I visited The BodyHoliday – The award winning health & wellbeing experience where they say..Give us your body for a week and we will give you back your mind!

 

Here is a picture of the Beach at The Landings

Arrived at The Landings St. Lucia after dark this evening.  The rooms are amazing – 1400 sq ft of luxury!  Look for pictures on Tuesday of the grounds and room!

I’m excited to have the opportunity to visit Saint Lucia – Feb. 11-22

I will be staying at The Landings St Lucia and will connecting with the Saint Lucia Tourist Board while there visiting lots of different resorts – keep watch for future postings!

http://www.thelandingssaintlucia.com

Commencing February 2012, Canadian travellers will be able to travel to the United States with greater ease, due to Thursday’s announcement made by the Minister of Transport, Denis Lebel.
 
Passengers travelling to the U.S. will soon be able to use NEXUS cards to expedite screening at Canada’s eight largest airports (Halifax, Montreal, Ottawa, Toronto, Winnipeg, Calgary, Edmonton and Vancouver) using dedicated screening lines. The Government of Canada will work closely with airport authorities to fully offer this service beginning in February 2012. NEXUS lines are already operating at all eight major international Canadian airports at domestic and select international checkpoints.

In addition, travellers will also benefit from the elimination of duplicate baggage screening over the next three years. This means that passengers flying from Canadian airports with U.S. pre-clearance facilities will no longer have their baggage screened once on departure from Canada and again at the connecting U.S. airport. This change will make connections through U.S. cities easier and reduces the risk of bags missing connecting flights. These changes will make air travel more convenient between the two countries, while maintaining a high level of aviation security.

“Currently, passengers flying from Canadian airports have their bags screened once on departure from Canada and again at the connecting U.S. airport. This results in delays, missed connections and increased costs for airlines and airports,” added Minister Lebel. “Soon, Canadians will be able to book tighter connections while travelling to U.S. cities and have a better chance of getting their bags on the same connecting flight.”

NEXUS is a binational Canada-U.S. program for pre-approved, low-risk travellers into Canada and the U.S. at designated air, land and marine ports of entry. When travelling by air, NEXUS expedites border clearance by enabling members to enter either country quickly and easily by using self-service kiosks. The expedited pre-board screening lines for NEXUS members travelling to the U.S. is an initiative being implemented by the Canadian Air Transport Security Authority (CATSA) and Transport Canada in cooperation with the Canada Border Services Agency (CBSA), and U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP).

For more information, visit www.nexus.gc.ca or call 1-866-NEXUS-26 (1-866-639-8726).  

What do you think?  Will you get a Nexus Card ($50 for 5 Years)?

AS the holiday season is the busiest time of the year at Canada’s airports, CATSA (Canadian Air Transport Security Authority) offers helpful packing tips that will make air travel more about the destination and less about the common stressors of flying.

Gifts and wrapped packages: Leave gifts and packages unwrapped until you arrive at your destination as their contents may need to be inspected.

Liquids: Pack liquids, aerosols and gels (LAGs) such as sunscreen, hair gel, hand cream and perfume, in your checked baggage. LAGs are only allowed in carry-on baggage when packed in containers with a capacity of 100 ml / 100 grams (3.4 oz.) or less. The containers must fit comfortably in one clear, closed and re-sealable plastic bag with a capacity of no more than 1 litre (1 quart). One plastic bag per person is allowed, and must be removed from carry-on baggage and placed in a bin at security.

Food products: The holidays are a time for delicious treats and baked goods. Food products should be packed in your carry-on baggage, given that certain items may require additional searches. Solid food can be packed in your carry-on baggage, and food items that are liquid or gel based should be carefully packed in checked baggage. These are a few common items that are subject to regular LAGs restrictions:
•    Cranberry sauce
•    Jams and jellies
•    Oils and vinegars
•    Maple syrup
•    Alcohol
* Remember that, when travelling internationally, some food items are restricted when crossing the border, so check the regulations for your individual destination. When returning to Canada, consult the Canadian Food Inspection Agency about restricted items.

Duty-free purchases: It is recommended that you place all duty-free purchases in checked baggage. To learn more, consult the duty-free purchases page.

Electronic devices: The following items do not need to be removed from cases or bags in order to be screened:
•    Cellphones
•    MP3 music players (iPod)
•    E-book readers (Kindle)
•    Portable DVD players
•    Tablets (iPad)

Laptops and gaming consoles (PSP, Nintendo 3DS): These items must be removed from carrying cases and laptop bags and placed in a bin.

Toy weapons: Toy weapons such as water guns, replica swords, or any toy resembling a weapon must be packed in checked baggage.

Sporting equipment: Most sports equipment, including skis, snowboards, are not allowed as carry-on baggage. Place these items in checked baggage.

Dress for success: The way you dress can significantly affect the time it takes to go through screening. By following these tips, you will speed up the screening process and decrease the likelihood of setting off the walk-through metal detector:
•    Be ready to remove coats, jackets and blazers and place them in the bins provided.
•    Dress comfortably with easy-to-remove outerwear, jackets and belts.
•    Limit jewelry to small earrings, watches and wedding bands/engagement rings.
•    Wear clothing without snaps, metal buttons or studs.
•    Avoid wearing shoes with metal arches, buckles, steel-toes or shanks.
•    Avoid wearing belts with metal buckles.
•    Remove hidden body piercings before you fly.

Be ready to empty all contents of your shirt and pant pockets and place these items in the bins before passing through the walk-through metal detector.  

In order to make your screening experience as smooth as possible, contact your air carrier for the number and size of items permitted as carry-on.
 
Many airports have posted holiday travel tips on their website.  It would be wise to check the airport’s website for other tips they may offer for a smooth travel experience.

For more information go to www.catsa.gc.ca.

It is with great pleasure I offer you the latest Fall Edition of TPI’s Xplore – an E Magazine chalked full of great articles for you!!  Would love to have your feedback, so feel free to post your comments here!

Great Hotel!  Complimentary Shuttle to the Mall of America and more!  The staff here was wonderfully friendly and helpful as was the Shuttle Driver we used to go to the Mall.  The last night we stayed, however, we had a long delay in pick-up unfortunately havig to call three times to see what happened.  When we got to the hotel, the Operations Manager – Wendy was there to greet us outside and firstly apologized for the delay and asked what could be done to make it up to us.  They have given us 2000 Marriot Rewards points.  There continual pro-active attitudes on exemplary customer service has not gone un-noticed.  I would therefore highly recommend this hotel for anyone visiting Minneapolis whether it be for pleasure or business.  The daily hot continental breakfast was great.     The beds were exceptionally comfortable and the room’s digital thermostat temperative control was a welcomed and important feature for us in hotel rooms.  The hotel was extremely clean and again – each and every hotel employee was so welcoming, friendly, and eager to service you.