Arild Nygard

If you are cruising for the first time – congratulations! You are in for a unique, worthwhile experience. As a newbie, though, you probably have questions about some of the do’s and don’ts of traveling aboard a cruise ship. Luckily, there are many die-hard cruisers who are happy to share some tips to make your first time more rewarding.

Before You Leave Home

Have a friend or neighbor take in your mail daily. Accumulating mail is a big sign to thieves and other troublemakers that no one is home. You could also have your mail held at the post office until you return.

Set your lights on timers so that it appears someone is home to deter troublemakers. Tell your neighborhood community patrol to make a few extra passes by your home while you are away.

Preprint labels and stamps if you plan to mail postcards out while you are on your cruise. This saves some time and you won’t have to lug around an awkward address book.

Money Matters

Stock up on traveler’s checks since they are replaceable if lost or stolen. To expedite the replacements should your traveler’s checks be lost or stolen, write down the serial numbers and put them in a safe and separate place. That way, it makes the bank’s job a little easier and speed up the process for your replacements.

Keep a handy supply of small denominational bills, usually one’s and five’s. Tipping is appreciated for porters and stewards at both the airport and docking pier of the ship. This is especially important in foreign countries. Horror stories abound about stolen or “lost” bags that never make it to the ship. Sometimes, you have got to grease their palms with cash. It’s a small price to pay for having your clothing and toiletries aboard for your cruise.

To avoid long lines at the end of your cruise, check out your ending invoice on your account. Check for any errors and resolve them as soon as possible. There is no sense adding the stress of standing in line to pay your final tab after you just had a relaxing vacation.

Take a few rubber bands with you to wrap around your wallet. The rubber will “grab” onto your clothing. This makes it very difficult for a pickpocket to part with your wallet without you feeling it.

Kid Stuff

If you are traveling with babies or toddlers, paper throwaway bibs are perfect for protecting your child from stains and messes at meal times, thus prolonging the wear of their clothing.

Bring a collapsible stroller for your young child. The cruise ship is a happening place and before long you will hear the strains of “I’m tired! Carry me!” This is exhausting to parents. With a stroller, you can just pop your kid inside and roll on.

Pack a few portable, self contained snacks for your child like peanut butter or cheese crackers. These will come in handy and are much cheaper than buying some once you are cruising or at port.

Odds and Ends

Throw inside your suitcase a few of those annoying plastic shopping bags that you usually get from the grocery store. These are handy for storing dirty clothing.

If you have an inside cabin, take a nightlight with you. Darkness is not fun when you are in a strange room. No sense running into walls or stubbing your toe if you can avoid it. Little maglight keychain flash lights are handy too.

Bring a little first aid kits for those minor emergencies. Wet wipes are handy too for those instance were a sink isn’t handy.

There are literally hundreds of cruise tips that can save the sanity of newbie travelers. Think of those little shortcuts or ideas that you use at home. Decide if they are adaptable to the cruise ship. The less you have to worry about, the more relaxed you will be after your cruise.

Technorati Tags: Cruise Vacation, Travel, Vacation

Whether you are a true spelunker, a casual enthusiast, or a completely inexperienced beginner, Jamaica offers a variety of cave exploring adventures, suitable for every skill level. Marvelous geological formations are sure to inspire wonder in even the most experienced spelunker. Carefully guided tours with knowledgeable staff are available for beginners and children to explore in complete safety.

Just outside of Port Antonio, on a 180-acre coconut plantation, is a lovely example of the caves of Jamaica. This fascinating place, called the Caves of Nonesuch, is 1.5 million years old and contains many wonders. Well lit, with walkways, stairs and railings, this multi-chambered underground site is perfect for the casual cave enthusiast, though even the experienced caver – while smiling a bit at the ease of the half hour walk – will find sights of interest, as will those interested in geology and native history. Admission is $8 for those aged 12 and up, and $3 for children 11 and under. The admission price, in addition to a guided tour of the caves, also included a guided tour of the beautiful gardens found nearby. Read the rest of this entry »

There are many who believe the glitz and glitter of the tourist industries and the accompanying commercialization of both the areas around the tourist centers and the culture of Jamaica overshadow the ‘real’ Jamaica, the people and culture that exist beyond the tourist centers, the true heart of Jamaica. This has led to the creation of a variety of opportunities to visit the other side of Jamaica, to see people and life beyond the often stereotypical vision of Jamaica that most visitors see.

The Meet The People Program is one of these interesting, non-typical experiences. It is run by the Jamaican Tourist Board, and has more than 500 local participants. These local volunteers come from a variety of socio-economic backgrounds, and their interests and skills are listed in a database. Tourists who sign up for the program provide the same types of information, and then locals and tourists are matched up. Amazingly, this is a free program and provides unparalleled social and cultural exchange. Aside from social engagements, such as family style meals in the local host’s home, the matched groups together explore their shared interests in Jamaica.     Read the rest of this entry »

One of the outer islands of the Bahamas, Cat Island is a quiet vacation destination for those who are really looking to relax. Among its varied pleasures and activities, a little exploration will turn up a historical oddity or two that add to the individual character of the place. Beautiful beaches in natural settings welcome the nature lover and peace seeker alike.

The Hermitage is a bit of an historical oddity, fascinating and strange. The hike up to see this religious site will take visitors through small villages along beautiful trails, full of island flora and fauna.  It is located at the top of Mt. Alvernia, which is 206 feet above the sea and the highest point in the Bahamas. The Hermitage itself is made from the limestone of the cliffs, with each piece painstakingly extracted, shaped and set by hand by the Canadian mule-skinner turned Anglican turned Roman Catholic priest known as Father Jerome. The Father built the structure to scale, designed it to fit his rather diminutive form. Beloved by the island people, the priest passed away in 1956 after reaching the ripe age of 80. Read the rest of this entry »

A journey to Andros is a lovely respite from the world. There are many qualities that make Andros stand out from the other islands that make up the Bahamas. It’s a small, intimate sort of place, rich in natural beauty and wildlife.

Andros is an eco-tourist’s paradise. The fifth largest landmass in the Caribbean, it is an ancient island, gradually emerging from the sea with each layer of coral limestone. There are as many fascinating sights to be seen below sea level as there are to be seen above. Underwater explorers will see a wide variety of marine life, so varied and diverse that Andros attracts researchers from all over the world. On the top side of the island, there is an abundance of flora and fauna, including species and varieties found nowhere else on earth. Read the rest of this entry »

This beautiful town in the southeastern part of Norway nestled in the bottom of the fjord it took its name from was a site for sore eyes when I reached there last winter. I had been away for 21 years. It was too long they told me and I guess they were right in that. A lot had changed since last time that is for sure. A lot of new buildings and modernization had happened. The big dry dock and shipyard was all gone. The dock had a ferry terminal connecting it with Sweden. This town that was once the high seat for the big whale hunting companies that opened it all up in the Antarctic was now bearing very little sign on the exterior that is was still a very active shipping community. The nature of shipping had changed so much that any direct link like the shipyard was no longer viable there. The cost of operation was simply too high for it to be competitive. Instead the owners had simply moved location of their business and just kept local offices intact. Oh yea, the old money was still there but more out of view nowadays. I remember as young boys we would go down to the docks and get some freshly caught shrimp that was cooked on the way into port. It was still warm and we would eat it right there on the docks with some fresh bread and mayonnaise. Man was that good. Once you had the real fresh stuff you will never forget the taste of it. Later on in my travel to Norway I realized that it was not just my hometown that had changed but I had also changed and so had the whole country of Norway. Even the language had changed. There was new words added to it all the time but it was still easy to understand, after all it was still my mother tongue.

I once thought I had a friend and found out that it might not be so.

Have you ever wondered were friendships are going. Did you ever think about friends you had in school and what ever happened to them? Maybe they are dead or have moved far away like I did. I was borne in Norway and all my childhood friends are or was there as far as I know. What ever happened to them? I’m talking about a small Norwegian town called Sandefjord; about 1.5 hours drive southwest from the capitol of Oslo. Growing up in this small town in Norway was a very comfortable life as a child. All you needed for you well being and fun was easily within reach for a young boy on his bike. I could go swimming in the sea during the summer. I could go fishing in the lakes. I could go horseback riding and hiking anytime after school. During the winter there was always lots of skiing available just around the corner. I used to go on my skis to school during the winter months. So where did my friends go? When I was there for a visit last winter during the Holidays I had the opportunity to visit one of them. After 20 some years since last time we met I could not recognize him at all. If we had met on the street I would have walked right by without a clue who it was for sure. This time I was lucky as my brother was present and could introduce me again. What a surprise it was. The skinny long haired boy I remembered was long gone and in place was a adult man with a pot belly and nearly bold, smoking cigars and enjoying life working on his hobby that had become his full time work. Fixing old cars. The man had become a crafts man and had gained a reputation for his excellent work. It goes to show that life deals us card that we have to make do with the best we can. He did very well in his choice and really enjoyed his life as a family man with solid work to go to every day. He had his own shop after all so being the boss made for a flexible lifestyle.  

I guess this is the time of the year when people start staying more inside and find other activities. Hey maybe they will read this Blog –lol guess not.

Anyhow why would someone read what silly me is writing. I have a few things to say and lot’s of living experience behind me from all over the world. When you love to write you just write anything that comes to mid sometimes. Before you know it a page is written and so on. I can sit and do this for hours at the time – most of the time. That is, if my wife let’s me. I think that you have to have a hobby or interest in life or all becomes just a big days work. How is the saying, all work and no play makes for a dull life or something like that. It just so happen to be my favorite pass time hobby and interest. I just love to write. I think living in a large vibrant city like Montreal also makes for a lot of good things to write about. Just the other day while driving to work listening to the radio I was thinking that my blog about writing has to have a voice of sort. What should I concentrate on writing about? Should it be local stuff from this area or should I write about things that has happened or places that I have been or something like that. Maybe just stay general. I think that travel will definitely stay with me as a subject to write about. I also think that day-to-day living should be a part of it. Becoming a blog of interest maybe there will be some comments one day and a conversation can start.

Last night as I went for a drive around I could see that people have started to put up Christmas decoration outside their houses. It’s still a bit early in my mind, we haven’t finished that month of November yet and already people are in full swing. Don’t do like the stores around in the shopping centers, preparing for the big Christmas rush of customers that never comes. Wake up and see the Canadian dollar value! Most people will go south of the border and do their stuff and as a matter of fact it has been going on for a while already. How about that deal that was announced a while ago, buy a car in the USA and save a bundle. Don’t’ you think people will be doing the same for Christmas?

I would if I had the time and could afford to do it. One of my friends told me that the savings on buying a Subaru station wagon south of the border, including the modifications to make it road compliant in Canada was about  $18000. That is one serious amount of savings. Maybe the Canadian dealers are taking notice of this trend?

Time will show.

As many of my near friends know, traveling has been a part of my life for a number of years. Suggestions have been made that I should write about it on my blog. I will make a go of it here on this site as I did once before. A lot has happened since my first time around. Sites have been modified and some have been taken down completely.  Here on this site I will stick with the theme “Writing”. It is a passion of mine, writing that is. I love it and as I have said before, it’s a great outlet for ideas and views. Writing takes you places that you never imagined you could reach. You can travel on paper and document the whole thing in writing as you go along. It’s only limited by ones imagination.

First up on my destination is a paper travel to Montreal, Canada. Why would anybody travel to a place like Montreal? Let me tell you a bit about Montreal. It’s situated on an island in the middle of Saint Lawrence River. It takes its name from the mountain you find in the middle, Mount Royal in English. The name is actually worded down from the local French language; Montréal is what it ended up being. It’s a diverse city with multi ethnic cultures. You wouldn’t know what all these groups mean to the city before you have been there a while. It happens when you walk about in the summer time and listen to people that conversations are going in just about any language that you can imagine.

The city has a very rich cultural scene with performing arts centers all over the place. It is also a high tech city with some of the most advanced buildings in the world. You also have a very busy underground part of the city with shopping and nightlife easily accessible from below ground level. Montreal as a travel destination, yes definitely.

I would say that it’s become a city that stands out as a clean city and very friendly. It has a restaurant choice amongst the top cities in the world. A summertime visit to this city is highly recommended as it has a very high level of outdoor activities during this time of the year. Wintertime is not to look away from but I do prefer the summers.

I will write more about Montreal as time goes and also upload some photos form various parts of the city.

Yea, I really do love to write. I can write for hours at the time. About anything at all. Writing has been a part of me for a long time but I really didn’t publish anything before the Blogging thing came along. One of my first sites was ShippingTalk.com and it was going very well at one time until the sapmming just got to be too much of a pain in the B-U-T-T and I simply took the site down for a while. It’s back up again and I will gett into it again hopefully…