Author Topic: CS91's Bucket List Trip to MLE  (Read 72285 times)

Offline tageed-lee

  • Dansdeals Lifetime Platinum Elite
  • *******
  • Join Date: Aug 2012
  • Posts: 1590
  • Total likes: 129
  • DansDeals.com Hat Tips 73
    • View Profile
Re: CS91's Bucket List Trip to MLE
« Reply #140 on: March 13, 2016, 01:27:18 AM »
Good stuff! Thanks for sharing! Sounds amazing!

Offline D93

  • Dansdeals Lifetime Presidential Platinum Elite
  • *********
  • Join Date: Jul 2014
  • Posts: 8793
  • Total likes: 21
  • DansDeals.com Hat Tips 14
    • View Profile
  • Location: PHL - TLV
Re: CS91's Bucket List Trip to MLE
« Reply #141 on: March 13, 2016, 05:03:54 AM »
Great stuff! Keep it coming.

The 2 free drinks as a Diamond member is every Hyatt hotel or just this hotel specifically?
« Last Edit: March 13, 2016, 05:09:09 AM by D93 »

Offline D93

  • Dansdeals Lifetime Presidential Platinum Elite
  • *********
  • Join Date: Jul 2014
  • Posts: 8793
  • Total likes: 21
  • DansDeals.com Hat Tips 14
    • View Profile
  • Location: PHL - TLV
Re: CS91's Bucket List Trip to MLE
« Reply #142 on: March 13, 2016, 05:04:46 AM »
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...

2-3 days is extremely fast.
CMIIW even with PADI certification, you can't go yourself, you have to always go with a "buddy".

Offline D93

  • Dansdeals Lifetime Presidential Platinum Elite
  • *********
  • Join Date: Jul 2014
  • Posts: 8793
  • Total likes: 21
  • DansDeals.com Hat Tips 14
    • View Profile
  • Location: PHL - TLV
Re: CS91's Bucket List Trip to MLE
« Reply #143 on: March 13, 2016, 05:06:51 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...

Seems like he did -

Thanks!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  ;D.

Offline D93

  • Dansdeals Lifetime Presidential Platinum Elite
  • *********
  • Join Date: Jul 2014
  • Posts: 8793
  • Total likes: 21
  • DansDeals.com Hat Tips 14
    • View Profile
  • Location: PHL - TLV
Re: CS91's Bucket List Trip to MLE
« Reply #144 on: March 13, 2016, 05:08:02 AM »
"don't say no to a guest unless it's ABSOLUTELY necessary."

Absolutely amazing!

Offline CS91

  • Dansdeals Presidential Platinum Elite
  • ********
  • Join Date: Feb 2015
  • Posts: 3457
  • Total likes: 45
  • DansDeals.com Hat Tips 1
    • View Profile
  • Location: NY
Re: CS91's Bucket List Trip to MLE
« Reply #145 on: March 13, 2016, 07:15:59 AM »
The 2 free drinks as a Diamond member is every Hyatt hotel or just this hotel specifically?
Not sure but think it's specific to this hotel.

CMIIW even with PADI certification, you can't go yourself, you have to always go with a "buddy".
Correct. I meant that I would never go without a professional guide that's very familiar with the area. Like I wouldn't go just with you.  :P

Seems like he did -
Very observant  ;). That part will be on the Sunday segment of the TR.

Offline D93

  • Dansdeals Lifetime Presidential Platinum Elite
  • *********
  • Join Date: Jul 2014
  • Posts: 8793
  • Total likes: 21
  • DansDeals.com Hat Tips 14
    • View Profile
  • Location: PHL - TLV
Re: CS91's Bucket List Trip to MLE
« Reply #146 on: March 13, 2016, 08:21:52 AM »
Correct. I meant that I would never go without a professional guide that's very familiar with the area.

Why not? Think you're gonna get lost under there?

Offline CS91

  • Dansdeals Presidential Platinum Elite
  • ********
  • Join Date: Feb 2015
  • Posts: 3457
  • Total likes: 45
  • DansDeals.com Hat Tips 1
    • View Profile
  • Location: NY
Re: CS91's Bucket List Trip to MLE
« Reply #147 on: March 13, 2016, 08:39:35 AM »
Why not? Think you're gonna get lost under there?
Would just feel more comfortable with a professional guide.

Offline D93

  • Dansdeals Lifetime Presidential Platinum Elite
  • *********
  • Join Date: Jul 2014
  • Posts: 8793
  • Total likes: 21
  • DansDeals.com Hat Tips 14
    • View Profile
  • Location: PHL - TLV
Re: CS91's Bucket List Trip to MLE
« Reply #148 on: March 13, 2016, 08:42:40 AM »
Would just feel more comfortable with a professional guide.

I'll let you off easy because it's your first time diving, after a couple times you won't be saying that anymore :)

Offline CS91

  • Dansdeals Presidential Platinum Elite
  • ********
  • Join Date: Feb 2015
  • Posts: 3457
  • Total likes: 45
  • DansDeals.com Hat Tips 1
    • View Profile
  • Location: NY
Re: CS91's Bucket List Trip to MLE
« Reply #149 on: March 13, 2016, 08:44:52 AM »
I'll let you off easy because it's your first time diving, after a couple times you won't be saying that anymore :)
Haha. But what's the benefit of going without a guide?

Offline noturbizniss

  • Dansdeals Lifetime Presidential Platinum Elite
  • *********
  • Join Date: Dec 2012
  • Posts: 7133
  • Total likes: 140
  • DansDeals.com Hat Tips 4
  • Gender: Male
    • View Profile
  • Location: North Jersey
Re: CS91's Bucket List Trip to MLE
« Reply #150 on: March 13, 2016, 09:24:53 AM »
Haha. But what's the benefit of going without a guide?
Better question is in a generally safe location what exactly is the benefit of a guide.

I know the hotel has free WiFi, what did you do for phone service? VOWIFI?
READ THE DARN WIKI!!!!

Chuck Norris...
...can still do FT method
...READS THE WIKI!!!

Offline CS91

  • Dansdeals Presidential Platinum Elite
  • ********
  • Join Date: Feb 2015
  • Posts: 3457
  • Total likes: 45
  • DansDeals.com Hat Tips 1
    • View Profile
  • Location: NY
Re: CS91's Bucket List Trip to MLE
« Reply #151 on: March 13, 2016, 09:30:49 AM »
Shabbos (Saturday)

Shabbos was a really relaxing day on the island. Thankfully it wasn’t scorching hot (was still high 70s / low 80s though – perfect Shabbos weather) and there was a nice breeze so being outside and not being able to go swimming was bearable. After waking up and davening, we went to The Dining Room to have some fruit for breakfast again and then just took it easy. We walked around the island, sat out on the jetty for a while and then eventually went back to our room to eat lunch. We brought along some deli and made sandwiches. We considered ordering POM meals and having the hotel heat it up for us before Shabbos and then keeping it in the fridge but we decided that we’d rather have deli sandwiches than cold POM meals.

Ameez told us about the Back of House tour that was taking place on Shabbos afternoon so we went on that a little after lunch and it was actually pretty interesting. They showed us where the staff sleeps and how the whole island is run (everything from HR to garbage disposal). They also explained how they make the water for the island (all the water on the island comes from rain and sea water) and how often shipments of food etc. come in to the island. From the looks of it, it seems like the staff has pretty nice accommodations and are treated very well so that was nice to see.

After the tour, we relaxed in our villa for a bit and then about an hour before Shabbos was over, we went to sit by the beach and watch the sunset as Shabbos came to a close. I obviously don’t have any pictures of it, but you’ll just have to take my word for it that it was beautiful (I’ll include some sunset pictures later in the TR). We bumped into Ameez on the way back to our room so we asked him if he could call the chef to heat up our meal and that if possible, we’d like to eat at The Dining Room. He said of course, so we went back to the room, made Havdallah and then eventually made our way to The Dining Room for dinner. As I mentioned before, the dining room overlooks the main hotel pool so it was really nice to have dinner outside, overlooking the pool, while hearing the (small) ocean waves crash against the shores. We went on the light side for dinner, splitting an Eggplant Rollatini, which we both enjoyed.

View of the pool from The Dining Room at night:


It was a perfectly clear night so after dinner we went back out on to the beach and sat on the lounge chairs under the thousands of stars (as per JJ’s suggestion) – another one of the amazing views that we were privileged to see while in MLE. We eventually made our way back to the villa, went for a short swim in our private pool and went to sleep.

Sorry about the lack of pictures in this part, but I'll go back to posting a lot of pics in the remaining parts!

Offline CS91

  • Dansdeals Presidential Platinum Elite
  • ********
  • Join Date: Feb 2015
  • Posts: 3457
  • Total likes: 45
  • DansDeals.com Hat Tips 1
    • View Profile
  • Location: NY
Re: CS91's Bucket List Trip to MLE
« Reply #152 on: March 13, 2016, 09:32:43 AM »
Better question is in a generally safe location what exactly is the benefit of a guide.

I know the hotel has free WiFi, what did you do for phone service? VOWIFI?
The only time we called anyone was to reach my in-laws because they were watching our daughter so we used the What's App phone feature.

Offline noturbizniss

  • Dansdeals Lifetime Presidential Platinum Elite
  • *********
  • Join Date: Dec 2012
  • Posts: 7133
  • Total likes: 140
  • DansDeals.com Hat Tips 4
  • Gender: Male
    • View Profile
  • Location: North Jersey
Re: CS91's Bucket List Trip to MLE
« Reply #153 on: March 13, 2016, 09:47:57 AM »
The only time we called anyone was to reach my in-laws because they were watching our daughter so we used the What's App phone feature.
Cool. Wifi is good all over?
READ THE DARN WIKI!!!!

Chuck Norris...
...can still do FT method
...READS THE WIKI!!!

Offline CS91

  • Dansdeals Presidential Platinum Elite
  • ********
  • Join Date: Feb 2015
  • Posts: 3457
  • Total likes: 45
  • DansDeals.com Hat Tips 1
    • View Profile
  • Location: NY
Re: CS91's Bucket List Trip to MLE
« Reply #154 on: March 13, 2016, 09:53:06 AM »
Cool. Wifi is good all over?
Definitely not as good as the wifi that we're used to in America, but considering the fact that you're in the middle of nowhere, it was pretty solid. There were some dead spots around the island, but the connection was pretty solid from the villa and main areas (pool, restaurants, etc.).

Offline noturbizniss

  • Dansdeals Lifetime Presidential Platinum Elite
  • *********
  • Join Date: Dec 2012
  • Posts: 7133
  • Total likes: 140
  • DansDeals.com Hat Tips 4
  • Gender: Male
    • View Profile
  • Location: North Jersey
Re: CS91's Bucket List Trip to MLE
« Reply #155 on: March 13, 2016, 09:56:57 AM »
Definitely not as good as the wifi that we're used to in America, but considering the fact that you're in the middle of nowhere, it was pretty solid. There were some dead spots around the island, but the connection was pretty solid from the villa and main areas (pool, restaurants, etc.).
So good enough. Great to know.

Amazing tr, and amazing that you're getting it up so quickly!
READ THE DARN WIKI!!!!

Chuck Norris...
...can still do FT method
...READS THE WIKI!!!

Offline CS91

  • Dansdeals Presidential Platinum Elite
  • ********
  • Join Date: Feb 2015
  • Posts: 3457
  • Total likes: 45
  • DansDeals.com Hat Tips 1
    • View Profile
  • Location: NY
Re: CS91's Bucket List Trip to MLE
« Reply #156 on: March 13, 2016, 10:03:21 AM »
Amazing tr, and amazing that you're getting it up so quickly!
Thanks! Gotta finish it quickly because before I know it, it'll be time to write my Hawaii one  :).

Next installment will cover scuba diving so I need to go through the GoPro footage first so there may be a bit of a delay before that one goes up. But I'll do my best!

Offline damaxer91

  • Dansdeals Presidential Platinum Elite
  • ********
  • Join Date: Jul 2008
  • Posts: 3201
  • Total likes: 65
  • DansDeals.com Hat Tips 6
  • Gender: Male
    • View Profile
Re: CS91's Bucket List Trip to MLE
« Reply #157 on: March 13, 2016, 11:12:43 AM »
Great TR!

Would bother me more to be charged $10 for a Life Jacket than to heat up KSML's

Offline Yehoshua

  • Dansdeals Lifetime 10K Presidential Platinum Elite
  • *******
  • Join Date: Aug 2011
  • Posts: 10218
  • Total likes: 232
  • DansDeals.com Hat Tips 1
  • Gender: Male
    • View Profile
  • Location: Los Angeles, CA
Re: CS91's Bucket List Trip to MLE
« Reply #158 on: March 13, 2016, 11:23:45 AM »
Great installment! Looking forward to the scuba pics and videos.

Offline Luvtotravel

  • Dansdeals Presidential Platinum Elite
  • ********
  • Join Date: Dec 2012
  • Posts: 3093
  • Total likes: 155
  • DansDeals.com Hat Tips 6
    • View Profile
  • Location: Ny
Re: CS91's Bucket List Trip to MLE
« Reply #159 on: March 13, 2016, 11:45:30 AM »
truly beautiful!
Don't wait for the perfect moment; take the moment and make it perfect.