Our Local Guides with Travcoa

USTOA Live Like a Local Series
To me, the people that you meet on a trip can make a good experience, great. On a group tour it is even more important to have great guides and on our tour with Tauck, we had some of the kindest, most knowledgeable, funny & flexible guides that ensure that our trip was educational, smoothly run and most of all, FUN!

Meet the Locals of Churchill

You’d think the weather of Churchill would dampen your spirits, but the locals that I met there were so warm, friendly and full of life, they made the snow covered city so welcoming. I met Myrtle, a Dené storyteller who spoke of how her people came & developed Churchill and the trading routes and I also met Wally, who started the cozy Lazy Bear Lodge. Dave Daley runs a dogsledding company and I’ve never had a more serene experience gliding over the snow and learning how he trains his animals. These are the faces of Churchill that I won’t soon forget!

Bucket List: Seeing the Polar Bears

USTOA Live Like a Local
Seeing the polar bears in person, in their natural habitat, is nothing like I can ever describe. Our adventure with tour operator Tauck, took us up to Churchill, Manitoba–the most remote place that I’ve ever been. However, Polar Bears seem to find it quite easily. Our tundra vehicles kept us warm and not only did we see Polar Bears, we interacted with them. Just watch!

Luxury on the Tundra

USTOA Live Like a Local Series
Yes, it might have been below zero outside, but our tour with Tauck made sure that we were comfortable–even out on the open tundra. Not only were our accommodations at the Lazy Bear Lodge charming & cozy, our days spent out looking for polar bears were just as comfortable on board heated, spacious tundra vehicles. Private charter buses & planes only heightened the ease of getting around and all the extras made this tour a cut above!

Food on the Tundra

USTOA Live Like a Local Series
Churchill, Manitoba is located up near the Arctic and it’s only accessible by plane or train. So you might think in the winter, the food couldn’t be that fresh. Actually, fresh foods are flown up daily to weekly and our tour with Tauck made sure we had the freshest greens and veggies up North.
Also, the local game like elk, bison and venison as well as the arctic char are some of the world’s best. Eat up to keep warm in this gorgeously chilly landscape.

Ritual & Ceremony in Taiwan

 USTOA’s Live Like a Local Series
The Taiwanese culture is based on ritual and ceremony on my tour, I was able to dive right into the local customs—from meeting a local calligrapher to praying at Longshan Temple to participating in a tea ceremony.

Food of Taiwan Guide

USTOA’s Live Like a Local Series
This lush island nation has so much variety in fresh local products, it’s no surprise that the food is outstanding! From street food to gourmet, famous food chains to home cooked meals, we dive into Taiwan’s food culture.

Night Markets of Taiwan Guide

USTOA’s Live Like a Local Series
My first Night Market in Taipei was overwhelming, sensational and addictive. I was enthralled by stall after stall of the exotic foods, wild clothing and the buzzing energy of the streets. Shillin & Ning Xia are MUST-STOPS in Taiwan—see why.

Night Markets of Taiwan Guide

USTOA’s Live Like a Local Series
My first Night Market in Taipei was overwhelming, sensational and addictive. I was enthralled by stall after stall of the exotic foods, wild clothing and the buzzing energy of the streets. Shillin & Ning Xia are MUST-STOPS in Taiwan—see why.

Taiwan Overview

USTOA’s Live Like a Local Series
For such a small island nation, Taiwan has so much to see, do, eat and experience. From Taipei to Hualien, city to the country, hyper-crowded to hyper-local—we explored it all, with the locals as our guide.