EP29: Aruba Curt’s Top 5 September 2015 Vacation Takeaways

Podcast

On today’s episode of One Happy Podcast I am trying something a bit different. This episode is actually my first ever solo episode. So what does that mean? Well today instead of having a guest on the show it’ll just be my talking as I am recapping my September 2015 vacation to Aruba.

The trip itself was pretty uneventful as I usually have a pretty solid game plan going into vacation. However, even though I have now gone to Aruba several times I am still learning different and better ways to enjoy vacationing there. That learning process is a central part of this podcast as much of this trip was spent evolving as an Aruba vacationer.

So even though this podcast episode is a recap of my trip, I am not going to give you a complete play by play. When we vacation in Aruba we are all over the place so a complete rundown of everything would be impractical. Besides I really doubt you guys want to hear me drone on about hopping from Palm Beach to Eagle Beach to Arashi Beach every day. So, instead what I am going to do is countdown my top 5 takeaways from this latest trip to One Happy Island.

 
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EP28: An Aruba Honeymoon with Craig and Dee Bell

Podcast

Today on Episode 28 of One Happy Podcast we travel to Aruba with newlyweds Craig and Dee Bell. A few months ago I met Dee on one of the Facebook groups as she was planning a honeymoon to One Happy Island. She really stood out as someone who wanted to do more than just travel to an island and sit under a palm tree, Dee wanted to really get to know the ins and outs of where she was going. It was apparent by the questions Dee asked that she wasn’t your average vacation… she was one of us.

Through conversations I learned that she had stumbled across my podcast and asked if she would like to be a guest upon her return. Luckily for me (and you guys) she said yes, which brings us to now. Now Dee is here with her brand new husband Craig to take us on a journey to their Aruba.

On this episode we get a chance to look at Aruba through the eyes of someone who had never visited before. It all starts with how they met and fell in love… who doesn’t enjoy a good love story. Then we talk about how they ended up going to Aruba, an island neither of them knew about, for their honeymoon.

Whether you’ve been visiting so long that you can’t really remember your first visit or if you are someone who has yet to step foot on Aruba, you’ll get something from this episode of One Happy Podcast. We hear Craig and Dee describe in their own words what was like when they first exited the airport. From their they take us on a little tour of the Riu Antillas including a description of the beach, dining areas and the oceanfront view from the 11th floor.

While it is true that the Riu Antillas is an all-inclusive, don’t think Craig and Dee spent all of their time on property. They also tell us about a couple of restaurants they visited off property; the super romantic Passion’s on the Beach and ever popular Linda’s Dutch Pancakes. If that isn’t enough we also get a very detailed description of two excursions these honeymooners enjoyed while on the island. Of course we finish it all off with a visit to the “Eye of the Hurricane”. All together this episode is about 40 minutes of imagery and information for your listening pleasure as told by those who experienced it, Craig and Dee Bell.

 
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EP27: Aruba Curt’s Pre-vacation Podcast September 2015

Podcast

Today’s episode of One Happy Podcast is my pre-vacation episode. What that means is the majority of the show will be me talking about my upcoming trip to Aruba. I am scheduled to fly out tomorrow morning at 7ish and will be on island until September 14th. So if you want to know what I will be up to on this upcoming trip this is the episode for you. If you couldn’t care less what I’ll be up to but want to hear a little Aruba talk this is also the episode for you.

On this episode we start with the night before vacation and what that typically means for us. After that I take you through my morning as well as what we plan on doing upon our landing in Aruba. If you have ever been curious about renting a vacation home I talk a bit about some of the items you’ll want to stock up on upon arrival. This time around it seems like I have a pretty large list of restaurants I want to visit, so I’ll be talking about that and also how I plan on spending my days and nights in Aruba. Towards the end Maggie joins me to talk a bit about what she’s looking forward to doing on this trip to Aruba.

 
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EP26: The Team Behind Aruba Trip Tips

Podcast

This week on One Happy Podcast I am being joined by Bill Mora and Christina Canzoneri the team behind Aruba Trip Tips. If you aren’t familiar with Aruba Trip Tips, well you should be as it’s another great information resource focused on helping visitors get the most out of their visit to the island. Jam packed with tips and information Aruba Trip Tips was created to lessen or maybe even eliminate the learning curve it takes for visitors to get their bearings so they can start enjoying Aruba as quickly as possible.

In this episode we learn all about how the island inspired the creation of Aruba Trip Tips starting from Bill’s first visit to the island with his father up until his current visits with his wife. We also learn how he introduced his longtime friend and business associate Christina to the island which captivated her as well. The Trip Tips team goes through it all when they fell in love with Aruba, things they enjoy on the island and also the always popular “Eye of the Hurricane” where we pick their brains to find out how they do Aruba.

Throughout the interview you will not only learn about the current features of Aruba Trip Tips but you will also hear about what the team has in store for the future. If that isn’t enough Bill and Christina tell you all about the sister site Aruba Festivals where you can go to find out all about the ever growing number of festivals taking place on One Happy Island. If you are planning to visit Aruba and want to be as prepared as possible for your upcoming trip Aruba Trip Tips should be bookmarked to your browser. Don’t believe me? Check out this latest episode of One Happy Podcast to find out why?

 
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EP25: Charlene Richardson Thinks of Aruba as Her Second Home

Podcast

On today’s episode of One Happy Podcast I am being joined by long time Aruba visitor Charlene Richardson who has been traveling to the island of Aruba since 1997. Since then Charlene has developed a relationship with the island that has made it feel like a second home. In fact, eventually Charlene plans on retiring in Aruba, but until then she settles for visiting 3 times per year.
In this episode Charlene shares with us how she has come to fall in love with the island as well as how her tastes in accommodations have changed over the years. Since Charlene stays on Aruba for multiple weeks she is in the unique position to enjoy her stay at the Aruba Marriott as a timeshare owner while also staying at various other resorts around the island.

Of course as someone who has been visiting the island for 18 years she has developed a love for certain Aruba restaurants. That isn’t to say she always dines at the same places each trip as Charlene prides herself on visiting different establishments each visit. Now as a result of having developed a friendship with fellow New Englander turned permanent Aruba resident Cheryl Talcof (Episode 19) her exposure to the entire island has to offer has increased exponentially.

Throughout this interview you will get to know Charlene and the island of Aruba through Charlene’s experiences on the island. If you are looking to get an idea of what activities and restaurants Aruba has to offer you really should carve out a half hour of your time to give this episode a listen.

 
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