Jamaica.
Weather, ocean and beaches all perfect. Smoking materials were good too, although seeing as I get stoned about once a year, I'm probably not the best judge of this. Also very cheap compared to local prices - so I'm told.
I was stunned by the contrast between the affluence of the resorts and the poverty immediately outside of them. We talked to the nanny a lot about this and she assured us that she and her friends were more than happy that we were there with our dollars. Without us things would be a lot more grim. I still felt uneasy though.
It is easy to come away from Jamaica feeling you are really good looking. This is because the women there hold your gaze and smile all the time. Not like people who work in service industries do here but in a very friendly and open way. There is no more pleasant feeling than have beautiful women smile at you. For that alone I would return to Jamica.
Travel tip. If you get to the airport late and there is a giant line for your chosen company slip the porter a couple of bucks and they will slide you through first class departures. Like the guy said to me "This is Jamica. There all rules and they all bend." We got all our shit (8 people) whizzed through check in 5 minutes. While there was a line behind us a hundered yards long. Standing in an airport with no AC and controlling three cranky kids would have been a real drag. Best 5 bucks I ever spent.
Dreadlock holiday
"I was stunned by the contrast between the affluence of the resorts and the poverty immediately outside of them."
i forgot to tell you that my aunt and uncle did some work there a few years ago. actually i'd forgotten they'd been there.
my family has been to a lot of places. sometimes they work in the united states and sometimes abroad. it just depends on what opportunity is available. mostly they take their vacation days to do this. except for the one week that my mom insists we all spend together; those vacation days are earmarked. males and females. there are very few of the praying mantis variety of women in our family. in fact, come to think of it, not one of us has actually gone through with a divorce -- most have come close. the funniest near divorce was my brother and sister-in-law's only because they did not actually divorce, that would have been bad. i love my sister-in-law, i feel that there is probably no other female on earth who would not bite my brother's head off if she actually had to live with him every day. anyway, it was a tough time for them, and he was nit-picking her about everything, fussed at her for something stupid, then went and locked himself in his office. so she went into the den, cranked up "celebrate good times" to top volume and left. hahahaha! that is the best.
i'm glad your money helped. that is nice.
i forgot to tell you that my aunt and uncle did some work there a few years ago. actually i'd forgotten they'd been there.
my family has been to a lot of places. sometimes they work in the united states and sometimes abroad. it just depends on what opportunity is available. mostly they take their vacation days to do this. except for the one week that my mom insists we all spend together; those vacation days are earmarked. males and females. there are very few of the praying mantis variety of women in our family. in fact, come to think of it, not one of us has actually gone through with a divorce -- most have come close. the funniest near divorce was my brother and sister-in-law's only because they did not actually divorce, that would have been bad. i love my sister-in-law, i feel that there is probably no other female on earth who would not bite my brother's head off if she actually had to live with him every day. anyway, it was a tough time for them, and he was nit-picking her about everything, fussed at her for something stupid, then went and locked himself in his office. so she went into the den, cranked up "celebrate good times" to top volume and left. hahahaha! that is the best.
i'm glad your money helped. that is nice.