Category: Travel

SeeDaveTravel: CUBA – Grand Memories Varadero

Escaping the cold once winter hits, I would say is a necessity of life when you live in 6 month of winter. Mel and I decided that last year we were not going to spend new years in the cold at some party somewhere in Toronto. We waited for last minute deals only to realize that there are none between Dec 25-31. We hopped on to a popular online travel site and booked a one week stay at the Grand Memories in Cuba.

I haven’t been to Cuba in roughly 10 years (Damn I feel old saying that lol). A lot has changed since my last visit, most notably the introduction of the CUC (Convertible Peso). This is one of the very few complaints I have to visiting Cuba, the other being how short staffed the resort was.

The CUC is a currency invented by Cuba solely for the purpose of tourists, and as such is nothing more than a CRAZY cash grab! It’s currently worth more than most currencies in the world including CAD and USD. That being said your money doesn’t go as far as most other caribbean islands. That aside, there is one rule to live by when I travel ~Make the most of it. Otherwise you will have a terrible time!

So we did, Enjoying as much time in the Cuban sun as humanly possible. The Beaches in Varadero are some of the best in the Caribbean, with almost snow like white sand and beautiful turquoise clear water. There is nothing like enjoying a refreshing ice cold Cubata (Dark rum, coke, and a splash of lemon juice) while enjoying the hot sun and ocean.

The resort overall was nice, well kept, and had a good variety of activity areas and things do to during the day as well as night. If staying on the resort isn’t your type of thing, a $5 bus ride into Varadero city will have you mingling at some wonderful bars and clubs with live music dancing the night away. They are have some great places to eat as well as some local artisan markets where you can buy some great souvenirs.

As far as excursions, there is one in particular that if it’s available i always recommend and take during my stay to any island. THE CATAMARAN excursion is a full day affair, taking you out with roughly 50-60 other people for a day out on the ocean. Stopping for a stint of snorkeling on a secluded reef, followed by a stay at Cayo Blanco which has beaches generally found on postcards and ads for Cuba. All with a wonderful lobster buffet lunch. A word of caution that if you don’t understand or speak any spanish you may find yourself eating horse meat if you’re not paying attention to what the chefs are saying (which is actually quite delicious). Some people opted to leave the “steak” line once I informed them of what was being served (it’s not for everyone I guess). All in all it was one of the best days while I was there.

So my advice for those that want to get away somewhere warm. If you haven’t been to Cuba, go check it out but do your research beforehand and be prepared for issues that may arise. Other than that, Cuba is really a beautiful country. So if you’ve been or are thinking of going let me know!

What is your favourite sun destination?

January 10, 2017
TOKYO – Best Hotels That Won’t Break The Bank

Many people always hear about how expensive Tokyo is. Every time someone tells me that, I laugh a little.
Like anywhere else in the world, Tokyo is only as expensive as you make it. If you enjoy 5 star restaurants and high end hotels, obviously it will be expensive! However it doesn’t have to be. When I travel to Tokyo i have two criteria that must be met:

1] Central to where/what I will be doing. 2] Has to be a reasonable price.

So below is a list of places that I have personally stayed at. Keep in mind this is based on my set budget for board as well as the fact that I spend most of my time near the Shibuya district. Also this list is in no particular order. Cost per night on all these hotels ranges anywhere from $95-$120/pppn CAD, some include a full breakfast some don’t, prices also fluctuate by season obviously. Usually In early fall as prices for flights and hotels are a bit cheaper, as well as weather is warm still.

TOKYO GRANBELL HOTEL

This is the most recent hotel I stayed on my last trip, the closest hotel to Hachiko I have stayed at [5 min walk] to Shibuya station. Rooms are a bitt smaller than normal for a standard room, but they are clean, serviced daily, and always helpful at the front desk.

HOTEL ASIA CENTER OF JAPAN

The first hotel I stayed at all those years ago, have stayed here a few times. This hotel is about 3 km from Shibuya station. Hidden just off a quiet side street, this hotel is a bit of a challenge to find especially if you didn’t get a pocket wifi after arriving. Decent size rooms with basic amenities.

APA NISHI-AZABU

By far the most comfortable beds out of the lot of hotels, but seeing as I don’t tend to spend much time in the room this wasn’t a feature I care much about. Located in Nishi Azabu, a higher end posh area of Tokyo this hotel is a 5 minute walk to Hiro-o station. In the area there are a few quaint restaurants and bars, just note that prices in this area are a bit higher than others but still worth it for the food. For the nightlife scene i would go elsewhere as drinks are a touch expensive and some bars do have either expensive entrance fees or sit down fees.

TOKYU STAY SHIBUYA SHIN MINAMI GUCHI

A larger room size than the typical Tokyo economy hotel, has a kitchenette as well as a washer/dryer combo, which was my favourite feature!
being able to throw in a load of laundry before i started the day and having a completely washed and dried load of laundry when i got back to the hotel was AMAZING!
being a 6 Minute walk to Shibuya station is a huge advantage of staying at this hotel as you will be in the epicenter of everything Tokyo. No need to worry about missing that last train if you decide to have a night out on the town. Shibuya has so much to offer as far and food, nightlife, and entertainment you won’t have to venture far to find good food and great nightlife!

Now these are all suggestions based off my experience and the things I enjoy doing while in Tokyo, I tend to spend a good majority of my time while in Tokyo in the Shibuya ward. Shibuya is a great spot for food, bars, and nightlife, which is what I spend most of my time doing when I visit because I travel there to see friends and hang out. Tokyo is so vast that you might want to venture off and stay/visit other areas. Be mindful when booking a hotel that Train service tends to cut off at midnight and start back up at 5am.

October 31, 2016
Kicks On The Road
Hey yo,

What’s up people people, just got back from my trip to Tokyo, Japan! Figured i would share some useful information with you all. By useful, I mean the stuff I pack for my feet. Sneaker mainly, but shoes in general. Anytime I travel one of the most important things I take are a variety of shoes. [But Dave you’re a dude, not a chick you just need one pair bro] ~NO! I need my kicks, and lemme tell you why. First, what happens if it rains and your one pair get all messed up? What about when you go to a music festival/night club and your kicks get all messed up? Oh and all of a sudden you are going somewhere fancy, what then?

This is why I take a few pairs, and depending where I go I tend to come home with a few extra too :).

Tokyo has my favourite sneaker brand [Supra Footwear] so i bought another pair……then I went to the Nike outlet at Diver City in Odaiba. One thing I have noticed is that what’s popular here might not be as popular there, That being said I was able to pickup a pair of Nike LunarEpic Flyknits for $80 instead of $250. But I digress, this post isn’t about all the stuff I spent my money on.

So lets get to it, I like to take a few pairs of shoes for a few situations.
- A pair of loafers
  - Loafers are my formal/informal go to shoe, you can dress it up with a suit or button up but you can just wear it as is with a pair of cropped pants. But a must have when I travel. My go to loafers are Geox driving shoes with rubber sole, they have the Geox breathable tech built in which is great because I don’t like wearing socks.
- Main daily shoe
  - This shoe is your go to, whatever you feel most comfortable wearing day to day that will compliment basically everything in your wardrobe. However can also handle a lot of potential walking. For this this trip I broke out my GEOX NEBULA sneakers, They are comfortable, super breathable since the sole has built in holes for awesome ventilation, not to mention they look pretty good too!
- BACKUPS!
  - Mainly I bring backups for my daily shoe, mostly because at home I have a shoe rotation, which also makes my shoes last for what seems like eternity. I brought Tokyo to Tokyo this trip with 2 pairs of Supra Skytops. My all whites, and a pair of black suede ones.
So all in all I was covered no matter what I was doing this trip. Got there with 4 pairs came home with 6…whatever I can never have enough shoes!

What shoes are normally on your packing list when you travel?
September 30, 2016
That First Class Flight Experience

How many times have you had to walk enviously past those rich/business/lucky people sitting in first class on your flight on the walk to the economy section of the plane? Yeah me too! Having to sit in confined space with kids crying, knees being crushed by the seat in front of you, and of course wonderful strangers snoring on your shoulder. I had the opportunity to hang out with the other half on my way to Tokyo, Japan.

Yeah, sitting up front is basically everything you think it is. Leg room? Check! Good food? Check! Bigger TV? Check! Noise cancelling headphones? Check! All in all, it’s by far the best flying experience I’ve had on a long haul flight. Generally if you were to book this seat ahead of time, you would be paying somewhere in and around $10,000+ for a return airfare to Asia. But what many people don’t know is that if there is spaces open at checkin, generally airlines will allow you to upgrade for the leg of the flight for roughly $800. I know it still seems steep, but once you fly first class….well you don’t want to go back to economy EVER!

From the solitary pod, like something out of a movie. Where flight attendants wait on you hand and foot pretty much. If the reclining seat that becomes a bed isn’t enough, the food is actually better than some restaurants I’ve been to. Complimentary glass of champagne as you arrive to your seat, no one sharing your overhead compartment, no weight restrictions on your luggage. Ah the good life!

Now would I book first class every time I went somewhere? Absolutely not! Unless I won the lottery and money was no object [guess I better start hookin’ or something]. But for people who are over 6 feet tall and are en route to Asia or any flight 10+ hours, HELL YES it’s worth every damn penny! Your knees will thank you later.

September 16, 2016
My Love Affair With Tokyo

I think for those who know me personally, they know that I do in fact have a love affair with Japan [Tokyo in particular]. Many people have Tokyo or Japan list on their bucket list as a place to visit before they die.

I have been fortunate enough to have visited Tokyo every year at least once a year since 2008. From my first visit until now and most likely until i die, it will be a special place for me.
Now you may say, “but Dave there are so many places that are more beautiful, more exciting, less expensive!” and I would say you are right there, you really are! However, for me Tokyo is more than just a place to go see and visit, it’s my reset button each year.

Let me explain. Everyday I wake up and go to work for 8 hours, when I’m done work I help Mel work on her blog and take her photos and videos for her. When I’m not doing that I’m generally making content for Nextlevelgaming.ca [a recently launched gaming website I put together with some friends of mine].
On top of that I try to have a social life, see family, and find other ways to occupy my time.

For 7-14 days out of the year I go to Tokyo, and my day to day stuff disappears for that time. But something else happens while I’m there. I get motivated, seeing how hard people work there and how dedicated they are to the daily grind. I set new goals, come up with new ideas, and generally just defrag my brain in the time I’m there. Deadlines don’t matter, 100% of the time is free time, and i can just enjoy the city, people watch, eat, drink, and just enjoy myself.

How can I do that in tone of the busiest cities in the world you ask? By appreciating everything around me, filling my belly with amazing food, drinking delicious sake, and partying until today becomes tomorrow with the sunrise. Priorities change, and with it, new ideas begin to flow.

I hope that one day when I have children I can take them there and hopefully they will have a connection a kin to mine. But until then I will continue going back at least once a year! If you are interested in going to Tokyo hit me up and I will gladly give you tips and places to visit during your stay.

Stay tuned for my Favourite places to eat in Tokyo!

July 13, 2016