Australia/New Zealand/PAC
New Zealand fans; rejoice. Aotearoa, the “Land of the Long White Cloud,” on Monday fully opened its borders to visitor from the around the world. It’s the first time borders have been fully open since the government slammed the door on visits in March 2020 due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Travel restrictions began to ease in February for New Zealanders, and then were gradually opened for others. As of today, visitors who need visas and those with student visas can enter the country, as can cruise ship passengers and foreign recreational yachts. CTV and Reuters report that most visitors arriving Read more
I found an item on Yahoo News today, and I think it’s appalling. Yahoo quotes the Wall Street Journal as saying some Las Vegas hotels are charging people up to $200 (that’s US dollars) to reserve a chair by the pool. Not a cabana. Oh, no. Those can cost $1,000. This is just for a chaise lounge or chair next to the pool (where it’s probably 100 Fahrenheit, by the way.) It’s disgusting, it’s greedy, and it shouldn’t be allowed. A lounge chair for $200? Why not charge for water from the shower? Or for adjusting the thermostat? Why not Read more
This story originally appeared in the Vancouver Sun. I’ve been lucky enough to play golf at courses around the world. Here are some of my fave memories. Not necessarily the best courses, but some of the most memorable moments. WATERTON LAKES, ALBERTA Jasper and Banff, not to mention Canmore, get a fair bit of ink in Alberta golf stories. But I loved Waterton Lakes when I played there a few summers ago. It wasn’t in the best condition when I played it, but a Canadian golf group called Lobb + Partners has been hired to make renovations. You can’t beat Read more
Airfare prices in Canada jumped 11.6 per cent year over year in May, according to Statistics Canada. Canadian Press says tickets are now above pre-pandemic levels. CP quotes Montreal-based Hopper Inc. as saying that prices are up 15 per cent from 2019 to $960 on average for international flights from Canada, with no sign of a dip in the coming months. It’s no surprise that prices have gone up, given that fuel prices have escalated and demand has exploded. Experts say booking an early morning or late-night flight is one way to save money. Mid-week flights (Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday) Read more
