Mystery Trip

I am a lucky guy. I'll turn seventy in December. Annie wanted to do something special for me because it's such a significant milestone, so she planned a mystery trip. (I call it a trip and not a vacation, because we're both retired, and we're always on vacation). So she planned this stupendous trip which I have no idea where it is, except for a few clues. We leave Saturday morning out of the local RI airport at 5:50, to Philly. We make a connection to the mystery location and arrive at 11:30 am. So it's Eastern time zone. She said I need my passport, so it's ex-US soil. She told me how to pack, and it'll be warm and on a beach. And she said there'll be a "wow" factor when we get there. US currency and 110 voltage. I have my ideas, but not sure. Any ideas?

I'll be there by noon on Saturday, so I can confirm then. But meanwhile, what are your predictions? Shoot.

Winner gets a free shout-out here.

(And there's a postscript here. I just received my Adrian Newey book "How to Build a Car." So even though it's hard cover and weighs about five pounds, I'll be bringing it with me in my carry-on. Annie said I'll have lots of time to read, so that's another clue).

Puerto Rico?  I think you need a passport for that despite being a territory. Second guess is Cozumel. 

Either way, that’s awesome!  Have a great trip. 

Jamaica or The Bahamas.

The landing into the airport in Jamaica is much more breath taking if you're on the right side of the plane.

Sandals or similar resort.

In reply to z31maniac :

I'm guessing Bahamas. But I don't know yet.

Bermuda? 

Aruba.  Less rain than most of the Caribbean and apparently a very nice place to stay.

Duke said:

Puerto Rico?  I think you need a passport for that despite being a territory. Second guess is Cozumel. 

Either way, that’s awesome!  Have a great trip. 

Can't be that- too short of a flight and you don't need a passport.  And I'd bet that flight time would rule out Cozumel, too.

I'd bet the Bahamas or Bermuda- those are close to most airports in the US.  Given the time change to Bermuda, I'm settling on the Bahamas.

edit- putting together some timing- even though RI and Philly are next to each other, the flight is probably an hour, so you get there at 6:50, and given a reasonable layover, the earliest you leave would be 8 or so.   Which leaves a pretty short flight window of just around 3 hours.  And flying south- that would put your roughly in Miami- which is even with the Bahamas.  

Puerto Rico is 4 hours from Atlanta.  Aruba- that's way south.

Jamaica is possible, as it's a 3:30-4 hr flight from PHI.  But that would be a super tight connection in Philly.  

In reply to Duke : I doubt PR as I believe US Territories are non passport travel. Same as USVI, Guam, etc. 

The counterpoint would be increased documentation for domestic air travel but that only effects about 5 states, my home NY being one, and isn’t in effect yet.  

I don't have any new ideas on your destination. I just wanted to stop in and "thank" everyone for getting the Beach Boys stuck in my head....

Another possibility is that you are going on a cruise.  Both FLL and MIA are in the range, and Saturday is a very popular day to start a cruise.  Plus, reading and relaxing is a well known thing to do on a ship.

I say Jamaica.  I just did my first trip there to the Secrets Wild Orchid in Montego Bay.  I highly recommend it.  Relaxing as all get out.

All though it was a three hour flight from Atlanta, after a two hour flight from KCI.

Maybe a cruise, yeah a cruise probably from Miami.

In reply to ThurdFerguson :

"Secrets".  Is that along the same lines as Hedo?

If it's the Bahamas be sure to get to Stuart's cove and snorkel. It's one of the most enjoyable spots that I've had the pleasure to do so. 

alfadriver said:

Duke said:

Puerto Rico?  I think you need a passport for that despite being a territory. Second guess is Cozumel. 

Either way, that’s awesome!  Have a great trip. 

Can't be that- too short of a flight

Puerto Rico is 4 hours from Atlanta.  Aruba- that's way south.

Puerto Rico from ATL is literally 34 miles shorter than it is from PHL.  The flight time difference is measured in minutes.  It's about 3:34 for Atlanta > PR compared to 3:39 for Philly > PR.

In reply to KyAllroad (Jeremy) :

I don't know what Hedo is?  Secrets is a chain of adult only, meaning no kids allowed not xxx adult, resorts.  All inclusive, including food and adult beverages.

Duke said:

alfadriver said:

Duke said:

Puerto Rico?  I think you need a passport for that despite being a territory. Second guess is Cozumel. 

Either way, that’s awesome!  Have a great trip. 

Can't be that- too short of a flight

Puerto Rico is 4 hours from Atlanta.  Aruba- that's way south.

Puerto Rico from ATL is literally 34 miles shorter than it is from PHL.  The flight time difference is measured in minutes.  It's about 3:34 for Atlanta > PR compared to 3:39 for Philly > PR.

Fair enough, but it's still a very close connection.  And does not require a passport to do it.

Any place can be like Hedo if you try hard enough. 

I think you're going to Hawaii with a long layover. 

I’ll throw in BVI, in which case, color me jealous!!! 

Happy birthday!

ThurdFerguson said:

In reply to KyAllroad (Jeremy) :

I don't know what Hedo is?  Secrets is a chain of adult only, meaning no kids allowed not xxx adult, resorts.  All inclusive, including food and adult beverages.

 

 

Hedonism, it's one of the nudie resorts. There was one right down the beach from Sandals in Negril. On Thanksgiving Day the people staying at Hedonism would have "Spanksgiving Day Parade" where they would wear the minimum allowed on a public beach and walk up and down in front of the resorts. 

I needed extra drinks that evening, nothing you want to see. 

In reply to z31maniac :

I see, thanks.

I'm a firm believer that those who frequent nude beaches are ones you generally DO NOT want to see nude.

It's Pittsburgh.  I'm kidding. 

I vote for the US Virgin Islands. While the US Dollar is gladly accepted throughout the Carribbean,  only the USVI, Puerto Rico, Turks and Caicos and the British Virgin Islands use it as their official currency. Puerto Rico is out because what Wow factor is there in having no electricity?  T&C are awesome if you are into SCUBA, BVI if you are into Shepard's Pie, but I am sticking with USVI.

Specifically, I am calling out St. Croix.  Not as built up as St. Thomas and more built up than St John. Plenty of wow factor from the natural beauty, prices, resorts and laid-back atmosphere.    

pinchvalve said:

It's Pittsburgh.  I'm kidding. 

I vote for the US Virgin Islands. While the US Dollar is gladly accepted throughout the Carribbean,  only the USVI, Puerto Rico, Turks and Caicos and the British Virgin Islands use it as their official currency. Puerto Rico is out because what Wow factor is there in having no electricity?  T&C are awesome if you are into SCUBA, BVI if you are into Shepard's Pie, but I am sticking with USVI.

Specifically, I am calling out St. Croix.  Not as built up as St. Thomas and more built up than St John. Plenty of wow factor from the natural beauty, prices, resorts and laid-back atmosphere.    

There's plenty of power in Puerto Rico, especially in tourist areas.  And all of the VI's were hit with either Irma or Maria- last I saw of St Marteen- they had a LOT of rebuilding to do for hotel guests.

USVI (St Croix) and Puerto Rico don't require passports.

And because I'm a nerd, I just looked up the flight arrivals tomorrow for SJU- sorry to  say there is not a flight from PHL until 12:58.  And there's no flight from PHL to St Thomas, direct.

And it's not Nassau, either (looked arrivals up, too)

Yeah, happy birthday. And please post photos.

alfadriver said:

And because I'm a nerd, ...there's no flight from PHL to St Thomas, direct.

Nope, gotta fly into PR, then hop a puddle jumper.