🌎 Teeth and travel, killer lions and the world's best airports

Hello, hello!

The lions are bullet-fast...

“Hang on!” yells our safari guide, Pierre Mouton. Veering off-road, we crash after them through the bush.

Just moments before, the pride had been sauntering slowly across a grassy plain – out for a stroll, we thought.

But no, these lions are hunting.

We’re on a “Big 5” safari in South Africa’s Sabi Sand Game Reserve.

And, now, as we screech to a halt in front of them, we see they’ve already taken down their kill. Sitting fanned out like spokes in a wheel – their furry faces smeared with blood – the lions tear at an impala.

One lion rips off the antelope’s head, complete with lyre-shaped horns, and wanders off to savor its prize alone.

It’s a macabre scene, a spectacle of nature at its wildest.

That the lions are unfazed by our presence – and we can safely witness it from ten feet away, seated in an open Land Cruiser without high sides or a roof – makes it even more surreal.

“But if you get out of the vehicle, things would end very badly for you,” warns Pierre.

Read the full article here.

Teeth and Travel

😁 Dental health tips on the go

Flying a long-haul red-eye?

Your biggest dental enemy may not be going a night without brushing — it’s dehydration.

This Forbes article explains that dry cabin air reduces saliva — your mouth’s natural defense against tooth decay, gum disease and bad breath. Just another reason to drink plenty of water before and during your flight!

A few more dental hygiene tips from the American Dental Association for when you travel:

Chew sugar-free gum when flying to boost saliva.
Keep your toothbrush clean and dry.
If you’re unsure about the tap water, brush with bottled water.

And here’s our favorite fresh-mouth travel tip! 👉 Disposable pre-pasted mini-toothbrushes.

You don’t need water to use them, making them perfect for the plane — just brush and toss (though we do feel a teensy bit guilty about the single-use plastic).

We use Colgate Wisps a lot, and they’re great — tiny, super portable and not messy. But we personally prefer the Crest Scope mini-brushes. A little bigger, they come pre-pasted with more toothpaste, so your mouth feels cleaner and mintier afterward than with the Colgate Wisps.

😁 Dental tourism

Do you pay sky-high dental bills?

We’re Canadian, and while most of us here pay privately for dental care (it generally isn’t covered by our public healthcare system), our dental bills are relatively affordable for most people.

So we were intrigued by this article in Fodor’s on I’m an American and Get All My Dental Work Done in Tijuana.

The author’s husband was quoted almost $40,000 USD by his New Jersey dentist for extensive dental work, including root canals and new crowns. So the couple went to Tijuana (Mexico), instead, where the work cost about $9,000.

Apparently, Tijuana has become such a hub for dental tourism that it’s dubbed “Molar City” and is home to some 400 dentists!

Now the couple mix dental visits in Tijuana with mini-vacations in Rosarito (one of Baja’s cool little beach towns) and the wine region of Valle de Guadalupe.

👀 Travel News Worth Sharing

A few things that caught our eye lately:

✈️ The World’s Best Airports — We normally hate airports. But give us a swimming pool and a butterfly garden, and we might change our tune. Singapore’s Changi Airport has both, and Travel + Leisure ranks it the world’s best airport. Istanbul and Australia’s Adelaide airports also fly high on the list. (We’re certainly fans of Istanbul’s fabulous hammams!)

💧 Low Water Levels Messing With European River Cruises — Hot, dry weather has sent river levels plunging, disrupting cruises across Europe. Avalon Waterways, Scenic, Tauck, Viking and Uniworld have all canceled upcoming sailings, while other passengers are dealing with ship swaps and itinerary changes.

🏨 The 50 Greatest Luxury Hotels on Earth — Someone had the tough job of picking the world’s 50 greatest luxury hotels. Robb Report’s latest list spans everything from grand dames and glamorous resorts to safari camps and wilderness hideaways. Among the lucky 50? Le Bristol Paris, Beverly Hills Hotel (California), Clayoquot Wilderness Lodge (Vancouver Island, Canada) and Amanoi (Vietnam). Our suitcase is volunteering for research.