The Purple Passport

Seasoned advice for British Travellers

The Americas

Your Zion National Park Questions, Answered!

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The Zion National Park in Southwest Utah is one of the most visited national parks in the United States for a number of reasons. It has gorgeous scenery and plenty of hiking trails to explore, making it the perfect destination for those who love adventures. It is also home to diverse wildlife, from the mule deer to the bighorn sheep.

A trip to Zion National Park is one that you will remember for years to come. To make the trip more fruitful and enjoyable, here are some of the most frequently asked questions about the national park, answered.

How Do I Get There?

You can reach the Zion National Park in a number of ways. Those visiting the Grand Canyon or Monument Valley can continue their journey by car; the Zion National Park is about four hours away from the Grand Canyon. The same can be said for those who are visiting Zion from different parts of Utah. The closest national park is the Bryce National Park, which is about an hour away from Zion National Park.

The most convenient way to reach the park, however, is by flying to Las Vegas. From McCarran International Airport, the Zion National Park is around two to three hours away by car. You can easily rent a car from Las Vegas, plus you get the bonus of being able to sample this glamorous city upon arriving or before ending your trip.

What about Accommodation?

Being the popular destination that it is, Zion National Park has a number of accommodation options to choose from. The Bumbleberry Inn, the best Zion hotel in the area, offers homey accommodation for any kind of traveler. It has its own theater and you can use the shuttle rides to get to various points in the national park.

There are several camping grounds too, so you can go all out with your adventure to the national park and spend some time in the wild. The Lava Point Campground and the South Campground are the more popular ones, but you have other options to choose from. There are even RV resorts for those traveling in their RVs.

Is it Safe to Drive to Zion National Park?

Driving to Zion National Park is not only safe but highly recommended. The Zion Scenic Drive is actually one of the area’s best attractions. The route takes you across the national park and straight to the forest area.

The drive itself is special. You will be driving along a twisty road with gorgeous scenery to enjoy from start to finish. There are some areas with sharp hairpins and challenging turns – not all of them have guardrails – but as long as you are focused, you will have a lot of fun taking this route.

Don’t forget to have your camera ready too. You will be rewarded with breathtaking views of the landscape; chances are you’ll be making several stops while driving this route.

Once you get to Zion National Park, you will have even more things to do. Now that you have these questions answered, you can plan for the trip better and have the best time exploring the national park.

Eco-Tours are Booming in Key West

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Ahh, the backcountry of Key West. Flats that extend for miles in either direction, full of game fish, sharks, rays, tarpon and other surprises. Get up close and see it all on one of the island’s many discovery tours. Go kayaking or have a guide drive you to the remotest areas where nature thrives and excitement rules.

What Makes Key West so Special?

Key West is a sub-tropical island set way out in the Atlantic Ocean, 120 miles from the mainland. To the north, we have the Gulf of Mexico and to the south, we have the Atlantic. There are miles and miles of backcountry around this island, too.

All of this means there is a thriving marine ecosystem out there just waiting to be explored. Key West eco tours will take visitors to remote areas to view wildlife and discover nature in a non-obtrusive way so we harm the environment as little as possible. If you’re an eco-tour newbie, here’s what you can expect:

  • Some eco tours take a boat of visitors to special spots to view dolphins
  • Some tours will take visitors to a remote spot to snorkel an area that’s not frequented by the bigger tour companies
  • Some eco tours involve boating out to a remote spot for kayaking on the flats and amongst the mangroves.

Whatever form is taken, an eco-tour means you get to discover nature at your own pace, silently and carefully. These trips are great for picture-taking, too.

What About Diving?

Key West diving is an exciting way to see the living coral reef that’s just minutes away from shore. Experienced divers and novices alike can get out to the reef and discover the underwater world that surrounds the reef system in our waters.

Even if you’re new to diving, you can take a short course and get temporarily certified for some scuba on vacation. If you really love it, why not get certified for real after you return from Key West? Diving is a lifelong sport that you can enjoy for years to come. There are dozens of charter companies in Key West ready to take you out to the reef or to a wreck for some fun exploration.

What Makes the Coral Reef Near Key West so Special

Key West diving is such a big deal because we are just six miles from the only living coral reef system in North America. That means an amazing diversity of marine life and a thriving, diverse ecosystem out there. All sorts of coral flourish on the reef, from soft coral species to hard coral, like rock.

The reef fish that make snorkeling and diving so popular abound everywhere on the reef, from zebrafish to parrotfish and Sargent majors to all kinds of jacks, snapper, rays and more! A Key West diving trip will take you out to the best areas of the reef, like Eastern Dry Rocks or Sand Key Light, for the best time ever discovering the coral reef.

Must See Toronto Group Tour Destinations

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With a barrage of attractions, Toronto is certainly the place to visit if you are a planning a group trip. From museums to galleries, from the world famous CN Tower to the Toronto Islands, it has got everything to keep you up on your toes. The city also offers a wide array of musicals and performing arts. Now you might be wondering as to how to travel to Toronto and thereafter. Well, not to worry. Go for some affordtable Toroto tour bus rentals. Before you make a bucket list of the places which are a must visit in Toronto, check out this list. It might make your job easier.

CN Tower:

The 553-CN Tower is a must see. Towering the downtown, this tower can be seen from anywhere and everywhere around the city. So you can just enjoy the tower while sipping on a piping hot cuppa, sitting on a couch at your favourite restaurant. Also you can take a trip to Lake Ontario, if you want a better view of the tower. Built between the year 1972 and 1976, this tower was once the tallest standing structure in the world. You want to have a closer look of the tower and a wider look of the city, you should go to its highest viewing area, which is from the Sky Pod at 447 m above the city. The view from this place is magnificent.

Royal Ontario Museum:

The Royal Ontario Museum, also called the ROM, houses some of the exquisite pieces of art and craft from across the world. Its world class collection will make any art lover go weak in his’/her knees. Plus the architecture of the museum makes it all the more attractive.

Casa Loma:

Casa Loma is an exquisitely built castle which takes one back down the memory lane. Much like the castles in fairytales, this one is a riveting in every sense of the term. It was built for Sir Henry Pellatt, a Canadian multi-millionaire who was the first to exploit the resources of Niagara Falls. The castle has got 100 rooms and three dozen bathrooms. This castle exudes the essence of European art and culture. It has been turned into a museum now. Visitors can come down to the castle and gawk at its beauty.

Toronto Zoo:

Some 40 kms northeast of the city center, Toronoto’s zoo is a must visit place. It has a collection of several thousand animals. So if you are a group of wildlife photographers, Toronto zoo might come across as a delight to your eyes and camera. One of the major attractions here is the Panda. Plus, its grizzly bear, vast bison park, and impressive polarium are among the other attractions.

St Lawrence Market:

Built in the year 1850, St Lawrence hall place was as a meeting point for many. However, eventually the area around this hall turned into a market place. From flower vendors to food products, this market place has a lot to offer.

Entertainment district:

If New York has the Broadway, Toronto has the Entertainment district. This place comes to life in the evening with a bevy of theatre productions, concerts and other performing arts on the platter. Plus this area has a barrage of restaurants and hotels which make the place all the more lively.

So folks, these are the few hotspots which should definitely be on your list while you are planning a group trip to Toronto. City Hall, Eaton Center, Distillery district, High Park, Ontraio Science Center are among the other places which you should also visit while you or a trip to Toronto.

When is Lightning Season and How Should I Prepare?

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According to the National Weather department, lightning strikes is highest during the summer months of July and August in Florida. Lightning can be deadly and people die from lightning strikes every year in the United States. The chances of being strike or killed by lightning are very small but what if we are in the wrong place at the wrong time.

Lightning victims did nothing to attract the lightning to strike them. They were simply unfortunate and just happened to be at the exact spot when the lightning is going to strike. In order to stay safe, the important thing is simply not to take chances but to recognize the warning signs and get to a safe place as soon as possible. The safest place to be in during a thunderstorm is indoors.

A lightning monitoring system will be able to accurately predict lightning frequency in advance and help to improve the safety of especially fishing, farming communities and other outdoor activities. It also allows ample time for those who have to work in the open space or spend a lot of their time outdoor to get indoors or out of danger way once the warning alert is given out.

This lightning warning system is equipped with sensors for the monitoring of in-cloud lightning so that storm and lightning alerts could be generated faster to protect the communities from severe effects. The advanced alerts are helpful to those who needs time to get to safety and also those who are organizing outdoor events such as school events or sports activities where many lives are involved.

Lightning sensors are used to pick up discharges every day and with the information provided, the system is able to reveal the areas with the most concentration of lightning likely to occur. It is the responsibility of heads of big organizations, schools, universities, and others to seriously think of lightning safety for their staffs, students, and people in their organization.

With advance lightning alerts, people are able to plan their outdoor activities e.g. camping or boating, etc. without endangering their lives. If you are caught in a thunderstorm, try to get indoors or get into your car with the windows wind up. If that is not possible, avoid taking shelter from trees, poles or other tall objects, and stay as low as possible. Stay away from water as water is a good conduction of electricity.

Top Things To See And Do In Canada For 2019

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With 2018 almost on its way out and 2019 coming in strong, you might have already started planning next year’s great getaway. Many people begin planning in advance, especially if they’re looking to make it a getaway to remember – jetting off to far flung places and doing something truly extraordinary that might be a once in a lifetime kind of thing. For many, the experience of a lifetime includes visiting Canada with its rugged coastlines, majestic mountain scenery and historic towns and cities with impressive colonial era architecture. If this sounds like something you’d enjoy, check out the top things to do in Canada for 2019.

The Rocky Mountaineer

The Rocky Mountaineer train journey, developed over a century ago brings together luxurious accommodation, dining and sightseeing together with one of the plushest and most desirable ways to experience the Rocky Mountains. With numerous itineraries to choose from as well as the ability to pick tours with flights included, there’s no better way to get up close and personal with the majestic natural wonder that is the Rockies. Choose from departures in Banff or Jasper and see one of the wonders that draw international travellers to Canada time and again!

Road Trips

With so much land to explore, it makes Canada ideal for road trips. Choose from doing a loop of the West from Vancouver-Calgary-Edmonton, the Ontario loop which includes Toronto-Niagara-Ottawa or the Quebec corridor with Montreal and Quebec City. Feeling brave? Combine all three and take a journey coast to coast along the Trans Canada Highway – probably the ultimate road trip you can do with the exception of the US’ Historic Route 66.

Culture and Cuisine

Fancy getting a look into Canadian history and sampling some of the local fare? Head straight to Quebec where you’ll be whisked away in time with some of the colonial era architecture, leaving you wondering if you’ve stepped foot in France or if you’ve wandered back in time. Be sure to try poutine – arguably Canada’s national dish comprised of French fries, cheese curds and gravy, sometimes topped hilariously with extras up to and nearly including everything but the kitchen sink. Explore the history of the regional old trading Forts, such as Fort Chambly or Fort Lennox before taking a river cruise down the historic St Lawrence through old town Montreal.

Friendly Faces

Want to brave Canadian frontiers that many travellers don’t explore? Head to the little visited islands of Prince Edward Island or Newfoundland for up close and personal experiences with locals so friendly you might just be slightly rattled. See if you can understand a Newfie with their slang and twang before trying the local dishes of Jigg’s dinner, potlicker, and toutons. We’ll leave you to look into what they are so you can whet your appetite and get excited about visiting this rocky island full of friendly people and glorious scenery.

So if you’re after a trip to remember, check out Canada. With excitement and beautiful nature (and people!) coast to coast, it’s no wonder so many love the Great White North. Be sure to plan your trips accordingly with the weather, with May to September being the ideal times to visit most of the country if you want summery climes. So get those bags packed – Canada won’t explore itself!