learned early on that booking myself on a hop on hop off bus tour like this one in San Francisco with my friend @mrbambam87 is the perfect way to get to know a city in under 3 hours. Most hop on hop off bus tours focus on the historical, cultural, and entertainment districts of a city. These are generally where I want to be during my visit. I didn’t fly to San Fran to hang out in the suburbs after all. You learn so much on these tours about the history of the city you are visiting and even discover places you want to go back to for a longer visit. New Orleans, San Francisco, Montreal, San Diego, and Quebec City are just some of the cities I’ve explored this way and I can tell you that they are almost as good as having a local give you a private tour. 9 times out of 10 the guides know more than our friends do I suspect. #LiveLifeLikeYouAreOnVacation (at San Francisco, California) https://www.instagram.com/p/CTGTRy9l31u/?utm_medium=tumblr

[marcmytravels]

#30Memories memory #9 You gotta kiss a lot of frogs to find a prince aka sup a lot of coffees to find your favourite brew. Whether it is searching for the right job (my current search), a life partner, or that perfect cuppa joe sometimes you have to “fail” until you find the perfect one. In March/April of 2014, I spent a couple of weeks exploring Portland. It was AMAZING. I love that city. One of my fondest memories from that trip is a coffee tour that was recommended to me by a reader of my blog. They had just been in Portland and couldn’t recommend @thirdwavecoffeetours enough. So being the coffee lover I am I had to book myself a spot on the tour. Prior to my tour, I thought I know a lot about coffee and what I liked. Turns out I was wrong. Lora (owner and tour guide extraordinaire pictured below with her Mom) took us on a tour of a part of Portland’s amazing coffee scene. It included cold brew, pour-over, espresso, and of course brewed coffee styles. Not only did we sample all of those different styles of coffee we also learned coffee history and trends like fair trade, organic, etc… It really opened up my eyes and my taste buds. While I knew I loved coffee before the tour, I came away with a deeper appreciation for the beverage and a distinct favourite style. I like my espresso hot and served Americano style. French Press is my next favourite style followed by a dark roasted regular brew. I’ll pass on pour-over, iced coffees, and lightly roasted blends thank you very much … So what started out as a fun activity on a weekday afternoon actually ended up teaching me a great life lesson. Try it all, and once you’ve done that then decide what your favourite is. If you haven’t had the chance to try all your options out then be open to do so when the opportunities present themselves. A pretty good lesson to learn if you ask me and one I’ve practiced ever since. #KissAllTheFrogs (at Portland, Oregon) https://www.instagram.com/p/CTDUTIThOkp/?utm_medium=tumblr