Photos: New Brunswick, Canada

Many travelers already know about New Brunswick, Canada as a summer destination. But I recently ventured there to check out the cross country ski venues, which are abundant. Each area had a different personality but brought the Nordic skier in close proximity to expansive bays and dense forest lands. And the accommodations are equally varied, ranging from the unique to the charming. Cielo-Glamping Maritime, for example, has five domes with some beside the scenic Bay of St. Simon in Shippagan. On this bay where the most amazing oysters around are raised one can find ice fishing sheds set along the frozen expanse. Fredericton, the capital of Canada's New Brunswick province, is a real treasure with a vibrant art community. This is one of many avant-garde works found at the Beaverbrook Art Gallery. The capital is also home to the Quartermain House B&B, a house that dates to 1840 but one that has taken on a new life as a five-star property with three plush guest rooms.

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Slovenia Cross Country Ski Resorts in Pictures

Cross country skiing in Slovenia couldn't be more idyllic, with fresh powder, tracked trails, no crowds, unbeatable mountain scenery, and quaint villages. At Pokljuka, I found fresh powder and the opportunity to learn the rigors of the biathlon -- who knew the rifle was so heavy. At Planica, a wide, tree-lined trail led up to a pristine mountain hut where I sat with the locals for a hearty lunch. Log Pod Mangart may be small but what it lacks in size it makes up for with dramatic mountain scenery. This area in the photo below, the Nordic Center Bonovec Medvode, is just 20 minutes west of downtown Ljubljana. This YouTube video slideshow offers a window into Slovenia’s cross country skiing treasures.

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Gear Review: Fashionable + Functional Winter Wear

It seems like every year when the first colorful blossoms appear on the trees in New York City -- and I don’t mean this winter when unseasonably warm weather tricked many plants to unexpectedly and inappropriately bloom -- in the spring, someone in my neighborhood will ask  if I lost a ton of weight. The answer is always “no,” (I’m as tiny as I’ve always been.) But the question arises because all winter long I’m wearing bulky clothing that keeps me toasty but makes my 104-pound frame look about 50 pounds heavier, until I shed the clothes at the first sign of a warm breeze. Those days are now over, thanks to some very cool clothing manufactured by Stio, a Jackson Hole, Wyoming company.  

As a cross country skier, snowshoer, and winter hiker and walker, whether on a trail or on city streets, I want outerwear that performs well when I’m active, giving me the warmth I crave but without sacrificing style. In fact, it’s not unusual for people to come up to me when I’m waiting on line or sitting in a cafe or coffee shop to ask me where I got the (Stio) sweater, jacket or vest. Some even ask to feel it because each item -- especially the jacket and vest -- looks (and feels) oh-so-soft.

The three items you see pictured below can be paired up, all worn together or separately. And each provides warmth without bulk. The Idyll Hooded Sweater is made of 100% Merino wool in a fashionable tunic style, making it work well whether I’m cross country skiing or lounging beside a roaring fire with a glass of wine at mountain lodge. (It looks good with jeans, leggings, polar fleece tights, sweater dresses or merino wool skirts.)

The grey-hued Lofted Sky Insulated Jacket is stuffed with PrimaLoft, a synthetic insulator that’s light, breathable and packs small -- something I value because I never check luggage. I’ve worn it in a freezing rain and found it to be water resistant and quick drying. You can put glove liners, for example, in an inside stash pocket. (The interior teal color is quite striking.)

The Marsten Down Vest is packed with HyperDry Water Resistant Down so that even though I was stuck in a freezing rainstorm, I was dry and warm. (The vest’s down hoodie and deep pockets protected my head, neck and hands from the elements.) And, the vest was quick drying once I found shelter. For Nordic skiing, depending on the temperatures, I like pairing the vest with a Smart Wool or Icebreaker Merino wool long-sleeve sweater. Like with the Ofted Sky Insulated Jacket, this article of clothing is very compressible. In fact, when flying recently, I brought along a small pillowcase that I stuffed the vest into, making a very comfy pillow. These three pieces of clothing are now my go-to winter wear items.

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Maine Cross Country Ski Weekend in Pictures

It's probably not surprising to read an article describing how cell phones have infiltrated every aspect of our lives. But reading an article in the Sunday New York Times today "Step Away From The Phone"  -- describing, among the cell phone "detox" methods, how phones may need to be put into a lock box in order to foster normal human interactions in the home -- made me reflect on how I often completely disconnect from the phone and the Web by immersing myself in the wilderness. 

One of these trips with the Appalachian Mountain Club was a long weekend of guided lodge-to-lodge cross country skiing from Gorman Chairback to Little Lyford Lodge in Maine. The phone is the furthest thing from my mind -- lock box not needed -- as I embrace the simple pleases, such as stepping into a wood-fired sauna; enjoying a family-style dinner of pan-seared salmon with blueberry chutney; and snuggling in my bed that's decked out with comfy, flannel bedding. This short YouTube video slideshow provides a window into my experience.

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Skiing Switzerland's Goms Valley

Zermatt, St. Moritz, Gstaad and Davos stand at the apogee of name recognition among Switzerland's downhill ski resorts. But what's the Swiss equivalent for Nordic skiing? Why the Goms Valley, course, at least among the Swiss. Few in North America have ever heard of this sunny landscape that's sliced by the Rhone River and hemmed in by 10,000-foot-high peaks. What a shame, considering it's laced with 100 km of trails, and blessed with thick snow for four months a year, and excellent mass transit: a little red train lets skiers hop on and off in their village (and trail networks) of choice. (A trail pass even includes train access.) I skied the 22 km from Obergestein to Niederwald, passing dark larch structures fashioned sans nails and graceful steepled churches, crossing wooden bridges over the Rhone, and gliding through forests thick with spruce.

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Tips For Adventure Travel, My Fave Parks + Much More

With summer vacations on the horizon, how do you choose an adventure-based trip? After all, you don't want to end up on a hiking trek that seems like you'll pass out as you slog up yet another mountain pass, particularly if you're at high altitude. Kinda puts a crimp in the enjoyment factor. And it can be a health hazard, especially if you have any pre-existing conditions or are just unfit or unprepared.

Not all of my trips are adventure-based, but those that are, most are memorable, such as my multi-day cross-country ski journey in Washington's Methow Valley. Then, there are those that I'd rather forget - or, rather, forget select portions - such as having to negotiate vertigo-inducing "via ferrata" in Italy's Dolomite Mountains.

For those who've never done (or even considered) a multi-day hiking, biking, cross-country skiing trek, you might wonder what's the appeal?  For me, it means focusing in on the simple things in life: food, shelter and good company.

These are just a few of the things I discussed in an interview with Don Nadeau, President of Bidon Travel. 

You'll learn about my favorite hikes, what other adventures are on my list, some of my favorite adventure tour operators, what travel experience related to my degree in Eastern Religion, under-the-radar gems in Spain, why I adore visiting Israel, my favorite parks and gardens around the world, and much more.

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Winter Travel Safety

For me, winter means downhill and Nordic skiing. But a ski vacation, like with all travels, doesn't mean throwing caution to the wind. For example, when I flew to A-Basin in Colorado from New York City, I suffered altitude sickness. On another journey to Jackson Hole, Wyoming, my ski buddy tore the ligaments in his thumb after a serious stumble on the slopes. When I spent a week skiing in the Lake Tahoe area,  one of my friends suffered an ACL injury after a fall on a mogul field. Yes, skiing is not without its risks.

That's why I wrote a guest post on winter safety tips for MedjetAssist that offers a reliable air-medical transport membership program. After all, whether you're suffering from head trauma from colliding with a tree on a downhill run or life-threatening altitude sickness and you're far from home and appropriate medical services, you need to be evacuated quickly and efficiently to the hospital of your choice.

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Women's Travel Safety Tips

After a  New York City woman, Sarai Sierra, who traveled to Istanbul alone, was found slain recently, some in the media and others are suggesting that perhaps she shouldn't have been traveling alone. Or maybe the problem was that she possibly made some nefarious connections on Instagram. So is the conclusion that women shouldn't use social media when they travel? Or does it really boil down to the recommendation that women shouldn't travel alone?

I frequently travel alone. I spent a month in Iceland where I hiked across desolate lava-scapes where fumaroles spouted sulfurous gases beside my boots , trekked along cliff tops where the only things I encountered were puffins, and spent an evening at a codfish festival where I was the only non-Icelandic person in the village.

During the month I spent alone bus hopping across Turkey, I traveled to an island where the only way to get around is a bicycle or horse-drawn carriage, wandered the warren of streets in Istanbul hunting for out-of-the-way coffee shops, and settled into the languid rhythm of another, larger isle where each day meant choosing between yet another white crescent of sand or another winery.

I often travel alone by bicycle, as I did in the Lofoten Islands in northern Norway where I pedaled from one wee fishing village to the next, and by cross-country skis, as I recently did in Washington's Methow Valley where I carried a backpack with all my gear and cruised 15-20 km a day from one lodge to the next, all the while marveling at the snow-draped conifer forests, frozen streams, and occasional timber shelters I passed along the way.

Suggesting that women not travel alone is not the answer to violence against women. But, clearly, there are some tips to assure that your travels are as safe as they can be. Recently Billie Frank at Santa Fe Travelers asked 10 women travel bloggers (including me) to provide their top women's travel safety tips. Aside from the many tips I've provided, you'll find additional health and safety travel tips in my e-book: The Travel Authority: Essential Tips for Hassle-Free Travel.

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My Top Travel Tip For Women + Much More

Ever wonder why I rarely if ever carry a purse? What made me fall in love with Spain, Portugal and Israel? What makes Washington state's Methow Valley so special? And, I bet you have no idea what motivated me to start traveling around the world once I graduated from high school?

You'll find out the answers to these and other things about my life as a travel writer by reading this interview I did with Dian Emery at GirlsGetaway.

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Lodge-to-Lodge Cross-Country Skiiing Washington's Methow Valley

Whenever I return from a cross-country ski trip, I hail the sport as one of my favorite activities. The superlatives I use to describe my delight upon gliding through a silent forest, picniking in huts with scenic views, overnighting at lodges snuggled amongs pine trees, and finding out that a week of cross-country skiing is amazingly inexpensive somehow are not attractive to commited downhill skiers or sedentary folk alike. The uniform reason they express: Cross-country skiing is just too much work. Sure, it's a sport that burns calories galore (almost 500 calories/hour if you ski slowly) and it's a full-body exercise. And then there are all those hills that you have to surmount.

But, what many people don't realize is that it's possible to find flat cross-country trails through pristine landscapes. I found one of these places: the Mazama trail system in Washington's Methow Valley. Anyone in reasonably decent shape can ski (even slowly) a mere two to five miles between lodges. That's what I did. I've already posted about my stay at one of those lodges, the North Cascades Basecamp. But, you can read about my four-day trip on the Huffington Post where I've provided a slide show of the four lodges I visited as well as images of what to expect along the way. It might help change your mind that cross-country skiing is an adventure reserved for Olympians.

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