Posts from Base Camp

Around the world – an update!

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(Kingston, Ontario, Canada)

I first announced my around-the-world trip in a November 2025 blog post. I had a flurry of activity after that, with this early January 2026 post explaining that I had decided to buy a round-the-world ticket. And then in a February 2026 post, I talked about some strategies for buying round-the-world tickets.

Northern Thai restaurant – Kitchener, Ontario

It seems that time has accelerated over the past few months, as that big trip is nearly here. Today’s post is about some more ways to prepare for such a long trip, once the flights, accommodation, and ground transportation have been sorted. These are enhancements or additions to some more general travel tips that you can find elsewhere on this blog.

Downtown Bolton, Ontario

Before doing anything else, research the typical weather at your destinations for the exact dates that you’ll be there. While freak weather can take anyone by surprise, it really pays to be prepared for what you are likely to encounter. Not only will you avoid having to buy new, weather-appropriate clothes at your destination, but you will also be able to travel more lightly. And there’s a related point that is just as important…

Newtonville, Ontario – it looks like a 1950s car dealer, but it’s actually an auction house!

There is no way you can travel with 6 weeks’ worth of clothes. You will need to do laundry more than once on your trip. So you will need to pack weather-appropriate clothes that can withstand repeated washing under unfamiliar conditions. And you will need to plan where and when you will be doing that laundry! Don’t assume that every community will have a laundromat. Most hotels will gladly do your laundry…but they may also charge $10 to wash a pair of socks. If there is no local laundry available when you need it, take a day off and visit a nearby town for that purpose. You’ll see a side of your destination that most outsiders never see.

Punkydoodles Corners, Ontario – yes, it’s a real place!

For a long trip, you will likely tire of seeing variations on the same theme over and over again. Make a point of mixing up what you’re seeing. Sure, see the Sistine Chapel when you’re in Rome. But take in a local sporting event or a concert too. On this trip, we were happy to discover that one of our favourite British bands is on a tour of Australia and New Zealand at the same time that we’re there! So we’ve got tickets to see them in an ornate old theatre. We never imagined that we’d see them live, let alone on the other side of the world. But there you go…serendipity is one of the best parts of travel.

My Golden Red Curry at Mango Thai and Pan-Asian Cuisine (Kingston, Ontario, Canada…on the shores of Lake Ontario!)

While you’re figuring out which concerts are on, expand your local research to find local culinary specialities. Nearly six weeks of eating out will wear thin much sooner than you think. But if you can find some special local cuisine, or an unexpected concentration of immigrants in a city, you can break up the monotony. You may not expect to find multiple options for Somalian cuisine in the Northwest Territories or Bosnian food in Arizona…but you will almost certainly be glad you did.

The green at Bobcaygeon Lawn Bowling Club (Bobcaygeon, Ontario, Canada)

Travelling for such a long time can be an insular experience. Give yourself a break and opt into some group activities rather than doing everything yourself. Most cities have reasonably-priced (or even pay-what-you-want) walking tours conducted by knowledgeable locals. Research that before you go. They’re a great tool for connecting with an unfamiliar place in a different way. And take the opportunity to get your guide’s insights on things like local restaurants, concerts…and even laundromats! They will almost certainly be happy to share their knowledge, especially if they are volunteers.

Mekong Noodles at Craft Food House (Cobourg, Ontario, Canada – also on the shores of Lake Ontario!)

Today’s photos are from various local adventures over the last two months. Stay tuned for the first destination on our world tour!

Posts from the road

In and around Woodstock, Ontario

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(Woodstock, Ontario, Canada)

In mid-July, I played in some major lawn bowling tournaments in Southwestern Ontario. This involved three full days of competition in Kitchener and another two full days in Woodstock. No time to be a tourist on those days! But, in between, we had a rest day where we could recharge and see a few things beyond the competition venues.

The Brickhouse Brewpub in Woodstock, Ontario

The Brickhouse in Woodstock is a very solid-looking structure. It was initially built as the central utility powerhouse for a hospital. While the facility closed in 1996, this building was saved and ultimately reopened as a craft brewery (Upper Thames Brewing Company) and restaurant. They have a startling number of beers on tap, and a fairly sizable menu as well.

Some rolls at Sushi Cove in Woodstock, Ontario

We also paid a (return) visit to the Sushi Cove restaurant. I’ve always enjoyed the Japanese and Korean offerings here, and this time I ventured a little further off the beaten path to try their House Special Udon Soup. In the photo below, there are a lot of udon noodles hidden under all the other stuff. They also supplied some fiery seasoning to spice it up!

The House Special Udon Soup (including shrimp tempura) at Sushi Cove in Woodstock, Ontario

Although I’ve played in Woodstock a number of times, I haven’t really had much time to explore the surrounding area. This time, however, I was prepared. I did some research and found an interesting destination near the rural village of Oxford Centre (see cover photo above). And it had a special connection to both my Swiss and Dutch roots!

The “Pioneer Rooms”, in the former Oxford Centre schoolhouse (Oxford Centre, Ontario)

Gunn’s Hill Artisan Cheese is a family-run operation making a range of excellent cheeses. Of course, given that the family is Dutch, they make some Dutch-style cheese. As gouda (“gow-da”, not “goo-da”) is one of my absolute favourite cheeses, I had to pick up some of their sheep’s milk gouda. But the day’s pièce de rĂ©sistance may be a bit of a surprise.

Gunn’s Hill Artisan Cheeses is located on an unsurfaced road not too far from Oxford Centre, Ontario

The cool twist to this story is that the cheesemakers studied cheesemaking in Switzerland! And my very favourite Swiss cheeses are the hard alpine cheeses that are basically impossible to find here. Often known generically as Alpkäse (“alp cheese”) or Bergkäse (“mountain cheese”), they are a highlight of every trip to Switzerland. My favourite is probably Berner Hobelkäse (“Bernese shaved cheese”), so named because you need a special device to “shave” thin slices.

We found ourselves on the Oxford County Cheese Trail

So, when I saw that this cheesemaker had a Swiss-alpine style hard cheese called Handeck, I had to try it. It was excellent…as it should be, given that it is aged for 24 months! As I won’t be in the Woodstock area again for a while, I’ve done some research about local suppliers. And it looks like I will be able to find it locally through the Limestone Organic Creamery. Who knew?

This friendly cow greeted us outside Gunn’s Hill Artisan Cheese

While we were able to sample a number of cheeses before buying, we weren’t there on a Saturday…so we couldn’t go on a proper tour. But we will definitely do that if we are ever in the Woodstock area on a Saturday.

Posts from Base Camp

Goodbye to a Kingston Institution

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(Kingston, Ontario, Canada)

It is ironic that this goodbye to a recently departed Kingston institution doesn’t actually contain a photo of that institution. But that is also in keeping with the rather sudden nature of its departure.

Hakka Himalaya, in downtown Kingston…specializing in momos!

Darbar was an “Indian” restaurant in Kingston that quickly became my favourite. I put “Indian” in quotes partly because India is a land of many cultures and cuisines. When Darbar opened more than three decades ago, “Indian” was probably also shorthand for the Indian Subcontinent (which includes neighbouring countries such as Pakistan and Bangladesh).

Soup with momos at Hakka Himalaya

Like many Kingstonians, I think my first “Indian” dining in Kingston was actually at Curry Village. But I kept coming back to Darbar, and in particular their Chicken Dhansak. This dish, of Persian origin, combined hot, sweet, and sour in perfect proportions. When I wanted to avoid garlic, I chose the vegetarian version instead – it used an appealing texturized vegetarian protein (TVP) that wasn’t marinated in garlic beforehand. And it was just as good. My wife had a similar affinity for their korma (chicken or TVP), which made “ordering Darbar” a frequent event.

A rich soup at Ori’s Kitchen in Kingston

I still have the Darbar phone number memorized. We ordered take-out from Darbar enough that they quickly began to recognize us on the phone…even double-checking that we were okay with some garlic in the marinated chicken when we didn’t go for the vegetarian Dhansak. And from what I have read from other Kingstonians over the past few months, we weren’t the only ones. They really remembered, and cared for, their customers.

I guess I like the soups with momos at Hakka Himalaya

Sadly, Darbar closed at the end of January. My understanding is that their rent was suddenly increased by around 60%. Unfortunately, ongoing redevelopment in that part of Kingston has pushed land prices way up, and I wouldn’t be surprised to see that block redeveloped as a high-rise.

Delicious Thai food at Chiang Mai in Kingston

We only learned of the upcoming closure with a couple of weeks to go. But the combination of my busy schedule and the overwhelming demand from other loyal Darbar customers meant that we couldn’t enjoy one final meal there. For now, I continue to hope that the rumours are true: Darbar may one day open again for take-out in a suburban location with lower rents. For now, though, it is life without Darbar.

Momos served a different way at Hakka Himalaya

So, if you have a favourite locally-owned and operated eatery “where everybody knows your name,” don’t hesitate to show your support for them. They may be facing financial pressures, as the restaurant business is notoriously challenging. Your support could help them through, and ensure that you will continue to receive the personal service that more corporate entities can rarely provide.

Ukrainian chocolates for dessert? Why not?

Today’s post is (mostly) illustrated with recent pictures from other local Asian restaurants where I have had good food and service. It’s not completely random – you could say that my experience with “Indian” food from Darbar was a gateway to trying other Asian food. And if Darbar should reopen in a new location one day, I will post about it here…with pictures!

Posts from the road

More Ontario food adventures

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(Smiths Falls, Burlington, Kitchener, and Windsor, Ontario, Canada)

This isn’t the post I planned to write, but it does follow well from my previous one about Caribbean cuisine in Pickering!

Today’s pictures are from four Ontario communities which I’ve already visited this summer in connection with lawn bowling tournaments. Most recently, I was in Windsor again for another event. I wrote about the World Marathon Ethiopian restaurant in a 2023 post, but didn’t have any photographs from it.

Inside the World Marathon Restaurant in Windsor

Well, I had a chance to go back in 2026, and here (finally) are some pictures…including the photo at the top of this post. Windsor‘s downtown is showing some evidence of trouble, but we still enjoyed our visit to World Marathon. I tried a single dish this time (Doro Wat), and enjoyed the taste, but I think I will return to getting a “sampler” of different dishes the next time.

Doro Wat on injera bread

My wife opted for a vegetarian sampler, served on rice instead of on injera bread. This is eaten with a knife and fork, rather than scooping the food in the injera with one’s hands. I prefer the earthiness of not using utensils, but the main thing is enjoying some different flavours.

Vegetarian platter on rice at World Marathon in Windsor

Revisiting past haunts is the theme of today’s post. On the way to Windsor, we once again stayed in the Kitchener area for a night so that the drive from Kingston wouldn’t be quite so long. Right next door was an Indian grocery store, where I found this most unusual bag of Lay’s chips. Yes, Lay’s is a brand we have here…but this one was made in India and was called “Chile LimĂłn”. I haven’t seen this flavour before, and I quite enjoyed it.

Spanish flavours from India in Kitchener, Ontario

About a month ago, I had a tournament in Burlington. It has a lot of good dining options, such as a Persian restaurant, so it sometimes can be hard to choose. This time, we went to another favourite: Thai Coconut. We have never been disappointed there: this time was no exception.

Savoury cuisine from Thai Coconut in Burlington, Ontario

Back in May, I had a tournament in Nepean. Yes, we have a favourite Thai restaurant there too! But this time, it was just a bit too early for dinner when the tournament ended. So, I drove partway home to Smiths Falls, and stopped in at yet another favourite: a restaurant called “My Place.”

The platter at My Place in Smiths Falls, Ontario

I normally shy away from meat-laden platters. But when one is in a Czech restaurant, it’s hard to avoid. And so I went for the platter (I won’t use the full name) featuring a schnitzel, smoked sausage, and chicken in a red pepper sauce. Plus enough whipped potatoes and sauerkraut to conclusively terminate any hunger. It took a while to finish, and I didn’t need breakfast the next day.

Partway through the platter at My Place

While the big around-the-world trip is getting closer and closer, I still have some more local content to share in the interim. Watch this space!

Posts from the road

Fun Food in…Pickering!

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(Pickering, Ontario, Canada)

Located just east of Toronto, Pickering is essentially a suburban community. While I’ve spent a lot of time there for sports, I won’t pretend that it is a major tourist destination. But good food can be found in the unlikeliest of places.

The summer “cabana” outside Mr. Delicious by the Beach

In a strip mall close to the lake, we found a Caribbean restaurant called Mr. Delicious by the Beach. I’ve had some uneven Jamaican food in the past, but I was very happy with what was on offer here. I went for the jerk chicken, and was happy with the balanced flavour and spice level. Yes, it was rather hot, but not at the expense of taste.

Inside Mr. Delicious by the Beach

The opening salad was a nice touch too. I’m not a huge mango fan, but the fruity salad worked for me anyway. And they had a nice selection of beverages too, ranging from mocktails to Red Stripe and (perfect for spicy food) Dragon Stout.

I can’t tell you about the desserts, because we had enough food already. But the Caribbean cuisine was the absolutely correct food choice after an afternoon of practice on a hot, sunny green. In fact, after the next day’s competition (also in the sun), we decided to go to Mr. Delicious by the Beach again!

Jerk chicken (front)

The second time, I went for the jerk shrimp. Once again, I was very happy with it. Two nights in a row at the same restaurant is not something we do often, but it also is not unheard of. I still remember Xalali in Heraklion fondly!

Jerk shrimp

The last day of competition was plagued by rain, and we weren’t really that hungry when the games ended. We wouldn’t be eating at the same place for a third straight night. But we now have another dining option in Pickering…a place we find ourselves in quite regularly!

Looking east, between Brighton and Trenton

On the drive home, the weather cleared and we saw a rare double rainbow between Brighton and Trenton. I managed to get pictures of both ends too (see photo at the very top of this post). Next up…something that I planned to write about quite a while ago!

Posts from the road

Tips for first-time visitors to Greece

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(Kingston, Ontario, Canada)

That title might be pushing it a bit. We only visited Athens briefly, and then spent the rest of our trip on Crete. I cannot say if our experience on Crete would be similar to experiences in other parts of Greece. But here are some simple tips anyway!

You don’t need to worry too much about not speaking Greek. You will survive. Most signs were in both Greek and English. And basically everyone we encountered in the tourism sector spoke excellent English. However, we persisted with using a few simple Greek phrases…and I think it was very much appreciated. Learning a few words of another language is fun in its own right, but I think it also is a respectful approach to travel.

Take the time of day seriously! While the sun and heat wasn’t bad in early March, it can easily become oppressive in the warmest months of the year. Avoid the worst heat, and also the worst crowds, by visiting major sites (the Acropolis, the Palace of Knossos) first thing in the morning or in the late afternoon.

Another tip: embrace the mezes/mezedes, the Greek version of tapas! We had a lot of fun trying out multiple new dishes at our meals, instead of rolling the dice with just one. This is also a much better approach if you are vegetarian, as grilled meat makes frequent appearances on menus.

Speaking of food…go really local! Find out what the local specialities are, and give them a try! The locavore movement is strong here: we really enjoyed our meal at Peskesi in Heraklion, where everything on the menu was grown locally.

I’m sure you don’t need to be told this, but…please try to avoid restaurants that have pushy touts trying to drum up business. It’s not “authentic”…while we saw it in some touristy parts of Athens (just like we saw it in certain parts of Rome), we didn’t see it at all in Heraklion. If you find yourself in a neighbourhood where this regrettable practice dominates, do some research and find a different neighbourhood where local residents are more likely to eat.

We had only one sour experience over the entire trip. We arranged for a taxi to the Heraklion airport through a trusted contact, and were quoted a price (18 Euros) that we could stomach. However, upon arrival, the driver demanded 25 Euros. I refused, and gave him a 20 Euro note. I wanted my change, as I don’t tip con artists (and tipping isn’t really a common practice in Greece anyway). But he pretended not to have any, and took off. I relayed the story to our contact, who called the taxi company…and they apparently suspended the driver for a month. So, even though we took precautions, we still had a disappointing taxi experience (he also picked up another passenger before dropping us off). Be vigilant!

This, finally, marks the end of our Greek posts…and I managed to use some more previously unpublished photos from the Acropolis! Next up…something a lot closer to home!

Posts from Base Camp

Reflections on our trip to Greece

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(Kingston, Ontario, Canada)

Our trip was my first extended “vacation” in a long time. While I have done quite a bit of travelling, it recently has all been for skiing or lawn bowling. This was a chance to focus on the surroundings rather than a specific activity. And I’m happy to report that I really enjoyed this flashback to my old travel styles.

As you may recall from my first Greece post, I didn’t know what would unfold on this trip. I didn’t even know where we would end up spending our time. As a student, I think I would really have embraced this. But, not having unlimited vacation time, the lack of a plan was a bit more of a problem.

In fact, the first couple of days were a little stressful, as I raced to figure out how to convert our (previously-booked) Athens-Cyprus flight to another destination with a minimal risk of drone attacks. We had a shortlist, but until we had a new destination, we couldn’t do any real planning for the rest of the trip. And, at the same time, we also wanted to enjoy what Athens had to offer.

And while Athens does have a lot of flight options, not all of them are located in the same climate zone we had packed for. Nor are all of those destinations appropriate for the non-peak travel season of early March. Fortunately, we both agreed that Crete was the frontrunner, and we were ultimately able to change our Cyprus flights to Crete flights…for basically nothing.

Despite that good fortune, I still think it’s better to do at least some preparation in advance. I’d rather take my time to research destinations, from the comfort of home, than do the research in an airport departure lounge… or in a Greek hotel room. Yes, it worked out, but the first few days would have been somewhat more relaxed if I didn’t have as much “work” to do.

A major lesson on our Cretan trip was this: you can enjoy a vacation to a place that you never had any intention of visiting. There’s little risk of being disappointed by unrealistic expectations, because you really don’t have any. And, in my case, my prior lack of intent to visit Crete (or Greece generally) wasn’t because I held a negative image of it. It just wasn’t on my radar, because of geographic and climate factors.

In the long term, I think I will appreciate Crete more than some of my more highly-anticipated destinations. Our longer stay in Heraklion forced us to become locals, in a way. As a result, we saw more than just the bucket-list items that a shorter visit would have covered. And we were able to explore the local cuisine in much more detail. It even changed our diet back home in Canada!

My next post will be the last one on Greece. It will cover some travel tips for visiting Crete specifically and Greece generally. And, like this post, it will also feature more photographs from the Acropolis in Athens!

Posts from the road

Our last day in Greece

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(Spata, Attica, Greece)

March 14 was our last full day in Greece. As our flight from Heraklion to Athens didn’t leave until late afternoon, we had one final opportunity to experience the Cretan city that had been home for 8 days. We covered a lot of terrain, and worked up quite an appetite. We chose to go for lunch at a restaurant that had a menu similar to Xalali. Or so we thought…

The city walls of Heraklion, as seen from the ground

So, it turned out that there were actually two restaurants right beside each other. Once we were seated at “The Fifty” (see photo at the very top of this post), it occurred to us that we were in a trendier restaurant than anticipated. The menu seemed a little less “local” than I had hoped. But they offered moussaka as an appetizer, and we had not yet had any moussaka in Greece.

Moussaka “appetizer” at The Fifty

It may have been an “appetizer“, but we each struggled to finish it. Whether or not it was authentic, we both enjoyed it. As we only had appetizers and some bottled water, we weren’t expecting to get the usual free dessert and raki. But this is Crete, so we received a frankly spectacular free dessert, as you can see from the photo. And raki, of course.

Free dessert at The Fifty

The flight back to Athens was barely half an hour. As we had a flight in the morning, we stayed in the somewhat anonymous town of Spata (not Sparta) near the airport. Dinner options were few, so we ended up at a local pizzeria. But even here, we saw a stunning church…a final surprise from a country that we hadn’t really planned to visit.

Church of the Resurrection of Christ – Spata, Greece

And for an airport hotel, the Stone Palace Hotel certainly tried to create a classy facade (see photo below). We enjoyed the complimentary airport shuttle, and an above-average breakfast at the airport. Our direct flight to Montreal was uneventful, and we transferred smoothly to the train back to Kingston.

Our shuttle bus to the Athens airport

This is the last “on the road” post about Greece. But I have some bonus photos from our visit to the Acropolis, as well as some thoughts on the trip as a whole. Watch this space!

Posts from the road

A walk on the walls of Heraklion

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(Heraklion, Crete, Greece)

When your vacation time is coming to an end, you start to wonder if there are things you’ve somehow forgotten to do. And so it was that I realized I had (ahem) overlooked Heraklion’s imposing city walls.

Looking north, on the western part of Heraklion’s walls. The old city is (significantly) to the right.

The Venetians started to built the city walls in 1462. This was in response to the rise of the Ottoman Empire. But even when the Ottomans took over Heraklion in 1669, they left the fortifications in place.

Yes, vehicles can travel at least part way up to walls (at Martinengo Bastion)

As you can see from the photos, the city has long since outgrown the ancient walls. But the walls are now topped with a 3 km walking trail. which allows panoramic views of the both the old city and the newer parts outside of it.

Looking due north from the Martinengo Bastion…the oldest part of the city is straight ahead, near the water.

While it took me seven days to finally climb and then walk the walls, I think I was better able to appreciate it than if I had climbed them immediately upon arrival. My extensive exploration of Heraklion’s historic centre had given me a better sense of place. I contrast this with my visit to the city walls in Lucca, Italy: I walked those walls immediately upon arriving, and didn’t really know much about what I was seeing.

The tomb of Nikos Kazantzakis , atop Heraklion’s city walls (at the Martinengo Bastion)

There was also one special monument on top of the walls. The tomb of writer Nikos Kazantzakis, who I first encountered at the Historical Museum of Crete, is on the top of the Martinengo Bastion. On his tombstone are his own words: “I hope for nothing. I fear nothing. I am free.”

Looking south along the walls…some basketball going on at the blue basketball courts

After ending my walk at the northwest corner of the fortified city, I returned to my hotel through an unfamiliar neighbourhood. It was off the beaten path – no tourists, and also some abandoned buildings. We never felt unsafe in Crete, but this was probably the only part that I might be wary of at night.

This Heraklion building wasn’t doing so well.

Stay tuned for our last hours in Crete, and our return to the Greek mainland!

Posts from the road

Day Trip to Archanes

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(Archanes, Crete, Greece)

We decided to do one more day trip from Heraklion. But, having already visited the most obvious nearby destinations, where would we go?

Downtown Archanes

Chania might have appeared to be the obvious choice. It was in all the guidebooks, and many people consider it the most beautiful city in Crete. But it would also mean a round-trip total of 5 hours (or more) on buses. As we would soon be spending 10 hours on a plane, that wasn’t very appealing. We decided to pick a destination based solely on frequency of bus service and travel time. That was how we ended up buying tickets to Archanes.

Looking downhill as we pause during our ascent of Archanes

Archanes isn’t really a high profile destination. I hadn’t read anything about it during my last-minute research on Crete. But it was only 30 minutes by bus, and the buses ran every hour or so. We thought we’d check it out, hoping that we might see a typical small town in Crete. It also appeared to be in the mountains.

Near the top of Archanes, but still climbing…

Initial impressions: there are a lot of colourful houses. And the streets are steep. Very steep. However…there’s almost nobody here! It was almost spookily quiet. Heraklion is the bustling capital of Crete, and both Agios Nikolaos and Rethymno are well-known destinations on the water. But Archanes seemed to be slumbering, at least until high season arrived.

The setting of Archanes

After wandering the upper levels of the town, we returned to the attractive main square and picked a restaurant for lunch. We decided to continue with our new focus on mezes. But a couple of things may have gotten lost in the translation. We were expecting one of the dishes to be a saganaki-type fried/flaming cheese, but it was really just a spicy dip based on cheese (and likely garlic).

An old and tiny church in the centre of Archanes

Perhaps we were spoiled by our experiences at Xalali, but the mezes in Archanes didn’t enthrall us quite as much. Still, it was very cheap, even by Cretan standards. We might have been better served by going with something from the grill. But we weren’t really that hungry.

The main square in Archanes (several restaurants can be found here)

Archanes is nice to look at. It recently won an award for being the second best preserved traditional village in Europe. It might also be more suitable for a car-based vacation, as we discovered that many of the local sights (hiking trails, wineries, etc.) are a little outside of the town itself.

Our mezes in Archanes

Could there possibly be more on Crete? Yes, there is!

The Odyssey Continues…