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The AVE Canada is a type of travel document that you need if you want to enter the country for whatever purpose. This acronym stands for “Autorisation de voyage électronique”, which is French for Electronic Travel Authorization (more commonly known as the ETA Canada). When you are striving to get one, here are a couple of things to keep in mind.

Make sure you have all the necessary information

When you are applying for an AVE/ ETA, you need to do so in English (even if you are perfectly competent in French). You will need to state your name, date of birth, and the information about your passport (typically, your passport number).

There will also be questions meant to check whether or not you are eligible to travel: if you have any communicable diseases, and whether you have a criminal record involving certain kinds of offences, if you were arrested or convicted for anything, or if you have any history of deportation or your visa getting revoked in the past.

Finally, you will need to provide some of your credit card data, because the applicationfor an AVE does entail paying some predetermined fees. This expense will never exceed the sum of $7 Canadian (seven Canadian dollars), which is set by the government. If you are being asked to pay more, you are not applying via official channels and you may be in danger of a scam. Check out this link for some advice if you suspect that this may be your case.

Make sure to respect the deadlines for application

When you are planning a trip to Canada, you can submit your application forms for an AVE at literally any point before you set off. The general rule of thumb is – the sooner you do it, the better. Of course, you cannot always plan everything in advance and have it unfold the way you want to, and sometimes you will have to make a last minute demand for some emergency travel situation.

Do not worry, these are okay as well, and you will be covered, because an ETA request does not require that you have a specific travel plan in Canada. However, at the very least and if at all possible, you should at least provide the addresses of your destinations and your planned routes.

Be aware of the period of validity and re-application

To put it in more simple, everyday terms, your travel approval documentation has an expiry date stuck on it. In general, this will be five years, in the context of travel authorizations meant for Canada. If your passport should happento expire before those five years have passed, then your ETA automatically expires along with the passport and you will have to renew both.See this link for some advice on how to renew your passport: https://www.wikihow.com/Renew-a-Passport

There are five officially listed reasons for which you would need to re-apply for a new travel authorization through the ETA system. These are as follows: if your passport has expired and you got a new one, if you have changed your name, your nationality, or your sex/ gender, or if the circumstances that dictated your answers to the “yes or no” questions in your previous application have happened to change in the meantime.

However, while the validity period is still ongoing, you are completely free to come by repeatedly and visit Canada as many times as you like without putting in a new request.

Be aware that an ATE/ AVE does not guarantee you entry

Yes, we know, it seems counterintuitive. You were so careful to get all your papers right, and you got that authorized paper or emailed document, you planned your trip and survived horrible smelly feet in the airplane, only to be turned away a the border. Horrible image, right?

Unfortunately, a travel authorization will not necessarily guarantee you entry into Canada proper. It can only allow you to board a plane or get on a cruise ship without having a visa for Canada. Whether you will be considered eligible to actually enter the country is a decision made by the borderpost immigration agents.

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The dishes of Nepal are as unique as the backgrounds and ethnicities of the people, and there are major differences in regional cuisine. The three main geographical regions have a dramatic influence on what type of food is available. Here are a few dishes to try in each of the three topographic regions of Nepal.

Terai or jungle region of the south

The jungle lowlands in the south have the widest variety of agriculture due to the climate and abundance of water. Rivers provide fish, and steamy lowlands are striped with stacked terraces growing rice and millet. Fruit grows abundantly in this region, including mangoes, papayas, bananas, and jackfruit.

Dal Bhat

The true staple of Nepalese cuisine is dal bhat. The base of the dish is lentil soup with rice and a steamed seasonal vegetable, but it varies regionally based on what is available. In the lowlands, it’s served with sides like pickles, curry, yogurt, chutney, and fish.

Gundruk

Made by fermenting leafy green vegetables, this dish has an earthy flavor reminiscent of salty mushrooms. It is sometimes pickled and used as a garnish for curry or dal bhat.

The central hilly region

With a moderate climate throughout the year, the central hilly region diet is conducive to rice-based dishes. The original inhabitants of the valley have a distinct cuisine, architecture, and language. Agriculture varies wildly due to the microclimates, giving rise to many variations on a theme.  

Chatamari

A round crepe made from rice flour cooked with onions, meat, egg, and spices. Depending on the region and available crops, it can also contain local vegetables as a stuffing.

Mo mo dumplings

Steamed vegetables and meat make up the main ingredients of the dumplings, which are wrapped in a flour dough and steamed or fried. These tasty snacks usually come ten to a plate and are served with spicy chili dip. You’ll find these served alongside main dishes in restaurants or at street stalls as a standalone snack.

Himalayan and high-altitude regions of the north

The high-altitude growing conditions and food scarcity of the Himalaya area in the north shaped the dishes toward stews and other warm dishes and drinks. At the highest altitudes, food becomes limited due to short growing seasons and the lack of transportation. Potatoes and other root vegetables are staples in hot, nutrient-rich soups and appear fried with vegetables, cheese, and eggs.

Thukpa with mo mo dumplings

A thick noodle soup that can include meat, egg or just vegetables is indispensable in winter. Often served with an accompanying dish of mo mo dumplings, the soup starts with a carefully seasoned rich meat broth made from available meats. Visitors are encouraged to try garlic soup to battle the effects of altitude but should avoid meat because it’s unlikely to be fresh.

Pro tip

Taste the glorious flavors of each region on the Manaslu Trek. This unique circuit around the 8,000-meter peak takes visitors through each of the regions, allowing you to try each dish where it originated.

Conclusion

The influences of different cultures are best reflected in a country’s cuisine. Due to tourism and modern travel techniques, you may find each of these regional cuisines in a cultural center like Kathmandu but beware the temptation to sample these dishes before you arrive. The local preparation and ingredients add an element that can’t be duplicated elsewhere.

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What makes a great cycling holiday?

The answer depends on what anyone wants from their cycling holidays. In this case, I’m talking cycling as a means of Slow Travel. Immersing yourself in the rhythm of a place; trying to blend in as seamlessly as possible with the pace of local life, learning about culture, traditions, and gastronomy as well as getting to know the people and enjoying postcard-worthy scenery along the way.

To do that it helps to have an itinerary which has been designed to take cyclists on a voyage which weaves through eye-candy landscapes and chocolate box villages, passing tabernas/tascas/hüttes which are perfect for a pause to allow time to reflect on the memorable highlights notched up. Slow Travel specialists, Inntravel, have created an irresistible selection of self-guided cycling holidays across Europe which tick all of these boxes and then some. These are ten of the best of them.

Idyllic Istria – Croatia

Exploring Istria’s coastal and inland cycle paths for the first time feels familiar and yet refreshingly different. Honey-coloured villages surrounded by olive and citrus groves bask on the edge of a sparkling Adriatic Sea.

At times there’s a laid-back Mediterranean vibe, at others the feel is distinctly northern European. This melange of influences extends to menus in cosy little konobes (taverns) where the seafood is excellent and so are the pizzas. The pastel-coloured facades of Venetian houses in Rovinjo old town, Istria’s shining star, squeezed onto a small oval-shaped peninsula, encapsulate the heady mix of visual treats this part of Croatia has to offer.

Salzburg’s Lake District – Austria

The journey takes in lakes whose surface are like glass, churches with onion-domed spires, cavorting rivers, and pristine meadows below saw-toothed peaks. It’s an area with a musical lilt, from Julie Andrews belting out numbers in the Sound of Music to a village where Mahler spent sultry summer months composing symphonies.

Getting around involves scenic boat trips and a cog railway, as well as on two wheels, whilst local specialities to try include gröstl; an ideal brunch dish of bacon, potato, and onion topped with a fried egg. The highlight is the village of Hallstatt, a pearl of a UNESCO World Heritage Site rising up from the shores of Hallstätter See.

Medieval Mantova to Romantic Verona – Italy

The problem with cycling in Italy is, unless you’re a cycling fashionista, you’re never going to blend in with locals who look as stylish on two wheels as they do sipping chianti in a wine bar. This is an Italian classic encompassing the Renaissance architecture of Mantova; cycle paths alongside the River Minicio and Lake Garda; vineyards; orchards; a bird reserve; and Sigurtà Garden Park (the temple of nature) – a fabulous spot for a picnic. The cycling comes to an end in the most romantic of cities, Romeo and Juliet’s Verona, where alluring restaurants serve taste-bud seducing plates of burrata cheese with crispy fried courgette flowers.

The Danish Riviera – Denmark

Denmark’s countryside is the domain of elves and goblins; a land which inspired Hans Christian Anderson to pen fantastical tales. There’s a literary theme running throughout this exploration of the Danish Riviera; from Kronborg Castle (the setting for Shakespeare’s Hamlet) to a museum dedicated to Karen Blixen, author of Out of Africa. Trails connect simple fishing villages of thatched-roof cottages to more opulent attractions like the Royal Palace of Fredensborg, ‘the Danish Versailles’.

Nature provides equally diverse surroundings, including forests, heathlands and sweeping white-sand beaches where sea views should be complimented by a lunch consisting of a crab sandwich and a sneaky shot of schnapps distilled by the monks of Esrum Abbey.

Impressions of the Camargue – France

Cycling through the Camargue rewards with an exhilarating roller-coaster ride of incomparable experiences. Whereas towns and cities en-route combine the historic (the Roman amphitheatre at Arles) with the artistic (St-Rémy where Van Gogh painted Starry Night). Camargue’s wetlands are wildly beautiful and home to black bulls, pink flamingos, and white horses ridden by gardians (cowboys), too.

Highlight piles up against highlight, commencing with the 15th-century castle of Tarascon (now a bizarre art gallery) and continuing to the point you find yourself soaking up sea views from a church roof in Saintes-Maries-de-la-Mer before dropping to street level, hopefully not literally, for a tiered-tower lunch of freshly caught seafood.

Lagoons & the ‘Silver Coast’ – Portugal

What destination has canals, gondolas, and a lagoon but isn’t Venice? The answer is Aveiro. Portugal’s ‘little Venice’ is known by the Portuguese but not so much by people beyond the country’s borders. It’s a place to relax and take it easy, whether reclining in a Portuguese gondola or cycling along trails beside the Aveiro lagoon, salt flats, endless beaches, and through the streets of Costa Nova whose stripey, clapboard houses look like they belong on a film set. This is an area favoured by fishermen and fishing birds, a clue as to what traditional dishes are likely to be – bacalhau (salt cod) is particularly good in Costa Nova.

Dutch Discovery – Holland

Any ‘best of’ cycling holidays must include the bicycle capital of the world, Amsterdam. However, the passion for cycling extends beyond the streets of the Netherlands’ capital.

Dutch Discovery includes Amsterdam, but also freewheels its way from Edam to Gouda (no need to suggest what culinary goodies to try in either), passing windmills, lakes and meadows. Intriguing sights to be seen include Stelling van Amsterdam, a 135-kilometre-long ring of fortifications, and Oudewater, one of the Netherlands oldest towns.

In the 16th century, women accused of witchcraft were brought to Oudewater to be weighed. Any woman deemed too heavy to keep a broomstick in the air couldn’t be a witch.

Bavarian Castles & Villages – Germany

If it’s dramatic cycling you crave, Bavaria is brimming with all the requisite ingredients, ranging from clifftop fairy-tale castles with Gothic spires and striking mountain lakes to villages whose houses have frescoed walls. Route highlights include being transfixed by the intensity of the colours of the lakes in Das Blaue Land (the Blue Land) and a visit to Hohenschwangau, an opulent castle designed by and for a king.

Embracing gastronomic tradition involves indulging in the daily German ritual of kaffee und kuchen – coffee and a wedge of cake.

Idyllic Menorca – Spain

Cycling around country lanes on a sunny island in the Mediterranean is akin to being given a shot of instant relaxation. Obviously, there are oodles of sandy beaches and cosy coves to discover, but there are also pine forests, wild moors and fishing villages with white-washed cottages and harbour-side restaurants.

In Cuitadella and Mahón, Menorca has two contrastingly and equally picturesque small, historic cities. Mahón was the capital when the island was under British rule, so a good place to try Mahón gin, a Menorcan snifter first introduced by English sailors in the 18th century, but maybe only after the day’s cycling is done.

In the Shadow of the Julian Alps – Slovenia

One of the most sought-after Instagram travel images is of a Medieval castle and church on an island in the centre of a cerulean lake. But whilst Instagrammers snap stunning Lake Bled and move on in search of their next trophy, cyclists can take their time to absorb more of Slovenia’s paradisiacal landscapes in depth.

Travelling through Slovenia by bike is to discover a world of limestone peaks dusted with snow, cascading waterfalls, walkways through gorges, and villages where hay is stored in wooden racks and bees buzz around hives of many colours. It’s not so much slow travelling as time travelling.

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When you’re planning a trip to London, you’ll always want to make sure that you’re planning in and doing as much as you can. But what should your agenda include? Let’s take a look at three must-do things for every London trip.

1. Explore The Shops

First of all, when you’re in London, you’re definitely going to want to go shopping. Because with Oxford Street, Selfridges, Westfields, and even Bond Street, there’s so many incredible shops for you to explore in London. You could spend half a day, a full day, or even a few days doing this. So plan your route and shop ’til you drop!

2. Tick Off The Sites

And we all know that there are a ton of sites we all want to be able to see in London, so you’re going to want to create an itinerary of what you want to see. Maybe you’ve always wanted to see the M16 building or the Sherlock Holmes museum? Or even the V&A or Buckingham Palace? Make a note of this and tick off your must-see sights during your time in the city.

3. Enjoy A Night At The Theatre

The final thing that you might want to do when you’re in London, is enjoy a night at the theatre. Because the West End is home to some great theatrical productions and true entertainment talent. The only tough decision will be what to see! Take a look at the below infographic to decide exactly what you might want to see when you’re booking your tickets.

Infographic Design By theatre tickets

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