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Located on the eastern coast of Canada, the province of New Brunswick is a key destination for historians and nature-lovers both. It’s the only province in the country that is itself officially bilingual, and if you want to fully understand why, you’ll need to dig into the history of the Acadians—a legacy that dates back to 1604. While you’re discovering the cultural significance of the area, you can also take in many of the region’s natural attractions. Use this guide to plan your tour of the Acadian Coastal Drive, and ensure you take advantage of all the area has to offer.

Read the article on Travel + Escape >>

First-time attendee Monica Bouius enjoyed the snow and the Saturday-night drag show and party at the third annual Jasper Pride, held April 12 to 14, 2013

“When it started in 2010, it was two handfuls of people,” Jasper Pride’s Jörg Michel says. “OUT Jasper organized the party and that was it. It was really small and purely local. Ever since then it has grown, step by step.”

Now in its third year and rescheduled to April to avoid a conflict with Whistler’s gay ski week in February, Jasper Pride encourages queers to “come out naturally” for a weekend of skiing, snowboarding, sharing and socializing in the Alberta Rockies.

OUT Jasper is the town’s queer peer and advocacy group and is coordinated by Mychol Ormandy, who stands well over six feet tall in heels. I meet Ormandy, who moonlights as the Jasper Pride Weekend chair, at the opening mixer.

Originally published on April 18, 2013 on Xtra! Read more >>

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Toronto’s Church and Wellesley corridor has long been known as the city’s main “gaybourhood,” but visitors looking for LGBT-friendly places to eat, drink, party and sleep needn’t confine themselves to a single district. Here are three alternative enclaves to check out in the Big Smoke.

Read the article on Travel + Escape >>

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If you think spring begins when snow is still on the ground, you just might be Canadian. Maple syrup producers know that when the daytime temperatures rise, the sap starts flowing—an invisible signal that winter is almost over. April is the perfect time, and with close to a million litres of syrup produced per year, Ontario is the perfect place to visit any of numerous festivals celebrating Canada’s “liquid gold.”

You can expect pancake breakfasts and trips to the sugar bush to see how maple syrup is harvested, but check out some of the unique—and uniquely Canadian—events and performances scheduled for this season.

Read the article on Travel + Escape >>

Photo: Vince Alongi

AS SOON AS THE STATION WAGON rounded the corner and the US Customs booth came into view, my mother would look over her shoulder and hiss, “Pretend you’re sleeping!” In the back seat, me and my sisters would stop bickering and go limp, dramatically lolling our tongues. By the time we rolled up to the window, though, we’d all have arranged ourselves in a much more realistic facsimile of slumber which we’d hold until we were through the border and well on our way to the gas station or the outlet mall.

It may have been an outsized reaction to border-crossing stress — the worst thing we were muling back into Canada was government cheese — but my mum knew that kids can be chatty, and the best way to avoid trouble was if we were unconscious.

Even now, decades later, I find myself in a Pavlovian yawn at the Passport Control wicket, but getting through the US-Canada border with the least hassle really comes down to these four things:

1. Your story

Have it straight. Border officials don’t like uncertainty, so it’s your job to make sure they don’t have to deal with it. This means having a short and easy answer — and supporting documentation — for the following questions, at least:

• Where are traveling to/from?
• How long were you/will you be there?
• Where are/were you staying?
• What is/was the purpose for your trip?
• What do you do for a living?
• Did you work while you were away?
• How do you support yourself?
• When is the last time you were in the country?
• What did you bring back (food, gifts)?

Answer the questions as asked and don’t volunteer unnecessary details.

If you have a job (writer, for example) that you could do while traveling, be prepared to answer questions about whether your trip is work-related. It’s also important to have a short, easy answer for the typical followup: “What do you write?” Despite the steady increase of freelance workers in Canada and the States, not having a boss still raises suspicions. Dampen them with easy-to-understand language. “I write for magazines” works better than “I’m a creative nonfiction writer.”

Border guards commonly ask about prior trips, so it’s a good idea to flip through your passport and refresh your memory with your visa stamps before you get to the wicket.

Before 2009, American and Canadian citizens could cross the border with only a driver’s license or other official picture ID. Not so anymore; now all travelers must have a valid passport. To make sure your crossing goes smoothly, check that the name on your passport exactly matches the name on all other documentation, and that if there are any discrepancies, you have supporting documentation. For example, if your name has changed because you’ve gotten married, travel with a copy of your marriage license. Additionally, if you’re traveling with children, and both parents are not present, have a note from the missing parent(s).

Officials are big on itineraries. Even if you don’t need it for your own use, prepare and print out a document with flight information, hotel addresses, and tickets to events. If you’ll be staying with friends, include their address and contact information.

2. Your appearance

Even before you reach the wicket you’re making an impression. To avoid hassle, dress simply. Be white. Do not wear a hijab or a taqiyah (the cap worn by some observant Muslim men). Fit one gender norm only.

I’m kidding… sort of.

No matter who you are, it’s a good idea to be well-groomed and tidy. Do not wear sunglasses or approach with earphones in. If you’re crossing in your car, turn off the radio.

3. Your cargo

Everyone who passes through the US-Canada border is searched cursorily. Travelers empty their pockets, take off their shoes and belts, and run their bags through an X-ray machine. Although cargo rules differ depending on your mode of transport, you’ll face the least hassle if you adhere to the strictest guidelines, so pack as if you’re traveling by air and leave the sharp objects at home.

If you’re searched by border control guards, you’ll want to be sure there’s nothing verboten in your luggage. Drugs, undeclared purchases, and “obscene materials” (as defined by the country you’re entering) will get you detained, but also pay attention to your camera, cell phone, and laptop. Border control can confiscate this equipment and mine your data. Pirated music or movies, incriminating texts on your phone, or sexytime vacation photos can land you in trouble. Your best bet is to travel with “clean” devices. Back up your data to external storage and cross the border with empty memory cards.

If you’ve been cross-border shopping, keep the tags on your purchases and have your receipts bundled and ready for inspection. Familiarize yourself with the duty limits.

4. Your demeanor

Never lose your temper.

When you first approach, greet the border official with a smile. If they ask how you are, respond and return the question. Say please and thank you.

If you’re detained, you’ll be asked stupid questions, boggling questions, offensive questions, and the same questions. It’s crucial that you maintain a polite and calm demeanor during this process. If you lose your temper, you’ll be held for longer and the search process will likely become more invasive.

¹US or Canadian citizens can also cross with a NEXUS card. NEXUS is a program to speed up the crossing process for frequent travelers who have been pre-screened as low risk. The application document requires personal information including full name and citizenship status, residence and employment history for the previous five years, and your criminal history. It costs $50 to apply for a 5-year pass.

This article first appeared on Matador Network.

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Traditional Mexican cooking makes good use of the entire animal, finding preparations for everything from head to toe. These tacos may not be for everyone, but adventurous eaters in Puerto Vallarta will find that they can sample everything from brains to internal organs in a tortilla, and that a few other things make it in there, too.

Let the nervous eaters stick to Tacos 101: 5 choices for picky eaters in Puerto Vallarta while we dig into more challenging fare.

Read the article on Travel + Escape >>

Photo by Alfred Weidinger

1. Betel nut

Produced: India, Nepal, Bangladesh, Sri Lanka
Consumed: Throughout Asia, parts of East Africa
Active ingredients: Alkaloid arecoline, calcium hydroxide, allylbenzene compounds, nicotine
Effects: Stimulant, appetite suppressant, antiseptic, euphoria
Health effects: Areca nut used with tobacco is carcinogenic and can increase the chewer’s risk of cancer. Regular users frequently have red stains on their teeth, mouth, and gums.
Legality: Legal

Betel nut is the colloquial term used for an areca palm seed and slaked lime (calcium hydroxide) wrapped in the leaves of a betel vine. Tobacco is sometimes added to combine the effects of nicotine, as are spices like clove, saffron, mustard, or cardamom, which are mixed in for flavor. Depending on the ingredients and regions, this packet is known as a quid, tamul, kavala, tambulam, bajjai, or paan.

In Thailand, there is archeological evidence of areca, betel, and lime dating back to between 7,500 and 9,000 years ago, suggesting that it is one of the earliest known psychoactive substances. Chewing betel nut is a social activity, akin to having a cup of coffee, and a setting in which to have discussions about business or family. For example, in Vietnam, it begins the process of negotiating marriage.

Betel nut chewers take the quid and place it in their mouth between the cheek and gum. The lime promotes salivation, and as they chew the nut they spit out the extra liquid.

2. Coca leaves

Produced: Bolivia, Peru, Colombia
Consumed: Bolivia, Peru, Chile, Argentina, Colombia, Venezuela
Active ingredients: Alkaloid coca, methylecgonine cinnamate, benzoylecgonine, truxilline, hydroxytropacocaine, tropacocaine, ecgonine, cuscohygrine, dihydrocuscohygrine, nicotine and hygrine
Effect: Stimulant, appetite suppressant, anesthetic
Health effects: No negative effects. Non-addictive.
Legality: Though the coca leaf contains the raw material needed to manufacture cocaine, the active alkaloid coca is found in such trace amounts that it cannot be compared with the recreational drug; still, the 1961 UN Single Convention on Narcotic Drugs listed coca on Schedule 1 along with cocaine and heroine. Though Peruvian and Bolivian leaders have sought to establish new legal markets, many countries including the United States and Canada have objected. In general, coca leaves are legal in countries where traditional use is established, such as Bolivia, Peru, and Chile.

Coca leaves come from the coca plant, and are chewed when fresh. The leaves can be chewed alone, or in the traditional way with a small amount of ilucta, made from the ashes of the quinoa plant, to mellow the flavor and activate the alkaloids.

The coca plant was domesticated in pre-Columbian times, and plays an important role in traditional Andean cultures. It’s been used to combat altitude sickness and fatigue, and as a painkiller, and also plays a part in the religious cosmology of the area. Across the central Andean region, especially among indigenous communities, chewing coca is a commonplace and integral part of the culture.

Coca users keep the coca leaves in a pouch, and use a stick to transfer the corrosive iluctafrom a gourd onto the leaves without touching their skin. Instead of quinoa ashes, the chewer might use quicklime, and sometimes aniseed is added for flavor.

3. Tchat

Produced: Ethiopia, Yemen, Egypt, Somalia
Consumed: Djibouti, Eritrea, Ethiopia, Somalia, Yemen, Kuwait, Bahrain, Qatar, Oman, United Arab Emirates, Saudi Arabia
Active ingredients: Cathine, cathinone
Effect: Stimulant, appetite suppressant, euphoria
Health effects: The World Health Organization (WHO) classified tchat as a “drug of abuse” in 1980, though the psychological dependence it produces is acknowledged to be less than for tobacco or alcohol. As with other stimulants, the long-term effects can include depression, lowered inhibition, and psychosis. As well, tchat chewers may be at greater risk for oral cancer.
Legality: Depends on the region. Tchat is illegal in many countries in North America and Europe, including Canada, France, and Finland, but it’s legal in the United Kingdom. It’s generally legal across the Horn of Africa and Arabian Peninsula.

Tchat — also called khat, chat, jaad, qat, miraa, and Arabian tea — is a flowering plant (Latin:Catha edulus) found on the Horn of Africa and the Arabian Peninsula. When chewed, the leaves and stem release cathine and cathinone, which affect the reuptake of epinephrine and norepinephrine (causing wakefulness), and affect the serotonin receptors (producing euphoria). The resulting effect is amphetamine-like.

The practice of chewing tchat dates back thousands of years and is a social activity similar to having a cup of coffee. Tchat chewers — an estimated 10 million people globally chew tchat daily — tend to become excited and talkative, which may account for some of the reason why it has also become part of the ritual of doing business in East Africa.

Tchat users chew the raw leaves and stem from the plant.

4. Tobacco

Produced: The Americas
Consumed: Globally
Active ingredient: Nicotine
Effect: Stimulant, appetite suppressant
Health effects: Chewing tobacco is addictive and increases the risk of throat and mouth cancer, and of leukoplakia, which is a precursor to oral cancer.
Legality: Legal, but with some age restrictions, especially in Canada and the United States

Chewing tobacco is the cured leaf of the tobacco plant, which, when chewed, releases nicotine — a mild stimulant. Chewing tobacco is sold as loose leaf, or in pellets or plugs.

First Nations people in the Americas have been using tobacco as a pain reliever and cure-all for thousands of years, and frequently prepared the leaves by mixing them with the mineral lime.

Chewers take a pinch (if loose leaves) or a pellet or plug, and place it between the cheek and gum. When they chew, the nicotine is released and the salivary glands are stimulated, so tobacco-chewers must spit out the unwanted juices.

This article originally appeared on Matador Network on November 20, 2012.

I WAS SNORKELING off the Pacific Coast of Mexico with my friend and former dive instructor, Ceci, when I saw what looked like a spiny tetherball with a beak spiraling from the depths towards the surface. I lifted my mask and Ceci lifted hers, preempting my question.

“It’s a blowfish,” she said, matter-of-factly. Then, “All fish are weird.”

To wit: the whale shark. Not a whale at all, and only technically a shark (with a cartilaginous skeleton, gill slits, and pectoral fins it belongs to the shark family of fish), the whale shark has an enormous mouth with up to 350 rows of tiny teeth and 10 filter pads. Like baleen whales, they’re filter-feeders and eat by straining algae, plankton, and krill from the seawater, but their name more likely derives from the fact that at sizes of up to 40 feet long and 47,000 pounds, they are the largest fish on the planet, and can live for up to 80 years. Weird, right?

Whale sharks live in all tropical and warm temperate seas, so the regions where you can swim with them — they’re known to be gentle with divers — are numerous. Whale shark numbers, however, are dwindling; the animal is on the endangered species list.

The migration patterns of whale sharks aren’t fully understood, but there are ways to increase your chances of a sighting. Where you catch up with the whale sharks will depend on the time of year and the region you’re in.

Photo: pats0n

1. Puerto Ayora, Galapagos, Ecuador

When: May – October; best month is July
Skill: Depends on the dive but strong currents make this region unsuitable for beginners
Do it: Aqua-Firma, Academy Bay Diving, Galextur, Scuba Galapagos

Photo: Rory Moore

2. Ari and Baa Atolls, Maldives

When: May – December on the western side; December – April on the eastern side
Skill: Beginner to experienced; no SCUBA required
Do it: Maldives Dive Travel

Photo: kozyndan

3. Isla Mujeres, Mexico

When: May – September; the annual Whale Shark Festival typically takes place in mid-June
Skill: Beginner to experienced. SCUBA not permitted; snorkels only
Do it: Enrique’s Unique Dives, Searious Diving, Ceviche Tours

Photo: Brendon & Keryn

4. Ningaloo Reef, Australia

When: April – July
Skill: Beginner to experienced
Do it: Three Islands Whale Shark Dive, Ningaloo Dreaming, Ningaloo Blue Dive

Photo: Martin Spragg Photography

5. Belize Barrier Reef, Belize

When: March – June
Skill: Beginner to experienced
Do it: Splash Dive Center, Hamanasi Adventure and Dive Resort, Seahorse Dive Shop

Photo: Whale Shark Research and Conservation

6. Tofo, Mozambique

When: November – April
Skill: Beginner to experienced
Do it: SCUBA Mozambique, Diversity SCUBA

Photo: Darren A.

7. Donsol Bay, Philippines

When: February – April
Skill: Beginner to experienced. SCUBA not permitted in the bay; snorkels only
Do it: Donsol EcoTour

Photo: Joe Daniels – Underwater Photography

8. Mahe, Seychelles

When: August – October
Skill: Beginner to experienced
Do it: Aqua-Firma, Dive Seychelles, Big Blue Divers

Photo: Marcel Waldis Underwater Photography

9. Richelieu Rock, Thailand

When: Feb – May
Skill: Intermediate to experienced
Do it: Blue Guru Diving, Sunrise Divers, Sharkey Scuba

Photo: Vladimir Levantovsky – Effervescent Photography

10. Utila Bay, Honduras

When: Year round, but Utila Dive Lodge and the Whale Shark and Oceanic Center partner each year to offer “Whale Shark Weeks,” during which divers can participate in whale shark research, photo ID, DNA sampling, and tagging (pictured).
Skill: Beginner to experienced
Do it: Utila Dive Lodge, Whale Shark and Oceanic Research Center

Photo by author

Southwest Ontario is renowned for its fall foliage, and the entire area is marvelous and mild during the spring and summer, but a Canadian winter hardly inspires road-tripping dreams—until now.

Read the article on Travel + Escape >>

Photo: wickenden

This article was originally published on Matador Network on November 16, 2012. 

WHEN WE WRITE about the barriers to access or safety concerns associated with travel, we typically cover things like financial limitations, political barriers (like racial profiling or the availability of visas), and the challenge of traveling as a solo woman. A topic that’s almost never discussed is the very concrete administrative and safety issues that trans travelers routinely face.

Airplane travel is a pain in the ass for everyone, especially if your route takes you through the United States. Homeland Security rules and the dangerous brew of near-absolute power and almost no training that is the TSA have made passage through US Customs harrowing for almost anybody. Now imagine the agent doesn’t think you match the sex designation on your passport.

In Canada, my home country, passengers may be denied boarding if there is a discrepancy between their perceived (by airport agents) gender and the gender on their passport. A trans person who has had sex reassignment surgery (SRS) can apply with proof to the government and have their sex changed on their passport. But what about trans folks who don’t want SRS? What about boys who look like girls? What about me?

Look at my picture. You might see a woman; you might see a man. That dissonance doesn’t trouble me, but it tends to trouble border officials. For gender variant and trans people — who may or may not be taking hormones, who may or may not have had, or intend to have, surgery — the border can be a place where an impossible negotiation must be struck, with armed guards.

But every traveler knows getting there is only part of the journey. Last year, on a press trip in Istanbul, our group visited a mosque. The man at the door took our shoes and handed scarves to the women in our group, impatiently waving me inside. The experience was kind of funny — certainly not scary — but it put me in an uncomfortable situation: I could walk in with my head uncovered and risk showing disrespect, or I could call attention to the mistake and embarrass the man at the door. I chose the latter, and had the extremely unusual and profound experience of being “seen” as a woman.

Just like you, my travels are filled with incredible moments (like being asked to dance by the prettiest girl at the bar) and terrible moments (like being forcibly removed from the stall in the women’s bathroom). It should end there, but sometimes it doesn’t. You might get yourself into trouble because you’re drunk, or young, or stupid, or unlucky, but for some trans and gender variant people it’s because we’re us.

The Trans Murder Monitoring Project (TMM) has Google-mapped reported murders of trans people since January 2008¹. It’s a particularly gruesome overlay to an image that usually ignites wanderlust.

This week (November 12–19, 2012) is Transgender Awareness Week in the United States, a campaign to raise the visibility of trans and gender non-conforming people. Traditionally, the week ends with the Transgender Day of Remembrance, a memorial to honor the people who have died as a result of transphobia. This annual action began in 1998 after trans woman Rita Hester was murdered in Allston, Massachusetts; the event falls on November 20 this year.

As travelers, let’s mark this occasion by remembering that we’re all part of the same tribe, that this world belongs to everyone.

For tools, information, and to get involved, visit the Gay and Lesbian Alliance Against Defamation (GLAAD).

¹For more on the project’s methods and partners, and to see details on their clickable map, please go directly to the site.