Happy New Year!!!

2010 was a magical year for us at The Journey Group. Our business grew in a time when many small business were closing. We forged relationships with some wonderful new clients and a few amazing hot new hotels. Our agents were lucky enough to take more personal trips than any previous year. This year alone, we visited Antigua, Anguilla, Jamaica, St. Lucia, Turks & Caicos, Cancun, and Cozumel. We've already booked trips for 2011 to Barbados and Punta Cana and our annual trips back to St. Lucia and Jamaica.

We added two new permanent agents to our team - Christy Mackley a scuba dive specialist with a fantastic blog all her own and Linda Combs a social group travel specialist. 

For all of this, we are thankful.

 Thanks for reading this little blog and please stick around to see what adventures 2011 has in store for our Caribbean Travel Agency and remember, we'd be happy to help you plan your own Caribbean Adventure any time...


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Best wishes,

A Buff Christmas Carol

G'day all, Buff Staysail here - Buff by name and Buff by nature!

Yours truly has got a ripper of a story to tell: Buff's been visited by the 2010 ghosts of Bloggers Past, Present and Future!! No doubt they heard all that Bah Humbugs that JP was posting earlier this month!

And these three wraiths have shaken me to my core as they took me on a whirlwind tour of Buff's past, present and future.

The first took me back to the days of the pirates, when Buccaneer Buff went searching for Execution Dock along the dark streets of London.

The second took me to the present, and the creation of a new Phonetic Alphabet by Britney U2 Facebook Facebook (gedditt!!)

Finally the third took me into the future, and Buff Junior's post on the 2028 America's Cup: it was a shock to hear of my own death. Strewth, I'm a trembling still.

 For once ol' Buff is lost for words, so what can I say but:

"I am as giddy as a drunken man. A merry Christmas to everybody! A happy New Year to all the world! Hallo here! Whoop! Hallo!"

My Visit to Azul Fives, Riviera Maya Mexico

Another great stop on my recent trip to Mexico was the brand new Azul Fives. I always sing the praises of the Azul & El Dorado Hotels for so many reasons... fabulous and possibly THE best cuisine of any local area hotel, impeccable service, and great locations for a destination wedding. Azul Fives is all this plus a lovely uncrowded beach, little to no beach erosion, a huge winding pool dotted with fun swim-up bars, and perhaps the best feature are the amazing rooms! Go big and splurge on a penthouse unit so you will have access to the amazing roof terrace - think South Beach meets Mexico - an expansive white washed terrace with jacuzzi, BBQ grille, full bar, teak dining table and plenty of space to lounge and take in the sun... and with the amazing views one would expect from a rooftop. Here are a few of my favorite photos:

 There are already plenty of great deals for 2011 at the Azul Fives and other Azul Hotels. Pair one of our hotel deals with cheap airfare on American or any another major airline, and you'll have a great value packed vacation! Olé!

Enjoy the rest of my photos here.

Cheers,

JP's review of 2010

It's the end of another year and time for another review of the wonderful world of blogging sailing and kayaking.

But it was also the year that JP joined the dark side, doing a power boat course, blasting through central London at 20 knots, going under Tower Bridge and through the Thames Barrier - cool!

It was a year of thrills, with the space age race between multi-hulls at the America's Cup, won by the BMW Oracle that looked as fast, thrilling and impracticable as a Lamborghini.

In May and June slowed down a bit for a trip up the Thames on a chartered motor boat, where I learned that lambs are navigational hazards.

But pulses hit new heights when first I found a gun up Beverly Brook and then got hit on the head by a boom when sailing at the Fowey Classics Regatta. But on a plus side had some thoughts about photographing the sailing experience.

After a quick break putting the feet up reading "The Swoop" watched some sailing away for the wrong reasons and some for the right reasons.

Finally British scientists discovered Winter!

Tomorrow: our good friend Buff on his 2010.

Three men in boats vs. three men in convertables

There seems to be some givens of Christmas.

Firstly, you can't please all the people all the time. According to an article I read on Wikipedia this is known as the Liberal Paradox which basically means if you give people the freedom to choose then you can't also guarantee you'll get the optimum result taking into account everyone's preferences.

Secondly, it is the time of the TV Christmas special, such as the "Three men in a boat" series, which in previous years has involved Griff Rhys Jones and pals muck about in boats off Cornwall, Ireland etc. and this time head up to Scotland.

The program was easy on the eye stuff with a nice old classic yacht (see above), but when I say a dramatic highlight was someone's hat been blown into the water you'll understand it wasn't that gripping.

It was blown out of the water, so to speak, by Clarkson and co on Top Gear, aka "the wise three men in convertibles", driving from Iraq to Bethlehem through Turkey, Syria, Jordan, Israel and finally the Occupied Palestinian Territories.

Very entertaining! Trailer to be found here

Also worth checking out the Dr Who special, trailer for which can be found here.

JP's new boat

It's got no name but looks like one of the old America's cup racing boats such as Columbia. The bowsprit is a bit the worse for wear, being in two pieces held together with tape. The resulting lack of tension forward means the mast isn't quite straight.

However it looks very impressive and any clues or suggestions as its true identity would be welcome.

Happy Christmas to All!

Wishing you a Warm & Happy Christmas! 

Best wishes,

Happy Christmas 2010

Hope everyone has a Happy Christmas!

Still to come - a review of the year a bit like last years 10 favourite posts of 2009 (and how last year it looks now too).

Looking forward to seeing some other reviews of year too, so get posting so have something to good to read over those mince pies.

Bon Appetit: The Caribbean Goes Organic

My January Bon Appetit was waiting in my mailbox today and I did a little dance when I read on the cover that they were featuring the Caribbean's expanding organic food scene. The article is excellent and really details the surprising challenges facing the organic food market in the Caribbean the astronomical cost of imported food to the region. But the best part of the article has to be the feature on Jakes in Treasure Beach Jamaica. The off-the-beaten-path gem of a beach hotel is such a special place so throwing in home grown local ingredients and a health minded chef and I've almost reached nirvana. You can read the article here, but take my advice and buy the magazine so you can droll over all the photos. 

Enjoy,

Ode to Saint Croix

Should you find yourself on a vacation to St. Croix, be sure and visit Estate Whim. 

After our tour, enjoy the museum store and pick up one of these:

Cheers,

Dr Pangloss - frozen but alive!

Sensation in the Bah Humbug case when Dr Pangloss appears to be not murdered at all - as can be seen by this picture of him relaxing on a park bench.

Said Inspector Lestrade "This is not an uncommon event. I myself have on several occasions declared that a person had died when in fact they were just asleep. Apparently Dr Pangloss had closed his eyes for a moment as he attempted to work out why the insurance companies refusal to pay JP's bills was evidence of this being the best of all possible worlds".

As a result Professor Plum has been released by the police and later made the following statement: "I was in a bit of a stew thinking I'd been deserted but didn't crumble and am now leaving unbruised by the encounter."

A bit of Christmas cheer for all in which even the bah humbugs were seen to manage a smile.

The Best Tropical Christmas!

"Lights are blowing from the palm trees, stockings hanging from the mast. Santa riding on a dolphin, don't you want to make it last. It's Christmas in the Caribbean." - Jimmy Buffett, Christmas in the Caribbean

In 1996, Jimmy Buffett brought a tropical Christmas to life with his hit "Christmas in the Caribbean." He was not the first to trade-in snow for sand during the holidays, and he certainly won't be the last. Shoveling icy slush in biting winds grows quickly tiresome, as do days that are short and bleak and nights that are dark and long. With Christmas and New Year's so close together, the holiday season is the perfect time to gather-up friends and family and head for the tropics to create a new holiday tradition. Read the full article here!

{Post brought to you by Luxury Living International Magazine, the best online resource for Caribbean and Latin American real estate, luxury travel and the good life in the tropics.}

Ho, ho, ho,

The Bah Humbug Murder Mystery

Afternoon all. Inspector Lestrade of the Yard here, asking for some assistance in a tricky case of murder. Earlier today the respected philosopher Dr Pangloss was found bashed to death by a lead pipe in his library. He had been writing the following note which we hope might include clues as to circumstances of his demise:

Hello all, welcome to you my friends in this the best of all possible worlds. I've just been having words with my dear friend JP who has been saying a lot of "bah humbug" comments recently and have tried to explain to him how recent events in his life prove this to be the best of all possible worlds (TBOAPW).

The evidence is as follows:

1. The snow a few weeks ago might as JP say make the round trip to his office 4 hours but that allowed him to explore new parts of London and imagine life on the Endurance with Shakleton. Clearly TBOAPW!

2. The fog delaying his flight at Heathrow two weeks ago gave him more time to read his book. Again, clearly TBOAPW!

3. The snow being washed away in Geneva might have meant JP wasn't able to go skiing, but going home early gave him time to do his Christmas shopping and cards. Surely another example that this is TBOAPW.

4. What he has been calling a week of crisis at the office is surely a misnomer. Instead he should say there were many challenges and as we all know a challenge is just an opportunity. So he should see this as more evidence of this being TBOAPW.

5. It might be snowing again (see above) and many relatives are suffering badly from flu, meaning JP is unable to travel this weekend, but that means he can do two more days of work and catch up on all the time lost due to those many "opportunities" he had during the week. Triumphantly an example of this being TBOAPW.

6. It might be true that due to the cold a water pipe burst causing many thousands of pounds of damagers to carpets, ceilings, beds, paintwork etc etc but surely even he could see this as a wonderful opportunity to do a bit of decorating. TBOAPW etc

7. Even if the insurance company is refusing to pay up for the damage this must be a good thing because -

Lestrade again here: that's where the note stopped. As you can see its a mystery and I remain baffled. Any clues to this case please forward to me c/o Scotland Yard.

British West Indies Style by Michael Connors

Another stunning book by Michael Connors, British West Indies Style features over 50 homes on the islands of Antigua, Jamaica, Barbados, and the smaller islands of St. Lucia, Dominica, St. Vincent and more.

About the Book:

Breathtaking photographs capture the history and unique design of the English island great houses, detailing the hardwood furniture, terraced gardens, walled courtyards, and interiors. Perhaps the most admired and influential of tropical styles, the English island style transformed residences into private paradises. British West Indies Style is a lavish account of the interiors, architecture, and lifestyle of the English colonial great houses and historic town houses in the Caribbean—from Antigua, Jamaica, Nevis, Barbados, St. Lucia, Trinidad and Tobago, St. Kitts, Mustique to the less-traveled islands of Bequia and Dominica. Close to fifty private homes are featured, with unique collections of antique, indigenous, and colonial furniture: a southern plantation style scaled and refreshingly adapted to the airy, sunny climate of the Windward and Leeward Islands. Presenting a world rarely seen by visitors—the homes of the islands’ affluent planters, both historical and contemporary—the English island styles are elegant yet practical and accessible, giving ideas for the use of local materials, painting and stenciling techniques, environment-enhancing design, and indoor/outdoor living—all of which are ubiquitous in contemporary interior design.

About the Author

Michael Connors, an expert in West Indies antiques, is a contributor to numerous publications, including Art & Antiques, Antiques and Fine Art, and The Magazine Antiques. He has written many books, including Caribbean Houses: History, Style, and Architecture(Rizzoli, 2009).

Enjoy my previous posts about Michael Connors here and here. Mr. Connors books would make wonderful holiday gifts for any Caribbean enthusiast. Buy a copy on on Amazon.

Cheers,

Hurry! 7 Days left to save 50% at Zoetry Resorts!

Have you heard of Zoetry Wellness & Spa Resorts? They are super refined, elegant, boutique hotels with an incredible level of attention to detail. We've been sending happy clients here since they opened and for many, this is the only resort chain they will return to. 

If you book by December 23, 2010, you'll receive up to 50% off + $200 in resort credit for your winter getaway! Blackout dates apply, but this winter promo is valid for travel January 1 to April 29, 2011.

Zoetry has three resorts... Zoetry Paraiso de la Bonita in the Riviera Maya and  Zoetry Casa del Mar Los Cabos in Mexico and Zoetry Agua Punta Cana in the Dominican Republic.

Ready to start packing? Go here.

Cheers,

The truth is out there - Part 2

Ok more from JP's X Files.

The Natural Navigator spotted this object near Venus - full background here - and he's looking for help identifying it.

I'm going with a satellite, but it wasn't a point like object.

Anyway - what do you think?

The truth is out there

A couple of days ago I posted Buff Spaceman's report on the "Spontaneous Crystalline DHMO Alien Sculpture Phenomena" or SCDASP in which he went on to suggest a link between SCDASP with the North Star, saying it was "the focus on an ongoing investigation."

Imagine my surprise when I read on the interwebby thing that NASA, as part of the SETI project, transmitted a message towards Polaris!

Spooky or what.

More on the search for ET in a great BBC4 documentary about the Drake Equation to be found on iPlayer here.

I was going to post a link to the Natural Navigator's puzzle about the picture above (basically asking what's wrong with it) but was too busy so the answer has already been supplied, by, err, me.

Anyhow, head over there so you can say "I could have told you that!"

Then you will see how these two stories are connected.

Last Minute Vacation Deals at Sandals Resorts!

{This is Sandals Whitehouse on the South Coast of Jamaica}

Here's the deal... you must book by December 16, 2010 and be ready to pack your bags and travel within the next 2 months. If you can manage this, you'll take advantage of deep savings at the following Sandals Resorts:

Save up to 65% Off and Earn 1 Free Night at Sandals Whitehouse.

Save up to 65% Off, Earn 1 Free Night, and Receive a $250 Red Lane Spa Credit at Sandals Royal Caribbean, Sandals Regency St. Lucia or Sandals Emerald Bay.

{This is Sandals Emerald Bay}

Not sure which Sandals Resort is right for you? We are Sandals Resort Specialists, so drop us a line, or give us a call at 866-236-1924 and we'd be happy to help you select the perfect property for your winter vacation.

**As with all promos, restrictions apply - please inquire.

Cheers,

The Trouble with Pirates

There's an interesting program on the BBC's iPlayer called "The Trouble with Pirates" - you should be able to get it by clicking here (but quickly, it runs out soon).

It tells the story of the pirates from many angles: the sailors they captured, the boat owners, the negotiators - in London and onsite, the navies sent against them and the pirates themselves. 

The irony is that the roots of the problem were caused by the actions of the West. The program notes how the first pirates were the fishermen, driven from their legal trade by factory ships from overseas and dumping of toxic waste. 

What the program didn't cover was what caused this: the West's decision to actively encourage Kenya to invade and attack the governing body, the Islamic Courts Union. The Bush's administrations hostility to the the I-word was to have an unexpected blow-back, with chaos spreading from the land out into the waters.

And there are an awful lot of waters to patrol. The Somali coastline is about the length of the USA's eastern seaboard and the pirates strike many hundreds of miles out to sea.

The "trade" has brought in millions upon millions of dollars. Those who do not participate suffer as inflation drives up the cost of essentials like rice and fish. Pirate enterprises are floated on a "stock market" so that communities can participate in the risk and gain some of the reward.

Two stories in particular were highlighted: the Lemacon's on the French yacht the Tanit and the British Chandlers.

Controversially the Tanit was stormed by French commando's and the skipper Florent Lemacon was killed in front of his wife and son. Ironically the only westerner killed so far was shot not by Somalis but by his own countrymen.

The news about the Chandlers is of course welcome but a long term solution is no closer.

Only by bringing some sort of order to the land can the pirates be tamed, and yet the provisional government is badly funded and peace will likely require some form of involvement of the ICU.

This won't be the last documentary about Somai pirates - though it is a good one, worth catching.

An inspiring encounter

There's a lottery about airline seating: you hope for a beautiful young woman and fear a screaming baby but usually end up with an instantly forgettable stranger with whom you exchange little more than a nod.

On the way back from Geneva there was no way I was to forget who was sitting one seat from me: a man with no hands.

The seat in between was empty and I wondered about etiquette, trying to guess what Debrett's would say. I thought it would be something like "in such encounters no mention should be made of the other's circumstances and conversation should remain on neutral topics such as the weather and books."

Fortunately we both had brought a book to read and the weather was indeed a topical subject and so a polite exchange was possible with just the one "can I help?" But almost always my companion was able to - for example - open and eat bags of cheese puffs unaided.

There was just the one slight hesitation that I noted and afterwards speculated about when I mentioned Geneva and my inability to get up into the mountains to ski, and later after using the crumbs of information I'd gathered into Google searches I learnt why.

For I'd been talking to Jamie Andrew who'd lost not just his hands but all four limbs in those very peaks. As Wikipedia put it:

"In January 1999 Andrew and his friend Jamie Fisher were caught in a storm after having climbed the north face of Les Droites in the Mont Blanc massif. Having made it up the north face, the two men were trapped on the ridge above the face by snow, winds of 90 mph and temperatures of -30°C for four nights. On the last night Fisher died of hypothermia; despite having developed frostbite, Andrew survived the experience, being helicoptered off the mountain by the French rescue service."

Despite those horrific events Jamie has gone on to start a family and go climbing again, and now is a writer and motivational speaker. And I can say from personal experience able to cope amazingly well on his own, reading a book, packing it away in his bag and then carrying it off the plane, heading for his connecting flight.

These are hard times for many, and I've had several conversations in which friends and family have talked about loss of jobs and I've tried to reassure them that life will go on, that even in the worst case scenario it is not the end.

Jamie has shown what is possible even with much greater shocks to the plans we lay out for ourselves. As his web site says: "our greatest limitations are the ones we impose on ourselves. Remember: nothing is impossible!"

An inspiring story.

Super Low Rates + FREE Excursions at Sheraton Nassau Beach

Stay at the Sheraton Nassau Beach Resort for a minimum of four nights and receive TWO COMPLIMENTARY ADVENTURE TRIPS for two people. Chose from:

Powerboat Adventures - 1110hp powerboat ride to Exuma for snorkeling & lunch on a private beach.

Dolphin Encounter - Interact with dolphins from a waist-deep platform.

Flying cloud - Half day sailing & snorkeling cruise on a 57 food catamaran.

Hotel rates are starting at $89/per night! Combine this great deal with the FREE Companion Airfare Instant Credit and you've got a value packaged vacation. 

Promotion is valid for travel through June 30, 2011 but you must book by February 9, 2011.

Book now! www.CaribbeanJourney.com

Enjoy,

NYE Party at The Caves in Negril, Jamaica

Need I say more? Looks like a darn good time! Too bad I'll be hiding under a mountain of layers and visiting relatives in DC rather than slipping on a sundress and enjoying a festive evening at one of my favorite Boutique Hotels - the Caves.

Enjoy,