caribbean Archives • Page 2 of 3 • The Bliss Movement

Caribbean, Mood and Mindset, Self-Care, St. Vincent and the Grenadines, Travel

Giving Yourself Permission To Do Nothing

I have a cup of tea beside me, a bowl of mangoes and am looking out over the waves from the Atlantic Ocean crashing onto the black sand beach at the bottom of the hill. My only plan for today is to have a pot of tea being constantly refilled and perhaps taking a stroll down to the water. There's no urgency to play tourist today, no desire to leave the house at all. I know, it sounds blissful, doesn't it? To be sitting up in a beautiful, open concept home for free thanks to an amazing offer on Couchsurfing.com, perched on a hill high above the sea in the Caribbea[...]

Caribbean, St. Vincent and the Grenadines

Hiking La Soufrière, St. Vincent

“Thousands of tired, nerve-shaken, over-civilized people are beginning to find out that going to the mountains is going home; that wildness is a necessity," -John Muir His name is Franklin and at the age of 58 he has hiked St. Vincent's active volcano 317 times. His trip with us up to the summit will bring his count up to 318, with the majority of his hikes being on the leeward side, where the hike doubles in time and the difficulty intensifies. Feeling a little intimidated by the thought of hiking up this 4049 ft. active volcano on the more difficult side (Ba[...]

Caribbean, Travel, Trinidad and Tobago

Leatherback Turtle Nesting, Trinidad & Tobago

When night falls upon Turtle Beach it is transformed into a home for endangered leatherback turtles. A popular nesting site for these animals, they choose the hours of darkness to pull themselves from the sea and drag their massive bodies across the sand to settle in a spot of their choosing. We made our way to Turtle Beach around 10pm. As we walked along the shore, flip flops in hand, we saw her. A leatherback turtle, larger that I ever could have imagined, had nestled herself into the sand and was in the process of laying her eggs in the hole she had just finis[...]

Caribbean, Trinidad and Tobago

Visiting Argyle Falls, Tobago

Our rental car was dropped off Thursday morning and like eager beavers, we hopped in ready to hit the road. Tobago can be difficult to get around within a car of your own and so for a modest fee of $300 TT per day, or roughly $60 Canadian, we opted to go on a road trip of the entire island. Narrow, windy roads featuring excessive honking, a few gasps of terror, and stunning coastal views took us from the south of the island all the way around it's perimeter. Along the way we stopped at countless bays and beaches, walking barefoot through the sand and dipping our t[...]

Caribbean, Trinidad and Tobago

A Day Trip To Maracas Falls and Maracas Bay, Trinidad

If you're in Trinidad for any amount of time, spend a morning exploring Maracas Falls and then make your way to Maracas Bay. The falls are a nice little hike up a somewhat well-maintained nature trail that shouldn't take you more than twenty-five minutes at a slow pace. At the start of the trail is a fountain of fresh spring water that you can safely fill up your water bottle with for the journey. As you wind your way up through the woods, be careful where you step as rocks may be loose and if it has recently rained or is raining, the path can be slippery. Br[...]

Barbados, Budget Travel, Caribbean, Tips, Planning and Packing, Travel

How To Travel To Barbados on a Budget

Barbados is known for its white sandy beaches and being the birthplace of Rihanna. What it's not known for is its affordability. The Caribbean isn't a popular place for those on a backpacker budget, as many are drawn to the extreme budget prices seen in Southeast Asia or South America, but the Caribbean is home to some of the most beautiful islands in the world and shouldn't be missed just because it seems a little pricy. Here are some traveler tips to make the most of your time in Barbados without breaking the bank: Shop Local Food prices in the supermarkets can[...]

Barbados, Caribbean, Travel

Off The Beaten Track Barbados: The Hot Pot

Amidst a long stretch of the white sand beach off the shores of the Caribbean is a natural little pool that flows out into the sea. Though shallow, there is a strong undercurrent that allows the pool to shift it's shape often and will carry you out to sea if you're not careful! Situated in front of a factory, the water that cools the generator of the factory becomes warm from the machinery and flows back out into the ocean, causing this small body of water to become unusually warm. Locals flock to Brighton beach to bathe in this water, adults chatting as they lou[...]

Barbados, Caribbean

Celebrating Phagwa In Barbados: The Festival of Colors

Pure joy was in the air, you could feel it all around you as soon as we approached the Hindu Temple. Uncle Charlie quite literally met us with open arms, diving in for hugs all around as he introduced himself and welcomed us into his community. His clothes were stained purple, his face dusted in a white powder, his hair showing off streaks of pink. It was the festival of colors; The festival of love; Phagwa; or what the West more commonly knows it as, Holi. It's the Hindu festival of spring where people of all ages come out to play in an afternoon of throwing col[...]

Barbados, Caribbean, Mood and Mindset, Self-Care, Travel

The Traveler’s Shift

I zoom through. Cities, countries, museums and temples, I zoom through them all. That has been my past travel experience nearly everywhere but Thailand. It paved the way for the title of this blog, a whirlwind. A travel affair where I leave after one short, intense kiss. I land in one destination and move frantically through it, desperate to see it all in three days or a week and then I disappear, leaving a city or a country behind me without seeing but a sliver of it. I've questioned this way of travel before and yet I continued to justify it. In some places th[...]

Barbados, Caribbean, Travel

Grenade Hall, Barbados: Mahogany Forests and Coastal Views

"If you don't know history, then you don't know anything. You are a leaf that doesn't know it is part of a tree," - Michael Crichton If you took my suggestion from my previous post about visiting the wildlife reserve in Barbados you will be pleased to find that your admission into the animal kingdom also allows you a jaunt up to the Grenade Hall signal station and the mahogany forest that surrounds it. Walking to the left of the ticket booth and, if you're lucky, a monkey taking a rest on the bench, you'll find yourself walking up a trail made of brick that wi[...]

Barbados, Caribbean, Travel

Monkeying Around at Barbados Wildlife Reserve

Imagine a place where diverse wildlife are allowed to roam freely, interacting not only with one another but also with the people visiting the reserve. You walk down a brick path lined with mahogany trees and a family of monkeys come jumping out in front of you. Red brocket deer walk past close enough to touch without a care in the world, completely unafraid of your presence. Tortoises saunter slowly down the path and rest in the cool dirt, peacocks show off their beautiful colors, and a giant python sleeps the day away. These are just some of the things you[...]

Barbados, Caribbean, Travel

Barbados’ Holetown Festival

Each year in mid-February, Holetown celebrates the anniversary of the first settlement in Barbados by hosting the annual Holetown Festival. A mix-mash of tourists and locals crowd the streets to get a glimpse at all of the local products on offer in a long jumble of tents. As you make your way through you'll pass bands playing local bajan music and can enjoy the tastes and smells of bajan foods like fish cakes, macaroni pie, and lots of barbecue chicken. Warning to the vegetarians attending the festival: it can be difficult to find vegetarian or vegan foods but t[...]