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Explore your own backyard

With spring break comes the inevitable deluge of people posting pictures of surf, sand, food, drinks and fun on their vacations. And while that was certainly the case last week, I felt no pangs of envy this time.

With spring break comes the inevitable deluge of people posting pictures of surf, sand, food, drinks and fun on their vacations. And while that was certainly the case last week, I felt no pangs of envy this time. Given that my husband had been violently ill last year in the first (and possibly last) time we attempted a tropical spring break getaway, I was quite content to stay close to home.

But I’ve been thinking about traveling, particularly as my younger brother embarks upon a year-long trip to see the world, and as we talked to friends who were discussing where they may go this summer to celebrate their 10th anniversary.

While we talked about the possibilities, I voiced my total aversion to traveling anywhere in the States right now, with the anecdotal stories I’ve heard from a few Canadian citizens who reported being made to wait for hours at the border, grilled, and then sent back for no reason, or being told they need a visa (when they don’t).

Personally, I don’t care to face that kind of headache, and besides, as our friends pointed out, our CDN currency doesn’t trade well against the strong greenback.

‘So why not travel your own country?’ I asked them.

Perhaps it doesn’t have the same semi-exotic allure as a jaunt to the States, but there are some magnificent places across Canada. Of course, within Alberta and B.C., we have the breathtaking Rockies, while on the other coast, you have the stunning Cabot trail of Nova Scotia and the red sand beaches of Prince Edward Island. In between you have historic Quebec City, electric, hopping Montreal, quaint Niagara on the Lake or Muskoka. And maybe they don’t get their fair share in the spotlight, but Saskatchewan and Manitoba boast some gorgeous lakes and camping, as long as you can beat the mosquitoes.

I’ve got the northern territories on my list to explore, and I would love, some day, to see the Nahanni National Park Reserve, “a 4,700 sq. km. undisturbed natural area of deep river canyons cutting through mountain ranges, with huge waterfalls and complex cave systems,” according to UNESCO World Heritage Sites. Closer to home, I would love to see Wood Buffalo National Park; also on my list is seeing the First Nations rock carvings and paintings of Writing on Stone Provincial Park.

If there wasn’t incentive enough to travel your own country, this year, in celebration of the Canada 150, a discovery pass will give you free access to all of Canada’s National Parks, Historic Sites and Marine Conservation areas. Plus VIA Rail is offering all travelers aged 12 to 25 an all-you-can-travel train pass for $150 for the month of July. Ah, if only my husband and I could travel back in time and be 25 for a month, we would relive our younger traveling days in a heartbeat!

If prohibitive flight/train costs within Canada have got you thinking twice, you can always jump in your vehicle and drive, and find that exploring the world starts with seeing your own home with new eyes.




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