Reading On The Road

On a recent flight I sat next to a woman who was deeply engrossed in a reading a book on her Kindle. We started chatting and she couldn’t stop raving about how perfect the e-reader is for travel.

“I can carry as many books as I like with me on a machine that weighs next to nothing; there’s no glare on the screen, even when I’m reading in full sun; and if I get sand or sea spray on it, no big deal - I just wipe it off,” she said.

Which got me thinking that maybe this bookworm should add a Kindle to her Christmas list. Then I heard about Barnes & Noble’s “Kindle Killer” the Nook, which releases on November 30.


Priced the same as the Kindle at $259, this e-reader looks and performs a lot like it ­– except for two major features. One: in place of the keyboard it has a second screen, a color touch screen that can function either as a virtual keyboard (kinda like the iPhone) or which you can use to scroll through all the books in the B&N Nook library. Two: Nook readers can lend friends e-books by sending them to other Nooks, iPhones, BlackBerrys and computers – something you can’t yet do with the Kindle.

But I gotta admit, what really has me jonesing for a Nook is the range of stylish accessories and covers. Come on, people; how cute is this?!

So tell me dear reader: Do you have an e-reader on your gift list? If you already own one, do you love it? Should I go with the tried-and-true Kindle or get into the Nook?

Reading On The Road

High Season Mexico at Low Season Rates

The Deal: Book a January vacation at the adults-only Catalonia Royal Tulum Beach & Spa Resort this month and you'll get low season rates starting at $286 per night double occupancy – a savings of 30 percent – including all meals and drinks.

Why We Love It: You and your sweetheart can enjoy the Riviera Maya for a lot less this winter and take advantage of all of the resort's amenities – like complimentary scuba lessons – for free. And it's tough to beat nightly all-inclusive rates around $140 per person in high season.

How to Book It: Log on to www.cataloniacaribbean.com and book by November 30.

High Season Mexico at Low Season Rates

Surf Into Luxury in Aruba

Last week I blogged about the Aruba Marriott's beach tennis package, but for those of us who can't serve to save our lives (I can't be the only one) the resort just announced another promotion for action junkies. Just book the Surf Into Luxury package through December 23, 2010 and you'll get free windsurfing or kiteboarding lessons – plus you'll enjoy 30 percent off at the top floor, hotel-within-a-hotel Tradewinds Club during your stay. Rates start at $328 per night double occupancy and include some meals...just surf over to arubamarriott.com to book.

Surf Into Luxury in Aruba

Get $300 Back in the Bahamas

The Deal: Book a three-night-minimum stay at Paradise Island's posh One&Only Ocean Club resort this winter and get a $300 food and beverage credit, redeemable toward all on-site restaurants and room service.

Why We Love It: Who doesn't like free food? That $300 can go a long way toward covering your dining costs throughout your stay, so go ahead – leave your wallet back in the room.

How to Book It: Book your three-night-minimum stay by calling 888-528-7157 or logging on to www.oneandonlyresorts.com, then travel by December 26.

Get $300 Back in the Bahamas

Eating My Way Across Trinidad

Hello fellow food lovers. I just got back from Trinidad, and let's just say it's a good thing my pants were loose when I got there. Trinidad is renowned for its food traditions - with 40% of the population descended from India, I knew I'd be in heaven - but traditional Indian foods have definitely undergone a delicious island spin. We'll start with breakfast - crazy, I know. Trinidad is known for "doubles," a common street food sold out of vendor's trucks all over the island. We beelined for our guides' favorite and weren't disappointed. Its closest approximation is a sandwich; each piece of "bread" is a lightly fried round, spiced and colored with turmeric, and between them is a filling of curried chick peas called channa - as spicy as you can stand it. (Doubles photo at top courtesy of Jon Whittle)

Let's move on to lunch: The other biggie on Trinidad is bake and shark, and the most famous place to get it is at Richard's on Maracas Beach. Naturally, we made a beeline. It's a deep-fried shark filet, most commonly blacktip shark, sandwiched between a "bake," a lot like Navajo fry bread, and slathered with as many Trini condiments as you can handle. Don't skip the cilantro sauce or the tamarind sauce, whatever you do; hot sauce I'll leave up to your tolerance for pain. Paired with a cold Carib beer, there's no better lunch to be had.

Eating My Way Across Trinidad

Affordable BVI

In case you missed the latest episode of Affordable Caribbean showcasing one of my personal favorites, the British Virgin Islands, just surf over to the series web site to watch full webisodes like this one for free...

Affordable BVI

Hilton Caribbean Resort Credits

Got Facebook? Then you've also got an extra $50 in your pocket on your next Hilton Caribbean vacation. For a limited time, the resort chain is offering resort credit vouchers to all of its Facebook fans, redeemable on two-night-minimum stays through January 31, 2010. Just surf over to the Hilton Caribbean fan page to download the voucher and start planning your trip to a participating property like the Hilton Barbados, San Juan's Caribe Hilton, the Hilton Curaçao, Jamaica's Rose Hall Resort and more. And don't forget to check out our own Facebook page – and Twitter too! – for travel news, deals, trip reports and exclusive contests you won't find anywhere else.

Hilton Caribbean Resort Credits

St. Lucia Deals on JetBlue

To celebrate JetBlue's inaugural service between New York (JFK) and St. Lucia (UVF), the carrier is offering a limited-time special starting at just $129 each way. You only have till this Friday, October 20 to book it – but you can travel through February 8, 2010. Just log on to jetblue.com to reserve your seats, then surf over to our Editor's Picks page for exclusive savings at some of the island's top resorts like Ladera, Anse Chastanet and more.

St. Lucia Deals on JetBlue

Beach Tennis in Aruba

I've always been pretty athletically challenged, but that hasn't stopped me from trying every conceivable resort activity known to man whenever I travel. In the name of research, I've spent many a Caribbean trip playing bocce ball, beach volleyball, sand horseshoes – you name it. I'm fairly sure I look equally ridiculous playing all of them, but there seems to be no shortage of new beach games to try, and so I carry on. If you're like me and you feel the need to test your (lack of) coordination against all varieties of beach games, then you'll definitely want to head to the Aruba Marriott Resort next month for the 8th Annual International Beach Tennis Event, held from November 13 to 15 and hosting over 350 participants from more than 10 different countries. What exactly is beach tennis, you ask? I'm told it's a combination of beach volleyball and tennis, played on a sand court with special tennis "paddles" and depressurized tennis balls...and let's be honest, that has a lot of potential to look really silly, so I'm sold.

The Deal: If you're in town for the event, you can take advantage of the resort's Aruba Beach Tennis Tournament Package starting at $339 per night and get your fourth night free, plus daily breakfast for two adults and two kids under 12, a free one-hour beach tennis lesson by an actual beach tennis pro (there is such a thing), and complimentary use of the resort's beach tennis court and paddles during your stay. Want more? Just register for the event – why not? – and you'll enjoy an opening night party with live music, a free BBQ lunch and a commemorative T-shirt so you can brag about your amazing athleticism to all your naysaying friends back home. Just check out the Aruba Marriott for more info and to book your trip.

Beach Tennis in Aruba

USVI Sale on American Airlines

The Virgin Islands are on sale with new low fares from American Airlines...just book your trip to St. Thomas or St. Croix by November 3 from any of the carrier's nine featured hubs and you'll have until December 17 to take the trip, with one way fares starting at just $91. The U.S. gateways include Miami, New York, Boston, Chicago and more. Just visit www.aa.com for details and to book your USVI getaway!

USVI Sale on American Airlines