Escapism
Jimmy Buffet once said, 'I sell escapism'. GoBud.org is buying it.
You're gonna like GoBud.org - a fun travel & leisure site. Check out GoBud's link to Expedia for great deals and take your fun paraphernalia with you below. Feel free to check out all the website pages above. GoBud has the connection to your trips, vacays, staycays, fests, benders, cruises, bachelor/ette parties and tailgates. Enjoy!
Vacations...Selling fun
Brought to you by...Blu Cigs...Freedom to 'smoke' anywhere...No carcinogens - just vapor.
Aruba
Aruba is a beautiful island just north of Venezuala - just over a two-hour flight from Miami. You can see Venezuela from the most southern coast. No tours required here - just grab a map and rent a jeep. Go to the natural bridge to the east or the California light house to the north. Aruba is outside of the hurricane zone, so you can book a flight for a September trip and be confident that there will not be any hurricane issues. Aruba is always 78-82 degrees - perfect if you like comfortable, warm, dry climates. The beaches are clean, white and good to the feet. I personally had my best SCUBA dives there. One SCUBA trip was around a WWII German ship sunken off the northwest shore. Another SCUBA trip was through the fuselage of a sunken airplane. There are casinos, shopping in Oranjestad, and always good food. English, Dutch, Spanish are all spoken there. See more pictures like the one to the left at www.PicturesofAruba.com. GoBud..
Cartegena, Colombia
Cartagena, Colombia - a beautiful pre-colombian, but modern city. Nice beaches and good-hearted people from what I heard. GoBud has never been, but plans on going. It's somehwat forbidden for americans to go there, which increases the intrigue. The United States actually warns travellers about the potential dangers of going, but Cartagena is supposed to be fairly safe. The temperature ranges from 70 to 100 degrees F. The nightlife is legendary. There are various boats, mostly foreign yachts, that take travelers from Cartagena de Indias to Colón, Panama via San Blas Archipelago (Panama) and vice versa, but this is not a regular service. The trip takes four to six days and normally includes a couple of days at San Blas for snorkeling and spear fishing. It costs US$220 to US$270, plus about US$30 for food. Getting there by air - it's roughly a 2.5 hour flight from Miami. Airlines fly to Colombia via Miami for relatively low dough.
Charlie Sheen thanked Anthony Bourdain for the recommendation to go to La Cevicheria. Hotel Sofitel was recommended as well. Sheen: Thanks @NoReservations Anthony Bourdain for the tip...and, to Jorge for the epic meal at La Cevicheria! Amazing seafood in Cartagena.
Check Expedia for more. Picture fromwww.DreamandGo.Wordpress.com.
Charlie Sheen thanked Anthony Bourdain for the recommendation to go to La Cevicheria. Hotel Sofitel was recommended as well. Sheen: Thanks @NoReservations Anthony Bourdain for the tip...and, to Jorge for the epic meal at La Cevicheria! Amazing seafood in Cartagena.
Check Expedia for more. Picture fromwww.DreamandGo.Wordpress.com.
Belize
I frankly have to go back to Belize. I was there for such a short stay - just hours on a cruise stop. Next time, I'll use Expedia and make my own adventure. The people are cool and the weather is warm. Remember to go with the flow and leave your attitude at home. Check out the Mayan ruins, go caving, kayak the rivers, go diving, tour the jungle. English is spoken there. It's inexpensive - the USD goes far there. Don't worry about exchanging your money - it's good there. Bring small bills, but bring enough because the ATMs are usually out of order.
The pic to the left is of the Blue Hole and can be seen at www.belize.com.
The pic to the left is of the Blue Hole and can be seen at www.belize.com.
Rio de Janeiro
This place is a must see and do. Of course, the Copacabana with it's sun, sea and beautiful bodies must be seen. Remember, when it is winter in the states, it is summer there. Brazilians speak portuguese, not spanish. Check out the language carousel of Rosetta Stone and devices below. It's the home of the bikini.
If the beach doesn't do it for you, there is Carnaval, world championship soccer, forests, mountains, hang gliding, and more. Check out the Expedia link below.
If the beach doesn't do it for you, there is Carnaval, world championship soccer, forests, mountains, hang gliding, and more. Check out the Expedia link below.
Sail the Caribbean
St. Lucia is the easiest place to rendezvous with the S.V. Illusion. JetBlue has just inaugurated three-times-a-week nonstop service from Kennedy Airport to Hewanorra International near Vieux Fort, with round-trip fares starting at $300, based on a recent Web search. For roughly the same price, American Airlines makes the same trip, but twice a week. You can learn to sail or have a crew drive you. Sail around St. Vincent and the Grenadines, Beguia, head to the Salty Dog Pub, Port Elizabeth, Union Island ( www.anchorage-union.com), and Mayreau Island.
St. Martin is a beautiful dutch and french island - fun and great food. Great place to sail. You can get there using the Expedia link below. Then once there, you can island hop flying with the Dutch Antilles Express http://flydae.com/. DAE services Curacao, Aruba, St Martin, Caracas, Valencia and Santo Domingo.
FINDING A BOAT - Of the dozens of Web sites that link up crew with boats, CrewFile.com, CrewRecruit.com, FloatPlan.com and FindACrew.com are just a few of the most useful. Be aware that some sites require membership fees.
St. Martin is a beautiful dutch and french island - fun and great food. Great place to sail. You can get there using the Expedia link below. Then once there, you can island hop flying with the Dutch Antilles Express http://flydae.com/. DAE services Curacao, Aruba, St Martin, Caracas, Valencia and Santo Domingo.
FINDING A BOAT - Of the dozens of Web sites that link up crew with boats, CrewFile.com, CrewRecruit.com, FloatPlan.com and FindACrew.com are just a few of the most useful. Be aware that some sites require membership fees.
Alaska
I hear you can see Russia from there... It's cold there, but I just may have to go anyways. Make your own adventure through Expedia below. There's the back country, hiking, fishing, glacier cruises, snow mobiling, zip lining and that's just the tip of the iceberg. Visit www.alaska.gov. Experience it all: Anchorage, Seward, Homer, Kodiak, Juneau, Glacier Bay, Denali State Park. Use the Expedia link below to get the best price.
Here's an excellent site: http://www.travelalaska.com.
Here's an excellent site: http://www.travelalaska.com.
Jackson Hole
Wildlife! Yellowstone, snow mobiling, snow tubing, fishing, dog sledding, skiing. Go to: www.jacksonholewy.com. Book your trip with the Expedia link below. I heard you can see Yogi Bear there.
Malibu
Actually, not an expensive place to stay as it may seem. Everything is reasonably priced except for the drinks. It's beautiful there. Go see where MASH 4077 was made, the end of Planet of the Apes was made there, a recent episode of Louis C.K. (when he went to Afghanistan) was made there. Hike the canyons, hang out on the beach, surf some waves. Head into L.A. if you really want to.
Warning: If you are from FLA, you may think that the water is pretty cold.
You can fly into LAX or Burbank. Go to the GoBud.org ling to Expedia to save a few bucks.
Warning: If you are from FLA, you may think that the water is pretty cold.
You can fly into LAX or Burbank. Go to the GoBud.org ling to Expedia to save a few bucks.
Serengeti & Mt Kilamanjaro (Tanzania)
Snow-capped Mount Kilimanjaro is one of the most famous and highest free-standing mountains in the world, rising from the north-eastern part of Tanzania. Kilimanjaro stands at 5,895 metres (19,336 feet) high above sea level. Kilimanjaro comprises 3 volcanoes of which the most famous (and the most recent), snow-capped dormant Kibo stands at 5,895 m (19,455 ft). The mountain is situated in the Kilimanjaro National Park in Tanzania. The trek crosses five distinct vegetation zones, namely lower slopes, rainforest, moorland, alpine, desert and the glaciers/summit. Within each zone there is an association between altitude, rainfall, temperature, plants and animals.
Tanzania's oldest and most popular national park, also a world heritage site and recently proclaimed a 7th world wide wonder, the Serengeti is famed for its annual migration, when some six million hooves pound the open plains, as more than 200,000 zebra and 300,000 Thomson's gazelle join the wildebeest’s trek for fresh grazing. Yet even when the migration is quiet, the Serengeti offers arguably the most game-viewing in Africa: great herds of buffalo, smaller groups of elephant and giraffe, and thousands upon thousands of eland, topi, kongoni, impala and Grant’s gazelle.
www.tanzaniaparks.com
Tanzania's oldest and most popular national park, also a world heritage site and recently proclaimed a 7th world wide wonder, the Serengeti is famed for its annual migration, when some six million hooves pound the open plains, as more than 200,000 zebra and 300,000 Thomson's gazelle join the wildebeest’s trek for fresh grazing. Yet even when the migration is quiet, the Serengeti offers arguably the most game-viewing in Africa: great herds of buffalo, smaller groups of elephant and giraffe, and thousands upon thousands of eland, topi, kongoni, impala and Grant’s gazelle.
www.tanzaniaparks.com
From Rome to Naples/Sorrento
I frankly have to check out the history and ruins, go to Naples to try the original pizza and climb Mount Vesuvius. Although, from what I hear, the Italians think you are silly for wanting to climb Mt. Vesuvius. I'm going to do it anyways.
It's pretty easy to take the train and travel north and south through Italy. Check it out for yourself. Use the GoBud.org Expedia link, below. Learn some Italian before you go. Take a look at the Rosetta Stone deals below.
http://www.milvetstravel.net/naples.html
It's pretty easy to take the train and travel north and south through Italy. Check it out for yourself. Use the GoBud.org Expedia link, below. Learn some Italian before you go. Take a look at the Rosetta Stone deals below.
http://www.milvetstravel.net/naples.html
Grand Canyon
You can check out Expedia (below) to get you to Las Vegas, then travel out to the Grand Canyon. You can raft, trek, or fly the Grand Canyon. Or, you can get there by Hoveround. They speak english there. Learn more here: http://www.viator.com/Grand-Canyon-National-Park/d815-ttd?pref=02&aid=g2085
Enjoy! www.GoBud.org.
www.hoveround.com
Enjoy! www.GoBud.org.
www.hoveround.com
Or you can create your own adventure. Use the Expedia links on www.GoBud.org and get up to 30% off.
Try Blu Cigs. You have the freedom to 'smoke' them almost anywhere.
No smoke, no carcinogens, no harm to others. Just vapor & nicotine.
50% cheaper than nasty cigarettes.
And, take these with you....
Fests
Oktoberfest - Get your lederhosen and get your beer boots. The world's largest beerfest happens every year about late-September to early October. Fly to Munich, Germany or throw your own party. It lasts about two weeks. But, does it really end? This link will tell you everything you need to know about this beautiful German tradition... http://www.oktoberfest.de/en/
Beerfests
Go get some brew with buds.
Beerfests - Go to this link for all of the world's best beer festivals happening all year long. Keep posted here: http://www.beerfestivals.org/
Flugtag - Debauchery and legendary stupidity at it's finest. Check out Flugtag here http://www.redbullflugtagusa.com/.
St Paddy's Day worldwide:
Dublin, Ireland
[Finnegan's wife had been killed in an accident and the police were questioning him. "Did she say anything before she died?", asked the sergeant. "She spoke without interruption for about forty years", said Finnegan.]
Dublin is the home of St Paddy's Day. Everyone should go at some point. Especially, us Catholics who believe in saints. If you aren't religious or of a different religion, why not go for the fun and the great Irish people?
Anyways, St. Patrick's Day wouldn't exist if not for the man himself! But how much do we know about him? Did you know that he spent six years of slavery in Ireland until he escaped and undertook religious training abroad?
Okay, now that we know something smart, let's drink. Irish cheers: When you slide down the bannister of life, may all the splinters lie in the right direction. Cheers!
Boston, MA
Boston is probably the best place in the U.S. to go to a St. Paddy's Day parade. The city is dedicated to St. Paddy's and has a great Irish heritage. It might be worth it for one day to put up with their Massachusetts accents for an awesome party.
Savannah, GA
Savannah is a great venue for a parade. Their river walkway is turned green and the food is probably better than Dublin's and Boston's. Go and have a good time - I did. GoBud.org.
Mardi Gras - New Orleans - Get your beads, see some boobies, put on some wading boots (cause there is a great volume of pee on the streets), place your money in your front pocket and go have a great time. It's a Catholic event - Fat Tuesday is the last day to let it all out before Lent. Live it up!
Carnival - Rio de Janeiro. See Mardi Gras - But, the women are hotter (they're Brazilian for God's sake) and they're even more naked-er. GoBud.org will tell you more after actually going to Carnival.
Gasparilla - Tampa. I love Tampa. My explanation of this awesome pirate fest will not do it justice. The man, the myth and the legend - Jose Gaspar - and, his capture by the cunning american Navy has been celebrated for more than 100 years. He was known for being generous with his krewe of pirates. Gaspar would give his buccaneers and the ladies jewels. Bring your beads and booty.
Please, do yourself a solid and check out: http://www.gasparillapiratefest.com/index_IE.html
Did you miss Fantasy Fest, Key West, 2011? So, did I. Save this page for Fantasy Fest 2012.
Flugtag, Tampa 2011
Was a fun day.
But wait...There's more! For your festival needs, check these out.
Benders
Everyone could use a good bender at some time. Re-set yourself. Delete those negative thoughts and change your outlook on the world.
n. a binge normally lasting more than one day.
'It cleans me out, then I can move on.'. (Jimmy Buffet)
Vegas - Goes without saying.
Dominican Republic - Excellent place for a guy to go for his bender. Find an all-inclusive hotel that provides you drinks and food 24 hours for no extra charge. Get yourself a cuban cigar, a great rum, or their home-made concoctions, gamble, talk or dance with beautiful women. All-inclusives are so safe that you could sleep on the beach with $100-bill taped to your forehead and be fine. Leave the all-inclusive at your own peril. Don't use cab-driver Eddy - he's an asshole. But, overall a good experience and would do it again. Enjoy!
Costa Rica - Similar to the D.R. description except more to see. The dollar doesn't go as far in C.R. as it does in the D.R. but there is more to do and the country is even more beautiful. I believe it is safer than the D.R and NO cab-driver Eddy (he's an asshole). And, I recommend men and women have their benders in the C.R. Fish, SCUBA and learn to surf. Pura vida!
Tampa Bay area (Men's Town USA - thank you Adam) - Well-suited for a bender. You've got fishing, boating, the drunken trolley on the beaches, SCUBA, golf, all sports, Rays, Bucs, Lightning, Bulls, Ybor 'cigar capital of the world' city, Hard Rock Casino, all kinds of strip clubs (including the world-famous Mons Venus) and awesome beach bars. Go!
Key West - Recommended for ladies, not-so ladies, gentlemen, and jackasses. Just get a place on Duval Street and you can walk, bicycle, scooter, pedi-cab anywhere. Fishing, booze-cruises, SCUBA, lobstering, pub-crawling, various unexpected (but, expected) nudity. GoBud.org recommends Captain Tony's, The Bull, Hog's Breath, Irish Kevin's, The Schooner Wharf, Half Shell, PJ's, Green Parrot, and Sloppy Joe's. Get out on the dance floor at Sloppy Joe's at 3am...It really doesn't matter if you can't dance - just grab a girl or guy (depending on your predisposition). Listen to great live music. Ask for a live musician to play Buffett and hear them scoff at you, then listen to them put down the legend as if they are going to do any better - hahaha.
Denver - Beer! This is the place to stay downtown, catch a baseball game and try some home brew. They got so much micro-brew it's rediculous. The people are pretty cool too. It's beautiful - snowy mountains in the background even when it's 80 degs out.
Chicago - Never been, but plan to. Michigan Ave, Cubs game, Chitown pizza, fat people with that Chicago accent are calling my name. Let me know what you know...
Amsterdam - Need I say more?
Munich - Beer, lederhosen, beautiful women (or men, depending on your predisposition), brats, goofy music are all calling my name. Go to the GoBud.org Expedia link and save up to 30%. You could use that money to drink on the plane. Hey!! Be nice to your stewardess. Yeah, that's right, I didn't say 'flight attendant'.
London - They know english.
Dominican Republic - Excellent place for a guy to go for his bender. Find an all-inclusive hotel that provides you drinks and food 24 hours for no extra charge. Get yourself a cuban cigar, a great rum, or their home-made concoctions, gamble, talk or dance with beautiful women. All-inclusives are so safe that you could sleep on the beach with $100-bill taped to your forehead and be fine. Leave the all-inclusive at your own peril. Don't use cab-driver Eddy - he's an asshole. But, overall a good experience and would do it again. Enjoy!
Costa Rica - Similar to the D.R. description except more to see. The dollar doesn't go as far in C.R. as it does in the D.R. but there is more to do and the country is even more beautiful. I believe it is safer than the D.R and NO cab-driver Eddy (he's an asshole). And, I recommend men and women have their benders in the C.R. Fish, SCUBA and learn to surf. Pura vida!
Tampa Bay area (Men's Town USA - thank you Adam) - Well-suited for a bender. You've got fishing, boating, the drunken trolley on the beaches, SCUBA, golf, all sports, Rays, Bucs, Lightning, Bulls, Ybor 'cigar capital of the world' city, Hard Rock Casino, all kinds of strip clubs (including the world-famous Mons Venus) and awesome beach bars. Go!
Key West - Recommended for ladies, not-so ladies, gentlemen, and jackasses. Just get a place on Duval Street and you can walk, bicycle, scooter, pedi-cab anywhere. Fishing, booze-cruises, SCUBA, lobstering, pub-crawling, various unexpected (but, expected) nudity. GoBud.org recommends Captain Tony's, The Bull, Hog's Breath, Irish Kevin's, The Schooner Wharf, Half Shell, PJ's, Green Parrot, and Sloppy Joe's. Get out on the dance floor at Sloppy Joe's at 3am...It really doesn't matter if you can't dance - just grab a girl or guy (depending on your predisposition). Listen to great live music. Ask for a live musician to play Buffett and hear them scoff at you, then listen to them put down the legend as if they are going to do any better - hahaha.
Denver - Beer! This is the place to stay downtown, catch a baseball game and try some home brew. They got so much micro-brew it's rediculous. The people are pretty cool too. It's beautiful - snowy mountains in the background even when it's 80 degs out.
Chicago - Never been, but plan to. Michigan Ave, Cubs game, Chitown pizza, fat people with that Chicago accent are calling my name. Let me know what you know...
Amsterdam - Need I say more?
Munich - Beer, lederhosen, beautiful women (or men, depending on your predisposition), brats, goofy music are all calling my name. Go to the GoBud.org Expedia link and save up to 30%. You could use that money to drink on the plane. Hey!! Be nice to your stewardess. Yeah, that's right, I didn't say 'flight attendant'.
London - They know english.
On a special bender to Key West...
I asked Captain Tony why Jimmy Buffett sang so many songs about him. Captain Tony, former mayor of Key West, replied, 'Because he owed me a few favors'. Now that's what a bender is about and why travelling is special. Captain Tony helped Buffett get started. He let Jimmy play between his hired entertainers for a couple songs at a time. My cousin Vinny shot this pic and he'd tell you it is the real deal.
How about a bender in NYC?
'The weather is here, wish you were beautiful' is a line written by Jimmy Buffett and is a song about a guy's bender, away from NYC, that changed his life. Most people want to leave NYC, but what the hell - why not stay or go there? This guy's NYC bender may have changed his life. It's not a bender unless there is some form of weird public nudity.
But wait...There's more! Download these for your bender.
But, wait, there's more-er!!
Use this Expedia link. It has personally saved me money.
www.GoBud.org
This is a place for unique travel, fun, and the extraordinary. This isn't your typical, everyday, regular travel site. GoBud.org is for those that want the most out of life - you want to go far and above. What is your adventure, your bucket list, your vision? Share your experiences and vacation to do list with GoBud.org.
My nickname is Bud, although I do not call myself that out of reverence to my cousin Vinny, who is also nicknamed Bud - he came first. Think of this website as a concept. Bud will have some recommendations (Bud as in GoBud.org, not Bud in the 3rd person). But, ultimately, www.GoBud.org will be created and evolve with you.
If casual fridays, team-building exercises, or reading the bosses MTA reports sounds like fun then, go ahead, stay in the office. On the other hand, if 'The Most Interesting Man in the World', 'The Hangover', the idea of living in a Corona commercial, the adventures of Lonesome Dove, the tales of Jimmy Buffet get your juices flowing, then you really need to get out. GoBud.org....
If Bud ever recommends a tour where you are stuck in a van with a bunch of other assholes, you have permission to ask Bud to buy you a beer. Cheers!
My nickname is Bud, although I do not call myself that out of reverence to my cousin Vinny, who is also nicknamed Bud - he came first. Think of this website as a concept. Bud will have some recommendations (Bud as in GoBud.org, not Bud in the 3rd person). But, ultimately, www.GoBud.org will be created and evolve with you.
If casual fridays, team-building exercises, or reading the bosses MTA reports sounds like fun then, go ahead, stay in the office. On the other hand, if 'The Most Interesting Man in the World', 'The Hangover', the idea of living in a Corona commercial, the adventures of Lonesome Dove, the tales of Jimmy Buffet get your juices flowing, then you really need to get out. GoBud.org....
If Bud ever recommends a tour where you are stuck in a van with a bunch of other assholes, you have permission to ask Bud to buy you a beer. Cheers!
On the right is my cousin Vinny. His nickname is also 'Bud'.
If you see him, you should ask him to buy you a beer. If you get a beer out of him, I will buy you a beer, guaranteed.
Bud Allen
One of the best Buds I've ever met was Bud Allen - that man was full of life. Great stories about when he was Clint Eastwood's campaign manager for the City of Carmel, CA. He was a Navy SEAL and partied till the day he died. I recall him swimming from his house across the waterway to the bar with his moose hat on at 80 years-old. One of the most interesting men in the world.
Bud Allen
One of the best Buds I've ever met was Bud Allen - that man was full of life. Great stories about when he was Clint Eastwood's campaign manager for the City of Carmel, CA. He was a Navy SEAL and partied till the day he died. I recall him swimming from his house across the waterway to the bar with his moose hat on at 80 years-old. One of the most interesting men in the world.
Escapism