Seeing as how it's been a little bit since last we focused on the lovely pastime of plane spotting, we decided to turn our recent Saint Lucia island experience into some useful (not to mention scenic) plane spotting advice for when you too are on the island.

Whether you're heading down on the new Jetblue flight from New York-JFK like we did, or coming all the way from London-Gatwick on the direct Virgin Atlantic flight, you'll want to get a load of the air traffic that sporadically makes its way into St. Lucia's Hewanorra airport at the very southernmost tip of the island, and here's how... ]]> JetSetCD 2009-11-05T17:44:22-05:00 http://www.jaunted.com/story/2009/9/19/114049/111

I got my hair cut this morning at a barber shop on Union Avenue in Brooklyn called Model Barbers, where Jack and Oksana work. I like going there, because I can practice my feeble Russian on them and they always correct my mispronunciations and grammatical errors. Jack and Oksana are from Uzbekistan, but they refer to the whole former Soviet Union as Russia and personally identify as Russians. No matter what bad thing happens in America, they'll remind you that things are worse in Russia. As I sit in the chair, they banter with each other in rapid-fire Russian, and I can only pick out a few odd words: rabota (work), kanyeshna (certainly), zhopa (ass). ]]> Victor Ozols 2009-09-19T11:40:49-05:00 http://www.jaunted.com/story/2009/7/22/155529/524

Last we left off with our Summer SIgnature Cocktails Map, we were divulging our secret Venice watering hole. Well, from the north of Italy to the sunny southern coasts, this time we travel in search of good drink on the island of Ischia, a far better alternative to visiting tourist-infested Capri.

Here is a huge tip for summer Italy travel: if you're in the cities and noticing that many business are completely closed and tourist sites have more restricted hours than normal, it's because most of the month of August and some of early September is the Ferragosto, a nearly month-long vacation which causes Italians to skip town for their islands and beaches. And if it's Ferragosto, then they're indulging in the usual morning coffee, but with a special little addition of a shot of the strong liquor Grappa. ]]> JetSetCD 2009-07-22T16:44:22-05:00 http://www.jaunted.com/story/2009/7/1/6506/70532

If you somehow get tired of all the natural beauty that Hawaii has to offer, there’s soon going to be a new fake paradise for visitors to check out. A company called KanDoo is almost finished creating their own artificial island about 200 yards off Waikiki Beach.

KanDoo Island is really just a humongous catamaran that will serve as a water sports entertainment paradise for visitors and locals alike. The 98-ton boat will offer snorkeling, scuba diving, sailing lessons, and even jet ski trips off its “shoreline.” After a long day on and in the water, come back to the catamaran for some evening entertainment. There will be live music, nightclubs, and probably a fair share of Mai Tais. The company’s CEO wants KanDoo to be a 24/7 destination, but we’re a little skeptical that people will be swarming the place throughout the night. ]]> kjb 2009-07-01T09:22:20-05:00 http://www.jaunted.com/story/2009/3/12/12944/6685

In which our Jaunted editor Ellen gets by with a little help from her friends.

Crowdsourcing saved my life. Not literally, because I am not in the habit of jumping into large crowds, but I sure do like asking the Internet for advice. It's not that I'm indecisive by nature, really, I'm a deliberator; I just like to weigh all my options.

I'm about to go to the Dominican Republic, and after consulting the Jaunted archives am quite sure I would not like to do a photo shoot, hang with Crockett and Tubbs or get married there. Well, not on this trip anyway. So I thought I'd throw it out to our readers: What should I do in the DR?

If it helps, I am staying in the La Romana region, I love the ocean and, as with everything we do here, I don't want to be where all the other travelers are. I've got some ideas up my sleeve, but I'll give you full credit if you find me something I'll love.

Tell Ellen what to do in DR right here.

Related Stories:
· Sports Illustrated Swimsuit Issue Shot in Dominican Republic [Jaunted]
· British Territories Travel: Where Are The Chagos Islands? [Jaunted]
· Dominican Republic Travel [Jaunted]

[Photo: kamphuis]]]> egw 2009-03-12T09:26:19-05:00 http://www.jaunted.com/story/2009/1/11/134027/586

Okay, this one's kind of out there, but I remember as a kid flipping through the dictionary in school and pausing at the miniature illustration for the word atoll. For a simple thumbnail sketch, it seemed like such a fascinating place to visit: a beautiful coral island with languid palm trees and a protected lagoon in the center. What I would have given to hop on a sailboat and explore the real-life model for the Merriam-Webster artwork. It seemed like the perfect setting for a pirate adventure. ]]> Victor Ozols 2009-01-11T13:40:27-05:00 http://www.jaunted.com/story/2009/1/8/65157/43186

Our very own Aussie, Amanda Kendle, just returned from a trip to New South Wales, where the summer fun is in full swing.

If Australia's biggest city is too big for you, we've just discovered a laid-back way to enjoy it. The trick to being in the middle of Sydney without being surrounded by tall buildings and crowds is just a 10-minute ferry ride from Circular Quay to the quite remarkable Cockatoo Island.

Don't be expecting pristine wilderness from Sydney Harbor's largest island--it's been a prison and was a working shipyard until 1992. But now the Sydney Harbour Trust is turning it into a historical site for locals and tourists to enjoy.

We headed out to Cockatoo Island to stay overnight at their campsite. At just A$75 ($50) for two people--much less if you bring your own tent--you get to wave to all the yachties passing by in the evening then wake up to amazing sunrise views of the Sydney Harbour Bridge. Add exploring the old shipyards with spooky tunnels and eerie warehouses, and we reckon it's one of the best days (and nights) out in Sydney.

Related Stories:
· Cockatoo Island [Official Site]
· Camping Out in Sydney Harbour [Jaunted]
· Sydney Travel coverage [Jaunted]]]> amandak 2009-01-08T14:30:45-05:00 Search Jaunted string http://www.jaunted.com/search/