What's a sharecation, anyway?

Last week I was perusing the #travel tag on twitter when I came across a link to an article about “sharecations.” I clicked it, hoping a sharecation was something new and exciting. Nope. A sharecation is, apparently, a vacation with friends or another family. Not so groundbreaking, after all.

The more I thought about it, the more the word started to irk me. Why do we need all of these words for what is basically the same thing: a vacation? Staycation. Solocation. Sharecation. Couplecation. Dogcation. Catcation.

Ok, I made up the last three.

Oh, wait. I just Googled and apparently I didn’t completely make those last three up. Because some of them are already a thing too?!? 

camping

Listen. I completely understand the utility of these words. They kind of sound good (except couplecation, which sounds like either a mad scientist’s medical procedure or something I couldn’t learn in 8th grade math class). Ok, so they don’t all sound good, but they stand out. They are descriptive.

Sharecation is a nice buzzword. It obviously caught my attention. I clicked the link. It got my eyeballs to the page.

I read the article, but the idea that this is really an up and coming trend surprised me. There is even a new show on PBS about it called Getting Away Together* that highlights the “rapidly growing trend of sharing a vacation with friends and family.”

But a sharecation isn’t anything new. It’s just a “rebranding” in the same vein of solocations and staycations. They’re just terms bandied about as the latest and greatest the past few years. Then, it’s on to the next.

As someone who wants more people to give slow travel a chance, I am actually pretty pleased that the idea of renting a place and possibly going on a trip with a group is popping up more and more in articles and on TV.

I even understand that there is a real difference between these types of vacations. Taking a trip on your own certainly requires different considerations and planning than going with a couple of your friends.

So I’ve been trying to figure out exactly why these travel-themed portmanteaux tend to annoy me so much.

Maybe it’s because there’s no need to pretend we’re reinventing the travel wheel with new words, guides, articles, suggestions, shows, etc. Because I don’t think different types of vacations should be trendy as much as they should be considered time-tested, always available options—different ways to explore, experience, and figure out what works best for you.

We don't need to classify everything with a new word. Rumi said, "There are hundreds of ways to kneel and kiss the ground." I think there are hundreds of ways to travel too.

Or maybe Stephen Fry would just tell me to quit being a pedant in his unique, lovely way with words.

I would love to hear what you think. Do you like these words, hate them, don’t care either way and think I’m being pedantic? Calling me pedantic is a completely acceptable answer, by the way.

In the meantime, I will probably continue pondering and laughing at the thought of a catcation.

*As a side note, I watched a bit of the first Getting Away Together online and found it pleasant enough. The cinematography was very pretty. I think all of the episodes will be set in the US, so it will probably be a nice way to see some places and/or get ideas for trips. The first episode is about a group of friends in St. Augustine, Florida. You can watch online here.

Adventures in Scotch Tasting

On Saturday I had an unexpected opportunity to go to a scotch tasting class at the LCBO (an Ontario owned and operated liquor store). My experience with scotch is pretty limited to nipping into my dad’s stash and really enjoying whatever he happens to have and one great night at a scotch bar called L'Ile Noire in Montreal. My roommate at the time had a friend who was really knowledgeable about scotch. He ordered for the table and taught us a bit. His passion about it definitely sparked my interest. So I was pretty excited about being able to take a class.

As soon as I walked into the small event room, the warm scent of scotch that perfumed the air greeted me. Two long tables were set up beautifully with a box of barley, some clear bottles with sherry and bourbon, bread, chocolate, water, 8 glasses with small pours of scotch, and personal spittoons. (Spittoon is just a fantastic word isn’t it? Perfectly onomatopoeic.)

I sat at the very front like the keener that I am and always will be. If you brown-nose in school you might get better grades. But if you brown-nose at a scotch tasting you might get more scotch. Strategy. (Note: I didn't. Failed strategy.)

I will confess that I did confuse my spittoon for a milkshake cup for a second. The thought of boozy milkshakes made me a little giddy.

My table ended up being full of really nice people and the other table was for a birthday party, so the room had a happy, friendly atmosphere.

As a cherry on top, our instructor was actually Scottish.

She started the class off with this video:

It made me want book a trip to Scotland immediately, drink Johnnie Walker with/possibly marry Robert Carlyle, and buy a cow with Scottish bangs.

After that, we then learned all about the history of scotch from the strong aqua vitae created by monks for medicinal purposes to the importance green grocers had in creating the finely blended scotch we drink today.

Here’s a video I found about the history:

We also learned about the distilling process. I figure Charles MacLean here will do a much better job at explaining than I could, so here’s another video.

So much work goes into creating the unique flavor of each whisky. There’s the scientific side: germinating the grain, the use of peat smoke, the actual distillation, the types of casks used, the aging process, etc.

But then there is the effect of the character of the land, the sea, and the climate. Our instructor, for example, told us how much the location of the distillery impacted the flavor of each whisky. How the briny quality of the sea air can penetrate the casks. And the water from the highlands may roll over 800 year old rocks, which imparts its own character and flavor. Or the distillery might be near fields of heather that farmers burn to plant them for grazers. So when you are drinking scotch whisky, you are taking in just a little bit of Scotland itself.

I’m certainly not skilled enough to tell you if that’s all just a nice story, but I found it so incredibly romantic that she sold me on scotch right then and there. It was a perfect time for the tasting to begin.

Like wine, she told us to note the color and give it a swirl to check out the legs. Then we held the glass about chest level for an introductory sniff so we didn’t burn our noses on the first go-round. Sound advice, I think. After bringing it closer and taking more of the scent in, we noted whatever we smelled and then took a taste.

Here’s what we tried:

• Longrow CV Single Malt
• Benriach Dark Rum Wood Finish (15 years)
• Aberlour 12 Year Highland Single Malt
• Dalwhinnie 15 Year Highland Single Malt
• Glenfiddich 21 Year Single Malt
• Bruichladdich Islay Single Malt Peat
• And a wild card that was hidden from us ended up being Crown Royal Black. An example of a Canadian whiskey.

My favorites were a tie between the Glenfiddich 21 Year Old and the Bruichladdich Peat.

My notes for Glenfiddich are: “Delicious! Brown Sugar. Warmth in the chest.” Before the tasting our instructor told us that scotch tends to hit your tongue in the front if it’s younger, in the middle around 15 years old, and in your chest around 20. I thought she was probably full of it, but the Glenfiddich really did bring this nice, cozy, warm sensation to my chest. Confirmation bias? Maybe. I don’t care. I loved this one.

The Bruichladdich Peat was also great. It’s completely different from the Glenfiddich. My notes sheet has: “Very peaty. Iodine. Brine. Salt.” It’s bold and smoky. I tend to like smoky stuff anyway: meats, cheeses, even teas (I’m actually drinking a smoked tea as I write this: Upton Tea Imports’ Baker Street Afternoon Blend). I felt like Peat was something I would want every once and awhile. It would be perfect for those damp, rainy nights when all you want is a book and a roaring fire.

I had to look it up as soon as I got home because I didn’t see it on the shelves at the LCBO. I found this video. I love Jim McEwan’s passion for the product.

My runners up were: Dalwhinnie because it’s nice, smooth, and easy to drink. She recommended it as a perfect beginner's/all around good scotch. I’ve had many a sip of my dad’s stash before. And Benriach Dark Rum Wood Finish because the rum influence was so lovely. It was warm, sweet honey molasses.

All in all, it was a really wonderful experience for me. I definitely developed an appreciation for the diversity of flavors and scents and the overall craftsmanship that goes into making scotch.

Now that I have this new appreciation, do you have any of you scotch drinkers out there have any recommendations?

Traveling too fast? How and why to slow it down.

At the heart of this blog, what I am most passionate about and what drives me to write, is the joy of travel. I believe traveling is, hands down, one of the most rewarding and important things a person can do. I wish everyone had the opportunity and means to do it as much as their hearts' desired.

The brilliant thing about travel is that it's also education. It is education about yourself. Education about others. Boundary pushing, soul opening, life changing, enlightening education.

Education wrapped in vacation. How great is that? That's like saying your favorite guilt pleasure foods are good for you.

But that's the catch. Not everyone loves the same guilty pleasure food, right?

I've come to realize that not everyone likes to or should travel the same way, either. One man's poison is another's pleasure and all that.

Some people are backpackers. Some cruise. Some have cottages. Others take tours. There are also those who are adventurous and flexible. They're up for just about anything as long as it gets them out there experiencing world. The list goes on and on.

Me? I'm a slow traveler.

What's Slow Travel?

It all started in 2004 when my family was planning a vacation to Italy. I stumbled upon a website called Slow Travel, which has a great forum full of incredibly knowledgeable, passionate people who, well, like to travel slowly.

Instead of going from point to point every few days or taking a pre-planned tour or cruise, they often rent houses/apartments in one spot for a longer period of time.

My family had already started to go that direction for our vacations, but it wasn't until 2007 that we rented our first place for a week at the foot of Cortona in Italy. It was amazing. During that trip I realized how much you miss when you hop from site to site.

Slow travel allows you to immerse yourself in a place, to go beyond the tourist attractions and discover the soul of a town, city, slice of countryside (not that it's the only way to do that, of course).

I think the industry sometimes pushes people to cram all of these "must-sees" into a vacation. You know, the myriad wonders and pieces of art to check from lists of 1001 places to see before you kick the bucket.

Don't get me wrong, the big sites are great, but there's more to travel than that.

How and Why to Travel Slow

Go Long

It's simple, really. Pick a place or two and spend your vacation there. None of this "If It's Tuesday, This Must Be Belgium" stuff. No running around a city trying to see all the major sites in a day or two only to hop to a new place and do the same thing. This is quality over quantity travel and there are lots of ways to do it. I like flying into a major city and staying there for 2 or 3 days. After that, I go to a smaller town for 1 week to 10 days (or more if you're lucky). At the end of the trip, I like to head back to the city for a couple of days before flying out.

Rent

A house/apartment and, often, a car. Our first rental was part of a gorgeous hotel near Cortona, called Borgo Il Melone. This was a perfect way for us to ease into renting because all the amenities of a hotel were right there if we needed them, like friendly staff, a pool, a restaurant, and optional breakfast. It seems like Italy (especially Tuscany) has a lot of these options. There are a lot of great rental websites out there. I've used Vacation Rentals by Owner (VRBO) a couple of  times with great success. I'm planning on doing a post just on renting with more sites and tips.

Pack Light

I promise you can do this if you don't already. Get a rental with a washer (sometimes they have driers, but they don't usually work well). Use OneBag for help. Take clothes that are easy to wash and dry fairly quickly. The great thing about renting is that you can buy some toiletries there since you will be in one spot for a longer period. After years of practice, I'm pretty good at this. I will also do a more in-depth post on what I've learned later.

Dawdle

Don't pack your trip full of one site or activity after another. Pick a few of the things you really want to see and space them out. Take some time to wander through villages and shops. Lazily stroll through early morning markets and pick up some local food for a picnic. Sit down and take in the life going on around you. Start up conversations with locals. If you find a café you love, go back there in the mornings or evenings. It's amazing how the soul and personality of a place and its people will start to unfold around you if you give it the chance to (and sometimes you might even be privy to some of the drama). I can almost guarantee that you will get as much, if not more, out of your trip by slowing down as you would by rushing from city to city or site to site.

Savor

Taste local foods. Become a temporary regular at the bakery or butcher or market or wine shop or, ideally, all the above. Cook a meal at your rental every once and awhile. Eat at the local restaurants. Sit at a café lazily drinking something satisfying while taking in your surroundings. Savoring doesn't even have to be related to food. Take a day trip. Go to a local concert. Take a dip in the pool or the sea. Take a drive. Pull over and take millions of pictures of sunflowers or hay bales or whatever makes you smile.

Tailor

Slow travel allows you to tailor your trip to your likes and dislikes in ways that tours and cruises aren't usually able to do. You don't like museums? Guess what? You don't have to go to any. Want to go white water rafting everyday? Ok. Pick a place that interests you and go there. My only caution is to also be open to new things. Be flexible. You never know what opportunities may arise.

Share

Slow travel is a great way to share a travel experience with friends and family. You can rent small apartments or huge villas. This allows for fairly significant cost reductions and gives you the ability to be as independent or group-oriented as you want. I think this makes it easier for everyone to have a relaxing and fulfilling vacation.

These are just some things to think about and get you started. I know it's a little scary and seem like a lot of work, but planning can be fun. I think the payoffs and the experiences make the extra work completely worth it!