Dream Destination

Scott Zebendon

Blog#4

Dream Destination

           Where is the one place I would love to go? How about a place, preferably in the summer, where you can have fun under the sun, grab a five star meal, and enjoy the exquisite architect as well as the landscape itself? How about Barcelona, Spain? That is my dream destination. It is a beautiful city full of amazing sites and extraordinary culture. 

A place like this isn't cheap though. You better be ready to spend some serious cash if you choose to visit Barcelona considering it can cost between 800-1400$ depending on when and where your flight departs from. If you take off out of JFK International Airport it would take about 8 hours to land in the beautiful country of Spain. Not only would the flight be expensive, but hotels are not cheap especially if you want a five star hotel room right on the beach. I feel that it would be necessary to spend this much money to get the most out of a trip like this. An opportunity like this doesn't come around often and I would definitely take full advantage of the trip.
There are many attractions to Barcelona such as their gorgeous beaches like Barceloneta beach closest to the heart of the city. The beaches would be the first thing on my list to see as well as going to see live bullfighting!

Barcelona may be most known for its unique architect though. Antoni Gaudí greatly influenced the city with his own style of mosaic patterns of colored tiles and different designs to really give you something to take your breath away. I would have to see maybe his most famous work, Sagrada Familia, which is also the number one most visited attraction in Barcelona. It truly astonishes me how one person can influence such a wonderful city as Barcelona. All these exotic attractions make Barcelona, Spain number one on my "To Go" list! Thinking about laying on a beach in 90 degree weather is my ideal vacation spot and would love to have the opportunity to visit.

Orlando

A place where I would love to go to is Orlando Florida.  I always wanted to go to Disney World that’s why I am so hooked on moving to Orlando because that’s where it’s located.  I have been to Florida before but only in Miami, Fort Lauderdale, and West PalmBeach.  I never got a chance to go because my parents didn’t have the time. 

 

 

I like Florida though and it’s a nice place to live.  I stayed with my father for a few summers and the weather was amazing.  I enjoyed it so much because I like to play basketball year round.  Where I come from during the fall and winter it gets too cold to play outside and you have to pay to play inside.  While in Florida I can play year round without a huge temperature drop.  It also is easier because when it snows that’s extra work with shoveling. 

 

 

 

I’m from Connecticut and though I love my cold weather sometimes it will be great to live in a less bundling environment.  Where I won’t be forced to wear a heavy North face Jacket or slip on ice.  I rather lay back in the sun sipping on some ice tea.  Living in Orlando in the future will give my children more fun as they grow up.  Instead of having nothing to do they will have all types of amusements around them like Universal Studios. 

 

 

I just want my kids to get what I didn’t get enough of as a child.  A bad part that stands out the most in Florida is the heavy rain.  When it rains there it’s intense.  I don’t know if I would be able to drive in that and that could cause a problem.  I rather rain then snow.  With snow there are too many surprises like black ice and hail.  With rain I know what I’m going to get so I will be better prepared for it.  If this ever comes true the first thing I would visit is Disney World.  I will also go see a Orlando Magic’s game and just take advantage of the weather there and go to a beach to try surfing something I never done before.

Dream Destination Blog #4

                                        Italy and Sicily

My dream destination is to visit Europe, specifically Italy and Sicily and to eventually move there someday. I attend Nichols College in Dudley, Massachusetts and they have a trip going to London, England,  Paris, France, Rome, Italy next year after the spring semester. The Trip for the school is approximately $2100 for Airfare and Hotel accommodations. This does not include spending money and meals. My grandfather is from Sicily, and my Grandmothers father was from Tuscany, Italy. Myself along with most of my family are Italian, so I would like to go see where my heritage came from. I would also like to go back a few years after I graduate College because there is so much more to see and explore. I would specifically like to see the Leaning Tower of Pisa in Pisa, Italy and the Colosseum in Rome, Italy. These two structures are huge pieces of Italian History, and during the reign of the Roman Empire. To get to Rome, airfare is around $1,554 for round trip. I would have to take Jet Blue Airways from Logan International Airport to John F. Kennedy Airport (JFK) in New York City. Then switch to Aer Lingus which is would then take me to Dublin, Ireland and then from Ireland take to Rome (Fiumicino FCO). So there are two lay overs in order to get to Rome. For a five star hotel in Rome, the Grand Hotel de la Minerve you would be paying approximately $254 a night. This hotel is right in the middle of Rome so this point, all of the tourist attractions would not be too far away from me. Those expenses do not include meals and spending money, so saving money is definitely going to be a key factor for going on this vacation. Another city that I would love to go visit in Italy would definitely be Venice. It is known as the "Floating City" because there are little to no roads or walk ways. Your way of travel is by boat through waterways. Venice is known for its remarkable Architecture and beautiful sight seeing areas that look out into the Mediterranean Sea. Someday I wish to visit all of Italy explore all of the country's great sites.

The Leaning Tower of Pisa            The Famous Trevi Fountain                                The Colosseum

Dream Destination

My Dream Destination would be Naples, Italy. I am mostly Italian so I would love to explore the country where my family is from. I am saving up the money to go over there but the total cost for the trip would be about $4196.24 so I need to save up about $4195.24 more... The biggest cost of the trip would be the price of the flight. I found all of the prices on Orbitz so I found a little bit of a deal.

I would also want to bring plenty of spending money because I would want to do as much as I could while I was over there and not waste one single opportunity.

A place I would like to visit while on my trip would be Mount Vesuvius. It is the only active valcano on the mainland of Europe. According to reviews I have been reading,it is one of the must see attractions in Italy.

Destination.. Negril Jamaica

My dream Vacation is to go back to Jamaica where I was born. The reason why I would go back to Jamaica would be to go see my father & the rest of my family and friends. I haven’t been back to Jamaica in 6 years; I have not been to my mother land since 2006.Negril is one of the most beautiful spot in Jamaicia Plus a lot of tourist goes there. I would want to go to Beaches in Negril because,Negril embodies the ultimate relaxed lifestyle. Its's a spot so in-tune with nature’s bounty that its tallest building cannot reach higher than the ever-present palm trees. Imagine seven miles of silky white sand beach and five miles of cliffs dotted with eccentric watering holes and eating establishments. Envision all of this overlooking some of the most marvelous turquoise water in creation. Add in some of the most spectacular sunsets you’re ever likely to witness, where the sun sinks into the sea from this western most tip of Jamaica (from Beaches Resorts page).

Traveling from Hartford Bradly International Air Port to Jamaica Montego Bay the cheapest ticket I saw $274 and a room would cost $782.

Jamaica

The island of Jamaica is a place that I have always wanted to visit. It is a tropical island just like many other places out in the Caribbean but it is much different then any other island. It is a place that has much history and heritage within it. This for me would be the first place In the world that I would like to visit. The beaches are beautiful along with the hotels and different tourist attractions. It is also the birth place of some famous people such as Bob Marley and Usain Bolt. Going to Jamaica would be a great idea for a vacation and one that I soon wish to cross off my bucket list. Staying on the resort is a key idea in Jamaica because it is said to have one of the highest crime rates in the world. Despite its beauty and tropical aspect Jamaica can be an unsafe to be if you reach its major cities. Regardless of this stat Jamaica is still paradise in my eyes and would be an amazing experience to visit. It is surrounded by several other tropical islands also. If I was to actually visit Jamaica there would be several activities that I would enjoy doing. The first thing I would do is go scuba diving or snorkeling  That is always something I have wanted to do in a tropical setting and Jamaica would be the perfect place to do it. I would also like to go para sailing over the ocean and learn how to surf. Deep sea fishing along with other tings involving the water such as jet skiing would also be some very fun activities. Because of Jamaica's beautiful land there would be so many options. Even relaxing by the beach or the pool at your hotel would be great to. This would be the best way to escape reality for a few weeks. You can get a flight to Jamaica for as cheap as $199.99. You can also stay in a nice resort and hotel for up to $128.00 a night for each person. The prices range for many of the hotels. It all depends on how much you want to spend. Overall you can get an all inclusive deal for just below $4,000. The resorts on this island all look amazing and comforble and make me want to visit the island even more than before.

                                                                                 

Vegas!

The one place I would currently love to visit is Las Vegas. Since I have turned 21 years old, Las Vegas has been in my sights. They say "what happens in Vegas, stays in Vegas". Reason being, Vegas is party central. I'n Vegas there is two major things I would like to do. 

One is to see "With Love, The Beatles Cirque Du Soleil" show at the Mirage. I am a big fan of music from "The Beatles", and I think a Cirque Du Soleil inspired show sounds absolutely phenomenal.

The other main thing I would like to do in Vegas is gamble. I am a pretty good Texas Hold'em Poker player, and I have some strategies in winning games such as Black Jack and Roulette. In Roulette it is good to break the wheel down into quadrants. A lot of dealers drop the ball the same way each time and if you notice the ball will land in one of the four quadrants consistently. So what you should do is place bets into that quadrant.

Other things I would do is go to some clubs, and sight seeing.

Going to Vegas would cost a lot of money. I would plan on going on Thursday, May 9th and return on Monday, May 13th. As of right now the roundtrip cost of a air plane on Expedia is $362. My ex girlfriend currently resides in Las Vegas so I would not need to spend any money on a hotel. I plan on spending about $1,000 dollars on gambling and going to clubs. And about 20 dollars a day on food which would equal to about $100 dollars. For the best seats in the Beatles Cirque Du Soleil show it cost $198. In total I would need to plan on saving up $1,560 if I would like to go to Las Vegas next May.

While looking up reviews about Vegas I decided to choose the one on the Beatles Cirque Du Soleil. The review is by Variety  and it goes into details of certain songs during the show, and how the performance all ties in with each song. 

Cape Cod TheallCostello

There is one place that I know I can always go to and find serenity. I have been going to Cape Cod three times a year ever since I can remember. We go there for my Aunt, and Brother birthday in September. Then we go in the summer with our entire family including cousins, aunts, and Uncles not just immediate family. Then we go at the end of November for my mom, and I's birthday. We know Cape Cod like the back of our hands. We like the sights, and sounds of the Cape. Everything from the Kennedy Compound, to the very tip of Provincetown. There is a restaurant in Provincetown that we go to every time we go down there. It is called the Lobster Pot. They have the best seafood I have ever had. The clam strips are to die for. They also bring out a huge thing of salad, and homemade salad dressings. (http://www.biteofthebest.com/the-lobster-pot/ ) It is a little creepy down there, however. You have to be very careful what day you go down there otherwise you might see some stuff you don’t want too. The beaches are great too. My favorite beach is Sea Gull beach in Yarmouth. The reason being is that there is very minimal seaweed. Many beaches in Cape Cod are full of seaweed. I hate seaweed more than anything. I will literally refuse to go in the ocean if there is too much seaweed. It is not as much fun without my entire family there, however. Maybe it is my family that puts me into such a relaxed state, but nonetheless the Cape is my favorite place to be. I always tell my Mom to purchase a house down there, because the amount of money we spend on renting houses is ridiculous. I believe that it would be a smart investment for her to just purchase a house. We rent a house once a year at about $3000. We rent a hotel room 10 nights a year at 300 dollars a night. Which will bring the grand total to 6 grand, and that is not even including money for food, and other expenses all in all we probably spend close to 10 grand at the cape a year. It 20 years the house will practically pay for itself.

The Islands of Tahiti

The Islands of Tahiti

The beaches, the culture, the adventure make my desire to visit the paradise islands of Tahiti greaten each day. Beautiful views, different people, and unforgettable experiences are what create a memorable vacation and I believe that in Tahiti I would find everything I am looking for in a dream destination. Whether it is the romantic island of Bora Bora, the magical island of Moorea, or Fakarava, the island of dreams, there is uniqueness in each of the beautiful islands.

Unfortunately, you cannot just teleport in to your dream destination with no planning or costs. The flight, hotel, and attractions must be carefully planned ahead of time. Being one of the most scenic and beautiful of the islands, I would choose to go to Bora Bora.

The Flight:

According to priceline.com, a round trip plane ticket from Boston, MA to Bora Bora, French Polynesia would cost me $2,668.58. Just the flight there includes:

1. A three hour and thirty-five minute trip from Boston, MA to Los Angeles, CA.

2. A five hour and fifty minute layover.

3. A six hour and thirty-five minute trip from Los Angeles, CA to Papeete, French Polynesia.

4. An overnight layover of nine hours and thirty-five minutes.

5. Finally, a 50 minute trip from Papeete to Bora Bora.

The total amount of time would result in: 31 hrs & 25 mins

The Hotel:

Hilton Bora Bora Nui Resort and Spa

HOTEL AND FLIGHT PRICE : $3,972.63/week

Attractions:

• Tahiti Helicopters : See the Island !
• Mount Otemanu : Ancient Volcano !
• Coral Gardens : Reefs to see while snorkling!
• Matira Beach : Beautiful Beach !
• Bora Bora Submarine : Personalized sea experience !

After researching the beautiful sights, hotel, and attractions of the Island of Bora Bora, I am determined to someday plan my dream vacation to this extraordinary area of the world. Reading the reviews of the island on Bora Bora Traveler blog, I am sure that this destination is perfect for me. If the flight and hotel were not so expensive I would plan my trip as soon as possible, but looks like Bora Bora will have to just wait on my to do list!