The dictionary says that a kiss is "a salute made by touching with the lips pressed closely together and suddenly parting them." Makes you wonder how often the dictionary compiler spent time kissing… and obviously a dictionaire may know something about words, but nothing about kissing.

How about poets, especially those who still had the hot blood of youth coursing in their veins? Well, don’t really know this fella called Samuel Coleridge who referred to a kiss as "nectar breathing." ….aaaahhhhh!!

Shakespeare says that a kiss is a "seal of love”.

Martial, whose birthday and lifetime co-incided with Christ, according to that veritable source of knowledge, Wikipedia, and who may have had opportunity to do research on the subject, said a kiss was "the fragrance of balsam extracted from aromatic trees; the rise odour yielded by the teeming saffron; the perfume of fruits mellowing in their winter buds; the flowery meadows in the summer; amber warmed by the hand of a girl; a bouquet of flowers that attracts the bees."

I think I’ll stick with the nectar thing and it somehow reminded me of the good fortune I recently had to meet a hero of many sorts (..and no kissing was involved...), a sweet Jamaican lady, Denise Salmon, survivor of a devastating head on collision (you may read the newspaper report here)  and after half a year in rehab hospitals, she now works on reclaiming her life. Denise recently published some poetry, called Jamaica Mi Paradise and like flowers growing from a crack in a rock, or like we know in the Caribbean, a sunken ship attracting new life, I was impressed with the creative way she uses Jamaican English to crow about life, love and Jamaica… never did see her description of a kiss though..

Well done, Denise S. I am proud to know you, I respect you and wish you all the best.

You may buy her book at smashwords and it's only $1.99, which means it more than affordable.

The snow will eventually all melt, the winter will turn into summer and the sun will start to burn our skins, including the children’s and normally the smaller a child, the more the possibility they will be playing outside  and be exposed to the sun. That means they need more protection from the sun’s harmful rays than your game playing computer locked teenager.

Have you ever thought about the difference between sunscreen and sunblock? While sunscreen products have chemicals that actually absorb the UV rays, a sunblock contains ingredients that deflect the UV rays away from you, which means the sunrays never come into contact with your skin. 

Sunblock would normally not have any irritating chemicals and is an easy to understand preferred option for children or anyone else with sensitive skin. Also remember to look at the sun protection factor, or SPF, which is usually printed on the container.  The SPF number is an indicator of the amount of time you could spend in the sun while the sunblock will keep the skin from burning, relative to how long it may take you to start burning if you have no sunblock on.

For example, an SPF 30 sunblock means that you could stay in the sun for up to 30 times longer before the same type of burning will happen if you wore no sun screen at all.

When you look for sunscreen for children, the rule is that the higher the SPF factor, the better it will be whenever they spend a lot of time out in the sun, whether at the pool, the beach or the farm yard. There is one thing you must remember though, even with sunblock it is still possible to burn. Wearing it is merely going to take longer to actually burn, regardless of the SPF number and doesn’t mean the children can stay out all day.

If you plan a day at the pool or the beach, make sure you find a water proof sunblock, as the one that’s not waterproof will just wipe off anyway, even if the child doesn't get wet. Also re-apply the sunblock frequently, especially if the children are in and out of water while they’re playing.

The only ingredients allowed to be used for sunblock products sold in the US are titanium and zinc oxide.  They are natural sun blocks and after application would just sit on top of the skin. Also look for a sunblock that will block the full spectrum of UV rays, which include UVA and UVB. The best protection for your children will be a sunblock with a minimum of 5% of titanium oxide and zinc oxide as one with less than that won't offer the protection you want.

One very important thing to remember is not to use sunblock on very young children, in other words those under 6 months old, without first getting your doctor’s opinion. Some sunblocks do contain ingredients that are just too hard on the sensitive skin of a very young child and it's better to just keep them out of the sun, under an umbrella and please cover their head with a hat.

All over the world it has become a compulsory action for parents to make sure their children wear protection and the very least is sunblock and after the very cold American winter, imagine how sensitive young and even older skin will be. Stock up on the best sunscreen and remember that the best may not be a sunscreen at all, but rather a sunblock.

It is just not fair that the weather in Antigua is always so flippin' nice! In the US there are records being broken of daily 'highs' below zero and in some places temperatures have not been this low in 4 years! In Antigua, on the other hand temperatures are hovering well above 25 degrees Celsius (70+ Fahrenheit), making it such an ideal place for a winter break, I'm out of words to say more.

Think of 365 clean beaches, a variety of activities including all the water sports activities you could handle, a warm sun for tanning and relaxation with friendly staff all over.

The time to book is as soon as possible and all the links are available all over our site. You will find a variety of resorts to cater for everything, whether it's a honeymoon to never forget, looking to bring the whole family, something we have often seen when Mom and Dad celebrate a 30, 40 or even 50th wedding anniversary or if you might be able to look at a luxurious hide away, maybe something discreet or a good ole self catering affair. For this last one, you will wonder if there's a decent grocery outlet and yes, besides many, many well stocked grocery shops and liquor stores, the Epicurean offers everything and more, including a very wide selection of fine wines from around the world, cigars and of course fresh fruit and vegetables.... not exactly meant as being the order of importance, but hey, we'll leave it up to you!!

As for 'what to do' when you decided on your date, check out the trips offered by Wayne and Lara on Coolcat, a cool catamaran on which we have personally been privileged to have spent many hours of relaxing sailing, there's the tree top tours offered by Antigua Zip Line Tours or the clay pigeon shooting range at 'Antigua Clays' and many more... after all many are somewhere in this website and others you will find at tripadvisor's top 20 things to do.

Won't you please send us your report with some of yo photos of how you found the facilities if you took me up on this suggestion!!

Digital cameras have made taking any number of pictures so much easier, but there are various simple ways to improve what you do.  The following tips will help you make even more of your photos:

1. Always be aware of the background. We've all seen those funny pics showing trees growing out of people’s heads or a passing vehicle or even worse, somebody doing something stupid in the background and which will for sure draw attention away from your subject.  Be aware of the background and consciously moving your subject to either side could make all the difference.

2. Keep it natural by using available light. If your digital camera has the option to disable the flash and it’s light enough outside to read a book, then the available light should suffice, which means turn the flash off. Camera flashes are generally show human skin up in a very harsh way, making your subject look pale.  If you're indoors, where there may not be enough daylight, place your subject by a window and use your fill flash feature.

3.  Make sure to aim your camera slightly down at the person’s face and also remember in stead of shoot just the face of the person, try a little to the side or a three quarter view, so that you see more of their face. Keep in mind, having the camera higher, looking down and a three quarter view, will slim your subject.

4.   Don't forget your focus and get closer to your subject. Fill the frame with your subject and there will be no doubt as to what the picture is saying.

5. Never put your subject dead center, in stead, put the subject just slightly off center; not a lot, just a little. When it comes to shooting  groups of people, find the imaginary center line of your group and put that line just a bit off center in your viewfinder.

We'd love to say that these tips will turn you into an award-winning photographer overnight, but that would be a lie. It will help you take more powerful photographs, which others will comment on for years to come!

For many years international travel used to be the domain of a few privileged individuals or senior executives, but that has changed, with millions of people traveling in one form or another and being away from home. Do you remember the numbers of people that were quoted when in 2010, aero- planes were grounded because ash from volcanoes in Iceland prevented them from safe flying?  Add to that the realities of being human and the fact that not everyone is in good health, accidents happen, for instance, you become a robbery victim. Your lost valuables may cost a lot but if you have decent travel insurance, the insurance provider will take care of your stolen things. It surely makes sense that the consequences could be so much worse than if it happened at home.

Before choosing any business travel insurance, you have to check with the country of destination if the insurance is acceptable there. You can also ask the insurance provider about this matter.

Just a quick reminder that insurance acts as a fund to which a big number contribute a small amount to fund the claims of those unfortunate enough to have suffered a loss. As long as fewer people claim than those who contributed, your contribution will always be relatively small compared to the amount that will become payable when you suffer a claimable loss.

For these reasons international travel and health insurance have become more and more popular. By having this insurance like this, you can expect that costs for your medical needs and other losses are covered even when you're in a distant place. Problems related to health issues when you're away from home and not being a local resident of the place that you're visiting, you may not receive health care benefits, which are provided by the local government to their citizens. Travel insurance can also cover certain situations like ferry or flight cancellation, travel curtailment, hotel cover as you confirm your new travel, doctor and hospital fees, loss of belongings or even money, medicine replenishment and injuries. Now, these are just some of the coverage of travel insurance.

Insurance needs vary from one individual to another and for some the insurance requirement may be to enjoy cover for a holiday situation, where cover is usually for up to $1 million and for others it's a longer term situation (eg a contract of employment for say 12 months) where cover may be extended to $5 million.  

Business travelers need specific business travel insurance because the policies differ from one another. You can find worldwide, backpacker, and specialty policies that is a variation of the business travel insurance.

Here are some suggestions when you look for travel insurance:

1. Make price the last point of consideration when you compare insurance policies; rather look into the cover and benefits, product features and exclusions.

2. Take time in choosing your insurance policy as you could still cancel it in time if you realize that it may not meet most of your needs. A money back guarantee normally applies to these.

3. Make sure to choose either a single or annual travel policy. If your travels may be more regularly than a once a year holiday, rather choose the multi-trip annual insurance and normally this should also cover business trips conducted during weekends.

4. Look out for special offers from tour operators and travel agencies, but also make sure their promo offers will offer the benefits you're looking for.

5. Always have a copy of your insurance policy and the helpline number available during your travels and keep it somewhere safe, not in your wallet.

6. If at all possible, ensure your travel insurance also include medical cover and try to understand the coverage of the policy. A good idea is get your doctors opinion on it, as you may want to make sure he would've bought the policy you have.

7. Someone once suggested that you include car rental cover, but be careful not to pay for something that might be worthless in the country where you'll be renting the car.

8. Please choose a trusted provider when you purchase business travel insurance. At least check the company's reputation on Google if you do nothing else.

In conclusion, check what automatic cover your credit card company may already offer when you book your flight, but it is normally not as comprehensive as you may want, need or desire.

Please do bear in mind these realities when you plan to travel, even if it's a short trip to our hot Caribbean island. Trusting this short guide leaves you with some ideas on how to prevent these problems with affordable travel insurance – here’s a useful link you will find very useful. Proper international health insurance is truly a wise move if you want to protect yourself, as well as your family.

Looking for a premier Caribbean Resort and you want as short a flight to begin your hot Caribbean holiday and a smart transfer, then look no further than the all Inclusive, and very exclusive Hermitage Bay Hotel, which may well be considered an eminent Antigua Luxury Resort; it is situated on the west coast and also offers a complimentary airport shuttle.

Hermitage Bay is indisputably a resort with a difference and a rare combination of English style and tropical beauty. It offers only 25 very
secluded colonial cottage suites, divided between the Hillside where they have private plunge pools, and eight Beach Cottages in two rows with the front row having panoramic views of the beach. If this is critical, you need to specify when booking your Hermitage Bay vacation. The whole place is set in over 10 acres of tropical gardens above a wonderful white sand beach and turquoise sea.

The Hillside Cottages are superior and have complete privacy, perfect for
sultry Caribbean days, even though all the cottages at this magnificent resort
are air conditioned  and obvious king sized bed, modern flat screen TV, DVD
player, Apple type docking device, wireless broadband internet, as well as all
the usual bits and pieces you have been expecting to find in a luxury resort
like this.

Every cottage also has a large veranda with double day-beds and plantation-
day chairs.

A few things to remember about the Hermitage Bay exclusive all-inclusive
resort are some of which are a big plus and others merely to be aware of.

The views are incredible and the staff is fantastic, as you would expect
from a luxury five star resort. The idea of the Room Ambassador is terrific and you will meet him first when you are shown your room; he will be conscien-tious of your well being and comfort.

The Hillside cottages are private even though access from them to the
restaurant excludes high heeled shoes and possibly even smart clothes, which
means you will find the standard of dress in the evenings poor by exclusive
resort standards, with gentlemen in shorts and ladies in flip flops, but all
adding to the feeling of relaxation. If you like dressing up you may not like
this and it certainly makes the walk up at night hard work, but thankfully there
are golf carts even though they sometines are a bit noisy.

Some guests have mentioned a feeling of being eaten alive.... by mosquitoes
and sand flies, but a bit of spray and covering up in the evenings usually
dramatically reduces this bother. It is the tropics after all and nearby Jolly
Harbour used to be known as Mosquito Bay!! You should also be aware that there can be jellyfish infestation at certain times of the year in the small but very attractive bay, but they are harmless, it's just a bit weird if you feel one
brushing against you.

Meals are of a very high standard and the friendliness of service from all
the staff is almost perfect, although service is at Caribbean pace, which is
sometimes a little slow, but then why are you in a hurry... The snacks and food is usually very fresh and the day's catch of fish of the day is usually
spectacular. Most tastes are well catered for in a restaurant with a happy
tone.

The watersports staff are very helpful, but you need to find out whether or
not water skiing is included in your all inclusive rate.

There is almost never any queuing for sunbeds, drinks or meals; the staff
attention is terrific, including the way your mini bar in your room will be kept
topped up with the kind of drinks you enjoy.

The Hermitage Bay will leave you feeling that you have been at a luxurious, very exclusive hotel and you will go home possibly heavier, but relaxed and certainly feeling very relaxed and happy. Their claim to be one of the Carib-bean’s most select resorts is not without foundation and it certainly ranks at the top insofar as an Antigua all-inclusive resort is concerned; the Hillside Cottages are the perfect Antigua honeymoon solution or simply hot Caribbean holidays.... awesome!!