My band Kaktooz has been planning to put up an all original album for months now. Our guitarist Jeph has a few tracks on his mind and I’ve got a couple as well. We are too busy when we are home that we can’t find time to actually finish the songs. Lately we had an offer to play for three days over at Puerto Vallarta in Mexico and Carlo, keyboardist turned singer suggested that we stay there longer and finish the album. We all thought it was a great idea so we decided to look for a place to stay at after our three day gig where we could set up our gear and record. Two weeks would be enough and we could choose from some Puerto Vallarta condos available. Maybe the money we get from our contract would be enough to pay off the rent for that place.

We tried to ask our client if he had suggestions and fortunately, he’s got a cousin who owns a place we could use and even offered us a staggering fifty percent discount on the rent as long as they could drop by and party from time to time; since they knew there’s likely to be more party than work. It was a done deal. They say that we are lucky because out of the many Puerto Vallarta condos, theirs had one of the most amazing views and only a few steps away from the beach of Los Muertos. There was a build-up of excitement as the days of our departure came near as we all wanted to start and finish our long planned project.

It was off to Mexico after a week upon settling everything. We arrived at the hotel we were invited to and played on the same night at the beach front. We rocked the place for three days and partied hard with some island music of which everyone seemed to dance to and enjoy, thanks to the tequila. In the morning after our last day of playing, we packed our things and transferred to the condo in Puerto Vallarta by the beach and we were in for a surprise. It was a four unit, two-story building with each unit having an ocean view and porch. It had complete amenities and even an outdoor Jacuzzi! The condo was said to have been designed by a famous local architect. Everything was perfect and I felt I was already a “rock star” even without an album out, though I knew it was only for two weeks. We decided to stay in two rooms, set up one room as a temporary recording studio and one room as the party headquarters.

During our first three days we actually visited other Puerto Vallarta condo when we were invited by some guests and locals but the one we were at was one of the best. Thanks to modern technology, recording equipment now is smaller and so we were able to bring a full multi-track studio packed in just a few boxes. We were set up in a few hours time. That was one recording session I only dreamt of since I actually had a view of the beach while working.

Since we were going to stay two weeks, we decided to take it easy on the first day. Some locals were kind enough to accompany Richard, our bassist, to a local market where he bought some food supplies. We had no problem preparing food since all of the condo units had cooking utensils and kitchen equipment. We decided on making barbeque and settled to party at the Jacuzzi area with some friends and the proud owner of that Puerto Vallarta condo.

Before we recorded tracks, we decided to refine some of our old songs first and maybe we could also make some new ones. We had early breakfast when the sun came up the next day and stayed on the veranda facing the sea playing guitar and singing songs. We jammed a lot of stuff and somehow, the place just powers us up to do amazing creative things we could never do when in the city. We decided to record at night and the first takes were just magnificent as everything seemed to fall perfectly into place. On the first night, we were able to finish two full songs, a feat which we were never able to do in two months before.

Days passed, and each one seemed to offer a different light on how our album should be done. It was as if we were driven by an invisible creative force of nature during our stay in that condo by the beach in Puerto Vallarta. One song after another we recorded the tracks until we had ten. The album is done; what it needs now is just to be mixed and mastered by our sound engineer friend Norman once he gets the raw tracks. We were actually ahead of time and still have three days from our two week stay. Due to the hospitality and generosity of our client and the owner of the place we stayed at, we decided to give them a free show before we left. Now, we are home and the tracks are being mixed, we can’t wait to hear the songs which were inspired by such a beautiful place.

Marrakech Riad
All aboard the Marrakesh Express! Oh the sights and sounds of lively, lovely, lyrical Marrakesh; the ideal place for adventure; the idea place for a Marrakesh holiday. In my youth I would be at school and look at all the pictures of beautiful holiday pictures and only imagine how good those places must be and how much I wanted to explore them. Well, now I’ve travelled and seen much more of the world and those places really do exist. You can find it all in Marrakech. It’s such a wonderful place and I’ve falling for it.

Flights to Morocco
You just gotta do this for yourself and be selfish for a second. Go on the internet and find out information about Marrakech Riads. Stay there in total comfort, listen to their music and see how the local culture lives its day to day life.

Luxury riads can be found in the heart of the old town, tucked into winding passages that beckon to you to be explored. You just won’t believe you very eyes when you see some of the gorgeous villas and accommodation available. Book a wedding for your Marrakech holiday, a sumptuous banquet ad serendipitous getaway – really who needs a reason to take a Marrakech holiday. It’s as second nature to want to go there, as it is to breathe.

Holiday in Cape Town
You can probably tell that whenever I get the chance to go on a Marrakech holiday, I’m already packing the bags, it’s just part of my life and how nature would want me to be. Marrakech holds so many secrets that you will spend many delightful hours trying to learn them all. It’s guaranteed that you will return again and again to experience this land of pure visual delights.

Over one million people populate this delightful city and wish to share their good fortune with visitors. I only wish when I was younger, that my history teacher would have taken us all on a school holiday to somewhere like this. We would have had so much fun and learned so much about the culture, music, food, entertainment and people living over here and how the world in general has wonderful places that just need to be explored and researched.

You won’t be disappointed in the surrounding landscape either that includes the Atlas Mountains, the Draa River and Ourika River. One word should say it all…Wow! Really, there are mountains, rivers and so much different types of land that is all just calls you t go on a mini adventure each time you wake up and gets you out of the villa. Make your Marrakesh holiday one to remember. Book soon for the best accommodations!

I am the type of person who loves going to the mountains or beaches. I’ve traveled to many places just to see beaches from all over the world. Last January, my good friends Ardie and Kyle invited me to join them for their trip to Los Cabos. Since I’ve been to many beaches before, I guessed it was nothing special but just the usual beach with hotel resorts and common activities. Of course I still wanted to enjoy a good vacation but there wasn’t really much excitement on my part. But that perception changed upon reaching Los Cabos.

Although still burdened with heavy bags, we headed for the beach instead of our reserved accommodations. Our contact and guide Julio, insisted that we go straight to the beach. I thought then why can’t the walk to the beach wait? Upon reaching the beach, there were a lot of people on the shore and several boats on the waters. We moved in for a closer look, and there they were! There was a group or family of gray whales just roaming around near the shore unafraid of humans. Some of the boats were so near to them but they seem unbothered. I’ve always been fascinated with whales, and seeing them up close for the first time was exhilarating. It was barely an hour since I arrived at Los Cabos Mexico and I thought then I would enjoy the place. I was right to come along; well actually, my friends were because they insisted that I join them.

After that brief moment by the beach, we headed off to a hotel in Los Cabos where we unpacked our things and settled for awhile. That time, instead of taking a rest or eating, I asked my friends if we could go back to the beach and rent a small boat. Kyle looked at me with a grin thinking how I quickly had a change of heart. After a few minutes we headed back to the beach where there were some boats which you could rent for a few hours. We found ourselves a cheap but sturdy boat and went to see the whales. And there I was, a few feet from these large amazing animals. The splashes the whales made on the waters got us all wet and enormous as they may seem, you could feel that they are actually gentle creatures. I was asking myself why I never bothered to visit the place before although I’ve heard so much about it from others. Now, I’m planning to go back to Los Cabos after a month, but this time, I’ll do it on my own. Maybe next time, it won’t be just whales I’d be spending time with.

To check the whales up close go to this places:

• Puerto San Carlos
• La Ventana
• Boca del Alamo

Los Cabos Mexico is a famous destination point with your not so usual attractions. Imagine sharing the waters with whales? I also enjoyed our nights out to different bars and indulging myself to eating different types of food. I think the place is pleasurably addictive and I am so glad I joined my friends.