Canada Cool Competition
You Go Girl! If you're a Canadian between 18 and 26 years of age you're eligible for more than 100 cool travel-related prizes. All you have to do is have fun! Hike it, bike it, canoe it, raft it, climb it, explore it any way you choose, just travel beyond your home province or territory between May 1 and Sept. 30, 2000. Share your stories and photos, and you're eligible to win. For further info, check out http://www.canadacool.com
Lucy Izon, Toronto, Canada

We love mall food in Argentina.
When traveling with our children in Buenos Aires last spring, we ate many of our lunches and dinners in shopping malls. Mall food in Argentina is a thousand times better than in US malls, and prices are inexpensive compared to dining in Buenos Aires restaurants. When travelling with youngsters everyone can order what suits their fancy (pizza, empanadas, hamburgers, even steaks and seafood). This eliminates arguing over who wants to go where, to eat what. Best of all, because mall food stands are open at all hours while restaurants don't open until 9 or 10 p.m., we could eat when the kids became hungry.
Rochelle Reed, Sun Valley, Idaho, USA

Cool ice cream parlour in Chicago...
I just visited Chicago and was taken to a very cool ice cream parlour called Margie's Candies (they also make and sell candy). These people make their own ice cream and all the sundaes are served in big, plastic half clamshells. The booths at Margie’s are gold vinyl and there are lots of interesting things hanging off the walls and perched on shelves. If your adventuress radar is sensitive enough, you'll definitely get a blip on your screen where Margie's is located -- roughly on Western Ave. and Armitage Ave., just outside the Western El stop, northwest of downtown. I think the area is called Bucktown.
Erica Christ, Minneapolis, USA

She packs a skirt for Israel...
I have learned a lesson. I was shooed out of the Church of the Holy Sepulcher for wearing shorts. The Western Wall attendants didn't look too fondly on my shorts either. If you're going to any religious sites, be sure to bring a wrap-around skirt that will at least cover your knees.
Jen, Boston, USA

Custom cooking in Hong Kong...
As the publisher for an Asian travel magazine, I have had innumerable opportunities to review the best of Asia. Here is one of my own favourites from my home town of Hong Kong. For a highly unusual meal suitable for meat lovers or strict vegetarians, try Kublai’s Mongolian with outlets in the Capital Centre, Jaffe Road, Wanchai and Kimberley Road, Tsimshatsui (Jordan MTR). This is serve yourself and eat-as-much-as-you-like informal dining. You create your own dishes based on either noodles or rice with over 30-40 combinations of meat, vegetables and sauces including Teriyaki, satay and spicy Mongolian. Make your choice of ingredients, leave your numbered bowl at the kitchen and within minutes a custom-cooked steaming hot pot is delivered to your table. Very reasonably priced, too.
Georgina Wong, Business Traveller Asia Pacific, Hong Kong

Sisters pack pedicure kit...
My sister and I just returned from a two week trek in Costa Rica. We did much hiking and walking and the best thing we ever packed was a pedicare kit. We learned quickly that taking very good care of our feet was vitally important and each evening we had a ritual of cleansing, lubricating and nipping blisters in the bud (there is a special bandage called Blistex which can be placed on budding blisters before they get too bad). We had the happiest feet in the group and we were never ever slowed down!
Barbara Aldridge, Guelph, Canada

Don’t pack white for travel...
Many women may not agree with me but I believe that my tip makes very good sense. Never take white clothing on any trip. It gets dirty right away and it marks you as a tourist.
Judith, Quito, Ecuador

Pack inflatable hangers...
When I travel, something I've found to be a wonderful addition are the inflatable hangers that you can get at your local travel store. They help your hand washed laundry dry much more quickly as they allow the air to circulate around more surfaces of your wet article. And, as a bonus, these hangers make a pretty comfortable inflatable pillow for use on the train or in the bathtub.
Charlotte Fong, California, USA

She buys handkerchiefs in Japan...
When you go to public restrooms in Japan, take a handkerchief or small towel with you. Most of the places here have a sink to wash your hands, but no paper towels or hand blowers for drying. I suggest that women can buy very cute designed hankies in our small Japanese shops for a dollar or two. Want a famous name brand hankie? They’re yours for $US10 at the big department stores.
Kay, Kyoto, Japan
Ed. note: And...those dollar hankies make wonderful little gifts to bring home for friends. Stock up when you’re there.

She protects her camera...
Thieves love bright shiny new cameras so disguise yours. When I travelled through Asia many years ago I put electrical tape over the fancy brand name of the camera, etched my country and my social insurance number on the back and smeared some silicone on the camera body. In the end....not a very desirable camera to steal. And, I still travel with the same great camera today!
Darcy, Vancouver, Canada

She raves about an e-mail service...
I learned about a wonderfully simple e-mail service for travellers and used it on my last trip to Hong Kong. It worked perfectly! Mailstart.com allows you to retrieve all of your e-mail messages directly from your own internet provider at home. Just set up your account and password with Mailstart prior to leaving (it’s free), receive your instructions and you’re ready to go. Do yourself a favour and check it out at http://www.mailstart.com I loved it!
Evelyn Hannon, Toronto, Canada

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