Tag: Travel

The Allure of Discovery Trips: Why We Travel to Discover

February 5, 2026

We travel not just for leisure, but for discovery. At a recent lunch, friends talked about the journeys they hope to take before age or health makes such trips impossible. This made me wonder: why does traveling hold such appeal? I am not thinking of holidays or beach escapes, but of trips to countries unknown to us—adventures I call discovery trips.

Discovery trips offer a sense of freedom. Packing minimally—a suitcase and a backpack for daily excursions, I leave behind daily commitments. Far from home, it feels liberating not to worry about bills or routine chores like taking out the garbage. In unfamiliar countries, every day offers discovery: meeting new people, sampling local dishes, observing architecture, and learning to navigate local buses. Conversations with locals often become both enjoyable and necessary as we find our way.

Travel also offers an education. Seeing things with new eyes becomes inevitable. The visible poverty in India, for example, places North America’s general wellness into sharp relief. Comparing Ottawa’s traffic to maneuvering through downtown Dhaka, Bangladesh, showed me how minor our own traffic woes are in comparison.

Before these trips, I research our destination. After returning, I expand on what I’ve learned. I once knew about the Indian caste system in theory, but witnessing it firsthand deepened my understanding of its implications.

The memory of an incident at Kolkata’s airport remains vivid. A well-dressed man suddenly placed his suitcases in front of ours as we waited in a long line for x-ray inspection. My temper flared, and I pushed his suitcase aside, firmly telling him we had arrived much earlier than he had. He made no argument—perhaps because we were foreigners. That experience prompted me to return home and delve into the history and evolution of India’s caste system.

There was also the night our hosts in Dhaka took us to their favorite restaurant. When they ordered goat brains during a period of mad cow disease in England, curiosity mingled with courtesy. We ate. The dish resembled scrambled eggs, though spiced differently.

Each trip required us to set aside our Canadian routines. We engaged all our senses with local culture, cuisine, and people. I took no notes at the time, yet I now realize that relying on memory allowed me to reflect and better recall details that differ from our own way of life.

Understanding Misinformation on U.S. Travel

January 30, 2026

Amazing how much misinformation permeates reality today. My coffee buddy told me not to enter the United States because I’ll have trouble at the border. I told him I am going to visit friends and family in the Carolinas and Florida, which triggered a long rant from him about why he does not visit the US these days. To cut a long story short, we had no trouble at all at the border. The official at the gate wished us a good trip south after a brief, friendly conversation.

Why did my friend have a negative impression of travelling south? He must have seen too many headlines about border agents harassing tourists, read too many articles on the internet about tight immigration policies into the US, and probably seen too many digital media videos on how US immigration agents manhandle travellers.

Confirming the bad publicity surrounding travel to the US, I met a Dutch fellow in the Everglades in Florida who said that travellers from Europe must hand over their cell phones to US immigration officers for a scan of their digital accounts to see if anything there reflects negaitvely on President Trump. If any such messages are found on their phones, they may be banned from visiting the US for a couple of years, he told me.

In our conversation, I learned that he has a condo in Naples that he has not been able to rent due to the significant decline in visitors this year that he attributed to the current US official position towards foreigners and visitors. I read recently that there is a proposal to launch a search program for critical views of Trump on the digital accounts of US visitors, but it is not in effect yet. This type of misinformation is pervasive and spreads by word of mouth.

Misinformation also happened in my family. When we travelled to Florida years ago, my mother, who lived in Vancouver, British Columbia, warned us against swimming off the coast of Florida for all the crocodiles there. Well, there are no crocodiles where we traveled. I do not know where my mother obtained her information.

The subject of how much people are misinformed is discussed in a recent book by Hans Rosling, entitled “Factfulness”. The author conducted numerous surveys worldwide on people’s opinions and knowledge about common topics such as population size and growth. The author concluded that people are ignorant, less than thirty percent were the correct answers in his surveys.

Rosling describes numerous reasons for people’s ignorance; for example, people tend to project the future based on straight-line projections. The world’s population doubled or grew from four to eight billion over the last fifty years. Projecting the doubling of the population over the next fifty years would bring the world’s population to sixteen billion by 1976. The author’s projection, based on economic, family formation and fertility trends, projects the world population peaking at around 11 billion people.

Rosling’s work is data driven. He cites statistics from many sources (such as those from the United Nations) supplemented by the surveys he has conducted. I am not sure that data and surveys together provide an adequate picture and would suggest that, in addition, direct observations may help shed light on reality. For example, if you watch the major TV channels today, you cannot avoid seeing the chaotic environment in Minneapolis. So, you may jump on the idea that Minneapolis is typical of the entire US. But the US is a big country, and life goes on without federal agents interfering in most places.

We traveled in December to North Carolina, Florida, and Tennessee, and have not witnessed any civil disruptions. Stayed a few days in Winston-Salem, Durham, and Charlotte in North Carolina, Orlando and Everglades City in Florida, and Decatur, Tennessee, and had a great time meeting friendly people. Real-time experience defies what you see on TV.

I am not saying that my experience provides an accurate picture of what is going on in the US. What I am saying is that, in addition to what you see and read in the media, it should be complemented by other sources of information, including personal observation and common sense.

And reflecting on my view of life in the US is but a small part of reality. We traveled in a few cities, met a few people, and I’d be the first to admit that my observations are limited in number. But what I learned is that what you see in the media is just one part of the big picture, and the best way to find out what is going on is to travel, to gain a better picture of reality.

Ordering Made Easy: Exploring Architecture and Interior Design

January 13, 2026

I tried to purchase coffee on the order screen at McDonald’s yesterday. After three attempts at pushing the wrong buttons, I got it right. But it took more than twenty screen taps to get my simple order. To start with, choices were “here or takeout”; then pick one item from dozens of food and drink options; then “hot or cold” from numerous drink choices; then coffee size – three options; then what to put in the coffee; and then pay on the screen or at the cashier. I mean, I could have ordered it verbally by saying, “Small black coffee, please.” Four words. No matter. The screen works for all orders, and the more screens there are, the more people can order simultaneously.

I still prefer to speak with someone when ordering; I prefer a social interaction. As a result, I often end up at Starbucks or Tim Hortons, where one must order by speaking with a barista or server.

Surprisingly, there were many middle-aged people at this outlet next to Algonquin College in the early afternoon. I expected more students instead. And the people occupied the seats around the perimeter, sitting at tables for two and four, leaving the large communal tables in the middle of the restaurant empty.

Yes, I read that McDonald’s new interior design, called Luna, was developed by an Amsterdam consultant. According to the architect, the design concept encourages socializing, saying hello to people, and facilitating conversations. That is the theory, although I did not see people greeting each other and engaging in conversations.

The Luna design concept features large communal tables that are high and surrounded by barstools, as well as smaller tables around the perimeter. There are 10 or more stools around each large rectangular table. I did not see anyone sitting at these tables. But the furniture design and the colors were pleasing. The walls are painted brown, interspersed with grey accents. According to the designers, it is a subdued atmosphere with no bright colors.

And I did not see a children’s play area, a space I had seen years ago at many McDonald’s outlets. Clearly, McDonald’s moved on to cater to an older clientele. It may be a response to demographic changes, or the older age group may be financially better able to eat there.

I remember the original McDonald’s, with its huge Golden Arches to catch drivers’ attention on the highway. Then the company decided to blend the architecture into the residential areas, perhaps encouraged by zoning bylaws, coming up with the Mansard roof, which blends into the neighborhood. And now, the buildings seem to be simple rectangles, with the logo still intact and small Golden Arches along the fascia. These buildings could just as easily be office buildings, such as medical or insurance businesses. I saw how easily these McDonald’s structures could be converted into offices should the neighborhood’s demographics change and the outlet lose business.

I like the new interior designs, though not so much the exterior; the buildings are boxes with dull colors. I don’t know how the designers arrived at designing such boring buildings. Did they envision a plain, innocuous look that would correspond to the challenging economic and political conditions of the last few years, combined with the recent Covid pandemic?

However, I find McDonald’s an attractive stop on the highway, as their food quality is consistently good and they have kept their menu items up to date to satisfy regional tastes. For example, they offer sausage gravy in the southern states. I always look for sausage gravy, a favorite of mine, and I had some at a South Carolina McDonald’s that was excellent. Now, I am not commenting on the nutritional value of their food; that is a different issue.

I make stops at McDonald’s whenever I’m traveling on the highway. But it is certainly not equal to home-cooked meals in terms of nutritional value or compared to a comfortable home environment. But boy, is it ever tasty to chomp into a Big Mac with fries, occasionally? Despite the calories and fat!

Thrilling Kayak Adventure in Florida’s Mangrove Tunnels

December 23, 2025

The trip started innocently enough. Ten of us in single kayaks, equipped with two-way radio communication with our guide, paddled up a narrow waterway in the Everglades in Florida. We observed ospreys, ibises, and gators, taking a leisurely pace, enjoying the scenery until we entered the mangrove forest.

The leader’s voice came on in my earbud, telling us to follow him as he disappeared into a mangrove bush. I paddled into the narrow opening, struggling with my paddle; the passage was too narrow. There were three options for paddling in the tunnel, the leader advised: we can try to use the paddle and fight the mangrove bushes, we can take apart the paddle and use the canoe J-stroke with the half paddle, or we can follow the Tarzan method by grabbing the branches and pushing ourselves ahead. I took apart my kayak paddle using it as if I were in a canoe.

It was rough going, navigating the mangrove branches protruding in all directions, while the waterway was only a few feet wide. And I did not expect to be swatting mosquitoes at this time of year. I tried to anticipate the quick turns in the tunnel while grabbing my hat, which was caught by the branches above. My initial frustration with our progress gave way to a sense of challenge. I began to enjoy the challenge of avoiding the branches, using my skills to navigate the narrow, winding passageway. The overhanging branches provided shade. When we exited the tunnel, the hot, bright sun felt like a sudden climate shift.

But our relaxation was short-lived; we approached a second mangrove tunnel, followed by a third, before the leader announced that our trip was not a loop. We were returning through the three mangrove tunnels. By now, I enjoyed the fight my paddle was having with the mangrove forest as we went through the tunnels.

I should not have been so sanguine. If you ever paddled in lake country, you probably experienced the feeling of seeing shorelines that look identical. Getting lost is easy. When I emerged from a tunnel in a lake and looked for a way forward, I did not see any opening. I took the largest gap in the mangrove forest and got tangled up in the forest, paddling only a hundred yards forward with no exit. I was lost. I tried to back up, but the 3-foot wide waterway did not allow a 180-degree turnaround for a 12-foot kayak. So, I paddled backward with great difficulty, not seeing the mangrove branches behind me even though I turned as much as I could. Two other kayakers followed me into the mangrove branches, and seeing that I was stuck, they tried to back out as well.

Once we all escaped from the jungle-like forest back into the lake, the leader spoke to us via the earbuds when he discovered that three kayakers were missing and described where the next tunnel began.

The other challenge occurred when we met another group of kayakers coming our way; we had to move to the side and grab a branch to let them pass. They were passing us within the narrow waterway, with less than a foot separating our kayaks. Surprising to me were some of the sea kayaks the other party had, which were 14 feet long; it must have been challenging to paddle those through the narrow, curvy tunnels.

This trip was not for beginner kayakers. First of all, one had to be in shape to sit in the kayak and paddle for five hours. Second, there is only so much liquid a bladder can hold: I cut back on my coffee in the morning and limited my water intake despite the hot weather. Third, one had to have had some experience kayaking; this was not the time to learn how to use a kayak paddle. I also found it extremely useful to know how to use a canoe paddle when I took apart my kayak paddle and used it as if I were canoeing.

Although paddling the mangrove tunnels seemed challenging and frustrating at first, I came to enjoy it over time. I would certainly recommend it for adventurous people.

Cultural Insights on Icebreaker Introductions

December 18, 2025

Our group of twenty people sat down for our first night’s dinner at our Road Scholar program. Many of us were tired from a long drive or flight to the southwest corner of Florida, to the Everglades. As an icebreaker, our leader asked us to stand and introduce ourselves: our name, where we are from, and what we were looking for in the kayaking program for the coming week.

I looked around with curiosity; what kind of characters indulge in kayaking for hours each day? There were mostly grey hairs, with more women than men. Seniors, although some looked youngish. Later, I discovered that the “youngish” people were 60 or older.  

Although it is useful to know everybody’s name, I could not remember them ten minutes later. But it was interesting to learn about where they came from: many from Florida, but others were from Washington, Wisconsin, Pennsylvania, Indiana, and Maryland. We were the only ones from Canada.

One talkative person at our table gave us a blow-by-blow account of his life without prompting. He described his career from studying microbiology, to serving in the air force, and then using the GI bill to become a Physician’s Assistant. I thought it was useful to have a medical person on hand should anyone get hurt kayaking.

Then this extrovert asked another fellow at our table what he had done before retirement. Surprisingly to me, the answer was “test pilot”. Wow, I thought, that must have been an interesting career. When I talked with the “test pilot” later, I learned that he participated in 16 Road Scholar programs, which was an eye opener for me about its popularity.

We discussed the Everglades’ fauna and flora during kayaking. For example, we spent time discussing gators, their growth, and the danger they pose to humans: I learned humans are not in their food chain. And we learned about the Brazilian pepper tree, an invasive species that harms mangrove growth but very difficult to contain.

A genuinely fascinating surprise was discovering one participant, who taught maths before, but now was a Road Scholar leader for walking/hiking tours out west. In conversation with him, he mentioned that his icebreaker includes, in addition to the three questions we responded to the first night, the age of the participants, their middle name, and something unique they accomplished or special about them. That made me think how I would have responded if we were asked these questions.

Why would I volunteer to reveal my age to a group of kayakers I just met? What would that add to their impression of me? If they found out how old I am, would they think I would slow them down? And if I appear younger, would they accept me? Would that make any difference? I am already a participant. So, what purpose would it serve to reveal my age?

The other icebreaker, mentioning one’s middle name, was also curious. What do middle names signify? My middle name is my godfather’s first name, and that was the tradition in my family, coming fron a central European culture. Kathy’s middle name is her grandmother’s family name to show family lineage; that is part of Celtic culture. She comes from Wales. Is the goal to offer extra details, possibly about ethnicity? I am not sure that this information is valuable to a kayaking group. And what would happen if someone had no middle name?

 Others may not want to reveal their middle name for religious reasons. For example, my good friend, Zane, used his middle name all the time instead of his first name. I had known him for years, before I discovered that his first name was Mohamed. I think he used his middle name to avoid being stereotyped as a Muslim with all he complications North Americans have today with the religion. I also think asking for middle name is a mild incursion into privacy matters.

In conclusion, icebreakers should be simple; a name, the location where one lives, and perhaps one detail about you, such as your hobby, favorite music, or author. Or the question the leader asked the first night: what do you want to get out of this program. Then let people talk to each other to discover additional information about each other, should they so desire.