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Air Canada - The Worst Airline in the World?
Michelle and I were flying from St. Maarten to Timmins, Ontario with 2 nights in Toronto to see some friends. We flew with WestJet from SXM to YYZ and the trip unto that point was going according to plan. Our friends picked us up and we spent the next 48 hours catching up and trying to get accustomed to the already colder weather.
The next plan was to catch our 4PM flight with Air Canada from Toronto to Timmins, Ontario. This flight is typically 90 minutes. Our friends were kind enough to drop us off at the airport on their way to see family some 2 hours away for the long labor day weekend.
We make our way to the Air Canada counter to check in 2 hours in advance (more than enough time for domestic flights) and wait roughly 30 minutes in line.
Navy Beach - A Different Way to Spend an Afternoon in St. Maarten.
Within the secured area of Isle De Sol in St. Maarten, can be found the newest relaxation spot in Simpson Bay. Formerly known as Fat Turtle, Navy Beach Restaurant is a renovated little marvel that truly needs to be discovered and added to your weekly rotation.
The Mood Lounge in St. Maarten
Located in Miss Lalie’s Commercial Center on Bush Road, The Mood Lounge is a little gem that begs to be discovered. On the second floor, next to the Fire Fit Gym, is an indoor lounge with calming vibes that could turn wild if the mood is just right.
A well stocked bar welcomes you as you enter The Mood Lounge, with a knowledgable bartender ready to serve you your favorite cocktail. After a quick scan, you’ll notice the lounge is dare we say it: moody! Whether it’s the middle of the afternoon or at night, once inside, you’ll be transported into a cool (ahhhh we love that AC) and relaxing atmosphere with comfortable seating and clean, caribbean decor.
St Maarten Covid Travel : What’s Happening?
Vaccination on the island started in February 2021 and as of today (May 26th, 2021), the Dutch side of St. Maarten has provided vaccines to 30,000 people with a projection of rolling out the vaccine to 70% of the population by the end of June. The French side is currently at 20% of the current population having been vaccinated. Is it to be noted that the provided vaccine on the island is from Pfizer and is administered in 2 doses within 21 days. To follow the current situation of cases on either sides, please follow the following links:
Review: Villa Vijoux in St. Martin
We had the pleasure of staying at Villa Vijoux during one of our island staycations along with some friends. Located in Oyster Pond with magnificent ocean views, Villa Vijoux is truly a gem. Able to accommodate 16 people with its 8 bedroom two story layout, Villa Vijoux offers all of the modern features one would expect such as central air conditioning, fully equipped modern kitchen, BBQ grill, 5 car parking, swimming pool, washer, dryer and electric security gate as well as hurricane shutters. This place has it all!
To Protect and Charge: The Best Charging Station + Phone Case EVER!
With all of these devices we now need to constantly charge and organize, our homes have become a storage dump for cables and chargers. With this in mind, Apple has recently stopped shipping chargers with their newest iPhone relying on customers using their own. We’ve been huge fans of Anker products for the past few years already and their new Powerwave 4 in 1 Wireless Charging Stations is one of our favorite products of 2021 so far.
Let’s not forget another company whose products are as incredible as they are essential: MOUS. As previously discussed in this article, MOUS makes the best cases we’ve ever tried and their customer service is unparalleled, bar none. Let’s dive in a little deeper into what makes these products so great.
Organize and Level Up your Home with our Favorite Things
It’s always a good time to treat yourself, or a friend, to some good deals and fun purchases. This guide is definitely not tech oriented. Since we’ve all been staying put for the better part of a year, this guide deals with home oriented products. We own all of the items below and their recommendation is based on our actual use.
From small kitchen accessories to bigger ticket items, upgrading your kitchen doesn’t always mean remodeling. You’ll find a bunch of our favorite tools but also some great idea to help with organizing your space.
DJI Air 2S - Worth the Upgrade?
Compared to the Mini 2, it is double the price and weight, plus the new shooting mode may come in a software update soon. For us, at this point, what is exciting about this new release is the bigger sensor, the 10bit recording and the night shooting. For travelers though, the Mini 2 is still the drone to beat. Its set up is quick from bag to sky and the 4K video is sweet. Pop some ND filters on it and you’re good to go.
New Budget Airline Flying to St. Maarten
“We’re overjoyed to add St Maarten to our route map this summer with nonstop Miami and Orlando flights,” said Daniel Shurz, Senior Vice President of Commercial, Frontier Airlines. “St. Maarten is a premier vacation destination known for its sun-filled outdoor activities and amazing scenery. We look forward to bringing visitors to the island to create unforgettable memories, while supporting the local tourism industry. These new flights also provide an affordable and convenient option for local residents to travel to Florida and points beyond.”
Is My Sunscreen Killing the Planet?
Whether you believe in indoor UV tanning or relaxing on a Caribbean beach (we suggest St. Maarten, obviously), the chances of developing skin cancer or melanoma are scary high. Melanoma is the most common cancer in the world and will affect 1 in 5 Americans before the age of 70. If you have experienced more than 5 sunburns in your life, you’ve just doubled your risk for melanoma. The good news? When detected early, the 5 year survival rate for melanoma is 99%.
7 Tips: How To Get Paid To Travel
The age old questions. How do you get to travel so much? How can you afford this lifestyle? Why would anyone pay you to travel to their destination?
Just a few years ago, these were questions we too would ask anyone who would listen. We’ve been fortunate enough to have had luck and lessons learned while traveling for clients for the past few years. Below is the official step by step guide to traveling for free (or even better, getting paid doing so).
Must Have 2021 Gear
We often get asked about our travel gear but since the lockdown, people are interested in our commercial shooting gear. Below, you will find all of the gadgets we use on a weekly basis to create the content our clients love. Some are bigger ticket items and some are the fun, cheaper finds we can’t go without while at hone or on the road.
Review: Zemi Beach House Hotel & Spa in Anguilla – The New Best Place on Earth?
We can’t talk about Zemi Beach House Hotel & Spa before talking about Anguilla. As many of you know, we live on St. Maarten and have had the opportunity to island hop quite a bit. Last week-end was no exception, as Anguilla being one of our favorite destinations for its proximity and epic pristine beaches and only a 20 minute ferry ride away. Anguilla is a British overseas territory, east of Puerto Rico, that was named by Christopher Columbus for its “eel” shape (Anguilla means eel in Spanish). The small island, only 16 miles long and 3 miles wide, has a population of roughly 15,000 people.