Close to home: Few people have covered more ground in Ontario than Harvey Currell. For 49 years he travelled the province and wrote about his experiences in a popular weekly column for the Toronto Sun and its predecessor the Toronto Telegram, called Town and Country Trips. It's been two years since he penned his last Sun column, but Currell hasn't stopped writing.
In his new book, Byways and Bylines (Trafford), Currell offers up 32 of his favourite trip columns (re-researched and updated) from the past.
"There are millions of people in cities now and the majority of them know nothing of what lies beyond the city limits" explained Currell in a recent phone interview. "In writing the trip columns I wanted to introduce them to these little-known fascinating places."
Currell says some of his own favourites are in remote Ontario and include the Hudson Bay lowlands and Purdon's Bog -- a conservation area in the Ottawa Valley.
The book begins with a story about an expedition in the 1960s in which Currell and six others, including wildlife artist Robert Bateman, hiked from Burlington to Collingwood along what was to become the Bruce Trail. The stories are interspersed with details from Currell's life, beginning with his childhood in 1920s Toronto, through World War II and his lively career as a newspaperman, and ends with "an excellent inn at the mouth of the Severn."
Long-time Harvey Currell fans will not be disappointed. The book can be purchased on-line at trafford.com or at the following 0ntario bookstores: The Bookmark on Bloor St. West, Booklore in Orangeville, the Green Heron in Paris, Greenleys Bookstore in Belleville, and Bearly Used Books in Parry Sound, or e-mail Currell at hcurrellconifer@aol.com.
Where to go in 2010: Visitors to northern Greece on Jan. 8 should not be surprised to find women having a good time in typical male hang-outs, while their husbands stay home cleaning, cooking and looking after the children. It's annual role reversal day aka Gynaikokratia or "women rule."
This is just one of the unique events that take place in Greece, which has been named one of the Top 10 countries to visit next year in the new book Lonely Planet's Best in Travel 2010: The best trends, destinations, journeys and experiences for the upcoming year. Other countries on the list include Suriname, the U.S., Malaysia, Morocco and Germany.
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