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Explore Torngat Mountains National Park, Labrador

No Canada wish list would be complete without mentioning Torngat Mountains National Park on the northern tip of Labrador. One of the most remote parts of Canada, the park is only accessible from mid-July to late August, primarily on a package tour created by Parks Canada and the Torngat Mountains Base Camp. Don’t expect roads, signage, and camping outside of the base camp. Inuit elders from Nunatsiavut and Nunavik come together with visitors to bring you on adventures and tell stories about their homeland. You’ll hike in the spectacular mountain landscape, boat to the majestic Saglek Fjord, take helicopter charters above the jagged peaks, and fish for arctic char, then cook it the traditional way on hot stones. Polar bear, caribou, and seals are all common sightings. Thankfully, you’ll be hiking with a trained Inuit polar bear guard. 

 

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Holiday Stocking Stuffer No. 3, Real Food Fake Food, Now in Paperback

In 2012, Boston, a city that prides itself on its fresh seafood was rocked to its ocean-loving core when a two-part expose published by the Boston Globe revealed that a significant number of fish were mislabeled at area restaurants, grocery stores, and fish markets. Diners were served cheap Vietnamese catfish instead of the succulent and more expensive grouper, haddock instead of cod, tilapia in place of pricey red snapper. Indeed, 24 of the 26 red snapper samples tested were some other species of fish. The two reporters went on a fish collecting spree, sending samples of their findings to a laboratory in Canada for DNA testing. The outcome? A whopping 48 percent of the seafood was mislabeled. In his latest book, Real Food Fake Food, writer and friend Larry Olmsted delves much deeper, telling us that that most kobe beef sold at restaurants is indeed wagyu; extra virgin olive oil is rarely that, usually cut with soybean and peanut oil; grated parmesan is almost always fake; and that grass-fed beef was probably drugged and raised in a crowded feedlot. It’s no surprise this book already made many “notable books of the year” lists. For anyone who wants to start off 2018 on the right foot, grab a copy and then buy that olive oil from a trusted supplier Olmsted recommends, like Oliviers & Co. One taste of their olive oil and you’ll never go back to the fake stuff again. 

Have a Happy Thanksgiving! 

 
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Successful Writers Learn to Deal with Rejection

Every year for the past decade, I have been invited to speak at a magazine writing course at Emerson College on my life as a travel writer. One of my favorite props to bring to that class is a folder filled with at least 200 rejection letters that I pass around. I especially like the one rejection from Mad Magazine that simply checks off a box: “Didn’t tickle our funny bone.” When I first started as a freelance journalist back in the early 90s, you would send a query letter with a self-addressed stamp envelope. If the publication liked your idea, they would more than likely call you to do the assignment. If they didn’t like the pitch, they would send back a rejection letter. I’m not sure what masochistic strain of my personality persuaded me to collect these rejection letters, but I cherish them now. Many editors were encouraging, writing comments like “please send us other ideas.” One editor would simply write “Nope” on my pitch letters and send it back. 
 
The reason I’m reminded of this now is that the latest Man Booker prize winner, Marlon James, admitted in an interview that his first novel was rejected 78 times. 78 times!! We live in an age of helicopter parents and over-coddled college students, ones that are used to getting their way. That simply doesn’t happen in the writing world. You will face rejection often and even after getting the assignment, you could deal with a litany of problems, worst of all an editor who doesn’t know how to edit. If it’s your desire to be a writer, have patience, give yourself enough time to make dreams a reality, and persevere through the muck. Better yet, laugh off the rejection. The word “Nope” became a running gag between my wife and me for years. “Do you want to go food shopping?” “Nope.” “Time to shovel the driveway.” “Nope.” I love that Marlon James was rejected 78 times and I can’t wait to read his latest novel, “A Brief History of Seven Killings.” My record number of rejections is 38 for an assignment to write about the freighter cruise ship, Aranui, which still delivers food to the residents of the Marquesas Islands. More than 1500 published clips and some 90 countries later, I’m often asked what’s my favorite place in the world. The Marquesas Islands, I reply.
 
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How a Travel Advisor Helps With Hotel Bookings

In a story I wrote for The Boston Globe on "The Key to Getting a Better Hotel Room," I interviewed Jacob Tomsky, author of the best-selling Heads in Beds (Doubleday). Tomsky, 35, spent a decade in the hotel industry, seven of those years manning the front desk at an upscale midtown Manhattan hotel. I asked him is it better to book a room via a travel agent than to reserve through websites like Hotels.com or Priceline? His response: "From a business standpoint, people who book through third-party travel sites are looking for a discount. The likelihood that they’ll return to your hotel is close to nil. So discount reservations are our last priority. They’re the ones we put next to the elevator." It also doesn’t help that these online travel agents or OTAs are reaping exorbitant finder fees from lodgings, up to 25 percent of cost per room from independent properties, compared to the average 10 percent commission for travel agents.

Hotels respond most favorably to repeat business. If a property like Relais Christine in Paris knows I call them first when booking my clients in that city, they will respond by giving our client the best service and room. Also, a good travel agent knows to call the hotel 2 to 3 days before you arrive to speak to the general manager or director of sales and "VIP the client." It’s a business of people serving people. The more you can connect with the hotel, the better your stay. If this is your first time in Paris in 10 years and you only represent yourself, realize you don’t have the same leverage as 50 bookings a year at the same property. If you’re booking a 4 or 5-star property on your own, you’re also missing out on hotels sweetening the pot during your stay. ActiveTravels is aligned with the travel consortium, Virtuoso. When booking one of the upscale properties in that network, we can offer free upgrades, complimentary spa services and breakfasts. 
 
Then comes the research that goes into finding that dream hotel. Google "Italian villas" and you’ll see over 59 million results. Have fun with that research. That number will surely increase with the deluge of travel content. In fact, travel advisors have even coined a phrase for the client who spends far too much time researching on his computer, "analysis paralysis." The whole scene is reminiscent of the financial sector a decade ago when investors were enamored with the $10 E-trade. Why use a financial advisor when I can trade on my own? Well, because you don’t want to spend a good chunk of your life micromanaging your investments. Today’s travelers want someone with expertise to give their stamp of approval, having personally stayed in these lodgings or having known clientele who have stayed there. Thankfully, travel agents no longer sit behind their desks all day researching a trip from afar. They’re often on the road gaining valuable expertise by visiting those hotels. 
 
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Don’t Overlook Bern When Traveling to Switzerland

We adored our three days in Bern so much that I’m going to write a much larger story on Switzerland’s capital city for Everett Potter’s Travel Report. You can easily spend 3 to 4 days in Bern. We went inside the famous Medieval Clock Tower to see how it works, spent a day on an electronic bike in neighboring Emmental Valley, visited the apartment Albert Einstein lived when proving his Theory of Relativity, and checked out the sinuous building Renzo Piano built to house the works of local talent Paul Klee. Our favorite activity, however, was swimming in the Aare River. Every afternoon, we would walk down the hillside from our wonderful hotel, the Bellevue Palace, to a park where hundreds of people lined the river catching rays. Then we would head down a paved path upriver with a long line of folks who dragged their tubes, rafts, and dry bags. Pick a spot to jump in the cool water and off you go with the strong current. The hardest part is finding a place on the shores to stop and pull yourself out. 

 
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Malawi or Bust

Overshadowed by many of the other countries in sub-Saharan Africa, that sliver of land nestled between Mozambique, Zambia, and Tanzania called Malawi has seen a big surge in travelers this past year. They not only come for the wildlife-rich safari experience, far from the crowds of Maasai Mara, the Serengeti, and Kruger, but for the sublime post-safari beaches of Lake Malawi, the ninth largest lake in the world. Renowned African safari outfitters like Robin Pope are busy building new lodges such as Kuthengo Camp in Liwonde National Park. Likoma Island on Lake Malawi was just called one of the best beaches in the world by The Independent. "Stay at Kaya Mawa Resort, where each room was individually designed in partnership with a local workshop set up to empower single mothers, and the whole staff comes from neighboring villages," says the London newspaper. Lake of the Stars Festival is returning to the shores of Lake Malawi September 28-30, 2018 for its 15th anniversary. Book a room at the newly built Kabumba Hotel and listen to the sounds of Scotland’s Frightened Rabbit and Malawi’s Kim of Diamonds. If you need help with a Malawi route, guides, lodging, and flights, look no further than ActiveTravels. 
 
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Bikers and Farmers Unite at Farm to Fork Fondos

When former professional cyclist Tyler Wren wanted to create an event that combines his love of biking with farming and exquisite scenery, he was inspired by the Italian “fondos,” celebratory rides where locals and farmers bike first, feast afterwards. He pulled it off first the summer of 2016 in Vermont to great success. Every year since, the popularity of these rides has grown. This summer, Wren is offering a full slate of Farm to Fork Fondos, including stops in the Hudson River Valley, Vermont’s Champlain Islands, Finger Lakes, the Berkshires, Pennsylvania Dutch Country, Louisville, and Asheville. These one-day rambles are geared to the public, not professional bikers. Wren creates loops of 8-10, 25-35, 45-50, and 75-100 miles based on your abilities, with police presence to cut off road traffic. Simply choose your ride and get ready to stop at local farms along the way for a feast of fresh food. Most of the proceeds go to local charities. You can even sign up for dinners the night before where farmers talk about the satisfaction and challenges of their livelihood. But sign up soon because I expect these rides to sell out quickly. 

 

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