Paris Doing What She Does Best

I don't know about you, but when I travel it involves chickens, bugs and too much stuff crammed in a backpack. Never in my life have I even sat in business class, let alone first class. Arm and leg room are only for people that can afford it. And who decide that one suitcase is enough. Why should I have to pay more for another one!?!?

Well, I guess not EVERYONE has to travel this way. Check out how Paris Hilton travels. Can you BELIEVE it?!!?!?!? Man just seeing that much Louis Vuitton in one place makes me drool. Must be a nice life....

Location Of Our Next Girl's Night!!!

Cool! I wanna stay at this place. Ladies, start saving. This should be our next girls meet up point!

One of the chicest boutique hotels in London has just added a little more glamor by transforming the spectacular roof-top terrace of its spa into a midnight movie theater, complete with home-made popcorn, mini ice cream cones, martinis from its famous Blue Bar and even manicures. Why did no one think of this before?!?!? And why is this not happening in the US yet!??!

The Berkeley, which is located in fashionable Knightsbridge, is offering the latest fashion documentaries (what a great idea!!!) on a big screen under the stars. This will be happening on Friday nights until the end of August

Sweet, no blood and guts here!

I Can't Decide If This Is WAY Dorky Or Cool....

What price would you pay to cut your commute time? Ever wished you could just fly to work? Well guess what, that might just be a possiblity.

The Terrafugia, a flying car developed by a group of MIT graduates, passed a key regulatory hurdle this month when the FAA agreed it could be certified in the Light Sports Aircraft category.

The concept of a flying car has long caught the attention of wealthy commuters, pilots and engineers. Think about it. Every time a hedge fund manager finds himself stuck on the Washington DC Beltway or Long Island Expressway, the thought crosses the mind: "What if my car was like Chitty Chitty Bang Bang?" or "We can put a man on the moon, so why can't I have a jet-pack to keep from wasting all this time?"

The first model, the Transition, is expected to be in full production next year. In the air, it will have a cruising speed of about 115 miles an hour, a range greater than 400 miles, and a 10,000-foot ceiling. On land, it will get about 30 miles to the gallon.

The Transition has been engineered to pass Federal National Highway Traffic Safety Administration safety regulations to make it street legal, though it still has to pass those tests and be certified.

Would-be flyers of the contraption will need 20 hours of flying time.

Taking off and landing the Transition will require access to municipal airports. Though one would no longer need to pay for parking a car or renting a car once arriving.

Something about this just doesn't seem right.......

Pack Your Bathing Suit

It's summer time and that means it's pool time. Nothing beats a beautiful pool at a fancy hotel. Before you book your tickets, take a look at this list.TripAdvisor just complied a list of the top ten most amazing hotel pools from around the world (as ranked by TripAdvisor editors and travelers). What makes a pool a top ranker? The view is a major factor, an infinity edge is a help, basically the pool has to transport the lucky swimmer into another world.

The higest rated was Hotel Caruso Ravello in Ravello, Italy shown above. The hotel is situated on top of the mountains on the Amalfi coast. The 11th century palace has a heated infinity pool that offers timeless views.

The Banyan Tree Seychelles, Mahe Island, Seychelles is situated on Intendance Bay and each of the 60 pool villas in Banyan Tree Seychelles has spectacular views of the Indian Ocean. The villas come equipped with verandas, sun loungers and open-air pavilions.

Blue Lagoon Clinic, Grindavik, Iceland. It can safely be said that this pool is like few others in the world. The pool is the key attraction at this hotel. Surrounded by a nearly lunar landscape, guests relax in warm geothermal seawater in the lagoon. You might have spotted Ali and the boys enjoying this pool on the most recent season of "The Bachelorette."

Como Shambhala Estate at Begawan Giri, Bali, Indonesia. This tranquil resort is surrounded by forests and pools are positioned to enhance the sense of perfect calm. The resort includes rock pools as well as an infinity pool that uses chlorine-free water from a nearby sacred spring.

The Six Senses Hideaway Zighy Bay in Oman contains 82 private pool villas, and also access to its own private marina. It is located on the northern Musandam Peninsula in the Sultanate of Oman and has mountains on one side and the sandy beach at Zighy Bay on the other.

Perivolas, Santorini, Greece. The infinity pool at Perivolas on Santorini is one of the most photographed hotel pools. Its enviable spot perched high on the cliffs above the Aegean Sea showcases jawdropping Aegean sunsets.

Hotel Atlantis, Nassau, Bahamas. At Atlantis there isn't just one pool to enjoy there are many to enjoy from adults-only pools with live DJs and outdoor gaming to a Mayan temple pool, grotto pool, lagoon pool, river pool and for the fitness-minded, a lap pool.

Hotel Villa Mahal, Kalkan, Turkey is located in Kalkan Bay, Turkey. The small hotel has an infinity pool with its own Jacuzzi and views over the Mediterranean.

The Library, Koh Samui, Thailand looks different than most pools. It's red rather than blue thanks to red mosaic tiles and is located just a few feet away from the white sandy beach of Chaweng.

Golden Nugget, Las Vegas, United States. The pool known as 'The Tank' is a home to sharks, exotic fish and other sea creatures. . The $20 million swimming pool offers the chance to swim with sharks from a safe distance. The massive pool has a 200,000-gallon shark tank, three-story waterslide and cabanas. The waterslide takes you right past the sharks and there is also a bar.

Hmm, where to go first......

Travel Instyle

Louis Vuitton represents sophistication, quality and presige. Nothing says class better than Louis Vuttion luggage. The powerhouse brand has out done themselves again with these beautiful monogramed luggage.
The collection is introduced under the famed French luxury goods house's "Mon Monogram" program, harking back to the golden age of travel when aristocrats, sportsmen and military officers would have their custom-made luggage emblazoned with their monogram, emblem, racing or regimental colors. Vuitton has selected four different styles of cases ideal for taking aboard everything from a small sport plane you pilot yourself to a tricked-out G-IV. On offer are the Pégase 45 and 55 wheeled cabin cases, the iconic Speedy 40 and classic Keepall 55. Pick a luxe destination and arrive in style.

In Between Glamping and Camping

Most of us can't afford glamping at Paws Ups, but would still like to get out and see some wilderness......but don't want to be sleeping on the ground. Well, guess what? There is an answer!
These great trailers by Vacations in a Can, offer a "bedroom" with doors that you can shut (to avoid creepy crawlies and things that say "rawr"), tons of cabinets, a "kitchen" with a pull out ice chest, fans, and lights.
These trailers can be attached to anything from a Mini Cooper up and can be rented or custom built.
Now get out and see the country!

Places NOT to go

Oh man, when you think about planning a vacation you don't normally think about getting thrown in jail as part of it. After reading this article I don't think I'll be going to Dubai anytime soon. The worst one is the guy who got jailed for having poppy seeds on him from a roll. Umm, yeah I'm going to take a pass on Dubai!!!

Keith Brown had a speck of cannabis on his shoe

A father-of-three who was found with a microscopic speck of cannabis stuck to the bottom of one of his shoes has been sentenced to four years in a Dubai prison.

Keith Brown, a council youth development officer, was travelling through the United Arab Emirates on his way back to England when he was stopped as he walked through Dubai's main airport.

A search by customs officials uncovered a speck of cannabis weighing just 0.003g - so small it would be invisible to the naked eye and weighing less than a grain of sugar - on the tread of one of his shoes.

Dubai International Airport is a major hub for the Middle East and thousands of Britons pass through it every year to holiday in the glamorous beach and shopping haven.

But many of those tourists and business travellers are likely to be unaware of the strict zero-tolerance drugs policy in the UAE.

One man has even been jailed for possession of three poppy seeds left over from a bread roll he ate at Heathrow Airport. Painkiller codeine is also banned.

If suspicious of a traveller, customs officials can use high-tech equipment to uncover even the slightest trace of drugs.

Mr Brown was detained and arrested in September last year and has been held in a cell with three other men in the city prison ever since.

This week the youth worker, who has two young children and a partner at home in Smethwick, West Midlands, was sentenced to four years in prison.

A 25-year-old Briton who was found with a similar speck in one pocket as he arrived on holiday has been awaiting sentence since November.

Meanwhile a Big Brother TV executive has so far been held without charge for five days after being arrested for possessing the health supplement melatonin.

The authorities claim to have discovered 0.01g of hashish in his luggage.

Last night Mr Brown's brother Lee said his case "defied belief".

"For that sort of amount common sense should prevail, from where it was found it was obviously something that had been crushed on the floor - it could have come from anywhere."

Rastafarian Mr Brown had been returning from a short trip to Ethiopia, where one of his children lives and where he owns property.

He was travelling with his partner Imani, who was also stopped and detained for more than a week.

Normally he flew direct to and from the UK, but decided to stop off in Dubai.

"He was incensed when he called me," said driving instructor Lee, 57. "It would be funny if the circumstances weren't so unpleasant.

"Bugs are crawling out of his mattress when he's sleeping. His family are frantic with worry and can't call him."

Last night campaign group Fair Trials International advised visitors to Dubai and Abu Dhabi to "take extreme caution".

Chief Executive Catherine Wolthuizen said: "We have seen a steep increase in such cases over the last 18 months.

"Customs authorities are using highly sensitive new equipment to conduct extremely thorough searches on travellers and if they find any amount - no matter how minute - it will be enough to attract a mandatory four-year prison sentence."

Mrs Wolthuizen added: "We even have reports of the imprisonment of a Swiss man for 'possession' of three poppy seeds on his clothing after he ate a bread roll at Heathrow.

Held: A campaign is underway to secure the release of Cat Le-Huy from a Dubai jail

"What many travellers may not realise is that they can be deemed to be in possession of such banned substances if they can be detected in their urine or bloodstream, or even in tiny, trace amounts on their person."

Only two months after Mr Brown was stopped economics graduate Robert Dalton was detained in almost identical circumstances.

Mr Dalton, from Gravesend, on Kent was with two friends when he was stopped and asked to empty his pockets.

Officials found 0.03g of cannabis in a small amount of fluff. He is currently on trial and if convicted, is likely receive a four-year prison sentence.

Last night his brother Peter, 26, told how it took 24 hours to find out why he had been stopped.

"As we understand, the amount of cannabis was barely visible to the human eye and was at the bottom of the pocket of an old pair of jeans.

"He's not a drug user, but he goes clubbing and the speck was so small."

Last week Cat Le-Huy, a London-based German national, was arrested on arrival at the airport.

Mr Le-Huy, 31, head of technology with Big Brother production company Endemol, was arrested on suspicion of possessing illegal drugs after customs officers found melatonin, a health supplement used for jet lag available over the counter both in Dubai and in the US.

Authorities also claim they discovered fragments in one of his bags which they believe to be hashish. Fair Trials International said the amount was 0.01g.

Read more: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-512815/Briton-jailed-years-Dubai-customs-cannabis-weighing-grain-sugar-shoe.html#ixzz0mVswZHxc

Adventures in Toiletland

Another fun exerpt from one of my Japan emails. This is just "typical" Caitlin traveling ;) Lord knows nothing is ever simple when I travel. Hahaha.....

8/7/06
Alright, actually, the bright lights were the 2nd hardest thing to get adjusted to.....some of you may want to skip reading this next paragraph (there might be a few bad words or mental images you don't want....you've been for warned. Read at your own risk, Grandma and Grandpa, I'm sorry :) ) Ok, with that warning....the hardest thing to adjust to is the toilets. My first encounter was at the airport. I walked into the stall and there it was, my biggest nightmare....the squat toilet. Luckily there was another stall with a western style toilet, but I knew I was in for it when I saw that 1st
toilet. My next encounter was at the hotel in Tokyo. I figured I would be problem free here because it was a hotel catering to Western tourist. Little did I know :) The toilet in my room had more buttons than a (computer) keyboard. It took me 10 mins to look beyond all of the buttons and flush the toilet. Everyday in Tokyo presented me with a "toilet adjustment". First it was the running water. When you sit down water starts to flow. At first I thought it was because I was heavier than most Japanese people and it was automatically flushing....but there wasn't enough water for that to be true. After
doing some "research" I found out that this happens to cover up whatever unpleasant noises might come from your roommate (I NEVER do anything as unpleasant as this! Haha). So after the first day I thought I had it all figured out. But then the next day my eyes were reopened. I stopped in the lobby bathroom, thinking I was safe. As I sat down, I thought "Damn, the person in front of me must have been here for HOURS! They could have read a few novels in that time". The seat was burning hot! After a few grossed out moments I realized the toilet seat was heated and no intestinal distress had taken place. The final test has been at my place of work, the Board of Education.....all I will say is squat toilets. It makes me shutter just to think about it. And I thought Belize was the end of this "uncivilized" way of living :) You've survived all of my bathroom talk....hopefully I didn't make anyone gag. Haha :)

Blast from the Past (Japan)

Wow! While looking through my email today, I came across this bad boy. It's almost sureal to read this email now. It seems like a dream. Now, it's easy for me to say "Oh, I wish I was back in Japan" but while I was there it was much harder to deal with things on a daily basis. Well, I definitely look back with fond memories and hope to go back some day. Japan, I miss you!! I hope you miss me ;)

1/26/07
Konichiwa. Ok, ok, I better not write anymore Japanese or I might fool some of you into thinking I have actually learned some ("might" being the operative word in that sentence :) Well, somehow I have survived and it's almost February now. Time has gone by pretty quickly. Things here are going ok....things are pretty much the same,
except that I have started teaching at elementary school too. I teach at JHS Mon-Thur and elementary school on Friday. The kids are super cute and genki (energetic). I am teaching second grade. Every Friday I teach five 2nd grade classes in a row (yes, please feel tired for me). By the 2nd class my voice is already starting to go. And some how the kids don't seem to flinch at my awful voice....brings back many memories of out of tune Christmas carols at Chuck and Betty's......Singing is definitely not our family's' strong point (hate to break it to you guys).
Mom was here for almost 2 weeks over Christmas break and it was GREAT to see her. We really had a blast. We were on the go the whole time. We visited Takayama, Hakone, Kyoto and Tokyo....a good mix of culture and shopping (I'm sure I don't need to tell you who wanted to do what). Don't tell Mom, but I did enjoy seeing some of the history of Japan. It was great to see how excited Mom was to see everything.....reminds me of the good old days, when I had just arrived in Japan (I am old and jaded now). It was SO nice to have someone to bother, nag to and generally annoy. Oh, and speak at a normal speed to and use "large" words with. I was REALLY bummed that she had to go home. Oh, Momma, you can't leave me here alone AGAIN!
Back to the grindstone.......I got to go snowboarding for a weekend. It was fun, my first time in Japan (I went to Nagano). I went with a bunch of people I didn't know....which made it a little weird, but they were all Americans, Eurpoeans, Austrailians and such.....so at least I could talk to them. It wasn't Keystone or A-basin, but it was great just to be doing something I love. Was sad to have to come back to reality :)
Well, I should probably move on to a more important piece of information......My decision for next year. As some of you may know (and most of you will know now), I had to make my decision about next year (will I stay or will I go?). I have turned in my contract, and drum roll please......I have decided to come HOME!!!!! (if I could put
neon blinking glittery lights around that I would). I know this might come as a surprise to most of you (the biggest surprise was to my boss). It was a hard decision but I think I have made the right decision. I guess, my emails have highlighted the many highs of this adventure and not really shed light on my true feelings. I am having a good time, but I am really not that happy (this does not stem from my
job). I am complacent but I know I could be much happier.There are many perks of this job (ie I'm actually saving $$), but at this point, I don't feel that it is enough to keep me here. I learned this in Belize (but may have forgotten it as soon as I came
home and saw Needless Mark-ups aka Neiman Marcus), but it has blaringly been brought to my attention here in Japan again. I can NOT buy my happiness. I am in a place where I could buy whatever I wanted (assuming I lost about 100 lbs to fit into clothes, and bound my feet to shrink them 5 sizes), but I realize that these "things" won't make me happy (don't worry I won't be turning down any Chanel or Louis
Vuitton purses. Manolos anyone?). The things that make me happy are at home, and they are people rather than things (does snowboarding count as a person?).
I think a large part of my problem is the language barrier (I know this is my own doing). I have learned a little (that font is too big, I should write little in about size .0005 font) Japanese, but it is hard to motivate myself when what I learn doesn't really help me.
There are 2 parts to this problem. The first one being that, being able to ask "What's this?" doesn't work to well when you have no clue what the respondent is saying. And part 2, knowing how to say "What's this" isn't a great way to make friends (or pick up guys).
Before Japan I have never had a problem making friends, but here I have not made one friend on my own. The friends I do have are people who I meet though association, ie the "old guys" girlfriends. While these people are really nice, I feel like they are obligated to be my friend.....which seems to be less fufilling. There has also been some bad health in the family this year. Being here, I feel like the money will always be here, but my friends and family won't be. I can always work harder or longer, but I can not get time back that I could of or would have spent with my family. I am young and I have plenty of time to make more money. These are not my only reasons for making the decision that I did....but if you would like a more complete list please email me, I'd be happy to fill your time. So, with all that said, I'm coming home.
Yikes, well, this is getting long......Ok, so long story short, my decision has been made. And can I please say, Hallelujah I won't be stuck here another year and 6 months (.......only another 6 months)!
Alright, well I hope you will all support my decision. I hope everything is going well. Miss everyone. Oh, I put up a bunch of new pics, from Mom and my travels (Takayama w/ mom, Kyoto w/ Mom, Kyoto2, Hakone w/ mom, and Tokyo w/ mom, and snowboarding). Enjoy. Stay happy
and healthy. Keep in touch!
Love
Cait

What to do on a rainy day around the Bay

Thought it was going to be a nice weekend, then it rained. It seems like we've been having lots of those lately. I get all ready to have a nice day outside then I can't. Well, here's a few great local things to do inside...but that still have a naturey feel.

1.) California Academy of Sciences

I came here not too long after it opened. Not sure how ticket sales are now, but I would recommend buying online. I would also suggest going early so you can get the best view of everything and see all of the shows. Your first stop should be the planetarium to pick up your tickets for the show. After that, go to the indoor rain forest. This is such a cool experience. You feel like you got on a plane and were dropped off in the Amazon.....with some additional tourist there with you. Trees, butterflies, fish, birds. They've got it all. Their aquarium isn't as good as Monterey, but it did have some cool stuff that I've never seen before. One of the most memorable things was the leafy sea dragon. We didn't get to see the planetarium or bug show or the white alligator, but I thought we did a pretty good job. I wasn't really wowed by the "Living Roof", but I guess the idea is cool. I think it would be cooler if they had grass and made it feel like a park so you could have a snack, picnic or just relax and read a book....make it feel more like Golden Gate Park. This is a great place for young or old. I think this is one everyone can enjoy!

2.) Monterey Aquarium

Another Bay Area place I love is the Monterey Bay Aquarium. There's not much to see in Monterey but the aquarium alone warrants a day trip. This is another great place for people of all ages. I love that they have lots of hands on stuff mixed in with the regular tanks.

My favorite thing at the aquarium is the jelly fish. This is not to be missed. I love that they have framed them and it feels like moving art. The jelly fish are so graceful. My second favorite thing, a recent addition to the aquarium, is a baby sea otter. Man, those things are cute (and dangerous, the staff decided to shell the sea otters food for them, after the otters were banging the shell fish against the glass to get their food open)!! Salt water, fresh water. They have it all!

I have never been patient enough to watch any of the (video) shows they have but watching the feeding is pretty cool. You may want to look into feeding times when you first arrive, then plan your day accordingly. All of the feedings are pretty cool.

Well, I hope those are some good ideas for a rainy day.

The Good Old Days

Here are some prime examples of what travel should look like.

"Oh yes, I've seen seen that!" "That museum was great" "Those are some interesting artifacts". These are all things that are common to hear after someone comes home from vacation. Not me! Most people are fascinated with a places history but I really enjoy getting down and dirty with the locals and seeing what the current day folks are about. No matter where I go I always seem to have a special and unique experience. While I've always wanted to have a "normal" experience, to come home talking about art, architecture and the great faces of history, my stories always seem to involve showering in someones front yard, pulling dead horses out of the river and centipedes crawling in my hair. I wouldn't trade any of these ordeals for the world. These "character building" experiences have made me who I am today and made traveling one of my favorite hobbies. (Picture from trips to China, Tibet, Nepal, Belize)