I've spent time in British Columbia's Discovery Islands on a number of occasions. My debut was aboard the M/V Aurora Explorer, a Marine Link Tours freight boat cruise out of Campbell River on Vancouver Island.

The Eat Pray Love phenomenon continues to roll along. Even with the ho-hum reviews of the Julia Roberts' film that opened this week, the EPL packages are not going away.

I love nice airport hotels. I mean the hotels where you arrive after a very long flight, and instead of making the long drive home, extend your trip for a night.

My email box is continuously jammed with press releases touting the latest travel tips, trends and products tweaked for travelers. I'll have another gin and tonic, please.

It seemed like a simple enough task: Call the hotel in New York City where a birthday celebration would soon be underway and order a bottle of Champagne to be sent to the room.