I have grown to have a great love for this woman and her husband, I hope that you will take a moment and check it out.  Yes, mine is  a travel blog.  As I have said many times in my own posts that travel can be many things, it’s not merely the act of packing a bag and going on a trip.  Life is the biggest, longest trip we will ever be on and if we don’t take a moment every now and then to acknowledge that the trip we are on is what makes us who we are, then we have missed the point of travel.

the Memory Thief | Whisper Road.

Happy Travels

A few years ago, well actually 6 now, wow time does fly by,  we took my daughter on vacation as a present for Graduating High School.  She also brought a friend along for the trip, which I am sure made it even more fun for her, you know not having to spend 24 hours a day with Dad.  As it turns out this was one of my most memorable vacations, ever.  Partly because of the ability to spend so much time with her, I had been missing her terribly, so the time was priceless.  We decided to spend the better part of July in Europe, I think it was about 23 or 25 days.  We traveled to London, Rome, Venice, Florence, Paris and back through London.  I am sure I don’t need to say it, but this was like heaven.

Now by the time we arrived in Venice, we had already been in a number of European cities.  So we rented a fantastic home   along the Strata Nova, on the 3rd floor, with a wall of windows overlooking the Strata Nova.  It was a very nice home, two bedrooms, kitchen, large family room over looking the city, a great place.  Did I mention that this was in July, and on the 3rd floor of a walk up?  So we finally get all our luggage into the apartment, and traveling with Patrick thats allot of luggage, it’s hot.  I mean I am sweating, and uncomfortable, just plain hot.  It’s mid afternoon, so we decide to open the windows and get unpacked, cool down a bit before we go out.  We go out walk around the City, had a great time.

Day 4, first one up again, same routine, beautiful morning, can’t wait to get started.  Jump in the shower, YIKES, it’s freakin’ cold.  But I am not about to say a word.  The rest of the sleepy heads wake, coffee, shower.  Oh No, did I ever hear about cold water, my daughter, her friend, Patrick.  Once again, I tell them to just suck it up, we are leaving tomorrow.  “You guys are just going to have to take a faster shower”, I tell them.  Now you need to understand, all three of them are just ripping on me, but I am the Dad, and I know best.  So we set out for the day, had an absolutely great day.  I think on this day we took a boat to the Island of Murano, you know where the world famous Glass is hand blown.  Was a very good day.  We arrive back to our place late, was a very long day.  We all crashed pretty quickly.  After all we are leaving tomorrow for Florence and have to catch a fairly early train.

Thats right Snakes on a Plane! (NSFW Version)

Would he actually save the plane and all the passengers if the circumstances found Samuel L. Jackson and Snakes on a plane?  I think so.

Although I did not find myself on a plane filled with snakes, I did find myself on a plane filled with domestic pets.  Why people, why do you insist on bringing your pets on a flight to see Grandma?  Grandma doesn’t want to see your pet, she wants to see you.  Grandma doesn’t want to have to clean up after your pet or feed your pet or listen to it’s whining, whimpering and barking either.  Do Grandma a favor, leave fido at home.

Now before you all go PETA on me, hear me out.

Why do you bring your pet?  I know you have a cute, designer carrier, but your Pet doesn’t care.   Is it because you can’t stand the idea of leaving him or her behind?  So you have a dependance issue.   Is it because you can’t afford to kennel it?  But you can afford to buy a plane ticket for your pet?   Or maybe you don’t have any friends or family that can take your pouch for a few days.  Why? Tell me please.

What I have found frustrating and sad as a professional flyer is that people who travel with pets typically don’t know the rules, and if they do, they don’t care if they follow them.  I am not talking about Service Animals, in fact I don’t mind at all traveling with Service Animals, well most of them.  My experience with Service Animals is that they are very well trained and mannered along with their owners.  They are working animals that assist persons with disabilities. There is no limit to the number of service animals that can be on any flight. Service animals do not need any health certificates to travel and they do not need to be confined in a container or cage.  No, it’s you people with the lovely poodles or labradoodles, that don’t know what to do.

My opinion is that people travel with their pets out of their own selfish needs without giving a thought to the effect it has on their pet.  Have you really thought it through?  Pets by default are used to having a very regulated lifestyle.  In most cases pets are scared to death to fly.  It is not a part of their normal life, you are in fact hurting your pet.  Let’s look at what happens.  You take your pet from it’s comfortable home and shove it in a carrier that is too small for it, because that carrier has to fit completely under the seat in front of you.  Have you seen how small a space that is?  Then you leave it in the carrier for hours, stuffed under a chair.  Then your pet starts whimpering and crying, it isn’t because it’s happy.  It’s scared and does not understand what is happening.  Then in mid air you feel guilty so you pull the carrier out to talk to your pet only to be told you can’t do that.

So you proceed to do it anyway when the flight attendant isn’t paying attention to you.  Which in turns makes your pet whimper and cry more for your attention, because it’s scared.  Then you decide to unzip the carrier just enough for fido to poke his head out, that is not allowed, keep it zipped up and under the seat, like luggage.   And all this time, your fellow passengers are getting uncomfortable sitting next to you.  It’s is your pets nature to want to be petted, hugged and talked to when it’s scared, but all your actually doing is making it worse for the pet, you are not comforting it.

Stop the madness and stop taking your pets on flights.  If your going on vacation, let your pet have one too.  Put it in a kennel or a friends house where it will have a fun new experience, but one that is not that different than it’s used to.  Treat it the way you would want to be treated.  Would you want to be shoved into a carrier thats too small, stowed under a seat for hours at a time?  I don’t think so.

I have been watching this take place every week for a couple years now, and I often wonder who is training who?  Is it the Pet Owner who has trained his or her pet?  Or is it the Pet who has trained his or her Owner?  If you truly love your pet, leave it home.

If your not aware there are very specific rules regarding pets in the cabins of planes.  And before you decide to take your pet on a trip ask yourself if it’s in the best interest of the pet you love.  And if the answer is yes, then please make sure you know the rules.  And there are a lot of them.  The FAA has general rules for all Airlines, however most Airlines  go above and beyond the general rules laid out by the FAA.  If you have flown on one Airline then switch to another, the rules may be different.  Click here to learn about the FAA Rules.

What kind of general procedures do most airlines have in place?
If an airline allows you to travel with your pet in the cabin, you must follow all FAA regulations. Usually, most airlines have additional policies and procedures for you to follow to make sure that the flight is comfortable for all passengers on the airplane. These additional procedures may include

1. A limited list of the types of pets that you can bring into the cabin

2. A limit on the number of pets in the cabin

3. A limit on the number of pets that may accompany you on the airplane

4. A requirement that your pet be harmless, inoffensive and odorless

5. A requirement that your pet remain in the container for the entire flight

6. A requirement that you be able to produce a recently issued health certificate for your pet.

I am sure you love your pets, so do the right thing and leave them home or with someone to care for them.  A very friendly flight attendant shared with me a story on a Service Animal out of control, which is rare.  In this case the Service Animal was a Monkey, yes a Monkey.  Monkey’s are not nice animals.  This monkey was constantly moving around, spitting at passengers and it literally took a dump in the cabin.  Although most Service Animals are great, a Monkey?  Really?

Ok, I am going to get off my soap box for now.  I reserve the right to complain about you in the future.  In the meantime.

Happy Travels

P.S.  If you must have your pet fly, maybe you should get him or her their own plane.

An American film professor and photographer cy kuckenbaker has captured every airplane that landed at San Diego International Airport a week ago
between  the hours of 10:30am and 3pm in a time-lapse video.  to create the video he would shoot the planes on a cloudless day individually then isolate the image of the plane and composite each one together in a timeline with adobe premier.

Happy Travels

Happy Travels

Every now and then I believe I have found what is my visual version of Heaven.  Although it changes from time to time.  It can be a beautiful building, a beautiful location or a beautiful person.  Heaven seems to be a moving target for me.  I have recently found my “NEW” Heaven and it’s on the Island of St. Maarten/Sint Martin.  Yes, I know I write about this Island a fair amount.  I write about what I know and I know this island fairly well, check my archives and you will find a number of posts about this Island.  I never fail to find something new on each visit.

You’ve heard that saying “Heaven on Earth”, well this little slice of the Island is just that to me.  Perhaps because I have had a challenging year and I am desperate to find a little slice of Heaven that will allow me to set aside my concerns.  I am not sure that it really matters why it is, just that it is.

Today I am going to share with you this little slice of Heaven on Earth, I invite you to visit it anytime your on this island, in fact you should be making travel arrangements right now to visit this lovely island, go ahead go do it, I’ll wait.  However I am trusting you to take good care of my little slice of Heaven, I don’t want to come back and find 20 somethings partying through the day and night.  I am simply too old for that.

This lovely Island is the property of two different countries, The Netherlands and France.  Our little slice of Heaven is on the French side of the Island and it’s called Friar’s Bay.  Have you heard of it?  Have you been there before?  If so, I would love to hear your comments about it.

I think most people visiting the Island will most likely choose one of the larger, easier to reach beaches such as Oyster Pond or Orient Bay.  The isolated Friar’s Bay requires that you follow a bit of a circuitous route to find it, but it’s well worth the missed turns, dirt roads and road blocks when you arrive, providing you don’t need a chiropractor after arrival.  Why this beach?  The bay is not too big nor too small with great protection on either side.  The water is, as you would expect turquoise blue with soft white sand and very few rocks to navigate your sensitive feet around.  It’s a great place to sit and contemplate life or lunch depending on your mission for the day.  I also like that from this vantage point you have an excellent view of Anguilla, St. Maarten’s neighbor.

Although you wont feel like it’s your own private beach, it is far less visited than many other beaches on the Island.  Friar’s Bay is between Marigot and Grand Case and has plenty of parking.  Snorkeling, Shelling and a freedom from bathing suits if you desire, make this one of the finer beaches.

Friar’s Bay is also home to two wonderful Beach Bars, Kali’s Beach Bar and my personal favorite, Friar’s Bay Beach Cafe.  Both provide a large selection of beer, wine and tropical favorites along with lounge chairs, umbrella’s and service at the beach.  Kali’s is very well known for their thatched bamboo roof hut brightly colored with the standard Rastafarian colors and serves some of the Island’s best Barbecue.  Kali’s also organizes full moon parties on the beach with live music, bonfires and plenty of cocktails.

For a really great day, I prefer the Friar’s Bay Beach Cafe.  A lovely French Cafe serving some fantastic hardy, unbeachy  dishes that will satisfy your hunger after all that swimming in the beautiful Caribbean water.  Lounges, umbrella’s, beach service are all the norm here at Friar’s Bay Beach Cafe.  You may also like the fact that they provide WiFi service at your  beach lounge.  Why would you need that you ask?  Well to post pictures to your friends and make them jealous of course.  Although you will pay for those lounge chairs, the cost will be refunded when you purchase cocktails or lunch.  The Cafe is quite lovely in a traditional French way, large and expansive with picnic tables buried in the sand to a proper dining area.  An extensive Wine list and even more extensive cocktail and beer list.

On a recent visit our lunch consisted of Little Chicken roasted, frog style, Beef Tar Tar, Beef Carpacio, Fresh Crab and Avocado Salad along with Roasted Pork Loin with a Blue Cheese Sauce.  The menu is quite extensive with a wide range of foods available to please even the most picky among you.  For a nice light and refreshing desert we recommend the Pineapple Carpacio.  We are also thankful for a generous bartender with a heavy hand at the Friar’s Bay Beach Cafe.

There are many reasons why you should seek out this little slice of Heaven, the food, the drink, the sun but the most important reason to find this place is the restive and tranquil feeling that will flow over your body as you lay on the beach, listening to the lapping of the waves, watching sail boats glide by.  This slice of Heaven really is about recognizing it’s beauty and restorative qualities, sit back, sun, have a cocktail and a swim.  By the end of your visit you too will dream of your own little slice of Heaven on Earth, it’s called Friar’s Bay.

Happy Travels