I took a road trip from Ontario through Manitoba, Saskatchewan, Alberta and British Columbia in the early summer of 2022 with my boyfriend and dog Zeus. We stopped at the famous Forks Market in Winnepeg where we enjoyed tacos and beer flights. We also enjoyed strolling through the capital city's Assiniboine Park, a beautiful green space with walking trails through stunning gardens right in the heart of the city. We drove straight through Saskatchewan to Calgary where we stayed for a couple nights. I highly recommend a visit to lake Louise when in Banff National Park, there are some high-end shopping options at the Fairmont Chateau if that's your thing. We had an "exotic fondue" dinner at The Grizzly House in Banff, you have to go here if you love trying exotic foods like alligator, ostrich, kangaroo and frog legs. In Whistler we took the Gondola from peak to peak, the views of the mountains and village were amazing. I highly recommend this experience, just be prepared for it to be significantly colder at the top. I also recommend a vodka tasting experience at the Ketel One Ice Room in the Whistler village, where you bundle up in authentic Canadian Goose parka's and taste vodkas at the perfect icy temperature. We camped in Jasper, Alberta on the way home and it was one of my best camping experiences ever, with literally no mosquitoes in June which is so bizarre to the average Ontarian. We saw an endless list of wildlife on this trip like Elk, Caribou, Grizzly bears, black bears, mountain goats, fox, coyotes, deer and oooooh so many prairie dogs. Our country is so beautiful you just have to go see more of it!

We drove from Ontario to Quebec City first, where we took a walk through the historic and charming cobblestones streets. I will say we ordered a poutine, and it was quite possibly the worst poutine we have ever had which was disappointing and surprising for Quebec where the dish originates from. We stopped at Grand Falls, New Brunswick which was a charming little town with a nice walking trail around the falls. We loved Saint John, I highly recommend checking out the Black Beach. I enjoyed a full bucket of fresh steaming seafood, yum! Another place to visit if you love seafood like me is Shediac, New Brunswick the lobster capital of Canada. Hopewell rocks is a beautiful provincial park with a hiking trail to see the famous flowerpot rock formations that are exposed at low tide. The tides are so intense in the Bay of Fundy, we even went Tidal Bore Rafting which was an exhilarating and unique experience bouncing over huge waves and even some fun mud sliding to bring out our inner child. PEI was our favorite destination on the trip, the island is small and charming and has in my opinion the most stunning beaches in Canada. Our first night we stayed at West Point Lighthouse Museum, the rooms were fantastic with our own door to walk out to the beach where they have campfires and sitting areas available. It was so neat to sleep in a lighthouse (that is apparently haunted). You have to see the picturesque red cliffs of Cavendish and hike out to see the sand dunes.

I backpacked solo from Croatia's capital city of Zagreb to the beautiful coastal city of Dubrovnik (AKA the Pearl of the Adriatic). The adventure took 10 days and I stayed in hostels and apartment style accommodations. I loved the small village of Skradin located on the Krka river. It is the gateway to Krka National Park where I witnessed the most breathtaking turquoise waters. The highlight of my trip was Plitvice Lakes National Park, a series of 16 terraced lakes that all connect via waterfalls. I was one of the first guests to arrive right at opening and I had the whole trail to myself. This UNESCO world heritage site is definitely a bucket list destination, it made me feel truly grateful for our planet. During my time in the seaside city of Split I enjoyed exploring ancient Roman sites like Diocletians Palace, The Temple of Jupiter and the Cathedral of St Domnius. I tried local cuisines such as prawn pizza and black cuttlefish ink risotto. I also dined at The Nautika in Dubrovnik, one of the world's top fine dining restaurants. I had the most stunning table for one on their exquisite seafront patio. I can't wait to return, I would love to explore the islands of Croatia next.

I spent three days solo in the stunning orange blossom scented city of Seville. It is where they grow the famous bitter oranges used to make the best marmalade. You can purchase the famous orange blossom perfume all over the city and it truly one of my favorite scents. The Royal Alcazar Cathedral was so stunning, from the inner courtyard to the gardens to the view from the top where you can see the whole city. It is one of the three UNESCO world heritage sites of Spain and is located right in the heart of the city. I took a horse carriage ride to the Plaza de Espana, there were locals selling handmade items and playing music. I purchased a white lace parasol that I just had to have without even thinking, it just barely fit in my backpack. I tried local cuisines such as bulls tail stew, seafood paella and chocolate marmalade mousse. I also attended an authentic Flamenco show, a unique experience that really emersed me into Spanish culture. I stayed at the Los Seises Sevilla, it was a fantastic stay with a rooftop pool and breathtaking views of the Cathedral of Sevilla. The location was perfect and right next to the city's main attractions.

I spent about a week backpacking Portugal from the southern Algarve region (Lagos) to the capital city of Lisbon. There were so many stunning beaches, a particular favorite was Praia do Camilo. You take a beautiful winding wood staircase down to the beach, there are many cool rock formations. I tried local cuisines such as tuna fish pizza (yum), blood sausage (yuck) and of course their famous custard tarts: Pasteis de Nata! Sooooooo yummy! In Lisbon I explored the famous Rossio Square and the Harborfront plaza of Praca do Comercio which was full of life. I really enjoyed walking through the city in the evening and I felt very safe. I stayed at the MeraPrime Gold hotel, my room was small but had a very modern luxury feel and design. The room service was great and the staff was very friendly. I flew TAP Air Portugal and the service was great.