Sorry for the brief interruption....

Sorry for the interruption in postings. I will be resuming my normal postings going forward.

Getting a Room!

Now, after the long flight all I wanted to relax for a little while. I was so relieved to be able to reach the hotel. As I went to check in, the check-in attendant asked me for the credit card to secure the room. The room was reserved for me by the Vice President of the Jamaica office so needless to say, I did not have his credit card. What to do?!
I tried to call every number I had for the few people I had spoken to in our Jamaica facility. It seemed as if I would be sleeping on the streets of Mo-Bay. Just when I thought I was out of luck, the VP had come to the hotel to check on me. He said he wanted to be sure I was all settled in. The relief must have been all over my face. I finally was on my way to my room. Now I had about 2 hours to relax, shower, and dress before we went out for dinner.

How Amazing?!

As I stepped off the plane, I could not believe how unbelievable it was. To feel warm weather in the mid 80s, after coming from the crisp 60s of fall that was settling in New Jersey, was refreshing and staggering all at once. The sky was blue with nice, white puffy clouds floating through. The smell of salt water graced the air. The sea was crystal clear, calm, and a beautiful turquoise blue. There were lush green mountains in a distance with amazing views of the Caribbean Sea. How absolutely amazing!
The airport was small and we did have to exit outside to go back inside to make our way to customs and immigration. Once I presented my documents, picked up my luggage, I was shuffled to an area that had lots of shuttle offers for different hotels. However, I was waiting for a car to meet me. SO as I walked outside, I was approached by tens of taxi drivers asking if I needed a ride. Finally, I saw the sign with my name. WOO HOO! Now I was on my way to the hotel.
We drove along one street that was lined with hotels, restaurants, and other business. I was told this was the "Hip Strip" in Montego Bay (commonly called Mo-Bay). We went past several round-abouts (circles) then reached an intersection. I was told straight ahead was our office, but all I could see was a field with cows. As we turned, we went past the free zone area in which the cruise ships would dock. Then, finally we reached the hotel Sunset Beach Resort.
It had been a long day, and although the flight was not long, I was ready to have time to relax in the beauty of this tropical paradise.

So when we landed...

Once we were called to board, I started to get excited again. As I boarded the plane, I noticed it was virtually empty. Could you imagine only maybe 30 passengers on a normal size Boeing? It just seemed unreal. So many empty seats. We each had our own row to sit in. The flight took about 3 1/2 hours, which with the onboard movie, passed quickly. We passed over Cuba and the captain come on announcing we would be landing shortly. I was staring out the window watching as the blue waters turned lighter and bluer. It was absolutely amazing.
As we started to make our decent, I noticed the run way was right next to the sea. One 3 sides of it was water. That began to make me a little nervous. The landed however was smooth and seemless. I had finally arrived in Montego Bay, Jamaica!

Hotel Fee Cuts + Hotel Price Assurance. One-two punch of savings only on ORBITZ!

Flying to the Caribbean

On Sept 23,2001 I took my first trip to the Caribbean. I was full of excitement and yet on edge at the same time. As I entered the Philadelphia International Airport, I approached the check-in counter with great enthusiasm. The thought of flying to the sunny, serene, breath-taking tropics overwhelmed every inch of my body. After checking in as I proceeded to the security check point, I quickly became overwhelmed with fear. To see members of the US Armed Forces with huge assault rifles standing at every corner shook me back into reality about the times we were living in.
I continued my way to the gate, waited for my flight to be called, and called my friends to give me inspiration.

Caribbean Vacation Rentals

When it all began...

A few years back, I was working for a company that had offices both across the continental US and in Jamaica. One day shortly after Sept 11, 2001, I was asked to travel to the Jamaica office to assist with some training. Now being originally from central New Jersey, I was both excited and scared of this trip. I watched how many shots of the towers coming down, knew how many people directly affected by this terrorist act. However, as it would help to develop my career I decided to go.
My trip was planned out by my boss, VP in our Jamaica office, and the VP of my office. They set me up in an all-inclusive resort near the office in Montego Bay, Jamaica. They scheduled my flight and made all arrangements for my flight. I even was going to receive some petty cash for the "few days" I would be there. That is when I started to get a little excited about my first visit to a tropical paradise.

Teach English overseas. Paid placements available in China, Korea, Thailand, Vietnam & Greece