Wanderlust – Page 2

Asian Adventure: 30+ hours of Travel

Hey Hey Hey! I’m back from nearly three weeks travelling South East Asia. It was a fantastic trip filled with good food, lots of dancing, new friends and shopping galore!

Y’all know I was anxious about doing such a BIG trip travel solo … PLUS, I was determined to fly without checking any luggage what-so-ever there.

Well, on the eve of my departure it turns out that my travel backpack ended up being larger than the allowable carry-on dimensions as per airport regulations.

Knowing that it isn’t easy finding larger clothes in the cities I’d be visiting … with all my many connections, the possibility of losing my luggage filled with PLUS SIZE clothing was terrifying.

And so last min, I transferred all my items into my trusty roller-bag and mini-backpack instead!

I was determined to get myself to the airport WITHOUT my winter coat.

So I dressed in the following layers for the 30+ hour journey to get to my first destination of my Adventure – Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia.

**Pearson Travel Outfit:** Black zip from *Reitmans;* Fox scarf from *Suzy Sheer;* Printed pants from Forever21+; Batman Tee from *Ardene;* Black sneaks from Payless

The long flights there (with layovers of waiting in-between) weren’t so terrible. It was all pretty low stress until I arrived in Frankfurt Airport – my longest layover and last leg of my journey there. So I decided to treat myself to German schnitzel and beer, and was approached by two Indian pilots (one more handsome than the other) who asked if they could join me. Seems mama still gots it even after 20+ hours of travel grime – must be those sexy compression socks, makes pilots crazy friendly 😉

Did you know that there’s now a new 15-hour flight direct from Toronto to New Delhi, India? True story.

Moi … 20+ hours of straight travel and those sexy compression socks Pilots can’t get enough of 😉

After I drank my beer and said farewell to my new pilot friends, I made my way to get my boarding pass and was given misdirections by TWO different Lufthansa desk clerks one telling me my gate was Z-something …. only to get there and be sent back where I began. Grrrrr And then was issued a Stand By ticket …dun dun dun.

Luckily the third desk clerk I spoke to managed to secure me a proper seat with my ORIGINAL booking. **phew**

After 20-hours of continuous travel…the last thing you want to see on your airline ticket is the dreaded words: STANDBY~ akkk!

FLYING HOME

The journey home was pretty smooth……just ridiculously long. (That’s what you get when you fly across the globe on points friends.)

I woke up at 4:45am to take a 10min cab ride to the KL Airport Express Train (35min ride) to catch my morning connection from KL to Bangkok. Once I arrived there, I had a little over an hour to make my way through Bangkok customs and find my gate for my next connection to Beijing.

Cutting it super tight, right? I finally arrived at my departure gate to see that FINAL CALL all-red flashing sign — maybe the most terrifying feeling when you know you have yet another connect to make. This was the first time I flew Thai Airways and I have to say their airplane food was delicious!

The last leg of my journey in Beijing (who’s airport was completely nuts – zero signs written in English + No one lines up for anything! Just a mass of people mashing their bodies and luggage into each other until they get to a clerk at a desk – nuts!!!!) An elderly gentleman – a professor in Hong Kong on his way to his father’s funeral in Hamilton, Ontario, struck up a conversation with me. Seems I look most approachable and friendly in the last hours of lengthy travel days. Sigh…

Confucius says: “Man going through airport turnstile sideways is going to Bangkok.”🎊

Kuala Lampur. Bangkok. Beijing. Toronto. 4 countries, 30+ hours of time-travelling travel. It was the LONGEST Friday ever!!!

Ditching the giant travel backpack for a roller-bag was definitely the right decision! With all the swing dancing nights and visits to multiple airports to get to the various destinations we had planned, having a roller-bag totally saved my back!

Funny story… just as I arrived to the doorstep of my gf’s place in KL, I was praising how great my lil’ roller-bag has been these past 3-years it’s been with me…and just as those words utter on my lips – the handle broke! Leaving me to have to pull this mofo bag by the straps for the remainder of the trip. LOL!

Not to fear, I bought myself a lovely new roller-carryon for my return home (and checked my broken bag on my flight home…since I ended up buying a ton of things from all three cities – Kuala Lampur – Boracay – Hoi An).

FullSizeRender — Isn’t she a beauty? Looking forward to taking her on many more adventures in the near future 😉

I’m still working on my recap blogposts for each city I visited. So stay tuned for those in the upcoming weeks friends.

In the meantime, feel free to follow my INSTAGRAM and catchup with a few snaps I took while I was on my Asian Adventure… as they happened. xo

Asian Adventure includes:

Boracay, Philippines – White Sand Beach – click here for blogpost

Hội An, Vietnam – VLX

Hội An, Vietnam – The Ancient City

Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia – Food, Fun and Fashion

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FYI…

Hi friends, just a quick note to say I’m sticking to my New Year promises to myself and am taking my first vacation of the year. I’ll be exploring three countries in South East Asia with just the clothes on my back!!!

Looking forward to the warm weather, exotic foods and hopefully I’ll find some great plus-size clothing to bring back. 🙂

I won’t be doing regular blogposts while I’m away, but will be INSTAGRAMING on the regular. Follow me and my Asian Adventures. xo

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Asia: Clothes vs. Backpack

In exactly TWO Fridays, I’ll be at the airport on my way to the tropics to explore and live as beach bum for nearly a month with only the items I bring on my back – literally.

With all my many flights and connections, I’ve decided NOT to check any luggage. Which means, I’ve gotta come up with 22-days worth of outfits NEEDS to fit into my 1 piece of carry-on below … yikes! 😮

My immediate thought: Where Do The SHOES Go!??!?!

When I did my big trip to India, I bought myself a sturdy Women’s North Face backpack with Opti Fit™ System provides an intuitive, adjustable, easy-to-use-tool to measure torso length to ensure a correct fit. This was a big deal since I’m all of 5’2 – these adjustments were critical. The shoulder harness easily slides up or down according to user’s back length, and cam locks pack in place. This pack is also tough enough to withstand the forces of nature and airport security.

It was pretty expensive (I picked it up on sale when I bought it back in 2012), but within the world of backpacks and suitcases it’s certainly worth the investment if you’re planning on traveling long-term.

Thank you for your comments and suggestions on the Petite Plus, Meow’s FB page … it has helped me come up with a checklist to pack the essentials.

I went out and bought myself a new Travel Purse aka Day-Trip Bag … its material is apparently slash-proof and has a cut-proof shoulder strap too. I’ve been warned about aggressive pickpockets where I’m headed, so it’s kinda nice knowing my bag won’t be such as easy victim. Especially since this will be the bag I keep my most prized possessions like money, credit cards, passport and snacks from airport to airport.

71TBcCCdhXL._SL1500_ — Travelon Anti-Theft Cross-Body Bucket Bag in black

The weather is expected to be tropical super-summer-heat for the month of March (30+ degrees). Plus, the main religions present in the three countries I’ll be exploring are: Islam, with significant Buddhist, Hindu and Christian minorities. These are the two factors I’ve gotta keep in mind when coming up with outfit choices for the trip.

If you’ve been following my Instagram, you know that ROUND 1 of determining what to pack was an epic fail!!! 😦

ROUND 2 was much better.

Tah-Dah!!! This is what I’ve managed to streamline my choices. Here’s what I’ll be bring in my backpack …

Thin long pants. I plan on wearing these on my flight days.
Sun hat. Packed one that bounces back into shape, regardless of being packed in my carry-on.
Large, thin scarf. This is great for a chilly night out and useful for covering up shoulders, head and cleavage as needed. Plus it dresses up an ordinary outfit – cute scarves make it look like I’m at least trying.
Belt. Figured it would give me more options when mix and matching, giving an outfit a different/new look.
Comfort tank tops (x4). For daytime activities and easy beachwear.
Sarong. This not only can be a cover up at the beach…. but it can act as a fast trying towel, a sheet to picnic on, blanket for an over air-conditioned bus ride.
Swimsuits (x2-3). I just got my GabiFresh Swimsuitsforall – my first two-piece ever! These will be making their debut Fo Sho!!
Sun dresses (x5). These are basically what I wear everyday. Plus one extra one that currently fits me perfectly that I’m hoping to get copied by a tailor in Vietnam.
Lounge shorts. I’m not a bit shorts wearer, but figured in 30+ degree weather I may want something quick n’ easy to pull for those lazy mornings.
Nice tank tops (x3) for dinners out or party evenings.
Sleep clothes.
Small cross-body purse. Great for heading out to dinner when I don’t need to carry much – this one has a wristlet strap too. The cross-body strap is nice because I never have to take it off, even when sitting. And I can adjust the strap to fit across my waist (like a fanny pack) at swing dancing events. This helps deter would-be purse snatchers.
Sun glasses (x2). I’m known for losing a pair of sunnies on every vacation I take, so I always bring along two … lesson learned
Flip flops. Bring one pair that can get wet for the beach. Plus, need something to walk around in the hotel room (and possibly in the shower).
Slip-on shoes. I plan on swing dancing while I’m there, and my usual dance shoes needed replacement and more support. So I bought myself some cute black Champions memory foam that can be sporty or dressed up. These will likely be what I wear on planes too (with a pair of socks).
Walking sandals. Something light, breathable, and easy to slip on is fantastic in hot, beachy climates…, or if I have a big day sight-seeing. I plan on wearing these the most all trip, so these are also memory foam supported.
Black pencil skirt. This basic piece will help transform any of the top options into evening/party wear.
Tee-shirts (x2). For travel days so my backpack doesn’t rub on my bare shoulders.

+ tons of panties & bras that go with most of my outfits above. There you have it….22 days of outfits in 1 backpack…HAZZA!!! 😀

Happy to report that I’ve done a practice run at packing my pack — using the ‘burrito method’, where you layer clothes flat onto of each other and then roll them all up together and end up with one giant burrito of travel clothes…which then easily fit into a long backpack (like mine), maximizing the space.

I’ll likely bring along a simple solid cardigan too for the flights … I haven’t figured out my “Pearson Airport” outfit yet, but I’m determined to wear items out of the above in layers, reducing the bulk of my backpack a bit more. And, am aiming to leave my winter coat at home.

So glad I tackled this well in advance of my trip, as I was really anxious. I hear it isn’t easy finding larger clothes in the cities I’ll be visiting. With all my many connections, the possibility of losing my luggage filled with PLUS SIZE clothing was terrifying. Even more motivation to only travel with carry-on!

I’m very proud of myself for being able to streamline my choices as much as I have. And I’m determined to continue treating the world as my runway … even if it means wearing pieces that are wrinkled repeats that have been slightly re-accessoried to give me a new look from my travel backpack.

South East Asia … here I come! Akkk! 😀

To find out where exactly I’m going click here. To find out what to know before you go, click here.

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Asia: 22 days – 3 countries

In an effort to keep my 2015 promise to myself to Shop Less, and Travel More … I’ve taken the bulk of March off work to explore South-East Asia.

In my last post, I reviewed the 5 essential things to know before you go ….the importance of planning BEFORE a big trip. I’m happy to report that I’ve been able to book all my flights, determine a budget for the overall trip, topped up my travel insurance, and have made an appointment for all necessary vaccinations with a travel clinic for early next week (giving me plenty of time to begin any early doses of meds, if required). I’m feeling pretty accomplished friends. 🙂

Now, the big question remains … WHERE the heck am I going?

The Huffington Post recently put out an article entitled: The Top 50 Cities To See In Your Lifetime. I’m sad to report that I’ve only been to 8 out of these 50 cities so far. Buuuuuut…come March 2015, I’ll be able to check off #26 from this list!

DESTINATION #1: Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia

This is the capital and most populous city in Malaysia. The main religion there is Islam, with significant Buddhist, Hindu and Christian minorities. With tropical super-summer-heat weather from March through to July. I’ve gotta keep both of these elements in mind when coming up with outfit choices.

Sadly, there won’t be any major festivals being celebrated while I’m there. This is the first destination of this trip as I’m meeting a gf of mine who currently lives there. Once I’ve recovered from the 29-hour flight there (yup…29-hours of solo travel – two stopovers – ew! That’s what you get when you book big travel on points friends.) After taking a few days to adjust to the time difference, she and I will head off together to ………….

DESTINATION #2: Boracay, Philippines

This is a small and most famous island in the Philippines – known for its beautiful beaches, and pricey resorts, with a major party scene. Woot! Woot! We’ve decided to book a more modest hotel for the bulk of our stay here, but do a two-day splurge-o at a fancy spot before we depart.

Thinking I might even don my very first bikini on this beach …let’s see if my online order arrives on time…and if my body confidence is at an all time high by then. The main religion here is Roman Catholic, so I’ll fit right in – catholic guilt and all 😉

DESTINATION #3: Hội An, Vietnam

Our last trip will be to this historic Old City in Vietnam, with a unique mix of Japanese, Vietnamese, and European influences. Turns out, there’s a community of swing dancers out here and they are hosting a dancing weekend while I’m there!!!

VLX – Vietnam Lindy Exchange, is a fun weekend of Swing dance exchange hosted by Saigon Swing Cats annually since 2009 in different towns in Vietnam. (Mui Ne, Hoi An, Nha Trang, Saigon).

1653406_10155087428325553_2362633757546518728_n — 2015 VLX – Swing Dancers Nationality

Apparently for the first time in the history of the VLX, this year, the Vietnamese represent less than 10% of the dancers. We have signed ourselves up for the full weekend – which means we don’t have to do much research for hotels – yay! I’m also determined to find a fab tailor to make me some custom threads too while we’re in Vietnam, I just hope there’s enough time.

There you have it folks – high level overview of where and what I’m planning on doing in South-East Asia. Weeeeeee! Writing this post has been super helpful – It’s really REAL now and I’m getting excited.

Full Disclosure: I’m freaking out!!!

This will be the first time I’m flying completely solo — I’m a nervous flyer in general, and these multiple connections I’ve gotta do alone is making me very anxious. Plus, don’t the airplanes of Malaysia have a recent history of disappearing all together!?!?!? 😮

Packing right is going to be incredibly important. With all my many flights and connections, I’ve decided NOT to check any luggage. Which means, I’ve gotta come up with 22 days worth of outfits that are cultural respectful, yet summertime comfortable that fits into 1 piece of carry-on only … yikes!

That’s gonna be challenging. Stay tuned for my next post where I’ll cover just that friends. Dun dun dunnnnnnn…

What are the MUST pack vs. Nice-to-pack items that YOU’D recommend I take along with me for this upcoming adventure friends? Would love your packing tips and thoughts and tricks — leave them in the comments below.

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Asia: What To Know Before You Go

PPMeow! turned one year old a few weeks ago … and in an effort to make the most of this New Year, I took a START-STOP-CONTINUE approach to help me focus on what I wanted to accomplish and focus on.

I promised myself to START Shopping Less, to Travel More!

Well…I’m doing just that friends!! I’ve taken the bulk of March off work to explore South-East Asia!

In 2012, I was fortunate enough to finally visit The Motherland (India) …without being limited to strictly visiting one distant relative’s home to another, as I remember doing as a child on our only family trip to Calcutta. This time I travelled with a gf — we took 21-days to explore several cities in Northern and Eastern parts of India, which included: Delhi – Varanasi – Agra – Jaipur – Pushkar – Udaipur – Goa – Mumbai. This was the most adventurous trip I had ever taken – complete with 8 near-death experiences. Click here for a few pics of that fab trip.

That was my first time travelling to Asia as an adult. And in preparation, I did a bunch pre-trip research at that time. Research that I needed to refresh myself on as I prepare for this next visit in a couple of months. So I thought I’d share my tips with y’all in this post 🙂

According to The Rough Guide’s First-Time Asia there are 5 ESSENTIALS to know before you go…

1. Visas & Boarders

A Visa is a document showing that a person is authorized to enter the territory for which it was issued. The country issuing the visa typically attaching various conditions of stay, such as the territory covered by the visa, dates of validity, period of stay, whether the visa is valid for more than one visit, etc. Many Asian countries issue visas free of charge on arrival at major airports and land-boarders. You simply show that your official your passport is valid for at least another six months and that you have a ticket out of the country. India, however, requires visitors to buy a visa in advance before arriving.

This table gives a broad outline of visa requirements in Asia, You should confirm the details of a visa requirements for a particular country before travelling as rules at each embassy changes often. The forms can be lengthy and may require you to hunt down info that you may not know off-hand. So, best to start the visa process early, if you can.

2. Booking the Flight

Once you have your visa application, you can now BOOK A FLIGHT. The travel industry is hugely competitive business so it pay to shop around! talking to a travel agent will help you come up with interesting alternatives within your destination as well. Some of the sites I’ve had the most luck with are Flight Centre; CheapFlights.ca; and SkyScanner.

3. Travel Insurance

Whatever the length of your trip to Asia, it is strongly advised that you arrange travel insurance to cover medial treatment and perhaps the loss of personal possessions. If you get seriously ill or are involved in an accident, your insurance coverage will enable you to get the best care as well as medical evacuation to your home country, if necessary. The insurance industry is also a highly competitive one, so shop around and price compare on websites to help you make your mind up. Also check with your company benefits provider, as well your credit card providers – there might be some cardholder deals available to you for travel insurance. 😉

4. Vaccinations

Preparing for a great trip doesn’t just involve packing right, it also involves preparing yourself medically to ensure your travels are healthy and worry-free while you’re there and upon your return.

This Incredible Map Shows All The Infections That Vaccines Could Have Prevented Read more: http://www.businessinsider.com/map-of-vaccine-preventable-infections-2014-1#ixzz3OrGLkI6n

It is wise to get medical advice as early as possible about which vaccinations you require for your trip as many are given as a course of two or three intervals in order to be effective. You also need to find out early about the type of malaria-preventative medication that is recommended for other areas you are visiting as you may need to start taking tablets in advance of departure. While your family doctor may offer some injections cheaply or free, you may want to contact a private travel clinic to make sure you get the most specialized information available.

5. Budget

Last, but certainly not least, is determining a BUDGET. When planning a big trip like this, everyone’s budget will be different and unique to them.

Now, the Western Dollar goes a pretty long way in Asia. Here are a few “sample budgets” to help illustrate top-end…mid-range…low-end begets might work out when traveling to different parts of Asia. Hopefully to give you a better idea of how much things will cost and how much you should expect to be spending on certain things.

Congratulations —- You are now armed with the essentials to know before you go and travel Asia!!!!

Are any of you thinking of doing any big travel this year? Where are you off too? Did you find this post helpful as a starting point to getting your travel ducks-in-a-row? Hope it helped you recognize the importance of planning BEFORE a big trip. Tell me your thoughts in the comment section below.

Ooooh…I’m getting excited (and nervous) for MY big South East Asia trip now!!! I’ll announce the countries I’m planning on visiting this March in my next wanderlust post. Stay tuned friends. xo

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2014 Vacation: Grenada

With project deliverables and timelines being pushed back, October was the first time I’ve been able to schedule a vacation all year!

The biggest pain with travelling solo is the ‘single supplement fee” many vacation destinations and travel packages charge travellers simply because they’re travelling solo. I had no real plans to go away this year, but not taking any time off since last November was starting to take its toll on me.

Luckily, a gf of mine was also looking to get away for some R&R…and we were able to snag a fabulous Air Canada Vacation deal at a 4-stars ALL INCLUSIVE 7-night stay at a beautiful resort in Grenada! TripAdvisor scored it pretty well, the dates worked and the price was right!

If you’ve been following me on Instagram, you’ve likely already seen a few of these pics…

ppmeow in Grenada — Our 1st day in Grenada – complete with rainbows, drinks, sand & sunset!

The last few years of trips and travel have been more bucket-list-adventure focused (click here to see what I mean).

For this trip, I truly was a beach bum! There was a lot of lounging around the pool, drink in hand, reading my book while falling in & out of naps in the sun. To be honest friends, there weren’t too many outfit pictures taken on this week away. It was a SOLID rest and relaxation for the first time in a long time (vacation-wise).

Having said all that, this blogpost will be focus more on ‘What I Did”, rather than “What I Wore”.

Here we go….

Packing for the Trip

Seems that whenever I travel, somehow a pair of sunglasses goes missing. No matter what. So, I’ve gotten into the routine of buying a few ‘cheapy vacation pairs’ to combat my forgetfulness.

I picked up these three below: Heart shaped polka-dots from Clare’s Accessories ($5) and the other two from Forever21 ($7 each)

Packing outfits for this trip was pretty simple: I just looked back to the blog to see what Summertime looks I rocked and shoved those items into my suitcase. I’ve linked each image below with their respective blogpost if you’re curious about the specific outfit deets 😉

Grenada is an island country consisting of the island of Grenada and six smaller islands at the southern end of the Grenadines in the southeastern Caribbean Sea. Known as the Spice Isle for the nutmeg and cinnamon, clove, ginger, vanilla, lemongrass, bay leaf, thyme, and turmeric that grow so abundantly here, Grenada is a wonderfully green peaceful place, that feels off the beaten tourist track. Which totally works for me!

The Vacation Package (Flight + Hotel)

As I said above, we found a last-min deal with Air Canada Vacation — advertised as a 4-star resort in Grenada: Grenadian by Rex Resorts.

Let me start by asking … when YOU hear 4-stars, what do you expect out of an ALL INCLUSIVE resort?

The ‘Garden View’ Rooms weren’t anything special. They were clean and the view really wasn’t a garden so much as it was a hilly batch of grass. But who cares about that stuff. My biggest disappointment was the fact that the bathroom was teeny-tiny and did not have a tub. Now, I realize that a tub isn’t essential….however the standup shower was soooo small that if you were to drop the soap, your bare ass would be completely out of the shower! Shaving ones legs all week in there was not easy friends.

Seriously!? 4-stars and I have to ASK for a four-piece bathroom – really? Just saying’…

This was the width of the shower. Zero place to put your toiletries, soap, shampoo, etc. It was Ridiculous!

The width of this shower … it was tight. 4-stars…I think NOT!

Outside of that bathroom disappointment, there weren’t any a la cart restaurants voucher included with our stay. The single restaurant on the resort grounds would give us a $40 credit, which didn’t mean much as each entrée started at the $80+ mark.

Lucky for us the buffet for breakfast, lunch and dinners were delicious! Super flavourful and authentic, which I appreciated. Hate it when resorts make their foods more “tourist friendly”.

The grounds of the resort were beautiful. There was only one pool, but since it was a off-season, there weren’t too many people there in general, and even fewer children. There seemed to be a lot of travellers from the UK there, but mostly honeymooning couples or retirees with tons of vacay time (upwards of 5-weeks). We did meet and hang with three Brit dudes that week – let’s call them Alvin, Simon and Theodore. And by mid-week there was an invasion of Caribbean Tennis Pros who happened to be conference at our resort. So there were plenty of friends to be made for drinking and dining with, all week-long 🙂

Things To Do in Grenada:

Coincidentally, earlier in the month I met a light-eyed, broad, tall, handsome stranger at a networking event who happened to be from Grenada. My immediate thoughts were…”If THAT’S how they grow their men in that country, then I need to get to there!’ 😉

He shared the following list of things I HAD to do while visiting (those listed in blue consider them completed off the list):

Eat Oil Down – traditional dish of Grenada, its delicious!
Try to visit Cariacou (one of Grenada’s sister Islands, the other is Petite Martinique). I believe there is a ferry service daily
Grenada Chocolate Factory Co-Op (best chocolate ever! completely organic)
Nutmeg processing plant on one of the estates
Annadale Falls
Fort Fredrick (and old Fort built by the French in the 1790s i believe). One of the best views on the island!
Concord Falls
BEACHES – Grand Anse (Grenada’s “top” beach), BBC (nice and secluded. this is my favourite), Bathway (stay within the retaining wall area, the sea is very rough but manageable as long as you stay within that area), Levera (very rough water where the Caribbean Sea meets the Atlantic. Also where the Leatherback Turtles come to lay their eggs. you might just want to take a walk along that beach if you’re not a strong swimmer. Bathway is around the corner, so you can always take a dip there), Pink Gin Beach (pinkish colour sand), Magazine Beach (I think my hotel was on might this beach)
River Antoine Distillery (organic white rum, Full Strength!! lol)
Sulphur Springs (great mud bath, close to Levera and Bathway)
Fish Friday in Gouyave

Things I DID in Grenada:

Great beaches, excellent Caribbean food and wonderful people. I’m told there is really good scuba diving (I’m a non-swimmer, but an excellent wader! I did manage to convince one of the wait staff to procure a noodle just for me to use ALL week for both the pool & beach. Seems I’m an excellent sweet-talker … especially in my bathing suit 😉

Leapers Cliff

Concord Falls

Nutmeg Processing Plant

Crater Lake

Rum Factory

River Antoine Distillery (organic white rum, Full Strength!!) One of the last places if not the last, that uses a water wheel in the distilling process, a system that goes back to the 1700’s and I believe the wheel they have running there is the original one from that time.

Fish Friday

Fish Friday in Gouyave – a weekly street party with lots of FRESH fish and seafood cooked up in a variety of ways plus music and other entertainment.

And one morning I even woke up bright and early for Bird Watching (yup…you heard me right).

I was surprised by how much I actually enjoyed it too. 🙂

Things I BOUGHT in Grenada

I did very little shopping while I was there. I did bring back with me bars of Grenada’s finest dark chocolate from both Jouvay and The Grenada Chocolate Company. AND a bottle of the fantastic West Indian hot sauce. As you can see I’ve used much of it already since being home. I’m a fan – the spicier the better 😉

Oh! And I bought a bottle of Rum Punch from the factory too…no pictures of that…. **hiccup**

There it is … my 2014 vacay summary recap. With Winter weather upon us, some of you may be looking for a sunny vacation destination to get away to. Having read my post, would Grenada be on your shortlist?

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