17 Unique & Delicious Items of Canadian Junk Food

Seeing a foreign travellers reaction upon entering a Canadian junk food aisle is typically a funny experience. Eyes bulge, curious hands grab, shake, and squeeze packaged goods that they’ve never seen nor heard of. Its not long before they’re laughing or shaking their head as they think aloud “Who would think up that flavour of crisps…” – I typically correct them and inform them that in these parts, those are chips, and those flavours just so happen to rock! Yes, its true, the junk food in Canada is very much similar to American junk food, with one exception. We have brands & flavours Americans only wish they had dreamed up.

Canadian Potato Chips / Crisps

An oddly Canadian flavour of chip, Dill Pickle Chips vary in strength, flavour, and “Creamyness”, depending on the brand. They’re a little more tangy than your average chip, but incredibly awesome in any form.

Ketchup Chips

Ever since I was a kid I wondered how the chip scientists thought up new flavours. Potatoes and ketchup go great together, so why wouldn’t they be a hit everywhere in the world. Apparently us Canadians are the only hosers to think putting that experience in chip form is clever. Whatever you think, they’re incredibly popular. But be warned, they leave your fingers red. So lick those fingers hard, and lick often.

All Dressed Chips

The All Dressed chip. Easily one of the weirdest Canadian flavours of chip. It is the bastard child of every chip flavour. It’s very popular in these parts. I’m personally not a huge fan, but some people go hog wild over this one.

Hickory Sticks

Picture chips that have been julienned. Thin, little strips of chips that taste of Hickory Smoked BBQ. They come in a very retro brown coloured bag. If you’re after a true “chip” experience these may not have the oomph you’re looking for. But if  you’re the type who jams a handful of chips in your mouth at a time, you may have just found a new best friend.

Canadian Chocolate Bars

Eat-More Chocolate Bars

The Eat-More is a Canadian Chocolate bar filled with chewy dark toffee, crushed peanuts, and chocolate. Peanut allergies be warned, this Chocolate Bar will kill you, but not before you experience eating one of the best tasting chocolate bars ever invented. Look for the bright yellow wrappers.

Coffee-Crisp Chocolate Bars

The Coffee Crisp has a long history with Canadians, and probably has one of the largest “cult” followings. Expatriates from all over the world cry themselves to sleep on occasion thinking of this Coffee Flavoured Chocolaty Wafer Treat. Several coffee flavours, including “French Vanilla” and “Triple Mocha” have existed; however, if you ask me the Classic Coffee Crisp is still the best.

Crispy Crunch Bar

The Crispy Crunch Bar is another one of those chocolate bars Canadians have found on the shelves for decades. While it was invented in the late 1920’s, it still has that youthful flaky peanut crunch many look for in a good chocolate bar.

Big Turk Chocolate Bar

The Big Turk is one of the few chocolate bars that I’ve never tried. I have heard of it, and even seen some people eat it, but they’re definitely not seen nearly as often as some of the other chocolate bars mentioned here. These bars are filled with Turkish Delight & covered in Milk Chocolate.

Smarties

I was having a conversation with one of my duel-citizenship friends the other day (She’s an American/Canadian). While eating a Blizzard from Dairy Queen she told me how she once ordered a Smarties blizzard while in the States, and the workers there thought she was insane. For those who don’t know what Smarties are, they are basically M&M’s, only better. Candy coated, chocolate “oblate spheroids” that come in a rainbow of colours. I’ve seen them in the UK before too, but have yet to “eat the red one last” in the States. Easily one of the most popular types of Canadian candy.

Kinder Surprises

If you’re from anywhere in the world besides the United States, there’s a strong chance you’ve seen these. A milk chocolate egg that has a toy inside the hollow of the egg. For some reason, they were banned from the States due to safety concerns. I understand the choking hazard and all, but Kinder Surprises are synonymous with childhood memories. For many people, these chocolates have become the ultimate obsession in terms of collecting toys.

Nanaimo Bars

While not exactly a “Chocolate bar”, this “Chocolate Desert” comes in bar format. Named after the city of Nanaimo, British Columbia (Located on Vancouver Island), the Nanaimo Bar is made up of a crispy crumby wafer base, a layer of Vanilla or Custard flavoured butter icing, with a slab of chocolate on top. While there are many variations to this recipe, they’re all pretty darn good, and great as a post-meal treat. You can actually find these outside of Canada as well, care of the Starbucks franchise.

Whippets

While the name may conjure up thoughts of people huffing nitrous oxide, Whippets in Canada can also refer to these fluffy chocolate treats. Pictures a marshmallow covered in chocolate with a crumby cookie base. While there are several immitations all around the world, I haven’t found one that comes close to the Whippets.

Canadian Cereal

Shreddies

Not exclusive to Canada, but many countries don’t have these tasty golden sugar covered wafers of goodness. Definitely worth a try if you’ve never had a try. One of the few cereals that stay pretty crunchy throughout the whole milk-dousing process.

Canadian Fast Food

Burger Baron

What started as a small burger joint in Lethbridge Alberta quickly expanded in western Canada as the best place to grab a “burg”. Unfortunately when the big American take-out restaurantes found their way into Canada, Burger Baron was left clinging on for dear life. They faught back and survived. You can find them in all over the Edmonton area as well as in my hometown of Regina SK. Their mushroom burger could stop wars.

Mr Sub

While more popular in Western Canada, Mr Sub is a Canadian sandwich chain that puts Subway to shame. They’ve got a lot of the same items on their menu, with a few alternatives (Whats up Louisana Chicken!?) – Highly recommend giving these guys a try if you’re irking for a 30cm sandwich. These sandwiches you won’t find in America, at least not under this name brand.

Harveys

Mmm, Harveys. While not nearly as popular as the big fast food chains, Harveys is well worth a stop on the highway if you see one. Delicious angus beef, fresh buns, and your choice of toppings. They treat their burgers the same way Mr Sub does. Harvey’s is probably my favourite fast food you can only get in Canada.

TimBits

Ever wonder what Donut Shops do with the middle of their donuts? Open up a box of Timbits and find out. While I wouldn’t say Canada is the only place to do this, I like to think the folks over at Tim Hortons played an important role in their invention. Timbits come in a variety of flavours of spherical balls of donut. Healthy? Absolutely not! Tasty? You freakin’ bet!

EDIT: Special thanks to Lee Carter for reminding me of the incredible awesomeness that is Poutine. Not sure how forgot that. 

EDIT 2: Mega high five goes out to @cborys for mentioning my favourite Halloween treat, Hawkin’s Cheezies. I completely missed them as I was scanning the junk food aisles in my brain.

Bonus: Poutine!

French fries, cheese curds, and a ridiculous amount of gravy. A true Canadian dish that is best served hot, with a bit of booze in your system from earlier that night. To read more about all that is awesome about poutine – check out my post on Chez Ashtons – what I feel might be the best poutine in Canada.

Bonus: Hawkins Cheezies

The word “Cheezie” in Canada encompasses pretty much all Cheese snacks in Canada; however, the folks at Hawkins were the ones who started it all. These Canadian Snacks are crunchy, aged cheddar salty chips not only taste good by the handful, but the Cheezie residue left on your fingers is where you really make your mom proud. You can’t help but scrape it off with your teeth and angrily wish you had more!

Resource :- http://ibackpackcanada.com/unique-delicious-items-canadian-junk-food/

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Five Foods to Avoid Before Flying

Pre-flight anxiety -- spurred by endless baggage lines, security checkpoints and screaming children -- need not extend to fears of repeat trips to the airplane lavatory. But eat the wrong thing before you fly, and you may be contending with more than just an awful in-flight movie or space-invading neighbor.

Unfortunately, airport dining options -- like a greasy fast food burger, oily pizza or a liquid lunch at the concourse bar -- are rather limited. Still, if you're disciplined, avoiding the gut-busting trifecta of grease, alcohol and carbonation can help contribute to a bloat-free flight. There are even a few surprisingly nutritious foods on our "don't eat" list that are best avoided before you take to the sky. And for the long-haulers wondering if there's anything to do to prevent jet lag as they zoom from New York to Beijing, there may just be a food-based remedy: Eat nothing at all.

Remember to drink lots of water, eat some carrot sticks and nuts, and check out our five foods banned for pre-flight consumption.

1. McDonald's Extra Value Meal

Okay, so we're using Mickey D's as the embodiment of greasy, artery-clogging fast food joints typically found in airports. According to the medical community, the body doesn't do so well digesting foods laden with sodium and saturated fats in the first place -- and digestion at 35,000 feet proves even more difficult. So it's common sense to avoid these worst offenders before flying.

But beyond the digestion problems, there's also the issue of in-flight blood circulation. Sitting squished and immobile in a pressurized cabin hinders blood flow, setting off a physiological chain that can lead to swollen feet, or worse, deep vein thrombosis (DVT). DVT involves the formation of a blood clot deep inside the body that when breaks free can lodge in the brain, lungs or heart, causing severe damage, even death. According to doctors at the Canadian Cardiovascular Congress, scarfing down a greasy bacon, egg and cheese sandwich can cause an almost immediate constriction of blood flow. While no direct link has yet been made between DVT and eating a pre-flight meal high in saturated fats, fried chicken plus a cramped airline seat is probably a combination best avoided.

2. The Gas Giants

For obvious reasons, it's smart to avoid foods that encourage intestinal expansion, as the nature of the pressurized airplane cabin promotes further bloating. Chief among such foods are fried and super-saturated dishes, but even certain "healthful" foods -- onions, cauliflower, cabbage, beans, lentils -- can make you feel like an over-filled balloon. The aforementioned high-sodium foods can cause you to retain water, further contributing to that bloated feeling.

And gas troubles can transcend questions of personal discomfort or public decency. In 2006, a flatulent airplane passenger forced an American Airlines plane to make an emergency landing. Fellow passengers reported smelling burnt matches, and the plane had to come down. A female passenger later admitted that she had struck the matches to conceal a certain aroma.

3. Alcohol

For many fliers, downing a few cocktails is part of their pre-flight protocol. It helps allay fear of flying and serves as a liquid sleeping pill. But doctors (yes, them again) say that consuming alcohol before or during a flight should be avoided, at least in excessive amounts.

Alcohol causes dehydration, which is already a concern for most fliers given the ultra-dry air and salty meals on planes. If having a drink is a must for you, counteract the effect of the booze by consuming plenty of water.

4. Carbonated Beverages

When flying, and especially on a long-haul, it helps to think of yourself as a super athlete, competing against the forces of dehydration, boredom, rude flight attendants and the smelly guy sitting next to you. As an athlete, you'd never consume a Pepsi during a triathlon, would you? You need to be at your peak, and carbonated beverages contribute to bloating and cramping, two enemies of the long-haul athlete. Again, we're suggesting that you avoid foods that impede digestion, cause gas and potentially cause distress to you and your fellow passengers.

5. Everything

In a study published in the journal "Science," researchers suggested that fasting for about 16 hours before a long flight may actually help to fend off jet lag.

Here's the study in a nutshell: Normally it's light that triggers an internal clock that controls when we eat and sleep. But according to the study, a second clock seems to override the first when the body senses that food is in short supply. So researchers believe we might be able to faster adjust to time zone changes by manipulating this second clock, based on hunger. In essence, if you make your body think it's starving, you'll be able to remain awake and alert until it's dinner time in your new destination, resetting your body's light clock in the process.

Source - https://goo.gl/9v58OD

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5 Things You Need To Bring Camping With You

Wouldn’t trekking through the wilderness be so great if everything simply fit in your pockets? Unfortunately, unless you have one of those fancy inflatable Houses, you probably won’t be going camping without a backpack anytime soon. Filling it up can sometimes be too easy. We’re constantly reminded to prepare for the worst. Then also reminded to pack light. What needs to make the cut in your pack? Without further ado, let’s get into the items I think you absolutely should bring on your next camping trip!

1) A Knife

Victorinox Swiss Army Knife runs about $15 – $20 and the knife is well worth the cost. The one I linked above does slightly more than function as a knife (it has scissors, nail file/screwdriver, and tweezers), which makes it good for both daily usage and camping trips. I’ve had my own for around five years; I bring it everywhere because I use it almost daily, and I can personally attest to its dependability, though I have to admit those scissors are just a waste of space.

Bringing a on your camping trip is a must. A decent knife can save your butt, and can be used in a variety of situations, including cutting rope, sharpening sticks, and even as an emergency weapon (albeit a Swiss Army Knife may not be a very effective one).

While there are definitely better knives out there, for entry-level campers the Swiss Army Knife is a great item to bring with you when you’re camping.

2) Cordage

The next essential for camping is cordage. Having rope can come in handy, especially for survival purposes. It’s cheap, and serves countless purposes, from bundling wood, to tying up an injury, or just hanging your wet clothes to dry. I personally use this small Bear Grylls bracelet cordage when I’m out in the sticks. While I may not think all that highly of Bear Grylls, his products are surprisingly decent.

Some varieties of cordage are brightly colored and highly reflective, making it a very handy tool for survival. Another product that you might consider is the Kelty TripTease Lightline, but I can’t say too much about this as I haven’t used it before. You can use cordage for quite a wide variety of things, such as attaching your gear to your pack and making a hammock.

3) A Compass

I won’t say much about having a compass. I believe you should always carry one around with you when you’re out camping, especially if you’re in an area with poor cell phone reception. It doesn’t have the be the fanciest most expensive compass, but something that can re-orient you is key. Of course, you should also know how to use a compass, but I’ll leave that to Wikihow to explain (I’m a lousy teacher).

4) Fire

Keeping warm is incredibly important for survival. If you’re going to be staying in an area with low elevation (< 10,000 – 12,000 feet), then you won’t have many issues with making a cheap lighter work. However, at higher elevations, due to the lack of oxygen in the thinner atmosphere, finding a lighter that strikes all the time can sometimes be a difficult task.

I’ve found that cheap Bic lighters that you can get at the gas station for a dollar or two work most of the time. However, I’m sure some die-hard campers would spit, snarl and scream at that notion. Sure, you can fight with striker sticks, matches, and or just rubbing sticks together and saying a prayer, I’m a bit of a lazy camper and have no shame in letting technology help me out.

If you’re looking for refillable lighters, I personally like Zippo lighters even more than the cheap Bic lighters. The Ultimate Survival Technologies Floating Lighter (seen above) is actually a waterproof-floating zippo style lighter, which is handy if you’re going to be on or near water at any time.

If you like to be extra careful, I’d recommend carrying a few waterproof matches as well as a Carbon Strike Fire Starter which produces sparks for those hypothetical emergency situations where none of your lighters make fire.

5) Water

Staying hydrated while outdoors is just as important as staying warm. Water is probably one of the most important resources, so finding a suitable container for it is important because you don’t want to risk having any contaminants in it. A good water bottle can be used to boil water or to melt snow, giving you a source of fresh water in a survival situation.

I use a Klean Kanteen Stainless Steel Bottle because it’s both light and sturdy, and I usually clip this on to one of my belt loops (so I guess it isn’t really a “pocket item”). These are currently $25 – $32 USD on Amazon. An important thing to note is to avoid getting a double-walled container. Although they keep cold drinks cold for the entire day, the added insulation makes it difficult to boil water in when you aren’t near safe water. Or just be a smart camper and carry some Aquatabs Water Purification Tablets.

Source - http://ibackpackcanada.com/5-things-you-need-to-bring-camping-with-you/

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12 Ways to Feel at Home in a Foreign Place

Your first day in a new place can be both riveting and disorienting. The goal by the end of your stay should be to remain riveted, but be anything but disoriented. It's not as easy as it sounds; the feeling that you missed something, or that you never quite got a handle on the quicksilver nature of a place, can linger long after you leave.

A couple of weeks ago, Joe Brancatelli, editor of JoeSentMe.com and business travel columnist for Portfolio.com, told us that "the best way to get a quick feel of a place and get at least a basic understanding of the people is this: Go to their food markets and their local photography studios."

This got us to thinking about other ways to get the feel of a place quickly and intimately; here are a dozen tips to get you oriented and underway on your next trip.

1. Two words: two wheels.

Adrian Shoobs, a New Jersey-based cycling advocate, offers the following: "Rent a bike, if you can. You cover a lot of ground quickly, but must pay attention to what's going on around you. A Razor scooter works well too and fits in a backpack. I did Paris on a scooter and a Metro card, and had a blast."

A scooter or a bike offers two very good benefits: speed, in that you can cover a lot of ground fairly quickly (probably just as quickly as a car in many places), and openness, as it has no windows to close and shut you off from your surroundings. Shoobs offers a bit more advice: "The scooter worked really well, and if I were to do it again I'd bike or use an adult scooter. An outfit called Xootr makes them and they're great. You see lots of them in NYC."

2. Or your own two feet.

Gabe Winkler, a rowing coach and world traveler, advises: "Go for a run. You'll see the real parts of the town and you'll work off your jet lag." I agree completely; this is what I did in Beijing, before five in the morning no less, and it was one of the most memorable and enlightening parts of my visit there. Read more about my morning runs, the resulting run-ins with people and sheep alike, and more, at Beijing Dispatch: Glimpses of the Real China.

Gabe has done runs in places from Rome to Phuket, Thailand. In Ketchikan, Alaska, running is the best way to see all the totem poles, he says. "Some of my best discoveries of a city were by running. You get away from the tourist sections and get to see the real place. Sometimes you'll run in places where everyone will stare and point at you. Other times, you'll look like a local and people will ask you for directions. If you are a runner that covers a lot of ground, you just might be able to give them the directions (that is, if you can speak the language). It's at that point that you 'know' the place."

New Jersey-based lawyer Karl Piirimae agrees with Gabe and Adrian: "Nothing beats going for a run or, if readily available, a bike ride. Last year I rented a bike in New Orleans and rode all over town and down to Jazz Fest. You can get to know the place with all of your senses."

A number of correspondents recommended walking, as well -- and walking a lot if you can handle it.

3. Or try public transportation.

Igor Belakovskiy, a software engineer in Boston, advises that you "take a train/bus/subway somewhere -- [there's] always an interesting amalgamation of characters on public transportation."

Sarah Schlichter agrees: "Take the bus. And not the tour bus -- the local public bus. Many tourists find public bus networks confusing or intimidating, so you'll be riding mostly with locals, and it always offers an interesting peek into the culture -- everything from the music the driver plays on the radio to the ads on the sides of the vehicle. My favorite bus experiences have come on small, brightly painted vans in the Caribbean, where I've discussed American politics with locals and listened in on exuberant conversations between young girls on their way home from school."

4. Search for the best place to eat lunch.

Dining out can be an unreliable way to get to know a place -- even in my tiny home town, many restaurants show only an extremely small sliver of local life, and a couple cater mostly to out-of-town folks and tourists, so you wouldn't interact with locals almost at all, save for your server. Even your Yelp or Urbanspoon shaker apps can sometimes be just as likely to steer you to a tourist trap as to a local hangout.

However, there is one meal for which Google/Bing/etc. searches will most often direct you to the local joints: lunch. Lunch is the meal that takes place during working hours for the vast majority of folks -- and as such is the meal for which the most glowing reviews will often mean that the locals are happy. And when the locals are happy, they go back to a place again and again. And when they go back to those places, well, when you go, you get to mingle with the locals.

Give it a try -- go to your preferred search engine and type "best place for lunch in..." and then add a favorite city or upcoming destination. Even in a giant city like New York, among the top results I found a tiny cafe, a hardcore deli and a mobile food truck. It won't fail you.

For a more specialized search, Ceci Flinn, an American based in London who travels frequently for business and pleasure, uses Roadfood.com, a growing database that can help you "find authentic regional eats"; it's worth a look.

5. Linger in cafes -- and don't count out chain establishments.

Ah, geez, I might as well say what I mean: go check out the local Starbucks. Anti-corporate and anti-chain restaurant sentiments aside, locals go to Starbucks to sit around, to gossip, to work and to meet friends. If there is a locally preferred alternative to the Starbucks, go there instead, by all means. Near me, Small World Coffee is popular with locals, and its two outposts typically offer all the local flavor (and hopefully a little weirdness) you could hope for in a suburban university town.

Folks are often at their least guarded in a coffee shop -- after all, they are indulging their obsession with, or even addiction to, coffee. When you visit, linger for a while, and do so quietly; you will see and overhear quite a bit of local life.

6. Walk to and from all meals.

Getting to and from restaurants is your best opportunity to have a look around. For example, finding the mobile food truck I mention above can be an adventure in itself. In most locations, eateries are somewhat centrally located, so get off the subway a stop early, or park your car a little ways away, and hoof it for a few blocks coming and going. The amount you will see that you would have missed otherwise will pile up nicely after a few days.

Traveler Mike Sullivan counts on the local bartender to get the scoop: "I walk into pub, ask for a local brew and open up a conversation by asking what's the most interesting local history to them." Sullivan adds: "It only got me in trouble in one place."

In his work as legal counsel for large-scale real estate projects, Piirimae has used a similar tactic: "Professionally I have done some effective snooping to get a sense of local attitudes toward development projects by hanging out or having dinner at local bars when I hit town. You have to find the right kind of place, but you can learn a lot quickly."

8. Go see some houses.

Another advocate of going running, sports medicine physician Andrew McMarlin of Sullivan's Island, SC, also recommends going house-hunting: "The two best methods I've experienced have been having a realtor show me around and running a different loop each day of my trip (everywhere)."

Going house-hunting with a licensed realtor will get you inside homes, where people do their real living. While McMarlin does this mainly in the U.S., I have heard of folks doing the same while in Southeast Asia, China, Japan and South America. In a place where folks live very different home lives from yours, you can learn a whole lot fast; a middle-class home in Beijing, for example, is very different from one in Atlanta. We recommend being up front about your intentions and offering compensation for the real estate agent's time. Keep in mind, too, the potential inconvenience to the locals whose homes you're visiting. A better option may be to look up and attend some open houses on your own.

9. Do something extremely mundane.

For several years my go-to tactic on this score has been to get a haircut -- nothing could be much easier, or more likely to put you in a room among folks where few tourists ever go. I have had haircuts in Marathon, Greece during the Olympics; in Henley-on-Thames during its regatta; and in Tangier, Copenhagen and La Libertad.

10. Find a club.

When traveling, indulge your skill or hobby. If you play a musical instrument, look for local open mic nights; if you do yoga, go to the local studio; if you are a photographer, seek out the local photography club -- you get the idea. In doing these things, you are not necessarily hoping to take great photos or get a workout in, although that may happen -- you are looking to meet the locals. Folks with similar interests are most likely to take you in and show you around.

11. Read a book.

McGrand recommends reading a book that is set in your destination: "Good local fiction ahead of time." Seeing a place through the prism of a good novel can be extremely satisfying, and certainly it has become part of the travel industry -- tours based on massively popular novels like "The Da Vinci Code" can be found in a number of cities. It is easy to get over some of the notorious inaccuracies in many historical novels (it is fiction, after all) when following the thread of the novel takes you to new and fascinating parts of a city or country.

12. Watch the news.

If you just want a vacation and these tips seem too strenuous or challenging, you can even stare at the boob tube right from your hotel room. Architect Jeff Peterson recommends this simple trick: "Watch the local news. It is particularly enlightening if you are out in a rural area."

Source - https://goo.gl/PXuGkJ

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The 15 most spectacular glaciers to visit before they melt

It’s a harsh truth of nature that some of the most picturesque views on planet Earth may only be available for a limited time.

Glaciers are bodies of snow that compress into large ice masses over thousands of years. They form as snowfall exceeds snowmelt on high mountains. Cracks form in the ice, which cause the glacier to move. Unfortunately, glaciers are incapable of adapting to climate variation. As the temperature increases, snowfall can’t keep up with the melt rate and the glaciers begin to disappear, drop by drop.

Even if our climate remained the same, some glaciers are doomed. According to Homeland Security News Wire, “the most conservative findings of a new research on Bhutan, a region in the bull’s-eye of the monsoonal Himalayas, indicate that even if climate remained steady, almost 10 percent of Bhutan’s glaciers would vanish within the next few decades; what is more, the amount of melt water coming off these glaciers could drop by 30 percent”

Here are the most beautiful glaciers you should visit -

The Antarctic

The Antarctic contains 99% of the world’s glacial ice and some of the most incredible ice formations. Unfortunately, some of the glaciers have begun to melt. The Totten Glacier of East Antarctica is losing ice because warm water is pooling underneath it. According to the Australian Antarctic Division, the amount of ice lost is “equivalent to 100 times the volume of Sydney Harbour every year.”

EQI Glacier, Greenland

EQI Glacier is absolutely stunning, but it is constantly calving and dropping blocks of ice into the water below thanks to climate change. This causes massive tidal waves and danger for those traveling by boat to the glacier. Visitors can stay in the Lodge Eqi for views over the active glacier and opportunities to hike to the Ice Cap, or spend the night on the ice in a purpose-built tent.

Glacier National Park, Montana, USA

Glacier National Park started with 150 active glaciers; today it only has about 25. Sperry Glacier is one of the largest glaciers in the park and has withdrawn about 75 percent since the mid-18th century. According to USGS, mountain snowpacks now hold less water and begin melting at least two weeks earlier than usual in the spring. The loss of glaciers can hurt the park’s fragile ecosystems, not to mention ruining the experience for park visitors. Make sure you get out to Glacier National Park soon if you want to see the remaining glaciers before they’re gone.

Pasterze Glacier, Austria

Pasterze Glacier is the longest glacier in Austria and sits on the foot of Austria’s largest mountain, and it’s melting at a rate of 33 feet every year. “Austrian geologists have warned that the country’s glaciers melted faster this year than ever before and predict that all, including the massive Pasterze glacier, will have vanished by the year 2050,” The Local reports. The loss of Austria’s glaciers will change the supply of irrigation and drinking water, negatively impacting parts of the ski industry.

Athabasca Glacier, Canada

Athabasca Glacier is part of the Rocky Mountains Columbia Icefield located in Jasper National Park. It has been shrinking for about 150 years and is losing more than five meters of ice every year. “The U.S. National Climate Assessment said the trend is expected to continue and has implications for hydro-power production, ocean circulation patterns, fisheries and a global rise in sea levels,” according to CBCnews.

Vatnajokull Glacier, Iceland

Vatnajokull is the largest glacier in Iceland, rising more than 6,500 feet in the air and covering eight percent of the country. Because of Iceland’s rising temperatures and reduced snowfall, the glacier is melting pretty rapidly. A recent report from the Icelandic government’s Committee on Climate Change warns that by the next century, Iceland’s glaciers will be no more. Take a trip to Iceland soon and check out this spectacular glacier before it’s too late.

Yulong Glacier, China

Yulong Glacier is said to resemble a dragon; a dragon that happens to be covered by China’s most incredible glaciers. It is an extremely high glacier and requires the use of oxygen to climb it. Unfortunately, the glacier is melting extremely fast; according to one of China’s leading environmental scientists, “future generations will only be able to experience the Yulong glacier through their history books.” (ABC News)

Upsala Glacier, Argentina

Upsala Glacier is located inArgentina’s Los Glaciares National Park. It is surrounded by forests and the spectacular Lake Argentino. Blame global warming for the melting of this glacier; it has been receding since about 1999. Icebergs are continuing to fall and fill the water. Make sure you take a tour to this glacier soon before the ice mass retreats and continues to thin.

Marjerie Glacier, Alaska

Located in Glacier Bay, Marjerie Glacier was declared a national monument in 1925 then declared a world heritage monument in 1992. It was once an enormous single glacier, but high temperatures have caused it to fall apart and create smaller glaciers. Marjerie Glacier has a stunning blue appearance and is surrounded by beautiful mountains. Make sure you plan your trip in advance; you have to take a cruise ship or helicopter to see this one.

Aletsch Glacier, Switzerland

Aletsch Glacier is the largest glacier in the Bernese Alps of south-central Switzerland. Measuring more than 14 miles, you are free to enjoy a mountain top view from Eggishorn Peak. Unfortunately, the glacier has retreated, and if the glaciers water continues to melt and get trapped behind dams of ice it can result in massive flooding.

Franz Josef Glacier, South Island, New Zealand

The 7.5 mile long Franz Josef Glacier starts in the Southern Alps and ends in Westland Tai Poutini National Park. Due to high temperatures, the glacier has been losing ice over the years. Overtime, the glacier has melted so much that no one can walk up the valley and climb the face of the glacier. Tourists are now being flown to the ice via helicopter.

Jostedalsbreen Glacier, Norway

Take a 10-minute boat trip, then a 20 minute walk and you will arrive at the largest glacier in continental Europe. Jostedalsbreen is 37 miles long and 2,000 feet thick. “After AD 2000, glacier behaviour was dominated by a strong frontal retreat, in some cases causing a separation of the lowermost glacier tongue” reports SAGE journals. Changes in climate are causing it to slowly melt, so get out there and visit the Jostedalsbreen Glacier before it’s too late.

Drang-Drung, Himalayas, India

Also called the Durung Drung Glacier, Drang-Drung is located in Indian Himalayas. It reaches an altitude of 21,490 feet. Fortunately, you can reach the Drang-Drung Glacier by car or bus. This glacier is the source of the Doda River and Stod River. “Come rain or shine, or even snow, some glaciers of the Himalayas will continue shrinking for many years to come,” Homeland Security News Wire recently reported. Some are worried within the next few decades the Himalayan glaciers may disappear, eventually causing the rivers to run dry.

Furtwangler Glacier, Mt. Kilimanjaro, Tanzania

Furtwangler Glacier is located close to the summit of Mount Kilimanjaro. Between October 1912 to June 2011, almost 85 percent of the ice cover disappeared. By 2040, most of the ice mass is expected to be gone. According to National Geographic, “when it was drilled for ice core samples in 2000, the Furtwängler was completely water-saturated. Some scientists attribute the overflow to volcanic vents, heating the base of the glacier and melting the bottom layer of ice.”

Perito Moreno Glacier, Argentina

The Perito Moreno Glacier is located in Los Glaciares National Park and is one of the most popular tourist destinations in the Argentinean Patagonia. It is the third-largest reservoir of fresh water in the world. Due to warm temperatures, over the past 50 years many of the glaciers in Los Glaciares have been shrinking. However, the Perito Moreno Glacier is one of the three Patagonian glaciers that are actually growing. Finally, a bit of good news.

Source - http://www.intrepidtravel.com/adventures/the-most-spectacular-glaciers-to-visit-before-they-melt/

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Learn to Sail in Canada with these 5 Sailing Courses

Sailing in Canada can be an enjoyable experience if you know what you are doing. Thankfully there are many people who can teach you not only how to sail, but also the best places to sail while you are in Canada.

 Here are 5 sailing courses that will teach you everything that you need to know:

  

Simply Sailing School
The Simply Sailing School is located in Vancouver and they offer classes from basic all the way to the advanced level. The basic sailing course leaves from a marina in Vancouver and all of the day sailing classes take place in English Bay. If you choose to take the cruise and learn classes, which are two days or more and you live on the boat during that time, you will sail to the Gulf Islands, Howe Sound or the Sunshine Coast. The cost for the basic day sailing classes is $690 for one person.

Sou’wester Adventures Sailing School

Sou’wester Adventures Sailing School offers basic sailing lessons in Mahone Bay in Nova Scotia. Everyone is trained so that they have the skills and knowledge to handle a 20-30 foot boat. The cost of the basic cruising course is $650 per person.

Stowaway Adventures

Stowaway Adventures offer sailing courses near Vancouver Island. Their cruise and learn sailing course can be customized for each individual and their schedule. All of their courses include destinations like Desolation Sound, Gulf Island and the Sunshine Coast. The cost for a single person taking a 5 day cruise and learn course is $1,100 and they also have amazing rates for 7, 9 and 15 days.

Vancouver Sailing Club

The Vancouver Sailing Club has a beginner sailing course that is available year round. During the course, everyone learns how to sail in the English Bay and around Granville Island. The price for the course is $259 per person, however they offer discounts for couples and groups of 3-9 people.

Capt. Mac’s Sailing

At Capt. Mac’s School of Seamanship, everyone is taught by Capt. Mac himself. He has been instructing students for over 30 years and has logged over 60,000 teaching miles. While he concentrates on teaching everyone how to sail, he also spends a lot of time teaching people what they need to know in order to sail a boat safely. He takes his students to the Gulf Islands, Sunshine Coast and Desolation Sound. His basic cruising course includes on board accommodation, on board food, wine with dinner, study material, exam, logbook and a sail Canada certification for only $899. Capt. Mac also offers discounts for groups of 2 or more.

Resource By : - http://ibackpackcanada.com/learn-to-sail-in-canada-with-these-5-sailing-courses/

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