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About TMc

 

Me having a seat in front of one of the famous Brighton Bathing Boxes in Australia!

Heya! I’m Tara (Tar-ah)! Welcome to Travel with TMc where you’ll find quirky language tidbits, travel hacks for Canadians, and stories from the road. I hope you enjoy!
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The universe has been pulling me to Guelph and the The universe has been pulling me to Guelph and the surrounding towns over and over again in 2023. Whether it’s been for work, meeting awesome people, or exploring, all roads have led to Guelph, and I’m here for more of it! 

There are so many different and delicious local restaurants, breweries, and coffee shops to try, historic spots to discover, and parks to enjoy. One of the best parts about Guelph’s cultural fabric is the value the residents place on sustainability in their day-to-day lives. If you’re not from southern Ontario, Guelph is known for being a tight-knit eco-friendly community that’s fiercely protective of the environment. 

In true Guelph fashion, the city has committed to the United Nation’s global Race to Zero Challenge. Member cities, businesses, investors, and regions have pledged to work towards using 100% renewable energy by 2050 in their part to combat the climate crisis. One of the ways Guelph is becoming a greener city is by increasing and improving their cycling infrastructure. In addition to the 65 km of all-purpose trails and many city road bike lanes, local businesses have also been providing cyclist-friendly options like bike racks and air pumps. 

I had the opportunity to explore Guelph by bike for a day in May in collaboration with @visitguelph . Not only was it super easy to use all of the trails and safely lock up my bike at each of the stops, but I stumbled across many other places in Guelph that I can’t wait to return to and experience. 

If you’re jonesing for an active (yet also leisurely!) way to explore Ontario this summer, June is Bike Month, so get out there! There’s a downloadable map in my blog post, so all of the planning is already done for you. Just hop on your bike and away you go! Here are some of the bike-friendly spots I checked out and think you will enjoy too. 

🥐 @ericthebaker 
📸 Goldie Mills Ruins
🥗 @park.eatery 
🎠 Riverside Park
🍺 @fixed_gear_brewing 
🤓 @guelphmuseums 
🍺 @royalcitybrew 

#travelwithtmc #visitguelph #guelphontario #guelphbybike #sponsored #guelph #guelphie #ontariobybike #globalracetozero #sustainabletravel #discoveron #discoverontario #bikemonth #cycletour #biketourism
Betty White is 1 year old today!🥳🚐😊 (PART Betty White is 1 year old today!🥳🚐😊 (PART 1)

It’s wild to think a full year has already flown by. 1 year ago I got the keys to a dream I’d been thinking about for 5 years. I swear someone in the universe was looking out for me with how the stars aligned. 

It was the 2nd van I seriously considered purchasing. I was the 1st person to view it, on a Friday in April around lunchtime and that’s where my luck began. (Thank goodness for the flexibility of self-employment!) I brought my dad along since we’ve always looked together at used cars I’ve bought. Thank goodness he was there because I kind-of went into shock when I realized the van could actually become mine. I completely spaced out but he brought me back to reality! That was April 15th, 2022. 

Then, between the owner catching covid (he’s good though!), maintenance needing to be completed, and hopping across the pond to Ireland to visit friends, then flying home and driving from the airport to a family wedding a way up north, I couldn’t get the keys until May 31. Talk about an exercise in patience. I felt like a kid waiting for Christmas to arrive!

On May 31, 2022 when I finally got the keys, the previous owners, who built the van, gifted me a beautiful homemade wooden sign. It was such a kind gesture and once again made me feel so lucky that things were falling into place. My smile couldn’t have been bigger that day!

#travelwithtmc #vanlife #vanlifediaries #vanlifeontario #vanlifecanada #vanlifedreams #vanlifecommunity #vanlifemagazine #vanlifeexplorers #dreamscometrue✨ #1yearago #roadtrip🚗
There is SO much to see and explore in Puerto Rico There is SO much to see and explore in Puerto Rico! I travelled around the whole island in 5.5 days with a @vandelsolpr campervan and was able to discover a ton more than if I stayed in one location and made day trips from it each day.

I love campervan life at home in Canada, but I think it’s now my new favourite way of travelling when abroad! It’s so convenient to have everything you need, with the world at your fingertips. Life doesn’t get much better than that! 😊

Here is a 5-day road trip itinerary you’re definitely going to want to add to your own Puerto Rico adventure:

🚐 DAY 1: Historic Sites in Old San Juan
🚐 DAY 2: El Yunque National Forest + Kayaking in a Fajardo’s Bioluminescent Bay
🚐 DAY 3: Swimming in La Parguera’s Bioluminescent Waters
🚐 DAY 4: Beaches and Nightlife in Aguadilla
🚐 DAY 5: Exploring the Neighbourhood-Sized Amanecer Borincano Mural

Of course, you can’t forget to eat on a road trip. Some of the Puerto Rican foods to put on your list include: mofongo, arroz con gandules, pasteles, alcapurrias, arepas, empanadillas, paletas, and more! 😋

I can’t wait to share more of Puerto Rico with you. Make sure to save this for your future trips and send it to the friends you’ll be road tripping with! ☀️🚐😎 

#travelwithtmc #vandelsol #campervantravel #puertorico #discoverpuertorico #fajardopr #aguadilla #oldsanjuan #oldsanjuanpuertorico #elyunquerainforest #elyunquenationalforest #laparguera #bioluminescence #bioluminescentbay #roadtrip #roadtrips #roadtrippuertorico #vanlifeexplorers #vanlifepuertorico
Curious about camper van life? Rent one! It’s t Curious about camper van life? Rent one! 
It’s the perfect way to blend adventure and comfort when travelling. 

I just wrapped up a week of travelling Puerto Rico in a @vandelsolpr camper van and it was amazing!

My friend and I were able to see the whole island thanks to our sunny home on wheels, Merci. 

Van del Sol is the largest campervan rental company in Puerto, with a fleet of 7 vans that feature:

☀️ AC
🚐 Comfy Beds (linens included)
☀️ Showers (towels included)
🚐 Toilets
☀️ Kitchens (pots, pans, plates, cutlery included)
🚐 and Sleep 2-4 People

They also are a ton of fun to drive! 😄

What questions do you have about renting a camper van in Puerto Rico? Leave them below. ⬇️

#travelwithtmc #vandelsol #discoverpuertorico #puertorico #campervan #campervanrental #vanlife #vanlifeexplorers #vanlifepuertorico #vanlifeideas #travelmore #travel #travelgoals #traveltheworld #hosted
Less than one week and I’m back in one of my fav Less than one week and I’m back in one of my favourite places… the airport!!!

Bring on the 2023 international travel, baby!

#travelwithtmc #airplanes #airport #airports #airport✈️ #travelblogger #travelbloggervibes #canadiantravelblogger #yyz
*SAVE & SHARE FOR FUN GUELPH SUMMER ACTIVITIES!* *SAVE & SHARE FOR FUN GUELPH SUMMER ACTIVITIES!*

The sun is here and summer travel is just around the corner! This week I spent a day cycling around Guelph and, despite the cloudy skies, had an excellent time exploring the city. I travelled along trails like the riverside Downtown Trail and the neighbourhood Royal Recreational Trail, city streets with designated bike lanes, and cozy residential neighbourhood streets. They were easy to navigate, well-maintained, and led to all sorts of interesting and delicious stops along the way. 

Put these bike-friendly Guelph eateries, museums, and historic sites on your To Visit list:

🥐 Eric the Baker
🥗 Park Eatery
📸 Goldie Mill Ruins
🎠 Riverside Park
🍕 Fixed Gear Brewing
🤓 Guelph Civic Museum
🍺 Royal City Brewing Company

Stay tuned to TravelwithTMc.com for a downloadable map!

If you’re looking for sustainable travel options this year, Guelph is a destination you need to check out. In order to help counteract the negative impacts of climate change, the city has committed to the global Race to Zero initiative. This means that Guelph will use 100% renewable energy by 2050. One of the ways the city is working towards this important goal is to provide sustainable transportation options to residents and visitors. A tangible example of their commitment is the creation and improvement of cycling infrastructure throughout the city with bike signals, multi-use paths, trails, on-street bike lanes, and more. Not only is it a more sustainable means of transportation, but it’s a heck of a lot of fun and great for mental and physical health as well! 

The next time you’re looking for a fun and sustainable day or weekend trip, pop your bike into your vehicle and head on over to Guelph in southwestern Ontario. 

#travelwithtmc #visitguelph #guelphbybike #sustainabletravel #travelbybike #cycling #bikingadventures #cyclingadventures #ontariotravel #ontariocanada #guelphontario #guelphlife #guelphlove #discoveron #discoverontario #canada #canadatravel #ontariotravel #sustainableliving #sustainabletourism #racetozero
I get by with a little help from my friends. 😊 I get by with a little help from my friends. 😊

As much as I like to do things on my own, I don’t mind asking for help either. I’m very lucky to have many skilled and generous people in my life, especially with a project as huge and unfamiliar as renovating a campervan!

Last weekend my friend Katie (@katieanddaninavan ) helped me get started with upgrading the van’s plumbing. She had completed it in her and hubby Dan’s van for their build and was confident we could knock it out of the park. Her confidence was infectious! 

Surprisingly it wasn’t leakages that scared me most. It was making a mistake when drilling a hole into my brand new @curiouscampervans water tank for the hose. Luckily, it turned out to be a pretty easy task. And, between the excellent instructions that came with the tank and fittings and Katie’s previous knowledge, we got rockin and rollin. We also made a successful pitstop at @homedepotcanada (because what build day would be complete without that😆), which included a @spicegirls air band dance at the checkout. Funny story…before Katie arrived, I had the random thought that Spice Girls music should be our work tunes for the day. I forgot my speaker at home and flipped out and started dancing in the aisles when I heard them over the PA at Home Depot! 

The only snag of the day was when the water tank wouldn’t fit into the bench once the fittings were inserted. The decision was made to cut a hole out of the bench so that everything would fit properly. However, as things go on job sites, either the hole saw was dull or the drill not powerful enough. Now there is a half-drilled hole in the bench. The plumbing plans stalled and we called it a day. 

(Continued in caption)
Where can you go to see cute farm animals, enjoy n Where can you go to see cute farm animals, enjoy nature walks, and bring home a whole heckuva lot of delicious cheese? @rivers_edge_goat_dairy!

As you might have guessed from the name, this 90-acre farm focuses on producing goat dairy products. That’s right, everything they make is made (on site!) with goat milk. Sometimes they’ll experiment with sheep or cow milk, but goat is their go-to. In fact, they make over 25 different cheeses. TWENTY-FIVE! 

Owners Katie and Will are not only world travellers themselves, they are also the proud owners and environmental stewards of their sweet country farm. If you’re like me and prefer to know where your food comes from, then learning about local farmers like this dynamic duo will be right up your alley. Bonus - it’s fun and a great travel destination to check out too!

River’s Edge Goat Dairy are eco-ambassadors to their core, maintaining a minimal carbon footprint as their guiding principle. In addition to implementing sustainable farming practices since their inception, they have planted a minimum of 1,000 per year since 1999. Speaking of sustainability, by visiting farms on your travels you provide a direct positive impact to local economies. You’ll walk away beaming from ear to ear each time you meet the people behind the businesses you check out on your adventures - especially after petting animals as cute as the those at River’s Edge.

Don’t forget to bring a cooler and ice packs so that you can bring home goodies for you, as well as gifts for your friends, and your family. You’ll be the group favourite in no time!

PLAN YOUR VISIT:

ACTIVITIES: 
👣 Trail walks
🐐 Interact with the animals (great for kids!)
🧀 Bring home delicious goodies

📍8102 Wellington County Road 109, Arthur, ON
🕰️ Daily from dawn to dusk

#travelwithtmc #riversedgegoatdairy #sustainabletourism #ontario #ontario_adventures #discoveron #discoverontario #canada #explorecanada #sustainablefarm #goatfarm #goatdairy #agritourism #arthurontario #wellingtoncounty #mywellingtoncounty
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