Honeymooning for a Living: The Globetrotting Bride

New York-based publicist Lyla Gleason has what most would consider to be a dream job—she jet sets around the globe, showing off destinations to journalists who write for the glossiest of travel magazines. Who wouldn't want to fill her shoes (or at the very least, carry her bags?).

Recently, this PR maven embarked on a very different kind of journey: she took a trip down the aisle. While preparing for her wedding and the honeymoon that followed, she discovered the few online resources were really devoted to the intersection of marriage and travel. So Lyla decided to create her own blog, The Globetrotting Bride which features travel destinations for bachelorette trips and honeymoons, travel-friendly beauty products, wedding/honeymoon fashions, gift ideas, expert travel tips and more. Here's how her latest project got off the ground....

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Lyla: I’ve always had a passion for travel. Between my yearly trips to Florida to visit my grandparents, teenage visits to Europe, a college semester abroad and dozens of girlfriend getaways, couples vacations and family trips, I’ve always said “yes” to a fun-filled getaway.

Spending spring semester of my junior year in Rome was one of my favorite travel experiences. Getting to take art classes and actually visit the famed works of art was unbelievable. And, don’t get me started on all the yummy pasta and gelato, amazing fashions and cute guys. Since then, I’ve explored much of Europe and my favorite cities remain: Rome, Istanbul, Venice, Paris, Amsterdam, and Brussels.

As it became time to choose a career, my travel addiction helped lead the way to my becoming a travel publicist in New York. I’ve worked in several PR firms where my clients included hotels, resorts, destinations and airlines around the world. While this sounds very glam (and it sometimes was), there were definitely flight delays, cranky journalists and long, grueling itineraries. And to think, my mom thought I was a “travel agent” while my friends thought I was really going on “vacation” every time I packed my bags for a press trip.

All in all, I got to see some amazing countries and I met lots of interesting people. Some of my career highlights include going on South African safaris, playing croquet with Robin Leach in Antigua, learning to fly-fish in California and flying to Jamaica to help couples “test drive” a one-day honeymoon.

When I was planning my summer 2008 wedding I realized how few wedding blogs really covered topics related to the honeymoon and all of the other fun wedding-related trips like bachelor/bachelorette trips, pre-moons, scouting trips for destination wedding, etc.

To me, getting married meant getting a travel partner for life so the honeymoon (or honeymoons) was at the top of my to-do-list. In fact, since I met my husband three years ago, we have been on many fun-filled road trips and far-away getaways. Sometimes we go for romantic, kinda fancy getaways like Riviera Maya in Mexico, sometimes it’s a spa getaway like our St. Lucian mini-moon and now and then it’s a road trip to visit friends and family (he drives, I sing and take pictures). And when you think about it, weddings are all about romance, and what's more romantic than an exciting trip shared with your partner? So traveling together can also be a fun way to bring back the romantic magic of your wedding, even many years later.

I dubbed myself the Globetrotting Bride and started blogging to share my passion for globetrotting, travel and packing tips, suggestions for romantic and bachelorette getaways (my girls took me to Bermuda) and scoop on travel-friendly products. Whether you’re a bride-to-be or a travel fan like I am, you can visit me at www.globetrottingbride.com. I’ll be sharing reviews from my personal travels including the hopefully two more honeymoons we’re planning to take this year.

Lost Girls Field Trip: Andros Island-Part 7

Jen: While I wouldn't trade my position as 1/3 of The Lost Girls writing team for anything in...well...the world, I recently spread my journalist wings and accepted my first solo assignment: a 9-part web series on Andros Island for the pop culture travel site, Jaunted.com. But even though I temporarily flew away from the nest, I felt compelled to bring my stories home to you, my favorite TLG readers. I'll admit that this, my 7th post, is a bit on the random side (sorry all you bonefishers out there), but quirky enough to justify reading! So enjoy The Great Bonefish Debate and stay tuned next week for Cage-Free Swimmng with Sharks!
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"The Great Bonefish Debate": With a little time to kill in the Nassau airport before we hopped a puddle jumper to Andros Island, my travel buddy Mark and I had decided a little "Welcome to the Bahamas" drink was in order. So we pulled up a few bar stools at Marshall's--it's in the domestic terminal--and ordered our first of many island rums. It was Marshall, the delightfully friendly owner, himself who poured our drinks before asking us to fill out his NFL fantasy football card. Since I’m pretty much a college-ball only gal (Go Seminoles!), I can only hope I didn’t lose too much money for poor Marshall that day. But I digress!

It was there in that little tiki hut that the Great Bonefish Debate was sparked. That may sound random, but with a vast expanse of mangroves and flats, Andros has earned the title of "Bonefishing Capital of the World" from the international community of avid anglers. So it’s only natural that it came up in conversation. Well, in this case I specifically asked Marshall about bonefishing, but same difference. It’s not that I don't know my fishing: After all, I’d gone on numerous catfish expeditions with my dad in Mississippi when I was a kid. And later, I'd dutifully watched Brad Pitt cast his reel in the film “A River Runs Through It.” But admittedly I was kind of a bone head when it came to the specific art of bonefishing. Luckily I had Marshall to clear things up...

In the brief time we had before dashing off to catch our flight, Marshall explained that many people don’t even keep the prey they catch, but he says bonefish are one of the absolute sweetest tasting swimmers in the sea, so they make for an excellent meal if prepared properly. Since there are an extraordinary amount of bones in bonefish--yeah, that I kinda figured--you have to know a very specific "snap and break" process, which Marshall described as squeezing the body just so in order to then rip all the bones out in one whack. While even he doesn't know how exactly it's done, he has Bahamian friends who do, he insisted.

Once the fish is clean, Marshall continued, he likes to fillet it, top it with onions, lime juice, salt, pepper and spices and cook it to perfection. Well that all sounded pretty straight forward to me. In fact, I was genuinely excited to sample this supposedly delightful cuisine.

But the second I arrived at the Small Hope Bay Lodge and began speaking with the knowledgeable staff and actual fishermen, I realized pretty quickly I'd probably never get a taste. My tale horrified some and delighted others, but everyone agreed that bonefish was probably one of the last sea creatures you’d want to consume. Not that it isn’t possible, but it’s not worth the hassle--and it would be in strict violation of the bonefishing code of conduct, which generally deems the sport catch and release only.

From what I’ve been told, actually catching a bonefish is a pretty rigorous process that requires immense physical endurance and strict concentration. I won’t even attempt to get into the technicality of it all, but for those who are interested, you basically balance on the edge of a boat or stand knee-deep in water, watching, waiting and stalking the fish for hours in the hot sun. That didn’t sound particularly appealing to me either, but some friends I met at the lodge are wildly passionate about it.

In the end, I never did resolve the Great Bonefish Debate of "too eat or not to eat." But maybe that's the point: There's no one answer to the question!

For more info on Fishing Vacations at Small Hope Bay Lodge, visit http://www.smallhope.com/Fishing.html

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Dying to view my entire Andros blog series to date?...Of course you are! Click here to re-visit Part 1-7!

What you don't know about Kansas City, MO

by Molly Fergus

Out of nowhere, it seems, the travel industry is buzzing about Kansas City, MO.

SmarterTravel.com named the town one of its 5 Destinations to Watch in 2009– which also includes the decidedly more exotic Riviera Nayarit and Peru. Shortly after, Jaunted compared the city to Teddy Grahams, and of course a slew of travel blogs criticized the ranking.

Needless to say, we wanted to get in on the action. So after six days in the City of Fountains, we present our five things to love about good ol‘ KC-MO.

1. The Power and Light District We were afraid that this restaurant and shopping district, which the Kansas City utilities opened late last year, would feel too artificial. Instead, we found a thriving eight-block hub of shops and restaurants that are delicious, lively and even kind of swank.
2. The barbecue From the old school, fluorescent-lit Arthur Bryant’s to the “white linen” pulled pork at Jack Stack, KC knows its meat. ’Nuf said.
3. The airport MCI is as hassle-free as airports come. Each gate boasts its own security terminal, and the average TSA wait time hovers around five minutes.
4. The cultural mix Straddling the Missouri-Kansas border, Kansas City feels solidly Midwestern and gracefully Southern all at once. Case in point: You won’t have to choose between Culver’s and Chic-fil-a.
5. The Oregon Trail For about a day we couldn’t figure out why Independence, MO sounded so dang familiar. It turns out the Oregon Trail began in the Kansas City suburb…and when we played that ancient Apple computer game, we stocked up on oxen in Independence.

Molly is just one of two Lost Girls criss-crossing the country in a Wienermobile—yes, that's the frank-on-wheels. You can read more about her hot dogging adventures at clicking here

Lost Girls Field Trip: Andros Island-Part 6

Jen: While I wouldn't trade my position as 1/3 of The Lost Girls writing team for anything in...well...the world, I recently spread my journalist wings and accepted my first solo assignment: a 9-part web series on Andros Island for the pop culture travel site, Jaunted.com. But even though I temporarily flew away from the nest, I felt compelled to bring my stories home to you, my favorite TLG readers. So enjoy my sixth post and stay tuned each week for a new entry!
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"Captain Bill's Wild Blue Hole Ride":
It was the 6th day of my week-long Andros Island vacation, when I realized that I had yet to step one barefoot out of the 100 yard beach radius surrounding the Small Hope Bay Lodge. Between all the amazing scuba diving trips, an abundance of hammocks and a self-serve beach bar, there’s not a whole lot of incentive to leave this slice of paradise. But considering there were miles of uninhabited and virtually untouched wilderness just beyond the lodge borders, I figured a little DIY exploration was in order.

Since Small Hope provides bicycles free of charge, my travel buddy Mark and I decided to do one of the most popular suggested excursions – a 6 mile ride to Captain Bill’s, an inland blue hole in the middle of a pristine pine forest. Coated in bug spray and SPF 30, our backpacks filled with water bottles, towels and a change of clothes, we grabbed a hand-drawn map from the office and headed to the bike rack to pick out our trusty steeds for the day. As it turned out, they were way more rusty than trusty, but we decided to take our chances.

While Mark managed to get a fairly decent mountain bike (albeit female), I was left to contend with, what I can only describe as two mostly flat tires hanging precariously from an unstable metal frame. Affectionately naming him the Silver Piranha, I asked him nicely to try to keep his wheels on for the duration of the trip, made a quick sign of the cross and took off down the sandy slope towards Queens Highway. Rather than an actual highway, it was a paved two-lane road that was much easier to navigate than we’d expected. And there were so few cars that we decided to make a game out of counting them, agreeing that each one that passed us from behind would represent the number of beers we’d have to drink when we returned. We coasted about two miles before our smooth sailing abruptly came to an end.

We’d reached the point on the map where we were supposed to turn onto a dirt road. Umm, dirt was a vast understatement. For the next, count ‘em, four miles, we banged, crashed and bumped down a gravel trail teeming with fallen tree branches, pot holes and what can only be described as an odd cement, mud mixture. By the time we reached the entrance to the national park, our stomachs hurt from laughing so hard, with any feeling remaining in our asses left in the dust.

But all the pain was well worth it when we reached our destination. Propping our bikes against a tree, we navigated a narrow footbridge that led us to an even narrower path. A few branches in the face later and we emerged to find an enormous blue hole carved out of a dense thicket of Andros pine forest. Fortunately for tourists like us, the Navy had constructed a wooden gazebo and platform that hung 20 feet in the air over the water. The Small Hope staff had told us that the blue hole was more than deep enough to take a running leap and dive in so that’s just what we did. Well, that’s what I did anyway.

Mark decided to stay on dry land and snap some photos, while I immediately stripped off my sweaty clothes (yes, I had a bathing suit underneath) and hurdled myself into the inland pool. Emerging to the surface from the deep splash, I felt instantly cooled off and refreshed. Aside from a few bird calls and the gentle swish of my treading, an eerie silence hung in the balmy air until we broke it with echo-inducing cries. Boasting better acoustics than Madison Square Garden, the blue hole reverberated with an amazing melody, turning our Hello, into a never-ending Heeeeelllllloooooo!

As heady as it was to be the single swimmer in an immense Ice Age sink hole, it was also a bit creepy. My mind started to get the better of me and I begin to conjure up images of the mythological Lusca monster lurking underneath me in the inky depths. OK, time to get out now! Climbing up the wooden stairs, I met back up with Mark on the platform, toweled off and prepared to head back through the trees.

It took all the energy we could possibly muster (and a few more butt bruises), but we made it back to Small Hope in less than an hour. Not counting an embarrassing tumble onto an unsuspecting Bahamian’s front lawn (don’t ask!), we arrived at the lodge mostly in one piece.

Our car-to-beer count had only tallied five, which Mark and I split between us. Luckily, that was just enough to ensure that I didn’t feel the effects of my good ‘ole Silver Piranha for the rest of the night!


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Dying to view my entire Andros blog series to date?...Of course you are! Click here to re-visit Part 1-6!

Lost Girl of the Week: Kristen J. Putch

ADP: A few weeks ago, The Lost Girls were invited to Syracuse University to do our first panel discussion with the members of Syracuse Ed2010 and Women in Communications. During the two hour session, we discussed our careers in publishing, film and television, tips for getting jobs and internships and how to take a break (eventually) in order to travel. 

One of the best parts of the evening—if not the best part—was meeting the students and discussing where they hoped to go with their careers. We fielded tons of great questions, including whether or not to shoot for an internship or study abroad the summer after sophomore year (we said travel, of course!) and how to get an entry level job in integrated marketing (better email Jen for the answer to that one). 

After the event, we went to dinner with Kristen Putch, 21, who's not only president of Women in Communication at Syracuse, but is also the Managing Editor of 360 Magazine and the former Editor in Chief of The Student Voice (she's now the web editor). Kristen seemed excited to graduate and enter the "real world" but also expressed her concerns about what that actually might mean. Here, she shares why you don't have to rack up stamps on your passport or even leave the country to consider yourself a full-fledged Lost Girl. 

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Kristen J. Putch: Unlike many "Lost Girls," I am not a seasoned traveler. Actually, I have never left the East Coast.

But, in terms of my future, I am about as lost as any girl could be.

My name is Kristen, and I am a senior journalism student at Syracuse University. In three months, SU will push me out of my safe bubble and into the real world. The problem is, once I enter the real world, I'm not exactly sure where to go...the destination is a mystery.

In the hope of gaining some direction—and get a head start on my undefined future—I have been taking part in any career-related workshops or events offered on the Syracuse campus.

Last week, the university hosted one of its campus-wide career expos, which takes place once a semester. In the past I have blown off these expos, deciding they held nothing of interest for me. But this semester, I decided to go and see what it was all about. Maybe I'd even make a contact or two.

We were told that more than 80 employers would be attending, and all I could think of was "80 employers? There's got to be something there for me." The day of the expo, I looked around campus and saw what seemed like hundreds of thousands of students in business suits. They all had a slight look of terror on their faces, but I could also see them planning their strategies to make the best impression possible.

I laughed a little as I watched my classmates walk around in ties and carrying briefcases. I'd seen many of them out at bars just days before in jeans and hoodies.

After taking it all in, I slowly made my way to the auditorium. As I got closer, I stopped. Thinking back to all those e-mails I received, it suddenly dawned on me that all the employers there were looking for two people: engineers and business/finance students. As I stood in the entrance, it was the first time in my life I wished I had pursued a degree in business, rather than journalism.

I waited outside the door for another minute and then turned around. As much as I need a job come May, I refuse to lose myself or my passion in that process.

And so, for now, I shall remain "a Lost Girl."

*****

If you're interested in blogging for us, or becoming a Lost Girl of the Week, drop us a line at lostgirlsworld@gmail.com. We love to hear your stories!

Lost Girls Field Trip: Andros Island-Part 5

Jen: While I wouldn't trade my position as 1/3 of The Lost Girls writing team for anything in...well...the world, I recently spread my journalist wings and accepted my first solo assignment: a 9-part web series on Andros Island for the pop culture travel site, Jaunted.com. But even though I temporarily flew away from the nest, I felt compelled to bring my stories home to you, my favorite TLG readers. So enjoy my fifth post and stay tuned each week for a new entry!

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"Mythical Creatures of Andros":
The Lock Ness Monster...Big Foot...The Abominable Snowman. Until a recent trip to the Bahamas, I thought I had all my ‘legendary monsters’ bases pretty much covered. That was before I landed on Andros Island and started hearing the names Chickcharney and Lusca thrown around in casual conversation. Apparently there were a few mythical creatures my school teachers neglected to mention.

A sci-fi geek to the core, I was naturally intrigued by the rich mythology and folkloric tales that abound the island, so I decided to do a little digging. I didn’t have to go far considering the Birch Family, who founded Small Hope Bay Lodge where I was staying, has been in Andros for decades and are very familiar with the creatures there, great and small, real and fictional. Although owner, Jeff Birch, can tell you from personal experience that the Chickcharney is as alive as you and me. Athough he’d heard the stories, he was absolutely astonished to encounter one as a young boy while exploring the West side of Andros.

So what is a Chickcharney (also spelled Chickcharnee) you ask? Well, from what I’m told, it’s best described as a furry/feathery owl-like troll that lives at the tops of the tallest trees in the Andros Pine Forests. If you cross one it will strip your clothes off and turn your head backwards, but in some cases it also can bring good luck. According to island inhabitants, if you see two trees from opposite sides of the road twisted at the top or bound together, it’s a sign that one is nearby. While the Chickcharney is only found on Andros, its legend spans well beyond the island’s borders. Most interestingly, it was featured in a Time Magazine WWII article (March 24, 1947 is the source date on the web piece-pretty cool!).

Although lesser known, Andros is also home to the Lusca, who is a half-shark, half-octopus creature who lurks among the waters of inland caverns and Blue Holes. Some residence believe that Lusca’s breathe is responsible for the tidal currents and is sometimes even strong enough to create a whirlpool. When chatting with Casey Birth, Jeff’s daughter, she told me that the main thing to look for is the water rising or bubbling up. If it does, I will know Lusca is there. Considering I had an afternoon trip planned to the popular inland blue hole, Captain Bill's, I was definitely going to keep her advice in mind.

Whether you believe in mythical creatures or think they’re only stuff of, well, myths, my personal opinion is simply that one never really knows. So perhaps it sounds ridiculous, but mark my words, if I see even the tiniest unexplained ripple or gurgle in Captain Bill’s Blue Hole, I’m hauling ass back to shore faster than you can say, Lusca.

Log on to next week to see if I survived my swim!

*****
Dying to view my entire Andros blog series to date?...Of course you are! Click here to re-visit Part 1-5!

Live from the Wienermobile: The breakup

Molly and Selena: It would be an understatement to say that, after spending seven months traversing the Southern U.S., we know a lot about each other. The truth is, we know practically everything – what entrees we’ll order at lunch, what we put in our coffee, whether we prefer Coke or Pepsi or RC. Heck, half the time we even wear the same color shirt after work.

It’s like a marriage, but now we’re splitting up. Every January all of the hotdoggers are assigned a new region with a new partner. For the next five months, Selena will criss-cross the U.S. in the world’s only Mini Wienermobile (it’s built on a Mini Cooper), and Molly will tour the Midwestern states.

We’ve got a lot to look forward to, but in the spirit of reflection we’re sharing a few of the oddest things we’ve discovered we have in common. Stay tuned for our separate, ongoing adventures!

1. As kids, neither of us could be witches for Halloween. Our Catholic moms thought that was too evil, so Selena compromised on a nun costume (she still got the black robe), and Molly went for a Glenda the Good Witch getup.
2. Our parents were strict on T.V. More specifically, neither of us could watch The Simpsons, which means we still miss out on many a pop culture reference.
3. Bart was nixed, but Dorothy was welcomed. Remember our visit to the Oz Museum? That love for the classic started when we were kids.
4. Selena’s family is as Mexican as Molly’s is Irish. Even though we’re both fourth-generation Americans, our families have strong cultural ties…like listening to bagpipes and mariachis at weddings.
5. Back to being Catholic – our fathers were both CCD teachers (that’s like Sunday school for anyone who doesn’t follow the Pope) during that very impressionable late elementary-middle school age. Our friends all thought it was weird.

Lots of (Low Cost) Love for Valentine’s Day

No matter your status this V-day, you’ll be able to find plenty of ways to pamper yourself on the cheap. Whether you’re spending it solo, celebrating with your friends, or cozying up with Mr. Right (or just Mr. Right Now), check out these cupid-inspired packages:

Spa and The Single Girl Spend Friday the 13th getting a glow with a chocolate body scrub or soothing tense muscles with a hot stone massage at GemVie MediSpa in midtown Manhattan. All services are 15 percent off for singles. If you make it a girls’ night and bring a single friend, you’ll both get 25 percent off.

Boyfriend Not Included Prefer not to sleep alone on Valentine’s Day? Gather your friends and head to The Ritz-Carlton New York, Central Park for a grown-up sleepover. You’ll get a four-person room, in-room manicures, complementary food and beverages, and the option for either a “girls’ night in” with movies, music and snacks; or a “girls’ night out” with private car service to a concierge-recommended hotspot and late-night gourmet treats. Prices are $599 per person based on four-person occupancy.

Champagne + Massages= Love Disconnect from the daily grind and indulge with your sweetie by checking into a hotel that has an onsite spa. Extra brownie points if it’s on the beach. The Watercolor Inn & Resort in Santa Rosa Beach, Florida has a Valentine’s Day special that includes a room with a view of the Gulf of Mexico; champagne and chocolate-covered strawberries; two 50-minute Swedish massages at the InnSpa; one three-course dinner; and daily complimentary breakfast. It’s going on February 10th through the 18th and starts at $390 a night with a two-night minimum.

Choose Your Own Romance: Whether you want to get out of town or simply escape to a hotel close to home (you’ll skip the pricey plane ticket but still score maid service!), check out the Valentine’s Day deals at Hotels.com. Four-star rooms at the Sofitel Chicago O’Hare come with cozy fireplaces, are located just two blocks from Rosemont Theatre, and start at less than $100 a night. Bonus: You’ll get a $20 gift certificate to 1-800-Flowers.com so you'll save on those red roses you meant to buy anyway.

We just couldn't resist posting this felled cupid image, so here's his photo credit: www.eatdrinksnort.com

The 2009 New York Times Travel Show

ADP: This weekend, Lost Girls are teaming up with our favorite all-guy traveling trio, The Longest Trippers, to attend the sixth annual New York Times Travel Show. The 2009 event is being held on Feb 7 and 8 at the Jacob K. Javits Convention Center on Manhattan’s west side. It will host nearly 500 exhibitors representing more than 100 countries, and will focus on travel destinations, tour operators and cruise lines. That's a lot ground to cover, which is why our group of six is gonna divide and conquer!

One of the best draws of this year's event is that several of the presenters will be offering special discounts, packages and chances to win big fat travel prizes (my favorite: a flight to St. Kitts--a place I've been dying to check out). Here's a breakdown of where to go—and what to get your hands on—this weekend.

Happy roaming--and we hope to see you there!

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American Express Booking Station
Booth# 741 – Ski three days and get the fourth free at one of the Vail Resorts.

Booth# 741 – Receive discounts of up to 50 percent when you book with Stay More at more than 200 Preferred Hotel Group hotels around the world.

Caribbean Hotel & Tourism Association
Booth# 317 100 different hotel stays at 99 resorts on 24 Caribbean islands will be auctioned off during the show. The auctions are part of an ongoing effort by the Caribbean Hotel & Tourism Association Education Foundation (CHTAEF) to provide scholarships and grants to help Caribbean youth.

Context Travel
Booth# 474 Context Travel is offering chance to win a private three-hour walking seminar led by a Context scholar in any of the eight cities where they operate: Rome, Paris, London, New York, Florence, Naples and Istanbul.

Hotel de La Montagne
Booth# 647
Hotel de la Montagne, located in the heart of Montreal is offering the chance to win a two-night stay with dinner and breakfast for two.

Puerto Rico Tourism Company
Booth# 523 Stop by the booth and enter a drawing to win a three-day, two-night hotel stay for two with two VIP weekend passes to Saborea, an Annual Culinary Event & Extravaganza at the Escambron Beach, in San Juan, from Apr. 3 to 5, 2009.
You can also register to enter a drawing to win a three-day, two-night hotel stay at the San Juan Water & Beach Club Hotel.

St. Kitts and Nevis
Booth# 515 Win a trip on American Airlines nonstop to St. Kitts; Win three-night, four-day stay at the St. Kitts Marriott Hotel; Win a three-night, four-day stay at Hermitage Plantation Inn, Nevis;- Win a three-night, four-day stay at Oualie Beach Resort, Nevis.

For a regularly updated list of special offers available at this year’s Travel Show visit http://www.nytimes.com/travelshow.

Lost Girl Field Trip: Andros Island-Part 4

Jen: While I wouldn't trade my position as 1/3 of The Lost Girls writing team for anything in...well...the world, I recently spread my journalist wings and accepted my first solo assignment: a 9-part web series on Andros Island for the pop culture travel site, Jaunted.com. But even though I temporarily flew away from the nest, I felt compelled to bring my stories home to you, my favorite TLG readers. So enjoy my fourth post and stay tuned each week for a new entry!

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"The Great Wall (Dive) of Andros": I’ve hurled myself out of a plane in Switzerland...repelled down rock walls in Ecuador..and conquered three bungee jumps in a row in New Zealand. But those were mere child’s play compared to my most adrenaline-inducing endeavor -- diving to a staggering 185 feet below sea level in Andros Island, Bahamas!

Since my 7 day scuba package at the Small Hope Bay Lodge was just about up, I decided it was now or never to take the ultimate plunge. Earlier that week, I’d broken my standing depth record of a pitiful 65 feet, by upping it to 90. And then came 110…then 130…and finally, all the way to 140 feet. But like any addiction, once you get a taste of the goods, you gotta have more. Not to say that I took the decision lightly. But as I realized during my previous deep dives, if I followed my trained underwater professionals, stayed calm and paid attention to my time and air, it was pretty much smooth sailing, err, floating.

And unlike some scuba sites around the world, where going for distance doesn’t necessarily have any aesthetic or experiential benefit, its quite the opposite case with Andros Island. Why you ask? Well, it’s simple. The Andros wall, which begins where the ocean floor ends, is a vertical drop-off where the continental shelf plummets down to 6,000 feet into the Tongue of the Ocean. No, I did not add an extra zero to that figure by mistake. It really is 6,000 feet. And I was about to fly head first over the wall and down to an ice age shoreline to see the great wonder of the world for myself.

Under the expert tutelage of Small Hope Dive Master, Amanda Lee, my dive buddy Mark and I were as ready as we’d ever be. The process was amazingly simple. Descend to the edge of the wall and drop fast as hell until we reached a sandy alcove. Without letting Amanda’s fins out of our eyesight for even a second, we made it from 0-185 feet in less than two minutes.

Borrowing the standby scuba analogy that scuba diving is like being in outer space, arriving on the underwater beach seriously felt like landing on the moon. It was absolutely other-worldly. And then, thanks to a touch of nitrogen narcosis (aka ‘getting NARCed), which is pretty much guaranteed at this depth, it felt delightfully silly. Without getting into the science of it all, I was thoroughly enjoying its “Martini Effect” - which humorously likens NARCO diving to downing a few of 007’s favorite libations (shaken vs. stirred not specified). All day leading up to the dive Amanda warned us that if we saw the elusive chicken fish, we were NARCed for sure. So when she pulled a pre-hidden rubber chicken from the sand and waved it in front of me and Mark, it was pretty much confirmed.

As we hung mid-air staring into the vast 6000 foot abyss below (did I mention it was 6000 feet!), my inner monologue went something like this: “Awww, Mark’s gonna geeettt iiinnn troouuuble for going too close to the edge. Hee hee! Ooh, I just laughed under water. That’s funny. Hee hee! Glub Glub! Ooh, look, bubbles. That’s really funny. It’s so nice on this little beach. I really like it here and…”

My mega deep thoughts were swiftly interrupted by Amanda who motioned that it’s time to begin our ascent. “Goodbye strange space world. I’ll miss you,” managed to eek out of my brain just before we hit 135 feet and I returned to normal. Well, relatively speaking anyway!

After such a seriously mind-blowing experience, the only thing to do was throw high fives all around, grab a seat at the outdoor bar and brag about going 185 feet to anyone and everyone within earshot. As we re-played the events of the day, Amanda mentioned an article that Esquire.com ran earlier this year entitled, “60 Things Worth Shortening Your Life For” and guess what was ranked #30? Narco Diving in Andros Island!

And I have to say, I thoroughly agree!

For more information about scuba diving in Andros Island, visit Small Hope
*****
Dying to view my entire Andros blog series to date?...Of course you are! Click here to re-visit Part 1-4!

Live from the Wienermobile: Our Favorite Spot for Spa-ing

Here's the latest on-the-road dispatch from our Wienermobile girls. You can read more about their hot dogging adventures by clicking here

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Molly and Selena: We love blogging about cheap finds on the road (remember that dinner-movie combo in Pensacola?), which is why we have to give a serious shout out to Hot Springs, AR.

The former gangster hangout earned fame for its mineral spring water, which bubbles from the Ouchita Mountains at 147 degrees. Naturally, a spa community built up around the waters. Although many of the elegant old bathhouses on the main drag have shut down, a few still offer traditional bathing packages.

We chose Buckstaff Baths, a local favorite and the oldest continually operating house in town. Its traditional package includes four hot water treatments and a 20-minute massage for a grand total of…$50, a.k.a. the cost of a pedicure in most major city day spas.

Of course, we indulged. And we’ve got to say, it was one of those days that made us think, “Wow, we have one of the best jobs in the world.”

Our favorite things: Maghound

by Cassie Kreitner
courtesy of: Syracuse Ed2010

Tired of burning your hard-earned cash on your favorite magazines? Recently, Time Inc. debuted a solution for avid magazine readers: a cheap Netflix-like service for monthly subscriptions. Maghound.com, the self-professed “magazine lover’s best friend,” is a great concept that allows you to choose the magazines you want to read each month, sent at the same time as regular subscriptions.

There are already 250 magazines on the site, including Prevention, Real Simple, Food & Wine, Body + Soul, Elle, Fitness, Marie Claire, Nylon, and New York Magazine. Prices range from a low $4.95 a month for three magazines to $9.95 a month for seven magazines, and $1 more for each additional magazine.

Whether you're an armchair traveler (add: Sherman's Travel, Travel + Leisure, and National Geographic Adventure to your cue) or a frequent flier (you'll have glossies to pack in your carry-on), this service can save you big bucks at the newsstand. 

10 Most Popular Backpacker Destinations

Not all travel companies are feeling the pinch of the global recession. This week, the folks at the UK-based Hostelling International (HHI) reported that their bookings are at an all-time high—about 14 percent more people booked accommodations on their site (hihostels.com) in 2008 than a year earlier. According to HHI, the 10 most popular countries for backpackers are:

1. France.
2. USA
3. England & Wales
4. Italy
5. Spain
6. Argentina
7. Norway
8. The Netherlands
9. Switzerland
10. Belgium

And the most popular hostels? Here’s where budget travelers like to lay their heads:

Top Hostels (booked on hihostels.com)
1
Paris - Le d'Artagnan (France)
With a capacity for 440 guests, this is the largest hostel in France. It offers a free cinema, four internet terminals, a bar, a cafe and a laundry.
http://www.hihostels.com/dba/hostels-Paris---Le-d-Artagnan-020001.en.htm

2.
Paris Clichy (France)
Located a few steps from Mairie de Clichy metro, the hostel offers easy access to many of the major sights of Paris, such as the Arc de Triomphe, the Champs Elysées, Montmartre and the Louvre museum. There is capacity for 338 guests and facilities include bar, Internet access, TV and kitchen.
http://www.hihostels.com/dba/hostels-Paris-Clichy-020024.en.htm

3
HI - New York City (USA)
This hostel is located in a landmark building on the Upper West Side, one block from Broadway Avenue, near a main subway line, and only minutes from Central Park. From now till the end of the winter, Hostelling International NY will provide free breakfast to guests.
http://www.hinewyork.org/

4
HI - San Francisco Downtown (USA)
Housed in a renovated hotel, HI-San Francisco Downtown is located one block from Union Square and steps from Chinatown. The hostel offers both private rooms and dorm rooms, with a maximum of four beds per dorm. Lockers are available in each room, and many rooms come with their own private bathrooms. Free linen and towel service, as well as daily housekeeping, are included, and laundry facilities are available on site.
http://www.hihostels.com/dba/hostels-HI---San-Francisco,-Downtown-060009.en.htm

5
Paris - Jules Ferry (France)
Placed in a historic district and popular but quiet of the city of Paris, this hostel is near several tourist attractions and a few minutes walk from several metro and bus lines.
http://www.hihostels.com/dba/hostels-Paris---Jules-Ferry-020131.en.htm

6
London Central YHA (UK)
YHA London Central boasts seven floors of modern budget accommodation five minutes walk from Oxford Street. Guests can take advantage free wifi in the 24 hour cafe/bar, either over a relaxing glass of wine or a more lively head-to-head on our plasma screen Nintendo Wii. The travel desk offers discounts on major attractions (Madame Tussauds, Tower of London, London Eye etc)
http://www.hihostels.com/dba/hostels-London---London-Central-YHA-018282.en.htm

7
Roma - Foro Italico - AF Pessina YH (Italy)
Situated 4km north west of the centre of Rome, the hostel is close to the Olympic Stadium and within easy reach of the Vatican, with its museums and the Sistine Chapel ceiling. There are 334 beds and facilities include internet access, TV, meals and bike hire.
http://www.hihostels.com/dba/hostels-Roma---Foro-Italico---AF-Pessina-YH-031003.en.htm

8
Barcelona - Rambles Center (Spain)
Located in the city centre, 100 meters from Las Ramblas, 5 minutes from Plaza Catalunya, and 10 minutes from the beach. Inaugurated in 2002, the hostel has 200 beds in share dorms and offers free internet access, breakfast, sheets, and cable TV. http://www.hihostels.com/dba/hostels-Barcelona----Rambles-Center-051044.en.htm

9
Nice Camélias (France)
Close to the train station, the beaches and the nightlife of the Old Nice, this bright, sunny hostel includes breakfast.
http://www.hihostels.com/dba/hostels-Nice-Cam%C3%A9lias-020173.en.htm

10
Venice – Venezia (Italy)
Located in an ancient, refurbished grain store on Guidecca Island in the heart of Venice, this hostel is near Palladian churches, the Doge's Palace, the Bridge of Sighs and the Peggy Guggenheim Collection. It has 260 beds and facilities include meals, TV room, common rooms, tourist information, luggage store for members and lockers.
http://www.hihostels.com/dba/hostels-Venice---Venezia-031001.en.htm