As Carnival season comes to an end, it makes me think and reminisce about Caribana!  (Recently renamed “Scotiabank Caribean Festival”) 

If you haven’t yet heard about this festival, it’s basically Carnival in the summertime, where you can experience the same competitions, events, and fetes, just further north…Way north, in Toronto, Canada!  
Understand now, why it’s in the summertime? :-) 

It’s a lot of fun.  I first heard about Caribana, years ago, when I befriended some people with Caribbean roots, namely Trinidad, which is where the creators of the of the festival hail from.  I was more intrigued when I heard Soca music (that stuff is great), and learned that this festival is dedicated to this type of music, and I could easily get to it…Excellent!  (At the time, passports were not needed to enter Canada)  Combine that with parading around with complete strangers, in revealing costumes, adorned with feathers & jewels, and you have yourself a good time!!

So while I knew about it, I still didn’t have access to it.  Then, something wonderful happened.  A girlfriend of a friend, had actually played mas, in the Caribana parade!  I said:  ”Dude, you gotta let me talk to her!  I need to know how I can sign up.  How this stuff works!”  So I talk to her, and she assures me that try-outs are not necessary, nor is learning a choreographed dance routine!  I laugh at that, now, but when you are observing the spectacle that is Caribana, as an outsider, with the big fancy costumes, and the seemingly synchronized dancing, it looks like there may be some requirements!  Steps need to be learned, you have to make the cut!
But, no.  The only requirement is money, and to pay it on time!

Not going anywhere, anytime soon?  GREAT!!  Get your passport!  It’s your ticket to see the rest of the world.

The best time to get a passport is when you don’t need to go on a trip, so that when you do get ready to plan that trip abroad, you can rest easily knowing that the first obstacle for traveling abroad is already handled!

I’ve met several people for whom the barrier to taking their dream vacation is that they don’t have a passport.  If the one thing between you and your vacation is your passport, then get the passport!  Stop delaying!

Get it now, before you are in a mad-dash and paying extra fees, to expedite it for your trip in two weeks.  Avoid the stress, and added expense, and get it now, while you have “no plans”!  Also, should you need a visa to enter your dream country (like Brasil), getting your passport far in advance, could minimize the additional wallet strain that a visa may cause.  The financial requirement won't seem as bad.

Click the link below for information on applying for a U.S. passport.  This link has processing times, document requirements, and costs – all the information you need to prepare your application.  Go for it!

http://travel.state.gov/content/passports/english/passports/apply.html