This Tidbit is 4 Sunset at the Palms in Negril.  ( All Inclusive )

We were in Negril Jamaica not long ago and the resort we stayed at was fantastic.  I found it quite by accident,  the line that caught my eye when I was researching resorts ” Spend your vacation in a treehouse”.  

 Sunset at the Palms is quiet,  clean, good food and the best for me were the daybeds on the balconies.   Each bungalow only had 2 rooms,  no matter where you were  you were unable to really see anyone’s area.

This resort is more for the vacationer that just want’s good food, service and to be able to relax at a very reasonable price.   I read all the reviews on Trip Advisor prior to booking and all but 1 was right on the money.

At this point I am just going to let the pictures speak for themselves.

Please feel free to leave me a comment if you would like further info.

Have a wonderful and safe adventure

Jaye

Please check out all the great specials on Jet Blue,  you might just be able to do a quick getaway for almost nothing.   I have included a link or you can just click on the Jet Blue logo in the right hand column.  Now Jet Blue is also offering a FREE checked bag!!
First Checked Bag Free at JetBlue!
Have a safe and wonderful trip.

Jaye

Get Free Nights when you book your vacation in Australia by April 30, 2010

Great Barrier Reef 

World Wonders, Wildlife and Laneways from $1695

9 nights PLUS receive THREE free nights (1 free night in Cairns, 1 free night in Adelaide, 1 free night in Melbourne)

Includes: Round trip airport transfers; 4 nights Cairns (First Class) or Port Douglas (Deluxe); Great Barrier Reef tour; 4 nights Adelaide; Full Day Kangaroo Island Adventure Tour; 4 nights Melbourne; Lanes and Arcades Walking tour; 4 breakfasts 3 lunches.

Travel Dates & Pricing:
4/1/10-3/31/11 – $1695 

Australia’s Native Foods

Australia’s Natural Flavors from $3535

11 nights PLUS receive ONE free night (1 free night in Melbourne)

Includes:3-day car rental; 2 nights Yarra Valley; 4 nights Melbourne; Savannah Walkabout Wildlife tour; Foodies Dream tour; Tjanabi Cultural Cooking Experience; 2 nights Barossa Valley; Barossa Valley Experience; 1 night Kangaroo Island; Kangaroo Island touring; 3 nights Adelaide; Aboriginal Cultural Experience; Adelaide Markets adventure; 12 breakfasts 5 lunches 1 dinner.

Travel Dates & Pricing:
4/1/10-8/31/10 – $3535

Barossa Valley

Waves and Wineries; A Road Trip from $2935

9 nights PLUS receive TWO free nights (1 free night in Melbourne, 1 free night in Adelaide)

Includes:4 nights Melbourne; 5-day car rental; 1 night Port Fairy; 2 nights Coonawarra; 4 nights Adelaide; Aboriginal Cultural Experience; Kangaroo Island Adventure; Adelaide Markets and Barossa Valley; 11 breakfasts 3 lunches.

Travel Dates & Pricing:
4/1/10-3/31/11 – $2935

Melbourne City

City Chic and Tropical Retreat from $2175

8 nights PLUS receive TWO free nights (1 free night in Melbourne, 1 free night in Cairns (First Class) or Port Douglas (Deluxe)

Includes:Round trip private airport transfers; 5 nights Melbourne; Yarra Valley tour; Savannah Walkabout Wildlife tour; Lanes and Arcades Walking tour; 5 nights Cairns (First Class) or Port Douglas (Deluxe); Great Barrier Reef tour; Tablelands, Waterfalls and Spanish Castles; Highlander Food Trail tour; 10 breakfasts 7 lunches.

Travel Dates & Pricing:
4/1/10-3/31/11 – $2175 

Kangaroo Island

City and Outback from $3795

8 nights PLUS receive ONE free night (1 free night in Adelaide)

Includes:6 nights Adelaide; Kangaroo Island Adventure; Wildlife and Culture tour; Barossa Valley tour; 3 night Flinders Ranges Experience including: 1 night Wilpena Pound, 1 night Arkaroola, 1 night Blinman; 6 breakfasts 5 lunches

Travel Dates & Pricing: 
4/1/10-5/31/10 – $3795

Daintree Rainforest, QLD

Reef, Rainforest, Dolphins and Crocs from $2195

8 nights PLUS receive ONE free night (1 free night in Cairns (First Class) or Port Douglas (Deluxe))

Includes:Round trip airport transfers; Round trip launch transfers to Moreton Island; 2 nights Moreton Island; 3 nights Daintree Rainforest; Australian Wilderness Safari; 4 nights Cairns (First Class) or Port Douglas (Deluxe); Great Barrier Reef tour; Railway, Kuranda, Skyrail and Tjapukai; Hartley’s Crocodile Adventure; 3 breakfasts 3 lunches (Deluxe option includes 4 additional breakfasts)

Travel Dates & Pricing:
11/1/09-3/31/10 – $2150
4/1/10-3/31/11 – $2195

Call Swain Tours at 1-877-790-2128 for more info or email
Swain Tours can also help with the best available airfare, call today!

Please let me know if you enjoy one of these adventures and keep us all informed of your travels.

Have a safe and wonderful trip

Jaye

The departure date for Jamaica at this time is Mar 15th!!

 Yeah!! I hope to be able to keep you all  up on the beautiful beaches ,sunsets  and the resort that we are staying at Sunset at the Palms in Negril Jamaica.   If I do not have Internet access I will have pictures and stories when I return.

I am going to have a safe adventure

Jaye

That said, crime overall in Mexico is down from its late 1990s highs. But the perception of drug-related violence, combined with leftover fears of the H1N1 virus, has taken its toll on Mexico’s reputation as a safe travel destination. Tourism dropped 20 percent in 2009 from the previous year.

For more detailed information on staying safe in Mexico, please see the following

•  Mexico Country Specific Information. 
•  “Spring Break in Mexico- Know Before You Go!!”
•  http://travel.state.gov/
•  Worldwide Caution, Travel Warnings,
•  Travel Alerts can be found. Up-to-date information on security can also be obtained by calling 1-888-407-4747 toll free in the United States and Canada, or, for callers from Mexico, a regular toll line at 001-202-501-4444.  These numbers are available from 8:00 a.m. to 8:00 p.m. Eastern Time, Monday through Friday (except U.S. federal holidays).  American citizens traveling or residing overseas are encouraged to register with the appropriate U.S. Embassy or Consulate on the State Department’s travel registration website at https://travelregistration.state.gov/.
• For any emergencies involving U.S. citizens in Mexico, please contact the U.S. Embassy or the closest U.S. Consulate.  The U.S. Embassy is located in Mexico City at Paseo de la Reforma 305, Colonia Cuauhtemoc, telephone from the United States: 011-52-55-5080-2000; telephone within Mexico City: 5080-2000; telephone long distance within Mexico 01-55-5080-2000.  You may also contact the Embassy by e-mail at: ACSMexicoCity@state.gov
•  http://www.usembassy-mexico.gov/.

To read the complete alert you can go to,

•  http://travel.state.gov/travel/cis_pa_tw/pa/pa_4491.html

Please if you have travel plans for spring break, stay extra safe, careful and have great adventure

Jaye

Here are some tips to make your airport experience hassle-free:

•  Arrive at the airport early.  Even if your flight is delayed.  The airlines may make other arrangements to make sure that flight takes off on time.   You may have to pay a penalty if you tell them ” I checked and the flight was delayed”.
•  Wear comfortable shoes that can easily be removed during the security screening process.
• Weigh your checked and carry-on bags prior to arrival to ensure that all your baggage are within the weight and size allowances.
• Ensure that you have the required travel documents readily available at all times to present to the security officials and to agents upon request.  If you are traveling international you may need special documentation.
• Remember, carrying sharp or other dangerous objects that can be used as weapons are strictly prohibited aboard the aircraft. Both your checked and carry-on baggage will be screened. Pack appropriately to avoid any inconvenience at the security checkpoints.  If you are unsure you can always check the TSA website for complete information.
• http://www.tsa.gov.
• Please be aware of items that may cause delays during the security screening process. Jewelry, belt buckles, keys, phones, pagers, etc. should be placed in carry-on baggage and not left on your person.
• Film should be packed in carry-on baggage as equipment used to screen checked baggage may damage undeveloped film.
• Gifts in your carry-on baggage should not be wrapped as they may be opened during the security screening process.
• Arrive at the gate early to await the boarding of your flight.

Please have a safe and wonderful trip.

Jaye

My travel companion and I made our first foray into the Drakensburg mountain ranges of Lesotho.  We started our tour in the capital city of Maseru and went all the way around the country returning to Maseru 5 days later.  We had done part of the tour (to Pitseng) the weekend before to visit friends so did not include that section of the country in the tour.   We managed to do a guided tour of the Katse Dam, Liphofung Cultural and Historical site, and the Masitise Cave House.  The rest of the trip was done at our own pace and with a little help from the locals, managed to stay pretty well on track.  We had some good maps, a list of accommodations, and a list of places of interest that were excellent sources of information.

Travel in the mountains is best done in a 4wheel drive and one that is well up off the ground.  We actually made the trip in a Toyota corolla and although we ran into some tight spots we were able to travel most of the roads. 

The scenery is fabulous and my travel companion speaks the local language of Sesotho and many of the locals also spoke English so we learned a lot of local facts and history.   The Orange River originates in the Drakensburg Mountain Range and in known in Lesotho as the Senqu River and enters the Atlantic Ocean 2200 km. away at Alexander Bay.   The Maletsunyane Falls along the way is the largest free falling waterfall anywhere in Southern Africa at 204 m. as well as being a Guinness record holder for the highest commercial abseil in the world.

The country is well known for the large diamonds discovered in the mines.  The Lesotho Promise was 603 karats of white diamond and the Lesotho Brown at 601 karats is the second largest discovered in the same mine previously.

Mountain life is very simplistic as most residents live in rondavels and do not have electricity.  They have a stone enclosure built onto the rondavel to accommodate the livestock at night.  Farming is done on tiered fields up the sides of the mountains and any available flat land, especially near the river.  Plowing and seeding are done by hand with the use of oxen, horses or donkeys and hand held plows.

I want to thank my friend Rose for the wonderful post and pictures.   I hope to travel there someday

Have a wonderful adventure

Jaye