Volume 30, No.8 – October 2012: Timbuktu, Tequila - The Travel ...

Vol. 30, No 8 October 2012 Magazine 

www.thetravelsociety.com 

Timbuktu 

Tequila 

Panama 

Kilimanjaro

Editor 

Helen Hewetson 

helen@thetravelsociety.com 

Contributors 

John and Doreen Berg 

Yvonne Harrison 

Heinz Jaeger 

Publisher 

Nigel D Raincock 

nigel@thetravtelsociety.com 

Administrator 

Debbie Philip 

debbie@thetravelsociety.com 

Graphic Design & Webmaster 

Annie S.W. Tung 

annie@thetravelsociety.com 

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October 2012 Vol. 30, No. 8 

2 www.thetravelsociety.com 

editor’s letter 

Hello again, 

Thank you to the many members who have 

written and called to chat, I’ve really appreciated 

your kind words of welcome as I start this 

new role. I realize that there have been some 

issues lately with the website (those renewal 

notices go out automatically! I promise!) so I 

want to apologize and thank you for being so 

patient as they’re fixed. 

Over the past couple of weeks I’ve learned 

that some things will have to change for me to 

take the business forward, and one of those 

is the computer system we use to power our 

website. For a little while at least, I expect there will be some hiccups. If you 

are experiencing any major problems, or if you have any questions, please 

email me directly: helen@thetravelsociety.com. If you’d prefer to call, you 

can reach me at the office at 1 877 926 2500 or 416 926 0111. If you have 

an after-hours emergency, give me a call on my mobile: 416 533 5259. If you 

have called or emailed and not received a response, please do try me again. 

I care very much that you get top customer service from me and from The 

Travel Society. 

In the meantime, I thought it might be helpful for you to know a little 

more about me and my background. I’ve always loved writing and editing, 

and travel has been a passion since I was a very young child living in 

England. We spent several summer holidays across the channel in France, 

where I learned to love hearing other languages, deciphering foreign menus 

and discovering new places. 

After moving to Canada, growing up and earning an unrelated degree, 

I eventually turned my passion for eating strange things and getting lost into 

a career. I’ve been very happily employed in the travel industry since 1999, 

doing things like creating travel brochures, researching travel trends, and 

writing stories for travel magazines. 

I’ve had some amazing adventures as far north as the North Shetland 

Islands, and as far south as the South Shetlands. I’ve been captivated by 

the scorched frenzy of India and snorkelled the calm blue waters of Belize. 

I’ve wandered through an olive grove in Greece, and been swimming with 

penguins in Galapagos. My thirst for discovering new places and learning 

new things is insatiable, and the more I learn and the more I read, the longer 

my list of places to go becomes. 

The next couple of months will surely be a challenge, because although 

I’ve been in the industry a long time, I’m brand new to The Travel Society 

and fixes have been a little bit tricky, so I’m grateful for your understanding! If 

I can help answer any questions or help you book your travel, please get in 

touch. 

Kind regards,

contents 

Destinations 

Mysterious Timbuktu 4 

Tequila Has it All, Except a Beach 10 

An Engineering Marvel – The Panamá Canal 15 

News 

Volunteer Trips for Single Travellers 19 

The Canadian Transportation Agency 

Releases a New Tariff Repository to 

Help Air Travellers Make Informed Choices 

BikeHike Adventures Debunks Five 

Kilimanjaro Myths 

Travel Digest 22 

Airline News 25 

October 2012 

20 

21 

4 

Intricate door in Timbuktu 

10 15 

3

I 

had always wanted to visit the mysterious Timbuktu, 

as the word alone signifies going to the ends of the 

earth. But do you know where that is? I knew 

getting there would be an adventure but it proved to 

be more of a challenge than I had anticipated. I should 

have known better. In 1824 the National Geographic 

Society of Paris offered 10,000 francs to anyone who 

could return with an account of the fabled cit. Over 

the next 20 years, 34 men tried but it was not until 1853 

that Heinrich Barth returned and convinced others that 

Timbuktu had declined to a dusty desert town. 

Late in October, my husband Garry and I flew 

to Dakar, Senegal, where we met our Dragoman tour 

group of two leaders, Pat and Noel, plus 22 other brave 

souls, aged 25 – 65, to set out on a five-week overland 

journey. On Tonka our truck, we had all we needed to 

live: tents on the roof, tables, stoves, camp chairs, dishes 


Mysterious Timbuktu 

story and photos by Yvonne Harrison 

Timbuktu mud mosque 

and food bins stored in custom-made compartments 

along the side. Usually we stopped at a campground, 

but periodically had to bush camp when we found 

ourselves in complete wilderness. We always hoped it 

would not be bush camping for two consecutive nights 

as that meant no showers for two nights! 

Our trip was relatively uneventful until the Senegal/ 

Mali border where we had to visit four customs places 

– two on leaving the Senegal side - one for passport 

stamps and one for the truck papers – with the same 

process repeated on entering Mali. It took a few hours 

to locate these huts down side streets. Leaving the last 

passport check, we noticed trucks lined up for miles and 

wondered, “What was the problem?” We soon found 

out – there was a huge hole in the border bridge. The 

officials had decided that Tonka was small enough to 

cross, so across we went, fortunately, as it would have

taken five additional days to drive 

to the next bridge and return to our 

scheduled route. We inched along, 

the left side of Tonka almost touching 

the side of the bridge, mirrors turned 

in, with the wheels on the right side at 

the very edge of the seven-foot hole 

and all of us holding our breath and 

praying. To say it was a relief to be on 

the opposite side is an understatement. 

It was hard to imagine that Mali was 

once the centre of three great empires. 

Stark poverty is seen everywhere. 

Sludge fills city sewers in the capital, 

Bamako; subsistence farming is seen in 

the countryside. As we headed towards 

the wilderness leading to Timbuktu I 

was worried as Garry was not feeling 

well. When we bush camped that 

night and he did not eat I knew he was ill, as anyone who 

knows Garry knows he does like his food. The next 

morning he was not any better and we were faced with a 

difficult choice. Would we go ahead with the group and 

sail up the Niger for three days where no medical help 

would be possible, or stay with Noel and Pat our drivers 

and bump along miles of rutted road as they brought 

Tonka to meet the group? What a dilemma! 

Every village on the Niger had a mud mosque 


Every village on the Niger had a mud mosque 

The pinasse is a small, narrow motorized boat with a 

matted roof. It did have benches, so we decided to take 

the water route and start Garry on Cipro, a very strong 

antibiotic that we always carry with us on trips. Tents, 

food, jugs of drinking water and our day packs soon 

filled the small storage space we were allocated and we 

were ready to set off for Timbuktu. The group kindly 

gave Garry and me a front bench so he could lie down. 

This is where he spent the three days prone, 

weakly stumbling to the tent I pitched on 

the riverside banks in the evenings. 

The Niger was picturesque, dotted 

with many small villages consisting of 

small mud brick homes and always a mud 

mosque. We did not see any schools which 

was no surprise as the literacy rate of Mali 

is 24%. Children flocked to the water’s 

edge, waving at us as we passed by and 

clamouring around us if we docked, asking 

for bonbons or cadeaux. 

If you’re wondering about washroom 

arrangements on board, I’ll tell you. The 

‘washroom’ was, in fact, a small hole at the 

rear of the pinasse. It wasn’t easy to use. 

First was the challenge of getting there, as 

you had to walk to the back along a 10 inch 

plank which was attached to the side of the 

boat. Next you stepped down to the floor 

5

of the small cubicle and pulled down your pants. (By 

then I was always wishing I had a skirt). You finish your 

business, pull up your pants, climb back onto the narrow 

ledge, walk the length of the boat and thankfully step 

down onto your seat. I drank as little as possible on the 

trip as it was too much trouble to get to the bathroom. 

Now if anyone is wondering where the contents of the 

hole went you probably guessed correctly – straight 

down into the Niger River. The first day at lunch I 

saw one of our crew dip his mug into the river as we 

chugged along. When he swallowed that polluted water 

I decided to drink only the treated water from the jerry 

cans we had brought and to live on granola bars. I could 

not face using the dishes washed in that polluted water. 

One ‘sickie’ in the family was enough. Who would put 

up the tent if I succumbed too? 

The cook had a small kitchen area right in front of 

our deluxe bathroom and she prepared the meals cross 

legged in front of her charcoal stove. The food was 


passed up on plastic plates. It looked good but I was 

content to chew on my North American granola bars. 

The first night we stayed on huge sand dunes by a 

Bozo fishing village. I pitched the tent, helped Garry 

reach it, then walked to the village. It is hard to describe 

the absolute poverty most of the people endure. It is 

easy to believe that Mali is ranked the third poorest 

country in the world with a life expectancy of less than 

50. 

In the morning we were off for another full day of 

river transport, passing the sparse vegetation and hot 

barren villages. We did not see any other tourists but 

often met locals with heavily loaded pinasses. 

The highlight of our third day on the Niger was 

seeing Noel and Pat standing beside Tonka as we neared 

Korioume, the port a few miles from Timbuktu. I was 

so excited – was it because I knew there were doctors 

there or was it finally realizing my dream of reaching this 

remote settlement? 

Entering for tea


Children along the Niger 

Today this legendary outpost has none of the fabled 

opulence that it had in the past when it was an important 

commercial centre. It is now a town of sandy streets and 

mud-brick houses. Caravans periodically do come in 

laden with goods from the Sahara but not the thousands 

of camels as in the past. Garry’s memory of this place is 

resting in our hotel and finally being able to eat after six 

days of involuntary fasting. He was 

weak but on the road to recoveryclinic 

in case he picked up more 

germs there. 

We viewed three mud mosques 

and many mud homes on the brief 

city tour. The doors were very 

interesting as they were studded with 

silver and one round silver knocker. 

In the past, women were not allowed 

outside or even to be seen by others. 

When the husband came home he 

knocked with the silver circle hitting 

one of the studs. If anyone else came, 

they knocked on the wooden part of 

the door. That way the wife knew 

by the sound if she could answer 

the door, as she was only allowed to 

open it for her husband. Windows 

were constructed with shutters so the 

women could look out but no one 

from the street could see in. 

The highlight of the 

Timbuktu tour was a visit to a 

nomadic Tuareg encampment. 

Here we sat cross legged 

having tea in a tent, with three 

Tuaregs robed in vivid blue 

with the massive turbans of 

the same colour. The leader 

explained how he crosses the 

desert by the stars the way 

his father taught him. As he 

entertained us, telling about 

their nomadic lifestyle, his 

brother made tea for us. At 

first as I watched the elaborate 

ritual all I could think of 

was, “Did he really boil the 

water?” But I soon became 

mesmerized with the ritual. The tea leaves were put into 

a small glass then transferred into small teapot filled with 

hot water that was returned to sit atop the small charcoal 

burner. The tea was next poured from a height into the 

three glasses, creating a foam. This was repeated several 

times until our host was satisfied the brew was perfect. 

Then the three glasses were passed around for all seven 

of us to share. The next round, the ritual was repeated 

Tea with the Tuaregs 

7

ut sugar was added. The third round was the last and 

by this time I was not even thinking about the possible 

germs as I contently sipped from the communal glasses. 

Walking back through their courtyard, I purchased two 

camel-skin jewellery boxes with Tuareg designs etched 

on the lid as a souvenir of this memorable day. 

I had been disappointed when I was planning our 

trip to see we had such a short time in Timbuktu, but 

after spending two nights there we were ready to move 

on. We crossed the Niger River on a small ferry and 

then Tonka took us safely through the desert back to 

civilization. 

I waited until we were back in Canada to tell Garry 

of the red alert warning I had read from our government 

before leaving - “DO NOT to travel to Timbuktu due to 

the presence of armed groups and the threat of bandits 

and kidnapping.” But as we bounced across the Sahara 

I couldn’t have been happier. We had made it to the 

‘ends of the earth’ - Mysterious Timbuktu; we had not 

encountered any rebels and my husband was well on his 

way back to being that healthy man I had started the trip 

with. More adventures lay ahead - again more than I 

had anticipated - but that’s another story. 

The practical information … 

The Timbuktu trip was a section of a five-week trip 

called Nomadic West Africa organized by the British 

company Dragoman www.dragoman.com who have 

been offering overland travel for over 30 years. Our 


five-week section was only part of a 14-week trip from 

the tip of Morocco to Douala in Cameroon. Most 

in the group were doing it all, but we agreed five weeks 

was long enough! In Canada, Dragoman tours can 

be booked through Adventure Center www. 

adventurecenter.com 1 866 338 8735. Or call The 

Travel Society at 1 877 926 2500 and we will take 

care of your whole booking. It was a very rugged trip 

which involved having to shop in the markets, prepare 

meals and set up your tent. Most of our group had 

done many Dragoman trips and said this was one of the 

toughest. Yet two in our group were travelling for over 

a year, going on several of these extensive trips back to 

back. 

Entrance to Timbuktu 

Pinasse on the Niger

Tequila Has it All, 

Except a Beach 

W 

hen tourists in Mexico mention Tequila, 

numerous images spring to mind. Certainly, 

one thought that is often overlooked is to 

consider Tequila as a multifaceted tourist 

destination. The majority of tourists visiting Tequila 

simply tour a distillery and partake of its famous 

drink then immediately return to the Puerto Vallarta 

coastal area or to the Guadalajara region. Tequila 

and the surrounding countryside has much more to 

offer. The inquisitive tourist is able to plan excursions 

to visit exceptional museums, historical sites, natural 

springs, concentrical pyramids, spherical boulders and 

photographical landscapes as well as taste-testing tequila, 

and all at a reasonable price. What more could the 

intrepid tourist wish for? 

Each winter season, Doreen and I abandon the 

damp chilling British Columbia rains to enjoy the warm 

dazzling sun and clear sparkling waters of the Mexican 


story and photos by John and Doreen Berg 

Riviera, Nayarit. Basking on the beach with warm 

sands trickling between our toes, with pristine waters 

washing against the shore, and with frequent fitness 

hikes continue to be our Mexican activities. However, 

after a month or so we require an alternative to 

enjoying our beach paradise and our decadent lifestyle 

and must seek different destinations. Last season we 

visited Tequila and enjoyed the town’s ambiance so we 

decided to revisit Tequila and expand our travel plans 

to include excursions to two nearby archaeological sites: 

Los Guachimontones and Piedras Bola. The interior 

destinations seemed the ideal region for us to visit as we 

both enjoy exploring Mexican ruins and learning more 

about the regional history. 

An 8:30 a.m. start, saw us loading our one suitcase 

into the back of our rented Jeep Cherokee. We drove 

from Rincón de Guayabitos, stopping at Las Varas to 

enjoy a breakfast in our favorite restaurant, La Birra 

9

de Angelita. After hueves rancheros and a Mexican 

omelette washed down with numerous cups of coffee, 

we headed toward Compostela, where we switched to 

the toll road (cuota) and continued driving to Chapalilla 

and here changed back to the free road (libra). Along 

the roadside many small pottery stalls can be found. It’s 

a great place to pause to purchase pottery gift items. 

Our purchase was four different shaped and coloured 

coffee mug sets for family Christmas gifts! Nice when 

you luck out as the four kids loved the gift mugs! 

Continuing along Highway 15 the next major town 

encountered is Ahaucatlán. On this year’s trip we elected 

not to turn off to again visit the wonderful hot springs at 

Burranca de Oro. The springs are located deep in a 

narrow canyon with sturdy access walkways, adequate 

change rooms, and a variety of swimming pools. Located 

at the canyon’s rim is a restaurant and accommodations. 

Last year our group of four spent an enjoyable few hours 

swimming, exploring and consuming a poolside lunch. 

Barranca de Oro would be a convenient overnight stop. 

However, we elected to push on to Tequila. Attempt to 

find time to enjoy Barranca de Oro as it is a fascinating 

spot and will be a complete surprise. 

We returned to Highway 27 driving to Etzatlán 

junction where we turned north to Magdalena to join the 

toll road to Tequila. The secondary road is satisfactory 

but expect rough sections. If in no hurry, Highway 15 

is a scenic drive passing through farmlands and small 

villages. An alternate to consider is to drive back to 

Ahaucatlán and take the faster toll highway directly to 

Tequila. From the elevated Tequila approach highway 

you can enjoy sweeping views of the agave fields. The 

area was declared a World Heritage site in 2006! 

This trip we managed an earlier mid-afternoon arrival 

at Hotel La Rienda Mision Tequillan’s enclosed parking 

area. The hotel is centrally located in Tequila’s historic 

downtown area. Once checked in it was a short walk to 

visit the 17th Century Santiago Apostol Church and a 

few meters away is the Plaza de Arms, complete with a 

colourful bandstand. Located just off the square is the 

Sauza Family Grandparent’s Museum. The museum is 

certainly worth a visit! Here you’ll find personal artifacts 

that once belonged to the Sauze family, as well as displays 

depicting the traditional tequila-making process. After 

our museum visit we noticed tequila keg-shaped vehicles 

parked nearby. Couldn’t miss them! After inquiring 

we booked a distillery tour for the following morning. 



Next was a search for an evening meal. After checking 

out several restaurants we decided to dine at Cafe Rossy 

and later watch the social interactions in the plaza. A 

few night photos and it was back to the hotel to tuck in. 

Probably the most popular distillery tour is the José 

Cuervo Distillery as its within easy walking distance 

from the plaza. Having visited three distilleries over 

the seasons, José Cuervo, La Cofradia and Romo, 

we recommend the Romo Distillery Tour. The tour 

provided a visit to the original distillery area where 

we were able to view the old washing stands where 

once ladies chatted as they washed their clothing. Did 

these ancient wash stands evolve into our present day 

laundromats? Next stop was a visit to Distillery Reyes, 

an older equipped factory which only operates part of 

the year. After a brief tour and a few sample drinks we 

felt an obligation to purchase an almond tequila drink 

which, I’m sure, pleased everyone. 

Back on the Tequila bus to visit a blue-tinted agave 

field followed by a tour of the Romo Distillery. At the 

time of our visit the plant was in full operation enabling us 

to enjoy the sweet smell of cooked agave nectar wafting 

through the spotlessly clean distillery. I was surprised, 

for safety reasons, at how near the tour guide brought us 

to moving tractors and operational machinery. The keg



tour bus returned us to Plaza de Arms where a visit to an 

obsidian (volcanic rock) stall led to a home factory visit! 

As we chatted and admired the curved obsidian shapes 

the owner invited us to his home workshop to view how 

the beautiful obsidian pieces were made. A short taxi 

ride brought us to his abode. 

We entered the living quarters and passed through 

to the rear factory area. Not a large workshop where 

four or five workers were busy working at various 

machines cutting, shaping and polishing obsidian pieces. 

Out of all the designs the ever-popular heart shape was 

the favourite as it allows one to appreciate the beautiful 

colours of the rainbow obsidian and it sells well too! 

Doreen fell in love with a beautiful 20 -25 cm tall female 

statue of silver sheen obsidian. At the time, the price 

caused us to reconsider its purchase. However, in 

hindsight, Doreen wishes she had purchased the lovely 

lady. Over time the price would be forgotten but the 

statue’s beauty would continue to be 

enjoyed in our living room. Or this 

is what I’m being led to believe! The 

final event of the day was a dinner at 

El Palmolar Restaurant on the church 

square. 

The next day after a breakfast 

at the market we visited, Nunat, the 

National Museum of Tequila. The 

museum depicted the history of 

tequila making complete with tequila 

bottles from three generations of Sauza production. We 

returned to Hotel La Rienda to collect our baggage and 

check out. We retraced our drive back to Magdalena 

but before turning off to Etzatlán we browsed the local 

shops selling opal and obsidian handicrafts. I’m sure 

their beautiful store displays will tempt a purchase or 

two. 

From Etzatlán we drove Highway 27 to Teuchitlán 

watching for the turnoff to Los Guachimontones, the 

archaeological site of the round step pyramids. The site 

is easily located with highway signage to keep you on 

track and a paved road into the site’s parking lot. 

Los Guachimontones was discovered some fifty 

years ago, quite by accident. Apparently, Dr. Phil 

Weigand and a teacher Acelia Garcia stumbled upon 

some skilfully crafted obsidian objects in the town 

of Teuchitlán. Further investigation led the pair to 

present-day Los Guachimontones. The site continues 

to be excavated and present literature states there are 

10 pyramids and the main round step pyramid is named 

“La Iguana.” It is approximately 10 meters high and 

has a diameter of 29 meters. La Iguana is an impressive 

mass and quite different structurally as compared to the 

East Coast Mayan pyramids. 

We observed a tour guide and his student group 

performing ancient chants. Later we spoke with the 

tour guide and he informed us that each year previous 

to March 21st, people come to Los Guachimontones 

and for two days, dressed in white, they take part in 

indigenous rituals which includes native dances and 

concerts with pre-Hispanic music. 

Climbing a hill behind the main pyramid presented 

us with an excellent overview of the site with La Iguana 

in the foreground and Teuchitlán combined with Lake 

Presa de la Vega in the background. A great photo 

opportunity! Los Guachimontones is a splendid 

Los Guachimontones 

11

archaeological site to visit, and is especially important 

to the Jalisco region which only a few years ago was 

thought to contain few if any archaeological finds. 

At the day’s end was a return drive to Etzatlán 

where Hotel El Centenario, our hotel choice for the 

night, is centrally located. The hotel can be found 

just off the corner of the town’s main plaza. The hotel 

has great ambiance with an airy courtyard ringed with 

antique furniture plus our room was spacious and well 

appointed. The courtyard was a great spot to relax 

and enjoy a card game before our rumbling stomachs 

encouraged us to venture out for an evening dinner. 

Unfortunately, we found it difficult to locate a suitable 

restaurant. The one that was recommended turned 

out to be mainly for lunch or breakfast dining. Finally 

finding a restaurant, we consumed an “okay” meal and 

after watching dancers in the plaza and enjoying an icecream 

we returned to our hotel for a well-earned sleep. 

After our breakfast next day we visited the Oaxicar 

Museum with its recreations of shaft tombs, clay pottery 

and many more artifacts. Next on our agenda and our 

main goal for the day found us enroute on Highway 

27 driving toward Ahualulco de Mercado to find the 

protected area of Piedras Bola (round boulders). Just 

before Ahualulco we turned onto Highway 608 driving 

towards Ameca for 14 km. The highway climbs from 

the valley floor into the mountains. Just past the 14 km 

marker is a pullout area complete with a clearly illustrated 

park map. Well worth taking time to study the map to 


Etzatlan Museum 

obtain an understanding of the parks 

layout and the location of the round 

boulders. Unfortunately, we failed 

to notice the pullout and signage 

on our journey into the park. As a 

result we missed the park’s signature 

display of tall compacted soil mounds 

each supporting a single round stone 

ball. Apparently they’re located 

about 1.5 km from the amphitheatre 

and behind the main boulder find! 

The 5 km single lane dirt/gravel road 

was in good condition and while we 

navigated it slowly we encountered 

no difficulties or other vehicles. It 

would appear that the park was an 

ecotourism project that is either 

seasonal, or didn’t gain popularity, 

or monetary funds were withdrawn. 

We passed camping spots, hiking trails and zip lines in 

disrepair and without seeing a soul. The park seemed 

deserted. And what a shame as there appeared to be 

much potential for a variety of outdoor recreational 

activities. 

At the Piedras Bola site we found an amphitheatre 

with benches, an administrative building and numerous 

toilets with their doors flapping in the breeze. We 

followed a path past here and soon encountered the first 

of many round boulders. What an amazing sight! We 

wandered the area taking numerous photos, in complete 

awe of the huge perfectly formed spherical stones. 

Some approximately two meters in diameter, numerous 

smaller boulders scattered here and there and many 

partially buried with their round tops poking above the 

ground’s surface. 

Naturally questions sprinkled our discussions as we 

asked ourselves how were these many perfectly round 

boulders formed and how did they get here? As you can 

imagine there are many theories and legends to explain 

the phenomena. After much “intellectual” speculation 

our theory is that centuries ago gigantic giants occupied 

the park area and the Piedras Bola site was their outdoor 

bowling alley! Visit and research the site to formulate 

your own theory! Our return drive back to the main 

highway was quicker and more comfortable as local 

road conditions were now known to us. 

Once we rejoined the highway our focus was 

to return to our coastal hotel before night fall, for us

avoiding Mexican night driving is a cardinal safety rule. 

Since we knew the route it wasn’t long before we reached 

the Magdalena junction , switching to the pay highway 

brought us quickly to Compostela. The next driving 

segment found us arriving at Rincón de Guayabitos late 

afternoon. A brief visit to the shops to purchase dinner 

items and we soon found ourselves safe and sound in 

our bungalow preparing our evening meal. 

The three-day road trip exceeded our expectations. 

With a variety of Mexican towns, archaeological sites, 

informative museums and active tours we were exposed 

to a great host of experiences to recall and share. For 

us the trip was not only a learning experience but also 

provided an alternative to our beach life. One thing 

for sure- this was a journey to remember and one we 

encourage others to travel and to expand the time frame 

to include visits to other interesting nearby spots. 

Helpful Facts: Jalisco, Mexico 


Hotel 

Hotel La Rienda Mision Tequillan 

Abasolo #47 Centro 

www.tequillan.com.mx 

Phone: 374 742-3232 

Great location with secured parking. Rooms well 

appointed 450 pesos ($37.50) 

Restaurants 


Pietras Bola 

Real Marinera- Seafood Restaurant 

Juarez # 92 Atrás de Parriquia Cáfe 

Rossy and Pasteleria 

Two restaurants located beside each other on the square 

in front of the church. Great spot late evening for eating 

and people watching. 

Local Market -located beside church plaza 

*Many small restaurants 

* Great for breakfast 

Tours 

Tranvias Turisticos de Tequila -Look for tequila keg 

van 

Tour time - two hours approximately every 

30 minutes 

Mon - Fri 10:00 a.m. - 4:30 p.m. 

Sat. - Sun. 10:00 a.m.- 5:30 p.m. 

100 pesos ( $10 approx. ) 

www.vistandojalisco.com.mx 

Phone: 045-33-12-99 7536 

Museums 

• Sauza Family Museum 

• Vicente Albino Rojas #22 

• Central Plaza behind the bandstand - Features family 

memorabilia. 10 pesos ($1 approximately) 

• National Museum of Tequila 

• Ramón Corona # 34 - Well designed displays of 

photos and artifacts detailing the history of Tequila. 

Water Park 

Parque Acuatico La Toma 

• La Toma water park is an often a missed destination 

. Cascading natural spring water, swimming pools, 

panoramic views and much more. La Toma is 

located approximately two kilometres on the right 

hand side of the highway driving towards Magdalena. 

While we didn’t partake of the swimming it was 

enjoyable to visit and wander the walkways and take 

advantage of an opportune photo shoot. Take a few 

hours to kick back and enjoy La Toma water park. 

Barranca de Oro 

• Located a short drive from Ahaucatlán off Highway 

15.The canyon development is a man’s life time 

dream project and he has done a wonderful job 

13

of developing the location. There are a variety 

of swimming pools to enjoy and paths to follow 

providing an opportunity for the camera buffs to 

photograph the steep colourful canyon walls. Great 

spot to spend a day swimming and relaxing. 

Etzatlán 

Hotel 

Hotel El Centenario 

Escobedo 290, Etzatlán 500 pesos ($50) Rooms are 

well-appointed, secure parking , splendid courtyard 

Museum 

Oaxicar Archaeological Museum housed in the House 

of Culture has a collection of pre-Hispanic artefacts. A 

short walk from the main plaza 

Escobedo # 359 Centro, Monday to Saturday 10:00 

a.m. to 2:00 p.m Sunday 10:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m. 

Teuchitlán 

Hotel 

Hacienda El Carmen described in James and Sonia’s 

TTS September 2011 article is nearby. 

Museum 

Museum of Archaeology: Located in Teuchitlán’s 

cultural center. The museum exhibits artifacts, obsidian 

objects, and stone utensils. 

16 de Septiembre 10, Monday to Friday 9:00 a.m. to 

7:00 p.m. Saturday to Sunday 9:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m. 

Amatitán 

You will find the Inmaculada Concepción Church with 

a beautiful plaza and picturesque surrounding area 

approximately 11 kilometres from Tequila on Highway 

15. 

Other Road Trip Opportunities reported in 

TTS: 

1) “The Hidden Gems Close to P.V.” by James and 

Sonia Symes, vol. 29, No. 7, September 2011 

James and Sonia’s article stimulated us to share our 

similar driving adventure. An intriguing happening is 

that Sonia and I had connected soon after completing 


our respective road trips. Experiencing a “similar 

moment” I was unable to recall where or how we met, 

but somehow we compared our experiences. In fact 

I’ve Sonia’s first draft on my desk! Small world! 

2) “ The Mexican Riviera Beyond the Beautiful Beaches” 

by John and Doreen Berg, vol. 28, No. 9, November 

2010. Outlines an exploratory drive to a small interior 

silver town, San Sebastian. Provides driving directions, 

restaurant selections and a great hotel. Drive is on a 

very good paved highway! 

3) “Visiting the Sierra-Madre Silver Towns Beyond 

Puerto Vallarta” by John and Doreen Berg, Vol. 29, No. 

7, September 2011. The article re-traces our steps to San 

Sebastián del Oeste and Mascota, with the main focus to 

tell about our exploration of Talpa de Allende, another 

easy, but rewarding road trip from Puerto Vallarta. 

John and Doreen Berg

An Engineering Marvel 

– The Panamá Canal 


story and photos by Heinz Jaeger 

T 

he word Panamá usually evokes visions of the 

famous canal and, rightly so, the Panamá Canal 

is the country’s most distinct feature. It is without 

question a fantastic engineering accomplishment, a cross 

road of the world and a major source of income for the 

country. The 80 km long canal connects the Atlantic 

(via the Caribbean Sea) and the Pacific Ocean on the 

narrowest part of the American continent and thus 

provides a much shorter shipping route than around the 

southern tip of the continent. Curiously it runs almost 

exactly north-south, rather than east-west as one would 

expect. 

The centennial Bridge at the narrowest part of the canal 

15

The route of the canal was used soon after the 

discovery of the continent by Spanish conquistadors 

to move the gold and silver they had plundered from 

the Inca temples in Peru across the continent to a place 

from where it could be shipped across the Atlantic to 

Spain. By 1515 they had established settlements on both 

coasts connected by a path, called the Camino Royal, 

through the thick jungle and across the mountains on 

the continental divide. The southern port on the Pacific 

was known as Old Panamá, or Panamá Viejo, which by 

1670 had more than 10,000 inhabitants. The goods were 

shipped from Peru, unloaded at Panamá and the carried 

by foot and mule to the other side of the isthmus where 

they were reloaded onto ships for transfer to Spain. It is 

estimated that 60% of all gold and silver from the New 

World was transported along this route. Spain became 

very rich! 

Obviously Britain and Holland, the other competing 

colonial powers of that time, became very envious and 

tried to disrupt the flow of treasures from reaching their 

destination. They encouraged and even sanctioned 

attacks by pirates to attack the Spanish vessels. The 

most famous of these pirates was a Welsh native Henry 

Morgan, who in 1668 attacked the northern port, Fort 

San Lorenzo, and plundered its warehouses. Three 

years later he returned, marched through the jungle and 

attacked Old Panamá from the rear and burned it down, 

causing the loss of thousands of lives. However, he found 


Decorated balconies 

little gold, as the Spanish had stored it 

off shore on vessels hidden among the 

Perl Islands. 

A story is told that the church of St. 

Joseph in Old Panamá contained a 

golden altar. When Morgan attacked, 

the local priest, Father Juan, painted 

it black, and when he was confronted 

by Morgan about its whereabouts, he 

replied that the altar was stolen by 

pirates on a previous attack. He even 

asked Morgan for a donation. After 

he had handed him some money, 

Morgan is told to have said: “I don’t 

know why, but I think you are more 

of a pirate than I am!” The remaining 

inhabitants rebuilt the city on a new 

site 6 km to the west in an area called 

“Casco Viejo” or Old Helmet. 

We visited the ruins of Panamá Viejo and climbed 

the only still standing structure, the tower of the church, 

from where we had a good view over this area. Later we 

went to Casco Viejo, also called San Felipe, which is still 

a lively part of modern Panamá City. Here we strolled 

through the old lanes, admired the beautiful facades 

of some still standing Spanish buildings, and saw the 

famous altar in the rebuilt church of St Joseph. 

Panamá City with some 1.3 million inhabitants has 

all aspects and conveniences of a modern city: big hotels 

and shopping malls, and also some 180 skyscrapers 

as well as traffic jams. We drove through the city to 

the Miraflores Lock, the second lock when coming 

More skyscrapers than in Toronto

from the Pacific, where we had lunch in 

the observation tower. We were fascinated 

watching how three little locomotives on each 

side, called mules with 300 hp engines, kept 

the huge ocean freighters exactly centered 

in the lock chambers. There is less than 60 

cm free space on either side, and any contact 

with the lock wall must be avoided to prevent 

severe damage. 

The Camino Royal was still in use when 

eager prospectors used it to reach the gold 

fields of California 1848, rather than sail 

around Cape Horn. It took four days to 

reach the Pacific with mules to carry their 

supplies, and the trip was onerous due 

to the mosquitoes and poisonous snakes. 

This provided motivation to build a railway along the 

route, which went into service in 1855, with a first class 

ticket costing $25, the highest price in the world for 

a 1 hour train ride. It was the most profitable railway 

ever, but good times did not last long. In 1860 the 

first transcontinental railway in the US was completed, 

providing travelers with an even shorter route, and in 

1877 the Panama Railway Company was bankrupt. It 

was brought back to life during the canal’s construction, 

hauling material and workers, and it is still used today 

hauling containers from coast to coast. The containers 

are loaded on one side from the ship to the rail cars and 

transported across the isthmus onto waiting vessels on 

the other side. It takes longer but shipping companies 


Final dinner entertainment 

A huke tanker held in the center of the lock by the Mules 

can avoid the hefty canal transit fees. 

When building the canal was first started in 1882 by 

the French entrepreneur Count Ferdinand de Lesseps, 

who had just built the Suez Canal, it was supposed to be 

a sea level route without locks, similar to Suez. However, 

Lesseps had not counted on hard rock rather than 

Sahara sand, torrential rains causing frequent landslides, 

tropical humid heat and swarms of mosquitoes carrying 

malaria and yellow fever. The work progressed much 

slower than planned, costs rose continuously and after 

7years, when 22,000 workers had died but less than 10% 

of the excavation had been completed, the company 

went bankrupt. 

In 1901 President Roosevelt obtained 

congressional approval to build a 

Central American canal. But Panamá at 

that time was a province of Colombia, 

and Colombia refused to sell the land. 

Roosevelt was patient; in 1903 Panamanian 

freedom fighters succeeded in obtaining 

independence from Colombia, and the 

USA was given control over a 10 mile 

wide strip of land to build the canal. 

Roosevelt in 1905 appointed John Stevens, 

a railway engineer to take over the project. 

His first priority was to put into place a 

public health campaign to control the 

mosquito carried malaria and yellow fever 

which had killed so many Frenchmen. 

He then convinced Roosevelt of the need 

17

for a locks and storage lake model for the canal. The 

Chagres River would be dammed, creating Gatun Lake, 

at that time the largest man-made lake in the world. The 

stored water at an elevation of 26 meter above sea level 

would provide all the gravitational power needed to lift 

the ships up to the lake and then down again. This is 

an ingenious system, made possible by the abundant 

rainfall to replenish the reservoir. Eleven years later on 

August 15, 1914 the canal was officially opened and has 

operated in the envisioned way ever since. Transit time 

is about nine hours from ocean to ocean. 

The next day we drove to Colon on the Caribbean 

side of the canal, with its huge warehouses in the “Free 

Trade Zone”, and visited Gatun Lock. In the afternoon 

we took a boat ride on Lake Gatun with its many 

islands and bays. Monkeys live on some of the islands, 

depending on tourists for handouts. 

Starting on Gatun Lake with a small passenger 

boat, we partially transited the canal. We went through 

the Culebra Cut where the canal cuts through the 

continental divide, and then through the Miraflores 

and Pedro Miguel Locks and finally passed under the 

Centennial Bridge and the Bridge of the Americas 

before we reached the Pacific Ocean, where many large 

vessels were waiting to go through the canal. The boat 

tour ended on the causeway to the three islands in front 


The remaining church tower at Panama Viejo 

of Panama City, and from there we drove back to the 

Rainforest Resort. 

South-east of Panamá City and extending to the 

border of Colombia lies a huge area of largely unexplored 

rainforest. Even the Transamerica Highway, which goes 

from Alaska to the tip of Argentina, has not been able 

to cross this area due to its difficult terrain; the missing 

section is called the Darien Gap. A tribe of indigenous 

people, the Embera, are still living somewhere in this 

jungle. About 20 years ago a few members of this tribe 

fled the area because of terrorist activities and settled 

in a smaller rainforest west of Gamboa on the Chagres 

River. In the year 2,000 this forest was made into a nature 

reserve and the small group of natives could not longer 

cut trees and hunt. They now live from fishing and 

producing beautiful handicraft. We visited their village, 

which is supported by the government, and listened to 

stories of their lives. 

Our final two days were spent in the Playa Blanca 

Beach Resort on the Pacific, about 100 km west of 

Panamá City. From here we went on a brief excursion 

to the town of El Valle, located in the crater of an extinct 

volcano. Although it is a nice little town, where a number 

of expatriate retirees have built their home, it is quite 

isolated and has very limited supplies and services. 

On the way back to Paraná City via the Bridge of 

the Americas we stopped briefly at the small market of 

the Kuna people, who live on the San Blas Islands in 

the Caribbean, but come here to sell their wares. They 

are famous for producing Molas, colorfully patterned 

pieces of clothing made by a reverse appliqué method, 

with stitches so small that they are virtually invisible. Our 

final dinner was served in the Miraflores Dining Room, 

followed by a dance performance by a local group. 

Note for prospective travellers 

This tour with 44 participants was organized and 

conducted by Caravan Tours of Chicago. (www. 

caravan.com). We stayed in three hotels: The Marriott 

Courtyard in Panamá City (011-507-301-0101), the 

Radisson Summit Resort near Gamboa (011-507-232- 

3700) and the Royalton Resort in Playa Blanca (011-507- 

908-3800). All hotels were very clean, comfortable and 

quiet. Or call The Travel Society at 1 877 926 2500 

and we will take care of your whole booking.

Volunteer Trips for 

Single Travellers 

Calling all singles! Or singles you know! Or singles in your family! Could a volunteer vacation be the perfect 

place to find a partner? Read on … these ideas sure sound better than a bar! 

Some of us choose to travel solo; some of us do it out of necessity. But what if you could almost 

guarantee that you will find likeminded and compassionate people on your next vacation? 

Volunteer vacations attract a particular type of person, and with volunteer companies reporting 

that over 60% of their clientele are solo travellers, the figures are stacked in a single person’s favour. 

GoVoluntouring.com has been called the “E-Harmony” of the volunteer vacation world, with an 

advanced filter system that helps users find their perfect volunteer vacation match. Here are a few 

volunteer vacations to consider if you are looking to find a soul mate, make a connection over a 

common cause, or simply find the best volunteer vacation match for you or someone you care about: 

Sail Away With Me 

There must be something in the water at Mercy Ships as over 150 of their volunteers have hooked up, 

with a few weddings being performed at sea too. Mercy Ships was founded in 1978 and is the world’s 

leading non-governmental, ship-based charity. Working with Mercy Ships, volunteers will be part of 

a mission to bring hope and healing to the world’s forgotten poor by delivering medical care and 

developmental programmes with integrity and compassion. For more information visit http://goo.gl/kEqFm 

Mating Rituals 

At the Ya’an Bifengxia Reserve panda base in China, volunteers with 

Earthwatch will monitor mother pandas and newborn cubs and even 

assist in the birthing process. Volunteers will prepare and deliver 

bamboo to the captive pandas, and help them maintain clean living 

quarters. Collectively, the volunteer’s responsibilities work towards the 

long-term goal of ‘reinforcing’ small and isolated populations of wild 

panda in the region. For more information: http://goo.gl/UKBoM 

Creative Companions 

Stay at an ancient Roman farm in Italy and help restore Byzantine frescos dating back to the 14th and 16th Photo: Earchwatch 

centuries. No 

pre-requisites needed, just a love of art (and maybe pasta!). The restoration workshops include a practical ‘hands on’ 

experience in the process of conservation and restoration of frescoes, canvas, wood, stone, decorative paintings and 

plaster in the rich cultural setting of the Puglia region. By learning and actively working, participants also contribute 

to the conservation of the art and historical heritage of the region. For more information: http://goo.gl/JC8NU 

About GoVoluntouring: www.govoluntouring.com 

Flight Centre’s responsible travel division, GoVoluntouring, is a leading online community for volunteers, overseas 

teachers, and learners abroad. Its unique search filters allow users to perform detailed and customizable searches 

from a huge database of projects and programmes in over 90 countries around the world. 


19

The Canadian Transportation Agency 

Releases a New Tariff Repository to 

Help Air Travellers Make Informed Choices 

On 11 September, the Canadian Transportation Agency 

released a tariff repository to help travellers familiarize 

themselves with air carriers’ terms and conditions of 

carriage. The repository provides a “one-window” direct 

access to major airlines’ websites where airline tariffs 

can be found, in turn, enabling passengers to read 

about their rights and responsibilities when travelling. 

Likewise, air carriers can use the repository to compare 

their tariff provisions with those of other carriers. The 

Tariff Repository can be accessed on the Agency’s 

website at http://www.otc-cta.gc.ca/eng/air-carriertariffs-posted-websites. 

A tariff is the contract between an air carrier and 

its passengers. It covers the passengers’ rights and 

obligations, as well as the air carrier’s rights and its 

responsibilities towards the passenger. Carriers must 

respect their tariff at all times. Carriers are also required 

by law to make their tariff available upon request, at 

their business offices, and on their web sites used for 

selling air transportation. 

The Agency enforces the application of tariffs 

and may hear complaints from passengers that a tariff 

provision is not being applied, or is unreasonable or 

unjust. Canadian tariff requirements are detailed in 

the Canada Transportation Act and the Air Transportation 

Regulations. “Tariffs are key provisions with respect to 

air passenger rights in Canada,” said Geoff Hare, Chair 

and CEO of the Canadian Transportation Agency. 

“Consumers have the right to access a carrier’s tariff, 

know what a carrier’s terms and conditions of carriage 

are and what a carrier’s obligations to them are when 

they travel by air.” 

The Agency offers a variety of tools and publications 

to ensure that passengers get easily accessible travel 

information. It created a Sample Tariff (www.otc-cta. 

gc.ca/sample-tariff) aimed at helping airlines use clear, 

understandable language in their contracts of carriage 

with passengers. Air travellers can also consult Fly Smart 

(www.otc-cta.gc.ca/eng/fly-smart) and Take Charge 

of Your Travel (www.otc-cta.gc.ca/eng/take-charge) 


for more travel information or view recent Agency 

decisions that clarify passenger rights and remedies 

by consulting the Agency news release (www.otccta.gc.ca/eng/agency-decisions-increase-rightsand-remedies-passengers-travelling-air-canadawestjet-and-air-trans). 

The Canadian Transportation Agency helps protect 

consumers by: 

• resolving disputes between members of the public 

and air carriers through facilitation, mediation or 

formal adjudication; 

• working with air carriers and members of the public 

to ensure that they are aware of their rights and 

obligations; 

• ensuring air carrier tariffs are compliant with 

Canadian legislation and regulations; and 

• working with the industry to remove obstacles 

to transportation to the mobility of persons with 

disabilities by resolving individual complaints and 

by developing codes of practice, standards and 

regulations for accessible transportation. 

For further information about the Agency’s services for 

air travellers, please visit: www.otc-cta.gc.ca/eng/airtravellers. 

The Canadian Transportation Agency is an 

independent administrative body of the Government of 

Canada. It performs two key functions within the federal 

transportation system: 

• As a quasi-judicial tribunal, the Agency, informally 

and through formal adjudication, resolves a range 

of commercial and consumer transportation-related 

disputes, including accessibility issues for persons 

with disabilities. It operates like a court when 

adjudicating disputes. 

• As an economic regulator, the Agency makes 

determinations and issues authorities, licenses and 

permits to transportation carriers under federal 

jurisdiction. 

General Public Enquiries: info@otc-cta.gc.ca or 1-888- 

222-2592 or TTY 1-800-669-5575

To offset the various prevailing misconceptions 

associated with climbing Mt. Kilimanjaro, BikeHike 

Adventures debunks five central myths surrounding the 

world famous African trek. 

“There exists a vast amount of counterfactual beliefs 

regarding Kilimanjaro treks,” says Trish Sare, owner of 

BikeHike Adventures. “For serious climbs such as Kili, 

it’s important that curious travellers receive accurate 

information to make an informed decision on whether to 

attempt the climb and how to go about it.” To provide 

safety, awareness, and encouragement, BikeHike 

Adventures releases this list of five debunked myths 

surrounding the Kilimanjaro climb: 

Myth 1: You’ll Need Oxygen 

In most cases, you will not need any bottled oxygen to 

climb Mt. Kilimanjaro. There is approximately 40% less 

oxygen per breath at an altitude of 12,000 ft (3,600 m) 

compared to sea level. An emphasis should be placed 

on the importance of properly acclimatizing, rather than 

merely offsetting thin air with bottled oxygen. Oxygen is 

carried on Kilimanjaro treks for emergency use only and 

is not used routinely. 

Myth 2: You Will Be Using Ropes, Harnesses 

and Ice Picks 

To summit the highest mountain in Africa, many people 

think they will need ice-climbing equipment such as 

ropes, harnesses and ice picks. With the exception of 

the western breach route, Kilimanjaro is not that kind of 

climb. In fact, it is more like a trek, with many stretches 

of low graded hills. 

Myth 3: The Fittest Person Has the Easiest 

Climb 

High altitude climbing is an oddity in that speed and 


Have you ever thought you’d like to conquer Mount Kilimanjaro, 

Africa’s highest mountain, only to dismiss the idea as fanciful 

due to your age, fitness level etc? Well … Vancouver-based 

BikeHike Adventures would like you to re-consider. Read on … 

BikeHike Adventures 

Debunks Five 

Kilimanjaro Myths 

fitness take a back seat to stamina and endurance. In 

most cases, it is the altitude that you are fighting, not 

your apparent lack of fitness. As a result, climbers in 

peak physical condition are often overconfident and fail 

to take the proper precautions while adjusting to the 

altitude. Successful climbers come in a wide variety of 

fitness levels, but are always wise enough to move slowly 

and let the mountain come to them. 

Myth 4: Older Climbers Have a Poor Success 

Rate 

Mature climbers are often deterred from summiting 

Kilimanjaro for fear of being too old. Contrary to popular 

belief, older people have a good success rate. Why? 

Firstly, they are wise enough to forgo the competitive 

pursuits of youth. Secondly, they often aren’t fit enough 

to commit the blunder of walking too fast. 

Myth 5: With Determination, You Will Reach the 

Summit 

Although the success rate is very high, it is difficult to 

tell which climbers will prevail. Successful climbers are 

the ones that take the proper precautions in preventing 

altitude sickness. This is just as much a mental game as 

it is physical. If it happens that you experience altitude 

sickness, it is best not to press on. Continuing your climb 

in poor health is not worth the potential complications. 

BikeHike Adventures offers Mt. Kilimanjaro treks on 

Tanzania - The Roof of Africa Kilimanjaro & the 

Serengeti. It is a 15-day multi-sport vacation featuring 

trekking, biking, hot air ballooning and a wildlife safari. 

Trip costs start at $4,999 USD (land only). BikeHike 

Adventures Inc., 200-1807 Maritime Mews, Vancouver, 

BC, V6H 3W7, Tel: 1 888 805 0061 

21

USA 

You may have noticed that the USA have recently started 

advertising on television and putting more money into 

the Canadian Market. As we are the number one source 

of visitors to the USA, it’s great that they have been 

paying attention to their tourism statistics. At a recent 

event in Toronto, media were given a taste of some of 

what the States has to offer experienced travellers these 

days: 

Buffalo 

• Apparently it’s not all cross-border shopping and 

chicken wings (although they do feature heavily). As 

it turns out, Buffalo have recently put a great deal 

of money into developing their historic Canalside 

district. This friendly, walkable area will host more 

than 400 events in the next year, and will soon be 

home to a new Marriott hotel. 

• Another example of Buffalo’s revitalization is 

the recently opened Larkin Square in the historic 

Hydraulics District. There you’ll find a gas station 

turned into a café, an Airstream trailer selling 

gourmet sandwiches, weekly live music – and loads 

of fun and funky places to sit. 

• Not to be missed is the rebirth of two of Buffalo’s 

most historic buildings. Fondly named the “Two 

Grande Dames” by locals, the Lafayette Hotel and 

the Statler hotel are great examples of mixed-use 

boutique hotels. Apart from lovely rooms, they’re 

also home to art galleries and restaurants. Buffalo 

will also see the long-awaited completion of Darwin 

Martin House Museum – Frank Lloyd Wright’s 

stunning Prairie-style complex remains open for 

tours during construction. For more information, 

head to www.visitbuffaloniagara.com 

North Carolina 

• This state has recently been making a name for itself 

as a culinary destination and has a couple of great 

events coming up in November. 

• TerraVita Food & Wine Event - Chapel Hill, Nov. 

2-3, 2012 

• The Chapel Hill area boasts a wide selection of 

traditional and innovative offerings. One great 


travel digest 

example of this is TerraVita. This festival accentuates 

the value of green practices and sustainability with 

tastings of biodynamic and organically grown wines 

and microbrews. You won’t want to miss dishes from 

North Carolina chefs dedicated to locally grown, 

organic products. The event includes an array of 

classes. www.terravitaevent.com 

• Highlands Culinary Weekend - Highlands, Nov. 

8-11, 2012 

• Raise a toast and a fork in this impressive resort 

village, where creative chefs reach new heights. 

The weekend festivities include a Sip & Stroll, 

tastings and dinners, cooking demonstrations and 

the King of the Mountain chef challenge. www. 

highlandsculinaryweekend.com 

• For more general information about North Carolina, 

check out www.visitnc.com 

Philadelphia 

• When you’re thinking of heading down to the 

states, don’t overlook Philadelphia. Here you’ll find 

loads of amazing dining, spectacular museums and 

some beautifully landscaped parks and areas of the 

downtown. 

• If you’re there before the end of November, be 

sure to check out the Philadelphia Museum of Art 

(PMA)’s Full Spectrum exhibit: Prints from the 

Brandywine Workshop displays the works of national 

and international artists. More than 50 works delve 

into themes of cultural identity, politics and social 

issues – to November 25 see philamuseum.org for 

more. 

• Another artistic pursuit while you’re in Philly can be 

found at the Barnes Foundation: the latest addition 

to the Ben Franklin Parkway, this extraordinary 

building allows the world’s largest collections of 

Impressionist, Post-Impressionist and early Modern 

paintings and African sculpture to be viewed as 

intended. To accomplish this, architects designed 

a building that duplicates Barnes’ original gallery 

layout, while adding classrooms and an interior 

garden space. The massive building also includes 

a changing exhibition gallery, conservation lab, 

auditorium, library, cafe and gift shop. Reservations 

are highly recommended.

• Go to barnesfoundation.org for details. 

• In the Works: Philly is getting even more exciting: 

plans are underway to transform an abandoned 

centuries-old elevated rail line into a so-called “Park 

in the Sky,” in the spirit of New York City’s High 

Line or Paris’ Promenade Planteé. Several grassroots 

organizations are working together to raise the money 

to rehabilitate the seven-acre Reading Viaduct in the 

hopes of converting the unused land into a green 

walkway. Read more at readingviaduct.org For 

more information about travel to Philadelphia, 

visitphilly.com 

CANADA 

• If you’re considering coming to, or travelling in, 

Ontario this October to enjoy the spectacular 

fall colours, check out the special packages on 

offer at a variety of resorts. They’re listed at 

www.resortsofontario.com 

• For the skiers amongst you who would like to 

stay in the east (or come to the east) it’s worth 

remembering that you can easily combine a 

vacation in a great city with your days on the 

slopes. There is a shuttle that can take you 

from the hotels in downtown Québec City and 

Sainte-Foy to the Mont-Sainte-Anne and Le 

Massif ski resorts. The shuttle runs on 15 & 

16 December and then continuously from 21 

December to 31 March 2013, for a total of 103 

days of service. www.toursvieuxquebec.com/ 

en/ 

• The friendly tourism folks from Alberta 

Tourism were in Toronto last month showing 

their latest ads (such inspiring photography 

of a beautiful province) and distributing their 

new brochures. They hosted the media at a 

reception in Toronto’s spacious Roots store as 

Alberta locations were also used in Roots latest 

clothing brochure. We were reminded of a 

great driving getaway through the Canadian 

Badlands, taking in the Dinosaur Trail, the Royal 

Tyrrell Museum, the scenic Drumheller Valley, 

a trip on the Bleriot Ferry and the 11 single-land 

bridges leading to the hamlet of Wayne and its 

historic Last Chance Saloon. For these ideas and 

so many more visit www.travelalberta.com 


• Enterprise-Rent-A-Car, North America’s 

largest rental car brand, is offering a special 

weekend discount rate starting from $9.99 per 

day. Enterprise renters can enjoy weekend rates 

of $9.99 per day ($13.99 in Quebec) on economy 

and compact cars when renting Friday through 

Monday at most Enterprise neighbourhood 

locations in Canada (that means that airport 

locations are not included). The rate includes 

100 free kilometres a day. Similar savings are 

available on larger vehicles, and unlimited 

mileage packages also are available at most 

locations. The programme runs from now to 15 

May 2013. 

• Let us now look far ahead. It’s still too early to tell 

whether a spring Polar Bear Photo Safari is in 

order for Churchill Wild’s Nanuk Polar Bear 

Lodge, but the recent discovery of a large 

number of new polar bear dens along the 

Hudson Bay coast by Manitoba Conservation 

officials make it a distinct possibility in the 

future. “At this point we do not have enough 

information on the number of dens, their 

locations and if there is any potential for a spring 

Mothers & Cubs Polar Bear Adventure,” 

said Rick Kemp, Director of Marketing and 

Communications at Churchill Wild. “But we do 

know that Nanuk Polar Bear Lodge is located in 

the heart of the newly discovered denning sites, 

and this bodes well for many exceptional polar 

bear encounters in the years ahead.” Nanuk 

Polar Bear Lodge is located 250 km southeast 

of Churchill, Manitoba, on the Hudson Bay 

coast near York Factory, and is currently home 

to Churchill Wild’s Mothers & Cubs summer 

polar bear adventure. According to Manitoba 

Conservation officials, the newly discovered 

polar bear dens are located in an area southeast 

of Wapusk National Park and east of the Nelson 

River, a region along the southern end of the 

polar bears’ range which is not as well-known 

as Churchill and other areas to the north. 

“Churchill Wild is dedicated to providing lifechanging 

polar bear experiences at our remote 

wilderness lodges,” said Kemp. “Nanuk Polar 

Bear Lodge is without a doubt poised to become 

a “must see” destination for discerning adventure 

travel enthusiasts.” Churchill Wild offers the 

only fly-in eco-lodge based on-the-ground polar 

bear tours in the world. Their season runs from 

23

EUROPE 

mid-July to mid-November with limited space 

available for adventure packages. They operate 

Seal River Heritage Lodge and Dymond Lake 

Eco-lodge on the west coast of Hudson Bay 

(north of Churchill), and Nanuk Polar Bear 

Lodge, which is located approximately 40 

kilometers east of York Factory on the southern 

tip of Wapusk National Park. Additional 

information and booking details may be found 

at www.ChurchillWild.com or by calling 204 

3775090. Also visit their very active Churchill 

Wild Facebook Page. 

• We were reminded of the richness of this continent 

when we received in our office the Europe on Track 

RailEurope brochure. Think of any country – from 

Ireland, Portugal and Spain in the west; Norway, 

Sweden and Finland in the north; Italy and Greece 

and even over to Turkey in the south and east – and 

there’s a train service. In between, there are the old 

favourites (France, Switzerland and so on) and also 

Slovenia, Croatia, Montenegro, Romania, Bulgaria 

and Macedonia. Think of a city amongst any of 

those … and chances are you can arrive by train. To 

plan your European travels, in any season, visit www. 

raileurope.ca or call 1 800 361 RAIL for a brochure. 

FRANCE 

• It’s no wonder that France is always on or near the 

top of the world’s most popular destinations. The 

videos shown at a recent media reception in Toronto 

had even seasoned travellers “ooh-ing” and “aahing” 

as a group of delegates from several regions in 


France gathered to remind us of their country’s great 

pleasures. They were representing Marseille (due 

to be a Cultural Capital of Europe in 2013 which 

will mean a wonderful choice of entertainment), 

Provence and the Cote d’Azur (exquisite!), Rhone 

Alps (exquisite!) and Midi-Pyrenees (exquisite!). So 

many ancient towns, sporting adventures, galleries 

and museums, historical sites, cliff-hanging villages, 

abbeys and churches, gardens and shops, rural and 

village accommodation and so on, and everywhere, 

of course, wonderful cuisine and wine. We were also 

reminded that all major cities and towns in France 

are linked by rail (see above). Paris to Lyon, for 

example, takes 2 hrs. 10 mins. at a cost starting at 

$68. Paris to Marseilles on the south coast takes 3 

hrs. 20 mins. from $87. It’s hard to choose just one 

region, but in the meantime you can enjoy browsing 

at www.rendezvousenfrance.com 

HONG KONG 

• “Foodie alert!” If you love good Chinese food, 

Hong Kong’s Wine & Dine Festival, due to take 

place from 1 – 4 November is sure to appeal In 

fact, this festival will extend throughout the Hong 

Kong Wine & Dine month of November with street 

carnivals, the Festival of Restaurants and wine-anddine 

promotions. The city’s top restaurants will 

share their finest offerings, while for those still in a 

party mood, the Lan Kwai Fong Carnival (17 – 18 

November) will bring together not only food and 

beer stalls but also arts and crafts, dancers and 

musicians and other live performers from around 

the world. And for visitors who miss those dates, a 

World of Food and Music festival will take place 24- 

25 November in popular, beach-side Stanley. For 

more information visit www.DiscoverHongKong. 

com/ca. Bon appétit! 

PORTUGAL 

• The Azores would make a lovely fall getaway, and 

there are special fares out of Toronto on offer from 

SATA (airline), Canada. Discover more at www. 

sata.pt.

Porter Airlines and South African Airways (SAA) 

have launched a new interline agreement that will 

open up connection opportunities for passengers 

travelling between Canada and West and Southern 

Africa through Porter’s Billy Bishop Toronto City 

Airport hub and SAA’s Johannesburg, South Africa 

hub, via Washington, DC (Dulles). The agreement 

took effect 17 September with tickets between the 

two airlines now available for purchase through 

South African Airways. SAA offers non-stop service 

from Washington, DC (Dulles) to Dakar, Senegal, 

with a continuation to Johannesburg, South Africa. 

From Johannesburg, travellers can choose from an 

array of popular business and leisure destinations 

served by SAA. www.flyporter.com and www. 

flysaa.com 

WestJet to give away one million WestJet dollars! WestJet 

has announced details of the million WestJet dollars 

giveaway, the airline’s first-ever reward programme 

contest for Canadians. The contest, which continues to 

7 October 2012, gives WestJet guests the opportunity to 

join the airline’s loyalty programme, WestJet Rewards 

(www.westjet.com/guest/en/rewards/index.shtml), 

and win their share of one million WestJet dollars. 

By visiting westjetgiveaway.com, you can enter to 

win one of five daily prizes of $5,000 WestJet dollars. 

Additional rewards are available via on-line games and 


airline news 

on-board ‘dollars’ randomly placed in seatback pockets. 

With WestJet Rewards (www.westjet.com/guest/en/ 

rewards/index.shtml), travellers earn WestJet dollars 

for every WestJet flight flown or vacation package 

taken. They dollars can be used on any date, to any of 

WestJet’s more than 80 destinations, with no blackout 

periods. They can even be used on seat sales. Members 

can redeem their WestJet dollars just like cash, using 

them as they earn them, starting with as little as $25 

WestJet dollars or save them up towards their dream 

vacation package. For more information, please visit 

westjet.com/rewards (www.westjet.com/guest/en/ 

rewards/index.shtml). 

Air Canada 

In 2013, Air Canada’s Top Tier program will be given a 

complete overhaul. With a new design and a new name, 

the Air Canada Altitude program will (apparently) be 

even more rewarding! There will be two new tiers, for 

a total of five: Altitude Prestige 25K, Altitude Elite 35K, 

Altitude Elite 50K, Altitude Elite 75K and Altitude Super 

Elite 100K. This new program will take effect on March 

1, 2013. If you’re wondering how this might affect you, 

check www.aircanada.com/Altitude 

In other news, the airline recently opened a new lounge 

at New York’s LaGuardia Airport. Located in the Central 

Terminal building this space will soon be even better 

than it is now (which is supposed to be quite grand!) 

We want to hear from you! Please share your 

trips & photos with other members. 

Send your ideas to helen@thetravelsociety.com 

25

Spectacular South Africa 

Call : 1 877 926 2500 

for the complete itinerary 

Please call 1 877 926 2500 

for current prices & 

departure dates. 

Your tour includes: 

- Return international airfare on British Airways 

- Accommodations throughout at 3 & 4 Star hotels 

- Safaris 

- Luxury a/c coach 

- Experienced SA Tourism-accredited tour guides 


~ tours for members and their friends. 

C 

NEW: 

A SMALL 

GROUP TOUR! 

ome with The Travel Society to a land of wonder … on a South 

African trip unlike any other. Designed especially for our members, 

this trip takes in all the highlights: Kruger National Park for 

game watching, the famous Garden Route, the beautiful wine region 

of Stellenbosch and the sights of incomparable Cape Town, including 

Cape Point, Chapman’s Peak Drive and Robben Island. But 

on our trip you will do far more. You will tour the Great scarpment of 

Eastern Transvaal –a place so beautiful writers run out of adjectives 

– where you will visit God’s Window, the Blyde River Canyon and 

historical towns like Pilgrims Rest. You’ll see Johannesburg and be 

escorted to Soweto for lunch in a Township house and jazz in a 

famous nightspot. You’ll enter the Kingdom of Swaziland to meet 

the people and enjoy more game watching. Zululand is also on the 

itinerary, with its historical sites and unique entertainment traditions. 

You’ll be driven through the Valley of a Thousand Hills to East London 

and you’ll visit the Addo Elephant National Park and traverse 

the Little Karoo Desert – flanked by great mountain ranges – to see 

the Cango Caves. You’ll travel in a luxury air-conditioned coach, 

you’ll stay in lovely properties ranging from good hotels to charming 

chalets, you’ll enjoy a wide variety of entertainment and you’ll enjoy 

South Africa’s delicious cuisine and wines and you’ll be escorted 

all the way by SA Tourism-accredited guides. Here at The Travel 

Society we know South Africa well … and we can’t imagine a more 

comprehensive,in-depth and fascinating tour of South Africa. 

- Special Travel Society experiences 

- Most meals; breakfast, light lunch and dinner 

- All transfers with full luggage service 

- All sightseeing fees (with no hidden extras) 

- ALL TAXES 

Please call The Travel Society 1 877 926 2500 x25 or 416 926 2500 x25 for the full details. 

147 Liberty Street Toronto Ontario Canada M6K 3G3 | Fax: 416 926 0222 | Email: brit@thetravelsociety.com 

All our tours are specially priced for Travel Society members and are only available at these prices through our office. 

www.thetravelsociety.com #1280649

South Africa 

The Shongololo Good Hope Tour 

Call : 1 877 926 2500 


Prices Include... 

- Return international airfare on British Airways 

- Canadian airfare (when necessary) 

- Pre-Day on the Shongololo included 

- On-board train accommodation throughout 

- Meals: breakfast and dinner included, lunch available 



ome with The Travel Society on a great adventure: the Shongololo 

Good Hope Adventure train trip … a wonderful tour of the high- 

C lights of South Africa in luxurious comfort. Johnnesburg, Pretoria, 

Kruger National Park, Durban, Swaziland, Bloemfontein, Port Elizabeth, 

Mossel Bay and Cape Town are all on the itinerary yet you only 

have to unpack once! And you’ll have a wide choice of exciting activities 

to enjoy. And most programmes are included when you travel with The 

Travel Society. So whether this is your first or fifth visit to South Africa, 

you can be sure of experiencing something new. And every night you will 

return to the comfort of your train. 

‘Nature & Wildlife’ experiences include safari trips, hikes, cave visits, 

whale watching and more. The ‘Culture & People’ excursions include 

tours of the country’s major cities as well as trips into Swaziland, Shakaland 

and Zululand. The ‘Highlights and Leisure’ component offers relaxing 

days on the train or the beach, enjoying the spectacular scenery in 

comfort… the perfect choice for those who love to travel but are not as 

mobile as they once were. And the ‘Special Activities’ are for the truly adventurous: 

caves, shark cage diving, balloon rides and helicopter flights 

over Cape Town and the Cape Peninsula. On these extraordinary train 

journeys you can choose to do as much or as little as you like. Contact 

us for the full itinerary and list of options and create the trip of a lifetime! 

NEW: 

A SMALL 

GROUP TOUR! 

Please call 1 877 926 2500 



- Luxury a/c Mercedes coaches for day trips 

- A choice of free land excursions 

- Experienced SA Tourism-accredited tour guides 

- Airport transfers with full-luggage services 

- ALL TAXES 




www.thetravelsociety.com #1280649 

27

Galapagos Islands Cruise & Ecuador 

Call : 1 877 926 2500 


T 

he Travel Society is proud to be able to offer its members an 

outstanding trip to some of the world’s most spectacular destinations. 

Who hasn’t dreamed of cruising to the Galapagos 

Islands and seeing wildlife as Darwin witnessed it? Think of the 

unique adventure you will enjoy, of the stories you will have to tell 

and the photographs you will take! You will spend a week aboard 

your first-class 20-passenger ship,taking daily shore excursions to 

a variety of the islands with experienced naturalists in groups of no 

more than 10 people per guide. You’ll also visit other destinations 

in Ecuador, and then you can choose to enjoy the exciting optional 

extensions: to Kapawi - a ecological lodge in the Amazon and/or a 

visit Machu Picchu in Peru. We’ll take care of all the travel details. 

All you have to do is enjoy! 

Prices Include... 

- Round-trip international air 

- All domestic air transportation 

- All accommodation 

- First class Galapagos small ship cruise 

- All meals as per the itinerary 



Small 

Ship 

Kapawi Ecolodge 

Please call 1 877 926 2500 



- Admissions to all sites 

- Expert Galapagos guides 

- Transfers & baggage handling 

- Islands Park Entrance Fee (US $100) 

- ALL TAXES 





T 

Combine Panama and Costa Rica 

for one great tour! 

Call : 1 877 926 2500 


hese two destinations have wide appeal: incredible flora and fauna, 

National Parks galore, beautiful beaches, lots of adventures, cities old 

and new, sound infrastructures and of course in the case of Panama, 

the famous Canal. These attractions lure many to visit and … who knows 

… you may decide to retire there, as quite a number of Canadians have 

done before you. 

But don’t let’s jump ahead. Let us tell you about our two-country tour. 

First we’ll take you to Panama City where there will be a tour of its historic 

sites followed by a tour of the Canal area including the Miraflores Locks 

and the Canal Authority’s Presentation Centre. Later you’ll visit the Gatun 

Lake and rainforest area with a naturalist guide. This lovely day includes a 

boat ride across the lake, which is in fact in the Canal … your chance to see 

the gigantic cargo ships transiting the water. The surrounding area is full 

of wildlife: monkeys, iguanas, sloths, crocodiles, osprey, kites, toucans and 

more. 

More adventures will follow on ensuing days: a dugout canoe trip up 

the Chagres River to an Embera indigenous village in the Chagres National 

Park where more wildlife awaits, along with a warm welcome from the 

villagers who will serve you lunch. 

Your Panama days will be completed with a flight to San Blas for a stay 

in an island lodge where you can be as active or relaxed as you wish. 

Next comes Costa Rica. You’ll be met in San Jose and transferred to 

a boutique hotel. The following days will be full of nature and adventure. In 

the company of a naturalist guide, you’ll be escorted through waterways to 

see endangered turtles, birds and literally hundreds of other species. You’ll 

see the famous Arenal Volcano in Arenal National Park where, if you wish, 

you may take an exciting rafting trip on the Toro River. More adventure 

awaits on a zip line adventure (again optional!) in the cloud forest of 

Monteverde before you transfer to the beautiful beaches of Manuel Antonio 

National Park. 

This small space cannot possibly describe all the animals and birds you 

will see, all the wonderful places you will stay, nor all the adventures and 

sights you will enjoy. Just give us a call and we’ll send you the full itinerary. 

Package includes: 

- All international & domestic air travel 

- Meals according to itinerary 

- Tours according to itinerary 

- All taxes 

- Private and/or shared transfers 



NEW: 

A SMALL 

GROUP TOUR! 

Please call 1 877 926 2500 



- Shared Transfers - San Jose to Tortuguero, Tortuguero to 

Guapiles, La Fortuna to Monteverde 

- Full Day City Tour 

- Embera Tour 

- El Valle 

- Gatun Lake & Boat Tour 





29

Y 

The Wines of Chile & Argentina 

COME SIP WINE WITH US IN 

CHILE AND ARGENTINA! 

ou are invited to join a small group of TTS members on a de luxe 

tour of Chile and Argentina. You’ll delight in many sightseeing highlights 

in both countries, you’ll relax and sip wine in some magnificent 

wineries and you’ll stay in some wonderful properties. 

Santiago will be your first stop. You’ll be taken onto Saint Christopher 

Hill for a spectacular panoramic view of the city and its surrounding 

mountains before embarking on a tour of historical downtown with its 

ancient buildings and fascinating museums. 

You’ll spend a full day touring to Pomaire and Isla Negra before heading 

west the following day to the Casablanca Valley for winery visits in 

this great wine-producing region. Valparaiso is next on the itinerary 

and there you’ll stay in the renowned and unique Hotel Casa Higueras 

… a 1920s hillside mansion that has been converted into a charming 

boutique hotel. 

You’ll enjoy free time in Valparaiso before returning to Santia go 

for your flight to Mendoza in Argentina. There Club Tapiz awaits you 

… a Renaissance-style villa surrounded by 22 acres of vineyards and 

views of the Andes. Club Tapiz is so special that it has been declared 

of important Historical and Architectural Heritage. It also has a winery, 

home not only to casks of sparkling and other wines, but also vats of 

virgin olive oil and some outstanding art. 

Your tour will continue visiting special places in the Andes mountain 

range with visits to Aconcagua and Mercedario with all its National 

Parks, spectacular scenery, many adventures, hot springs and many 

more wine tastings. 

Your flight from Mendoza will take you to Buenos Aires for the final 

days of your journey. In Buenos Aires your home for four nights will 

be the very luxurious Hotel Loi Suites in the elegant Recoleta area … 

a wonderful place to relax after the exciting days we have planned for 

you here. There will be a city tour covering all the historic highlights 

as well as museums, parks and more and then, of course, we haven’t 

forgotten TANGO! (with dinner). 

On your twelfth day you will be driven out of Buenos Aires on a fullday 

‘gaucho’ tour to Santa Susana Estancie where you will sample 

traditional Argentine country life. On this 1200 hectare estate you will 

see the agricultural and cattle breeding initiatives, enjoy cocktails and 

a typical Argentine barbecue accompanied, of course, by Argentine 

wine, all followed by a folkloric show and tango music. 

Your final day is free in Buenos Aires … a day when you may choose 

to revisit some places of interest seen on your tour, enjoy a walk in the 

Recoleta district with its magnificent houses and parks or do some lastminute 

shopping. 

Two wonderful countries, some great cities, spectacular mountains, 

a variety of landscapes, delightful wineries and some truly memorable 

hotels all add up to one fabulous tour. 

30 www.thetravelsociety.com 


Call : 1 877 926 2500 


Please call 1 877 926 2500 



Your tour costs include: 

NEW: 

A SMALL 

GROUP TOUR! 

- 14 Days/13 Night tour to Chile and Argentina 

- All International and Domestic flights including ALL taxes 

- (Flights are subject to confirmation) 

- 4- and 5-star hotel & winery accommodation including ALL taxes 

- All Transfers and baggage handling. 

- All tours as per itinerary with English speaking guide/driver 

- ALL entrance fees. 

- Daily breakfast and meals as per the itinerary. 





Call : 1 877 926 2500 




The Best Safari of East Africa 

~ Kenya and Tanzania 

C 

ome with The Travel Society to East Africa … the 

finest place in the world for safaris! 

Over 18 days, our private, small-group tour will take 

you to some of legendary safari lodges in Kenya and 

Tanzania: Sweet Waters, The Ark, Sarova Lion Hill, Mara 

Sopa and Ngorongoro Sopa. The animals you will see 

are no less legendary: lion, elephant, leopard, cheetah, 

rhino, wildebeest, giraffe, antelopes and gazelles. 

Each location has been chosen for its speciality, creating 

a trip of unforgettable memories: the climbing lions 

of Lake Manyara National Park, the views of Kilimanjaro 

and the elephant herds of Amboseli Serena, the white 

rhinos and Rothschild giraffe that are only found in Nakuru, 

the ‘Big Five’ of the Maasai Mara, the cheetah that 

favour Tarangire Park, the Tree Hotel in Aberdares National 

Park, the animal-filled endless plains of the Serengeti 

and the wildlife-in-microcosm in the spectacular 

Ngorongoro Crater. On this trip, every day will be a highlight! 

Our small-group trip includes international air fares, 

domestic air fares, accommodation and most meals as 

indicated on the itinerary, ‘meet and greet’ services and 

transfers, game viewing drives and more. There are a 

few optional extras such as a balloon safari, a visit to a 

Maasai Village or an excursion to Mfangano Island. 

And, while you’re in Africa and have made a long list of 

‘animals seen’, why not add on a 4-day trip to Rwanda 

to add ‘gorillas’ to your list? Yes, we can arrange all that 

for you too. You’ll travel from Nairobi direct to Kigali and 

then on to the Gorillas Mountain View Lodge for gorilla 

tracking, of course, and so much more: a visit to a Rwandese 

homestead, drives along the shores of beautiful 

Lake Kivu, boat trips and swimming. You’ll be taken care 

of from the minute you arrive and shown the highlights of 

these beautiful countries in the heart of Africa. 

TOUR ADD-ON 

4 DAY GORILLA TREK 

in Ruanda 

NEW: 

A SMALL 

GROUP TOUR! 

Please call 1 877 926 2500 




- Return international airfares on British 

Airways 

- All first class accommodation 

- All meals as indicated in the itinerary 

- All meet and greet services and transfers 

- Game viewing drives and parks entrance 

fees as indicated in the itinerary 

(No hidden charges) 

- Transportation in chauffeur-driven minivans 

with pop-open roof and Safari Land Rovers 

- Services of English-speaking driver-guides 

- Safety accessories in safari vehicles, 

including two-way long-range high 

frequency radio communication 

- ALL TAXES 





31

Costa Rica à la carte 

osta Rica is a friendly and safe destination, especially popu- 

C lar with nature lovers due to its abundant parks and wildlife. 

Come with The Travel Society on a unique programme that 

allows you to design your own itinerary, see what you want to 

see, and do it all at your own pace in your own rental car. What 

do we do? We provide a local representative who will provide 

you with all documents, maps and instructions as well as help or 

advice at any time during your tour, 24/7. Our Costa Rica experts 

will draw on their knowledge of over two dozen first class hotels, 

inns and resorts to fit your itinerary and, of course, we arrange 

your car rental. Choose to explore for 7, 10 or 14 nights, discuss 

where you’d like to go and we’ll do the rest. Land-only prices 

start at $590 dbl., for 7 nights with a standard car to $1,095 for 

14 nights with a 4-wheel-drive car. Go with your partner … go 

with a friend! It’s a great bargain. We also arrange low-cost charter 

or scheduled flights to complete your trip. 



Call : 1 877 926 2500 



Copper Canyon & Mexico City 

W 

e are offering a new 9-day tour to Mexico City and the 

Copper Canyon. The Copper Canyon is four times 

larger than the Grand Canyon, and you’ll enjoy a journey that is 

considered by many to be the world’s most exciting train trip, with 

its 8 tunnels, 39 bridges and uncountable spectacular views. You’ll 

meet the people, stay in unique accommodations and explore the 

present and the past in this astonishing region. 

Please call 1 877 926 2500 



Please call 1 877 926 2500 



- Return international airfares 

- Personally designed itinerary 

- Your choice of over 24 first class Hotels, Inns and Resorts 

- Choice of 2- or 4-wheel drive rental cars 

- A local representative providing all documents, maps and instructions 

- A local representative available 24/7 for help and advice 

- All meals as indicated in the itinerary 

- All meet and greet services 

- Services of English-speaking guides 

- ALL TAXES 

Call : 1 877 926 2500 



- All air transportation 

- Canadian domestic air 

- Bilingual guides 

- 8 nights’ first-class accommodation 

- All transfers, baggage handling & tips 

- Meals as per the itinerary 

- All train trips and tours as per the itinerary 

- ALL TAXES 


Single supplement 147 $799 Liberty (Sharing Street can be Toronto arranged.) Ontario Canada M6K 3G3 | Fax: 416 926 0222 | Email: brit@thetravelsociety.com 

Prices are subject All our to confirmation. tours are specially priced for Travel Society members and are only available at these prices through our office. 


China Yangtze Spectacular 

- Including Guilin 

Call : 1 877 926 2500 


I 

t is vast, fascinating and mysterious and it has beckoned 

travellers from the west for centuries. Mention it to avid travellers 

and they are sure to say, “Yes, I hope to visit China one 

day.” And what would they choose to experience? A cruise on 

the mighty Yangtze River (now in the process of changing 

forever); a look at the work-in-progress on the massive Three 

Gorges Dam; a walk on the ancient Great Wall; time in mysterious 

Guilin; views of charming villages, lush terraced hillsides and 

magnificent mountain peaks; visits to the great cities of Shanghai 

and Beijing; a trip to view one of the world’s greatest archaeological 

finds … the 6,000 Terra-Cotta warriors at Xi’an; scenes 

of palaces, pagodas, pavilions and pandas; tastes of Peking 

duck and Chinese banquets and so much more. So how do you 

choose? When you decide on The Travel Society’s tour there’s 

no need to choose because all these highlights are included. Yes, 

in these remarkable 18 days you’ll stay in Beijing; you’ll take a 

4-day first-class cruise on the Yangtze with many shore excursions; 

you’ll fly to see those centuries-old Terra-Cotta warriors in 

Xi’an; you’ll visit bustling Chongqing and see its pandas; stay in 

Hangzhou and travel into the hills covered with tea plantations; 

explore the exquisite gardens of Suzhou, and visit Nanjing and 

Wuzhen. And you’ll have time to explore spectacular Shanghai. 

Throughout the trip you’ll see magnificent architecture, you’ll be 

entertained at cultural events, you’ll join your hosts at a variety 

of banquets, you’ll have time to shop, and you’ll marvel at some 

of the most wonderful scenery on earth, all in the company of 

English-speaking guides. You’ll travel by plane, by luxury bus, 

cruise ship and river boat. Many of our members have told us it’s 

an experience of a lifetime … and all at an amazing price! 

Your tour includes: 

- Round-trip transpacific air fares on Japan Airlines or Air Canada 

- Canadian & Chinese domestic airfares 

- First-class hotel accommodation 

- First-class 4 days/3 nights Yangtze River cruise aboard a deluxe 

cruise ship 

- Daily sightseeing 



NEW: 

A SMALL 

GROUP TOUR! 

Please call 1 877 926 2500 



- All transfers 

- Three meals daily and 2 Western-style dinners 

- Special banquets in Hangzhou, Xi’an and Beijing 

- Evening cultural shows 

- English-speaking local guides 

- Free time in Beijing & Shanghai 

- ALL TAXES 





33

Volume 30, No.8 – October 2012: Timbuktu, Tequila - The Travel ...

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