Tag: story

How an Act of Kindness can Benefit You

How an Act of Kindness can Benefit You

Most of the guests at Silver Sands Jamaica utilize the professional transportation services provided by Mysilversands. One of Mysilversands contractor drivers, doing his usual duties, picked up a party of guests who had completed their stay in a Silver Sands villa, and took them back to the airport at Montego Bay.
The guests had a great vacation! They went out more and did more shopping than they had planned, maxing out their credit and debit cards. But they had retained a generous amount of cash and gave it to their driver as a tip for the excellent service he had provided them during their stay.
These guests did not realize that their airline had not included the usual Airport Departure Tax in the cost of their plane tickets. Their airline also had not advised them of the departure tax, which is required in order to leave the island.
Furthermore, this tax, if not included in the airline ticket, can only be paid at the airport in cash. When the guests checked in and were asked for the cash for their departure tax, they were stuck! They did not know what to do.
One of the party wandered outside the airport terminal and saw that their driver had not yet departed. He explained their predicament to the driver, who promptly said, “No problem! How much do you need?”
The driver shoved his hand in his pocket and handed back the tip, and then topped it up with more from his wallet to make the total necessary to cover the departure tax for all the passengers. The guests could not believe their luck, thanked the driver, promised to repay the loan, and left.
A few days later, the driver received a package by courier. The guests had returned the money for the departure tax and an even bigger tip this time! Fair enough, the guests showed their appreciation for the driver’s act of kindness and trust.
But that was not the end of the matter. A few weeks later, the driver received a phone call from some guests staying at a nearby hotel. They needed a driver and they wanted him to take them everywhere they wanted to go. They had heard about him from their good friends, the guests stuck at the airport without their departure tax. They had decided immediately that he would have to be their driver during their upcoming visit to Jamaica.
And so the story of the trusting, helpful driver was passed on and on. The driver continued to please, providing his usual excellent service. All his customers took his  phone number and they passed it, with the story, along to their friends who passed it along to their friends, and so on. People the driver had never met would call up and say things like “I hear you are the most honest driver in Jamaica, can you do my tours please?” The referrals kept piling up.
This single act of kindness from this driver started a chain reaction which resulted in this driver getting more jobs than he could handle. And being the kind person that he is, he started referring the business he could not handle to his trusted friends. And these drivers introduced many of these visitors who were staying in hotels to Silver Sands villas, thereby generating new business for Mysilversands.

Cruise Deals: Now You Can Take Your Family on the Trip of a Lifetime

Cruise Deals: Now You Can Take Your Family on the Trip of a Lifetime

Sometimes taking a family vacation is more trouble than it is worth. This is something that most people have to learn the hard way.
Taking the family on a road trip across the country might seem like a good idea, but hour after hour in the cramped car will cause tensions to quickly rise and brother will turn against brother in a backseat version of the Civil War.
National Lampoon tried to warn us of this with its tragic portrayal of the Griswald family. America thought it was a joke. How na?ve we were.
Today, more and more families are finally discovering the advantages of a cruise vacation. They have all the benefits of a road trip and none of the drawbacks. You get to see multiple locations but you don’t have to worry about booking a hotel. Dad isn’t getting stressed about driving and the kids won’t get cabin fever because they have the whole boat to explore!
Cruise lines are finally figuring out that there are lots of families out there interested in a cruise vacation, and there are more affordable family packages and destinations out there today than there ever were before. Here are a few great ideas for cruises that will be fun for the whole family.
Royal Caribbean runs a three-night cruise of the Bahamas so even if you can’t get a whole week of work off, you and the family can still get away for a nice long weekend. This trip leaves from Miami, Florida and has stops in CocoCay and Nassau. What’s more, they also offer a reduced rate for the third and fourth passenger so it is even easier to bring the whole family along!
If you want a slightly longer stay, Royal Caribbean also has a four-night cruise that leaves from Fort Lauderdale and sails around the southern tip of Florida and into the Gulf of Mexico. The ship makes a day stop in Key West before hitting the seas overnight on its way to Cozumel, Mexico for a full day of exploring. After that it is another day or cruising the high seas before docking back in Fort Lauderdale.
For East Coasters who don’t want to make the plane trip down south, Norwegian Cruise lines runs a seven-night trip that sails out of New York City and on to the Bahamas. This also features a stop at Norwegian’s own private island!
For the kids, this cruise ship also features the Splashdown Kid’s Club, Sapphire Kid’s Pool, and Underground Teen’s Club. While they are busy the adults can sneak off to the Relaxation Room at the Bora Bora Health Spa or have a cocktail at the martini bar!
Of course some families don’t like all of the running around and might prefer a vacation where they get to their destination and spend a few days just relaxing. Celebrity Cruises’ Celebrity Summit sets sail out of Bayonne, New Jersey and after two long days at sea it docks for three whole days at beautiful King’s Wharf, Bermuda. This locale is known for its gorgeous and convenient beaches and palm tree-lined streets.
While you are docked at King’s Wharf you will still be able to enjoy the ship’s many amenities. The Summit features basketball courts, a golf simulator, and shuffleboard. And don’t forget to check out the swimming pool or any of the four whirlpools!
As for wining and dining, Master Chef Michel Roux presides over the kitchen of the two-story main restaurant. There is also a dine-in wine cellar and the Mast Bar, which overlooks the pool. You’ll have so much fun on the Summit you won’t want to leave the boat!
Still, there are surely families out there who have experienced the pleasures of the Bahamas and the relaxing waters of the Caribbean. They are ready to sail new and uncharted territory!
For these adventurous families MSC Cruises offers a seven-night cruise of the Western Mediterranean. This once-in-a-lifetime trip leaves from Genoa and explores the cities of Ajaccio, Civitavecchia, Salerno, Tunis, Palma De Mallorca, and Toulon.
It should be noted that there are advantages and disadvantages for a family when on a port-heavy trip like this. Some younger kids might not be as into touring the cities of the Mediterranean as the adults are. That being said, if your kids are in fact up for a little multi-cultural exploring, it is important to note that all children who are 17 and younger sail FREE when they are staying in the same room as two full fare paying passengers!
Family vacations are an important part of childhood and they strengthen bonds between family members more than they may initially realize. Spending a whole week crammed into a hotel room or in a rental car can sometimes cause more stress between family members than is being let off.
A family trip on a cruise ship gives everyone a chance to have a little bit of breathing room. There is still plenty of opportunity for the family to hang out for some quality time, but there is so much to do on a cruise ship that people can take a break from each other if they need it. This will keep everybody happy and relaxed for the entire trip.

Ubud: Up Close & Personal

Ubud: Up Close & Personal

When I finished reading “Eat, Pray, Love” a couple of years ago, I fantasized about moving to Ubud; finding a cozy Balinese cottage in the middle of a rice paddy with a yoga studio right down the street.

When we actually landed in Ubud for the first time this summer, I couldn’t believe my eyes: the quaint artists’ village I had envisioned is actually a bustling mecca of restaurants, art galleries, jewelry shops, cafes and spas – not a yoga studio in sight let alone a spare square inch on the topsy turvy sidewalk we attempted to maneuver with the kids. Note to self: Ubud is not the place to bring a stroller; better off with a Kelty backpack carrier, for sure.

Even in the “slow” season which is regarded as October thru April, Ubud is a beehive of activity. Despite the pace though, there is a different energy here that feels deeper, more grounded than many of the coastal towns; you climb the mountain and the temperature drops a few degrees, coconut, banana, banyan and plumeria trees hover along steep precipices overlooking rocky, flowing streams. You have to take your time in Ubud. It is not the kind of place to spend half a day and feel like you’ve really seen what she has to offer.

The best strategy is to spend a few days and take each street slowly; shop for an hour then people watch inside a cafe and have a fresh watermelon juice or ginger tea. A fantastic souvenir that a few of the shops specialize in is a double-ply parachute fabric hammock; they are bright, durable and will remind the family of Bali for years to come. The jewelry selection is mind boggling, loungy; eco-fabric clothing shops for men and women as well as really fun children’s lines such as Dandelion Baby tempt you in every turn.

There is also art everywhere; good and bad. Dismiss the oversized, beret sporting Che Guevara portraits and duck into one of Ubud’s smart little art galleries such as T-artspace which features temporary exhibits of contemporary Indonesian artists. Right around the corner you’ll find Ganesha Bookshop which has a fabulous collection of Balinese Books and Bali Buddha; where Ubud’s “hippy set” go for a great vegetarian meal, organic necessities and locally made products.

If you’re in a heartier mood, head to the bright and beautiful two-story Laughing Buddha Bar for an amazing bowl of shrimp wonton soup and live music most nights of the week. And if you’re feeling really frisky, head to humble Naughty Nuri’s which boasts the most famous martini on the island. A great place to call home base is Honeymoon Guesthouses which is located within walking distance to everything and offers a fabulous cooking school as icing on the cake.

Wagaami

Wagaami

Travel is a major part of my life, I’m a traveling salesman for a large firm in Houston, Texas.  Well I’m proud to say I’m very good at it, as I alone was responsible for $560,000 in sales this past year, no easy feat in this economic times. Well anyway I want to share one of my most memorable travel experiences. You must be getting ready for a sexy escapade type of story but no it actually has to do with a short time I had free in Los Angeles, CA. Once there I made some sales, but that’s not noteworthy, what I was really impressed with was the time I had with a wagaami. Yes a wagaami, well before I get started I must tell you what a wagaami is if you don’t already know. A wagaami is a non sexual escort.
What!? Yes you read right, a non sexual escort, companion, whatever you want to call it.
The Truth is, is that they are really not for sex or any kinky activity. Anyway I had a free day in LA after my sales run where over. So I said to myself, do I do the usual and go out and explore on my own? or hire a professional from LA that can really show me around. I browsed the web for something like that and wagaami.com came up. I was pleasantly surprised as on the website I could pick the wagaami I wanted to show me around LA. Whats great is that you don’t have to pay a silly membership fee to see the Wagaami on the site, you could just browse and select from there. I had time and money so I couldn’t think of a better way to spend my free time as I’m not one to get with hookers, that’s not how I was raised (thank you Mom)
I finally make my choice and booked my wagaami. Let me tell you she was beautiful to the max, and here’s the kicker she was actually smart!. Wagaami.com set it all up I paid up front, met her on Hollywood Blvd by the Kodak Theater. I was a little nervous at first cause lets face it she was hot and sexy, but this is not what this was about. I wanted to see places I would definitely not know of cause jeez I don’t live there.
I was right, we went to some great spots! yes we saw the regular tourist things but then she said, let me show you were the real Hollywood peeps hangout. I was like heck yeah, lets go!. I had an amazing time there and boy I’m I glad that Wagaami exist in LA, oh and their also in NYC and Miami. I would get into details but I’m tired of writing as this is not what I do for a living, I just wanted to share a wonderful experience and one that everyone should try. Go to wagaami.com and check for yourself. Nuff said
Peter Goldberg