“Let our advance worrying become advance thinking and planning”
Winston Churchill

Over the years I've met many travelers and the comments I heard the most often were, "I didn't know that was here." or "I didn't know I could do that." and even better, "I wish my travel agent would've known of this possibility.".The first concern is that many travel agents or travel planners have not been here themselves.

Athabasca Falls, JNP
Scott Rowed

How can someone recommend places to go, when s/he has not experienced the place firsthand. How far is it really? What kind of time-frame are you looking at? Friends of ours from Italy had a trip planned for them by a travel agent and had decided to run it past me before they left. With the distances involved, it wouldn't have even been possible in the time they had allotted for this trip! Scary!!

The second concern is the fact that most trips are cookie-cutter packages. Agents are given pakages that suppliers want to sell. Is that what you want? Possibly yes, but why not know all your options before you even get here.

My question is, "What are you interested in?". You be the designer of your own holiday and enjoy every moment. You are spending hard-earned money and precious time here and I want you to make the most of it.

Discovering Banff National Park
Photos by Scott Rowed

One more thing - then I'll leave you to decide what places to visit. I have seen some people spend most of their time packing and unpacking, going from one hotel to the next, from one town to the next. On the go go go, only to find at the end of their vacation that they need a holiday to rest up for their everyday life. Don't make that mistake. As I have said before: knowledge, information and inspiration are your three keys to planning your dream holiday. Good Luck!