Travel in your Backyard-Canada

When I want to go on a holiday I think how far away from Canada and how exotic of a place can I visit? While traveling abroad I talk to many people from around the world and they ask me about Canada. They speak about their experiences in Canada with such passion. They genuinely enjoyed the scenery, the people and the vastness of this land. I start to think to myself...wow I am lucky to live in such a wonderful place and it deserves more of my attention. Have I seen the midnight sun yet in the Arctic? The Northern Lights? The Grizzly Bear reserve near Prince Rupert? Haida Gwaii? The Polar Bears? The rolling hills of Saskatchewan?

I am grateful enough to have attended university on the East Coast of Canada in Nova Scotia. Many Canadians do not get a chance to visit the Maritimes which is unfortunate because there is tremendous beauty and history there. The people are incredibly friendly and hospitable. Each of the 4 Maritime provinces offer something different. New Brunswick is Canada's only officially bi-lingual province. It is located next to Quebec and the Bay of Fundy. The Bay of Fundy is world famous for its rapidly changing tides. Many people "ride the tidal bore" as an adventure expedition. Nova Scotia is home to the largest city in the Maritimes, Halifax. In Nova Scotia you can go to Cape Breton and drive along the Cabot Trail, go to the Annapolis valley and visit the vineyards or take a bike tour along the south shore to see Lunenburg, the home of the Blue Nose. Prince Edward Island, PEI, is know as the gentle isle. It is famous for its red dirt, Anne of Green Gables and its seafood! Finally, Newfoundland has a special energy to it. It has very harsh winters where it pours snow. While in the spring/summer months you can visit Gros Morne National Park to hike, see the icebergs, see the puffins and experience the Celtic inspired city of St. John's. Again the people are overwhelming friendly.

Next time you decide you want to travel, perhaps it should be in your own country!..Or just come to Canada

Staying Healthy While Travelling

The act of travelling is a stressor to the body even if the end destination is a private island in the South Pacific! We are forced out of our daily routine as we do not have all our usual personal creature comforts. Flying takes a hit on our physical body & mental state of mind. For some people emotions of anxiety or fear are present. This impacts our sympathetic nervous system, releases cortisol and wakes up our fight or flight response. The blood is then forced away from our digestive system and sent to our muscles. There is the addition of either plane food or no food at all, not enough fluids and lack of physical movement. Depending on the length of flight I recommend purchasing one or two large water bottles to consume during your flight. We tend to be unaware of how dehydrated we become while flying. I also recommend being prepared and taking healthy snacks packed from home. This prevents caving into buying the overpriced airport food.

If these tips are not enough to prevent the much dreaded temporary travel constipation then it is important to pack your own natural treatment. Personally, I take ginger tea, mint tea and licorice tea every time I travel. During travel days I am not eating as much roughage as I usually do and I find my system slows down as a result. If that doesn’t help then I seek out fresh papaya. However, I am aware that we are not always travelling to a destination that provides this. It is imperative to know your own body and what makes you feel best!

Flying also can affect our immune system’s integrity. We are in a confined area and sometimes there are others around us who are sick. In association with what I wrote above I believe our digestive system is a main contributor to our immune function. I always take probiotics, all the time, not just when I travel. Secondly, I bring with me Oscillococcinum. It is a homeopathic remedy that combats flu symptoms & quite effectively I might add. I also bring oil of oregano in case I feel a sore throat coming on. Echinacea, vitamin C and astragalus are other options for general immune system boosting. However, it is important to only take Echinacea when you have already experienced symptoms not as a general boost. Finally I like to bring my reshi mushroom tincture with me when I travel as it is a great immuno- modulator

I travel with a little herbal apothecary filled with my favourite remedies and it has kept me safe traveling through North America, Asia, India and South America!

Small Agency has Big Presence at Virtuoso Week 2013

Each year over 4,000 of the world’s best of the best luxury travel providers come together at the Bellagio in Las Vegas to update themselves on what’s new and the emerging travel trends. This is all in order to serve their clients better as Virtuoso is a network that highlights service. This year Renshaw Travel sent 9 advisors to the 25^th anniversary of Virtuoso Travel Week. By the end of the week the advisors would have been around the world in 400, 4 minute meetings in 4 days. This event connects the front line travel advisors to the sales and general managers of their hotels and resorts. It is this connectedness and the strength in these relationships that help us create memorable and personalized stays for our clients. Our clients are not just greeted by the general managers but they are greeted by our friends.

 In addition to the daily meetings there are 3 awards dinners. One is dedicated to a destination, one to hotels and resorts and one to the advisors recognizing excellence in their categories. Renshaw Travel’s very own David Lowy was nominated as most innovative travel advisor in the world by his peers! Below is a list of the award winners for best of the best hotels in 2013:

Hotel of the Year: Mandarin Oriental, Hong Kong

One to Watch: The St. Regis Saadiyat Island Resort, Abu Dhabi

Best Achievement in Design: Dorado Beach, a Ritz-Carlton Reserve

Best Culinary Experience: La Scene, Prince de Galles, a Luxury Collection Hotel

Best Bar: Armani/Bamboo Bar, Armani Hotel Milano

Best Family Experience: The Gleneagles Hotel

Best Spa: Spa Mukul, Mukul Beach, Golf & Spa

Most Innovative Guest Experience: Banjaar Tola

Sustainable Tourism Leadership-Hotel: The Savoy

Hotelier of the Year: Francois Delahaye, Hotel Plaza Athenee, Dorchester Collection

 

 

 

The Enchantment Resort & Mii Amo Spa - ARIZONA

Mii Amo Spa has been voted the best destination spa in North America, Mexico and Caribbean by Conde Naste for two years in a row, and it is easy to see why. Located in Sedona, Arizona the Enchantment Resort and Mii Amo Spa has a special transformative energy about it. In Sedona, there are 4 energy vortexes and one of them is located on property. The Resort is nestled handsomely into the red rocks and therefore outdoor activities are plentiful in the area. There are hiking trails accessed on the property, mountain biking trails located nearby, tennis courts, outdoor swimming pools, croquet, pitch & putt and even hula hooping. In addition to all these activities one can do on property, guests can take excursions to the Grand Canyon, the mining town of Jerome or learn about the history of Sedona with the famous Pink Jeep Tours.

The spa at Enchantment Resort is named Mii Amo which means “journey”. Mii Amo can be access by the Enchantment guests or guests can choose to immerse themselves in their own 3, 4 or 7 night journey to health and wellness. Because all guests of the destination spas have different goals for their visit such as

relaxation, wellness, healing or specific learning objectives this Sedona Spa getaway has created different journeys that individually address the guest’s specific goals. The Mii Amo journeys include accommodation in one of 16 casitas separate from the Enchantment Resort, breakfast, lunch and dinner and the Mii Amo Café, access to all the same activities as the Enchantment resort and 2 spa treatments daily. Mii Amo has a wide variety of spa services inspired by the natural setting and rich wisdom from the Native American traditions such as red rock massages, Watsu, Ayurvedic Consultations, Cranial-sacral treatments, Sedona clay wraps and much more! In addition to physical treatments, Mii Amo has many mindfulness focused treatments such as compassionate communication, releasing stress, past life regression and vision board creating. Mii Amo has a constantly changing menu of intriguing workshops and events to keep the guests feeling their best and living their happiest healthiest life!

Contact Jessica@renshawtravel.com for the details!

Kamalaya Wellness Sanctuary and Holistic Spa - THAILAND

Kamalaya Koh Samui is a multi award winning wellness Sanctuary and Holistic spa ideally located amid a tropical landscape on the southern coastline of Koh Samui, Thailand. With lush tropical vegetation, ancient boulders, cascading streams and 1.5 miles of idyllic private beach, Kamalaya’s natural setting is an integral part of each guest’s experience. Centered around a monk’s cave that once served Buddhist monks as a place of meditation and spiritual retreat, Kamalaya’s essence is expressed in its name, ‘lotus (kamal) Realm (alaya)’, an ancient symbol for the growth and unfolding of the human spirit. 

Kamalaya has a beautiful beachfront location, just 45 minutes from Koh Samui Airport, which has direct flights from Bangkok, Hong Kong, Singapore and Phuket, and more. Additionally, Bangkok Airways runs regular flights to Samui from Phuket, from which there are flights to many other international locations.

Kamalaya’s 59 rooms and villas are situated amidst ancient, granite boulders, streams and tropical vegetation with existing rocks and trees as defining elements for many of the structures, Asian textiles and carefully selected art pieces combine with modern amenities to create comfortable, serene and elegant interiors.

At Kamalaya, the cuisine is an integral component of the holistic wellness concept. The menus reflect 

Kamalaya’s philosophy of healthy living and the celebration of different cultures, featuring fresh and healthy dishes with enough sumptuous twist to satisfy the most discerning palates. Co-created by Karina Steward, 

 Kamalaya’s co founder and a doctor of Traditional Chinese Medicine, and the Kamalaya Chef, Kamalaya’s healthy cuisine is influenced by Karina’s wealth of knowledge in functional medicine and cellular detoxification. It is based on principles of Asian healing traditions as well as the latest nutritional research. The healthy, inspired cuisine is a fusion of Eastern and western culinary traditions and menus include extensive vegetarian options as well as fresh seafood, poultry and lamb dishes.

There are over 60 certified wellness professional at Kamalaya, including naturopaths, doctors of Chinese medicine, western medical doctors, registered nurses, nutritionists, life transformation experts, Ayurvedic and Thai therapists, fitness specialists and yoga, meditation and pranayama teachers. The Wellness Sanctuary and Holistic Spa integrates ancient and contemporary holistic medicine and leading traditions from east and west with a menu of over 70 services. Gues can embark on an individual wellness program, choose a la carte services or supplement a program with extra a la carte treatments.

Wellness Programs include 8 different options in the themes of Healthy Lifestyle, Detoxification, Stress & Burnout and Yoga.

Contact Jessica@renshawtravel.com for all the information!

On-Board Credit with the Venice Simplon Orient Express

Celebrate the start of a glorious season on the Venice Simplon Orient-Express. When you book with us, you will receive a 300€ complimentary credit to spend on board. Book your experience on any Venice to Paris or Venice to London journey departing in April, May and June 2013 to take advantage of this fantastic offer.

Offer includes:
300€ on board credit when booking a cabin suite
200€ on board credit when booking a double cabin
100€ on board credit when booking a single cabin

Contact us at info@renshawtravel.com for all the information

Make it an Active Holiday

Cross Country skiing is a sport that most people can learn at anytime. Anyone, regardless of their age or stage of life can enjoy the benefits. It improves your balance, keeps you aerobically fit, it works all the large muscle groups in your body while it helps you stay mobile and active. The sport has long been popular with all ages as it is easy on the joints, with no impact and little risk of hurting yourself. In other words it is perfect lifetime sport. There are two types of cross country skiing: classic skiing which is what most people think of when they think of cross country skiing and skate skiing which is a newer version of nordic skiing. While both types of skiing improve your fitness and help you stay fit for life they come with their own benefits. I recommend starting by learning to classic ski and add skate skiing as you become more proficient and comfortable on the snow.

An additional benefit of cross country skiing is that it can improve your conditioning for other sports. Cross country skiing is the ultimate cross training if you like to run, cycle, row or hike in the summer. Cyclists and rowers have long been known to use the cardiovascular benefits of skiing to improve their fitness over the winter. Cross country skiing also has added benefits for cyclists as it strengthens upper body and core muscles, something that cycling doesn't do. If you enjoy cycling and maybe have a Granfondo as a goal for 2013, then cross country skiing is a great way to start improving your fitness before cycling season officially begins.