tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2207076947655236975.post1432016716445672662..comments2024-03-14T07:32:30.141+09:00Comments on Marketing Japan: Benefits of Blogging: I Made $400 Extra in Guam While on Vacation!mike in tokyo rogershttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04977446676243085409noreply@blogger.comBlogger7125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2207076947655236975.post-53473422767745191722012-01-07T16:33:19.406+09:002012-01-07T16:33:19.406+09:00The beach at Onward was nice... The sand was too h...The beach at Onward was nice... The sand was too hard to build sand castles so if you are into that, not good. But it was a proper beach with sand and snorkeling, etc.mike in tokyo rogershttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04977446676243085409noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2207076947655236975.post-48615693233283789462012-01-07T16:31:49.275+09:002012-01-07T16:31:49.275+09:00Nope. Especially if you're packing a heater.Nope. Especially if you're packing a heater.mike in tokyo rogershttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04977446676243085409noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2207076947655236975.post-25595089251575542422012-01-07T14:15:19.178+09:002012-01-07T14:15:19.178+09:00Perhaps I should add, I was packin' heat the w...Perhaps I should add, I was packin' heat the whole time, so I don't think I was really in much danger standing by the gators. ... I don't want anyone thinking clark is stupid. It was a reassuring feeling when I saw the "Puma Crossing" signs on the highway too. We have signs like that up here as well, only they're for deer crossings! <br />I wonder if there's things like that in Guam?<br /><br />Probably just the standard danger like there was in the Keys?<br />The hotel guy said, "Don't go down any alleys or side streets after dark."<br /><br />I didn't, but I wasn't exactly worried.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2207076947655236975.post-81890149872263758502012-01-07T13:54:19.661+09:002012-01-07T13:54:19.661+09:00Thanks for the advise Mark, I might look into it i...Thanks for the advise Mark, I might look into it if I ever go back other than Dec. thru say March. However; I'll probably staycation next year and save the money.<br /><br />I originally intended to go to Belize or someplace else just as warm. I thought I could avoid the TSA grope somehow so it was sort of a last minute change of plan. Living in the North cold zone I was primarily seeking warmth (and avoiding the crowds somewhat) Tampa wasn't warm enough in Dec. to fit the bill. *And* I had to fit everything around driving there and back.<br /><br />The ten degree difference in temperature between Naples and Tampa was huge. Another ten degree difference between Naples and the Keys was even greater, especially after a cold front went through.<br />At 65 degrees, even a heated pool is a bit of a cold adventure.<br /><br />And at 65 degrees, let me tell you, a non-heated pool is preparation for doing the polar bear plunge.<br /><br />The place right next door to our hotel in the Keys had a normal-ish beach, other places in the Keys did too. So a beach with sand to the shore wasn't an impossibility. <br /><br />And yes, Bahia Honda was nice.<br /><br />Even the drive through Alligator Alley in the middle of the Everglades turned out ok, we stood five feet from 12 foot gators with only those orange plastic fences used to stop snow drifts in the Northland between us, kind of risky, but that's what made it fun, eh?<br /><br />I can't help but think of the thousands of Dollars I would have spent in Florida if I could have simply just taken a jet and had more time to spend there. I haven't flown since they "only" required a Person to remove their shoes in a symbolic gesture of slavery. I'm surely not going to nowadays.<br /><br />- clarkAnonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2207076947655236975.post-21147034703077981262012-01-07T02:59:30.977+09:002012-01-07T02:59:30.977+09:00Way to go Mike! My wife will love this story.
Cl...Way to go Mike! My wife will love this story.<br /><br />Clark, next time you go to Florida and you want to stay at the beach for a reasonable price check out the Sarasota/Bradenton and St. Petersburg beaches on the west coast; New Smyrna Beach near Orlando south of Daytona on the Atlantic or the Destin area in the Panhandle. The Keys are coral rock islands with few beaches (Bahia Honda is nice) and Naples is in the Everglades.Marknoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2207076947655236975.post-57394154609942057752012-01-06T14:55:21.164+09:002012-01-06T14:55:21.164+09:00Two-hundred-freaking-bucks-a-day? *And* you got a ...Two-hundred-freaking-bucks-a-day? *And* you got a fantastic view of the ocean? Nice.<br /><br />The no air-conditioner bit reminded me of Summers spent at my grandparents house. They probably wouldn't have complained either.<br /> <br />I went to the Florida Keys while you were there, the best I could get was a condo off the main highway.<br />Oh sure, it had a pool, across the busy four lane highway and about two blocks down, but for $200 bucks a night, we expected a bit more.<br /><br />We never did go for a swim at that, "hotel".<br /><br />I wonder about your "beach". The photo you had looked great, but I noticed the border of the photo stopped short of the ocean,... that's how they presented my "hotel"... was yours a rocky drop off? Mine was.<br />The definition of "beach" can mean many things I think.<br /><br />The online photos of my condo weren't exactly deceptive, but it was close.<br /><br />The heated pool wasn't, half the light bulbs were burnt out or missing in the condo, the staff was gone for the holidays, and... but I made the best of it.<br />Just pretend the roar of the cars rushing by was the ocean waves hitting the "beach"? Ha!<br /><br />Oh, but it didn't stop there, we stayed at another place in Key West that did the same online photo trick - again - the "beach" was a rocky drop off.<br /><br />The big plus of the trip was spending the majority of the time near Naples, Florida. It was far away from the beach so we had few preconceived ideas of what to expect, what stood out for us was a front desk Person that was top notch, the others were good too, kind of like what you described. It made a tremendous difference.<br /><br />Oh, and after having spent years discussing and examining the Housing Bubble, I still wasn't prepared for seeing the overbuilding in that state, empty giant mansions with no one living in them,... "the owners were in Canada",... all I can say is, wow. <br /><br />I'm inclined to go check out Guam next time, only I haven't figured out a way around the TSA goons and their gate rape/cancer scan. TSA is the reason we went to Florida instead of taking a cruise ship to Belize.<br /><br />Driving to Florida was,... ~ok, and I enjoyed it most of the time, but I don't intend to do it again. The whole way back my better half intermittently sang a line from the film, Smokey and The Bandit, "We got a long ways to go and a short time to get there." 80 -85 M.P.H. in 70 - 65 M.H.P. zones most of the way, on brand new highways. (The Only People who passed us were from Texas). ... I wonder how they expect to pay for those highways?... Is that a sucker sign on my forehead?<br /><br />Is it time to leave?<br /><br />http://www.backwoodshome.com/blogs/ClaireWolfe/2011/12/30/is-it-time-to-leave/<br /><br />- clarkAnonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2207076947655236975.post-19173633861455548232012-01-06T12:12:25.141+09:002012-01-06T12:12:25.141+09:00That's great, Mike. We've been staying at ...That's great, Mike. We've been staying at PIC and now you are the second one who has had great things to say about Onward Beach Hotel. We are going to Guam again in Golden Week (every year at Golden week) and this year it's Onward Beach Hotel! Thanks for the tip. - Rick Taylor in ShinjukuAnonymousnoreply@blogger.com