Image item
 

THE WEEKLY GOOSE

NO: 055|  03.02.2022
Good morning!
 
      Did you know? Canada is home to the world's third-largest Ukrainian population behind Ukraine itself and Russia. In 2016, there were an estimated 1,359,655 persons of full or partial Ukrainian origin residing in Canada, making them Canada's eleventh largest ethnic group! We truly hope this war comes to an end soon.
 
This week, we're headed down to Castle Mountain Resort in anticipation of some big powder days. In contrast, last week we went Skijoring for the first time in Turner Valley. If you haven't skied behind a horse yet, it's quite fun!
 
But without further ado, enjoy the 55th edition of The Weekly Goose, which features our latest video about a winter road trip to the Crowsnest Pass, the best wineries in Osoyoos, an interview with a Canadian adventurer and travel writer, and more!
 
Image item

TRAVEL GUIDES

Image item
SPONSOR SPOTLIGHT

Image item
 
Image item
Vancouver-based Robin Esrock is an international bestselling author, TV host, journalist and speaker. Robin has spent over a decade in search of the world's bucket list experiences, sharing his discoveries with millions in print, ​on television, online, and social media. After traveling to over 100 countries, he turned his attention to Canada for his first major book, The Great Canadian Bucket List. We know Robin personally and thought he would be such a great fit for our Vast and Varied interview series. Enjoy!
 
Your travel writing life got kickstarted after a motorcycle accident in Vancouver. Can you tell us more?
 
A car didn't see a stop sign and smashed into my scooter on my way to work. The bike was totalled, and I was lucky enough to hobble away with just a broken kneecap. It was the luckiest break of my life. I received a $20,000 insurance settlement about 6 months later, which wasn't millions, but life changing money doesn't need to have nearly as many zeroes as people think. The accident was a big wake-up call that we don't have nearly as much time as we think we do, and there's a lot we want to do before kicking the bucket. I took the $20K and set off on a 12-month, solo, backpacking adventure around the world, eventually visiting 24 countries on 5 continents. Writing about everything that happened to me during that one crazy year kicked off my career as a travel writer. Fifteen years and over one hundred countries later, I've never looked back.  
 
You have a great point of view for a Canadian because you're an immigrant from South Africa, you've travelled a large portion of the world, and you've also travelled a large portion of Canada. What do you think makes Canada special, both in terms of the country itself but also in terms of the travel opportunities.
 
Canadians, in my opinion, don't quite appreciate just how good they've got it, or just how remarkable this country is. I visited every province and territory multiple times in search of unique experiences you can't do anywhere else, and I was pretty stunned by what I discovered. Nature, adventure, unusual landmarks, quirky adventures, food, culture, history, there's enough to keep you busy for a very long time. The second edition of my book, The Great Canadian Bucket List, is practically bursting at the seams, and there's new experiences popping up every day for future editions. Canadians tend to look abroad for travel inspiration, but that, thankfully, is starting to change. Coming out of this pandemic, I believe Canadian tourism will boom to unprecedented levels, fuelled by both domestic and international travellers. We live in one of the world's most desirable democracies, and easily one of the planet's most beautiful countries. Immigrants know this instinctively, but Canadians have traditionally had a hard time believing it.
 
You've written about a lot of incredible adventures in Canada in your book The Great Canadian Bucket List. Which experiences stand out the most when you think back to your travels across Canada?
 
The Arctic is just tremendously underrated as a unique global ecosystem, offering so much in terms of landscape, wildlife and culture. I wish every Canadian could have the opportunity to experience the sheer scale, size and vast beauty of the north. I've driven across the country several times, and love watching the landscape change, morphing from mountains to prairie to boreal forest to stunning coastline. We're essentially 13 countries in one, but it takes a little time to pick up the differences in culture and landscape between the coasts. My Bucket List doesn't rate experiences, and travel is so personal anyway. That said, biking across PEI, heli-skiing, dog-sledding, training with the RCMP, hiking the West Coast Trail...there's a lot of highlights.
 
As someone who lives in Vancouver, what itinerary would you make for a friend visiting the city for the first time?
 
It's very easy to fall in love with Vancouver's natural assets. The city sells itself, especially if the sun is shining. I usually take people to stroll the Stanley Park Seawall, which clobbers them over the head. Mountains! Seaplanes! The Lions Gate Bridge! I might take them into the Lynn Valley Canyon or the UBC Endowment Lands for some coastal rainforest bathing, and then Spanish Banks for the views. It is an easy city to walk around, and different neighbourhoods like Commercial, Yaletown, and Main are really starting to exert their own distinctive personality.  
 
Lastly, how have you been getting through the pandemic? Any plans for 2022?
 
I started writing a new column for Canadian Geographic called Bucket Listed, giving virtual bucket list travel talks, updating my various bucket list blogs, and slowing down a little after a pretty fast pace all these years. I felt fortunate taking my kids to some of the local BC attractions I've always been meaning to get to (Horne Lake Caves, Port Renfrew, Courtenay) and to tick heli-fishing off the bucket list outside of Terrace. Things are definitely picking up for 2022. I've been working with Great Canadian Trails on their unique outdoor adventures, and will be a Canadian Geographic Travel Ambassador for some amazing bucket list adventures ahead. The pandemic whacked us pretty hard, but I'm reminded of my scooter accident, and how painful moments can lead to incredible opportunities beyond our wildest dreams.
 
BEAVER BITES

  • Whether you're looking to explore another country or coming back to Canada, fully vaccinated Canadians can now show proof of the cheaper rapid antigen test instead of the expensive PCR test to re-enter the country. 
     
  • Bell, Rogers, Telus, VidĂ©otron, and Shaw Communications have waived charges for long-distance calls and texts to loved ones in Ukraine.
     
  • Less pollution is always a good thing and the Canadian Council for Sustainable Aviation Fuels (C-SAF) are aiming to spur the development of Canadian-made sustainable jet fuel to reduce their overall carbon footprint, since aviation accounts for around 2% of all human-induced carbon emissions.
     
  • With air travel recovering from pandemic lows, Air Canada will restore service to 41 routes and add 12 new ones across North America this summer. Travel is back, baby!
     
  • In a sad turn of events, climate change forces Parks Canada to dismantle, remove historic mountain hut.

PHOTO OF THE WEEK

Image item

Until Next Time, Get Out and Explore! 

Facebook
Twitter
Instagram
Youtube
Pinterest
LinkedIn
Image item
© 2022 Must Do Canada All rights reserved