Cool man shoes for the beach.

I love Toms, don't you? 

Buy here and now.

Peace,

Mexico Tourism Board Launches iTunes App

The Mexico Tourism Board launched the Visit Mexico iPhone application -- the first iPhone travel application to provide nationwide coverage. Users can select to receive information from six regions and all 32 states, in addition to receiving in-depth information about 27 top tourist destinations. The app includes several features, such as online news and weather, interesting activities, videos and Google Map links for top destinations. The application also includes an interactive “piñata” game where users can shake the iPhone to receive a treat -- a destination suggestion. By tapping the name of the suggested destination, users can learn more about its culture, cuisine, climate, geographical setting and much more. This is the perfect game for spontaneous travelers, who love nothing more than jetting away to new and enticing locales.

One of the best features of the application is the “Activities” section located on the home screen. By tapping into this section, users can learn more about Mexico’s wide range of activities. From beaches to camping to entertainment, users can see their favorite activities in a multitude of Mexican destinations, such as Tijuana, Cancun, RivieraNayarit and Queretaro, among others. By using the application, users can also learn more about Mexico’s numerous World Heritage sites, festivals and rich history all with the “tap” of a button.

Get it here, its FREE! 

Have fun,

CaribbeanJourney.com joins ASTA's Green Program

The first reason I like ASTA (American Society of Travel Agents) is because of their extreme support for the travel agent community. They have an informative consumer website - Travel Sense - where you can find all sorts of destination info and learn about what individual travel specialists have to offer. 

ASTA also does a good job of explaining to the consumer why it is important to use a travel agent.

We recently joined one of ASTA's newest programs as a GREEN MEMBER. This new program requires that our office practices "greener" internal operations - and we are. We've gone paperless on almost every transaction, replaced our old computers with more energy friendly products from Apple, and last year's office renovation included only non-toxic paint... just to name a few. You can read more about other Caribbean companies we support for their green efforts right here on our Green Travel page.

ASTA keeps their GREEN MEMBERS up to date on environmentally minded efforts by the travel industry as a whole through updated versions of their Green Report as well as monthly newsletters.

Best,

A Costa Rica Dream Home

This modern villa in Costa Rica appeals to me. It goes right along with my new favorite high design show, 9 by Design... {although it doesn't look very kid friendly. I'd leave my crew at home when I visit.}

For years, the sleek look of minimalism seemed cold and sterile to me. Fast forward to 2010 and my life is a whirlwind of kids, activities, dinner dates, and a business growing almost faster than I can keep up.... which has caused a change in what I consider comfortable. I would LOVE to leave my chaos behind and head to a wonderfully uncluttered villa like this one:

The perfect balance of neutral tones, glass, and eye-catching shapes:

Don't most amazing homes have amazing pools?

Perfection!

Like what you see at Villa Sietemetros? I'd be happy to book it for you. Read more about the property here.

Wet Sand - Use It - Love It

When we were in Jamaica last week, the sea was unusually rough from what we had experienced in the past. (Hence, the mention of the rouge wave in this article.) I mentioned this to our friend, and avid sailor, and he showed me a great website called WetSand.com. Use it to predict the wind speeds and surf elevation for your next trip! Great resource!

Polarized Lenses - Don't leave home without them!

As many couples do, my husband and I often engage in the common spousal debate of fashion vs. function. This topic comes most frequently when we discuss shoes. What woman doesn't feel sexiest in a pair of heels? It doesn't matter what type of day I've had, how terrible I feel physically, or if my clothes are suddenly fitting a bit more snug, if I slip into a pair of heels, I'm cured. So the heels win over comfortable flats 99.9% of the time.

My husband is an avid deep sea fisherman, born on an island, and raised by the sea. He can't remember when he first acquired a pair of sunglasses with polarized lenses but he does know he's never purchased anything else since. I never understood it, likely because the ocean was so beautiful to my naked eye. I've been to most Caribbean islands and spent months on the beach, but seeing the ocean each time is like seeing it for the first time... the view never gets old.


Last week, on our first day at the beach, I decided to take my 2 year old boogie boarding for the first time, complete with my new Jackie O shades (black with mother of pearl accents, LOVELY!) when we were attacked by a rouge wave. It came out of nowhere and was 3 to 4 feet higher than the others that day. My choice was simple - hold the child - not the glasses and so there they went. Gone in an instant and our vacation had only just begun. Luckily, Mr. Sangster had a spare pair of shades to last me until we reached Kingston this week and I could replace my own.

The borrowed glasses never left my head. (Tommy Bahama, brown, polarized - say no more.) If ever I thought I had seen the ocean again and again for the first time, this truly was a new experience. All of the colors popped, the depth of the sea floor was visible from every angle, the clouds glowed whiter in the blue background and I was smitten. So yes, polarized lenses are a fantastic thing. Here's the dilema, why are all glasses sold with polarized lenses the opposite of attractive, at least from the ladies persepective? Not much time to research as we are still in Jamaica, but as soon as we get home, I will be on a mission to find a stylish pair I can call all my own. Should you find any retailers that sell something of the sort, please share.

Enjoy!

A little truth about hotel review sites...

As a travel consultant, clients often come to me with a short list of hotels they are most intersted in and want my professional opinion on which one is the "perfect match" for their vacation. When I ask how they arrived at their choices on the list, the most common response is that they spent a little time on hotel review sites, ruling out any property with negative reviews. Thanks to Christopher Elliott and the Washington Post for this overdue article which supports my feelings that review sites shouldn't always be trusted...

"Oh, the things hotels will do for a good review. It's not enough to ask guests for a write-up on a popular site such as TripAdvisor or Yelp after they've checked out. Lately, some innkeepers have been pressuring their guests to say positive things online -- in extreme cases, even before they've checked in. Take what happened to Pam Stucky when she recently made a reservation at a small hotel in Scotland. Before she arrived, the owner sent her an e-mail soliciting a recommendation on TripAdvisor, even though she'd never been to the hotel... read the full article here."

Best Caribbean Travel Apps for iPhone

This is a very ambitious post for me because I have not yet reached the ideal level of comfort one desires with today's technology. However, I am a recent convert to the cult of Mac and am enjoying the honeymoon stage with my iPhone. 

I'll be taking a Caribbean Vacation for two weeks at the end of this month and I have begun my research for the apps I want to use on my trip. I've downloaded them, read the reviews, and tested them out as best I can from home. Check back in mid-April to see my reviews of each.

Skype - Who doesn't love Skype? Ok - I am sure there are plenty of you. In our house it is a staple because my husband and I have settled in a town where we have no family. Our relatives are keeping house everywhere from San Francisco, Jamaica, Italy, New Zealand & more. Skype keeps us in touch and allows our kids to see a live picture of their relatives. I've heard that the Skype App, when connected to a local Wi-Fi, will allow you to make free calls. Its FREE, let's see how it works on the beach!

The Coconut Connection by RumShopRyan - I'm satisfied just by the name, but guess what? Ryan is a real person and is quickly developing his own cult of follows in the virtual Caribbean. His app will keep you connected to his Caribbean themed tweets and his guidebook coverage of the islands. The icon alone is worth the download, plus its FREE.

Oanda Currency Converter - US Dollars are widely accepted in the Caribbean but most avid travelers will agree, you will save a few pennies if you pay with local currency. We also like to exchange currency as a way to educate our daughter on the process. Good news! The Oanda Converter has exchange rates loaded for the Eastern Caribbean Dollar & Jamaican Dollar. FREE!

Gate Guru -  I like to eat, so I like this one. GateGuru let's you know what restaurants are located near your gate and features a review forum so you can let others know how much you loved or hated your meal. It has listings for ATMs, children's play areas, and First Class Lounges too. This one likely won't have info on locations available at Caribbean airport we are arriving at - but should help us navigate the new terminal we are flying out of. FREE for now.

Flashlight - Have you ever been in the Caribbean when the power goes out? If it happens on your first or second night, you might not be familiar with your surroundings and after a few cocktails, this could be very dangerous. The Flashlight app will come in very handy. FREE!

Postman - Create and send virtual postcards to let friends & family know how your trip is going. This one is a tough sell for me, not because of the $1.99 price but because I am a huge fan of pretty paper and prefer pen & ink. However, this app would be a great tool for a bride or groom having a Destination Wedding and wanting a unique way to update any relatives unable to make the trip.

Are there any others you've found helpful on your Caribbean adventures?

Enjoy,

Check out the Cheap-O Air Blog!

It's a fact. Most travel blogs out there today are simple tools for self-promotion of expiring rates and tourist traps. Sometimes my own blog falls into this category too... I'll admit. So imagine my surprise when I stumbled across a blog with a typical title but seriously quality content? Check out the Cheap-O Air Blog and this great post from Friday all about one of my favorite Jamaican dishes:

Jamaican Foodie Friday

"Jamaican food is truly a celebration of the diverse cultures we boast, along with a touch of novelty and innovation. The distinctiveness of our food and culture was contributed primarily by the Arawaks or Tainos- the earliest recorded inhabitants, The Europeans, The Africans-who came as slave laborers and The Indians and Chinese- who came as indentured servants.It’s no surprise our Motto is : ‘Out of many one People’..." read more here on their fantastic travel blog and be sure and check their main website for Cheap Flights!

TripCrave.com - Discounts on Caribbean Vacations!

I am so excited to tell you about a new website - TripCrave.com. TripCrave has GREAT discounts on Caribbean Vacations to all your favorite islands and hotels! I am a partner in this new site. My job to make sure the modern technology of online (24/7) booking access is partnered with the same old-school customer service values my travel agency has been known for. TripCrave was 3 years in the making and finally launched last week. Please keep this new little site in mind when planning your travel!

Test Drive Your Travel Wardrobe Before You Buy

What if there was a site that scanned the items for sale on the Internet and logged them in a searchable database that you could browse and create perfect outfits for any occasion, say perhaps for your next Caribbean vacation? Well, meet Polyvore, a site that does just that. I've been having fun on this site for a few months now... here are a couple of my favorite Caribbean worthy creations. I was channeling lazy days wandering through Caribbean markets and leisurely dining seaside...
You can also upload pictures of the clothes you already have and use the service to try and find the missing link to making your outfits fabulous. I love it! Enjoy!

Caribbean Journey Gets a Wordle!

One of my clients created a Wordle for my travel company and I love it! I think it is so neat that I might have a version of it made into business cards. Check mine out by clicking the picture image below and visit Wordle to make one for your company or blog:

Sandals Resorts New Honeymoon Policy Rocks!

Sandals Resorts is now offering honeymoon perks to every honeymoon couple that stays with them as long as they pre-register their stay on Sandals website at least 3 days prior to their arrival. The perks are fabulous:

• Bottle of chilled sparkling wine
• First night turn-down service, including fresh flower petals
• One Special breakfast-in-bed

Need help deciding which Sandals Resort is best for your honeymoon? If a romantic suite is top on your list, the new Honeymoon Rondovals at Sandals Antigua include zero-entry private pool and outdoor shower in a lush garden setting:

If your honeymoon dreams include an endless stretch of white sand beach and calm, crystal clear water, then check out Sandals Whitehouse - the beach is 2 miles long and ALL rooms have ocean views:

If the look and feel of the guest room is tops, and your budget can't quite swing a higher-end category or suite, rest assured even the basic Deluxe Rooms at Sandals are lovely with muted earth tones and royal mahogany furnishings:

And if you're looking for something innovative, with access to a great pool and fabulous beach, then the new River Suites at Sandals Negril are it:
And last but not least, if view is most important, then the cliff side suites at Sandals Regency in St. Lucia are tops:

Product Review - Wet Bathing Suit Bags

Let's face it, the price of an airline ticket is more expensive than ever before and any deals to be found are usually at offbeat times. Times that certainly don't mesh with hotel's strict check-in and check-out times. Solution for arriving at the resort before your room is ready? Pack your bathing suit in your carry-on, use a common changing room to shed your airplane outfit, and hit the sand! Solution for a flight leaving long after you've checked out? Same deal - hit the sand! (Or the pool... for some of you!) Don't want to travel home with a wet suit? Bring along one of these super cut "Wet Bikini" bags from Uncommon Goods, with a waterproof lining this bikini bag can be tossed in with the rest of your luggage... Presto!

Product Review - Mobile ID Labels

BoomerangIT is a great company offering a unique and clever way to ensure that your luggage is returned to you should it be lost or misplaced. While the name and address tags the airlines offer at check-in are great for those of us running late, they are very flimsy and likely won't stay intact after one or two plane changes. The serialized and tamper resistant BoomerangIT labels range in price from $7.95 to $39.95 and once purchased, you will register your individual tags in their national database before placing on your luggage or other items. Great idea!

Have you heard of a “Mancation”?

Alright, so we ladies have plenty of reasons to travel with just the girlfriends. Our health spa vacations that we claim necessary to help jump-start a healthy 2007 and yet really only intend on letting someone rub, scrub, knead, and wrap our bodies and dissolve any remaining holiday stress. We also have our shopping trips that we can certainly justify as necessary because we MUST hit New York before fashion week when all the designer duds are marked down to unbelievable prices or we MUST go to Paris for the perfect antique sideboard to fill the empty space in the dining room because even though there will by so much cost involved in shipping the piece home, the resale value clearly makes this trip a smart investment. Then there are the culinary trips where we insist that our repertoire of recipes is truly lacking and if our darling husbands want to remain well-fed we MUST learn new techniques and this can certainly only be done by learning from the masters themselves. Ok – but what about the men? Don’t they deserve a special reason to travel too? Think of how they will enjoy testosterone packed excursions to fish, hunt, camp, climb or quieter activities like playing poker. Send them on a Mancation! They will love you for it! We aren’t sure who coined the term, but “mancations” are becoming increasingly popular. A study conducted by the Travel Industry Association found that 37 million U.S. men took mancations in 2005, 2 percent more than in 2000. The Caribbean is home to many worthy destinations for a MANCATION!

Using Overseas ATMs

ATM’s are a convenience of the modern world that most of us are very dependent on. Consider the rules of using atm’s the same overseas as at home, if you are visiting a modern country. The only difference will be that the cash dispensed is in the local currency. However, if you are not visiting a modern country, such as many of the islands in the Caribbean, do not expect to find as many ATMs. Yes, every island seems to have them now, but not in the abundance we are accustomed to. So be sure you take out enough cash per visit if this is your primary source of funds while traveling. Not sure if your destination has an ATM? Both Visa, MasterCard, and most banks offer this information on their websites. Is your pin number longer than 4 digits? If so, call the issuing bank and make sure it will work in your destination. And the last, most important overseas ATM tip is to let your bank know you are traveling. It is common practice for most banks to turn off ATM cards being used in foreign countries if they have not been given previous notice. They do this to prevent fraud but it can certainly prevent you from having enough cash on hand while traveling, so be sure and let them know!

Airline Approved Beauty Products:

Sephora, one of my favorite body product retailers, has jumped on the “good things come in small packages” bandwagon that arose from the FAA’s new restrictions on carry-on liquids. Their retail shops and their website are both featuring many of their top-sellers in tiny packages – all at or under the 3 OZ limit that is currently still in place. Having traveled over the holiday season, I was pleased to see that both airports I visited were kind enough to have stashes of zip-loc bags on hand for anyone that forgot. If this restriction becomes standard policy then we can only assume more companies will adapt their product sizes too.

Zagat Comes to the Caribbean! Zagat, the famed publisher of highly acclaimed restaurants, bars, and attractions, has launched its first Caribbean issue covering Barbados. The 2007 Best of Barbados is the first to cover the Caribbean, extending quite an honor to the island nation. Of course, we’ve all known that Barbados was a fabulous dining destination, and now the world will get to read about 169 of its top tables. Also given many pages in the guide is the island’s offering of fabulous golf courses. Sure, most have heard of Sandy Lane since Tiger Woods chose it as his Destination Wedding location, but Barbados has many other golf courses, some challenging and some just as interesting being stepped in history. Pick up a copy of the guide before your next visit!

Planning a Group Trip? A new company, Triporama, has launched a website catered towards group travel leaders. Visit our Group Travel page to see direct links. Triporama.com will allow you to post information about your trip and sent e-vites to others to join in the fun and coordinate flight and hotel plans. Created in a similar fashion to the ever popular wedding website industry, Triporama has attempted to make their services unique. Group leaders using Triporama can poll their friends to find out what travel dates work best for the majority. The format is fabulous because it allows all group members to share in the travel research process and work on their own time. Visit CaribbeanJourney.com's group pages to get started!