Travel | Anny Chih

Category Archives: Travel

A travel blog from my trip across Russia in Winter 2008.

Yesterday’s Rain

Posted by Anny Chih on August 1, 2010 at 4:53 pm.

Baby Seal in North Vancouver

Oh Vancouver, how fickle you are with your weather!

My yesterday began with a lovely clear blue sky and the warmth of the summer sun while a friend and I walked along a beach in North Vancouver and spotted the cutest baby seal trying (unsuccessfully) to hide from onlookers among the rocks. “These are the moments that make Vancouver feel like the best place on earth” I thought.

As the day was coming to a close, I went to Spanish Banks to meet some friends for the last Celebration of Light fireworks of the summer. Quite suddenly, the skies turned grey, the fog rolled in to obstruct our view of English Bay, and we heard a threatening rumble. We understood the warning and began to pack up our beach belongings. Still, we weren’t fast enough to avoid the sharp attack of Vancouver rain.

The clouds spat large splotches of cold wet rain that patterned the beach like chickenpox. At first all I could think was “ow, ow, ow, ow geeezus OW!” as a scrambled to my car in highly inefficient flip flops. In the process of getting completely soaked, I remembered how different it was to walk through the rain in Montréal.

Two of my favourite things in Montreal: the rain, and BIXI bikes

Ahh, Montréal <3

I’ve always wanted to take a walk through pouring rain. You could blame it on movies like The Notebook, La Spectatrice or even The Princess and the Warrior or Spiderman. Most love stories include some form of rain.

The rain in Montréal was the kind you want to walk in. It was warm and complete, would drench you in a second, and it felt like you were being given the biggest hug by the whole sky. The great big dollops fell gently, and walking through it was more like wading through a pool; you would hardly even notice when you walked through a puddle. I couldn’t help but smile the whole way from the Mont Royal Metro to the little room I was renting on Rue St-Urbain. If only Vancouver’s skies could borrow its clouds from Montréal…

Travel

Coast Coal Harbour Hotel Grand Opening

Posted by Anny Chih on June 23, 2010 at 1:33 am.

The Coast Hotels Ice Martini Fountain / Sculpture

I received an invitation for Coast Coal Harbour Hotel’s Grand Opening event tonight, and went expecting a meet and greet style event in one of Coast Hotels‘ clean and classic conference rooms. I obviously didn’t read the press release closely enough!

Coast Hotels are nice, but if I had to choose only one word to describe their new $60 million four-star Coal Harbour location it wouldn’t be “nice,” it’d be SWANKY! *makes a whistling noise*

The event took up four floors and a couple of guest rooms on the fifth floor for touring. Each floor was themed and served perfectly bite-sized portions of delectable eats and alcoholic beverages (the dangerous kind that don’t taste like alcohol but would pack a wicked punch if you didn’t bother to count how many you were having). Each floor, and even the spaces between the floors, had entertainment from a DJ to an orchestra, to a contortionist! Yeah, the contortionist was a little out of place, but entertaining nonetheless.

I met up with Elisa and Danny at the event, sampled some of the eats (delish!), and took a tour of the accommodations. The tour of the rooms felt more like an open house event at a staged apartment than a walk-through of a hotel. We went through an Executive Suite, and one of their Comfort Rooms – both of which had private balconies and those signature comfy Coast Hotel beds that Ang loved so much on our trip to Victoria last year when we stayed at Coast Victoria Harbourside Hotel & Marina. The bathrooms had both showers and baths, and the kitchen area really did look like one out of a staged apartment right down to the squared-off cabinet handles. All very modern and clean. My favourite features of the rooms were the balconies, high ceilings, comfy beds, and wallpaper (yes, I notice hotel wallpaper).

If you ever have guests flying into Vancouver and you want to impress them, book a room at Coast Coal Harbour Hotel! Or better yet, throw a swanky event like this one in their ginormous ballroom (5,000 square feet) that will really knock their socks off. You bought your Lotto Max ticket right? haha

Pictures From the Grand Opening Event

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Travel

Working on the Other Side

Posted by Anny Chih on June 18, 2010 at 11:17 pm.

Tourism Tasmania goody bag and prizes that I won at the event. I love prizes that are alcoholic - especially when they're illegal (it's illegal to sell Moorilla Wine in Canada)!

I’ve been working in Marketing & PR for an adventure travel company for about six months now, but I don’t think I’ve fully adjusted to being on the other side of the Client / Operator and Freelancer / Employee lines just yet.

As a travel blogger, I worked my way through destinations writing my own contracts, creating my own itineraries, and making pitches for sponsorship deals. Suddenly I’m the one being presented with pitches from companies, journalists and bloggers, marketing trip itineraries created by my boss, and working with pre-existing contracts. While at one point I had to convince tour operators to provide me with trips, I’m suddenly exposed to all sorts of “FAM” opportunities available for just about any travel operator without any distinction. It’s all a bit weird. You know what the sucky part of it is though? I can’t go on any of these trips because I have a 9 – 5! What a catch-22. LOL

I took on this position because the job description essentially outlined what I had been doing for myself the previous year, except for a company that would provide a regular paycheck. I spend most of my days on the computer writing, pitching, blogging, brainstorming, creating newsletters, interacting with past, current and potential clients, organizing events, keeping up to date with the latest industry trends, and analyzing a bunch of graphs, numbers etc. Once in a while I get to go on a trip to see what it’s all about, and check that things are operating smoothly in our destination. Most of the time, I don’t notice a huge difference in the actual work (except maybe when I’m working on ad campaigns). But I do occasionally have those “huh.” moments. Tonight was one big “huh.” moment.

Taste of Tasmania

Tourism Tasmania has been travelling around North America for about a week putting on events which showcase a handful of suppliers from wineries to accommodation services to wildlife boating and fishing tours. I attended their Vancouver Taste of Tasmania function tonight as a representative from my company.

This isn’t the first tourism-related function I’ve attended, but it’s the first one where I didn’t have time to put down my bag or sample the wine before being introduced to the Director of Marketing and Commercial Operations for an entire state and the Director of Fishing Tasmania in the same breath. Suddenly as a potential client rather than a freelance media junkie, I was someone worth introducing at an event.

Tasmanian Cheese and Appy Spread

At the same time though, the other travel company and agency representatives that I would normally be able to strike up an easy conversation with about travel services seemed automatically turned off by my presence (presumably because they thought our companies were competitors? *shrugs*). It was a strange role shift for me. I wondered at one point whether I was doing anything differently at this function compared to other events, but concluded that I was still the same ol’ me right down to my shirt (a favourite of mine that I bought three years ago at a sample sale). I took my notes on the presentations, chatted with a potential operations partner about new activities that will be available in 2011, sampled the cheeses and wine that were flown in from Tasmania (both of which were excellent – especially the smoked cheddar), and nibbled on chicken skewers, smoked tuna, and ridiculously tender lamb chops.

Working on the other side definitely has its perks, but I have to wonder how much of the attention is deserved? I’m not about to look into the measurement of return between a blogger’s word and an operator’s contract because I have enough stats to look at each week. But I like to think that if I can be a travel blogger one day and the head of marketing for an award-winning adventure travel company the next, both bloggers and company representatives should be treated equally. It’s not as if I changed, so why should you?

Please Note: This is in no way a post specifically about the people from Tourism Tasmania (which by the way are all very personable), but rather my personal insights on the tourism industry in general in regards to new media. If anything, the Taste of Tasmania event highlighted how well the team put together an event which made its guests feel very appreciated.

Thank you Tourism Tasmania for a wonderful event!

Book Reviews, Travel

Book Review: The Art of Solo Travel

Posted by Anny Chih on May 29, 2010 at 8:44 pm.

I’ve been back from Peru for 12 days and they’ve been a particularly miserable 12 days (health-wise). I’m still suffering through a cold from hell. If this damned virus were personified, I’d be punching him in the gonads.

Since I’m not planning on venturing out into the world tonight and unleashing this evil bug onto a group of unsuspecting shoppers at the supermarket or coffee shop, I decided to open up the pdf version of The Art of Solo Travel by Stephanie Lee that Craig Martin from Indie Travel Podcast sent to me for review. I figured I might as well spend the evening reading about the adventures of others if I can’t go out on adventures of my own.

The Art of Solo Travel

This is probably the easiest book review I will ever write. Why? It’s the shortest travel book I’ve ever read! Seriously. I’m not even the fastest reader and I finished it in 20 minutes! It’s only 48 pages. The Introduction begins on page 5 and the Author Bio starts on page 46. There are six parts to the book, each of which gets a dedicated title page, four check-lists that each get a page, and a page of travel resource links. In the end, there are only 30 pages of text, most of which consists of lists (ex. Ten Easy Ways to Save Money, reasons why Google is Your Best Friend, and reasons to Quit Your Life (and Get a New One)).

I can sort of understand why Stephanie might have chosen to print short lists for the space conscientious traveller that already has a few travel guidebooks to lug around. But with all the handy gadgets she outlines (ex. E-book Readers), this really isn’t an issue anymore. I would’ve preferred to read more about her travel experiences meeting new people who helped her out (ex. about the guy in Switzerland who helped her buy a half-price ticket in Zurich – how did he get a half-price ticket? How did she meet him? Is this what she was referring to when she wrote that “travelling alone increases the possibility of romance”?) – which only got a measly half a page – than view the istock photos used for all the title pages.

Conclusion

I’m impressed that Stephanie was able to travel throughout 18 countries in six months with only $13,000 AU and I’m sure that she’s got heaps of great travel stories to share, but her first book hasn’t given me much insight into how she was able to do it or what she really got out of it, other than that she cooked a lot and was able to land a book deal with Indie Travel. I’m hoping this is her stepping stone to another more comprehensive book about her experiences travelling abroad.

–

The Art of Solo Travel is a brief introduction to travel for the girl who’s never ventured outside her hometown. I’d recommend it as a Christmas stocking stuffer, or a quick read at the doctor’s office (which I might have to go visit if this bug doesn’t let up soon). To purchase The Art of Solo Travel, visit http://indietravelpodcast.com/girlsguide.

Official Book Release: June 1, 2010
Price: $12.95 US
Publisher: Indie Travel Media Ltd.

Peru 2010, Travel

Travelling with Bonica

Posted by Anny Chih on May 5, 2010 at 11:53 pm.

Bonica Snapper 1080P HD Video System

Nearly a year ago, Tim from Bonica Precision Inc. contacted me and asked whether I would be interested in borrowing some underwater camera equipment in exchange for video footage of my adventures. “Damn,” I thought “if only he had e-mailed a few months ago – this would’ve been perfect for my kayaking trips” (I had used a disposable Kodak camera and the pictures are teeeerrrrribble). And then of course I left for Australia!

A couple of weeks ago while Trish was in Panama, some sneaky dribbles of water snuck into her camera and wreaked havoc on its techy innards. That got me thinking… What if my camera goes bust on my Peru trip? Come to think of it, there’s no way I’ll be able to film even half of the footage I want on this trip with my little Canon (bless it’s little wired soul) even if I avoid water like the plague. I don’t have enough memory cards and the batteries will probably be shot before the end of the four day Inca Trail hike. And there’s a whole day of whitewater rafting that I won’t be able to take pictures of with the little guy. And no, the suggestion to carry it in a zip-lock is not an option.

What to do, what to do… And then I remembered Tim’s offer! I didn’t know if he’d still remember me since it’s been so long, but I figured I might as well write him and see. He remembered me!! Thanks Tim!

Tim totally came through in a spectacular way. He came by to Burnaby tonight with all the gear you see in the picture above and spent a good hour teaching me how to use the Bonica Snapper 1080P HD Video System and all its accessories.

The camera is uber-light and comes with a watertight inner silicon skin. It’s even easier to use than my Canon point and shoot digital camera, and its accessories include a bar mount that can be attached to a bike, a surfing handle (I didn’t even know these existed – it makes the camera look like a gun), a suction mount for use on a kayak or in a car, a super heavy duty polycarbonate outer case for dives down to 180 ft, and a REMOTE CONTROL! LOL I thought the remote control was a bit of an overkill, but Tim explained that it can be used to replace the control within the polycarbonate shell if it runs out of battery. He also provided not one, not two, but THREE batteries (THANK YOU!!), camera case, wires for anything I could possibly think of hooking up to this thing, charger, a clip handle, and an extra 2 GB SD card. I walked home with a big geeky smile on my face! I can’t wait to try it out!

~ Thank you Tim! ~

Random Picture of the Day 2010, Travel

Random Picture of the Day: When Was the Last Time You Tried Indian Dancing Lessons?

Posted by Anny Chih on January 7, 2010 at 8:56 pm.

The UQ Indian Student Society's Garba Night 2009

During my last week in Brisbane, I met up with my pals from work one last time for lunch. Sara asked me what I was doing that night, and I told her I was going to Indian dancing lessons with my friend Sarah. She noted that I was always doing something fun and exciting while I was in Oz and said it was probably because I was travelling.

You know what? She was totally right.

When was the last time you said ‘no’ to something in your city (coffee / movie / whatever) when you could’ve said ‘yes’? I know I sound a little bit like I belong on the set of ‘Yes Man’ but whatever. The point is still good and valid!

If you’re living the role of a traveller, don’t you find yourself so much more receptive to new experiences than when you’re living your regular life at home? Don’t you ever wonder if that boredom you feel on your living room couch has something to do with that ‘I’ve seen everything there is to see and done everything there is to do in this town’ or ‘I’m too tired to go out’ mentality?

Well, if you want to shed that skin of negativity you might be pleasantly surprised. Go Indian dancing!

By the way, that last part was a metaphor – don’t ask me where they have Indian dancing lessons in Vancouver because I really don’t know. Today’s picture was taken at the University of Queensland campus where the Indian Student Society had their annual Garba night. We got to dance with sticks!

Random Thoughts, Round Trip USA, Travel

Random Picture of the Day: Why Cheating is a Bad Idea

Posted by Anny Chih on November 3, 2009 at 8:34 pm.

Angry Other Woman Takes Revenge

We were walking around the French Quarter in New Orleans when we spotted this wreck on the side of the road. The note reads “Baby I’m sorry I fucked up I love you and I will pay for this xoxoxo me”. A woman who works at the bar where the car was parked said she saw the whole thing unfold the night before. The story goes that there was a man who cheated on his girlfriend and his girlfriend and the other woman got into a very loud and public fight. The other woman threw this brick into the girlfriend’s car and the cheater wrote the note to apologize to the girlfriend. My question is: where’d she get the brick!?

Round Trip USA, Travel

The Significance of a Pineapple

Posted by Anny Chih on November 3, 2009 at 8:15 pm.

Pineapple motif along the gates at Oak Alley Plantation

Your friend stops by for a quick visit that ends up being four hours to four days too long. What do you do? How do you tell him / her that it’s time to go without being rude? Feel free to leave your answers in the comments section ’cause I’ve never figured out how to say goodbye without feeling rude (which is probably why I spend WAY too much time at the local Starbucks when I “catch up” with old friends or acquaintances).

If you were a well-bred socialite of the 1800s living in Louisiana, you’d leave a pineapple at the foot of your guest’s bed to let him / her know it was time to leave. Random much? I thought so. This was one of the tidbits we learned on our tour of Oak Alley Plantation (about an hours drive West of New Orleans, Louisiana).

Why a whole pineapple, you ask? Well, in many cultures the pineapple is a symbol of welcome. This is why you often find pineapple motifs along fences or carved into wooden bedposts (I raised my eyebrow when I learned about the bedposts). When a guest would arrive at a well-to-do home in Louisiana, the host would serve them freshly cut slices of pineapple on their first night to indicate that they were welcome in their home. To let their guest know it was time to leave without any awkward moments, the host would leave a whole pineapple at the foot of the bed. How someone decided that this would be the custom is anybody’s guess! But hey, the system worked!

Tips for Travellers Looking for Plantation Tours in Louisiana

Oak Alley Plantation

After talking to tour guides, locals and consulting the travel books, we found out that of all the plantations in the area Laura Plantation is actually the one you should visit. Laura Plantation provides more information than Oak Alley about how things used to work on a plantation and also about the history of slavery on plantations. At Oak Alley, the tour is mainly about the lives of the home’s previous owners. Both Laura Plantation and Oak Alley Plantation charge a $15 admissions fee and each one offers a free tour upon admission.
Bring mosquito repellent. Around the trees at Oak Alley, there were swarms of mosquitoes ready to attack.
If you just want a picture of the oak trees at Oak Alley, I did see some people drive along the levy behind the house to sneak some pictures. Technically, you’re not supposed to stop your car on this road to take pictures. But, I didn’t see anyone being stopped. The pictures you take here of the oak lined walk are the same as they would be if you were inside the gates.

[View with PicLens]

Round Trip USA, Travel

Random Picture of the Day: Underwater

Posted by Anny Chih on October 31, 2009 at 9:23 pm.

Trees Under Water

We’re in Pigeon Forge, Tennessee right now doing absolutely nothing. It’s been pouring all day and most of the activities around here require being outside (ex. go-karting, hiking, zorbing etc). So, we spent an extra day here hoping the weather would clear up for tomorrow and caught up on our trash / crap TV including an episode of Bible Man (seriously, wtf!? This is taking cheese and indoctrination to a whole new level), Dallas Divas and Daughters, Supernanny (not so bad), and The Dish. So this is what Topanga is doing nowadays eh?

I’ve still got a boatload of pictures to upload from our visit to New Orleans (pronounced “nawlins”). In the meantime, you can stare at the above picture that was taken from our car on the highway to New Orleans featuring some drowning trees. Flash flooding isn’t a joke around the Southern states – it’s real and it’s scary stuff.

Family Fun, Round Trip USA, The Best Job in the World, Travel

A Bit o’ Southern Hospitality

Posted by Anny Chih on October 29, 2009 at 11:39 pm.

Everyone and their pumpkins at the annual Rogers' Pumpkin Carving Party

I hung out with fellow Best Job candidates Erik Rolfsen and Marcella Moser in Vancouver (Canada), had dinner with James Hill and Greg Reynen in Brisbane (Australia), met up with Mitch Moffit in Townsville (Australia), and now I can tick Steven Rogers off my list too! It’s too bad Cali Lewis wasn’t in Texas at the time.

To be honest, I had forgotten Steven lived in Texas (even though his Twitter account is @Steven_in_Texas ). My bad. The last I remembered through our Best Job e-mail threads (everyone still keeps in touch), he was climbing Mount Kilimanjaro in Africa and roaming the streets of Europe! I received a message from him when we first arrived in Amarillo, Texas asking where we were planning on going in Texas and if we would be passing his way. He invited us to his family’s annual Pumpkin Carving Party, and we happily accepted his invitation!

Steven, his family and friends are all very typical Southerners. And by that I mean that they’re super friendly! I really like the feeling of New Mexico and Texas because everyone is generally nicer down south.

There were heaps of neighbourhood kids and their parents at the party all happily chatting, munching on cookies and candies, and taking part in their 20+ year tradition of carving pumpkins together. The Rogers family have a large dining room table covered in photos from past pumpkin carving parties including one where Steven is sporting an ’80s mullet (my fav). LOL

Throughout the home, there are pictures of all their travels (and the whole family has travelled a lot). After a little tour, we started carving our pumpkins and mingling over cookies. A great time was had, and the pumpkins turned out fairly well. The only bad part of the afternoon was the attack of the mosquitoes. Both Ang and I get allergic reactions from mosquito bites and I was unfortunately bitten on the forehead. Ugh.

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