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Greetings!
Wow... My apologies... This newsletter is definitely late! I generally try to have it ready around the middle of each month.
In my defence, we've been getting ready for a vacation of our own! This first week is a cruise aboard the newest Carnival ship, the Carnival Dream, and the second week is visiting friends on the gulf coast of Florida.
I've added a new section to this newsletter called Tidbits. I was thinking of keeping it as a regular thing, but I will let the readers decide! Let me know what you think?
Enjoy... |
| Cuban Health Insurance Requirements | |
There has been much confusion over the new Cuban health insurance requirements.
If you are thinking about a trip to Cuba, please read this article in it's entirety. Most people stop after the paragraph that says your Canadian Provincial health insurance card is adequate... Don't stop there!
You can get the information by clicking here. |
| Underwater Adventures: Top Caribbean Dive Sites | |
BY ANNE KAZEL-WILCOX
Special to The Miami Herald
Anne Says:
"The Caribbean boasts two of the world's longest barrier reefs -- in  the Bahamas and off Belize -- a dizzying array of shipwrecks, and healthy reefs that in many places have benefited from marine park protection for years. Add in sunken ocean caves, aka blue holes, and some jaw-dropping walls, and the deep blue doesn't get more enticing.
Luckily in the Caribbean, "deep" also doesn't have to mean better. There are a plethora of dive sites that start a mere 20 feet or so underwater and run to 100-plus feet below.
 I've scoured the Caribbean in search of the ultimate dives, at one point even becoming a divemaster between corporate jobs, certified to guide dives.
So which are my favorites? My list of top dives includes well-known sites as a well as a few less "discovered" locales, the latter often meaning the ecological imprint is also better preserved. All of the sites have launching points that can easily be reached via Miami."
Here is Anne's Top-Ten list:
The Elbow, off Turneffe Island, Belize
Ocean Blue Hole off Andros Island, the Bahamas
Wreck of the Antilla, Aruba
Bloody Bay Wall off Little Cayman, Cayman Islands
Mayreau Gardens, Tobago Cays, St. Vincent and the Grenadines
Wreck of the RMS Rhone, Tortola, British Virgin Islands
Carvel Rock, St. John, United States Virgin Islands
Bianca C, Grenada
Northstar, St. Croix, U.S. Virgin Islands
Champagne, Dominica
For all the details on Anne Kazel-Wilcox's top ten dive sites, click here to read the full article on the Miami Herald website. |
|
The Iron Wind... A truly unique B&B in Vancouver | |
For business or pleasure...
The Iron Wind is a unique and family friendly B&B just outside of Vancouver. Owner Robert Jolley hosts only one individual, couple or family  at a time giving them use of the entire boat. In addition to the breakfast provided, guests are free to cook, barbecue, and even entertain. The Iron Wind boasts over 2,000 square feet of accommodation space, so the family can definitely spread out for the same price as a premium hotel room. Guests also have access to two mountain bikes and a kayak.
 The Iron Wind is great for business too. Stay onboard and use the facilities to host meetings for up to 20 people, or entertain clients in a relaxing setting. With a business stay of 7 nights or more, the Iron Wind will provide personalized coffee mugs & T-shirts for meeting attendees. Presently located in the marina at the Airport INN, visitors to the Iron Wind can catch a free shuttle from the airport.
For more information on the Iron Wind, please visit their website by clicking here.
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| Travel Legends... Fact or Fiction | |
By Harriet Baskas
Travel writer & msnbc.com contributor
From getting stuck-by-suction on an airplane toilet seat to discovering the strange smell in a motel room is a dead body entombed under your box spring, there are some strange and spooky stories circulating in the world of travel.
 Many such tales are legends that have at their core "a fear of travel or a mistrust of foreigners," said Benjamin Radford, managing editor of Skeptical Inquirer magazine.
And while some classics - such as the businessman who meets an alluring woman in a bar and wakes up the next day in a bathtub full of ice and short one kidney - are unfounded, "they have remarkable staying power."
Not to mention, some of the stories are true.
Which ones? We asked some experts to help us "flush" out the truth.
STUCK ON THE LOO
What they say: It's possible to get stuck to the seat of an airline toilet if you flush while seated.
FLUSH WITH CAUTION
What they say: On a train, don't flush the toilet when stopped in a station.
TOO MANY BEDMATES
What they say: Guests staying in foul-smelling hotel rooms have discovered dead bodies underneath the bed or hidden inside the bed frame.
HOT HOTEL KEYS
What they say: Hotels put your credit card number and other personal information on key cards that unlock your room.
GERMS ON A PLANE
What they say: It's easy to get sick on an airplane because germs travel through the re-circulated air.
LAVA LEGENDS
What they say: Anyone who removes lava rocks from their rightful place in Hawaii will anger Pele, one of the most revered Hawaiian deities, and experience great misfortune.
And one other one that I'll let you discover! Ewwww!
To find out whether these are fact or fiction, click here. |
| Tidbits | |
Good or interesting information that doesn't require a whole article!
Bermuda now requires Canadians to carry a passport - See section 4 Entry/Exit requirements at Voyage.gc.ca under the UK, Bermuda page.
Air Canada (excluding JAZZ) is now cashless for onboard purchases.
You can now buy your way into the premium lounges at most airports so even the economy travellers can wait in luxury. Takeoffeh has the scoop... Just click here.
Reba McEntire poised to christen the Norwegian Epic at the July 2nd naming ceremony in New York City... Details here. |
| The Carnival Dream | |
Carnival's newest ship...
I'm pretty excited to be sailing the newest ship in the Carnival fleet, the Carnival Dream, departing 29 May 2010 on an exotic western Caribbean itinerary! Our ports of call are at Cozumel, Costa Maya, Roatan and Belize. I've wanted to visit both Roatan and Belize for a while now!
Become a fan of, and stay tuned to, the Great Latitudes Facebook page for updates!
Use the Facebook link at the top of the newsletter to join. |
| Questions & Answers | |  Q - "What's the point in using a travel agent?" A - I'm not going to answer this one! Instead, I'm going to point you to a couple of websites... Takeoffeh.com recently published the answers... You can view them here There is also a page on my website... Just click here And that last one is a pretty funny look at the reasons to use a travel agent... It can be viewed here Hope this helps... Send your questions to Janna. |
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