The only thing worse than not giving yourself enough time at the airport and
having to leg it to the gate is having too much time to spend. Being
stuck in the terminal during a long layover or delayed flight is every
traveller’s worst nightmare – but it doesn’t have to be. By following some of
the tips below, you can turn your layover into the perfect opportunity to get a
ton of stuff done and even enjoy yourself in the process. After all, there
actually is a lot more to do in an airport than simply spending
money shopping in duty free and getting lost (and anti-social) in social
media.
Plan your itinerary
If your layover or delayed flight happens during your outbound journey,
you’ve got the perfect opportunity to plan out the itinerary of your dreams for
when you reach your destination. Unless you’re super organised, you probably
won’t have done much planning beyond where you’re going to stay and the big
attractions or events that you want to check out during your trip. Well, with
many empty hours ahead of you there really isn’t a better opportunity to get
cracking! You could even do a similar thing during your return journey; there’s
nothing like returning from a vacation feeling prepared to tackle the week
ahead.
Broaden your (mental) horizons
A chunk of 4, 5 or more spare hours is the perfect time to delve into a new
topic by reading an interesting book (or two). Get inspired for success by
reading a nonfiction book about people who are the best in their field – Lance
Bradley’s The
Pursuit of Poker Success is a great one since it contains short
interviews with top pros that you can dip in and out of. You could sort your
life out with a psychology paperback – Jordan
Peterson’s 12 Rules
for Life is perfect – or finally read a classic novel that
you’ve never had the time to before – War and Peace, anyone?
Get productive
If you’re lucky enough to access a free WiFi connection during your lengthy layover then you can really be productive and get stuff done. This is the time to read and reply to those emails that have been stacking up, set up meetings for the weeks ahead or just take care of some housekeeping like clearing out your inbox, rewriting or removing your out-of-office reply and generally getting your brain back into work mode. Think of it as a way to soften the blow of being back at your desk on Monday morning!
OK, OK, work or anything to do with real life is probably the last thing you
want to think about on the way home from a super trip abroad. You can still be
productive with your time and live out your holiday for a couple of hours
longer by organising
your holiday snaps. Edit out the bad ones, move the good ones to a new
folder and select a few envy-inducing ones that you can instantly upload to
social media. If you’ve got a lot of time to spare, you could even upload your
favourite ones as a full album to Facebook. And don’t forget to back them up by
saving copies to DropBox, MEGA or any other cloud storage platform.
Explore your surroundings
If your layover stretches into 10 hours or more, it’s the perfect opportunity
to leave the airport and explore the city that you happen to be in. Think of it
as a bonus day during your vacation! Whilst we wouldn’t recommend doing this if
you only have a couple of hours to spare, if you have enough time to travel to
and from the city and you can find something interesting to do there then do
it.
If you’re feeling tired from your flight then walking around and seeing some
new sights can be both refreshing and energising. You could even just head into
the city to grab a bite to eat before heading back to the airport. You don’t
even need to do anything when you get there, just find a spot to relax and
unwind in order to prepare you for the next part of your journey. Just make
sure that you arrive back at the airport with plenty of time before your flight
is due to leave – set an alarm on your phone to remind you to be back within a
couple of hours of your departure time.
In keeping with our tradition to visit a different city in Canada every summer, we have decided to visit beautiful Quebec, Canada’s largest province. To keep our travel simple and manageable within a big city, we generally situate ourselves in a popular and central location and do day trips to must see attractions and locations vs touring in long car drives with the back seat full of screaming kids.
This always includes two outings per day and one evening adventure “if” the kids comply and get in a nap before dinner.
Here is our list of must see attractions for families traveling to beautiful Quebec with kids in a short 3 days.
Choose a family friendly hotel in the city with great amenities. We’re a big fan of the Residence Inn by Marriott. With free breakfast, spacious rooms and great facilities you can’t go wrong spending a few nights at one of their centrally located hotels. Getting this part right is like buying yourself a guaranteed successful family vacation.
Surround yourself in culture and stroll Canada’s oldest cobblestone Streets in Old Town Quebec amongst the city’s beautiful European architecture. It will feel like you are on a European vacation without the high cost of the Euro! Visit the UNESCO World Heritage treasure in Old Quebec and stroll the quarters. The must see historical sites include the Parliament Buildings, the Old Port, the world famous Chateau Frontenac, the Plains of Abraham, Dufferin Terrace and the Petit-Champlain District.
Connect with nature and check out the waterfall that towers Niagara Falls. Whether you are getting your adrenaline fix by climbing the scenic stairway or crossing the suspension bridge Montmorency Falls has something for all nature enthusiastic for the young and old.
Keep it fun for the kids during the hot summer months and visit Eastern Canada’s largest theme park, Village Vacances Valcartier only 20 minutes away from Quebec City. The waterpark is open all year round that boosts over 35 waterslides, 2 themed rivers and a huge wave pool. During the winter months, Inner Tube Slides, skating and snow rafting is offered at the winter playground.
Simplify dining options and check out the authentic atmosphere of the farmers and local markets. Here you can grab some food and ease the pressure of fine dining for the young kids. The new public market at Quebec City’s Grande Marche offers everything from fine dining chocolate makers, brew pubs to all things for foodies under one roof yet give you a great food experience of some of the amazing food options Quebec has to offer.
Appreciating these 5 simple experiences in a short 3 days will guarantee some good times for the big and small kids as well as parents and give you a good taste of what Quebec has to offer.
When making a transaction at a qualifying partner, please present your More Rewards card or enter the number during the transaction. To earn More Rewards points at Petro-CanadaTM, you will need to link your Petro-PointsTM and More Rewards card together prior to purchase. For further information, visit https://www.morerewards.ca/petro-points. To earn points at Coast Hotels and Accent Inns, the hotel stay must be completed August 1st to 31st, 2019.
I prefer to redeem for the following:
BC Ferries Travel Voucher – Vehicle & Driver Voucher – One Way Fare: 7500 points + $45, which means you get $40 off from the 7500 points.
Sea to Sky Gondola – Adult (19-64) – 2600 points + $26, which means you get $16 off from the 2600 points
They also have other gift cards and things you can redeem for but this is a good promotion.
Here are the merchants I plan to shop from:
1) Petro Points – link to your More Rewards card. 2) Panago (Buy a pizza) 3) Vancouver Attractions (buy a 1 kid ticket for $3). 4) More Rewards Insurance (from the free quote) 5) Save-On-Foods
The Coast Capital Savings Federal Credit Union (the “Credit Union”) New Member Bonus Offer (the “Offer”) of $300 is available between July 1, 2019 and September 30, 2019 to New Members who (i) open a membership with the Credit Union and a Chequing Account (the “Account”) and switch their eligible payroll direct deposit or other recurring direct deposit, or (ii) set up an eligible recurring preauthorized payment of at least $50. The first qualifying payroll direct deposit or other recurring direct deposit must be received within 90 days of successfully opening a membership and an Account. The first and second withdrawal taken from the Account for the pre-authorized payment must be successfully withdrawn within 90 days of successfully opening an Account.
For Joint Memberships and Joint Accounts, only the Primary Member is eligible to receive the Offer. Staffof the Credit Union are not eligible for the Offer. New Members must be ages 18 or older and must be residents of Canada (excludes Quebec) in order to be eligible for the Offer. New members must not have been members with Coast Capital Savings since January 2014. The $300 bonus will be paid within 30 days of eligibility criteria being met. Limit of one $300 bonus per person.
Payroll direct deposit or other recurring direct deposit conditions Deposits categorized under the Canadian Payment Association code as payroll qualify for the Offer. In addition, pension, Employment Insurance, Old Age Security, Canadian Pension Plan, Workers Compensation, Parental Assistance and Income Security Benefit deposits qualify for the Offer.
Preauthorized bill payment conditions This includes preauthorized bill payments or preauthorized loan, mortgage or credit card payments. It does not include transfers into other accounts or into accounts with other financial institutions.
If you refer a friend to Coast Capital Savings and you’ll both receive $50 (You can earn this $50 referral bonus and $300 new account bonus together). Plus, Coast Capital will donate $50 to the Youth Futures Education Fund.
If you want to leave your referral in the comments, please go ahead.
Aeroplan let us know of some recent changes in their program (some good and others not as good)!
I love to travel using mini-RTW using multiple stopovers but I still think this is a great program.
Air Canada and Aeroplan are excited to share some changes designed to make the Aeroplan Program more flexible and member friendly. In advance of launching our new, more rewarding loyalty program next year, we’re committed to listening to you and implementing improvements like the ones below. With this in mind, the following changes take effect immediately:
Complimentary, full refunds within 24 hours of booking Beginning July 15, 2019, Aeroplan members will be able to cancel and refund Flight Rewards for free within 24 hours of booking. Please note that if a member wishes to cancel a booking that was completed by an agent, the $30 Aeroplan Contact Centre service fee will not be refunded.
Option to refund your Flight Reward up to 2 hours before departure Previously, Aeroplan Flight Reward bookings could not be refunded within 21 days of departure. As of July 15, 2019, Aeroplan members can cancel and refund their Flight Reward booking for a fee up until 2 hours prior to the departure time of the first flight in the reservation. This will apply to all bookings, including those made prior to the new policy coming into effect. Rather than keeping cancelled tickets open for future travel, Aeroplan Miles, taxes and fees will be refunded, and members may book new tickets anytime in the future, delivering greater flexibility than before.
Reduction of the aeroplan.com Refund Fee As of July 15, 2019, Aeroplan will lower the Refund Fee to $125 for refunds completed via aeroplan.com. The new, lower fee will apply to all bookings, including those made prior to the new policy coming into effect.
Please note that Aeroplan members with diamond status will continue to enjoy lower fee amounts, and Air Canada Altitude Super Elite 100K members will not be charged the fee, as described below.
New for Air Canada Altitude Super Elite 100K members: Complimentary changes and refunds Beginning July 15, 2019, Air Canada Altitude Super Elite 100K members will no longer be charged a fee when they request a change to their Flight Reward booking. Additionally, these members will also no longer be charged a fee to refund their bookings. These fee waivers will apply to all bookings, including those made prior to the new policy coming into effect.
The following changes will take effect on September 1, 2019:
Multi-City Flight Reward Bookings Today, depending on their itinerary, Aeroplan members can book Flight Rewards which include up to two stopovers, or one stopover and one open jaw, in addition to the point-of-turnaround. Beginning September 1, 2019, members can continue to make Flight Reward bookings to multiple cities, but will be limited to a maximum of one stopover or one open jaw, in addition to the point-of-turnaround. Please note that, as today, for travel within the same continent (except for travel wholly within North America*), one open jaw is permitted but stopovers are not permitted.
* Travel wholly within North America includes:
Within Canada and Continental USA
Between Canada/Continental USA and Hawaii/Puerto Rico/Mexico/Central America/Caribbean
Around the World Flight Rewards Around the World Flight Rewards will be discontinued as of September 1, 2019. Please note that, as today, a stopover in Europe for Flight Rewards between North America and Asia continues to be permitted.
Digital payments first appeared in the 1990s and despite being somewhat of a nuisance at first, you’d be hard-pressed to find anyone who doesn’t use them these days. The technology developed and capitalised on the niche in the market by providing an ever-better product. 1999 saw the creation of Paypal, the first company to specialise in online money transfer services.
Today, digital payments are practically a fundamental part of everyday life, with many of us now using online payments daily in place of traditional cash. We even have whole countries, like Sweden for example, actually aspiring to become cashless economies, eliminating coins and banknotes altogether. Since Paypal, many new online payment methods have appeared, each with their own specialised perks. How then, should you decide which method is the best for you? This probably depends on your own personalised criteria. However, to make things a little easier we list four online payment methods that might just be worth your attention. We evaluate these payment methods based on how traveller friendly they are.
1. The number one travelling companion: Revolut
With instant money transfers, instant top-up, and its unbelievably useful ‘split bill’ option, Revolut is the daily payment method of choice for thousands of people who aren’t necessarily travelling. However, those qualities make it absolutely fantastic when you have set out on an adventure. The other mention-worthy perks of Revolut include: no need to inform Revolut that you are going abroad, card details stored inside the App (you don’t have to go searching for your wallet anytime you buy something online), all ATM withdrawals are completely free for the first $200 per month, and we saved best for last: the ability to opt for being billed in the local currency. This means you avoid paying the extra charges associated with currency conversion!
2. The second runner-up: Interac
If you haven’t yet, you should try the canadian payment method Interac, which can be used for any kind of online transaction like booking a getaway, making online casino deposits, or online shopping. However, it is also perfect for small everyday payments since Interac cards are accepted among thousands of merchants across Canada. The service provides easy access to your earnings and zero chargebacks. In terms of its usefulness for travel, Interac is very secure, with fraud prevention chip-and-PIN as well as data-abstraction and tokenization technologies.
3. Great options: Apple, Google, and Samsung Pay
Encoding your card details onto your phone is a smart move when you are travelling and opportunities to lose your card are aplenty. You’re less likely to misplace your phone simply because you need it for a lot of the essential aspects of travelling like GPS and getting in touch with people. A card, on the other hand, can be easily left behind at a shop or recklessly thrown into the bottom of a bag, forgotten about and potentially lost. A great safety feature here is that your card is recorded but the details are never actually stored on your device. Every time you make a payment, a unique code is generated. So far, this option is available to Apple, Google, and Samsung owners.
4. The original: Paypal
Paypal pride themselves on being the first company to specialise in online payments made available to the wider public back in 1999. It’s a reliable and trusted payment method, popular among holidaymakers, who opt for a more secure option to pay for their holiday bookings. Paypal is also very popular among freelancers, who often work while travelling, and who are drawn to the no-hassle way of receiving and sending payments by providing nothing more than their email address.
If you are reading this article you’re probably new to the term “Slow Travel” and wondering what is slow travel? It is new to me too, though I would consider myself a well traveled individual. Inspired by Lottoland’s article on slow travel, we’re all learning along the way.
What is Slow Travel?
Slow travel is exactly what it says, traveling slowly with a deeper connection to our destination and the people we meet along the way. It’s best put as defining moments of travel that transform our lives and forge new paths to reinvent ourselves and relaxation.
Going on vacation has turned into a bucket list of activities and sites to explore leaving us in a state of needing a vacation from going on vacation. Families are now coming back after what was meant to be a break, more exhausted than when they left. Slow travel leaves room for some rest and relaxation.
To some people, slow travel might look like experiencing the local dining spots in a centralized region or in my case by foot or bicycle.
My Experience of Slow Travel
Back in my early 20’s while studying abroad, I took a trip out to the Isle Of Wight, a small island off the south coast of England. It was an intended getaway from finishing the heavy workload and a much needed new, fresh approach to what was becoming the norm. I took my bike on the train from Waterloo station in London to Portsmouth. I then jumped on the Wightlink Ferry and started pedaling. I popped into the local brewery for a cold beer on a hot day and I was fortunate enough to be invited into a private party celebrating one of the owners birthdays. It was there that I found my summer gig. I ended up spending the rest of my summer exploring the island by bike and working at the brewery pouring pints of beer for the locals as well as the tourists. The six weeks that followed exploring the small island lead to memorable days, a committed love to island living and long life friends all over the world.
Slow travel brings many forms of great enriched experiences from personal growth, culturally and long term friendships. It is my preferred way of travel even now as a parent of three little kids, it’s still my preferred way to travel. The experiences for both myself and my family provide much more than a trip to Disneyland. I want to enhance and teach my kids about the location we visit through slow travel.
There is a huge difference when traveling slowly with the connection to your destination versus hopping on a plane to your favorite resort in the Caribbeen. To me after the slow traveled vacation there will be no need to feel like another one is necessary. You’ll feel that relaxation at a different level.
If you apply the RBC WestJet World Elite Mastercard before July 15, 2019, you can get 350 WestJet dollars welcome bonus and free WestJet Silver status.
It has an annual fee of $119.
Your Silver status will be valid up to January 31, 2020.
Get free Silver status with WestJet for a limited time. Earn additional WestJet dollars, priority check-in, airport lounge vouchers, and more.
First checked bag free for primary cardholder on WestJet flights
Receive an annual round-trip companion voucher that allows you to go anywhere WestJet flies – redeem for your choice of destination:
Canada and the Continental US for $99 (plus taxes, fees and charges)
Hawaii, Mexico, Central America and the Caribbean for $299 (plus taxes, fees and charges)
