Virgin Atlantic Vacation Sale

The value of the English Pound is dropping and so are the prices on their vacations. Check out their sale:

http://www.virgin-vacations.com/site_vv/pub_search.asp-t-p-iRegion-0-p-3

Giraffe Manor Hotel

This is a super cool hotel. Giraffes run freely around the grounds, poking their heads into your room, the lobby or any were else they find an open window. The hotel is located in Kenya, Africa. I would love to stay here! http://giraffemanor.com/index.html

Big Brother's Watching You!

Did you know that the Department of Homeland Security knows every time you cross an international border. Not only do they know about it, they keep a record of it. If you have traveled internationally you have a file with the Department of Homeland Security.

Your file will not only include when and where you traveled to but also where you made your arrangements, who made them, what computer the tickets were purchased on, your passport number and personal information, of every single international trip you have taken since 2002.

You can request a copy of your travel file under the Freedom of Information Act.

New Passport

I finally got my passport renewed. I have always kept my old passports al keepsakes, which were returned to me along with the renewed one. But now they don't return to old passports to you. If I had known this I would have made a copy of it. But, nothing I can do about it now.

Just keep in mind, if you will be renewing your passport soon, make a copy of your old one if you want a keepsake.

Common Shopping Scams

It can be easy to scam foreign tourist because by the time you realize you have been scammed you've already left that country. You need to be able to spot a scam before you become a victim. Here are a few tips:

* Don't believe something just because someone tells you. There goal is to make a sale. If you ask "Can I bring this item back to the States?" Nine out of ten times you will get a "yes." So you need to know what items you can and cannot bring into the States. There are honest people who will tell you upfront if you can't bring an item into the States. Once when I was in Holland I wanted to purchase some bulbs but the store clerk asked what country I was from and informed me that I could not take those bulbs into the States. So not everyone is out to scam you but you need to be on alert. It may just be that the clerk makes an honest mistake.

* Made by local artist. Many people who travel want items that are made within the country where they are visiting. You maybe told its locally made but you need to examine the item and see if you see any markings on it indicating it was made somewhere else.

* Floor Sample Switches. You may see an item on a store shelf and want to purchase it. There are none on the shelve but the store clerk tells you they will get one from the back room, which is fine. I myself have had this done. But you should always open the item and examine it before you buy it. They may have given you the wrong item (whether intentionally or not) or it could be broken. I always open the boxes and look at the item before I purchase it because you never know. If you feel uncomfortable opening a box on the shelf take it to the clerk and let them know you want to open the box to inspect the item before you buy it. A legit store will not mind.

* Refund. Just because they say they will give you a refund doesn't mean they actually will. Make sure you get something in writing and pay with a credit card so you can stop payment on the item if needed.

* Blank shipping charges. If you are having an item shipped home to you make sure the shipping charge is filled in on the form. Never leave it blank. They can fill in any amount they want once you sign the slip.

* Exchange rate. If you are purchasing an item in American dollars but the item price is given in another currency, the store clerk will figure the exchange rate for you. Ask what exchange rate they are using and make sure you know the going rate to insure that you are getting the correct exchange rate.

Cruise 411

The website cruise411 has posted their winter sale. Now is the time to get great deals on winter cruises. Cruise411 is offering a 7 night Mexican Riviera cruise out of Los Angeles with prices starting at $299. You can get a suite from $799. Sail dates are in January, Febuary and March.

They have deals to several locations. Check them out at:

http://cruise411.com/promotion/cruise411/specials/default.html

Cruise Sale

MSC cruiseline is offering up to 60% off various sailing if at least one person in the cabin is 50 years or older. For details visit:

http://www.msccruisesagent.com/emAILS/NOVEMBER_08_EMAILS/SENIORSAVER_EUROPE/SENIOR_SAVER_EUROPE.HTML

Back from our Caribbean Cruise

We're back from our Caribbean cruise. We had a great time. Even though it is the off season the weather was very nice. Some clouds but warm and no rain. It was nice because it wasn’t overly hot but yet warm enough to wear shorts and go for a swim. We had stops in Cozumel (Mexico), Ocho Rio (Jamaica) and Grand Cayman (Cayman Islands).

We sailed on the Carnival Triumph which was very nice. However, I wasn't especially impressed with the food in the dinning room. It was good but I have had better. Also the dinning room entertainment was somewhat lacking. I like it when the waiters sing and put on a show. On my Alaskan cruise our waiters sang and danced. They also had theme nights complete with hats, for example on Dutch night we were given Dutch hats to wear . On this cruise some of the waiters did do a little dance on two nights but it was the same dance both nights and it was a little lacking. But the ship did have a 24 hour pizzeria that also had salads and bread.

We had a great time on our excursions. In Ocho Rios we swam with sharks and sting rays which was a blast. The sharks skin was very ruff, like sand paper and they are very heavy. They had us sit on benches in the water and they plopped a 6 foot shark on our lap. It was Great! They also had an area that had sting rays that we got to swim around with. They were hard to hold, they were slippery.

In Grand Caymans we went to a turtle farm and got to hold the sea turtles and then we went to a small town called Hell. Yes that's really its name. It got that name because of some odd rock formations that resemble flames. Its really very odd. There is a small post office where you can mail post cards which will be post marked from "Hell." Our excursion to the Sting Ray sandbar was cancelled due to ruff seas.

In Cozumel we went to see the Mayan ruins, which was very interesting.

We had 1 night post cruise stay in Miami. We got off the ship fairly quickly so we went out to Everglade Alligator Farm. We took a ride on an airboat which was an absolute blast. We drove through a swampy area, the boat drive did a few spins and we saw a few alligators and a turtle. On the farm itself there were plenty of alligators to see as well as snakes.
Overall we had a really good time.