British scientists discover "Winter"!

Today's a proud day for Blighty as British Boffins make the discovery of the year - nay, the decade. Those big brains have been beavering away with their data sets and climate models and have just made a break-through of epic proportions.

Apparently there is evidence of a 365.25 day cycle between periods of low temperature or "winter" as they are describing it.

"We were shocked" said a man with a beard. "But the evidence is very strong for this phenomena."

However across the pond there was scepticisms and the results were described as "controversial". Alaskan MumsNet spokesperson was categorical "This so-called Winter is a plot by progressive liberals to scare the public into handing over hard working honest tax payers money to scientists and the Obama administration is using it to impose a socialistic dictatorship!!"

We are also hearing about reports of security implications. The beltway think-tank "Big Bills Inc" has warned that the impact of "Winter" is to turn Dihydrogen monoxide or DHMO - a lethal substance commonly used in nuclear reactors - into a crystalline form which can be converted by terrorists into projectiles that can be targeted at freedom loving Americans!

Said their spokesperson Mr Off The Record "It is shocking that Government agencies have no action plan for cystalline DHMO projectiles and we have prepared a $ 50 million study program to investigate."

The White House was unavailable for comment.

Dive into the Turks & Caicos

Enjoy this colorful article all about diving in the Turks & Caicos...


Not far ahead of the dive boat I can see the occasional head pop up, breaking the surface for a sniff of warm, tropical air. Sea turtles. The sighting is enough to send the snorkelers on board scrambling to prepare their gear. People spit into their masks, quickly rubbing it onto the glass to prevent fogging once in the water. Our boat captain unpacks the waterproof spotting charts and deals them around. The dog-earred pages are filled with coloured pictures of sponges, corals, tropical fish, intimidating looking sharks and, of course, sea turtles.


“These waters are part of the marine sanctuary,” explains Brent Forbes, a guide with eco-outfitter Big Blue Unlimited. “This zone is protected against anchoring and fishing, conching and lobstering. When you get in you’ll see the turtles, but watch for spotted eagle rays, stingrays, parrotfish and nurse sharks.”


Turks and Caicos, a chain of 41 small islands, straddles the seam between the Atlantic Ocean and the Caribbean Sea. Incredible water in shades of blue that defy description — turquoise, navy, marine, aqua, teal — and the marine life below the surface draws visitors to these island pedestals of coral limestone.


According to Forbes, the gin-clear water and bountiful coral reefs have long been magnets for experienced divers. “It varies by season — in the busy season we see more divers than snorkelers, but people still come to snorkel all year round.”



Read the rest of the article here... from the Toronto Star via the Turks & Caicos Tourist Board. {photo from here}

Not in St Lucia

I am not, as Tillerman has spotted, in St. Lucia, and not even sailing there - alas.

Instead today I battled the freezing cold and tube strike to get to work, which involved draft contracts and power point presentations (neither my favourites), before struggling back against biting winds and late trains.

Yes, St. Lucia does sound rather nice, but to be realistic it ain't going to happen. So instead lets focus on the positives and dinner tonight, which was cassoulet washed down with a glass of the Beaujolais Nouveau.

It wasn't the cassoulet of the recipe books, but I have a feeling that's how its meant to be - you cook with what you have to hand. But the basis was meat, sausages, haricot beans and a sprinkling of bread crumbs which means it should have been on the right track.

And very nice it was too and there's plenty left over for another day.

Living in a cold climate has its compensations.

Latitude 51N

Another bitterly cold day, with temperatures in parts of Britain dropping down to -17C (0.86F) overnight. So no, didn't go sailing or kayaking over the weekend.

Its worth remembering that we're actually at a higher latitude than most of Newfoundland, and its only the Gulf Stream that keeps our waters free of icebergs.

Time to wrap up warm and cook up something warming like a cassoulet.

Snowy Sheffield

Snow! In November!

Very pretty for walking, but layer up.

Hot tea not cold paddles

It is freezing cold tonight.

It's the weather to put the kettle on to make a nice hot cup of tea, which I just have and it really hit the spot, warming the cockles as they say. But I've also seen that there are some braving the weather and out paddling in the icy winds and chilly waters.

Rather them than me to be honest.... brrrrrr!

Happy Thanksgiving!

Happy Thanksgiving to you and yours from all of us at Caribbean Journey & The Journey Group! 


Thinking of spending your next Thanksgiving in the Caribbean? Check out this fabulous Caribbean Thanksgiving Menu. Would you ever? Delish! Here's a little advice on how to plan a family turkey day in the islands. 


PS. Photo from Country Living.


Cheers,

Forecast Snow

It's a cold night here in Blighty-land, with freezing temperatures forecast and even snow - up to 20 cm in Scotland.

So its with more than usual envy that I look at pictures of the start of the annual Atlantic Rally for Cruisers (ARC), currently a few days out from the start on their way to the sunny Caribbean.

Oh to be in the sun, cool drink in hand, listening to the gurgle of water under the stern....

Round the Island part 2

For once being polite worked and C4 posted part 2 of the Round the Island documentary, and pleasant, though undramatic, it was too.

Basically all four teams made it round and "achieved something" - some more than others. The Extreme 40 came 3rd (uncorrected) and the self-made boat came 7th overall - which is quite something given it was its maiden voyage. It turned out the builder did know a thing or two about sailing - he won gold at Atlanta.

Some more pics:

 

Looks like they had great weather! Those within the UK can watch it by clicking here.

Apparently next year is the 80th anniversary so might be worth pencilling it in the diary. Just hope the weather is as good.

Punta Cana Resort and Club Named TOP Golf Resort!

PUNTACANA Resort & Club is currently home to two world class golf courses, P.B Dye’s La Cana and Tom Fazio’s Corales, with a third, Hacienda, set to open in 2011. The P.B. Dye-designed La Cana Golf Course, which opened in 2001, has long been a firm favorite of golfers from all over the world and, in line with PCRC’s efforts to be as environmentally friendly as possible, was the first course in the Caribbean to use paspalum, a grass seed that can be watered using sea water.  

In April 2010, the highly anticipated Tom Fazio designed Corales course opened to rave reviews with Golf Week’s Brad Klein naming the course “The future of Caribbean golf”. With the addition of Hacienda, the resort will offer 54 holes of championship golf to guests of the resort. The combination of the three courses, along with the many other amenities available to guests, makes PUNTACANA Resort & Club the Caribbean’s premier golf and beach destination.

Over 2,000 golf resorts from around the world were considered for this award category and were judged based on customer satisfaction, quality of golf course and accommodation, value for money, accessibility to tee times as well as speed of communication and quality of service of the golf resort sales and marketing team. 

Not only does Punta Cana Resort & Club have access to amazing golf, but the beach isn't bad either:

 

The resort buildings reflect the gorgeous sunrises and sunsets:

And the newly refurbished rooms are clean and streamlined making relaxation easy...

Contact CaribbeanJourney.com for great golf packages to the Punta Cana Resort & Club! We'll combine a resort + golf package with cheap flights. Punta Cana is serviced by every major island including; American Airlines, Delta, and even some discount airlines such as Jet Blue.

Enjoy,

Not available

After a tiring week it was good to be able to switch off that alarm and have a late start followed by reading the papers over a coffee. So wasn't up in time to watch the 2nd part of the TV series about the Round the Island Race (last week's episode blogged here).

No worries, thinks I, there's 4OD just for such eventualities. But alas apparently it is "not available" - not at all sure why, so unable to blog about what happened to the four boats it was following.

Bother! Don't C4 executives know how hard it is to find suitable material relating to sailing and kayaking to blog about in November?

Surely someone should say something!

The 6th Room is FREE at some of my FAVORITE Resorts

{This is Zoetry Agua Punta Cana}

Hurry! Book 6 rooms by November 30, 2010 at any AMR Resort - the parent company of Dreams Resorts, NOW Resorts, Secrets Resorts & Zoetry Resorts - and the 6th room is absolutely FREE! Travel must be completed by April 30, 2011.

Plus, your group will receive a complimentary room upgrade, VIP private check-in and $200 in resort coupons.

Dreams & NOW Resorts are family friendly resorts, while Secrets & Zoetry cater to adults only.

Ready, Set, Go? Let us know!

Happy Weekend,

Clients Return to Travel Agents

USA Today recently published a fantastic article reminding readers of the benefits of using a live human travel agent as opposed to taking on the responsibility of booking your trip independently online. 


Here are a few of my favorite quotes from the article:

• For some travelers, do-it-yourself booking is losing its luster. A study by Forrester Research found that in the first three months of this year, 28% of leisure travelers in the U.S. who booked their trips online said they'd be interested in going to a good traditional travel agent. That's up from 23% in 2008. Another Forrester report finds that the number of leisure travelers who enjoyed using the Web to plan and book their vacations dropped to 46% last year, down from 53% in 2007.
• In addition to getting clients special rates, upgrades and perks, a traditional travel agent can help passengers avoid the headache of figuring out varying rates and restrictions on their own.
• "A lot of people are finding that travel has become more complicated than ever and that they need ... the assistance of professionals that are going to understand," says Paul Ruden, senior vice president for legal and industry affairs for the American Society of Travel Agents.

Read the full article here and book your next trip with a Travel Agent! 

Enjoy,

This is not soup

There seems to a soup theme today, and so I took this picture.

In the old days London used to suffer from they called  "pea-soupers" - a thick smog containing particles of soot coming off from coal fires, which at their peak killed thousands every year.

After the Clean Air Act of 1956 pollution went down and so we don't get smogs, but we still get the odd thick fog, as we did today, and which lasted most of the day.

So I took a photo.... not really a prize winner I'd admit.

Sailor gets engaged

Today a sailor (the one driving in the pic above) announced his engagement.

All together now....aaahhhhhhhh!

Cotton House, Mustique

This is Mustique... a minute, yet charming island in the Grenadines. Mustique has long been a hideaway for the affluent and celebrities alike. Dotted with luxury villas and gingerbread cottages, the island is home to only a few hotels. Most notable is The Cotton House, an intimate boutique hotel with only 17 rooms. 

This is the building that houses the spa & gym: 

The Cotton House was originally an 18th century coral warehouse and sugar mill. The late British designer Oliver Messel is credited with the original restoration:

Beautiful airy rooms with plenty of natural light and luxurious furnishings:

The Cotton House is located on a hillside but has access and full facilities on an amazing beach:

Mustique has only been open to the public since 1968. The entire island still has a strong air of exclusivity. This is where you want to come to royally get away from it all and be pampered on a new level.

How do you get to Mustique? Its not as difficult as you might think. Book a flight to Barbados on any one of the large airlines servicing the island, such as American Airlines, Air Canada, Continental, etc. Then you'll need to book a 45 minute flight from Barbados to Mustique on Mustique Airways. As soon as you land.... you'll know you've arrived. ;)

Enjoy.

My Visit to the Villas at Viceroy Anguilla

Here's a little tour of the villa we called home on our trip to Anguilla at the Viceroy Resort! 

Enjoy,

Miranda Kerr Wallpaper | Resolution 1280 x 800

Miranda May Kerr born in April 1983 also known as an Australian model best known as one of the Victoria's Secret Angels since mid-2007. She is the first Australian to participate in the Victoria's Secret campaign, and also represents Australian fashion chains Portmans and David Jones. Kerr began modeling in the fashion industry when she was 13, starting at Chaay's Modelling Agency, and soon after winning a 1997 Australian nationwide model search hosted by Dolly magazine and Impulse fragrances.

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Taylor Cole Wallpaper | Resolution 1280 x 1024

Taylor Quinn Cole born on April 1984 in Arlington, Texas is an American actress and former fashion model. Cole moved to New York to further her modeling career. She's appeared in commercials and advertisements such as Crest toothpaste, Old Spice and Dooney & Bourke handbags.

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Sexy Catrinel Menghia Wallpaper | High Resolution 1920 x 1080

Catrinel Menghia born in October 1985 better known as a Romanian model. She was discovered at the age of 16 on the street by a local agent who took her to Bucharest to meet Liviu Ionescu of the MRA Agency. Six months later, her parents allowed Menghia to move to Bucharest and start her modeling career.

She participated in the Ford Supermodel of the World Romania contest in November 2001, where she won the second runner-up prize.

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Freed!

A bit of good news out of Somalia - the British couple kidnapped by pirates over a year ago have just been released!

More on the story from the BBC here.

Britain's Favourite Yacht Race

Channel 4 has just started a new series called "Britain's favourite yacht race" all about the Round the Island race, which is apparently Britain's fourth largest participation sporting event.

Alas the TV chiefs care not how popular it might be, its about sailing and so have placed it in the schedules at 7.25 on Saturday morning. Fortunately there is C4's on demand service, 4OD, and so have just watch the first episode which covered the start.

Well at least up to it. They followed four teams as they made their preparations. Firstly there was the rookies doing their first race and learning how to hoist a spinnaker:

The figures on screen btw is how long it took them - gee, thanks C4, I'm sure they're glad you timed that.

Then there was someone who built his own boat just for the event - here getting it measured.

It's maiden sail was out to the start line - cutting it a bit fine if you asked me but at least it got there.

Then there was the dinghy sailing cancer survivor crewing on a charity boat and getting top tips from one of Britain's gold medal winners:

Finally there were some pros on an Extreme 40:

As is typical for Round the Island races their start was on the early side.

Hmmmm.... maybe 7.25 am isn't so bad and now I know its being broadcast I'll have no excuse for not watching it live next weekend.

Actually I should make a bigger effort and do it next year - its a great race.

Ukrainian Actress Olga Kurylenko Wallpaper | Resolution 1280 x 800

Olga Kurylenko born in November 1979 is a Ukrainian actress and model became a French citizen in 2001. She is perhaps best known as the Bond girl, Camille Montes, in the 22nd James Bond film, Quantum of Solace. She also portrayed Nika Boronina in the movie adaptation of the video game Hitman.

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Czech Model Petra Nemcova Wallpaper | Resolution 1280 x 800

Petra Nemcova born in June 1979 in Karviná, Czech Republic. She is now became a Czech model, television host, author, and philanthropist. Petra Nemcova is founder and chair of the Happy Hearts Fund. In December 2004, she was injured in Thailand by a tsunami resulting from the 2004 Indian Ocean earthquake and sadly her fiance was known as a photographer Simon Atlee, was killed in the tsunami.

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