Category: Travel Tips

Discovering Magic: Glistening Waters, Jamaica

HIGHLIGHTS Destination: Ocho Rios, Jamaica LOS: 3 days, 2 nights Lodging: Sand Castle Resort Airbnb Attractions: Glistening Waters; Blue Hole; Ocho Rios Bay Car Rental: Avis Having heard about a luminous lagoon in Falmouth, we knew this was an activity that we had to make happen in our short 3-day stay in Jamaica. Nestled along the north coast of Jamaica, lies this natural wonder that is truly captivating: Glistening Waters. Getting there: Driving DirectionsWe rented a car and drove ourselves, it was a straight drive from Ocho Rios to Falmouth, and clocked in at about 1:20. There’s also the option of purchasing through a tour operator, or with Glistening Waters themselves, and they will pick you up at your hotel and drop you back. Cost: 2 adults and 2 kids $75Option to purchase photos after the tour. Once we got there: We arrived and started our adventure as the clock struck 7:30 pm, with sleepy and cranky kids in tow. If you choose to drive there, you can’t miss it, there’s a bright red neon sign that announces you’re at the right place. We pulled in and walked straight up to the booth, purchased tickets which granted us a free drink, and settled in to wait for the next boat. A lively performance instantly lifted our spirits as well as the excitement of another large group that we would become fast friends with. The tour: The insightful guidance of our captain truly enriched our experience. As we boarded the boat, he welcomed us with a smile, his passion for the lagoon’s ecosystem evident in every word he spoke. With expert knowledge, he shared tales of the microscopic organisms known as dinoflagellates, whose bioluminescence creates the mesmerizing glow that illuminates the waters at night. It was fascinating to learn about the delicate balance of factors—such as temperature, salinity, and depth—that contribute to this natural spectacle. As the engines started the waters came alive with an ethereal glow, courtesy of the bioluminescent organisms that call this lagoon home. Our boat gently glided across the surface of the lagoon, and anticipation mounted, the glow in the boat’s wake was mesmerizing. With each movement, ripples of light trailed behind, leaving us spellbound by the beauty of nature’s luminescent display. It felt magical!   You’re able to jump into the lagoon and splash about to see the lights all around you, I was the first one in! Warning the bottom of the lagoon is marshy and feels yucky, so i highly recommend water shoes – not having any, I just doggy-paddled the entire time I was in and wasn’t much bothered by it. Soon enough everyone jumped in and the blue glowing splashes were everywhere!   Our time at Glistening Waters was not just a journey to witness one of nature’s wonders but a reminder of the power of curiosity and exploration, something I was so excited to share with our kids! From the sleepy arrival to the enchanting glow of the lagoon, every moment was filled with wonder and delight. As we bid farewell to this extraordinary place, we carried with us not just photographs but a newfound appreciation for the extraordinary beauty that surrounds us!   Some other places in the world where you’re able to witness the beauty of bioluminescence in its many forms are:

My method for trip-planning

My method for trip-planning Let’s start by stating the obvious, everyone’s method is going to look different. It all depends on your personal style. But you know that song “Everything is content, everything is content”; so why not share the method to my madness. Just like household chores my partner and I share trip-planning duties. He scrolls Google flights for the fun of it, always knows when new routes or a new airline starts from one of our home airports, and can tell you how many credit card points we have at the ready! I’m the one always pinning, or saving things to my various social media accounts, reading blogs, and have a running list in my head of the best Instagrammable spots in my top 5 destinations. So here we go… After the tickets are purchased and the hotels are booked, the fun begins! one ChaosAs soon as we have a destination I go a little crazy! I refer to my saved posts, and Pinterest boards, search hashtags, read blogs and just start plugging places into my Google map. At this point there’s no plan, there’s no strategy, and everything that catches my eye is plugged into the map. two RefineThe reality is,  we have a finite amount of time and we can’t ever do it all. So the cream rises to the top and I usually end up with a still robust wishlist of things to do. three StrategyAt this point, the hotels are usually booked and I plug them into the map and start to visualize our days. I recently found this online tool TRAVAA that helps me plan an itinerary so much better (more on this below). four ExploreYes, things are planned, but this plan is more of a suggestion. When you travel with kids you have no choice but to be very flexible. So I use our itinerary as a jumping-off point for each day. We can do this, this, and this, but let’s start with this and see where the day takes us. TRAVAA I have quite a collection of Google Maps, but I recently stumbled on Travaa which is like a hybrid of a Google map and a calendar. While you might feel super regimented just making it, keep in mind this is not set in stone. It’s a great way just to map out what can and can’t be accomplished in a day. But just because you can do something doesn’t mean you should! It is a vacation, sleep in; stop and smell the roses; linger at a farmer’s market; chat with a local, and find out what’s their favorite thing to do in the city. Definitely don’t become beholden to the list. Happy Planning! View this post on Instagram A post shared by Farrah CQ | Travel | Florida (@farrahwaytravels)

Universal Studio Japan

Universal Studio Japan View this post on Instagram A post shared by Farrah CQ (@farrah.cq) //www.instagram.com/embed.js

Top 5 Things We Did & Places We Went ~ Japan

Top 5 Things We Did & Places We Went ~ Japan I’ve had a week now to sit with the feelings and the experiences of our visit to Japan. I challenged myself to pick my top five things we did on this adventure. Japan is beautiful, in landscape, people and culture, needless to say, I am changed. When I visited Maui I also had these same feelings of Wow about its cultural beauty. In less than 2 weeks we did the typical tourist things to do – and hopefully a little extra – around the middle of Japan: Tokyo (Ginza, Shibuya, Harajuku, Chiba, Tokyo Bay); Shimoyoshida (for a view of Fuji-San); Osaka; Kyoto (Gion); Kobe. I tried my best to list it according to city/region, but I’m probably wrong in terms of how I broke it down. Here’s the full Google Map of all the places I had on my wishlist. We of course didn’t get to do everything on the list, and that wasn’t my intention. I just like to research the talked-about places and if we get to it, great, if not no biggie because we’re on vacation and we’re going to go at vacay-pace. Now onto the top 5… 5. five Kobe Kobe Nunobiki Herb Garden & Ropeway. My only complaint is that we didn’t go earlier. We were tired from number three on this list so we spent most of the day just relaxing at the hotel. The cable car ride is a joy in itself, going high, high into the mountains, and spying the Nunobiki Waterfall from a birds-eye view was tremendous! Instead of taking the cable car, you can also hike from the train station, I’ve read it’s an amazing hike. Once we got to the garden, the actual garden was already closed, again bummed that we didn’t leave earlier in the day. But exploring The Veranda was beautiful as well. I snapped so many flower pics. We ended the day with of course a dinner of Kobe beef at a local restaurant. The kids surprised me and loved it, they claimed it as the best meal of their trip. 4.four Tsujiki Outer Market So nice we went there twice. The biggest bonus was that we were within walking distance from our hotel! If you are a lover of food like Jason and I you’ll find yourself at Tsujiki Outer Market where vendors sell their fresh produce as well as prepare tasty food from these fresh, delicious ingredients. I could have wandered around that market for far many more hours than we were allotted by the 2 junior members of our family. 3.three Universal Studios Japan – Super Nintendo World To be honest I did not want to devote an entire vacation day, a whole 13 hours in the future, to a theme park 😑. I also read beforehand about the hoops and loops for entry. But alas I gave in because I knew it will thrill the kids. Little did I know that my husband and I were probably the ones that resonated more with this activity than I think even the kids did. The reason being we grew up with Nintendo and Super Nintendo! We are kids of the 80′ and 90’s, therefore our entire childhood was spent sliding down castle flagpoles, battling Bowser, and racing Karts. My kids only know the movie. Ours is a rich history of Goombas, and Piranha plants. I wrote another blog post devoted to a few tips for getting in! It was a fun, hot, thrilling day! 2.two Mount Fuji I told my family that I selected this as my #2, and they vetoed me and said Lawson’s was their pick. So I’ll tell you first a little bit about Lawson. It’s a convenience store. By now in your research, you’ve gathered that 7Eleven is a must when you go, and to get the egg salad sandwich. Both I 💯 endorse. Lawson is another convenient store in as many, if not more places than 7Eleven. So midnight runs by my husband and kids became the thing (while I luxuriated alone in the room). They would bring back Eggsalad and Chicken Teriyaki sandwiches (even better than just the egg salad); Pear Juice-so -good-you-can-bathe-in-it, according to Jason; a new snack, or whatever their guilty pleasure wanted. One of those strange things that become a core memory. Mount Fuji Did I hike up to Chureito Pagoda in my dress, yes – because I wanted cute pics and it was only 400 stairs…(dramatic pause) in the summer hahaha. I looked up all the things to do in this area but we only made it to this one, we were moving on vacation-self-guided-pace. If you want to do it all, check out this blog with all the top sites to hit. I was so happy just to have a clear, beautiful view of this volcano, and that was enough for me! We stopped along the way and picked fresh peaches from a roadside vendor, they were so delicious – summer peaches, that’s it. Simple goodness. 1.one Kyoto | Gion I think this was my favorite destination-type reel I’ve ever made. Kyoto is beautiful. And to walk amidst such historically rich grounds felt special. We went to the scenic Saga Arashiyama area of Kyoto and explored the United Nations World Heritage Site, Sogenchi Garden and Tenry-ji Zen Temple and environs. At this point, you’ve undoubtedly also seen photos of the bamboo groves, the most photographed area in Kyoto. To be honest I was a little haughty, we have bamboo in Trinidad, so it’s ok if we miss that one. But we went and it was absolutely peaceful and gorgeous and grounding to stand there amidst the towering stalks. There’s so much to do in Kyoto that it could spend a week there and still not explore all the beautiful landmarks. As for Gion, it can best be captured in this quote: Oh so deeply I love GionEven in my sleepThe stream…

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3 Days in La Fortuna/ Arenal

When I was preparing for this trip I was overwhelmed with all the tours and things to do in this area, so I hope if you happen upon this blog I can simplify it for you.

Ready for a Costa Rican Adventure!

Ready for a Costa Rican Adventure! “Dramatic Volcanos, misty cloud forest, and deep river valleys make Costa Rica an ideal destination for the adventure minded.” Travel and Leisure After 13 months of lockdown we were more than ready to get back to exploring this big and beautiful world of ours. In April my husband booked and planned a trip to Costa Rica as an anniversary surprise, knowing how much I love nature! My heart swells as I think back about breathing in the green; seeing the jewel toned Macaws just flying about, not in a zoo, but in their home; the awe of a looming volcano; the trickle of countless rivers and streams. It is truly a paradise. Traveling with Kids People often remark on how great it is that we bring the kids along on our travels, and I wouldn’t have it any other way. Travel is so much more accessible now than when we were younger and it’s such an amazing way to learn, so we definitely want to take them everywhere! I also think it’s so important for us to escape our comfort zones and feel sticky and hot, feel bored, get scared, feel exhilarated, all of it! While they may not remember all the details of the many places we hope to take them, they will remember we had family adventures. And of course, another thing that has changed dramatically since I was young was the amount of photos and videos that will serve as aides to their childhood memories. PURA VIDA I have a theory that every country with a catch phrase has it as a tourism ploy. The term “Pura Vida” though has been present in Costa Rica’s vocabulary for over 50 years and I have a feeling it’s more than a marketing gimmick. It’s English translation means “pure life” or “simple life”, its more then just a phrase- it is a way of life. I’m not very superstitious, but as I’m writing this blog post, my Social Media ADD kicks in and first up on my Instagram feed is an article by the NewYorker: Costa Ricans Live Longer Than Us, What’s The Secret? It reminds me of an observation that we made while there, how strange it was that in the multi-cultural melting pot of Miami, we’d never met someone from Costa Rica. Surely it means that they’re so happy with life at home, that emigration to the US isn’t very high. Sure enough when I googled it on my return to the US, I found via Wikipedia that emigration from Costa Rica to the US has been declining since the 1960’s. Do a quick search for yourself, there’s lots to find about Americans and Europeans flocking to Costa Rica, but not as much vice versa…must be that Pura Vida lifestyle! Oh and the secret to their longevity per the New Yorker article? “But what set Costa Rica apart wasn’t simply the amount it spent on health care. It was how the money was spent: targeting the most readily preventable kinds of death and disability.” Not rocket science, but not something many countries focus on, that age old saying rings true: prevention is better than cure! Their focus is on living that pure, good life, through and through. Want all the deets, hotels, things to do, etc, I’ve broken it up by day (Check out all my blogs on Costa Rica here) Here are the details of day one of our trip, first stop – san jose!

One Day in San Jose, Costa Rica

We spent most of our trip to Costa Rica in the La Fortuna/ Arenal area, but we were excited to check out the capital of San Jose for a day!