Margarita Ibbott

Margarita Ibbott is a travel and lifestyle blogger. She blogs about travel in Canada, the United States and Europe giving practical advice through restaurant, hotel and attraction reviews. She writes for DownshiftingPRO.com and other online media outlets.

What to do at the Quebec Winter Carnival

by
Quebec Carnival with DownshiftingPRO
Quebec Carnival with @DownshiftingPRO

What to do at the Quebec Winter Carnival

Would you drive 11 hours to go to a winter carnival?  We did!  Last year, we spent a few days in the beautiful city of Quebec to celebrate the best winter carnival in the world.  Full of music, outdoor activities, night parades and a giant outdoor slide, you must make a trip to Quebec City at least once in your life.  The last time I was here for Carnaval I was in University and it was much, much colder with more of a never-ending party.  It was also very different, the current rendition is all about a great family experience and making it memorable for all. Get ready for this year’s REFRESHING! Carnival as this year’s edition will run February 8 –17, 2019.  There is much to see and no reason to stay home.  Be sure and take in these great events. 

Read more

15 things to do in North Macedonia–located on the Balkan Peninsula

by
15 Things to do in Macedonia CosmicAce Guest Post 2 1

15 Things to do in Macedonia CosmicAce Guest Post 2 1

In 2019, I have decided to take a leap of faith and create a space where other travel bloggers, freelance writers and storytellers contribute their travel stories to DownshiftingPRO.com.  In the last four years, I have encountered some wonderful kindred spirits that love to travel and write about it.

The first installation comes from Ace… a seasoned traveller who has returned to his native country of North Macedonia to try and entice others to visit and fall in love with small country nestled in the Balkan Peninsula! His images are enticing and his suggestions of 15 Things to do in North Macedonia will likely entice you too.  From Byzantine buildings and Roman ruins and rugged peaks to glacial lakes, there are many things of interest and adventure to be found in North Macedonia.

Read more

15 Ways to Avoid Holiday Travel Hassles

by
15 Ways to Avoide Holiday Travel Hassles
15 Ways to Avoide Holiday Travel Hassles

The holiday season can create stress but when you leave things to the last minute.  You will lose out on deals if you wait to get a flight at the last moment but more importantly, you may not have a seat or worse get really bad connections. Lastly, pick travel times wisely, flying first thing in the morning means you’re less likely to get bumped from a flight – and more likely to get on a later flight if you do.

Read more

Carry travel essentials to protect your lips

by
A beautiful smile Lipivir Prevent Cold Sores 2

Disclosure: This is a sponsored post for lipivir® and I received compensation for my post. As a lifestyle and travel blogger, I am happy to share my personal experiences with my audience. #ad

A beautiful smile_Lipivir Prevent Cold Sores - A Travel Essential

“Never leave the house without lipstick”.

I can clearly hear my mother say this to me as I was growing up. There were many words of wisdom but these are ones that stuck with me forever.  When I was young, I was waiting… just waiting for the day I could put on lipstick and protect my lips.  It was not for the aesthetics or fun of putting on make-up.  There was a big reason why I wanted to protect them:  painful, unsightly cold sores which I would get every winter.   I cannot tell you how embarrassing and annoying I found this scourge.

Read more

10 Reasons to Go to Your High School Reunion & Travel Back in Time

by

2018 BHS Reunion_2

I’ve gotten over the stage fright.  I have overcome the mean girl syndrome and faced my biggest high school fears.  I’m not going to lie, I’m a high school reunion devotee.  I was back for my ‘all year’ high school reunion for the third time in 10 years.  How does that work?  Simple:  instead of having individual years celebrate annually, my high school celebrates every  5 years on the school’s anniversary.  Many people go back for many reasons but I have 10 Good reasons to go to your high school reunion.

Read more

What’s New for Ski Season in Vermont #SkiVermont

by
A Year in Review 2017 Best1

UPDATE 2021: The ski season in Vermont will look very different in 2021. With COVID-19 restrictions in effect throughout Vermont, there are specific guidelines that must be adhered to in all areas. Below is a summary from the SKI VERMONT website. At the bottom of this post, I will have a list of of individual ski mountain guidelines. Please ‘know before you go’ if you are in Vermont.
Important note: Anyone returning or traveling to Vermont must follow Vermont’s mandatory quarantine policy. Vermonters returning from an out-of-state trip must complete either a 14-day quarantine or a 7-day quarantine followed by a negative test.

Ski Season in Vermont - Covid- restrictions in Vermont
Plan for a safe Ski season in Vermont

Obviously, for my Canadian and International readers, travel to the US is restricted for recreational purposes. Use this guide for future travel plans. #DreamNowTravelLater. There is no reason you cannot plan for a future ski season in Vermont.

A Year in Review 2017 Best1

Like Santa’s workshop, ski areas in Vermont have been very, very busy off-season.  From revamping their facilities, terrain and ticket/pass options to off-slope activities and amenities. Since my epic get-back-on-skis-after-decades-off-them trip last year, I can hardly wait to get back! There have been some significant changes to Mount Snow, Killington and Stratton.   I wanted to share some of the highlights of changes on those mountains and also on the others for the upcoming ski season in Vermont.

Read more

Rock the Road – 5 Tips for First Time Drivers Behind the Wheel

by
OK Tire Frist Time Drivers behind the Wheel DownshiftingPRO thumb

OK Tire - Frist Time Drivers behind the Wheel_ @DownshiftingPRO

The fall is a busy time for most families.  We squeeze in the last road trip, close up the cottage and then start getting ready for school.  This year we have two of our children at university, one in St. Catherine’s and the other locally. One daughter will be riding her bike or taking public transport to school.  The other will most likely be driving the car 50% of the time and taking the bus the other 50%.  She will be a first time driver on a daily commute!  No question about it, she’ll be asking: what do I need in my car?

Read more