Patrick (Paddy) Moore A Monthly Pour of Perspective, Possibility & Passport-Ready Thinking
A Passport Full of Gratitude
October has a way of asking us to slow down.
The light softens. Leaves turn gold. Dinner lingers a little longer. And here in Canada, Thanksgiving arrives with its gentle annual reminder to look around the table — and beyond it — and consider just how much we have to be grateful for.
Travel belongs beautifully in that conversation.
Travel reminds us that a hot shower is a luxury in some places. That strangers can be extraordinarily kind. That a meal does not need twelve ingredients to be memorable. That getting lost occasionally leads somewhere wonderful.
It introduces us to people whose lives may look completely different from ours, yet whose hopes, humour and hospitality feel wonderfully familiar.
And perhaps most importantly, travel makes us grateful to come home.
We leave with curiosity. We return with stories, perspective and — if all has gone according to plan — slightly too much luggage.
So this October, I am raising a glass to the journeys we have taken, the places still waiting for us, and especially to you — my clients and fellow travellers — for allowing me to share in the anticipation.
After all, dreaming about the journey is part of the journey.
🍁 GRATEFUL FOR THREE OCTOBER ESCAPES
🇨🇦 1. Québec — Nature Puts on the fancy clothes
You don’t always have to cross an ocean to find something extraordinary.
From mid-September through the end of October, Québec turns itself into an enormous impressionist painting — scarlet maple, burnt orange, brilliant yellow and evergreen reflected in lakes and rivers. The province’s official tourism site tracks the changing colours throughout the season.
Begin with a few sophisticated days in Montréal or Québec City, then head into the countryside.
Think Charlevoix, the Laurentians or the Eastern Townships: country inns, farm-to-table dinners, crisp morning walks, local cheeses and cider, perhaps a spa overlooking a forest that appears to have caught fire.
Hike. Cycle. Take a scenic drive. Pick apples. Eat something involving maple syrup without apology.
Why October?
This is Canada showing off — and frankly, we should let it.
The Traveltini Moment:
A late afternoon beside the St. Lawrence, wrapped in a sweater, watching the hills burn red and gold while wondering why we ever rush autumn.
🇯🇵 2. Northern Japan — Autumn, Perfected
Japan understands seasons almost as an art form.
And while Tokyo and Kyoto generally save their strongest autumn colour for later in the year, October is prime time farther north and at higher elevations. Hokkaido, Tohoku and mountain regions begin turning brilliant shades of crimson, amber and gold while much of the country enjoys comfortable autumn weather.
Imagine soaking in an onsen while cool mountain air drifts above the water. Walking through a forest in Hokkaido. Riding a ropeway above a valley ablaze with colour. Sitting down afterwards to seasonal mushrooms, soba, freshly harvested rice and sake.
October is also harvest season, bringing Japanese pears, persimmons, rice and other seasonal foods to tables across the country.
This is a quieter, more contemplative Japan than cherry-blossom season.
Less Look at that!
More Just look at that.
Why October?
For beautiful walking weather, harvest flavours and the beginning of one of the world’s great displays of autumn colour.
The Traveltini Moment:
An outdoor hot spring, crimson mountains, steam rising into cold air — and absolutely nowhere else you need to be.
🇵🇹 3. Portugal & the Douro — Give Thanks for the Grape
If gratitude had a landscape, it might look suspiciously like the Douro Valley in autumn.
Start in Lisbon, where the light seems permanently golden, then make your way north through Porto and into the Douro.
Portugal’s official tourism information identifies September and October as grape-harvest season, with many Douro wine estates offering visitors opportunities to experience the vindima — from vineyard visits and tastings to traditional grape harvesting.
The vineyards tumble down impossibly steep hillsides toward the river. Old quintas perch above the terraces. Small villages seem to have been placed there by an art director.
And then there is the food.
Fresh bread. Olive oil. Grilled fish. Cheese. Pastéis de nata.
Port.
There may be some walking involved, purely to justify lunch.
Why October?
Harvest traditions, wine-country landscapes and the pleasure of exploring Portugal after the fiercest summer heat has faded.
The Traveltini Moment:
A slow boat along the Douro as vineyard terraces climb above you, followed by dinner at a quinta and a glass of something that has been waiting patiently in a barrel for precisely this occasion.
💰 TRAVEL BETTER: FIVE WAYS TO STRETCH YOUR TRAVEL BUDGET
Travelling well does not necessarily mean spending less.
It means making the money you do spend work harder.
Here are five of my favourite strategies:
1. Travel Between the Seasons
May instead of July. October instead of August. Early December instead of Christmas week.
The so-called shoulder seasons can bring lower airfares and hotel rates, while also offering fewer crowds and often much more pleasant sightseeing weather.
Sometimes the “off-season” is secretly the better season.
2. Be Flexible by a Day or Two
Airfares can change dramatically between a Friday departure and a Tuesday departure.
If your schedule permits, let me compare dates on either side of your preferred journey. A small shift can occasionally produce a surprisingly large saving — or a considerably better flight for the same money.
3. Compare the Real Price
The cheapest headline fare is not always the cheapest trip.
Add baggage. Seat selection. Transfers. Wi-Fi. Drinks. Dining. Gratuities. Cancellation conditions.
Suddenly that bargain may need a rather large asterisk.
Whether comparing cruises, tours, hotels or flights, I prefer to look at total value, not simply the number printed in the largest type.
4. Book Early — Then Keep Watching
For cruises, tours and popular destinations, booking early often gives you the greatest choice of rooms, cabins and itineraries.
And depending upon supplier rules, there may sometimes be opportunities to take advantage of later promotions before final payment.
The trick is not merely booking.
It is booking intelligently and continuing to pay attention.
That’s part of my job.
5. Look for Value You Can’t See on the Price Tag
Credits. Included transfers. Breakfast. Specialty dining. Beverage packages. Reduced deposits. Complimentary gratuities. Group amenities. Preferred rates.
These extras can add hundreds — occasionally thousands — of dollars of value to a journey.
Before clicking BOOK NOW, ask one more question:
What else can I get?
I rather enjoy asking that question.
🍸 TRAVELTINI OF THE MONTH
Autumn Leaves
Could there possibly be another choice?
My Autumn Leaves cocktail is a wonderfully assertive little salute to the season — combining rye whiskey, Calvados apple brandy, sweet vermouth, Strega and Angostura bitters, finished with an orange twist.
Apple brings the orchard. Rye brings the warmth. The herbal liqueur brings enough complexity to remind you that summer is definitely over.
This is not a poolside sipper with a tiny umbrella.
This drink has put on a sweater.
My original Traveltini recipe describes it as a strong, spirit-forward fall cocktail, created by bartender Jeffrey Morgenthaler in 2008.
🍂 Read the full Autumn Leaves story and recipe:
Autumn Leaves — Traveltinis & Quarantinis
🍹 ALTERNATINI OF THE MONTH
Apple Orchard Fizz
All the autumn. None of the alcohol.
What You Need
- 3 oz cloudy apple juice or fresh apple cider
- ½ oz fresh lemon juice
- ½ oz maple syrup
- 2 oz ginger beer
- Dash of alcohol-free aromatic bitters, optional
- Thin apple slice
- Cinnamon stick
What You Do
Shake the apple juice, lemon and maple syrup with ice.
Strain over fresh ice in a rocks or tall glass.
Top with ginger beer and garnish with apple and cinnamon.
Then find a window overlooking some falling leaves and look thoughtful.
Taste: Crisp, lightly spiced, refreshing and unmistakably autumn.
🥂 A FINAL SIP
Perhaps that is one of travel’s greatest gifts.
It reminds us to notice.
A spectacular sunset.
A stranger’s kindness.
A meal around a crowded table.
A mountain appearing through the clouds.
A place we never imagined seeing with our own eyes.
And eventually, the familiar front door waiting for us when we return.
There is an enormous world out there — and being able to explore even a small part of it is something worth celebrating.
This Thanksgiving season, I am particularly grateful to everyone who entrusts their travels to me.
Every booking represents far more than flights, hotels and stateroom numbers.
It represents an anniversary. A reunion. A long-held dream. A first glimpse of somewhere extraordinary.
Thank you for allowing me to help make those journeys happen.
And if there is somewhere on your own someday list that has been whispering a little louder lately…
Perhaps it is time we talked.
Every journey tells a story. Thank you for letting me help write yours.
Happy Thanksgiving, happy travels — and never stop dreaming.
