Laine Slowski | Flight Centre Independent | Home Based Travel Agent
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Laine Slowski

306 203 0051

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Posted on: Friday September 01, 2017
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Top 30 Travel Experiences

Thirty.  A number that seemed ancient when I was a teenager and felt distant when I was twenty-something.  The thirty year mark has arrived and, seemingly, out of nowhere.  Thoughts about life goals race through my mind.  I can’t help but feel left behind.  Most of my peers are engaged, married or have started families of their own.  Me?  I’m single and fumbling my way through life.

These thoughts lead me to ponder what’s important to me and what I’ve accomplished.  Travel holds a place in my heart and, in honour of my 30th birthday, this is a collection of my 30 favourite travel experiences.

1) Booking my first international flight

This is when it all started!  My best friend extended an invitation to travel to Australia with her.  After declining more than once, I took the plunge and am thankful that I did.  This trip is what sparked my passion for travel.

2) Getting over my fear of spiders

I don’t like spiders.  If fact, they give me night terrors.  A fellow working at the Saskatoon Exhibition sensed my fear and encouraged me to get over it.  Notice the fear in my eyes?  I’m not over it.

3) Sydney Bridge Climb

This brings us to another fear of mine – heights.  Need your light bulb changed?  Don’t ask me to do it.  Standing on a chair or ladder makes me woozy.  This was another attempt to get over a fear.  Not wind or rain could stop us.  In fact, the wind and rain distracted me from the thought of falling into Sydney Harbour.

4) Hiking Grouse Grind

This seemed like a great idea at the time.  I enjoy mixing exercise into travel itineraries.  My mind changed quickly, approximately 30 minutes into the hike.  The workout and the view were breathtaking (no pun intended), and there’s a reward at the end.  Food!  A couple of restaurants sit on top of the grind. This is the closest I’ve come to climbing a mountain – a feat I still want to accomplish.

5) Wandering down Melbourne’s alleyways

Back alleys are thought to be dangerous, and rightly so.  In Melbourne, there is a district of alleys that are covered in art.  Many bars and lounges reside here and it’s become a safe, popular place to play.

6) Discovering Toronto’s districts

Toronto is the most culturally diverse city in Canada.  Feel like Asian cuisine for dinner?  Wander to Chinatown or Korea town.  Want to go shopping?  Hit up the markets in Kensington and the Distillery District.  I enjoy a mixture of bargains and luxury, and Toronto offers the best of both worlds.

7) Driving along the Great Ocean Road

This is the ultimate road trip.  Turquoise water glistened in the sunlight as we cruised along the coast line.  Beaches run for miles that we dipped our feet into, and coastal towns welcomed us for tea and lunch.

8) Meeting old friends in new places

Two weeks into my 12 month trip in Australia, I ran into a friend from high school.  We happened to be booked into the same hostel in Melbourne.  Small world, right?  Now that I have friends all over the globe, I make it a point to visit them if I’m in their neck of the woods.

9) Helicopter ride over the Twelve Apostles

The photo above sums up why this experience made the list.  It was my first time riding in a helicopter and I even got to sit beside the captain.

10) Rainbow over Niagara Falls

This photo was taken from my hotel room in Niagara Falls.  Expensive?  Yes.  Worth it?  Definitely!

11) Eating kangaroo steak

My friend and I enjoyed an elegant lunch on board a tram in Melbourne.  Kangaroo steak was on the menu and we hesitantly ordered it.  The verdict?  It’s delicious.

12) Wandering down the streets of Niagara-on-the-Lake

I delight in walking around new neighborhoods.  This picturesque town is located where Niagara River meets Lake Ontario.  The sidewalks are vibrant with flowers and horse-drawn carriages are a means of transportation if you so choose.

13) Diving on the Great Barrier Reef

This is an experience that almost didn’t happen.  My mask filled up with water, the oxygen bubbles felt claustrophobic around my face, and my fear of heights kicked in when I couldn’t see the ocean floor.  Commence panic attack.  It took three tries before I chose to dive right in.

14) Getting drenched under Niagara Falls

Standing in line, wearing a poncho in 30 degrees Celsius (plus humidity) is not my idea of a good time. Getting rained on underneath waterfalls is, though.  We made a special trip across the border to ride on the Maid of the Mist.

15) Ocean kayaking in Byron Bay

Have you watched those YouTube videos where whales jump out of the water and almost land (or sometimes land) on a nearby boat?  I had a similar experience while kayaking in Byron Bay.

A Humpback whale and her calf were in the vicinity of our kayak group.  We huddled together and stopped paddling as it’s illegal to approach them.  A few minutes passed and we thought they swam out to sea.  Wrong!  The mother approached our small group of kayaks and breached within a few meters from us.

16) Eating smoked meat in Montreal

Tantalizing food is what drew me to Montreal.  I researched the best places to order a smoked meat sandwich and Schwartz’s made the cut.  The line up was long but well worth the wait.

17) Celebrating my 25th birthday in Australia

I traded in -30 degrees and snow for +30 degrees and sunshine.  It was refreshing playing in a pool instead of a snow bank.

18) Dinner at Bubba Gump Shrimp Co.

I am one of few people on this planet who hasn’t watched Forest Gump.  I am, however, one of many people who love seafood.  This is one of the best meals I’ve ever had and, yes, the bib was required.

19) Whale watching in Byron Bay

I spent every morning walking along the coastline and watching the sun rise.  The fishermen were out, casting lines on the most easterly point of Australia.  I sat nearby watching as whales breached in the distance.  I have paid for a whale watching experience before, but this surpassed it.  Seeing nature in all its glory is a fulfilling experience.

20) Catamaran ride in Turks & Caicos

It is hot and humid on the islands in October.  Gliding on top of the pristine water and catching the breeze felt wonderful.

21) Cuddling koalas in Brisbane

I held this little lady between naps at the Lone Pine Koala Sanctuary.  She is much heavier than she looks and her claws are sharp – but look at that face!

22) It’s Britney on my birthday, bitch!

It didn’t take long for me to book a trip to Las Vegas when I learned about Britney Spears’ residency at Planet Hollywood. What made it even better is that she scheduled a show on my birthday.  Hands down, best birthday yet!

23) Feeding kangaroos

I was nervous to approach these little guys.  Have you noticed how long their claws are?  They were just as friendly as they are cute.

24) Harley rides down back country roads

There’s something about being on the back of a motorcycle that relaxes me.  It’s my dream to cruise along California’s coastline, perhaps even on my own Harley Davidson motorcycle.

25) Spotting wild dolphins along Australia’s east coast

I was on my morning hike along the coastline in Byron Bay.  Little Wategos Beach was just below the path and kayakers were coming in to shore.  A pod of dolphins swam along side them, riding the waves. It was a remarkable sight.

26) Romania’s wild dogs

A common warning to travelers in Romania is to beware of wild dogs.  Our tour guide took us on a night walk around Bucharest, cutting through poorly lit alleyways.  Turning a corner we came face to face with a pack of dogs.  Were they viscous?  Not at all.  They were little beggar dogs in search for a meal.

27) Seeing the Irwin family

I was in for a surprise when I went to the Australia Zoo.  Steve Irwin’s family made an appearance and Bindi lured a giant crocodile out of the water.

28) Halloween in Transylvania

There’s no better place to be on Halloween than in Dracula’s castle.  An exclusive party was held at Corvin Castle and I won second place for best costume.

29) Sky diving over the Whitsunday Islands

In a second failed attempt to get over my fear of heights, I went skydiving.  Where better than over the Whitsunday Islands?  It’s one of the most beautiful places in the world to view from above.

30) My first time seeing the ocean

I was 23 years old when I first saw the ocean.  It’s a place I always felt that I would love.  I could hear the waves crashing as we neared the beach.  My hear raced with excitement and it’s the first time I really felt at peace.

Name:
Laine Slowski

Location:
Sheho, Saskatchewan

Contact Number:
306 203 0051

Email:
laine.slowski@fcitravel.ca

About Laine:

I run my personal travel business in partnership with a company known throughout Canada for wonderful travel experiences at amazing prices - Flight Centre


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CONTACT INFO
  • phone 306 203 0051
  • email laine.slowski@fcitravel.ca
  • web flightcentreindependent.ca/LaineSlowski
  • address Sheho, Saskatchewan, Canada