Scenic Caves, Suspension Footbridge, GPS, And A Haven From The Hustle and Bustle

Blue Mountain Trip

This post was written on Monday, August 18. There will not be any post tomorrow. 

First Published: Aug 20, 2008 @ 21:27 ADawnJournal.com

I am writing this post from Toronto. Yesterday, I reached Toronto at 6.00 PM. It was a day filled with lots of activities. I visited scenic caves and suspension footbridge in Blue Mountain. I will be posting video clips of these shortly.

On my way back to Toronto, I relied on GPS (Global Positioning System). GPS did make me get lost; however, it gave me a longer route and took me an additional hour to reach Toronto. I was driving on mountain roads, gravel roads, and sometimes on totally unpaved roads. GPS is useful but it may not be good for your skills. Research shows that GPS is detrimental to human navigational skills.

On Saturday I visited Wasaga beach. I was on the beach for four hours. There was a car show going on and lots of people came to enjoy the show. Wasaga Beach – the world's longest freshwater beach is also a part of Georgian Bay. Wasaga Beach offers 14 kilometres white sand beach, panoramic lush mountain views across the bay, clean pristine waters, and much more.

What I noticed from a business perspective is that a lot more can be done to bring more tourists. It felt like kind of having not enough stores, restaurants, and recreation facilities to attract more people.
Today, I am going to post Part Two Wasaga beach video clip. More clips are coming shortly. I have so many pictures that it will be impossible to post all of them here. I will post some of them here later on, and you will be able to see all of them on my Flickr page.

Since I left Blue Mountain, I have been missing it, and it feels like I don't want to come back to Toronto. It would be fantastic to live there for good. It's like a haven from the hustle and bustle of city life. But the question is, if I really start living there, how long I would love living in a small town? Will I miss Toronto then?

Georgian Bay, The Blue Mountains, Collingwood, and Wasaga Beach

The World's Longest Freshwater Beach

First Published: ADawnJournal.com Aug 14, 2008

I am going on a mini vacation. I will be staying at Mountain Springs Resort, starting August 15 to August 17. Mountain Springs Resort is located in The Town of The Blue Mountains in Collingwood, The Blue Mountains and Area.

Collingwood, The Blue Mountains and Area is only 90 minutes north of Toronto and part of Georgian Bay. Georgian Bay is a large bay of Lake Huron. It is about 320 kilometres long and 80 kilometres wide. Georgian Bay features 30,000 + islands and 20,000 kilometres of shoreline. Two UNESCO World Heritage Sites are part of Georgian Bay. It's beauty is indescribable and serene. Endless beaches with crystal blue pristine water, majestic towering cliffs, windswept pines, spectacular shoreline are just a few to mention. Few regions in the world are as visually striking as this region.

Wasaga Beach – the world's longest freshwater beach is also a part of Georgian Bay. Wasaga Beach offers 14 kilometres white sand beach, panoramic lush mountain views across the bay, clean pristine waters, and much more.

During my stay, I will try to update ADJ with video clips, pictures, short posts etc. However, due to circumstances beyond my control, I may not be able to update ADJ. I am apologizing in advance if such should happen. I will be leaving Toronto tomorrow at around 6.00 PM and I am hoping to post at least one video clip showing the resort. I hope to see you soon. Cheers.

Street Food: Tea Stall in Bangladesh

Tea Stall in Dhaka

Wherever you go in Bandladesh (BD) you will find roadside tea stalls or Cha Ghor to offer tea and other light snacks such as biscuits, processed sweetbuns, bananas, gum, cigarettes, etc. The person running the tea stall is commonly called Mama Uncle or Khala Aunt.

Tea stalls are not just tea stalls in BD. It’s a part of culture, social ritual, and much more. Locals hang out and socialize here, deals are sealed, and friendships get started. Total strangers may offer you a cup of tea. In Bangladesh, foreigners are accepted with a welcoming attitude and warm hospitality.

Tea is served in small glass mugs, either with condensed milk or cow milk that has been boiled for long to concentrate, and always with lots of sugar.  Multiple aluminum kettles are used to boil tea and milk at various stages over propane flames.

The taste comes from boiling strong black tea. Also thick milk and lots of sugars, sometimes with ginger and some spices contribute to the uniqueness of the taste. 

The tea stall I tried was a very basic one in Uttara, Dhaka and had very limited snacks. There were benches to sit and enjoy a cup of street tea, but many people often enjoy tea just standing.

The tea stall video is one of the many travel videos I made in my Bangladesh visit. Click on the link provided below or on top to watch. I have not finished posting all my travel videos from my Asia trip yet. I am expecting to finish posting these in the next 4-5 months as I have lots of videos and you can track my trip day-by-day.

Visit Street Food: Tea Stall in Dhaka, Bangladesh

My 2017 Asia Business Class Trip

India – Bangladesh Trip

After travelling Asia for almost 3 weeks, I am finally home for Christmas and New Year. This trip was different from any other trips I have done in the past. In the past, I would travel to do leisure activities and sightseeing, but it’s no longer the reason I travel.

For the last couple of years, I have been vigorously active on my YouTube channel and travel videos are a big chunk of my content. This is the first time I have travelled to create more video content and with all my camera gear. I talk about credit cards and rewards points on my channel as well. Also, this trip was a full business-class trip that was funded by various rewards points and airline miles.

The strategies and tips I provide on my YouTube channel work and my trip was a testimony to that. As I will be posting various travel videos, including business class flight reviews, you will have insights on exotic tropical countries like India and Bangladesh and various business class flights and lounges.

Because I am publishing videos on YouTube, I will not be publishing detailed travel articles on Ahmed Dawn Dot Com.

You can visualize the full trip, day by day, on my YouTube and Instagram. Click on the link provided. As we are moving into another year, there will be more articles and video content on various topics providing value and insights. I hope 2018 brings everyone new perspectives and lots of success.

Beware Of This New Credit Card Scam

A New Kind of Scam

A new kind of scam is sweeping across the country. This time, the scammers are not calling to get your financial information. They have all the information. However, they are missing one piece of information, and they can't use your credit card without that. The objective of their call is to trick you to get that one piece of information from you. To gain your trust and sound real - the callers will provide you with all the information. Example:

Your Name
Your Date of Birth
Your Credit Card Number
Your Address
Your Issuing Bank
Etc, Etc.

The Piece of Information Scammers Missing

Take out your credit card from your wallet and look on the back of your card; you will see a 3 Digit PIN Number. You need this number to purchase online. This number works as a security shield. Online merchants will ask you this number to verify that you are the real owner. If someone hacked your information and trying to put through online purchases, they will not have this 3 Digit PIN Number as only the actual card holder can get this number by looking at an actual credit card. That's why the con artist on the other side of the phone is desperate to get this number from you.

A Mock Conversation with a Con Artist

Let me construct a mock conversation to give you an example, so you know what to expect from con artists. Remember, each situation is different and scammers will come up with new techniques to trick you. The phone call you will receive may be very different than this example. Always use your common sense as your guide to protect you.

Mr. Con: Hello, my name is John Smith, and I am calling form CITI Bank Master Card Canada
A. Dawn: Oh! Hello there
Mr. Con: Mr. Dawn, the reason of my call is to confirm if you have made a recent online purchase of $767
A. Dawn: Oh no! I haven't used this card for a few months!
Mr. Con: No worries, Mr. Dawn. We have been watching this company for some time, and we will block its transactions and will start a fraud investigation. We will credit your account for this trade and will issue you a new credit card. Let me read your credit card information to you to make sure this is the right card.

Credit Card Name: Citi Bank Master Card
Issuing Bank: Citi Bank Canada
Credit Card Number: 1234567
Expiry Date: January 10, 2011
Is that correct?
A. Dawn: Yes, that's right.
Mr. Con: Now, Mr. Dawn, let me give you my employee ID number at Citi Bank Master Card and also, I will give you a case number for this investigation. You need to write this down. Do you have any questions on anything Mr. Dawn?

A. Dawn: No, thanks. You guys are very active and helpful.
Mr. Con: Thanks for being a loyal customer. Before I go, for security reasons and your own protection, I need to verify that you are in possession of your card. There is a 3 Digit Number on the back of your card. If you could read that number to me.

A. Dawn: Oh! Sure. I see the on the back it shows 6 7 8
Mr. Con: That is absolutely correct. Thank you for you time Mr. Dawn and have a nice day.
A. Dawn: You too

What Happens Next

Mr. Con just got a hold of the missing piece of the puzzle, and he will start placing online purchases without delay.

Award-winning Invest Now covers a broad range of topics including Internet Scams. To purchase a copy, visit Chapters Indigo or click here to buy online - Invest Now: A Canadian's Guide to Investing

How to Protect Yourself

The best course of action to protect yourself from telephone scams would be to subscribe to Caller ID and screen your calls with voice mail or an answering machine. If you don’t recognize the phone number on your Caller ID, don’t pick up. Urgent callers will leave a message.

If you believe you have been a victim or someone has tried to scam you, call your local RCMP Detachment or the police service of jurisdiction in your area.

Report your situation on Reporting Economic Crime On-Line - www.recol.ca

Remember, common sense and vigilance are your best defense.

First Published: ADawnJournal.com May 19, 2008