I hope I didn't forget anything

Crap I almost forgot to take the tablets that I need before I take this trip.

That brings me to the topic for today's post ..."Travel Tips", especially if it is for any lengthy period of time. There are things that might slip your mind and as a friend of mine would say, remember the 6 P's in life and that applies to travelling as well.  Prior Preparation Prevents Piss Poor Performance.

Here are some suggestions:-

1.  Call your bank and tell them when and where you are going to they will make a note of it on their system.  Phone and Internet are not always accessible to you on your journey.  Also it would be good to store their overseas contact information.

2.  Scan or photocopy your passport and visa information in case of emergency.  Especially with the availability of services like Dropbox.  You hope for no travel emergencies but remember the 6 Ps better to be safe than sorry.

3.  If you have pets make arrangements to board them or have someone reliable feed them.   Peace of mind that your pets are taken care of makes for a more enjoyable trip.

4.  It is important to know if shots are a requirement for entry into the country(s) that you are travelling to.  Refusal of entry into a country because of a lack of shots is a possibility.   For example, the yellow fever shot has to be done 10 days prior to travel. In Kingston, Jamaica I had to get my shot at The Comprehensive Clinic, 55 Slipe Pen Road, Kingston 5 (876) 922-2095 about 3 minutes from the Blood Bank.  Shot cost $250 JMD and you are given a card to verify you got your shot.  You must carry this card with you.  I suggested you put it with your travel documents.

5.   Empty perishables out of the fridge.  If away for 3-4 weeks it would not be a warm welcome when you open that fridge door.

6.  Don't forget your chargers and check if it can be used where you are going or do you need a travel charger adaptor plug.

7.  Check the weather where you are going around the time of year you are going.  Summertime in The Caribbean is winter in Australia so you might not want to pack shorts.

8.  Don't over pack.  Remember luggage restrictions are different on different Airlines.  Overweight luggage and extra pieces can be very expensive.  Pack valuables in your carry on luggage.

9.  For the ladies.  I suggest getting hair done and nails filled right before you leave and also to put on a light colour on your nails hides the chipping.

10.  Do you need a visa even if it is an airport in transit stop?  And please make sure to check if your visa and passport are valid.  Too many times tickets are booked only to discover that your passport has expired.  Do you need a US visa, Canadian visa, UK visa or even a Schengen visa for Europe?

Countdown:  T minus less than 3 days to go. #Jantu .... **happy dance

Remember to follow me on Twitter: @jantucaribbean and Instagram: jantucaribbean and Subscribe to receive emails on my blog Jantu Caribbean

Today's hint:  First 2 flights are in the good ole U.S.A.... both travel hubs #Jantu #adventure #travel
# vacation

Pack your bags and.....Go

Hola, Hallo, Greetings, Howdy, welcome to my Journey.  In fact I should call it our journey.  The journey that I have called Jantu Caribbean.  On July 27, 2013 I will take you on our first adventure so as we say in Jamaica ' small up yuhself ', yep I'm packing you in my luggage.  It is going to be a hell of a ride!  So hold on to your britches, we are taking 11 flights in 19 days departing from Kingston, Jamaica.

It is amazing how small this world has become with the internet.  You can instantly Google destination seeing all the pictures, videos and the cultural information about any and every destination.  With that said it is my firm belief that seeing is believing.  Google is nice but first hand experience is even better or at least experiencing the destination with someone you can relate to.  So when you are given the opportunity to travel grab it.  With travel there are so many things that you have to consider.  Should you go thorough a travel agent, book it yourself online or with the Airline? or Should you use a service like Jantu Caribbean? What about visas?  Luggage restrictions?  Heels? so many things to consider.

Norman Manley International Airport

I would love to hear from you.  Your tips, your hints, your experiences.  So come with me as we navigate this awesome place we call home and all the memories it brings.  You can share the journey with us on instagram and twitter @jantucaribbean and of course right here.

Let the countdown begin Tminus 7 days. #jantu

Caribbean Christmas Traditions

First and foremost Holiday Greetings to you and yours from the Jantu Caribbean Family.  We wish you a happy and safe holiday filled with merriment, family and friends.  A full belly, music and family is definitely  common to all countries although their is a inherent religious aspect to Christmas and a unique ethnicity to different parts of the Caribbean.  From doing the research it is amazing how much we have in common in terms of Christmas traditions.  Every island has a version of Christmas pudding or Black pudding and sorrel, ginger beer or egg nog are the drinks of choice.  In addition shopping, gift giving and festivities complete the celebrations.  The differences in tradition varies mostly from who the main occupiers of the countries were, for example the English speaking countries compared to the french influenced or Spanish influenced countries.

sorrel

In Haiti, Martinique and Guadeloupe the tradition of children leaving their shoes under the Christmas tree for Santa Claus or Papa Noel to put their presents in or around is a French tradition while the English tradition is for gifts to be placed under the tree.  While in Dominica Republic children are presented their gifts on January 6th the day of the Three Kings.

Antigua and Barbuda Christmas eve is spent on Market Street doing Christmas shopping, similar to Jamaica where this tradition is called Christmas Market or Grand Market the largest being in Downtown Kingston.  Christmas dinner usually consists of pork (boiled, stewed or corned).  

In the Bahamas it is all about Junkanoo, Junkanoo, Junkanoo.  The dancing, drumming, singing and people dressed in costumes parading through the streets.  In bright colours depicting different characters.  Definitely will write a post about the celebration of Junkanoo and various versions of it soon.  Jamaica mainly in the rural areas also celebrate with Jonkanoo.  St Kitts and Nevis, St Croix have a version called Mocko Jumbies and Belize call it John Canoe.  

Christmas cake/Black cake

In Barbados Jug Jug (click for recipe) with pork is a must in every household with a glass of sorrel.  Dishes made with green peas and rice, baked ham, roast turkey with its stuffing, roast pork, sweet potato, yam pie, and of course Christmas pudding steamed for hours.  The tradition of driving around and admiring other peoples decorations is also another common practise in Caribbean islands.

The Caribbeans only western country Belize has a rum and egg nog concoction called "rum popo"  (click for recipe).  One prominent tradition is the 10 day procession commemorating Mary and Josephs search for lodgings before the birth of Jesus by the Mestizo group.  The tradition of cleaning, painting and refurbishing the home before Christmas is also practised in Belize and is also popular in Jamaica, Haiti and Dominica Republic.  

The island of Cuba didn't restore its celebration of Christmas until after the visit of Pope John Paul II to the island the January of 1998.  A must have for a Cuban Christmas dinner is roasted pork, usually accompanied by black and white beans and Cuban bread to name a few.

In the Dominican Republic, Christmas is celebrated on December 24th with the tradition of exchanging food with neighbours.  Drink of choice is usually egg nog and Christmas carolling is popular in mainly the rural areas.  Midnight mass is also a strong tradition as well as in Guadeloupe and Haiti .

Parang is the music played during the season in both Grenada and Trinidad.  Groups go around serenading in their neighbourhoods.  In Grenada it is song in English while in Trinidad it is Spanish.  Black fruit cake, ham, rice and green pigeon peas, macaroni pie, sorrel, ginger beer and Clarke's Court white, dark or red rum are the order of the day. 

parang band

 Santa Clause is referred to as Papa Noel in Haiti and on Christmas even the children place their shoes nice cleaned up shoes filled with straw on the porch or under the tree for Papa Noel to remove the straw and put his presents in or around the shoes.  Christmas day is about food, drinking, singing, and playing with the gifts from Papa Noel.  A beverage called Anisette is had by all including children during Christmas it is a mild alcoholic beverage made by soaking the Anise leaves in rum and sweetened with sugar.  In Jamaica children also get to partake of the sorrel drink with has some Jamaican white rum as well.  After midnight mass and carolling Haitian go back home to enjoy the meals they call "reveillion" with is the french work for Christmas supper.  It is a french verb meaning "wake up".  It is a meal that begins very early morning and often lasts nearly til dawn.

St Kitts and Nevis and the island of  St Croix combine Christmas celebrations and carnival.  It is a lot of music, dancing in the streets, competitions such as Calypso Monarch and floats with Mocko Jumbi's.  

St Lucia has a unique tradition called "bursting the bamboo" from late November til Christmas in which men use kerosene, rags and sticks as fuses and make cannons out of the hollowed out bamboo.  They also have a Festival of lights and renewal beginning December 13th.  The celebration honours the Patron Saint of Light St Lucy with the switching on of the Christmas lights and a lantern making competition in towns and villages. 

St Vincent also has a festival called Nine Morning Festival which starts 9 days before Christmas (excluding Sundays).  String bands make their music on the streets of Kingstown and the hustle of the shoppers buying those last minute gifts.  

The influence of the Spanish culture is prominent in Trinidad and Tobago.  The egg nog is called "ponche de creme" (click for recipe), black cake, ginger beer, Carib beer or sorrel are the drinks of choice.  Christmas is also the lead into the Carnival Season with culminates on the Monday and Tuesday just before Ash Wednesday.  

poinsette plant

All and all we have much more in common than differences in how we celebrate Christmas in the Caribbean. And it is a shame that we are still so divided even with all these similarities.  It would be nice if each island decided to include one dish from another Caribbean island in their Christmas dinner to show our unity.  Which dish should I choice?  Drop us a line on facebook or twitter and give suggestions and/ family recipes.  And send us pictures of your Island Christmas.  

        Thanks and Have a wonderful Christmas everybody.

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