By Reb Stevenson ORANJESTAD, ARUBA –Alongside tobacco, unprotected sex and high fructose corn syrup, sunburns rank amongst the 21st century’s biggest health no-no’s. However, just one glance at Aruba’s pristine white beaches reveals that many a sunbather shrugs off the doctor’s orders and persists in baking their epidermis into a deep, throbbing scarlet. On the bright side, for folks who feel that “colour” yields incomparable bragging rights upon their return to Northern climes, Aruba is quite possibly the world’s best place to burn. This is because the small Caribbean island, which is part of the Kingdom of the Netherlands, is the world’s largest exporter of a popular natural remedy for ailing skin: aloe vera. READ MORE...
Now that chintzy airlines have cut back on everything from pretzels to free checked luggage, it has officially become the era of bring-your-own-entertainment. If solitaire and tic-tac-toe seem a bit stale, try mounting your iPhone or iPod Touch in the KickBack Stand. The shatterproof case acts much like a picture frame, allowing for hands-free viewing on your tray table. Traction nubs provide extra grip, so the apparatus won’t slip right when you get to that final scene in The Notebook. And you thought you had to say goodbye to weeping openly at 30, 000 feet. $29.85 US at www.magellans.com From my travel gear column in
By Reb Stevenson You can find a slab of fatty beef snuggled between two half moons of nutritionally bankrupt white bread pretty much anywhere in America. These days, the ultimate reward for burger-seeking tourists is to stumble upon something out of the ordinary. More often than not, that also happens to be something that will send them directly to hospital. Here are a few possibilities: Read More...
Sometimes, you just need to kick back and chill out in order for that romantic spark to ignite. Besides, there’s nothing quite like the threat of frostbite to send you running into your honey’s arms for a good, old fashioned body heat exchange session. Make one of these icy places your next hot destination:
Affixing wheels to the bottom of suitcases was the luggage industry’s first stroke of genius. And every time we see someone dragging their grandpa’s vintage steamer trunk through the airport, we’re oh-so thankful for this innovation. But, even with the most up-to-date equipment, as soon as you’re juggling multiple bags, a laptop, a latte and a toddler, it’s a challenge to keep things rolling along smoothly.
The Train Reaction Device is a brilliant, super-portable little tool that allows you to unite two pieces of wheeled luggage, balance them perfectly and tow them with the ease of a single bag. Now all you have to do is get your kids in roller skates and you might be able to use it on them too. $14.95 US at www.trainreaction.com From my travel gear column in
I’m THRILLED to announce that I won an award in New York City today! I’m quite certain that I haven’t won an award since grade two, when I read 200 books. This was VisitBritain’s annual TRAVEL JOURNALISM AWARDS, and I won for the best North American newspaper story about Britain! As many of you know, I am head-over-heels in love with England, so this is an extra special treat! My piece was a “then-and-now” look at the Industrial Revolution. I’d like to thank the academy, Prince Philip and Marmite.
Gosh it’s wonderful when your sweetheart meets you at the airport! There you are on your flight, sipping the airplane coffee out of one of those itsy bitsy plastic mugs, and you can’t help but fantasize about the moment when you fall into his arms and plant a big sloppy...wait a second, what are you doing sipping coffee??!! Hot, pungent java breath has never appeared in one of Cosmo’s “how to send your man into sexual overdrive” lists. Trouble is brewin’! Next time, pack SuperSmile Quikee, a travel-sized no-brush, no-rinse whitening tooth polish that you can smooth over your teeth with the tip of your tongue right there in your seat. Not only does it remove strains caused by coffee, tea and red wine, it promises to freshen breath, fight cavities...and save relationships. $20 at www.beautymark.ca From my travel gear column in
One of the most refreshing things about coming to a place like Aruba is that you get to expose your summer-starved eyeballs to a splash of tropical hues. CLICK TO ENLARGE PHOTOS.
Hey everyone! I’m happy to report that within just five hours of landing in Aruba, I heard Kokomo played on a steel drum. What I’m sayin’ is: this place really delivers. All my ’80s dreams of bright colours and cheesy songs about living recklessly on tropical islands are coming to life. Thus, I am allowing myself to write in this bold turquoise font. More to tell you in the coming days...stay tuned!
1. Castle Howard, Yorkshire – Home of the aristocratic Marchmain family in 2008’s Brideshead Revisited, Castle Howard makes for a complete day out (the house, multiple cafes, gift shop, gardens and adventure playground are open to the public), but it is still privately owned by a disgustingly wealthy family.
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