Way back when in February I went to the Outdoor Adventure Show and I twisted my friend Leslie’s arm to go on a learn-how-to-kayak weekend with me. We booked 2 days including meals, kayaking lessons and camping accommodation with a company called Equinox Adventures that has a rafting and kayaking camp located on Calumet Island in the Ottawa River.

So Friday we got ready, I picked Leslie up from work and we headed off on Highway 401 east of Toronto. We got stuck in rush hour traffic for a solid hour and half until I decided to go north of the highway to take a country road. We stopped in for a nice little dinner in Belleville, and after driving through the beautiful countryside in Eastern Ontario and after getting lost on the winding roads near our destination, we finally set up our tent at about 11 pm, illuminated by the headlights of my car.

The Equinox river camp is very basic, located around an old farmhouse are 3 different campgrounds (for noisy, semi-noisy and quiet campers..), an outbuilding with extremely basic men’s and women’s bathrooms that have 2 toilet stalls as well as 4 functioning shower stalls in a co-ed shower and an outdoor eating area covered by tarps that are draped over metal railings. Luxury accommodation this is definitely not.

Saturday morning we got started early, we actually got woken up by the mooing of cows in the farmers field next door at about 6 am. Other campers reported that some of the cows took a walk right through the camp ground and actually left some sizeable paddies behind. It was fabulous to be in a tent again after not having gone camping for about 8 years…. We got a simple breakfast, some pancakes and pre-packaged muffins (some of them a little furry) and we started picking our kayak gear and headed off with our knowledgeable guide Christine and her helper Krista in a van to the Ottawa River. We got suited up with our life jackets, helmets and sprayskirs, and then put our kayaks in the water.

I had a devil of a time getting my sprayskirt over the kayak’s opening because it was so tight. We started with simple paddling exercises in the calm waters of the Rocher Fendu dam and first learned how to do a “wet exit”: after you tip the kayak and are underneath the vessel (panic time for most people) we were taught to rip the sprayskirt off and swim our way out of the kayak.

Paddling was quite difficult since the angle of the blades of the paddle is offset, so while your right hand is supposed to stay still, the left hand is supposed to tilt a little so the left blade of the paddle goes into the water at the proper angle. I had a bit of a problem with that since my right arm is way stronger than my left arm (from playing tennis) and I couldn’t get the entry angle of the left side of the paddle right, so many times I ended up going in a circle off to the left, having to paddle 3 or 4 times on the left side just to straighten myself out again. The kayaks are perfectly flat on the bottom, so there is no hull to help you out with the tracking on the water.

Paddling got a little more difficult when we went up the Ottawa River and my own personal faulty technique caused me to veer off to the left all the time, causing me to get caught in the current of the river, drifting downstream, against the direction of where we were trying to go. I then realized a few things: that the currents on a river as big as the Ottawa River are extremely strong and that my upper body strength was waning pretty quickly. I really developed some major respect for the river and for the skills involved in kayaking.

To be honest, I never quite got the hang of it. We were taught skills like “ferrying”, i.e. getting across a current at an angle, or the “T-rescue”, where a second kayak comes up to you after you have tipped your kayak and are trapped underneath the boat in the water. You are then supposed to tap on your own kayak 3 times to make noise to alert other paddlers that you have capsized. Then you have to reach along the side of the boat to locate the second kayak, and then you put both hands on the other kayak and twist yourself out from underneath your own vessel with a flick of the hips.

I have to admit, I am a pretty athletic person, and I love speedy sports like downhill skiing and mountain biking, and I am actually pretty good at them. But some things about whitewater kayaking gave me the chills, just the idea of getting entrapped upside down underneath the kayak, possibly snagged by a rock underneath the water, and not being able to get back up freaked me out.

So I decided that in the future I would try calmer water sports such as canoeing or sea kayaking on a calm lake, instead of facing mortal danger on the rapids. To reassure all of you readers though: all the other kayaking students did fine, they went upriver, and came down through some mild rapids and had a great time paddling themselves around on the Ottawa River on Saturday and Sunday. And Christine, our guide, was very helpful, and there was always another kayaking student around to help you if you were in trouble, so assistance to safety was never far away.

Saturday evening we actually watched a safety video for whitewater kayaking and in the video I realized that advanced whitewater kayaking is a pretty dangerous sport and the risk of drowning or hurting yourself by getting entrapped in rocks or “strainers” (fallen tree branches that stick out of the water) is substantial and must be avoided at all cost. We also learned that working as a team and rescuing one’s team mates are critical life-saving skills. By this time I had already decided that I would trade my second day of kayaking lessons in for some mountain biking on Sunday, combined with a little photo safari of Calumet Island.

So Sunday morning, after my interview with Krista, she was kind enough to lend me her mountain bike and I grabbed my camera and started my discovery of Calumet Island, a large island in the Ottawa River wedged between Ontario and Quebec. I cycled through forests, rolling hills, grazing pastures and past a few extremely well-kept country properties. I spent about an hour cycling on dirt roads to the edge of the Ottawa River where I started to experiment with my camera a little bit.

My brother-in-law Roger, a consummate graphic designer and visual artist, had recently taught me how to do close-up shots of plants and other objects, so I started experimenting taking close-range shots of plants and flowers right next to the Ottawa River. This was the first time I experimented with this photo technique and I have to say I was reasonably pleased with the outcome once I came home last night and downloaded the images.

On my way back from the river I had an interesting encounter: I drove by a barn and saw 2 horses grazing in the distance. They looked up and noticed me, and as if on cue, two other horses came out of the barn as well. They started approaching me, as I was standing on the side of the road, behind a wire fence. All four horses came trotting towards me. About half way from me they stopped in unison, checked me out, then looked at each other, figured they had seen all they needed to see, and trotted off in perfect coordination again. It was a really comical cross-species encounter and I ended up chuckling to myself when the horses disappeared again into the barn.

After my 2 hour mountain biking excursion I spent the rest of Sunday exploring the island in my car and drove through rolling hills and farm land. Upon my return to the camp ground I spread out a blanket under a tree and did some open-air reading. All the other campers were gone to either river raft or kayak, and the campground was totally quiet, all you could hear were the crickets and an occasional moo from a cow. It was serenity at its best. The other rafters and kayakers came back in the afternoon and they all reported that they had had a fabulous time at their respective water sports.

At about 4:30 we headed back out on the road and did a nice 5 hour highly scenic drive through towns like Eganville and Bancroft that are surrounded by rolling hills, lush green forests and ancient rock faces, before we headed into the serene lake district of the Kawartha Highlands. It was a perfect weekend – a combination of adventure and relaxation under crystal blue skies, and it just taught me how beautiful the back roads of Ontario can be.

Susanne Pacher is the publisher of a website called Travel and Transitions( travelandtransitions.com travelandtransitions.com). Travel and Transitions deals with unconventional travel and is chock full of advice, tips, real life travel experiences, interviews with travellers and travel experts, insights and reflections, cross-cultural issues, contests and many other features. You will also find stories about life and the transitions that we face as we go through our own personal life-long journeys.

Submit your own travel stories in our first travel story contest( travelandtransitions.com/contests.htm travelandtransitions.com/contests.htm) and have a chance to win an amazing adventure cruise on the Amazon River.

“Life is a Journey ­ Explore New Horizons”.

The interview with photos is published at travelandtransitions.com/travel_tips/green_travel.htm Travel and Transitions – Interviews

Renting a car is a great way to see a new place, but car rental companies are leery of hiring cars to younger people. Many rental firms will simply not provide cars at all for drivers under twenty-five, while the price rates of others are simply prohibitive. Unfortunately, there is sound logic underlying this sense of caution displayed by car rental companies, as younger people have been shown time and again to be the most likely group of drivers to be involved in car accidents – this is also reflected in the high insurance rates that are offered to younger drivers. There are however some companies that offer reasonable rental deals to drivers under twenty-one, so if you are lucky enough to get a good rental deal, then pay it forward to your peers – drive your rental car as responsibly as you can to ensure the continuation of the great price for the next young driver who comes along.

Ensure your safety by always wearing your seatbelt. This is a simple thing to do that can literally save lives. It only takes a second, but can make a huge difference in an accident.

Always keep to the speed limit. Speed has been repeatedly shown to be the single greatest cause of road accidents, so stay safe and stick to the designated speed limit for the area you are in. Most places you visit will have signage to indicate the speed limit, but err on the side of caution if you are unsure. At the very least, you don’t want to have to pay a speeding fine.

Always be vigilant when driving in an unfamiliar area – keep your eyes peeled for any road signs and always follow them! There is often construction work going on in large cities, so keep an eye out for this too. Following road signs can prevent accidents.

As you probably heard countless times when first getting into a car, drive defensively! Even if you are a careful driver, you cannot always account for others, so watch out for other drivers – let others speed and cut across you if they want, your priority is simply to stay safe.

When driving in an unfamiliar place it is extremely important to concentrate on the road. While the road might seem to be distracting you from joining in the fun, your passengers will thank you for staying safe. Keep music to a minimum and ask your friends to keep rowdy games for later – once you get to where you’re going the fun can begin with abandon! Be careful and stay safe, and do your bit to help keep rental car prices for young people as low as you can.

This article was written by Carl Spanier an avid traveler and rental car expert. You can visit his website at
rental-car-sales.com Car Rental Resources

We all need to get away. Our vacations are the one thing that we look forward to all year. Unfortunately what happens sometimes is that we tend to feel the stress of how am I going to afford the vacation that I’ve been dreaming about? Well I hope that with a few of my tips, you will be able to get some airline travel discounts.

Here are some tips to find the lowest fare air ticket:

Buy tickets 3-5 months before your departure date

Some airlines offer discounts for early buyers. It’s also best to buy your tickets at least 20 days in advance to ensure the best seating possible, most discounted tickets sell out fast. You should also know that Airline Tickets are subject to price increase, especially during Christmas season, so buying early avoids further ticket increase.

Never fly on weekends

If you’re planning a trip, plan to leave on weekdays, preferable Monday to Wednesday. Weekends are high traffic times, for travelers and would probably cost you an additional $25-$40 increase.

Don’t travel During Peak season

Airlines tend to increase ticket prices during Peak travel season due to the increase in demand. Traveling during low season is also advantageous if you want to avoid airport and tourist spot crowds. If you really have to travel during peak season, consider leaving home early and going home late to avoid the rush.

How long to Stay

Yes your travel stay also affects airline ticket prices. Airlines give discounts if you stay at least a week at your destination and return within 90 days.

Consider a Connecting Flight

Contrary to popular belief, direct flights aren’t always the cheapest. Some people have saved up to $1000 dollars on booking connecting instead of Direct flights. If you don’t have a lot of luggage, and aren’t very particular with time, it is best, and a lot cheaper to book a connecting flight instead of direct.

Use the senior citizen discount

Some Airlines offer the same senior Citizen discount for the companions of the Senior Citizen. Ask if it’s available.

The Early Bird gets the Airline Ticket

Call Airlines at 12:01 am on Wednesday mornings. This is when airlines release all the new fares and seat plans. You can be first and choose the best and cheapest tickets at this time.

Shop on the Internet

The best feature of the internet is that you see all available Prices from a very convenient place, your home. You won’t have to canvass travel agencies. Some internet sites even offer internet only discounts that you can benefit from if you use their services.

When you do shop on the internet

Check first with travel agents regarding prices, Internet prices aren’t always the cheapest, it’s best to ask a good old travel agent. It won’t hurt to look at news papers too, as some airlines publish discounts on print. If you’re planning to buy more than 6 months in advance, it’s probably best to ask a travel guide as internet sites don’t usually have schedules for longer than six months.

Airline travel discounts are everywhere; you just need to know how to find them! I hope that with these tips, that’s exactly what you are going to be able to do. Now go out there and get that lowest fare air ticket! Happy travels.

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specializes in giving you an exhilarating tropical vacation for travel destinations around the world. We are experienced travelers who have lived across the globe and our dream is to provide you with everything you need in order to have the ultimate dream vacation. Learn how to travel with Sarah and Jason, your tropical adventure couple!

Every year we read or hear about hikers or hunters having to be rescued or even worse. You can bet that when these folk left home, the last thought on their mind was having to fight for their lives in a situation they just would not be prepared for.

Being prepared for an outdoor trip means more than taking along a first aid kit. Assuming the worst means you should be prepared to spend at least one night outdoors without shelter. Then, if your day trip turns sour, you are ready for the worst.

Typically, it is major trips and expeditions that are well planned with emphasis on survival. This is natural in some sense, as you are already planning to be outdoors for an extended period of time. It is the weekend warrior going for a Sunday afternoon hike, that can end up in the most trouble as in these situations, no thought is given to wilderness survival. After all, it is just a little afternoon hike, right? Wrong !

Now here are two assumptions people make: 1) “I have a cell phone and/or GPS – I will be ok.” Without cell coverage, or problems locating satellites, or even flat batteries, you may end up with no help at all. 2) “I am a couple of miles from a town and civilization.” You can get very lost in under two square miles and that is assuming you are not injured. Consider how long it will be before anyone even starts looking for you. Guaranteed it won’t be until dark!

Here is a simple and sensible checklist for a day outdoors, doing any activity:

Know the terrain – This is especially important if you are in an area that that you are unfamiliar with. Understand how wet or dry it is. How steep or wooded. How many trails, and where the nearest human habitation is. Know the surrounding area too in case you find yourself wandering far off course. You can get all this information from readily available topographic maps. Know the climate and weather – This is critical. Weather changes account for some of the highest number of deaths in the outdoors. Some areas can have major weather changes in a matter of minutes, without warning. This can involve lightning storms, sudden snow storms or even rapid drops in temperature or simply rain. With the ubiquity of the web, local weather is easy to find. Correct dress – Following on climate, you should dress appropriately in layers. You should also pack in extra clothes to accommodate any sudden weather changes. Just as a little insurance. You can always shed clothing if it gets too hot, but you cannot add clothes you never packed. The reason for dressing in layers is that you can remove or add as conditions change. You also want to avoid sweating when the air temperature is cold as your inner layer becomes damp and will chill when you slow down. By dressing in layers you can avoid this. Tell someone – Tell someone where you are going and how long you will be. This sounds obvious, especially if you are going hiking near home, but is very important. If you leave and nobody is home, just leave a note or a message on your own answering machine. Try and leave a map if possible, but otherwise a description of where you will be. A search and rescue team armed with accurate coordinates will be able to find you quickly. The same team being told “he’s in the woods somewhere” may never find you!Survival Kit – Create a survival kit that is compact and can fit into your pack easily. Take it with you whenever you go out. Leave the items in the survival pack. That way, you just need to pick up and go, without having to worry whether it’s all in there.

Example Survival Pack: Band-aids, Bandage/tape, Pain Killer, Antiseptic Cream, Needle, Tweezers, Magnesium Fire Starter, Waterproof Matches, Pocket Knife – swiss army, Fixed blade knife, Mini Flashlight, Rope/cording, Duct Tape, Compass, Space blanket, Mirror, or old CD, Whistle, Flare (if you have room), Glow Sticks, Candy bar.

The items listed above should fit easily into a small tupperware or bag. This is just an example and you should tailor it for your own needs, terrain and time of year. With a survival pack of this kind, your odds of survival increase dramatically. Do not forget to take along some water, it may be tough to find some clean water under stress. No matter what you take with you and how well you prepare, your brain is still your best defense. Take the time to study basic survival skills or take a course. Knowledge can keep you alive. The information included in this article is just the beginning of what you should know.

Be safe and enjoy the outdoors.

About The Author

Graham Armitage, is founder of the family outdoor website, Georec. The site allows anyone to discover new outdoor places and invites you to review and comment on outdoor locations. To access all the free hiking, fishing, paddling and other information available, or to add your own content, visit georec.com www.georec.com

Copyright 2006 – georec.com. All Rights reserved WorldWide. Reprint rights – you may reprint this article as long as you leave all of the links active, and do not edit the article in any way, and give credit to the author.