There's an app for that, the way we used to travel, cruising Cuba... and more...
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Travel News for March 2014
Hi All,
  
In this issue, we look at great travel apps for smart phones, the way we used to travel, and the Cuba cruise...not to mention a few tidbits!
  
As always, grab a beverage, put your feet up and enjoy!
There's an app for that!
Gotta go?  Need to eat?  How do I get there from here?

There's an app for that has become a common phrase.  In fact, quite often the iPhone AppStore is the first place I look!

No matter what your mobile platform is, great travel apps are available.

Here are a few of my favourites...Oh, and did I mention they are FREE!

You may be advised not to "squeeze the Charmin" but they've developed a mobile app that is definitely worth putting the squeeze on!  the sitorsquat app shows you where to find clean public restrooms near you.  The app is available for iPhone or Android and can be downloaded by clicking here.

Hungry?  The opentable app allows you to find restaurants near you and even make reservations.  OpenTable is available for lots of mobile platforms and can be downloaded here.

Stay in touch with friends and family with the Skype mobile app.  Skype allows you to make video and voice calls free to anyone with a Skype account.  Skype is available on multiple platforms and is available for download here.

Rain or shine, the Weather Network offers a mobile app to keep you in the know about the local weather wherever you are.  The Weather Network app is available for iPhone, Blackberry and Android by clicking here.

How do I get there from here?  For public transit, the Metro app offers the answer in hundreds of cities worldwide and is available for tons of mobile platforms.  You can get the Metro app here.

Foreign exchange mental math doesn't need to drive you crazy anymore.  XE Currency Apps are available for iPhone, Blackberry, Android and Windows phones and are super user-friendly.  Convert/Calculate prices with ease using this app.  Download it by clicking here.

And my new favourite...

Photosynth.  This is a great app that automatically takes and stitches together photos to create an interactive panoramic view.  Photosynth is available for iPhone and Android platforms and can be downloaded here.

If you have a favourite travel app that I haven't mentioned, please feel free to share it with me!

Tidbit:     36 hours in St. Kitts... click here
The Way We Used To Travel
12 ways travel has changed in the digital age (huffingtonpost.com)

Once upon a time, smartphones and tablets didn't exist. And travel was very different. Technology has revolutionized the way we travel, in ways both good and bad.

  • International Calling Cards were a must when traveling abroad. How else would you stay in touch with your friends and family back home?
  • You didn't pay baggage fees, which is good because your carry-on was packed with all the books on your vacation "to read" list
  • You had to call your airline to check flights. No internet updates, no emails, no texts.
  • You had to read guidebooks or chat up locals to find out the best places to eat, drink and explore.
  • You lugged around a camera (or a bunch of disposables), rather than snapping thousands of pics on your smartphone.
  • You became pen pals with people you met along the way.

And more...To read the full article, please click here 

 

To book your next vacation, please contact me anytime 

Tidbit:     8 Nifty little items you never pack, but should... click here
Cuba Cruise
First impressions of a Cuba Cruise (Adam Coulter independenttraveler.com)

"On my second night onboard the Canada-based Cuba Cruise, the first cruise line to offer sailings around the island, Captain Stathis Goumas added a caveat to his welcome speech that resonated with all of us onboard:  "If you want to experience a typical Caribbean cruise, then you have come on the wrong ship. Is that what you'd like?" he asked us. A chorus of "No!"

 

He went on: "Don't expect cruise ship tourism that you might have experienced in other parts of the Caribbean: We're leaving 2014, and stepping back to the 1950s."

 

The areas that we go to are not traditional Cuba, and could leave you with a poor impression if you were on a more common all-inclusive land vacation. Take Guardalavaca Beach, which has an all-inclusive resort and a slightly tacky flea market. This area was first developed for tourism back in the 1960s, when Cuba welcomed Russians from the former Soviet Union, and many Soviet-era apartment blocks and the two main hotels were built to cater for the influx.

 

Luckily Cuba Cruise has made some adjustments to get us beyond the obvious. Our final stop is the one I will remember: a traditional farm, where we stroll through the farmer's banana plantation, suck on sugarcane pulled from the ground and eat a sweet banana, before enjoying a local snack and a strong coffee.

 

The farmer keeps a Plymouth car from 1948 in his garage and assures us that he still drives it every day from his house to the market and back. To prove the point he starts up the engine and poses beside it, chomping a fat cigar."

 

To read the full article by Adam, please click here. 

 

Contact me anytime for information on the Cuba Cruise.

 

     
Tidbit:     The best movie sites you can visit...click here
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