5 Essential Practices for Safer Travels

Traveling can be an enjoyable and eye-opening experience. However, don’t let yourself get swept up by the excitement and forget about security and safety considerations on your vacation, especially if you’re taking an overseas trip. This is even more important if you’re a first-time traveler. After all, it could cause you more than a few headaches and negatively impact your adventure. To that end, here are some essential practices to keep in mind when traveling abroad.

Here's where we're going next!

Yesterday was supposed to be a rain day, and actually it was... it just didn't start until later than they forecast. So we did end up walking up to Berat Castle with Helen and Tony and showing them around a bit before Ruth and I headed back down for our 11:00am dentist appointment.

Nobody likes going to the dentist. But if you have to go, this kind of experience makes it a little more likeable.

Return to Berat... but where next...?

Yesterday morning we did the three hour drive from Gjirokaster to Berat. Mixed weather the whole way with a few rain showers and a high of about 22C (72F).

Ruth and I have spent quite a lot of time in Berat. We were here for two weeks in the spring of last year and almost three more weeks when we were here with Max last November.

Upcoming travel decisions

Yesterday was a busy work day, so Ruth and I didn't even leave the house. Which was okay in the morning because it also started off being a rain day! Helen and Tony managed to get out for a walk around the village though.

Besides doing some internet work, I was also doing some future travel research and planning. The problem is that we can't decide where to go!

Busy day with some beach time

We were up and on the road just after 9am Monday morning. Lots of exploring to do. They were all to places Ruth and I had been to before, but we wanted to show Helen and Tony some of these attractions.

It was about a 45 minute drive through the mountains to the popular Blue Eye. Ruth and I had been here in April of last year and it's an interesting natural geographical feature. What a lot of changes in a year and a half though!

Tepelena and the Peshtures Waterfall

Ruth and I had visited the Peshtures Waterfall a year and a half ago. It's known as the most beautiful waterfall in Albania, and both the drive up and the hike to get to it are pretty spectacular as well. 

We were worried that we might get up there and there wouldn't be any water at this time of year!

Gjirokaster, and dinner with the lamb master!

Really enjoying the weather. Beautiful high of 27C (81F) in Gjirokaster yesterday, although in the morning we drove up into the mountains at 4,000' and it was certainly a bit cooler up there.

Ruth and I had done a drive and hike up the mountain when we were here last year. The views are spectacular, and the mountain road is a fun drive.

We love these kinds of travel experiences!

We woke up to absolutely perfect blue sky and sunshine and it stayed that way all day. With a high of 27C (81F). No complaints here!

It was supposed to be a relax day where we just went for a walk in the area, and it pretty much was except for one detour Tony and I took to go investigate an old monastery well hidden in the forest.

Long scenic drive to our next destination!

We were up and out of our apartment at 8:00am yesterday morning. It's only 235 kms (146 miles), but most of it is on a twisty windy narrow road leading through the mountains. And there is no direct way. So it's about a five hour drive!

But we broke it up with a couple of stops along the way, including a long lunch break in the town of Permet.

The three borders area of Albania, North Macedonia, and Greece

Yesterday, we hopped in the car and did a day trip to the area where the borders of Albania, North Macedonia, and Greece meet. 

The actual border point is located in the center of Lake Prespa.

Day trip to North Macedonia. Country number 53

There is a monastery complex located just across the border between Albania and North Macedonia that Helen and Tony wanted to see, so we drove the short distance to the border, and walked across. 

We could have driven the rental car across, but we would have had to pay €40 extra for insurance coverage so we didn't feel it was worth it.

It's always good to stop and smell the roses

We were all up early as we looked forward to sitting on our balcony patio to watch the sun come up over the mountains.

Pogradec is a popular beach town in the summer, even though the beach is on a lake and not the sea. Beach season here has pretty much passed though because Pogradec gets a little cooler by October whereas the seaside is still warmer.

We're on holiday for the next two weeks!

Sunday morning, we were up at silly o'clock (3am) for the two and a half hour drive from Tony and Helen's place to London's Gatwick airport in order to make our 9am flight to Tirana, Albania.

What a great day to be leaving England. It rained most of the way to the airport and was pouring down as we got on the plane.

We had a fair bit of travel expenses for the month

Well, another month has gone by and here we are at October 1st!

Just a recap... we started September in Nova Scotia and then flew to Ottawa for a ten day visit. From there, we flew Montreal to Amsterdam and then Amsterdam to London. We spent 4 nights in London, then took the bus to Leeds where we bounced around for just over a week. Then took the bus to Bristol and spent a week in the village of Keinton Mandeville.

5 Fun Activities to Do in Ontario During the Fall Season

Summer may be over, but that doesn’t spell the end of great outdoor activities in Ontario. The province boasts plenty of fun things to do that are specific to the fall season. 

Discover a few of the awesome activities autumn in Ontario has to offer!