Tag Archives: Trinidad and Tobago

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10 PLACES I WANT TO VISIT

I’ve been home for a month now. I love home. I love travelling too. I’d love to go back to Dubai for next winter.

However, there are tons of other places I’d also love to visit, and that’s the topic for this month’s  Top Ten Tuesday here at www.chattrisse.com . . .

 

1. Belize

Just because. The idea got lodged in my head while I was in university . . . I legit don’t even remember how . . . and it hasn’t gone away.

www.cahalpech.com

www.cahalpech.com

Honeymoon destination?

 

2. Paris

This is thanks to The Devil Wears Prada. My mom and I started planning a trip there once, but we ended up going to Costa Rica instead.

worldtravelguide.net

www.worldtravelguide.net

I am hoping I can find extremely chic clothing at a reasonable price, and that my French isn’t too Canadian.

 

3. St Lucia

Pretty much any gorgeous tropical destination is a win in my book. But it would be nice to catch the St Lucia Jazz Festival, go snorkelling or scuba diving and then drive through a volcano (faster getaway in case Mount So-and-So decides to heat up).

www.travelintropical.blogspot.com

www.travelintropical.blogspot.com

And since the St Lucians I’ve met are all awesome, I’m looking forward to meeting more of them!

 

4. Brazil

Mom and I were once asked if we were Brazilian, and we were extremely flattered — maybe the genuine Brasilianas (did I do that right?) can teach me a thing or two when I get there!

www.ibtimes.com

www.ibtimes.com

Clearly I’m missing the party that is World Cup 2014, but hey, surely that means the airfare is about to drop. And speaking of the World Cup . . .

 

5. South Africa

I’ve been reading about freedom fighters since I was a kid, so naturally I want to see this place for myself. I do not, however, want to hear any vuvuzelas, please and thanks. My friend Shane, from Cape Town, has piqued my interest with his descriptions of safaris and beach house rentals, and malva pudding is like one of my favourite desserts now, so off I go!

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Me and Shane!

 

Random fact: when I followed my dad’s lead and selected an African name, the first time around, I chose Zenzele, which is South African.

 

6. Way Up North

The aforementioned Shane wants to visit Canada in the winter (crazy man), since he’s never experienced bone-chilling cold before. I’m okay skipping the weather, but I do want to go somewhere far enough north to see the Northern Lights.

www.guardianlv.com

www.guardianlv.com

I would have caught them at summer camp one year except that the clouds conspired against me (just as they have for so many meteor showers); and watching Frozen recently reminded me of how much I want to see that beautiful sight for myself.

 

7. Trinidad Carnival

I see this as a different destination from Trinidad at any other time of year. I really wanted to be there for Carnival this year, since it fell on my birthday. But going during a year when it doesn’t (which is pretty much every year) will just mean stretching my birthday out over a matter of weeks.

www.democraticunderground.com

www.democraticunderground.com

Or months. I’m okay with that.

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8. Italy

For the food. For some authentic tiramisu. For some amazing pasta. If I’m lucky, my friend Davide will be home when I go and he’ll cook me a huge meal . . .

Davide =)

Davide =)

he might even convince me to turn away from my usual fruity cocktails and enjoy some wine instead.

 

9. Singapore

This got lodged in my head while I was visiting Mom in Abu Dhabi once, and shortly afterward I got very excited by the possibility of living there for a year while performing as Nala in The Lion King on stage there.

ds-lands.com

www.ds-lands.com

Neither that trip nor that role have happened for me yet, but both are still kicking around in my brain . . .

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10. Indonesia

This entry is highly influenced by my recent stint in Dubai.

www.indonesianfair.com

www.indonesianfair.com

My bandmates both love Indonesia and couldn’t stop raving about it; if my three new Indonesian friends Adit and Rio and Oka are any indication of the general population, the country is full of amazingly friendly people; and Indonesia was strongly recommended, along with Singapore, by a GTAer I met during my final days there who’s been travelling for ten years.

Honorable mentions go to Sweden, Japan, Australia, New Zealand, the Maldives, Malta, and Monaco; and I’d love to take a coast-to-coast trip across Canada too.

Guess I better start packing.  =)

Are any of these places on your bucket list too?  Have you been to any of them already? Is there somewhere I didn’t name that you think I absolutely HAVE to visit?

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10 RULES OF FÊTIQUETTE

The first Tuesday of March 2014!  Of course this means the third installment of Top Ten Tuesdays here on my blog, but it also means Carnival is in full swing for lucky partygoers in places like Trinidad, Brazil, and even New Orleans (Happy Fat Tuesday).

Being in Dubai, I am far away from any carnivalerie, so I decided to contribute somewhat by dedicating this Top Ten post to the aforementioned partygoers – here are some words of wisdom gathered by my friends and I during the last decade or so of fêting.  Enjoy …

 

1.  When you are waiting outside to get in, know that there is a direct correlation between the amount of jokes cracked and the speed at which time will pass. To this end, it is advisable to befriend strangers in line and poke fun at whatever and whomever is nearby.

crash-party-weekendHowever, when the line starts to get too chubby at the front, the time for jokes has passed. Band together with your newfound friends and push through the blasted door.

2.  It is not okay to hold up the line at the door on your way in (or the line at the coat check on your way out) because you lost your ticket.

whiteout 2008Put your ticket inside a pocket … inside a shoe … inside your phone case …  with your ID … or, ladies, put in your bra (or your friend’s bra, if you’re really dressed to fête).

3.  So basic, but apparently this needs to be reiterated a whole lot. When you’re attempting to dance on someone and they move away from you, they are not challenging you to follow them.

no danceDisengage.

4.  Females who arrive at a fête in high heels and/or flip flops should not be mocked gratuitously for their poor selection of footwear. Keep this in mind, but feel no obligation to go out of your way just to avoid them hurting their feet …

pain scale… it’s the only way they’ll learn.

5.  Non-essential objects which fall to the floor have a retrieval time limit. If more than 30 seconds have passed since your bracelet, ring, or rag fell into the sludgy mess under your shoes, let it go.

stopwatchIf it is your earring that has fallen, no amount of time will make it safe for you to wear it again — do not, for any reason, attempt to put that piece of metal through your earlobe. Your mother raised you better than that.

6.  Those who can hold their liquor: drink freely. Those who cannot: do not ruin this night for the rest of us.

DSC08010If you are not sure which group you belong to, ask your friends.

7.  Men and boys: you know how you love looking at women’s bodies but you’re really quick to judge them?

mindblowinglyhotWomen and girls are the same way, so hit the gym before you show up and take your shirt off.

8.  Men and women: teach the boys and girls what to do and how to act. The recent influx of soca novices who seem unable to comprehend and execute even the simplest of dances …

Palance-Icon … is untenable, and action must be taken now to prevent this situation from getting worse. (And while we’re on the subject … Can we please retire Palance???)

9.  If you, like me, are tired of wining competitions which take up half of an artist’s set, meet me at the bar as soon as the selection of contestants from each Caribbean country begins.

DSC06087And to those of you craning your necks to watch the whole thing go down, don’t be surprised when Trinidad wins.

10. Enjoy yourself. To the fullest.

Return Fete 2008Carnival will come back every year … genres of music will come and go and come again … our kids and their kids will have lots of fun at parties too … but the vibe will never be the same.

Oh goshhhhhhh I’m itching to go to a fête now … miss you all!  Til next time ;-) xoxoxoxoxo