American women found with $471,000 dollars at airport in Jamaica

by Jamie Rhein on

When the officials at the airport in Jamaica found $471,000 on two American women a couple days ago, they took it. See, you’re only allowed to have $10,000 which I would think is ample enough for a rip roaring good time in Jamaica.

So far, according to this AP article, there’s no news on exactly why the women had so much cash. I’m wondering if they cashed out their mutual funds while they had any money left and were hoping to get their hands on some beachfront property. I’ve certainly thought about where I might live in my golden years if the economy continues to head south. Of course, with the money I’ve squirreled away, I might be looking at a shack made of driftwood.

I’m also curious about how much room the money took up in a carry-on? Was the space bigger than the banana plants that were found in the woman’s underwear at the airport in New Zealand a little while back? Also, were they allowed to keep $10,000 each? I doubt that–at least not yet. If not, what are they doing for money in the meantime? Maybe they’re gathering driftwood for a cozy shack.

I bet they’re kicking themselves for whatever they did that got themselves caught.

More on Caribbean travel

by Jamie Rhein on

This Sunday’s Columbus Dispatch travel section is devoted to Caribbean travel. With this morning’s post on Caribbean vacations, written before the Sunday paper arrived on my front porch, I’m wondering if I’m getting a message.

One article, “Caribbean offers comfort for less cash” by David Swanson points out an option not mentioned in today’s earlier post–Tobago. After reading about all of Tobago’s high points, I’m hesitant to let the word out because, frankly, I want the bargains to be there when I show up.

Here’s why Tobago sounds fantastic:

  • the oldest forest reserve in the Western Hemisphere
  • more than 200 species of birds for birdwatching (tour suggestions are given)
  • plentiful water sports
  • beaches tucked back in coves
  • several less expensive lodging options than some other Caribbean destinations.
  • great food at affordable prices

In the same article, Swanson outlines other Caribbean deals, including Mexico.

  • Playa del Carmen, Mexico is offered up as a lively, urban option that includes a beach.
  • Negril, Jamaica is a place to head for rock cliffs and plentiful lodging options (but avoid spring break).
  • Samana Peninsula, Dominican Republic has whale watching from mid-January to mid-March.
  • Bermuda, although technically not in the Caribbean, this island becomes cheaper in the winter starting this month. Although, the temperatures are cooler, the beauty is the same and activities like golfing cost substantially less money than during high season.

At the moment, the link to that article is not available but another feature article in the travel section touts the wonders of St. John.

According to Steve Stephens, even though St. John has undergone a boom in tourism development, ecological preservation has been a top priority. Virgin Islands Nationa Park makes up “two-thirds of the island.”

Missing: Jamaican beach

by Meg Massie on

A beach has gone missing in Jamaica, and no one is blaming erosion, global warming, or stormy weather. Police suspect that someone(s) stole five hundred truckloads of white sand from a planned resort at Coral Spring Beach. The theft was in July, but no arrests have yet been made, which begs the question: How does the removal of five hundred truckloads of sand — or anything — go unnoticed?

Many suspect that there’s been some sort of cover-up, and even the police spokesperson has said that some officers were probably involved in the theft. Yet they insist there has been no cover-up. They simply say that the lack of charges in the case is due to its complexity and the number of people involved. But do they even know who was involved? That much is unclear.

Illegal sand mining is common in Jamaica because the sand is a valuable construction material. However, the volume and type of sand stolen suggests that the thieves are probably from the tourism industry, like other hotels. The beach that was stolen from Coral Springs was to be part of a $108 million resort complex, but its theft has held up the development plans.

Man charged with bomb parts in luggage

by Iva Skoch on

In a way, it is good to know that they actually screened those checked bags. I was always skeptical about how many they honestly scanned.

Yesterday, the FBI arrested a 32-year-old Jamaican man because he allegedly tried to board a plane at Orlando International Airport with pipe bomb components and instructions in his checked luggage, Reuters reports. Agents found two galvanized pipes, end caps, two small containers of air gun pellets, batteries, two containers of an unknown liquid, a laptop computer and bomb-making literature.

Bomb-making literature? Is that a part of the “self-help” book genre?

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The 6 dumbest hijacking attempts ever:


Click to read the bizarre stories

Jamaica considers marijuana legalization

by Aaron Hotfelder on

I was just as surprised by this headline as you were: marijuana isn’t already legal in Jamaica?

Despite the fact that government commissions recommended legalizing pot in 2001 and 2003, marijuana is still illegal in Jamaica. Of course, a sizable minority of Jamaica’s 2.6 million people are Rastafarians, many of whom use the drug as part of their religion and have long argued that it should be legal.

Jamaica’s courts, like those in the United States, are inundated with marijuana-related cases, but the Caribbean nation may face economic sanctions from the U.S. if they legalize the drug.

A seven-member government panel has recently been exploring the idea of drug law reform, and Jamaica’s Deputy Prime Minister says that their report and recommendations will be complete in the near future.

We’ll keep you posted, Trustafarians.

More here.