[caption id="attachment_6752" align="alignleft" width="300" caption="Courtesy of Julie Jordan Scott (Flickr)"][/caption] Anywhere in the world, tipping is different. No matter what you are accustomed to, tipping is never the same in countries around the world. When I was backpacking Europe for the first time, I had no idea that each country in Europe had a different tipping custom. Some are very similar to ...

Today is a special day! After two weeks of pure procrastination, I booked my flight! I began searching for flights a few weeks back and found one itinerary that I liked for a good price. Now, good price when flying Montreal-Kilimanjaro doesn't mean exactly cheap but let's just say it was the most affordable option. I've never really been a procrastinator when it comes to booking travel until it was time to ...

I came across this very inspirational video on Kilimanjaro. Some parts of this video make me wonder whether I'll make it to the summit or not but hey, I'll never know unless I try! [youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RVhCf1xAE2k&feature=fvw] ...

My first step in Africa was getting off a ferry from Spain and landing in Tangier, Morocco. As I did all I remember thinking is, oh this is not what I imagine Africa to be like. In a good way too, only because I pictured something else entirely and Tangier really opened my horizon to explore more than just a culture. Tangier in my mind was filled with charming markets, amazing food, decades of history, and ...

Within the last month, I have been obsessed with watching the World Cups games. I am one of the thousands of fans across the world who couldn’t get enough of the sport. Well it was only last week when the semi-finals were on and Spain was playing Germany. During this day, I guess I was one of the lucky ones to actually watch the game. Only reason why I am saying this is because a few hundred fans that were ...

During my travels in 2005 I not only backpacked Europe, but I also wandered off to Morocco. Even though I was with two guys traveling around Morocco it was still a challenge as a woman backpacker. Not only did I experience the basic problems women have traveling alone but I also learned how culturally acceptable it was for men to harass and annoy a woman. There were two instances where local men came up to ...

If there is one really exciting aspect of worldwide events, it's definitely the commercials.  Check out these 3 commercials. This is a really fun commercial! We all know about the rivalry between Argentina and Brazil, especially when it comes to soccer (or should I say football). The AD is about Argentines who drink Skol (a Brazilian beer) and then begin dancing samba. It's fun! You'll enjoy it. [youtube=ht ...

Most people believe I am crazy when I tell them, “ so I just booked a trip and I am off backpacking for about a month.” The first question that comes to their mind is, “Alone?” Of course alone, it can be the best way to travel. I can not remember how many times people, especially women have told me that it’s unsafe, can be lonely, scary, and that I am crazy. The fear that runs across their face is always th ...

The first game I streamed online was Mexico vs South Africa. The game was great but there was annoying bee-like sound throughout the entire game: Bzzzzzzzzzzzzz, Bzzzzz, Bzz. It's enough to drive you crazy after 90 minutes of game time. So what is it, anyway? That buzz is the sound coming out of the Vuvuzela, a plastic horn blown by South African fans. This "instrument" is the result of a failed toy importe ...

As much as we would like to watch most games from the World Cup, most of us are unfortunately stuck at work 5 out of 7 days.  Timezones are a pain! After missing the opening ceremony on Friday, I had to check it out online. I was very surprised to see the presence of South and North American singers at the opening ceremony. Here is a glimpse of the peformances that took place on the opening night of the FIF ...