BIXI: Montreal’s Bicycle Sharing System 13
What do you get when you combine ‘bicycle’ with ‘taxi’? In Montreal they call it ‘BIXI’ and aside from a few technical glitches, the program has been a smashing success since it launched on May 12th, 2009. I arrived in Montreal on Wednesday after paddling for 11 days from Toronto. I spent the next 4 ...
In the Shadows of Taller Men
Photo courtesy of the US Government The 40th anniversary of the Apollo 11 moon landing came and went with token remembrance to mark the occasion. Sure, I saw the references to the event in the news that invariably included the oft-quoted phrase “one small step for man,” but considering the achievement of that time and ...
Toronto to Montreal Kayak Adventure 41
Yesterday I arrived in Montreal after 11 consecutive days alone on the water. At times I had a feeling of freedom and saw some amazing scenery, and other times it was challenging and repetitive. But overall I really enjoyed the experience and I’ve definitely become a better kayaker as a result of the range of ...
India’s Golden Triangle: Part Duos
After one day in Gwalior, our next stop was Fatehpur Sikri… Fatehpur Sikri This one of India’s most historical cities constructed by the great Mughal Emperor Akbar. He had 3 wives, one from each major religion in India: Islam, Hinduism and Christianity. In fact, he tried to create his own religion called Din-i-illahi that intended ...
India’s Golden Triangle: Part Uno 3
Jim has asked me to be a guest contributor on TheUrbanCountry.com for the travel section. This goes to show that sucking up to people DOES in fact work! Thanks Jimmy! I am honored to share my silly travel stories with the Urban Country audience. After my previous update, some of you commented on my brother’s ...
Toronto to Montreal Solo Kayak Journey 2
Photo by James D. Schwartz / The Urban Country – Lake Ontario – 4 July 2009 In about 9 hours, I’ll be departing on a solo kayak journey from Toronto to Montreal to raise money for Noah’s Ark home for children in the Philippines. Noah’s Ark provides a temporary home for malnourished children; providing food, ...
I *heart* India 1
Editor’s Note: Kimi Sokhi is a Toronto resident and IT Consultant who is currently on a 3-month work leave living with family in Dubai. She’s currently traveling in India and shared her thoughts with the Urban Country via e-mail about her visit to New Delhi, India. We landed at Indira Gandhi International Airport at 4 ...
With Glowing Hearts, We See Thee (temperature) Rise 1
Last Wednesday, Canada celebrated her 142nd birthday. A recent poll suggested that only 21% of Canadians knew how old their country was turning. If it isn’t bad enough that reportedly 4 percent of Canadians think that Canada is younger than 100-years-old, another recent study takes an even bigger dump on our beloved country. A 51-page ...
Living Off the Grid
Image ‘Wired-II’ courtesy of Buck Lewis on Flickr What do a solar backpack, a wind up lantern, a pedal-pump generator, and a rollable water-proof solar panel have in common? Firstly, they all provide sustainable energy “off the grid”, and secondly, they can all be purchased from a really neat website called Modern Outpost that I ...