Some days opportunity comes creeping up behind you, taps you politely on the shoulder and makes a subtle suggestion or two about pleasant possibilities you might like to explore. More rarely, it barrels up right in front of you looks you in the eye and says “I’m fabulous and I’m yours, right now – grab me!” Such was the case for me quite recently when I was presented with the opportunity to go back to a country I visited very briefly last year – big, beautiful Canada.
Some of you will remember my posts from the ‘girls trip’ I took with my two daughters in January of last year. We began the adventure in Vancouver, British Columbia, when we picked up my youngest from her student exchange experience, spent a few days there and then headed south, across the border. I was struck by the vibrant food culture that I glimpsed while in Vancouver. This was evident from the popular food trucks that dot the streets and was really brought home to me when we spent a blissful day in the culinary heart of the city on Granville Island – in the markets and most particularly in a wonderful store called Edible Canada, which stocks only produce from Canadian artisan culinary producers.
Our stay was too short and I was unable to explore this wealth of food producers, but the gods have smiled on me and I have been given another chance. This Friday I’ll be on the red-eye to Sydney, connecting with a direct (how handy is that?!) Air Canada flight to Vancouver, as a guest of the Canadian Tourism Commission. I’ll be exploring as much as I can of the dynamic food culture of Vancouver Island, home to many artisan food producers, before heading over to Halifax on the east coast and gradually making my way back west – finishing up in at the huge North American travel bloggers conference TBEX, in Toronto.
A lot of Australians get to Vancouver, but fewer of us make it all the way east, so I’ll be exploring a part of Canada that not too many of us get to see. I’ll also be hunting out as many of the Canadian foodie secrets I can find and sharing them with you, my lovelies – hopefully showing you an aspect of Canada that you hadn’t considered before. We all know Canada is full of spectacular scenery, but it is also possessed of a dynamic food culture which has a very strong focus on food security and I can’t wait to show you all the things I’ll be uncovering. Not only that, but I get to mix it with some remarkable bloggers from all over the world and all over North America at TBEX the world’s largest gathering of travel bloggers, writers, and new media content creators – to be honest, I’m still pinching myself about all this!
I’m off to start packing now, but it will all be here in living colour so follow my adventures here and on my Facebook page which I’ll be updating regularly (just as soon as I get over the flight). I’ll also be sharing my experiences on my Twitter account – just look for the hashtag #ExploreCanada.
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Have a wonderful trip Amanda!! I can’t wait to read all about your adventures.
What a beautiful part of the world. It looks so serene and peaceful
Have a wonderful time sweetie- can hardly wait to hear all about it!
Have a great trip Amanda! hope you get the time to meet up with Helena from Super Kitchen Machine. Looking forward to reading what you get up to over there.
What a trip !!Enjoy being a guest in BC – I cannot thing of a better way to see Canada than in this dream role !
Amanda have a wonderful trip and I’ll be looking for your blog and tweets.
Geez, sounds like a tough gig! 😉
Following on fb. Enjoy.
Oh yes, just like Trudy said! I am so envious of this trip, I may just have to fold myself up into your suitcase and travel along from west to east 😉 Despite the envy, I’ll be here to welcome you with open arms. (I am boiling the maple water now, so it should be syrup by the time you arrive… )
That sounds so exciting. I have an Aussie friend who lives on Vancouver Island. She and her husband built a house there. How wonderful it must have been to see your daughter again. Looking forward to all your posts from the Isle of the maple leaf xx
You’ll have a great time. I’ve taken the Air Canada to Vancouver and then we drove across to the East and down to see my rellies in the states. It was a fab trip but nothing like going to a travel blog expo.
I look forward to all the news!
Amanda what great news this is, your life sounds so exciting. Have a great time and I look forward to reading all about it on here.
What an amazing opportunity. Enjoy every moment 🙂
Have a great time!
How lovely for you. I have been loving the tweets, and look forward to living my own holiday through your posts. x