Freestyle on a Budget in St Lucia

Freestyle on a Budget in St Lucia

By: Lea Ann FessendenSt. Lucia is one of the most beautiful islands of the Caribbean basin with its breathtaking natural resources such as the emerald green covered Piton Mountains, dense bird- filled rainforests and mind blowing waterfalls. Most tourists end up in the northern area of the island near the capital city, Castries. Rodney Bay, Cap Estate and Gros Islet are home to some of the most sought after luxury resorts in the world, where celebrities are frequently spotted winding to some good reggae, Soca or calypso music
But you don't have to be a celebrity to enjoy the luxuries of this exceptional vacation spot. Some truly hidden gems that will not pinch your pocketbook can be found in the south of the island. The best sites of the island are near Soufriere anyway. One thing to keep in mind about St Lucia, that unlike some of the other Caribbean islands, this island is not known for a lively night scene, except on weekends. During the week, spend your energy hiking, swimming, snorkeling, walking, diving, wind surfing, sunbathing, taking leisurely drives and relaxing under waterfalls. Most of these activities are very reasonable, some even free.
The currency used on the island is Eastern Caribbean (EC) which is currently 2.65 to 1 US dollar. Basically, if something is 15EC, divide by 3 to get a price of US5.00. On a calculator it actually translates to $5.66 US dollars, but I just divide by 3 to make it easy on my brain. When you are visiting the craft shops in Choiseul, and there are several, this will help you to quickly calculate how much that beautiful wood carving will cost.
Budget accommodations are easily found if you know where to look. Try the Villa Caribbean Dream in Vieux Fort which offers rates as low as $45 (single) or $55 (double). Included is a stunning view of the ocean and perhaps a Salsa lesson or two. Just minutes from the Hewanorra International Airport are The Reef Beach Huts and Café. Rates are only $50 (single) and $60 (double) and this includes breakfast on the beach. The Reef is located on a beautiful stretch of white sand beach overlooking the Maria Islands where leatherback turtles and the rare turquoise and black zandoli iguana reside. This is also the perfect spot to kite and windsurf the Atlantic Ocean. Meals at The Reef are also reasonably priced: lobster in season is about $13.00 and a cheeseburger with fries will run $5.00. This is also a free Wi-Fi spot so don't forget your laptop.
Renting a car is the best way to enjoy the island but for budget conscious travelers, there is island wide bus service that is very affordable. The buses will have license plates that start with an M and the fare to ride from Vieux Fort to Castries, about a one hour, trip runs $3.00 each way. Typically they just run along the one main highway but if you need to go off this road a short ways, ask the driver and they will usually comply. Tip them a little if they do.
The town of Soufriere has some fantastic attractions. Among my many favorite things to do is a visit to the Diamond Falls Botanical Garden which has mineral baths from the days of King Louis XXIV, where you can soak and take in the therapeutic waters that pour straight from a volcano in a breathtaking waterfall. Entrance to the Gardens is $5.00, mineral bath in outdoor pool is an additional $4.00 or for a private indoor bath the cost is $6.00. The gardens are a visual treat with luscious tropical flowers, homemade benches and stunning waterfalls.
Some of the very best snorkeling on the island is in this southwest corner near Soufriere. Anse Chastanet has a buoyed off snorkeling area called Fairy Land which drops from 20 to 140 feet into a wall of coral and spectacular underwater life which is an underwater photographer's paradise. Nearby Jalousie Plantation also has some fantastic snorkeling, hit their spectacular wall dive, Superman's Flight beneath the Piton Mountains. The wall drops to a depth of 1600 feet and boasts excellent visibility via the crystal clear waters. You can get equipment rental and directions at any local dive shop.
Ladera Resort was rated by Conde Nast 2005 as Best Hotel in the World. If the accommodation rates for their three sided ocean view rooms is to steep for your budget, at least stop in for a drink at their bar snuggled between the majestic Piton Mountains. The view is worth the slightly higher drink price.
Across the street, the new Hotel Chocolat, on the historical Rabot Estate, is busy growing and harvesting the best cocoa for delicious chocolates and treats. Two more excellent working plantations that encourage visitors are also in this region: Fond Doux Estate, which includes guest cottages, restaurant and hiking tours, and Mourne Coubaril, a reconstructed 18th-century village which provides visitors with a historical glance into Creole life.
On the road to the Jalousie Plantation Hotel, be sure to stop at the Piton Falls. Entrance to this little paradise is only about $2.00 US. A 10 minute walk through the tropical gardens leads you to a mineral waterfall cascading into a refreshing waist high pool. After you take in the warm thermal waters of this pool, all of your aches and pains will melt away. Therea's also a cooler pool to invigorate your senses. Be sure to go to the Sulphur Springs Volcano and take their short tour of the bubbling sulphur and the volcano's history. Treat yourself to some sulphur soap hand made by locals while you are there, it is great for aching joints and those who have arthritis pains.
Enjoy southern St Lucia, there is so much rich culture and beautiful scenery, there isn't enough time to see all the waterfalls, snorkel all the coves or hike all the trails that abound. Plan to go back, really soon.
Ready to enjoy St. Lucia? Contact Jadd Fong Travel and get started

Las Vegas the City of 2 Worlds

                                                     

Vegas is a city of stories, amazing facts and history. Over 37.5 million people visit Las Vegas each year. Each one arrives with the small glimmer of hope that this trip could be the one where they return wealthier than they arrived. At the very least, each leaves with a story of their own to tell.

I have been to Las Vegas on several occasions for sporting events but, most importantly as a representative of Jadd Fong Travel, an Albuquerque travel agency. On each trip, I am left with a different impression of the city of Las Vegas.

• Seventeen of the 20 largest hotels in the United States are in Las Vegas.
• The first casino was licensed 1931. The current number of licensed gambling places is over 1,700.
• There is gambling aplenty, from penny slots to the highest stake tables and even private card games.
• Mobster Bugsy Siegel named the Flamingo after the long legs of his girlfriend. Siegel's "financiers" were unhappy when the budget for the casino went from just over one million dollars to nearly 7 million dollars.
• Las Vegas is one of the most popular places to get married in the world with very few legal requirements and even a drive-through marriage chapel.
• Las Vegas has historically been an adult destination, but during the 1990's city leaders and publicists attempted to remake the city into a more family-friendly destination. Results were mixed.
• Visitors almost always underestimate the amount of walking they will do in Vegas. The hotels are huge, the distances between hotels equally long. Take comfortable shoes!

• Not everyone spends time outdoors, but a good sun block is important as well. Speaking of the outdoors, Vegas hotels are famous for their lavish and lively collection of swimming pools, some of which are adult only.
• There is nothing subtle about Las Vegas architecture. Where else will you see the New York City skyline next to the Eiffel Tower next to the canals of Venice, next to one of the Pyramids, next to Camelot?

• Las Vegas casinos are famous for their bargain dining options and buffets, but the city is also home to world-class dining in many of the major hotels with a collection of famous chefs that rival any city anywhere.
• Vegas weather is predictable. If you are looking for cooler weather come from October to February. Looking for hotter weather? Come March through September.
• The casinos are not the only attractions. Grand Canyon tours are popular as are trips out to the desert.

Ready to experience Las Vegas? Contact Jadd Fong Travel to get started.

Vacation in the Big Apple - Visit New York City

New York City is the largest city in the United States and has a population of over eight million, which, as people continue to flock to New York City, is likely to grow even larger. This is Broadway, this is Wall Street, this is a city of history and legends, and who wouldn't want to visit it at least once -even if it is just to say they'd been there.
Here are ten of the "must see" attractions of New York City:

• New York's famous Empire State Building, a New York City Landmark and a National Historic Landmark, soars more than a quarter of a mile into the atmosphere above the heart of Manhattan. Located on the 86th floor, 1,050 feet (320 meters) above the city's bustling streets, the Observatory offers panoramic views from within a glass enclosed pavilion and from the surrounding open-air promenade. Since the Observatory opened to the public in 1931, almost 110 million visitors have thrilled to the awe-inspiring vision of the city beneath them.
• Located on Liberty Island in New York Harbor, the Statue of Liberty was a gift of international friendship from the people of France to the people of the United States and is one of the most universal symbols of political freedom and democracy. Liberty Island is accessible by Circle Line-Statue of Liberty Ferry, Inc. ferries only. One round trip ferry ticket includes visits to Liberty and Ellis Islands.

• Legendary Times Square, the heart of Broadway and of countless huge New York gatherings, recently celebrated its 100-year anniversary. Filled with its neon signs, screaming ads, giant screens, Times Square "the crossroads of the world" is more than ever a sight that overwhelms, its flashing lights reaching to the sky. The main attractions in Times Square include ABC Studios, WWE Store, Toys R Us and MTV's TRL. At the Times Square Visitors Center you can get free citywide information from multilingual tourist counselors, get free maps and brochures, purchase tickets to Broadway and Off-Broadway shows from the Broadway Ticket Center & more.
• The United Nations Headquarters building in New York City is the home of the international organization and one of the most visited sites in the city. Guided tours are conducted seven days a week (Monday to Friday only during January and February). Tours are conducted from 9:30 a.m. to 4:45 p.m. Monday to Friday; Saturday and Sundays from 10:00 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Tours in English normally leave every half hour and last for approximately 45 minutes to one hour.
• At Madame Tussaud's New York, you will be able to mingle with nearly 200 amazingly life-like wax figures, including Brad Pitt, Jennifer Lopez, Michael Jackson, Madonna and even Elvis Presley and Marilyn Monroe. Open 365 days a year from 10:00 a.m. Monday through Thursday, last ticket sold at 8:00 p.m. Friday through Sunday, last ticket sold at 10:00 p.m.
• One of the most successful ships in US history is now one of the most unique attractions in New York City. Berthed on the mighty Hudson River in Manhattan, the Intrepid Air & Sea Museum boasts educational exhibits and exciting events. After being closed for a lengthy renovation, the museum reopened to the public on Nov 8th 2008.
• Central Park extends from 59th to 110th streets and 5th Avenue to 8th Avenue. It is home to a zoo, playgrounds, skating rinks and a lot more. One of the most romantic and popular ways to see Central Park is from a horse-drawn carriage. These carriages line up at 59th Street and Fifth Avenue across from the Plaza Hotel.

• The Rockefeller Center is a place for exquisite shopping, fine dining and great entertainment. It also houses the NBC studios and the Rockefeller Center ice skating rink. During Christmas time, the whole place turns into a Winter Wonderland with the famous Rockefeller Center Christmas tree and beautiful lights and decorations everywhere. Tours are available of the Rockefeller Center as well as NBC studios.
• The Metropolitan Museum of Art has specimens of different categories of art from all over the world during every epoch of recorded time. Going through the entire Met is a full day affair. Within are more than two million works of art including arts of Africa, Asia, Europe, Egypt, Greece, Rome, medieval art, musical instruments, photographs, and 20th-century art.
• The Madison Square Garden or as it is popularly known, "The World's Most Famous Arena" is a must see for all sports fans. Be sure to take an All Access Tour of the Garden and visit the Knicks, Rangers and Liberty locker rooms; tour backstage of the Theater at Madison Square Garden; go inside the Star dressing rooms; see players practicing, performers in rehearsal or crews staging events! You'll never know what you'll see on the All Access Tour.
• OK, so this is number eleven, but a list is not complete with a trip to the Bronx and Yankee Stadium. Love or hate the team, the greatness of those who have played for this team cannot be discounted. The new stadium is a masterpiece and a shrine to the sport, second only to Cooperstown.

What are you waiting for? Contact Jadd Fong Travel an Albuquerque travel agency and get started planning your trip.

Best Dive Vacations

Dive Vacations

Scuba diving offers travelers seeking an active vacation the opportunity to view parts of our world seen by very few. Divers are part of an exclusive club, sharing experiences normally reserved for marine life. Like few other activities, diving provides an unparalleled reason to travel and one that will leave you searching for your next marine adventure. If the idea of sharing your holiday with angel fish, eels and sharks, watching turtles gliding along the sea bed and exploring shipwrecks appeals to you, read on and learn the basics of dive travel planning.
If you already are an experienced diver, you know the joy of seeing a rare underwater species or one that you have never seen before. Add to that experience the thrill of traveling to a new, perhaps exotic, destination to explore, and you have a real adventure at hand. Setting off on a dive vacation in a distant land may seem daunting, but with the help of your travel agent - who can take care of the planning - diving will add an entirely new dimension to your adventures. If you are new to diving, traveling with a tour company that provides expert guidance is one of the best possible introductions.
A successful dive trip relies on choosing your destination and travel dates wisely, a good travel consultant to assist with the logistics, a little luck, and a lot of coordinated planning. If you currently dive, it's likely that you have already traveled at some point to pursue your hobby. If you are new to diving, or if this is your first diving holiday, then you may want to consider taking a "learn to dive" holiday offered at many resort locations worldwide. PADI is a certification association for divers and a worldwide source of diving knowledge, advice and instructors. Dive resorts most often require PADI certification to rent equipment to divers or to provide refills for air tanks. PADI offers training through YMCAs and dive supply shops. Basic training can be done in a swimming pool with final certification taking place in "open water". A PADI open water certificate can be gained anywhere from 4 days to 6 weeks, depending on your training time and ability, and you can comfortably go on holiday to learn about and experience diving in the ocean by the end of a week. You'll need to learn a lot of the theory that goes with this qualification, which means you should be prepared to do some homework during your holiday - but it's time well spent.

As you begin planning, have a general idea of the amount of time you want to spend diving and the time you want to enjoy other activities. Also prepare your budget for the trip, weighing diving costs against transportation, lodging, food, and entertainment. When you evaluate the type of experience you'd like to have, ask yourself if there are species of marine life you particularly want to see, or if there's a part of the world you've always wanted to visit? Do you want a "live aboard" experience, or are you looking for a resort - and diving is a secondary activity? The more consideration you give these issues, the more efficient the planning process will be, the more you'll enjoy your vacation, and the quicker you will be on your way.
Your first stop should be a travel agent at Jadd Fong Travel experienced with tour operators offering dive trips and dive destinations. Because of the logistics of a diving trip and your investment in both time and money, it is important to have a practiced set of eyes watching out for you. Your travel consultant will know which destinations and tour operators are appropriate (and which to avoid) and can assist in pulling together less obvious components of the trip, often at substantial discounts.
If you are an experienced diver, then the world literally is your playground. Most divers have a long list of where they want to go and wrecks and marine life they want to see. Naturally, your budget will be a key factor when you finally decide where to go. Be sure to let your travel agent know any special preferences or requests at the first opportunity, so every possible detail is taken into account early in the planning process. In South America and the Caribbean, top destinations are Belize, the Cayman Islands, Turks and Caicos and Mexico. In Europe, Italy, Malta and its famous Blue Lagoon, Spain, and Croatia are all popular. The Red Sea is a world famous diving destination that's accessible from Saudi Arabia, Eritrea, Sudan, Jordan, Egypt and Israel. South Africa offers cage diving to see Great White Sharks, and opportunities are endless in Asia and Australasia. Not to be missed are Truk Lagoon in Micronesia, and of course - the Great Barrier Reef. Very few localities require special dive permits; in most cases, a local PADI dive center can obtain a permit in short order. However, in some countries, notably in the Middle East, permit acquisition can take more than a week, so plan well in advance.



Great Barrier Reef

The weather at your destination will greatly affect your dive experience. And unfortunately, when traveling great distances, it is not easy to cancel at the last minute without losing some or all of your deposits. Keep your eye on the weather and be careful about booking travel during times of the year, for example hurricane season in the Caribbean, when you'll have an above-average chance of trip disruption. Ask your travel consultant to check on the cancellation policies available from the tour operator or resort and if travel insurance is available for severe weather events.
As mentioned, a key consideration for any dive vacation is how much time you want to devote to diving. Some resorts offer diving opportunities as one of many activities for visitors, and only one afternoon of an entire week might be devoted to diving. Other destinations, however, center all activities around a full diving schedule, and travelers find themselves below the surface for hours each day - then usually relaxing at night with a big meal and a cold drink.
If you are going with a group, early in your planning, determine how much diving each traveler wants to do so you can choose the best location that offers interesting and alternative activities. Remember, too, that diving is an active sport with a small, manageable risk element. If the skill levels in your group vary greatly, your destination and tour operator should take those differences into account; if this is the case, you might not be able to dive together, unless the more experienced divers chose to do easier dives. Many dive centers will offer a range of dives allowing you to meet up with others in your group between dives. If you plan to travel with children, make sure that your travel consultant checks with the destination or tour operator about the appropriateness of the trip and alternative care, if needed.
You will most likely have a range of likely accommodation options, from budget to deluxe hotels. There are also "live aboard" options where you sleep on a boat and dive from the boat during the trip; if you go this route, you are likely to sleep in a twin bed cabin with limited space. However, if you want to maximize your diving opportunities, a live-a-board might be your best option. Imagine diving in the morning, enjoying lunch in the sun, diving after lunch and then reflecting on the day and making plans for tomorrow as you cruise to your next spot, watching the sun go down. These arrangements typically include high-quality meals and air for two dives per day in the package price. A couple of days on dry land at each end of your trip will give you a chance to enjoy life above the water as well.
While almost anyone can dive, make sure you are prepared for the physical demands of the trip and that the dive area is within your skill level. Some dives involve strong currents or extreme depths, so knowing what's in store and getting a few hours of preliminary dive time at comparable depth and terrain will make your time on vacation more productive and enjoyable.
In addition to considering physical demands of a dive vacation, be aware of any indigenous diseases in your chosen destination, such as malaria or yellow fever, and protect yourself against them. As early as possible in the planning stage, consult a physician to determine what shots and other precautions you need prior to travel. Importantly, also consult your physician and dive masters about your flight schedule and appropriate wait periods before your first airline flight and after your last dive prior to flying to prevent problems with nitrogen build-up in your blood from the compressed air in your dive tanks.
Your tour operator no doubt will provide a complete list of recommended clothing and gear. In general, however, it is a good idea to pack as lightly as possible to ensure you can carry all of the equipment you need with you. Most airlines charge for excess baggage, and diving equipment tends to be heavy. Most airlines will carry empty cylinders, but consider renting your cylinders and weights at your destination to save baggage costs. Remember that diving knives must be packed, not carried on. Some localities do not permit spear fishing equipment, so check prior to your trip. If you do travel with your cylinder, you will have to remove the pressure valve during travel. Many destinations will have rentals of all equipment available, so just confirm the availability during your planning stages. You will almost certainly want to pack your own mask and flippers as these will need to fit perfectly. And remember to bring along your certification card, which is required by most dive locations, in addition to a logbook, sunscreen, and any necessary international travel documentation, such as your passport and visas. Prescription drugs should be carried with you, not checked. Work with your travel consultant to check in advance that your airline will be able to take everything you want to carry with you.

You may be asking, is dive travel safe? It is important to remember that diving in new surroundings will always entail a greater degree of risk. So play by the rules, listen to your tour operator and dive master, and stay within the limits of your skill level. The basics of safe diving apply in every instance, no matter where you are. Use the buddy system, be smart about your dives and take the same reasonable precautions you would in any unfamiliar dive territory. Drinking and diving? Allow adequate detox time and be responsible. Finally, remember standard precautions about airline travel post-dive.

The costs associated with your dive trip will be your transportation to the destination, your transportation at the destination and to the dive sites, your accommodations, your food, any dive master services and any additional activities. Tipping should also be considered as an additional expense. Many tour operators cover all, or some large portion, of these items in the cost of their tour. Work with your travel consultant to determine exactly what is included and what's extra to avoid last-minute surprises.

Dive travel is almost more than a hobby, it can be a way of life. Come on in, the water's fine. Contact Jadd Fong Travel an Albuquerque travel agency to start planning your dive vacation!