Adventure Travel Photography Blog
So I tried some of the tourist places first and then migrated off the main drag to dine with the locals. I found the food was just as good if not better at the local restaurants. In addition, the portions were larger for a half or a third of the price! Continue reading “Best Places to Eat in San Andres, Colombia”
I wasn’t sure what to expect for diving in Colombia. After reviewing Trip Advisor, the location of dive shops, and their websites, I contacted Banda Dive Shop in San Andrés. They confirmed that they offered two-tank morning dives with a surface interval on the boat which included water in a bag and a small snack. In addition, all equipment was provided. The boat included a small canopy, captain, and 1-2 bi-lingual divemasters for 8-12 people. The price, at around $65 per day, was far less than most diving locations around the world.
I arrived at the dive shop at 8 to fill out the paper work before the scheduled 8:15 departure time which morphed into 8:45. The paperwork was the most informal I had ever seen which basically included a waiver and a blank for my certification number. Illnesses and the number of dives were of no importance in Colombia. Continue reading “Top Dive Sites in San Andres, Colombia”
San Andrés is the largest of three islands in the Colombian archipelago located in the Caribbean Sea. The islands first appeared on the Spanish map in 1527. Over the next 350-400 years, the islands were inhabited by the English, Dutch and Spanish and changed hands many times. In 1900, the islands were declared Colombia’s. The USA requested that the archipelago be given to Panama by which it is closely located, but the request was rejected proving the local’s loyalty to Colombia. In 2000, the islands became a UNESCO World Biosphere Reserve. Continue reading “Top 11 Tips for Traveling to San Andres, Colombia”
What a relaxing trip to Jamaica!
The travel started out a bit rough, having to arrive at the airport at 4:30am only to be helped by a grouchy Southwest Airlines ticket agent. This was a bit disappointing to me, as generally the customer service is quite spectacular which is a big reason why I use the company. Not to mention I worked there years ago in Revenue Management and Pricing.
After a weak “hello”, the older woman asked me in a condescending tone, “Do you have your passport?” It was almost like she thought I wouldn’t! Then after I received the boarding pass, I asked if she could reprint it with TSA precheck since I have global entry. Continue reading “Ya Mon…Negril, Jamaica!”
We had to schedule a day on land after diving so we could off gas before flying. As such we planned on spending our morning at another national park called Christoffel and our afternoon in Willemstad, the larger town near the airport.
We thought it would be best to hike and enjoy nature before it got too hot. It’s a good thing we did, the park doesn’t even allow visitors to hike up the “mountain” after 11am for this very reason. Originally, we thought we would hike the orchid trail. The online information suggested this would be a two hour hike and not too strenuous. Continue reading “Christoffel Park and Willemstad, Curaçao”
Another day…another day on the boat diving! Two tanks with yet another dive master and a trainee. The trainee was one of our divemasters the first day and not from the area. She had only arrived two weeks ago. I still wouldn’t say our divemasters were good, but we had some enjoyable dives at Mushroom Forest and Lagun. The highlights were probably the eels again. We found two next to each other which is somewhat rare, plus we spotted another one free swimming. Continue reading “SCUBA in Westpunt, Curaçao”
Well the food, diving, and company never disappoint in Cozumel. And this time neither did the accommodations. The Fiesta Americana has been closed for the last year and a half for renovation and recently re-opened. The beach area was improved with a choice of restaurants…burgers at one spot and seafood at another. The pool and bar area featured hanging seats. Ping pong and pool tables offered some short-term fun at the small coffee bar. The rooms are airy and decorated in modern decor with nice bathrooms. We were all pleasantly surprised.
Continue reading “SCUBA Diving in Cozumel”
Today we waved farewell to the Humpbacks, as we navigated through the coral heads and then completed the eight hour crossing during the day. It was rocky as items on the table slid from one side to other and trash cans fell over. We killed time by editing pictures, reading, and even watching movies. Rootie had Captain Phillips…I loved it! I was so entranced, I could hardly pull myself away when I knew I should be taking in the view of land again as we were pulling into port. I made it up to the top deck just in time to enjoy views of the picturesque harbor. Continue reading “Good-bye to the Humpbacks”
Even though I had hoped to have a longer underwater encounter with the whales today, I have to say we had a good final day despite the conditions. The wind was howling and white caps were everywhere making it hard to spot any blows as they dissipated quickly. Rob captained our tender today, and thankfully he had an eye for spotting whales. Continue reading “Awe-inspiring Humpbacks in the Silver Bank”
Generally I mention our lunches and dinners in my posts. But I have failed to mention breakfast. There is a continental style option set out on the counter every day at 6:30 a.m. which includes a variety of cereals, breads, jams, and fruits from which to choose. If that’s not enough, yogurt is always available, and Chef Dave cooks eggs and bacon to order! His scrambled eggs were excellent. Continue reading “Another Day in Whale Country…the Silver Bank”