Virginia Beach Can Kiss My A@@

From the title you can figure out the pilot and family did not have a good experience in Virginia Beach. Due to our stand-by status with the airlines, we travel off peak which makes good economic sense (although it does have its downside). Since the Atlantic coastal beaches have their peak from Memorial Day to Labor Day, it seemed like the shoulder season during the first week of October would be ideal. The weather still remains fairly nice in that area during the time of year and this was no exception. Well in Virginia Beach they damn near rolled up the boardwalk. First, we had to walk and walk to find a restaurant that wouldn't call for selling any organs in exchange for lunch. While we were walking along, rather than keep going back and forth to the boardwalk to each restaurant, we walked along the bike path to the side. Some rude person on a bike nearly hit us and loudly pointed out that the boardwalk was "over there." We finally did find a little local owned restaurant. There were still a few people there on the covered patio eating and drinking beer. We didn't even sit down when the waitress nearly broke a marathon record to tell us they were closed. We questioned it since it was only 12:30. She nastily told us that they closed at 1:00. We pointed out that was still 25 minutes away. She then stated in her most exasperated voice, "Well it's off season." So we again wandered away only to find Quiznos where we spent $25 on a wrap, a half-sandwich, whole sandwich and one bag of chips.

Rest assured that we will never intentionally go back to Virginia Beach. We went for a long weekend trip to the Outer Banks and Norfolk which more than made up for the rudeness and overpriced Beach in Virginia. More on that later.

Be Prepared

The Scouts had it right to make this their motto. The other day when I was merging from one interstate to the other my tire blew. Everything was okay-my husband was home to change the tire and take care of business (my hero!). That added about another 45 minutes to a day filled with activity. I had to go potty, but figured I would be home shortly. Needless to say, once the tire was changed and we were back on the road, the first order of business was to find a bathroom. The moral of the story is that whenever you have a chance to stop then stop. You never know what's in store for you--a traffic jam, a tire blow out, etc.

Your Travel Profile

This little widget will help you find your travel profile. It gives you a series of pictures and you pick the picture that best fits for the question they are asking. I found it to be quite accurate. So take a look and find out what your travel profile. Mine was Easy Rider. Have fun!

Kentucky Wines

As I was driving through Kentucky recently, I kept seeing signs for wineries. It was a pretty regular occurrence. It got me to wondering if there were really that many wineries or just a way to draw some tourism, so I did a little research when I got back home. Kentucky is home to 34 wineries. Who knew! When you think of wineries in America, Kentucky doesn't ever come to mind. Due to time limitations, we weren't able to check any of them out personally. For more information, check it out here. www.kentuckywine.com.

Traveling Abroad with Your Child

If you are a single parent or if you have re-married and take your child abroad, make sure you have a notarized letter from the non-traveling parent giving permission. Some countries require it. On our last trip home from Greece, the border agent intensely questioned my daughter's step-father (my husband) since she had a different last name than we did. So err on the side of caution, and get this done whether or not the country you are traveling to requires it.

Caribbean Travel Documents: What do You Need?

With internationals rules constantly changing, it is hard to know exactly what kinds of Caribbean travel documents you need when leaving on vacation. Ever country has specific rules and regulations, so you should check ahead by calling the airport, but in general, you’ll need ID and a passport at the very least to fly into a foreign country or foreign territory.

First and foremost, no matter what documentation you have, travel to Cuba is illegal for most United States citizens. Cuba is under a strict communist dictatorship rule, and United States citizens risk their lives by going there. The only people allowed to travel to Cuba are special government officials with certain clearances. Traveling to Cuba by going to another country, like Canada, is also illegal. You can be caught quite easily doing this because the U.S. customs officials will see the Cuban stamp in your passport. It is smarter and safer just to avoid traveling to Cuba, because you will be less likely to get hurt while in the Caribbean and less likely to face charges when entering the United States to get home.

For most Caribbean countries, you will need a passport to travel from the United States into the country. The Caribbean is not a country on its own—the region is actually made up for number of small island countries and European territories. Therefore, every time you enter a new country, you will need to present your passport to be stamped. Regardless of if you need a passport by the island’s law or not, you will need a passport to reenter the United States. If you lose your passport or otherwise find yourself without a passport in a foreign country, contact the airlines immediately to find out what to do.

In some Caribbean countries, you will also need to present your airplane ticket showing that you have a ticket to return home or a ticket to fly on to another country. Immigration is a problem, and if you have not figured out when you’re going to leave, some countries will not let you leave the airport at all. Make sure you have a return or forward flight, regardless of where you go.

When traveling, keep your documentation, tickets, and identification in a safe place that is quickly accessible. Remember that your luggage may arrive long after you actually get to the Caribbean, so keep everything on your person instead. It is a good idea to use a small outside pocket to carry this or to have one person from the family in charge of all of the information in order to prevent it from getting lost.

Avoiding Crime during Caribbean Travel

Crime is one thing that can ruin your Caribbean vacation in a heartbeat. If your information is stolen, you may have to rebook flights, leave early, contact your credit card company while on vacation and generally stress out over the items that were stolen. Most anything is up for grabs, including money and traveler’s checks, cameras and other technological equipment, passports, plane tickets, jewelry, and other things that you carry with you or leave in your hotel room. If you want to enjoy your Caribbean vacation the best way possible, take steps to avoid being the victim of crime in the Caribbean.

First and foremost, if you are a tourist, local pickpockets will assume that you are an easy target. Don’t be. Stay aware of your surrounding at all times and if you are carry money or anything valuable, make sure that if is somewhere very secure. For example, carry a purse under your arm instead of a backpack, which can easily be unzipped without you noticing.

Another common way to avoid crime is to consider how you are dressing. Of course you’ll want to look your best, but if you dress too flashy, thieves will know that you are a tourist and that you have money. Avoid wearing expensive jewelry or carrying designing purses. Instead, go for a more casual look. You’ll be more comfortable that way anyway.

In fact, leave your valuables at home all together. That’s the best way to keep them from getting stolen on your Caribbean vacation! Travel light—if you look like you’re ready to run after a thief to catch him or her, the thief won’t approach you. However, if you’re carry two heavy suitcases and have a camera case around your neck and a purse under you arm, a thief can quickly grab the money from your back pocket and run off without worrying that you’ll case him. If you do have to carry valuables with you for whatever reason, keep them locked in the hotel safe during the day. Remember, maids and other hotel personnel can rob you too, unless you use the safe, and that will be hard to prove if it happens.

Lastly, remember to protect your items at home as well. Have someone watch your house while you are traveling to the Caribbean to make sure that it is safe. You can even ask a friend or relative to stay there to defer thieves as well as take care of your pets and plants. Another tip is to make sure that your luggage is clearly marked with your name and address in case it gets lost, but at the same time, make sure that this identification is covered so that the person standing next to you can’t clearly read it. If a thief sees an entire family leaving on vacation ad reads you address, he or she can easily rob your home since you will definitely not be there.