Author Topic: CS91's Bucket List Trip to MLE (Read 72482 times)

Chapshnell · « **Reply #120 on:** March 11, 2016, 01:29:09 PM »

Thanks so much for the TR. Well written & informative!
Those snorkeling pics are amazing! Good job, and thanks for being a mench with the kiddush hashem etc!

ygygold · « **Reply #121 on:** March 11, 2016, 02:06:37 PM »

Thank you so much for writing this up.

TimT · « **Reply #122 on:** March 11, 2016, 03:02:16 PM »

Quote from: Chapshnell on March 11, 2016, 01:29:09 PM

Those snorkeling pics are amazing!

+1

Yehoshua · « **Reply #123 on:** March 11, 2016, 03:03:09 PM »

Wow, that was quite a first day! Great write up and pictures!

AJK · « **Reply #124 on:** March 11, 2016, 04:13:40 PM »

Quote from: CS91 on March 11, 2016, 01:13:35 PM

At one point while snorkeling, a blacktip reef shark swam past us. Unfortunately, I don’t have a clear picture of it on my GoPro but we were about 8-10 feet away from it. Like the people at the dive center told us, the sharks around the hotel generally mind their own business and don’t bother swimmers, but it was enough to make DW cancel her scuba reservation because she didn’t want to run into more sharks when she was deeper down and couldn’t just swim right back up to the jetty.

Nooooooo.

AJK · « **Reply #125 on:** March 11, 2016, 04:14:15 PM »

Sounds like service was pretty fantastic. Great to hear.

Chapshnell · « **Reply #126 on:** March 11, 2016, 05:02:33 PM »

Quote from: AJK on March 11, 2016, 04:14:15 PM

Sounds like service was pretty fantastic. Great to hear.

"no" isn't in their vocabulary

Love this line.. great to hear

CS91 · « **Reply #127 on:** March 11, 2016, 05:13:41 PM »

Quote from: Chapshnell on March 11, 2016, 01:29:09 PM

Thanks so much for the TR. Well written & informative!
Those snorkeling pics are amazing! Good job, and thanks for being a mench with the kiddush hashem etc!

Quote from: ygygold on March 11, 2016, 02:06:37 PM

Thank you so much for writing this up.

Quote from: Yehoshua on March 11, 2016, 03:03:09 PM

Wow, that was quite a first day! Great write up and pictures!

Thanks!

Quote from: AJK on March 11, 2016, 04:13:40 PM

Nooooooo.

I know – missed opportunity. But truth is, even if she would've gone and wouldn't have seen a shark, I still think she would've gotten a bit nervous once we went further down etc. At least I enjoyed

.

Quote from: AJK on March 11, 2016, 04:14:15 PM

Sounds like service was pretty fantastic. Great to hear.

Quote from: Chapshnell on March 11, 2016, 05:02:33 PM

"no" isn't in their vocabulary
Love this line.. great to hear

It was incredible. It happens to be that when we went on the Back of House tour (you'll read about it in the next installment), we saw a sign with like 6 quick tips for employees and one of them said something along the lines of "don't say no to a guest unless it's ABSOLUTELY necessary."

eliteflyer · « **Reply #128 on:** March 12, 2016, 09:54:16 PM »

Thanks for the report! Did they charge you for cancelling the scuba activity for your wife? I'm thinking to book in advance to take advantage of the 10% pre-booking discount on their activities. Did you obtain any scuba certification prior to the trip?

CS91 · « **Reply #129 on:** March 12, 2016, 10:15:40 PM »

Quote from: eliteflyer on March 12, 2016, 09:54:16 PM

Thanks for the report! Did they charge you for cancelling the scuba activity for your wife? I'm thinking to book in advance to take advantage of the 10% pre-booking discount on their activities. Did you obtain any scuba certification prior to the trip?

They told us as long as you cancel more than 12 hrs in advance, there's no penalty. Not sure if that holds true if you book with 10% discount though so I'd double check.

Nope. This was my first time scuba diving. You don't need any prior certification for the scuba option that I did.

shiframeir · « **Reply #130 on:** March 12, 2016, 10:41:57 PM »

Smart move going before u start work, and glad u had such a great time! Truth is, once u are at most big firms, the only real vacations u will be able to skip out on any work on are exotic 2 weekers, so plan a 2 week bora bora/AU/NZ trip for like a few years for now.

noturbizniss · « **Reply #131 on:** March 12, 2016, 10:46:53 PM »

Awesome tr. I know there are quick dive certification courses all over. I wonder if it's worth it to be able to go alone

CS91 · « **Reply #132 on:** March 12, 2016, 10:56:59 PM »

Quote from: shiframeir on March 12, 2016, 10:41:57 PM

Smart move going before u start work, and glad u had such a great time! Truth is, once u are at most big firms, the only real vacations u will be able to skip out on any work on are exotic 2 weekers, so plan a 2 week bora bora/AU/NZ trip for like a few years for now.

Thanks! You mean that only on exotic vacations in remote places will you be able to avoid having to do work while away? I'm pretty sure that at my firm, when you go on vacation out of the country, they set you up with a BlackBerry so that you get all your emails while roaming, regardless where you are $:-\$

Quote from: noturbizniss on March 12, 2016, 10:46:53 PM

Awesome tr. I know there are quick dive certification courses all over. I wonder if it's worth it to be able to go alone

They asked me if I wanted to get full certification in like 2-3 days. Not sure if that's considered fast or not though. Either way, regardless of how certified I am, I don't think I'd ever feel comfortable going alone...

noturbizniss · « **Reply #133 on:** March 12, 2016, 10:58:11 PM »

Quote from: CS91 on March 12, 2016, 10:56:59 PM

Thanks! You mean that only on exotic vacations in remote places will you be able to avoid having to do work while away? I'm pretty sure that at my firm, when you go on vacation out of the country, they set you up with a BlackBerry so that you get all your emails while roaming, regardless where you are $:-\$
They asked me if I wanted to get full certification in like 2-3 days. Not sure if that's considered fast or not though. Either way, regardless of how certified I am, I don't think I'd ever feel comfortable going alone...

Blackberry!

CS91 · « **Reply #134 on:** March 12, 2016, 10:59:37 PM »

Quote from: noturbizniss on March 12, 2016, 10:58:11 PM

Blackberry!

Ever try roaming with an iPhone? Uses wayyyyyy more data so ends up costing a fortune. I've heard of other firms that use BlackBerrys specifically in these scenarios too.

AJK · « **Reply #135 on:** March 12, 2016, 11:06:53 PM »

My firm has given up on Blackberries. Now it's only BYOB and they pay per month.

happinessNsunshine · « **Reply #136 on:** March 12, 2016, 11:12:35 PM »

Awsome TR!!!
Keep it coming.
Thanks.

eliteflyer · « **Reply #137 on:** March 12, 2016, 11:34:45 PM »

Quote from: shiframeir on March 12, 2016, 10:41:57 PM

Smart move going before u start work, and glad u had such a great time! Truth is, once u are at most big firms, the only real vacations u will be able to skip out on any work on are exotic 2 weekers, so plan a 2 week bora bora/AU/NZ trip for like a few years for now.

100% agree, though this varies by firm. As long as I take a block week at a time, I can get confirmed coverage though our staffing coordinator and go off the grid. Long weekends are impossible, unless you're in tax or real estate, but this too varies by firm.

Quote from: CS91 on March 12, 2016, 10:59:37 PM

Ever try roaming with an iPhone? Uses wayyyyyy more data so ends up costing a fortune. I've heard of other firms that use BlackBerrys specifically in these scenarios too.

We have Iphones on data and voice plans that are technically unlimited (though they ask us to take it easy on personal use, particularly when traveling abroad). I just let them know which countries I'm visiting before departure and they set up international roaming.

CS91 · « **Reply #138 on:** March 12, 2016, 11:40:24 PM »

Quote from: AJK on March 12, 2016, 11:06:53 PM

My firm has given up on Blackberries. Now it's only BYOB and they pay per month.

That's how it is for us too for regular every day usage. The BlackBerries are only when someone is going international. They just give you a phone for while you're traveling.

MosheD · « **Reply #139 on:** March 13, 2016, 12:12:09 AM »

Great TR! Sounds amazing. I did a facepalm when you wrote that DW cancelled scuba as it is literally one of the coolest things I've done. Cannot recommend it enough. I sincerely hope you did it on your own...

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Author Topic: CS91's Bucket List Trip to MLE (Read 72482 times)