Little Travel Co.

The Little Travel Consultant. Helping You Create Memories. Based in Whitby, Ontario, Canada. The Little Travel Consultant is affiliated with Nexion Canada, ULC 100-235 North Centre Rd, London, On N5X 4E7 HQ Phone 519-660-6966 TICO Reg# 1549342 kate@littletravel.co ~~~ www.littletravel.co

Sunday 17 June 2018

Smoked salmon and caviar for breakfast - yes please!


I was very fortunate to visit Russia in March,  St Petersburg and Moscow, as part of a group of Travel Professionals invited to 'experience' the country and what it has to offer to the foreign tourist. 

It was such a wonderful opportunity and a huge contrast from Thailand where I had been 2 weeks earlier.  

In St Petersburg we stayed at the Four Seasons,  a 19th century Palace which still retains the feeling of something very special.   The quality of the rooms, service, fabulous food and overall atmosphere was that of elegance.    

I had always wanted to go to Russia and for me it needed to be snowy,  I can't explain,  it's just what I think of when I think of Russia.    The night we arrived there was a blizzard with huge fluffy flakes of snow.   Late in the evening we walked to the Winter Palace and The Hermitage museum, the second largest museum in the world.  The snow made it so magical.  It was very quiet as the snow fell and the whole area in front of the Palace was untouched, it was so beautiful.  

It's a particular moment when you travel that will stay with you forever and make you grateful that you have the opportunity to experience something so wonderful.    


https://www.fourseasons.com/stpetersburg/ 



Saturday 2 June 2018

Thailand elephant volunteering


I adore elephants, so when I saw the opportunity to volunteer for 2 weeks in Thailand and live in a rural village I jumped at the chance.

It was one of the most amazing experiences I have ever had and I will never forget the fabulous group of volunteers and helpers that I was with for that time.

We stayed in a home stay an hour outside the city of Surin, 450 kms east of Bangkok.   These communities have kept and cared for elephants for generations, and are like a member of their family.

Twice a week we were able to walk with the elephants and their handler, their Mahout, down to the river to bath them.   They loved to cool off in the water and we were able to go in with them.  

We also helped out in the community, helping to build a toilet in one of the local schools, making ‘elephant poo paper’ to help with the expenses of the elephant upkeep,  and also painted many elephant graves at the local elephant temple.    We were then invited by the monks to attend a special ceremony that most outsiders don’t get the chance to do.  A very very special memory.

If you want to find out more about this project check out this link.   This is an organisation that cares and protects the elephants and doesn’t exploit them for tourist gains. 

https://www.wearebamboo.com/volunteer/thailand/elephants.php?register=register




The ceremony at the elephant temple