Caribbean Travel Dreams Blog

Mystic Mountain Bobsled & Ziplining in Jamaica ... At Night!

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Well, here in NJ we've got the air conditioner cranked up this week ... temps in the 90's ... in sunny South Africa , it's winter ... my friends in SA tell me it's been sunny and just a bit of a chilly winter, but that doesn't matter at all ... it's a great time to visit ... can't wait till I go back again.

Something new!  There's a new luxury train which travels from Johannesburg to Hoedspruit (Hoedspruit is ideally situated very close to the central Kruger National Park ). This is great ... now visitors that arrive in Johannesberg later in the day don't have to stay a night in Johannesberg before heading out to Kruger the next day ...  just hop on the luxury train and by midday the next day you're in Hoedspruit and only about 45 minutes from some stunning private game lodges in the area.  Very cool.

Another great development for the Kruger area is that beginning August 17th, SA Airlink will be flying directly from Nelspruit (the closest airport to the southern section of the Kruger Park) directly to Livingstone (Zambia) so guests can enjoy a game drive and breakfast at a private lodge in the Kruger area in the morning ... and by that afternoon visit Victoria Falls and go on a sunset cruise on the Zambezi River!   Extra cool ...

Pattie Mitchell, ACC
Travel Dreams
www.traveldreams.us
E-mail: traveldreams10@yahoo.com

My husband, my 13 year old son, and myself decided to do a little last minute getaway on Carnival Cruise Line's Triumph sailing out of New York City June 25 to 29, 2009.  Since we live in Southern NJ, it's just a 2 hour drive to Manhattan.  Weather as we left NYC was beautiful, and even the NYC natives were enjoying the view as we slowly passed the Manhattan skyline and the Statue of Liberty on our way out to international waters. 

Our cruise was almost to capacity, so we had lots of company.  The weather was not the best (overcast most of the time, a little cool), but it wasn't a "beach" cruise so we were OK.  Our 4 night cruise had one port in St. John New Brunswick.  I opted to reserve a Reversing Falls Jetboat Thrill Ride, which was 20 minutes of riding through the rough waters where St. John's River meets the Bay of Fundy ... we were fortunate enough to ride at low tide when the water was at it's best (meaning lots of whitecaps).  No avoiding getting drenched on this ride, but it looks a lot scarier than it really is.  Our driver was experienced enough to know just how to get us wet, but also made it fun. 

Yes, I actually said that out loud ... "I'm Going To Mexico" tomorrow to spend 6 days in the Cancun & Riviera Maya beach areas.   Over a month ago, I would have gotten the response "I'm so jealous!" ... now it's a hand over the mouth with a little gasp and a hushed ..."Are you really going?" ... "Aren't you afraid you'll get sick?".

I was like everybody else watching & reading media reports of the swine flu ... ooops I mean H1N1 virus ... but I decided to sit back, wait and watch  ... and here are my humble thoughts:

1) While in South Africa this past March I had an unbelievable sinus infection, fever, etc. that came back to haunt me a week after I came home ... sick in bed for 3 days, antibiotics, the works.  Who's to say 500 others who crossed paths during my stay in South Africa didn't get the same infection and bring it home to their countries ... no repots to verify ... no way of knowing ...

2) In all my 49 years I've had what we term "the flu"  and "flu-like symptoms" many times ... can't say I've ever had a blood test any of those times ... but curious to know if I had been tested, would it have been H1N1?  For all I know, I've had "swine flu" many times over the years... but I'll never know ...

3)  A couple of years ago I was on the island of Martinique during an earthquake reported to be 7.4 magnitude.  From the news reports back home, my family thought I was never to be seen again.  The quake got our attention for sure on the island ... but in actuality, some services were interrupted, a road or two were buckled, a church lost its steeple, schools were closed as a precaution to check stability, luckily very minimal damage.   My first-hand experience of media hype.

3) With a population of 26.7 million people in Mexico City (been called the"epicenter" of the epidemic), the relative percentage of people in Mexico City that have been affected is 5 ten-millionths of 1 percent.   Not bad odds.

My heart goes out to those who have been affected with the flu as well as the many who are now struggling to feed their families because of loss of employment.   Tourism is the most important sources of income for the beach areas of Mexico (where there have been no reports of influenza), and those already struggling to feed their families are even more devastated.

So, yes I plan on giving Mexico a great big hug this week ... and I'm saying it loud and proud ... "I'm Going to Mexico"!  Stay tuned ...

Pattie Mitchell, ACC
Travel Dreams
E-mail: traveldreams10@yahoo.com
www.traveldreams.us

Has South Africa been one of those places you've put on your "bucket list"?  This fascinating country, at the top of so many "must-see" lists, is more affordable than you realize, offering value for your money while enjoying an unforgettable place ... exotic, full of culture and one-of-a-kind experiences.  The exchange rate for the South African Rand (ZAR) to the US Dollar is a plus, too.

When you mention South Africa, most people immediately think of Cape Town or Johannesburg ... oh, there is so much more!  South Africa is located on the southern tip of the continent of Africa, consisting of 9 provinces and bordered by the Atlantic and Indian Oceans.  With mountains, valleys, oceans, scenic coastlines, semi-deserts, bushveld, wide open spaces, bustling cities full of heritage and culture ... and even a little of of "Vegas in Africa" with the Sun City complex in the North West province ... South Africa is truly "diverse with everything for everyone".  Twelve official languages are spoken in South Africa.

All parts of South Africa offer natural and cultural attractions. In Gauteng province, the home of Johannesburg, there's the township of Soweto, the Apartheid Museum, and the ancient fossils at the Cradle of Humankind. The Western Cape boasts Cape Town, Table Mountain National Park, and the renowned wine routes of Paarl, Stellenbosch and Franschhoek. In KwaZulu-Natal, visitors experience diverse wildlife at Isimangaliso (St. Lucia) Wetlands and the distinctive Drakensberg Mountains. The Namaqualand flowers bloom in the Northern Cape, while visitors to the Eastern Cape can tour the birthplace of Nelson Mandela and the beautiful Garden Route. And, of course, for the quintessential safari experience, there's Kruger National Park in Mpumalanga and Limpopo provinces, the largest game reserve in South Africa.  Other popular activities during a South Africa vacation include surfing and swimming, whale-watching and golfing on championship courses.

Outstanding accommodations are available throughout the country, from world-class hotels and luxurious game lodges to guest houses and B&Bs. South Africans, who speak English, are known for their warm hospitality. The country is also easily accessible, with direct and non-stop flights from the U.S. available on South African Airways and Delta Air Lines, and many connecting flights via Europe.

Don't let your travel dreams pass you by ...

Pattie Mitchell, ACC
South African Fundi Specialist
Travel Dreams
E-mail: traveldreams10@yahoo.com
www.traveldreams.us