I met today’s travel interview guests a few months ago in their hometown of Vancouver. Known as the Traveling Canucks, they are as warm and friendly as can be – a perfect reflection of the ‘typical’ Canadian – you know, the one that everybody likes 
Despite living in such a wonderful country, they are hardcore travellers, so I couldn’t resist sharing their story. Read on.
Could you introduce yourselves?
We are Cam and Nicole Wears, a newlywed couple from beautiful Vancouver, British Columbia. We met 8 years ago while at university in the city of Victoria and in February of 2008 we were married on the sandy beaches of the Mayan Riveria in Mexico.
Our introduction to travel began at young ages, with Cam living in Nairobi, Kenya at age 12 and Nicole backpacking Europe at age 19. Travel and adventure is a common passion that has always played an important role in our lives. After living in Malaysia in 2004 and exploring SE Asia, we developed a travel addiction that has yet to be cured.
In January of 2009 we traded our great, well paying management positions for a backpack and a checklist. We thought that a RTW adventure would cure our travel curiosity, but since returning to BC we’ve realized that we’ve only just begun.
As the ‘traveling canucks’ care to share your hot tips for the best of Canada?
As residents of British Columbia, we’re slightly biased towards the west coast. It’s an amazing playground for the outdoor enthusiast and has some of the best scenery on the planet.
That said, we’ve got a few recommendations for adventures across Canada:
- Biking the 300 km Cabot Trail in Cape Breton, Nova Scotia – stay in quaint B&B’s and pass through simple Acadian villages (indulge in a lobster feast at sunset)
- Snowboard/ski deep powder in the Kootenay Rockies (Revelstoke, Fernie, Whitewater & Red Mountain Resorts)
- Snowmobiling and ice fishing in the Northern Ontario lake/cottage country
- Kayaking with orca whales through Haida Gwaii off the BC coast (formerly known as the Queen Charlotte Islands)
- Get your cowboy fix at the world famous Calgary Stampede (held in mid-July)
- White water rafting down the mighty Ottawa River in Ontario. While in the area, visit the stunning Parliament Buildings in Ottawa, the nation’s capital
- Cold water surfing in Tofino on the misty west coast of Vancouver Island
- Hike the East Coast Trail from St John’s harbour south to Cappahayden and pass through unique North Atlantic landscapes
- Rent a campervan in Halifax and cross country to Vancouver (leave yourself minimum of 3 weeks)
Andy: Wowzers! That is one heck of a Canada must-see list. But it reminds me of ThePlanetD’s Dream Adventures in Canada feature we ran earlier this year.
You’ve been to over 47 countries. That’s a lot! How do you choose what destinations you want to hit up next?
Many of the countries, destinations and attractions that we’ve visited were inspired by other travellers. One of the things we like most about travel is meeting new people and learning about their home countries and recommended travel experiences.
Lately, we’ve found many inspirational travel blogs and websites that have shared interesting locations. We really don’t have a formula, although we often resort to flipping a coin (and it has never let us down!).
Andy: I find the best formula is a bit of research and a lot of serendipity. (Depending on the destination… the more off the beaten path, the more research can be handy!)
Many of the places you’ve been to are true icons – Easter Island, Machu Picchu, Taj Mahal etc. What are your feelings about the tourist classics – are you often disappointed/surprised/satisfied with the most popular places?
We are often extremely impressed with the true icons. In fact, most have exceeded our expectations, especially Easter Island. These world wonders get the hype that they do for good reason – they are incredible!
We don’t shy away from tourist hotspots, in fact our goal is to see as many as we can during our lifetime. Witnessing these legendary places firsthand gives us a sense of accomplishment, knowing that we are fortunate enough to fulfil the dreams of many.
The key is to time your visits and come up with a strategy. We find that sunrise/early morning is the best time to explore the sites, well before the tourist buses show up (the herds usually don’t want to wake up at 5:00 AM on their vacation). When visiting the Great Pyramids of Giza, we immediately hired a camel and went in the opposite direction of the Sphinx and main Pyramid. Our Pyramid encounter was crowd free and peaceful, allowing us to fully soak up the treasured monuments. Even the most popular destinations offer moments of tranquility, you just have to be creative.
Andy – Good tips!
What’s been your most inspirational travel experience?
Travelling through the Middle East was an experience that we’ll never forget. As North Americans, the Middle East has always seemed very foreign and volatile. The media portrays the area as dangerous and intimidating, which likely tainted our perception of the region.
We even contemplated paying big money to join a group tour in order to feel “protected’. We were so glad we didn’t. Though there are still unsafe areas, travel is fairly straightforward and accessible, and the people very friendly, helpful and hospitable.
There are two moments that stand out; sleeping under the desert stars at a local Bedouin camp in Jordan’s Wadi Rum and trekking through the night to Mount Sinai’s summit to witness the sun rise over the desert mountains. One can’t help but feel inspired walking on the same sands that many biblical leaders did thousands of years prior. It has a spiritual presence unlike any other place we’ve visited.
What’s on your must-do bucket list?
That’s a great question. Our bucket list seems to continually evolve as we grow and age. As it relates to travel and adventure, our current list includes:
- The South Pacific – specifically Bora Bora, Vanuatu and the Cook Islands
- Exploring the Great Sahara Desert in Northern Africa – swimming in a isolated desert oasis
- Climbing to the summit of Mount Kilimanjaro in Tanzania
- Scuba diving the Maldives Islands in the Indian Ocean
- Central America – specifically exploring the jungles of Guatemala and beaches of Belize
- African wildlife safari in Namibia and Botswana
Well, if that isn’t proof that having an empty bucket list, or satisfying travel curiosity, are both unattainable, I don’t know what is. Thanks for joining us today, Cam & Nicole. For more information, folks, visit their website, the Traveling Canucks, or follow them on Twitter. Thanks!
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Thanks for sharing our story Andy! Look forward to a meet up after you’re all settled in the Pacific Northwest.