Kevin O'Bryan

Category: Travel

  • 8 Travel essentials you will want to Own

    8 Travel essentials you will want to Own

    If you’ve seen the news or just general information available online, you would know that travelling in the summer of 2022 is an extreme sport, just read this. With all the chaos, you would assume that the thought of travel would be the farthest thing from the minds of anyone with sense. However the pent up need to just ‘be outside’ due to the panorama, means that folk are rearing and ready to catch flights.

    With this new spotlight on travel and all the things that could possibly go wrong, I recalled a post I made close to five years ago with some general tips on how to make your trips smoother.  I stand by those recommendations but thought that half a decade on, there was need for an updated list of must-have items for travel, think vacay vibes but also practical and essential.

    These are items I have either used previously or they are updates to stuff I already own. Some are completely new but worthy and useful additions that I believe will be beneficial in many situations.

    As a side bar, I do hope you love my choices and will choose to grab some of these items for your next big outing. Some of the links below are affiliate links. This means that, at zero cost to you, I will earn an affiliate commission if you click through the link and finalize a purchase.

    Luggage Tags

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    I have cycled through many different types of luggage tags over the years, so when it came time to take stock of the ones I already owned, I realized that they were a bit too muted for my liking. And with people having their luggage delayed or lost due to everything that’s now happening with global travel, I want my luggage to standout.

    I found these BlueCosto luggage tags that come in two sizes, on Amazon and they are perfect. The colours are bright the tags are hefty, inconspicuous and even have a neat privacy cover to protect your address. I also like the metal wire attachment as it seems quite sturdy and durable.

    Passport holder

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    I can recall the moment a border control officer in a foreign country, ripped the plastic covering from my passport, unprovoked. It was not sticking out, or inhibiting his ability to check the passport, but I assume he just felt like it was a nuisance.

    Since then, I’ve decided to keep my passport pretty free of any covering that encloses it but I want a holder to store it in that protect it from the sweat of my hand or just general handling. I went looking and landed on this passport holder –  that looks cute and also comes with RFID protection. This basically means that unscrupulous persons can’t use devices to pull the embedded data from my passport. I have recommended this item previously here so if you haven’t gotten it already, do it now.

    Birkenstocks

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    I love wearing sandals, the more comfortable the better, so when I realized that there was a series of Birkenstocks (that I could actually afford) I decided to grab one in black. Best purchase ever!!

    The Birkenstock Unisex Arizona Essentials EVA Sandal is comfortable, breathable and just an all -around good option if like me, you hate that other popular footwear ‘staple’ that rhymes with pots.

    They are unisex, come in some pretty interesting colours and as I stated before are very wearable. I’ve have even received a few compliments when I wear mine on the street.

    Cellphone Tripod

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    If you’re travelling, then at some point you will probably want to get photos. I shivered when I discovered this tripod, selfie stick combination. It’s made of aluminum, has a max length of 60 inches and comes with a bluetooth enabled remote. It is sleek, lightweight yet sturdy and feels like a baton when all the components are together. What’s even better it comes with a storage bag and is easy to use.

    Portable Door Lock

    Planning on staying in a hotel anytime soon? Then you may want to consider getting this portable door lock. I’ve seen this version recommended over the years and also saw demonstrations in video. So to be on the safe side, it may be useful to get one of these, or two. It is easy to use and is adjustable to more than one door lock size.

    Mini refillable perfume atomizer

    I’ve known folks who have had the following nightmare scenario happen to them – they travelled and had an expensive bottle of cologne in their luggage. They happen to leave it in their hotel room only to return and that bottle of cologne is missing. Also, it seems cologne sometimes goes missing from checked luggage in airports during transit. Let me introduce the mini refillable perfume atomizer that can help you to travel with your favourite colognes in small batches without the risk of misplacing the entire bottle. They are light weight, easy to fill and fit just about anywhere.

    Credit Card RFID Sleeve

    New credit and debit cards that use tap technology for transactions are also at risk for access by unscrupulous persons with RFID readers. Thankfully these nifty Samsonite RFID blocking sleeves  can help you to protect your cards. These are good for travel or just for normal use so add them to your cyber security arsenal.

    Waterproof Cellphone holder

    This is a vacation must have if you a) plan to take lots of photos with your cellphone and b) may end up near large bodies of water. The waterproof phone holder pouch fits a wide variety of cellphones and is guaranteed air tight, water proof and comes with a convenient lanyard which makes for easy transport.

    I’m hoping these items will add some brightness to your travel plans. Let me know in the comments some of your essential travel items.

    Be inspired, Be informed, Be Glorious!

    Subscribe to the blog here  and share your content suggestions here.

    Kevin

  • Adventure Time

    Adventure Time

    We be Rolling

    The carefree days of summer are basically over and while the warmth will continue in Jamaica, there is definitely a feeling that we associate with summer days, such as  holidays and the fact that many of us take vacations during these months.

    I’m no different and I experienced one of my most spontaneous adventures in my homeland recently. It was simple, uncomplicated but a memorable day spent with friends that I’ll never forget.

    What was supposed to be a pretty straight forward drive to the country to see two known attractions turned into an epic road trip and an adventure that I will forever cherish.

    On the move

    I aim to be very deliberate about how I interact with Jamaica because I don’t ever want to make the mistake of not realizing what a gem this country is, if and when I am someplace else.

    That said, there are so many unspoiled, nooks and crannies all over Jamaica, you could choose to go on an adventure every weekend and never be bored.

    I see the term ‘self care’ bandied about a lot, and I appreciate the focus on all of us taking better care of ourselves, in every way that matters. Like everything else in life, self care is something that must be deliberately pursued and done, therefore, discovering my country and relaxing is a big part of my regimen.

    So in the name of self care and just going on an adventure, I decided that St Elizabeth would be the location for this jaunt.

    The Mission

    The mission was simple I, along with two of my friends, would leave Kingston for a day of fun and relaxation at a body of water in St Elizabeth, specifically, YS Falls. The idea was to spend the day enjoying the cool waters of YS Falls, which is fed by the YS river.

    Glen (center) and Jaevion (right) are the best roadies ever!

    Getting to St Elizabeth was a breeze, thanks to the highway and our first photo stop was Holland Bamboo, which despite some wear and tear still has an unmistakable allure. The long and busy stretch of road is surprisingly good for photo ops, which we took advantage of. Just be careful when standing in the middle of the road for those awesome shots, because… road safety.

    Holland Bamboo is always a mood!

    We made our way to the road leading to the YS Falls attraction, which at a point is surrounded by rolling green pastures that are home to cows and horses. When we finally arrive at the YS reception center however, we were advised that due to rains the previous day the waters at the falls were muddy and brown.

    Unexpected Turns – It’s an Adventure

    Here began the unexpected day, because this was not part of the plan. We decided to skip YS Falls and head to Little Ochi seafood restaurant in Alligator Pond, Manchester. There was time, so instead of simply turning around, we took a route that I had never been attempted before and went into the hills of St Elizabeth using a curvy country road, leading to Maggotty.

    We drove through Maggotty with hope of finding a body of water, specifically, Breadnut Valley Falls, which is just outside the town.

    Unfortunately, it was closed and not accessible, so we continued on our journey to Little Ochi, which is actually located on the coast of Manchester.  The restaurant is so close to the border with St Elizabeth, it’s often misplaced by some people as part of the parish.

    I never realized that the southerly road to little ochi was so long. It took about 30 minutes to drive down to the restaurant, which sits on the coast, from the foot of Spur Tree Hill.

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    The quintessential meal order from Little Ochi – Escoveitch Fish

    Little Ochi on any given day is either a hit or a miss and on this day it was a hit! It wasn’t crowded and the service was quick and pleasant. They had a good selection of nice sized fish to choose from and cooked them up to our delight.

    Parts Unknown

    This is the part of the journey where the real adventure begins. As we were approaching Little Ochi, we came upon an intersection, with a sign that pointed to a road to the left that led to Milk River in Clarendon. So we decided pretty early that we would make our way back to Kingston using that route.

    Now, even though Jamaica is an island, many of us (myself included) prefer to think that the parish of Manchester has no coast. In fact, I’ve just always assumed that the coast of Manchester was inaccessible because it was all cliffs and ridges, well, I learned different.

    Once we were done grubbing at Little Ochi, we made our way along this road that was flanked by   hills to the left and untouched beaches to the right. Pretty soon however, it became clear that this roadway wasn’t one that was frequently used. We figured this out as we noticed ‘macca trees’ that flanked the road on both sides start to get closer the further we went.

    What started out as a relatively wide road, became more and more deserted, winding and smaller the further we went. I actively considered turning back at points until at a particularly narrow section we encountered our first and only other motorist. It was a bit of a challenge allowing him to pass. By this time, we could no longer see the coast because we were surrounding by bush on all sides! We started referring to the span as “The Road that Shouldn’t be There.”

    Gut River

    We were making our way down the winding, uneven and almost completely covered roadway when we came upon a clearing and saw a group of people emerging from bushes on the left side of the road. When we looked to the right, we saw a gate and a sign, welcoming us to the Gut River Beach Village.

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    The sign announcing the Gut River Beach Village. Look out for it or you might miss it!

    Before that day I had never really known about this place but the sign said it all, River and Beach, we had found our water. We were also pleasantly surprised to see a number of other vehicles at the location that had brought campers to the site, apparently for the weekend.

    The beach village has seen better days but the natural beauty cannot be denied. The gateway opened into a yard and just beyond it a small stream that is a breakaway from the river cuts a path through the property, with its crystal clear waters.

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    This stream gave us a small taste of Gut River

    Beyond that was the warm waters of the Caribbean Sea, crashing against the south coast of Manchester.

    • Adventure
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    Gut River is a revelation! The water is cold but clear and at the roadway where the river emerges, is a deep ‘blue hole’ where water bubbles up from the hills and flows to the ocean – perfect for swimming and diving.

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                  The cold, crystal clear waters of the Gut River… so refreshing!

    We were able to spend a good chunk of time enjoying the warm water and the particularly flat beach and black sand before we emerged once again and dipped in the cool waters of Gut River (Gut is a shortened version of the german word for Good, apropos I think).

    When we eventually left and made our way back on the road, the winding continued through what seemed like never ending wilderness until we  reached Canoe Valley, and it’s major attraction the Alligator Hole  River and its accompanying game sanctuary, which is home to manatees and crocodiles.

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    Part of the Alligator hole protected area

    That was the last major point of interest before we eventually re-emerged into civilization in Clarendon. We discovered, later that the roadway we used to get to Gut River was called the South Coast Road.

    Doing New Things

    What has made me so smitten with this journey was the fact that I felt like a foreigner in my own homeland. Jamaica is so beautiful and there is so much for us to see and experience, but access is important. The fact that the road to this pristine location on a seemingly remote coastal region of Jamaica is in disrepair, is something to ponder about. Not many people know Gut River or the wonders of this portion of Jamaica’s South Coast.

    I’m glad that I am able to take trips like this and have friends to enjoy it with but I am also cognizant of others who for whatever reason, don’t have the same luxury.

    If you are able, find those places across your homeland that you have left undiscovered and live!

    Share with me some of the hidden gems in Jamaica that you are familiar with in the comments section.

    Be inspired, Be informed, Be Glorious!

    Kevin

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  • Stay Woke: Don’t get swindled on Vacay

    Stay Woke: Don’t get swindled on Vacay

    Many of us Jamaicans have been so convinced that we live in a scammer’s paradise that we put our guards down when we travel.

    Let’s admit it, some Jamaicans are ingenious and get up to the most vicious schemes in an effort to steal other people’s hard earned cash.

    But once we leave our island’s shores, do we take the same amount of care in securing our possessions?

    Or do we throw caution to the wind, in those countries where security and safety is not at the forefront of our concerns?

    I must admit, I am guilty of letting my guard down when overseas. Especially when it comes to being scrupulous in dealing with certain aspects of tourist life.

    I’m always willing to swipe my credit card, most times without checking terminals.

    Sometimes I don’t even consider the security warnings I receive in Jamaica, while conducting point-of-sale transactions at a retailer overseas.

    But I received  a wake-up call recently while travelling.

    Infamous: Hotel Food

    Typically, when I stay in hotels overseas, I seldom have meals there. Problem is prices are usually ridiculously high and the meals are often subpar.

    However I decided to test the mettle of the Hotel’s in-house food service team by having breakfast at the location.

    It was DIVINE!

    The scrambled eggs, hash browns, toast, fruits and Canadian ham I enjoyed on the first morning, guaranteed that I would return for my remaining days at the hotel.

    Hotel
    It tasted even better than it looked!

    As a rule, I always pay these bills, in cash after each meal. I hate having to even consider clearing a bill at the end of my stay at a hotel.

    For each day of my stay this was done during the breakfast period.

    Initially it felt a bit weird, leaving my money at the table, out in the open like that. Let’s be real, another guest could swipe it, then what?

    This ran across my mind a few mornings. In fact on the third morning, I had reason to hand the money directly to my server, in order to get change.

    That evening I decided to have dinner at the hotel as the thought of trekking through the streets to find a food spot was quite unappealing.

    Taste-wise, it wasn’t a bad decision either. The seafood chowder was heavenly and the grilled salmon on a bed of fingerling potatoes and green beans was amazing.

    Once I sat down to eat I realized that the wait staff was not the same personnel from the mornings. Nevertheless, I expected that the same level of customer service would be provided.

    Time to Pay Up

    As is customary, when I finished my meal, I asked for my invoice, reviewed it, and took out the cash needed to pay the bill, including a tip. I also recorded this on the invoice.

    I placed the cash under the invoice and then made my way to the front desk of the hotel to get some information on the express checkout service.

    That took me about two minutes.

    When I greeted the front desk attendant and told her what I was querying, she suggested that I could clear any amounts charged to my room.

    So I said ‘sure.’

    To the best of my knowledge, the only thing owing was a small charge for an orange juice. I had ordered it a day earlier but didn’t have my wallet to pay immediately.

    To my surprise, there was an additional charge, in the exact same amount as the dinner I just paid for, tip included.

    So I told her that the additional charge should not be there because I just paid it. She was in disbelief and when she checked when the amount was posted it showed that it was done only a few minutes before.

    I was understandably annoyed and she promised to check with the wait staff to have it rectified. I  could not wait so I returned to the restaurant.

    When I got there, I saw the girl who served me, clearing the table.

    I asked her if she had seen the money.

    She said “yes”  then added “I didn’t know if it was allowed for me to leave cash for payment, or if it was only to be charged to my room”… ??????????????

    I WAS SHOOK!

    I let her know that I don’t charge my room for ANYTHING and I always pay cash.

    That’s why I left the money.

    She said “ok, ok.”

    The Real

    Now, even a baby could see that she was trying to pull a fast one on me. I left the cash and once I got up she pocketed my payment and  proceeded to post the entire amount to my room.

    Thankfully, I had reason to check with the front desk staff or I would have been swindled. Then I’d be left to convince the hotel that I had in fact made the payment previously.

    Another front-desk employee, realising how grave the incident was, whispered to me that “a lot of the serving staff was new.”

    The experience taught me to follow my instincts and ensure that I always make my payment to the server. But even with my apprehensions about leaving my payment on the table, I overlooked the possible risks.

    I was lulled into this false sense of security but I won’t be making that mistake again.

    Be inspired, Be informed, Be Glorious!

    Kevin

    What are some of your worst experiences while travelling? Let me know in the comments. Subscribe to the blog in the comments sections to get notified with each new post and share your content suggestions here.

  • 5 Tips to make your next trip overseas smoother!

    5 Tips to make your next trip overseas smoother!

    Guys, I know that you love those Crocs. In fact, I’ve heard that they are quite comfortable. But the next time you consider wearing them on that flight to Miami or New York, please ask yourself this question: “If this plane crashes, do I want my body to be found floating in the ocean, wearing crocs?”

    Trip

    That’s a stark way to begin but now that I have your attention, let’s consider the lengths we go to be comfortable when we travel and how we could possibly make the experience more seamless.

    I recently had to travel up north, via way too many connecting flights and the experience reinforced some vital elements of travel that many of us pay little attention to. Those contingencies that can make or break our experience, so I’m going to share 5 tips/tricks that you can use to make your next jaunt epic and comfy, sans Crocs!

    Blazers

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    Photo by Olu Eletu on Unsplash

    This one’s more for the gents but ladies you can apply this tip as needed with your own outfits.

    For the most part, travel apparel has veered largely into athleisure wear, with an understandable emphasis on comfort. However a black or navy blazer can class up just about any outfit (almost). And why limit it to black or navy just about any colour you like works just as well.  Just ensure it’s well fitting and compliments your overall look.

    From a more practical perspective, I love adding blazers to my travel wardrobe because the added inside pockets are the perfect place to keep those items I need a little closer to my body, specifically my passport, tickets or any other miscellaneous paperwork.

    First Aid Kit

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    Picking up an injury, even a minor one, is usually the farthest thing from our minds when we are travelling. But picture this, you are making your way from New York to London overnight, followed by a coach journey into central England and somewhere in the midst of it all, a hang nail decides to make itself relevant in your life. Extremely painful and torturous to even contemplate removing, what do you do? Put a band aid on it!

    Now if only you had a first aid kit handy with band aids and other items, you would be all set. I found myself in this exact predicament and was fortunate to have discovered this neat First Aid to Go kit by Johnson and Johnson at an airport convenience store.

    You could make your own, but these commercial versions are so neat and inconspicuous, it’s little hassle to add a few sachets of panadol or paracetamol and some gas tablets, just in case.

     

    Hand sanitizer

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    It’s always nice to see those pretty little Bath and Body Works hand sanitizer holders hanging from purses and other bags. But question, how often do you really use it?

    Airplanes are a germ playground, even when you’re not seeing the remnants of the snack the previous occupant of your seat was munching on. That’s why having a hand sanitizer for more than just decoration is essential.

    Head into any airport bathroom and observe the number of users who walk out of the stall and head straight for the door, and you will realise that hygiene means different things, to different people. Get the hand sanitizer you like and use it!

    Vitamin C

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    I’ve seen advice online about upping your Vitamin C intake just before, during and after a trip, to give your immune system a boost. I actually take 1000mg of Vitamin C everyday and this has helped me tremendously. So it was a no-brainer to continue this dosage while I’m travelling.

    There’s nothing more annoying than picking up a cold or flu virus during, or immediately after a trip.  And while Vitamin C is not a guarantee that you won’t get a cold, the extra assistance in fighting an infection goes a far way.

    Packing Cubes

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    Buzzfeed put me on to these packing cubes earlier this year and I finally got to use them recently. They were a life saver!

    The pack of five has 2 large, 2 medium and 1 small cube that can be used as needed to organise all your personal effects. I used three in my largest checked luggage for different types of clothes (pants, shirts, etc).

    Each cube is deep enough to hold a lot of clothing and you can even plan out daily clothing combinations and pack them inside each cube (if that’s your thing, of course).

    Finally, not only did the cubes free up space inside my bags for other items, but it meant that repacking, once I was ready to leave was easy as I didn’t have to completely empty the bag in the first place.

    There you have it guys, my two cents on making your next trip a bit more comfy, and not a Croc in sight!

    Be inspired, Be informed, Be Glorious!

    Kevin

    Remember if you have any content ideas, feel free to share them with me here.

     Disclaimer: The Content is not intended to be a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Always seek the advice of your physician or other qualified health provider with any questions you may have about supplementation. Never disregard professional medical advice or delay in seeking it because of something you have read on a website.