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Caribbean Travel: Water Safety

Make certain that sports equipment, including scuba equipment, that you rent or buy meets international safety standards.

If you use a beach without a lifeguard, exercise extreme caution. Drowning is one of the leading causes of death for Americans in the Caribbean.

Do not dive into unknown bodies of water because hidden rocks or shallow depths can cause serious injury or death. In some places, you may need to wear sneakers in the water for protection against sea urchins.

WEST INDIES, British entry requirements

Islands include Anguilla, Montserrat, Cayman Islands, Turks and Caicos. Proof of U.S. citizenship, photo ID, onward/return ticket, and sufficient funds required for tourist stay of up to 6 months. Consult the British Embassy for further information (202/588-7800).

Caribbean Travel: Haiti

Haiti: Medical Care

Medical care in Port-au-Prince, Haiti is limited and the level of community sanitation is low. Medical facilities outside the capital are almost always below U.S. standards. Life-threatening emergencies may require evacuation by air ambulance at the patient's expense. You might want to consider supplemental medical insurance with specific overseas coverage, including medical evacuation. In mid-1996, the government ordered Haitian-manufactured pharmaceuticals taken off shelves. Be alert to the presence of Haitian brands in people's homes or in remote pharmacies, and obtain the Consular Information Sheet for Haiti for up-to-date information.

Haiti: Special Entry/Exit Requirements

Haitian law requires a passport to enter. In practice, officials frequently waive this requirement if travelers have other documentation, such as a U.S. birth certificate. Due to fraud concerns, however, airlines will not board passengers for return to the U.S. unless they are in possession of a valid U.S. passport. Haiti's airport departure tax, currently $25 plus 10 Haitian gourdes (U.S. $.65), must be paid in cash in U.S. currency. It cannot be paid as part of the airline ticket.

Haiti: General Information

Haiti continues to experience occasional civil unrest, including unofficial roadblocks. There have been attacks on some government buildings by unidentified perpetrators. Travelers are urged to use common sense in avoiding large crowds, which have turned violent.

Haiti: Crime Information

Reports of crime, including armed and sometimes violent robbery, are increasing. Crimes involving occupied and unoccupied vehicles along Route Nationale No. 1 in the port area, in Cite Soleil, and along the airport road continue to be a problem.

Haiti: Embassy

Embassy of Haiti 2144 Wyoming Ave., NW Washington, DC 20008 (202) 939-9200

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I want to go gadling too -
From: www.swaroopch.info
© - See article for copyright information.

" One of my favorite sites that I follow these days is Gadling.com. Webster dictionary says that ‘gadling’ means ‘a roving vagabond’. Nice.

I recently came across an entry about FromParis.com which contains amazing panoramic photographs of Paris, the City of Lights. It is simply awesome. Whatever you do, don’t miss visiting this site. You can even zoom into any part of the picture to whatever depth you want!

Read more about people in Antarctica, Thai Cooking, the Valley of Death, paddling in boats, coffee at Vatican City, scuba diving with sharks, kayaking, the India fad, rock climbing in Quebec, surfing in Central America, cycling through Costa Rica, skateboarding, and lots lots more. Has all this caught your attention yet? … it sure caught mine. Makes you wonder what you are doing sitting in front of a screen, doesn’t it?

Do leave a comment telling me your favorite entries on that site. That would be interesting.

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Scuba News from NewsTrove.com:
 
churches became the core of the Greater Chartiers Valley Long-Term Recovery team -
From: NewsTrove.com
© - See article for copyright information.

"Many of his parishioners will attend Christmas Eve services at St. Ignatius Church on Finley Avenue, which sat high and dry above the streets that streamed with water and tragedy three months ago. Others will worship in a temporary worship site, itself a testimony to the can-do spirit that's helped communities like his cope with the flood. The site, in Seton Hall, an administrative building on Mary Street, will feature an altar from DePaul Institute, a crucifix from an old Homestead convent, a pulpit from an Ambridge church, old pews from St. Anne Parish in Castle Shannon and a sacristy cabinet and sink from St. Peter on the North Side."
 
 
Malaya-The National Newspaper -
From: NewsTrove.com
© - See article for copyright information.

"By EDMUND SORIANO THE province of Negros Oriental isn't a major tourist destination yet it offers so much in terms of culture and natural attractions. The irony is the place is often upstaged by two cities that happen to be close by - Bacolod and Cebu. The province is located southwest of Negros Island in the Visayas, just north of the island of Cebu and down under the more popular Negros Occidental. Local officials say their province has long played second fiddle to Occidental. Public perception is there is only one province and people tend to remember Negros Occidental, where Bacolod City is located."
 
 
Talk of the town -
From: NewsTrove.com
© - See article for copyright information.

"It's hard to believe anyone works in this town anymore. There was a time when you'd walk into a party and the evening would be reminiscent of a Gujju wedding. The men on one side. The women on the other. The men with fists full of whisky pani. The women with glasses of nimbu pani. All right, that last bit is stretching things some. No party in Mumbai has women clutching fruit juice unless it comes from grapes. But you get the point I'm trying to make, even if it is exaggerated a wee bit. The men would stand there talking about the stock market. Or business."