On April 24th, our local Assante Branch invited world-renowned speaker and author Robin Esrock to North Bay to provide an exclusive presentation on the rewarding merits of ‘bucket-list’ travelling.
The timing could not have been more appropriate, as the presentation was aptly named ‘The Great Canadian Bucket List’ and we spent 2 hours greedily soaking in all of Robin’s insights into the most inspiring and under-rated Canadian cities, landscapes, national parks, heritage sites and tourist attractions.
The national pride in the theatre was palpable as we laughed alongside Robin’s anecdotes about our industrious and non-threatening national animal (the beaver), where to get the most expensive poutine ($150, and you are required to cut the potatoes yourself!), the perils of heli-skiing in the Rockies, and a hot-tip about the ice hotel in Quebec (the fireplaces in the photos are beautiful but do not produce heat, there is no plumbing, and the cost of your stay includes one-night accommodations at a regular hotel – as many guests cannot handle the cold and bail mid-way through the night).
Originally from South Africa, Robin and his family are now proud Canadians and he dares anyone to find better travel destinations (did you know we have our own ‘dead sea’ in the prairies?), interesting accommodations (spherical tents in the trees in BC to Yurts in the prairies), breathtaking views (the Hoodoos in Alberta), adventurous expeditions, diverse flora and fauna, exciting modes of transportation (hot air balloon, trans-Canadian railway, houseboat rentals on the canal in Ottawa, snowmachines and Harley Davidson motorcycle tours), or culinary delights (with the best lobster hands-down… did you know that the lobsters in New Zealand don’t have front claws?).
And he should know, as he makes his living travelling the world as a perpetual tourist. During the question and answer period at the end of the presentation he talked about his best travel advice (strike up meaningful conversations and you will be amazed by the connections and warmth, as well as the local secrets you will learn that will enhance your trip) , most challenging adventures (definitely the 5-day heli-skiing in BC that found him stuck down his fair share of tree-wells) and surprisingly spontaneous choices (Albania on a whim – turns out they have the second-most friendly citizens in the world and they aren’t all mafia bosses and mobsters), but he refused to give a cautionary list of places ‘not to see’. As he put it, travel is all about the personal experience and the surprises along the way (truly about the journey, not the destination). And that is why Canadian destinations are that much more exciting…because of the variety of landscapes and climates, the deeply rooted, rich heritages, and, of course, the most un-apologetically friendly citizens on the planet.
Robin recommends all Canadians explore what is in their own backyards and beyond, to fully appreciate this beautiful country. There is truly no better time to cross off some items from your Canadian adventure bucket-list!
