Happy at the Hale Koa Luau in Oahu
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A Tacky Good Time at the Hale Koa Luau in Waikiki

On our last night in Oahu, we stumbled onto a luau at the Hale Koa Hotel. Though the authenticity of their Polynesian cultural experience is up for serious debate, Waikiki’s Luaus can be a cheesy good time if you’re willing to let your hair down a little.

We picked up some last minute tickets for the evening’s luau and set in for a fine night of over the top tourist tackiness and family fun.

A luau is a great way to sample traditional Hawaiian food, watch the hula girls and fire dancers and to enjoy a …

Palm Trees Swaying in the Breeze at Kailua Beach, Oahu
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Rockin the Road Trip! Beaches, Fun And Sun On Our Drive Around Oahu

We love the road trip. There’s something about being on the road that makes anything seem possible. With the sun on your face, and the wind rushing past, any turn can bring a new adventure.

We rented a Jeep, rolled the top down, tossed some sunscreen and swimsuits in the back, and set out to find adventure on a family drive around Oahu.

Oahu’s coastline has crystal clear water, beaches around every turn and a backdrop of lush volcanic slopes. We spent most of our drive staring out the window going “Oooh – ahhh… look at that!” The scenery alone, which ranged from aquamarine ocean to soaring cliffs to sleepy seaside towns like Waimanalo, made our road trip…

Micki and Charles on Motorbike in Thailand

One On One With A Barefoot Nomad: Why I Travel

People often ask me why I travel, and why it’s so important to me. It’s not about climbing the tallest mountain, or getting bragging rights by visiting dozens of countries. I love travel because of how it changes and enriches me. It makes me a better person.

I grew up in a little prairie town in the middle of Canada. Travel wasn’t part of my childhood, and I never truly thought it would be a reality for me. I saw travel as too expensive, too exotic and just too far outside of my experience.

I dreamed of traveling, but I set my dream aside for the more practical things. Buying a house. University and graduate school. Responsibility. The status quo. Security. A stable job.

Life wasn’t bad. But it just wasn’t… good. I was going through the motions, living someone else’s idea of what my life should be.

Something changed when I …

Tech We Like To Travel With
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Tech We Love To Travel With

In this day and age, anyone that travels seems to be defined by what they bring (or don’t bring) on their travels. As a result, this digital age has brought another term to the backpack scene: flashpacker. Flashpacking is simply backpacking with more technological toys. It also usually refers to travellers with a few extra dollars to spend while on the road. The term affluent is sometimes associated with it as well however in this day and age almost everyone has a few tech toys with them. As such I suppose you can call us flashpackers but in truth, I like to refer to us simply as travellers or even nomads since we tend to follow the seasons. Our little ones tell everyone we’re Barefoot Nomads and to be honest, it puts a smile on my face every time they say it.

When we first started seriously travelling back in ’02 one of the first places we stopped was Singapore. At the time Singapore was said to be miles ahead of the West in terms in technology. It usually took a few months for products to show up in Canada and the US that were already collecting dust on the shelves in this Asian country. As such, we had decided to pick up both a digital camera and a new laptop while we were there. Though we were far from pioneers at the time, a traveller with a decent laptop was still a rare sight.

These days, finding a serious traveller without a laptop is a rarity and digital cameras are cheap and plentiful. Some of the equipment the typical backpacker takes and uses could probably…

Fountains in front of the Petronas Towers, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia
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Travel Photo: Petronas Towers in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia

In the heart of Malaysia lies a metropolitan city redefining traditions and expectations. With its modern façade and quick way of life, Kuala Lumpur is a jewel of a city and one of the busiest and most metropolitan in all of South East Asia. With its close proximity to Singapore and world class airport, the city is thriving and its technological infrastructure is one of Asia’s most prized assets.

Kuala Lumpur is the capital city of Malaysia and is the most developed city in the country. With over 1.6 million residents it’s also a decent size.

The city is rife with energy and richness. Both in its food, culture and in its people. It also boasts gorgeous year round temperatures due to…

MK And The Little Man Hong Kong Harbor
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Meat Floss And The Vegetarian: My Unplanned Affair

I’ve been a vegetarian since I was about ten.

I love to get immersed in the countries I’m visiting. This means getting as far away from any English speaking folks or signs as I can.

As a vegetarian, this can be pretty tough. I break out my bad Mandarin (or Thai, or Cantonese) and ask for something with no meat. I almost always get pork or fish, because most people assume vegetarians just don’t eat red meat. Vegetarian is a concept that just doesn’t translate well.

After countless meals trying to order vegetarian food, I was getting frustrated. And hungry.

And then I found the …