Colombia event at National Geographic Store in London
Thank you Colombia for a colourful evening of entertainment held at the National Geographic Store in London.
Colombia – vibrant & exciting
(Image copyright Active Caribbean)
If this is an example of how vibrant and exciting Colombia can be… I can’t wait to discover more.
For more information on adventure vacations in Colombia click here>>
Active Caribbean – an online guide to the adventure and action side of the Caribbean
Did you know I am developing a website on the ‘alternative’ Caribbean? It’s coming along nicely, thank you… lots of interest being shown.
A walk on the wild side! (Image copyright Linda Jackson)
Editorial content is being prepared and uploaded on a daily basis so bear with me while this is happening!
Fun in the sun (Image copyright Linda Jackson)
There’s so much more to the Caribbean than sun, sea, sand, rum punches and sun loungers. Why not explore it by taking an adventure vacation in the hidden Caribbean?
Time has little importance in the Exumas (Image copyright Linda Jackson)
Forget the beaches, it’s time to check out the alternative adventure side of the Caribbean – so get active now with Active Caribbean >>
Appointment as Associate Editor
Having just joined the Team of Great Golf Magazine, I should introduce you to the publication…
Great Golf Magazine - 1st issue
This glossy upmarket golf & lifestyle magazine is a quality perfect-bound consumer publication and, believe it or not, it’s free. You’ll find it hard to believe when you see the quality.
Great Golf Magazine - 2nd issue
You’ll find the next issue of the magazine (due out at the beginning of May) in such places as British Airways and Virgin Atlantic VIP lounges, at top golf resorts, in P&O Ferries and at exclusive golf clubs… to name but a few of the prestigious venues on our distribution list.
For more information on Great Golf Magazine check out the website here >>
Diving with the she-devil is not an activity anyone would expect to take on during a visit to an exotic island in the Caribbean. But what the hell, sometimes you have no alternative but to go with the flow – in this case underwater.
Twin-engine rib boat rides in the Caribbean
Getting to the sculpture park diving site and speeding through the water like a bat out of hell in a powerful twin-engine rib boat adds to the thrill as passengers clutch tightly to the handlebars of their jockey seat. It’s hellishly fast.
What a surreal experience it is when the Devil Woman’s face, hidden beneath the wide brim of a hat, is a skeleton that can only be observed by literally getting up-front-and-personal.
Grenada sculpture park diving/snorkelling site
Exploring the Underwater Sculpture Park in Grenada, home to 65 sculptures in all, is mesmerising. Either diving or snorkelling the sculpture park is totally surreal: it was created by sculptor Jason Taylor from England whose ocean floor works of art depict the island’s colourful history and folklore.
A line of heads sit on the coral here, a large circle of life-sized people holding hands there. A man sits at a desk typing and, of course, there’s that cloven-hoofed she-devil who is despised by women but enchanting to men. According to Grenada folklore that is.
Caribbean adventure vacations & activity holidays
Diving and snorkelling in the sculpture park is just one adventure vacation option in Grenada, there are plenty more adventure travel options if you’re planning to take an active holiday on the Caribbean island of Grenada.
Find out more about adventure holidays in Grenada and read the full article on adventure holidays in Grenada here >>
For more information about active Caribbean adventure travel and activity holidays go to this Active Caribbean website >>
Swimming with dolphins at Discovery Cove
You’d think swimming with dolphins was just for little kids wouldn’t you?
Wrong!
- Swimming with dolphins at Discovery Cove Florida
This big kid towered feet above the little kids as we waited in the waters of Discovery Cove in Florida for the dolphins to arrive. What excitement, and what an experience.
I couldn’t wait to be kissed by the dolphins; they all seemed to be smiling and loving what they did. I prefer seeing them in the wild I confess, but what a treat for a day out if you’re taking the family on a holiday in Florida.
Theme park family vacations at Universal Studios Orlando
Stay at Universal Studios Orlando - the theme park at Universal is AMAZING, the hotels are geared up to families of course, and now Harry Potter has come onto the scene. Take a day trip out of the resort to swim with the dolphins at Discovery Cove.
It’s not cheap but worth every penny… and every kiss.
Find out more about swimming with dolphins at Discovery Cove >>
Find out more about family holidays at Universal Studios Orlando >>
She looked mysterious and intriguing, her hair and face hidden from view by the burqa which many Omani women wear. Gold bracelets jingled on her wrists and her dark brown eyes smiled from behind the traditional black mask as she gently placed a similar one over my face hoping I would buy one.
Gul village
Batgirl gone wrong?
Now I come to think about it – having seen the photograph – rather than giving me a demure smile I’m convinced she was trying hard to muffle a hearty laugh as, instead of looking mysterious and exciting, I looked like Batgirl gone wrong.
Silver Omani khanjars
Camel train, Wahiba Sands
How strange it is to mingle in the narrow streets of the ancient souk (market) with men in their long white dishdashas (long white robes worn by Muslim men) and walk alongside women draped in their jet black abbayas and shielding burqas (a long cloak-like garment and a mask that covers nose and mouth); to hear the dulcet tones of the muadhdhin calling worshippers to the mosque to pray, to listen to the bubble of sheesha pipes being puffed in quiet corners, and to smell burning frankincense wafting through the maze of alleyways.
Hotels are chic in Oman
Sophisticated piano bar
…And then to return to a modern sumptuous hotel oozing luxury from every nook and cranny – rich Persian carpets and shimmering marble under foot, twinkling crystal chandeliers above; to savour canapés and cocktails in the trendy Piano Bar, and to see bikini-clad women fooling around on the beach or laying prostrate on poolside sun-beds topping up tans which had overflowed days before.
Dhow boat building yard
Bilad Sayt
But how enjoyable it is… to soak up the sun especially in January and February when it hibernates in the UK but is in full bloom in the Sultanate of Oman – a fascinating country which only opened its doors to the West after the present ruler, Qaboos bin Said Al Said, overthrew his tyrannical father in a bloodless palace coup in 1970.
Explore Oman… it’s a country so diverse it is likely to captivate you - as it has me.
For more information on Oman click here >>
For details of adventure holidays in Oman and adventure travel in Oman click here >>
Exploring the interior of Gran Canaria, the third largest of the seven major islands in the Canary Islands, is rather like finding yourself on a collection of assorted film sets. I love exploring this diverse island!
Some areas of Gran Canaria are lush, others lunar-like
Rural Gran Canaria, a photographer's Mecca
You’ll find a kaleidoscope of landscapes… volcanic craters, mountains, deep ravines, oddly shaped basalt rocks, desert features, dunes, and archaeological sites as well as 100-year old pine tree forests, thick palm groves, sub-tropical vegetation, exotic plants and fruits.
Miles of sand dunes at Maspolomas
Visit Gran Canaria for yourself and you’ll see exactly why it is called a “miniature continent”. You’ll also understand why UNESCO reckons it’s a “natural treasure of the world”. I’ll certainly vouch for that.
Agapanthus thrive in Gran Canaria
Colourful strata near Artenara
Lush ferns in Gran Canaria pine forest
Fortunately I discovered some stylish rural accommodation in Gran Canaria and was really lucky in finding an excellent English-speaking walking guide in Gran Canaria who is also a knowledgeable wildflower guide in Gran Canaria too. I’m not selfish – so I’ll share them with you….
… read on and you’ll also find some travel tips for your Gran Canaria rural holiday:
Read more »
Paradise Found
Do you believe in all this ‘paradise’ stuff? I’ve written about numerous romantic honeymoon hotels and destinations, often referring to a ‘honeymoon paradise’. Did I really believe there was such a place as Paradise? Not really. Not until recently that is.
Then I found it.
Paradise – MY very own paradise… where the water is so turquoise that photographs of it look as though they have been tinkered with.
A splash of Exuma colour
Best lobster ever at Santana's Grill Pit
Lisa-Ann, a butler and a half in Fowl Cay
Discover THE EXUMAS in the ‘Out Islands’ of the Bahamas - one of the most picturesque regions in the Bahamas.
In this beautiful archipelago are some beautiful people. Let me introduce you to just a few of the many oh-so-friendly characters I met while I was working on an editorial project for Sandals Resorts International in the Bahamas. Great people, great place. Go visit.
Tucker - Owner of Compass Cay
Dan and pigs on Thunderball trip
Wayde Nixon, Exumas fishing expert
The Exumas are made up of 365 islands and cays that stretch across more than 120 miles of iridescent green-blue water where the white sand of deserted beaches contrasts dramatically with deep turquoise and dark blue waters.
AND… have I found some fabulous secluded and exclusive villas in the Bahamas for you! Follow this link to discover my Paradise – an idyllic private island just made for a romantic honeymoon in the Caribbean, offering luxury get-away-from-it-all exclusive villa accommodation in the Bahamas.
Check out more special places to stay on my website – www.linda-jackson.co.uk
If you’ve got children, read on… I just have to share this oh-so-family-friendly Caribbean resort with you. It’s an action-packed family resort – a little heaven made for children.
Meet lots of fun visitors at Beaches Turks & Caicos...
... and enjoy lots of fun in the water at Beaches Turks & Caicos
Clear turquoise waters that rank among the world’s top diving destinations, endless fun for kids and teens, an option of exclusive butler-service suites, and a twelve mile stretch of powder white sand beach is a dream all-inclusive family vacation waiting for families in the Caribbean at the Beaches Turks & Caicos Resort Villages & Spa.
Lazy River in the Waterpark at Beaches Turks & Caicos
Water, water everywhere at Beaches Resort Turks & Caicos
Trust me, this all-inclusive family resort in the Caribbean will make your children’s holiday dreams come true.
Carnival parade at Beaches, Turks & Caicos, Caribbean
Beaches Turks & Caicos has the best beach ever... 12 miles of soft sand
Once your tots and teens discover the wide range of fun activities available to them at Beaches Turks & Caicos Resort (all included in the price) I guarantee you’ll be returning year-after-year. If you don’t, your kids will go without you! Read more »
When you’re looking for a golf holiday, if you play golf to a good standard, you’ll probably be looking for a challenging course… one that will make you think; one with unusual hazards maybe; one that will test your golfing skills.
Well, have I got THE golf course for you. It’s WILD. Very wild.
Top golf course designers
It’s in South Africa so you won’t suffer jet lag getting there. It’s the Legend Golf & Safari Resort. Each of the 18 holes has been designed by a different renowned top golfer – Colin Montgomerie, Bernard Langer, Justin Rose, Trevor Immelman, Padraig Harrington, Vijay Singh, Sergio Garcia and Retief Goosen are just a few of them.
Legend Golf & Safari Resort Signature Course
19-hole golf course
The most amazing hole is the Extreme 19th. Yes, an optional 19th hole. It will cost you around £150 to play it but that’s because a helicopter is needed to get you to the tee up the Hanglip Mountain.
Unbelievable. Get to the top, look down at the Africa-shaped green… and, yes, it’s that itzy-bitzy postage stamp-sized green way down below – 400 metres way down below in fact.
See the Big 5 – Luxury safari holiday in South Africa
Not only will you be able to play the most exciting golf hole ever, but you can also enjoy an exceptional safari experience at the Legend Golf & Safari Resort as the Big 5 roam wild and free in the conservancy.
For more information on the Legend Golf & Safari Resort in South Africa, and the Extreme 19th, click here >>
Unfortunately for the Barbados national fish, it is also a component of the island’s national dish – flying fish with cou-cou. It’s a blend of corn meal and okra, or breadfruit and green bananas.
Flying fish melts at the Waterfront Café in Barbados
Appetising alternatives to flying fish with cou-cou are flying fish melts – delicate roe, crisped in oil, with horseradish aioli – from the Waterfront Café on the bustling Careenage in Bridgetown. It’s a casual venue with a steel pan band on Tuesday nights.
Waterfront Cafe, a picturesque place to have lunch in Barbados
Eat flying fish for lunch at the Waterfront Cafe, Barbados
Lunch at the Country Club at Sandy Lane, Barbados
Try the scrumptious grilled fish sandwiches served at the chic and tranquil Clubhouse Restaurant at The Country Club at Sandy Lane. Sandwiches come with cucumber salad, tartar sauce and stunning panoramic views over the wonderful Barbados golf course to the sea.
Flying Fish Restaurant in St Lawrence Gap, St Michael, Barbados
Looking for a restaurant in Barbados where you can eat flying fish? Then pop into the Flying Fish Restaurant on the south coast of Barbados – in lively St Lawrence Gap, St Michael – to eat flying fish prepared in three different yummy ways… Parmesan crusted, Banks Beer battered, or coconut pan fried – go on Wednesdays or Saturdays for the steel pan man option.
Oh dear. My last blog was saying how trendy the air-conditioned Cane Bar at the Jalousie Plantation in St Lucia was… after Hurricane Tomas’ recent visit it might well be more air conditioned than the owners would like.
Hurricane hitting New Orleans
I remember feeling as guilty as I do now when I had a double-page travel article published on the must visit city of New Orleans. Date of publication? The day Hurricane Katrina devasted Louisiana.
I think from now on I’ll keep my mouth firmly shut and ‘pen’ locked away for the whole of the Caribbean hurricane season. Maybe I’ll add a few weeks on either end for good measure.
Latest worldwide weather website
Want to know what the weather is like in the Caribbean at this time of the year, Weather Underground is a fantastic up-to-the-minute weather website. Check it out if you’re planning a holiday, especially in the tropics.
Caribbean, General Updates, Travel - Worldwide | admin | 
August 14, 2012 4:33 pm | 
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