Montréalités Travel

Proteins bars--check. Bottled water--check. Toilet paper, Nutella, money belt, pepper spray, antibiotics, Malaria pills--check.

Eighteen hours later, in May of 2013, my five close friends and I stood outside the Mumbai airport well after dark, beads of sweat dripping from our brows in the 35-degree weather. Our luggage full of "essentials" was glued to our sides as we searched for a van cab that could accommodate all of us.

But in Mumbai, no such cab existed. We were reluctant to split up, even if it was just for a 10-minute drive to the hotel. For months, we had heard horror stories in the media about India - from robberies, to gang rapes, to murders. "Why India?" our families couldn't help but ask concernedly. "It's dangerous. They're dangerous," they'd say. But we were adamant. For almost a year, we educated ourselves on the culture, the customs, even the languages. It was a fascination we couldn't properly explain.

In any case--our romantic notions aside--once we had suffered the dreaded Indian Visa application process, we felt we had reached a point of no return.

Listen up wanderlust-consumed Montrealers! I know that you're looking for a new travel destination for the summer, so allow me to make a suggestion: Lebanon! I visited Lebanon in July of 2014, for four weeks. I was lucky enough to stay with my grandmother in Tyre, where she lives a mere three minutes away (walking distance) from a beach and Tyre's main street. It was the first time I had visited Lebanon, but I grew up hearing stories of the place my parents came from. Finally, I was going to see it first hand! I not only fell in love with the historical aspect of Lebanon but the people and culture as well.

Lebanon is the place for all types of traveller, with multiple historical sites and scenic views for the sightseer, beaches and resorts for the sun worshiper, museums for the gallery hopper, as well as clubs and bars for the night owl. Below you will find a general review of the cuisine (delicious), the sites and museums (make sure to pack a camera), the beaches (it's time to tan), the nightlife (familiar), and the shopping.

As we get closer to our 'time off', be it from work, school or whatever else we are occupied with it is only normal to get excited about vacation. For those who do have the luxury to travel as they please, it is much simpler to plan last minute. However, for those of us who are more comfortable with the 'savings' side of enjoying breaks, there are some tips you need to think about before planning your get-away.

Over the long years of traveling oversees myself, I have met with one of the most enthusiastic and authentic flight attendants possible. My interest in conversing with Kate was both to get to know her and to get a sense of what her profession meant to her. We laughed almost all the way through this conversation. Nevertheless, in her job, Kate helps willingly and passionately all those who fly under her watch, not because she has to, but because "she was born that way".

Traveling is a luxury many people would like to afford but often can't. For those in the airline industry, traveling is a perk, specifically for air flight attendants. If you enjoy working with people and seeing the world, this might be your dream job. Kate Saint Martin is an Air Canada flight attendant originally from Montreal. Only three months into her job, she has enjoyed many trips and experienced different cultures. She didn't dream of becoming a flight attendant, but when the opportunity presented itself, she took it. Some might call it fate and some might say it's plain coincidence: Kate always wanted to travel the world and now she has found a way to do just that.

Adam Clement recently returned to Montreal after three years of travelling on four continents.  We wanted to find out more about his experiences.

Where did you grow up?

I grew up in Saint-Lazare, a suburb of Montreal about 40 minutes west of downtown by car.  The town is majority French-speaking but I lived in an English-speaking subsection and went to English elementary and high schools.

          A travelling life is one that many people dream of but few actually live out.  It takes mental and physical toughness to be on the move for a long period of time and to leave behind family and friends.  Next, sufficient funds need to be saved to pay for accommodation, transportation, food and other various expenses that come up while travelling.  These were the easy aspects for Adam Clement, who had made up his mind that he would travel indefinitely after his first major trip with two childhood friends.  Born and raised in an English-speaking suburb of Montreal, Adam never had the chance to explore other regions of the world or experience life in a different culture.  Unsure of the next step in his life, he decided it was time to try something new.