8 Things I Wish I Knew About Toronto Before Arriving

by Chris | Apr 3, 2017 | Canada, Life, Things I wish I knew | 1 comment

While Toronto may not be as exotic as southeast Asia or some Eastern European countries, the GTA (Greater Toronto Area) has plenty of reasons to check it out. Here’s what I wish I knew before arriving. We spent about 2 1/2 months in the Toronto area – a bit of a...

7 Things I Wish I Knew About Florida Before Arriving

by Chris | Mar 24, 2017 | Tips | 0 comments

Without a doubt, Florida is a lot of fun. Know what to expect before you go. Each region has it’s own feel. In my next book What the Florida, I’ve broken Florida down into the four regions you see above. The panhandle region (in blue) tends to be very...

Know where to go: 17 foreigner-friendly neighborhoods in cities around the world

by Chris | Mar 22, 2017 | Tips | 2 comments

Sometimes you just have to know where to start. As a place to start exploring a city, the foreigner-friendly neighborhoods around the world are an easy place to get settled and accustomed to what’s happening. They let you get your feet wet when you first arrive...

From Canada to Croatia: the journey behind the journey

by Chris | Mar 20, 2017 | Canada, Croatia, Life | 0 comments

So we’re sitting at my in-law’s dining room table in Nova Scotia… Getting ready for the next big adventure. We had just completed an epic road trip from Nova Scotia to Toronto to Key West — and back to Nova Scotia. There’s a fair bit of...

Exploring Costa Rica, Finding Freedom, and Going Local: Book reviews for March 2017

by Chris | Mar 15, 2017 | Book Reviews | 0 comments

Once a month, I put together the books I’ve read into a single review post. Alternatively, see plenty of previous book reviews over here, or see how I rate books. Also, a quick disclaimer: review copies are typically provided or downloaded for free, and links...

See the teeny, tiny place where four men lived underwater — Destination: the Man in the Sea Museum

by Chris | Mar 13, 2017 | Quirky, Unique, United States | 0 comments

For centuries people have been exploring and working underwater. At the Man in the Sea Museum, it’s time to enjoy some of those stories. Panhandle Florida is a lighter on the weird stuff than the peninsula, but the Man in the Sea Museum is a delightful place to...

Review: a carry-on that weighs less than a kilo? Introducing CabinZero, a carryon-slash-backpack

by Chris | Mar 10, 2017 | Product Reviews | 0 comments

This soft-sided cabin bag packs it all in at under a kilogram. Disclaimer: I was sent a CabinZero bag of the ‘Classic 44L’ variety to test and keep. As always, my reviews and opinions are my own. Billed as ‘the suitcase on your back, this soft-sized...

The end of one journey, the start of another, and an announcement

by Chris | Mar 8, 2017 | Croatia, Life |

On May 13, 2016, we left my mother-in-law’s place in Nova Scotia to embark on an epic road trip throughout Canada and the US. Just myself, Laura, a 2001 Pontiac Sunfire… and just about everything we owned. We drove all around Nova Scotia, west through New...

Destination: the World’s Only Coon Dog Cemetery (Alabama)

by Chris | Mar 6, 2017 | Offbeat, Unique, United States | 1 comment

It’s a resting place for a very specific type of dog — and there’s a lot more going on than you might think. For my non-American readers (or you city slicker types): Coon dogs are a specific breed of hound dogs regarded for their prowess at hunting...

The Florida ‘stop-bys’ round two – 9 MORE places worth a few minutes apiece

by Chris | Mar 2, 2017 | Offbeat, United States |

One set of weird places deserves another. Florida has no shortage of ‘stop-bys’ — those places worth a few minutes of your time as you’re heading somewhere else. Presenting nine more interesting places across the state of Florida worth stopping by as...