Each participating restaurant in Vancouver (this year there are a record 231) offers a fixed-priced menu of $18, $28 or $38, each course paired with wine. Last night I started off my Dine Out Vancouver experience at Wild Rice, a fusion Chinese restaurant on the edge of Chinatown. See my photo journal below of what I ate.

Reservations at Wild Rice are still open, starting at 5:00 pm every night.

For the first time this year, there was a Street Food City, where nine of Vancouver’s popular food carts gathered at the Vancouver Art Gallery’s north plaza for the past three days. Did anyone try this out? What were the best food carts?

One of the upstairs sections at Wild Rice on the edge of Vancouver’s Chinatown. It is set up as a lounge and looks over the rest of the narrow restaurant.

An overview photo of Wild Rice on the edge of Vancouver’s Chinatown. There are two upstairs sections, one with tables, the other set up as a lounge.

Smoked Tofu Kung Po with broccoli and twice cooked peanuts on jasmine rice at Wild Rice. A bowl filled with rice, broccoli, tofu and lots o’ peanuts is a winner in my books. It also had a nice but subtle spicy kick to it. I happily took half of it home as leftovers.

Szechuan Chocolate Brownie for dessert at Wild Rice. I wasn’t sure about mixing Szechuan and chocolate, but these dense brownies with hints of orange were delicious, said my dining companion.

Chocolate Banana Pudding with chocolate cookies for dessert at Wild Rice. The layer of rich chocolate on top was perfect to complement the bowl of banana pudding. An instant favourite for me.

Fraser Valley Pork Sui Mai at Wild Rice. I didn’t try these but my dining companion said they “hit the spot” and gobbled them up before I even had a chance to really look at them. I think that says it all.

Hot and Sour Soup at Wild Rice. This spicy soup was kickin’, spattered with giant slices of fresh mushrooms. It warmed me up from lips to stomach.

Orange Braised Pemberton Beef with drunken 5 treasure quinoa at Wild Rice. I was told by both of my friends who ordered this that the beef had lots of added taste to it (not spicy but a mix of flavours), and the quinoa that I tried was a nice medley of chopped veggies.

"Solace in the Wind" by English sculptor Max Patte on the Wellington waterfront. Always a hit. The last time I walked by this 2-metre high iron man he was dressed in a toque and knitted underwear.

The trip was a success: I had spent the month of November on the North Island of New Zealand attending the SATW convention in Wellington, did a post-trip to hike and mountain bike in Tongariro National Park, and then spent the remaining weeks travelling from Paihia and Auckland in the north, down to Rotorua and then Whakatu, near Napier, doing research for a book.

I drove myself to the airport (having sort of gotten used to keeping in the left lane) and approached the Air New Zealand check-in desk in a bit of confusion.

“Uh, hold on a minute, I just have to dig out my passport,” I mumbled, searching frantically for the little blue booklet.

“Oh, sure,” said the woman patiently.

But search as I did, I just couldn’t find the thing.

“Hmmm, I think I’ll go over there and look in my luggage,” I said, trying not to panic.

A thorough hunt through each of my bags, though, came up with nothing. Uh oh. I never remove my passport from its place in my laptop bag, but it wasn’t there, or anywhere else: could it have been stolen?

I reluctantly walked back to the check-in counter to find out what my options were. I was told that I might as well board the flight to Auckland, as I didn’t need ID to fly domestic; it was more likely I could get help there. I had a seven-hour layover, so hopefully I could come up with a solution before my flight to Vancouver.

After arriving in Auckland and filling out a police report, I hankered down near the Air New Zealand special assistance desk, where they took up the cause of getting me on the 8:00 pm flight to Vancouver. Although I was told it wasn’t likely, one of the women did mention that she had been successful with Australian citizens in this type of situation in the past. I was hopeful.

I found an outdoor ice rink in downtown Wellington! There was no hockey going on, though (the field hockey teams are called the "Black Sticks"), and most were having trouble just staying upright.

Almost five hours later and many calls for me over the PA system (they couldn’t get a hold of the right person at the Canadian embassy, then they got a hold of her but had more questions), I heard the hostile words no one ever wants to hear when they’re travelling: Canada won’t accept you back into the country. Ouch.

Worse than that – for my wallet – was that the Canadian Embassy is in Wellington, so I had to get back down there to start the process of getting a temporary passport. The cost just to change my flights and get to Wellington? NZ$1,130 (about $890.00 CDN).

After three days in the capital filled with getting passport photos, paying fees and hoping the consular could get a hold of all four of my references, I got a temporary white passport the morning I had re-scheduled my flight for and set out to the airport once more for my flight home.

The positive side to this story? New Zealand was probably the best place I could have had travel problems in, as the people were helpful, I didn’t have to communicate in a language I didn’t know, and it’s a safe country. I mean, who can complain about being stuck in Wellington?

The negative? I found my passport in my luggage after I returned home…

One of the stretchiest of all the girls in class was Melena Rounis. In fact, she ended up joining Cirque du Soleil in the spring of 2008 down in Las Vegas, joining the cast of The Beatles LOVE show at The Mirage Hotel and Casino. Still with the company, she dresses in rainbow leg warmers and starts the show off in the song “Get Back,” does some Locking on top of a VW Beetle during “Drive My Car,” and does everything from flying around in a harness, acting as an intoxicated groupie and even playing Lady Madonna. It depends on the night.

I feature Melena in my upcoming book, Catching My Breath: Dancing my way across Canada, in a chapter about the circus scene in Montreal. Although she gives a behind-the-scenes look at life in the circus, I wanted to profile her dance career outside of Cirque du Soleil, too, which is just as impressive.

Melena Rounis. Photo by Rob Daly.

Although I asked her to brag a bit about her extensive resume, she wouldn’t take the bait. Instead, she said, “Hmmmm…. I’m not really much for bragging! There’s still so much I want to do in my career so I don’t feel the need to brag about much of anything at this point, and most likely not at any other point in my life for that matter. I can say I have had the pleasure of doing some pretty awesome jobs in some pretty cool places and have worked with some amazing people and artists. There are so many talented artists out there, all of whom I have the utmost respect for, and I have definitely worked hard, but I am just so grateful for every experience thus far and for my new experiences to come.”

Some of those experiences include dancing in the films Scary Movie 3, Wickerman, RV, Deck the Halls and Get Him to the Greek, as well as on TV shows like America’s Got Talent Season 5 Finale (as a member of Cirque du Soleil), the 2010 NHL Awards, Aliens in America and Masters of Horror. She has worked on videos with musicians Lykke Li, Don Omar, Elise Estrada, and toured with the latter two, as well as Tina’s Rock n’ Roll Journey, a Tina Turner tribute show.

Lori Henry about to snorkel with beluga whales in Churchill, Manitoba. Photo by John Zada.

She seemed to smile up at me, her almost four metre/13 foot-long body sashaying gracefully beneath my own outstretched limbs. Her small eyes looked at me curiously before she blew bubbles that rushed up and hit me in the mask.

I jolted upwards and my head shot out of the water. That beluga whale was playing with me! I treaded water momentarily before plunging my head back into the Churchill River so I could continue snorkelling with the friendly whales.

Those who know me know that I have a passion for northern Canada. Ever since my first trip up to Nunavut in 2008, and my return trip in 2010, I have gone a little kookoo for the tundra.

But I still hadn’t been up to the Polar Bear Capital of the World yet, that is, Churchill, Manitoba. Known for the hundreds of polar bears that roam near (and through) the town, this special community on the south western shore of the Hudson Bay, is excruciatingly beautiful. Beaches ripe with wandering polar bears, a river filled with thousands of beluga whales in the summer, and people that are hardy enough to survive the sub arctic. This is Canada at its most fascinating.

After returning home and writing non-stop about my adventures up there, I am happy to say that they have come together into an e-book called, Churchill: Navigating bugs, belugas and polar bears. You can buy it from places like Amazon.com, Smashwords, Barnes and Noble and Apple’s iBookstore, with more e-retailers on the way, for $2.99 USD.

Churchill: Navigating bugs, belugas and polar bears, by Lori Henry

To warm you up, you can also scan through my photos from the trip on Flicker.com and watch the Canadian master, Rick Mercer, experience Churchill for the first time in the video below.

Thank you for supporting my writing by ordering a copy. I would love to get your feedback and reviews either in the comments section below and/or on the retailer’s website that you bought the book from (Amazon reviews are always helpful!).

If you don’t have an e-reader, don’t worry: you can still buy the book from Amazon and download its free Kindle for PC application for your computer, or download it as a PDF document from Smashwords.

Take it away, Rick Mercer:

While I wasn’t celebrating Songkran on Khaosan Road in Bangkok (see video below), I was hard at work trying out many Thai massages at many different spas. Hey, it was research! You can read about where I went and what it was like here: 5 spas for a Thai massage in Bangkok, Thailand.

So what did I think of my first time in Thailand? Definitely worth returning to. I was only able to stay a week and a half, so didn’t get past Bangkok and Hua Hin. What are YOUR favourite parts of Thailand?

The criteria? Time and space to reflect on the year behind me and goals for the year to come, somewhere quiet where I could “tune out” from city life, and a place to be near nature. The Gulf Islands were the perfect fit.

I began searching through websites for all the islands and chanced upon a listing for a “cob cottage” on Mayne Island. Intriguing. The website states: “It is fully self-contained with water, kitchen, cooking facilities, queen size bed and single day bed and, of course, a fireplace. There is no electricity and toilet and shower facilities are separate.”

There is actually a whole smattering of cob houses on Mayne (though not for rent), and Pat, who built the one I stayed in, does tours of them every once in awhile. I was lucky that a tour fell right on the day of my birthday.

So that is where I decided to celebrate my big day. I took my bike to the ferry terminal and hung out for the weekend in a human-sized hobbit house. Enjoy the photos and videos!

My birthday cob house:

The cob house I stayed at on Mayne Island, British Columbia. It was hand built by Pat Hennebery under the philosophy of "beg, borrow and barter (but not buy)". The budget: $1,000.

A look inside the cob house: to the left is the sitting area and fireplace, in the centre is a neat tree/seat, and to the right is the bedroom with a queen-sized bed.

The kitchen at the cob house: there is a propane stove (3 elements) and a cold water sink. That dark square on the left wall is an area carved into the cob wall that keeps food cold-ish.

The "living area" of the cob house with a look at the wood framed roof.

The bedroom at the cob house, all lit up with candles. Good night!

The "living room" area of the cob house at night: Pat also made the wood table and bench.

The sitting area and fireplace in the early evening at the cob house: notice the green snake wrapping down the chimney and the pieces carved out of the wall for candles.

You can create anything if you build your own cob house: this heart was carved into the wall, where a candle sits and lights it up at night. A sweet touch.

There is no good accommodation without a toilet. Pat built this composting outhouse a few steps into the forest behind the cob house. It does the job!

Here’s a video of Pat:

Here are some of the cob houses I toured:

The Capilano Suspension Bridge was built in 1889 and continues to be one of Vancouver’s top attractions. Just in time for the summer season this year, the park opened a new “bridge” called Cliffwalk. Instead of swinging across the canyon, though, this 20 inches-wide platform extends out from the side of a 160 million year old granite face and 300 foot cliff. It just might kick the suspension bridge’s butt.

Here are some photos taken this summer:

The Capilano Suspension Bridge in all it's glory: North Vancouver, British Columbia.

Typical foliage on the wet coast: lush, green, and lots o' water.

Treetops Adventures: mini suspension bridges that swing through an old-growth Douglas Fir forest.

Slug crossing! There is much going on at feet level in the forest.

She most certainly found a slug. And he looked just like the one in the photo!

Hmmm... which way to go?

A popular photo op spot on the newly created Cliffwalk. There's a mere 300 feet to the canyon below this father and son.

The Capilano Suspension Bridge: yes, it wiggles as you walk across, so hold on tight.

A gorgeous spot to stop and take a breath of clean air in surrounded by old-growth Douglas Fir trees. But remember: no fishing!

These Douglas Firs are somethin' special. Standing beside them and taking in their size is nothing short of magical.

The Cliffwalk: a mere 80,000 pounds of steel was used to construct this walkway, 30 stories up from the canyon floor.

Proof that Cliffwalk will keep you safe: 1,800 bolts hold up the walkway and 240 custom steel T-posts were plasma cut by hand.

Staff member Karen chats with "Bella," a North American Kestrel that lives in the park.

Did I mention that you can’t sink? Taking a “swim” is impossible; all you can do in the Dead Sea is float. In fact, if you try to swim or move around too much, you’ll just end up with sand in your mouth.

Here are a few photos from the Jordan side of the Dead Sea, taken from the Mövenpick Resort & Spa Dead Sea.

Happy people heading to the Dead Sea to float in the buoyant waters from the Mövenpick Resort & Spa Dead Sea in Jordan, Middle East.

A view of the Dead Sea from a road stop in Jordan, the Middle East.

A couple applying mud at the Dead Sea in Jordan. From firsthand experience, that mud works wonders for the skin! It's bottled up and sold all over Jordan. :)

An interior courtyard leading to guest rooms at the Mövenpick Resort & Spa Dead Sea in Jordan, the Middle East.

A relaxing pool overlooking the Dead Sea at the Mövenpick Resort & Spa Dead Sea in Jordan, the Middle East.

My lovely room at the Mövenpick Resort & Spa Dead Sea in Jordan, the Middle East. No complaints here!

The washroom in my room at the Mövenpick Resort & Spa Dead Sea in Jordan, the Middle East.

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A few main roads cut though the northern part of the eastern desert, mainly driven by trucks transporting goods across the country and into Iraq and Saudi Arabia.

Just off of the road are remains of desert “castles” from “the Damascus-based Umayyad caliphs during the early days of Islam (seventh-eighth centuries CE)” (The office of King Hussein I). No one is sure of the purpose of these buildings, but theories tend to lean towards leisure. There are no surviving defensive structures and the isolated location of them (they seem to be part of a chain from north of Damascus to Khirbet al-Majar) favour them being more of a retreat than anything else.

Above all, they are stunning glimpses into the life and architecture in the eighth century, with surviving frescos, carvings and mosaics. Below are photos from three of these desert castles: Qasr Al Azraq, Qasr Al-Harrana and Qusayr ‘Amra.

Although most travellers to Jordan don’t make it this far outside of the main tourist attractions, it’s worth it to rent a car and explore them. Some tour companies also include a few on their tours. Contact Visit Jordan for more practical info.

A Bedouin policeman was happy to pose for a photo at one of the eastern desert castles in Jordan, Middle East.

Qasr Al-Azraq: the colourful flowerbed outside this desert castle is proudly maintained by a friendly Jordanian.

Qasr Al-Azraq: a plaque at this desert castle acts as a reminder of how ancient these buildings are. This is also where T.E. Lawrence (Lawrence of Arabia) based his operations.

Qasr Al-Azraq: people walking through the ruins of this desert castle in Jordan, Middle East.

Qasr Al-Harrana: a Bedouin man sits at the entrance to welcome visitors. When I went to talk to him, he showed me a video on his iphone of a baby walking around with a cigarette in his mouth! He just shook his head and shrugged his shoulders.

Qasr Al-Harrana: the exterior of this desert castle that almost looks like it's a false front.

Qasr Al- Harrana: one of the inside vaulted walls with lots o' carvings.

Qasr Al-Harrana: the writing is on the wall. Although I doubt it's from ancient times at all...

Qusayr 'Amra: a UNESCO World Heritage Site, Jordan.

Qusayr 'Amra: a fresco of a woman with a baby.

Qusayr 'Amra: frescos of man and wildlife.

Qusayr 'Amra: there were two ladies doing restoration work on the frescos inside this desert castle.

We are staying in a Bedouin-like campsite in Wadi Rum, a 720 square metre desert in southern Jordan that has sandstone and granite mountains rising from the soft sand, some reaching over 1,700 metres high. Scattered throughout this desert area are Bedouin tribes, the native people of Jordan, and they have partnered with tourist companies to offer camping, 4×4 vehicle and camel excursions for visitors.

Our walk takes us to the edge of where we can still see the lights from our camp and no further: a desert patrolman even drives over when his headlights catch us, just to make sure we are not lost. We’re not: each of us takes some time to breathe in the fresh air, do some stretching and just exist in this wild land. No, we are not lost.

The Seven Pillars of Wisdom rock formation named by T.E. Lawrence (Lawrence of Arabia) in Wadi Rum, Jordan.

My group Bedouin-like campsite in Wadi Rum, Jordan, cozied up to the surrounding mountains.

My "room" in the Bedouin camp in Wadi Rum, Jordan.

Riding in a 4x4 jeep through the vast desert of Wadi Rum in southern Jordan.

Burdah Rock Bridge is 35 metres high, one of the highest natural arches in the world. Yes, I climbed it!

The Bedouin tribes have many camels throughout the deserts of Wadi Rum in Jordan.

Trying to get the best photo in Wadi Rum, Jordan (the Middle East).

My guide, Saleh, telling stories about Lawrence of Arabia while standing on top of the remains of T.E. Lawrence's house in Wadi Rum, Jordan.

Really neat petroglyphs on the rocks of Wadi Rum, Jordan.

That little jeep on the right drives past one of the massive mountains in Wadi Rum, Jordan.

Everyone gathers to watch the sunset in Wadi Rum, Jordan.

Our Bedouin hosts uncover our Zarb dinner from an underground pit, the Bedouin way to do a BBQ.

There were five of us and a guide hiking along a desert path from near Siq Al-Barid (also called Little Petra) to the Monastery (representing the hidden Tomb of the Primes in Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen) in Petra, Jordan, one of the many magnificent structures carved into the sandstone mountains. Petra is an ancient city that was built right into the sandstone cliffs by the Nabataean people more than 2,000 years ago.

Instead of arriving as the hundreds of bus loads full of tourists do at the beginning of the Siq and then walking to the treasury (the final resting place of the Holy Grail was filmed here in Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade), this hike brings us in the back way.

The first building we see is the Monastery, and after marvelling there for awhile, we descend the more than 800 steps down to the rest of the rock city to marvel some more. My photos can’t in any way capture the grandeur that is Petra, but at least it’ll give you an idea. Enjoy.

The Monastery is hard to capture in full, but here it is as I hiked the back way into Petra, Jordan.

Ruins along the Main Street of Petra that you can explore (Jordan).

The Treasury is the most well-known of all the Petra buildings, seen in the movie Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade.

My guide, Saleh, explaining how the Nabataeans built Petra in Jordan, the Middle East.

Massive buildings carved into the sandstone cliffs of Petra, Jordan.

Nearby, "Little Petra" is thought to be a suburb of Petra, Jordan. Here, there are fewer crowds, making for a more private experience.

Another building in "Little Petra," a site with tombs, temples, water channels and cisterns in Jordan, the Middle East.

I arrived in Jordan less than a month after the protests and government overthrow in Cairo and the beginning of the uprisings in Syria and fighting in Libya. Although “Unrest in the Middle East” headlined every major news outlet day after day, in the centre of it all, Jordanians listened intently to the news just like everyone else, but otherwise went about their day as usual.

Even though news outlets were reporting massive protests in the capital city of Amman, where I was staying, I went downtown safely and didn’t come across any of the “violent” demonstrations that were being reported. The biggest difference? There weren’t very many tourists, thousands cancelling their trips as news of instability spreads.

While the surrounding countries were not recommended for travelling, Jordan welcomed those who dared to look past the headlines with their usually warm hospitality.

The remains of a Roman amphitheater in Amman, Jordan. Amman is one of the oldest continuously occupied cities in the world.

A teenager showin' off on a side street just outside the downtown of Amman, Jordan.

The funky Artists Cafe on Rainbow Street in Amman, Jordan.

A friendly carpenter shows me how to make a wooden chair from his workshop in Amman, Jordan.

A view of the old downtown area of Amman, and the hills that surround the valley, Jordan.

The perfect outdoor infinity pool at the Four Seasons Hotel in Amman, Jordan.

Delightful little girl who followed me along the street saying, "Welcome to Jordan. What's your name?" She was happy to show off her model poses for my camera. Amman, Jordan.

Friendly girls couldn't get enough of hanging out and having their pictures taken. Amman, Jordan.

In between two houses in Amman, Jordan, looking to downtown.

The colourful downtown market where locals chat over fresh produce. Amman, Jordan.

Handiwork from the Jordan River Foundation in Amman, Jordan. This non-profit creates socio-economic projects for women and communities and has some gorgeous items of really good quality.

The Temple of Hercules in the ancient citadel in Amman, Jordan.

The capital city of Amman in Jordan, Middle East.

“Seriously, do not try to look hot in any way.” – Courtney, Port Coquitlam (British Columbia)
Obviously, this is from one of my female friends. And she’s kind of right. Western women get a lot of attention because of the way we dress. While we choose clothes that accentuate our bodies, women in Jordan traditionally wear clothes that cover their bodies.

But the country is also changing, and these pieces of advice are also true:

“Definitely dress more conservatively – no knees, no shoulders, no cleavage – but also don’t worry. Amman was cosmopolitan and lots of women out and about in the city – some in full coverings and some not, but all had these parts covered.” – Kristin, San Francisco (California)

“Jordan is the most relaxed I’ve seen of any of the Arabic countries, regarding women. I saw mini-dresses and lots of legs and beautiful make up. Really amazing, since everywhere else is pretty strict.” – Paul, Boston (Massachusetts)

And another gem from Courtney:

“Women are tough to find, and don’t be fooled by their head scarves and burkas – they’re ready to party underneath.”

There was also some debate as to whether it’s a hassle to say that you’re single.

“I recommend always saying that you are married and your husband will be joining you shortly to prevent any unwelcome attention and inquiries.” – Kristin, San Francisco (California)

“Go even farther than saying you’re married and wear a simple band on your ring finger.” – Sara, Indianapolis (Indiana)

“I actually didn’t feel the need to say I had a husband or anything like that. I just kept my dress very respectful.” – Ashley, New York (New York)

The ancient citadel in Amman, Jordan (Middle East).

I never had to resort to talking about a fictitious husband or boyfriend, nor did I ever feel like I had to. My best advice for women? Cover your shoulders (no halter or tank tops), and skirts and pants should fall below your knees. Saying all that, you’ll feel more comfortable that way, but it’s in no way necessary to change your whole wardrobe. This is the advice I got directly from the Jordan Tourism Board before leaving:

“Even though Jordan is a primarily Muslim country, the freedom of all religions is protected. Muslim women’s clothing often covers their arms, legs and hair. However, visitors are NOT subject to these customs, but very revealing clothing is never appropriate and conservative dress is advisable for both men and women in the old part of Amman (downtown) and outside the cities. Otherwise, you are free to dress as you are accustomed.”

Above all, respect the people you interact with, watch how locals behave, and know that a warm smile goes a long way if you make a social or cultural blunder. I don’t think I met one rude Jordanian, so know that, although travellers and locals tend to observe each other, it’s because we’re all curious about one another. Trust me: just smile and you’ll be treated wonderfully.

“I went with another female friend to Jordan and it was one of our favorite trips ever. While we stood out like ‘westerners,’ we were treated warmly and politely everywhere we went. If we pulled over for a second on the side of the road to look at our directions, someone would pull up beside us to help us out.” – Andrea, Belleview (Washington)

And, lastly, this about sums up my opinion of Jordan:

“You will love it; one of my favourite places in the world. It’s magical.” – Candice, Surrey (British Columbia)

Make sure to add any advice you’ve received or given in the comments box below.

Opunohu Bay in Moorea. Photo courtesy of Tahiti Tourism.

Tahiti Vacation
As well as covering Tahiti, this guide also includes the French Polynesian islands of Moorea, the Leeward Islands, the Austral Islands, the Tuamotu and Gambier Islands, and the Marquesas Islands.

Covering accommodation, food, sites, transportation, entertainment and outdoor activities, there is also information on uninhabited islands that can still be accessed and an account of their history. 

Tahitian drummers. Photo courtesy of Tahiti Tourism.

Tahiti Travel Tips
With David’s reliable commentary, a plethora of islands are broken down into the basics, making it easy to decide what to include and what to leave out of your vacation. His recommendations are honest and don’t sugar coat things that could easily be “sweetened.”

I particularly love the sidebars, with titles like The Lost Treasure of the Tuamotus, Ten Safety Rules of Diving, French Nuclear Testing, and Buying a Black Pearl. Some are comedic, others provide serious info, and all are helpful in fleshing out the islands.

Above all, David goes through Tahiti and the above French Polynesian islands without the rush of most guidebooks. He manages to be both thorough and succinct, a balance that many guides fall on either side of. For even more resources, the author also has an informative website that covers the South Pacific.