Author Archives: Dave

Tuscan Ridge Barbera Drive – May update

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Fully booked until late August!

tuscan ridge florida villa

Tuscan Ridge – Looking very green and fresh for our renters

Fully booked – great news for our vacation rental but not so great for renters trying to make use of our luxury villa and pool in the 2013 summer months.  We have some good availability in September and late November too, so Thanksgiving could be a good time to book the villa and escape the cold weather in Canada or New York.

This has had a knock on effect in our enquiries.  Perhaps it is a quieter part of the year for holiday bookings, but we’ve almost stalled with enquiries recently, I expect due to the lack of availability in the popular months.  Hopefully we can fill September with a lower rate.

The villa is looking excellent.  We’ve added some luxury items – modern linen all around, a new TV, new pictures and better landscaping, plus we’ve had the lawn looked at more regularly and as you can see in the picture it is really setting the villa off in the sunny blue Florida weather.

It’s been a hectic couple of months for the villa.  Small items are being maintained to make sure that our guests have the best of stays, but a big item failed on us in April – namely the pool heater.  This was a big blow to our accounts but we got it fixed in less than a week and now have a brilliant new efficient 100,000 BTU heater thanks to Doc Deans Pools.  We contemplated a solar heater but they just aren’t guaranteed enough in the winter months and if our guests pay for pool heat then they need to have a good service.

We’ve almost conquered the USA tax system.  See some of our other blogs for more details.  Not too much stress, but a lot of forms to fill in.

Our website goes from strength to strength; there have been some minor updates but the blog has helped break through to Google’s first page for the search phrase “Florida Villa” and “Tuscan Ridge”.  This is in the UK – I would be interested to see how it fares in the Canadian and USA market.

 

Florida travel checklist – what to pack

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To help take the strain out of planning your holiday, here’s a travel checklist for what items to take when travelling to Florida and enjoying our Tuscan Ridge villa.  We have left out what clothes you need to bring because this is personal choice and some people pack the bare minimum and do loads of clothes shopping in the malls, whereas some people prefer all the familiar clothes from home.  Although we’d like to think perhaps you need to pack some sunnier clothes than normal!

florida travel checklist

florida travel checklist

Essential travel checklist items

  • Passport, make sure it is valid for at least 6 months
  • ESTA https://esta.cbp.dhs.gov/esta/
  • Drivers license for all drivers
  • International driving permit (not mandatory yet)
  • All tickets – flights (etickets), hotel, car hire
  • Travel Insurance, including medical cover – and who to ring
  • Enough small cash for emergencies, and tips
  • Directions to our Tuscan Ridge villa of course!
  • Vacation rental details, such as check-in, key code, and house rules
  • Visas, and paperwork if you need them

 

None essential items for your suitcase

  • Mobile – do you need to turn off data roaming?
  • Medicine, to avoid having to find a pharmacy when you least want to
  • Travel adaptors – USA runs at 110 volts and not 240 volts so make sure your electrical items work at 100 volts
  • Earplugs
  • Do your bank need to know you’re away so they don’t cancel your card?
  • Nail clippers
  • Toiletries (in plastic bags to avoid leaks going everywhere)
  • A couple of extra dishwasher tablets or washing powder if you plan on doing a few washes when you’re at our villa

 

Florida specific travel items

  • Sun cream
  • Sun glasses
  • Mosquito repellent if you’re going to the Everglades – DEET is best
  • Theme park tickets – especially if you want to get discount before you arrive
  • A Florida travel map
  • Swimming trunks / bikini for our villa!
  • Jumper for the evenings if you are going in low season when it’s cooler at night

 

Little people?

At our Tuscan Ridge vacation rental we’re very baby friendly – alarms on the pool doors, a baby proof pool screen, and also a second outer screen to keep the nasties at bay.  Plus a cot and a bed guard for little ones.  You can also hire additional cots from our management company.  Here are some more travel checklist items you should bring along:

  • Factor 50 baby friendly sun cream
  • Nappies (and more nappies)
  • Be prepared to sample baby food / liquid through airport security
  • Food and drink
  • Comforters / blankets
  • A new toy to keep them entertained on the flight
  • Baby passport
  • Change of clothes (or two)
  • Sterilising tablets http://www.milton-tm.com/sterilising_tablets.html
  • Sun umbrella for the buggy / stroller
  • Plenty of lightweight clothing
  • Mini sunglasses and hat, if they’ll stay on
  • Car seat arrangements
  • Stroller arrangements

 

Baby checklist

Baby Rowan – checklist!

Seaworld news – April 2013

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Seaworld trainer legal case continues

Since Dawn Brancheau was tragically killed by the Orca Tilikum in February 2010 there has been an ongoing legal battle with Seaworld involving the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA). It is indicated that Seaworld want their trainers to remain in close proximity during training and in certain Shamu show sections. The OSHA say this is a safety hazard.

Seaworld do not allow their trainers close to Tilikum for obvious reasons.

Tilikum and Orcas at Seaworld

Negotiations are nearing a close although it has taken a long time to get there. Whether the trainers will be near the Seaworld Orcas in the future remains to be seen. Although if they are banned from being close to the Orcas then what will be left of the show?

Seaworld and the car jacking sea lion

Well, it’s not really a car jacking, but a stranded Sea Lion hopped (do they hop?) into Mike Delahunt’s car on Wednesday this week after he left the door open whilst attempting to help the animal. He called Seaworld to come and rescue the Sea Lion, who arrived around 20 minutes later.

The rescue team have quoted:

“The team is optimistic, based on her initial intake exam, that this sea lion will make a full recovery.”

This is rescue number 296 for Seaworld California. 278 of those have been Sea Lions. Seems like they enjoy getting themselves into trouble, or maybe they just want a free Seaworld lunch.

sea lion

A sea lion!

Blackstone prepare Seaworld initial public offering

According to Bloomberg http://www.bloomberg.com/news/2013-04-03/blackstone-said-to-plan-moving-ahead-on-seaworld-ipo-this-month.html Blackstone are moving ahead with the initial public offering (IPO) of Seaworld Entertainment (SEAS) and as early as this month – insider information apparently. In an IPO the company markets the sale of shares to potential investors, and offer stock to the public in order to generate funds for the business.

They hope to raise about $500 million in the IPO process. Revenue currently stands at $1.42 billion for Seaworld.

April Fools in Florida. Over-reaction?

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Indefinite suspension for April Fools’ joke

Florida morning radio hosts Val St. John and Scott Fish played an April Fools’ joke on their show.  But it backfired.  Indefinite suspension for an April Fools’ prank seems a little harsh to me!  Fort Myers watch out.

http://www.theatlanticwire.com/entertainment/2013/04/florida-djs-april-fools-water-joke/63798/

They warned listeners that dihydrogen monoxide was coming out of the taps in the Fort Myers area.  And they fell for it.

The Fort Myers population were so worried that Lee County Utilities had to make a statement saying that their dihydrogen monoxide (think water) is actually safe to drink.

Maybe there really was something in the water after all?

International Driving Permit required in Florida or not?

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So do I need a permit?  Confused?

In January 2013 an international driving permit (IDP) was indeed needed in Florida to drive legally for visitors outside of the USA.

However this law has now been backtracked (March 2013):

The DHSMV released a Statement on International Driving Permits, stating that the Florida law will not be enforced until a final determination regarding the Geneva Convention on Road Traffic can be made. Although the DHSMV states the law will not be enforced, theoretically this law still exists.

IDP

Internation Driving Permit debate

They are only a few pounds to buy, and the Post Office sell them, so it may be worth a quick visit before heading off to Florida.  Get your IDP here.

Source: http://www.theaa.com/getaway/idp/index.html#florida

A law introduced in Florida, USA, on 1 January 2013 requires all persons who hold a licence issued outside of the US to carry an International Driving Permit along with their national driving licence.  Without an IDP, a driver is therefore driving without a valid licence. If stopped, law enforcement has the options of  – Arresting the driver and taking them to jail  – Or giving the driver a citation with a mandatory court appearance.  The AA strongly advises that you should obtain an IDP if you intend to drive in Florida.  Although updates (below) indicate that a fine will not be given just for driving without an IDP, the law hasn’t been amended as yet and does still exist.