buzz off, buster!

Magellan's summer catalog is now available both online and the old-fashioned way (in print).

It's a great source for travel supplies, whether you're in need of clothing or products for security, health and comfort while you're on the road.

Items include:

BuzzOff insect repellent travel wear repels mosquitoes, ticks, fleas and other biting insects. The high performance fabrics offer 30+ SPF sun protection and are engineered for all-climate comfort. Pictured above is the Men's Buzz Off Check Shirt ($79).

Pack-It Liquid/Gel Set is a clear, quart-size zip-top pouch with four three-ounce plastic travel bottles. Make sure your carry-on liquids are in compliance with TSA regulations (3-1-1). They come with labels so you don't mistakenly use shower gel on your hair instead of shampoo! $14.85.

Magellan's website also has helpful travel tips.

If you'd like to order the catalog instead of shopping online, call 800.962.4943.

titanic sails into victoria, british columbia

Victoria's Royal BC Museum launched its six-month run of Titanic: The Artifact Exhibition on Saturday.

That's exactly 95 years to the day, April 14, 1912, that RMS Titanic struck the iceberg that sent it to the bottom of the north Atlantic Ocean.

I had seen a Titanic exhibit at the Pacific Science Center in Seattle in 2001 and was underwhelmed. But after a sneak peek at the Royal BC Museum last month, I'm planning a return visit to Vancouver Island to see the show in its entirety.

To read the rest of my story in The (Everett) Herald, click HERE.

nanaimo bars and other island delights

I'd never really been smitten with Nanaimo. It's the type of town where I'd stop for lunch on my way to Tofino or Campbell River.

Nanaimo, 70 miles north of Victoria on the east side of Vancouver Island, is the island's second largest city. More than 2,000 years ago it was the home of five Coast Salish villages and became a Hudson's Bay Co. outpost in the mid-1800's.

My impressions of Nanaimo are far less historical: those chocolate and custard cookie Nanaimo bars and
jazz singer and Nanaimo native Diana Krall.



After spending several days in Nanaimo recently, however, my feelings have changed.

To read the rest of my story in The Herald, click on A stroll around Nanaimo.

IF YOU GO

Coast Bastion Inn
800.716.6199
Rates from $132 CAD

Painted Turtle Guesthouse
866.309.4432
Rates $20-$75 CAD

Dinghy Dock Pub & Family Restaurant

BC Ferries
From Tsawwassen, BC to Nanaimo at Duke Point

Washington State Ferries
From Anacortes, WA to Sidney, BC on Vancouver Island

Harbour Living - Nanaimo's Events Website