The day had finally arrived; I was going to see ‘my’ gorillas in Volcano’s National Park in Rwanda. I have been coveting this travel experience for over 15 years and it was hard not to bounce around like Tigger from Winnie-The-Pooh, so I focused very much on trying to be calm (yoga breathing helped) but not sure I really pulled off the 'zen'!

Christmas is around the corner and for many this means traveling to either be with loved ones, or take that well deserved break from the chaos of life. Holiday travel can be exciting yet also a bit stressful, so here are some friendly travel tips from The Travel Desk to make your journey smoother.

When people hear Costa Rica they generally get visions of beautiful beaches in their heads, zip lining across the mystical cloud forest, walking along suspension bridges, hiking around active volcanoes, white water rafting, waterfall rappelling and more. Costa Rica is definitely a nature lover’s paradise, and whether it is exploring it in the most adrenaline way possible or simply sipping ice-cold beverages under a palapa while listening to the water lap along the shoreline, everyone who visits falls in love.

What do you visualize when you hear “Cuba”? Powder soft white sand beaches? Funky old cars in Havana? Brightly coloured dressed locals? Or perhaps it’s the teal water of the ocean gently lapping at your toes. Whatever it is that appeals to you, Cuba is a fabulous destination and The Travel Desk’s feature spot this month.

Every wonder what to pack and not to pack? Do you tend to travel with too little; or wish you hadn’t brought those 7 pairs of shoes? This article might not be able to fix that scenario; but there are some tips that we feel are important enough to mention. What to bring on carry on versus checked luggage, and some things that you just shouldn’t go without. This blog not just about packing, but a few other safety and documentation tips we thought would help some of you prepare for any upcoming vacations.