An overall striving for excellence...

There was one particular event at The BodyHoliday at LeSPORT that fully cemented my five-star evaluation of the resort. Some may say it was only a small gesture--I saw it as one more example of quality service delivered with a smile. You be the judge...

I wore my favorite white linen shirt to dinner on the last evening of my stay. During some very friendly, animated discussion one of the guests toppled her glass of red wine sending the contents in my direction. There was no escape--my shirt took a direct hit. Not wanting to spoil the party I assured everybody that all was well--it was, after all, only a shirt--and we continued having fun.

Next morning I called housekeeping and asked if there was a possibility that my splattered shirt could be saved. "Don't worry, darling--we're used to red wine on white linen tablecloths. We'll fix it up good for you," was the motherly reply at the other end of the phone. True to her word, madam did an excellent job and my white linen shirt was returned in hours even whiter than it had been before.

As I reviewed my bill at check-out I noticed that I hadn't been charged for the laundering. "Please call housekeeping," I suggested." They probably haven't charged the amount to my room yet." Housekeeping was contacted. Their award-winning response was--No, they hadn't made a mistake. My shirt was affected because of another guest's accident. There would be no charge and they were very happy to solve the problem for me.

How's that for classy, island hospitality?

Know before you go...

The sun in St. Lucia is intense. Make sure that you pack moisturizer as well as sun screen with a high enough SPF. Be moderate in terms of your daily exposure. The vitamin D the sun offers is wonderful but remember that the short term golden tan you nurse today can be the cause of permanent wrinkles later on.

Pack the types of sports clothes you would wear at summer camp but forget the jeans. Black or white pants are far more appropriate. It's always fun to dress up a bit for dinner but formal attire is not necessary at all. Take at least two bathing suits and two pareos (sarongs); you'll be in those most of the time. I suggest three pairs of shoes--running/walking shoes, beach shoes (flip flops) and pretty sandals that can be worn day and evening. I was there in November and never needed a sweater or jacket in the evening. A very light wrap might be fun for dinner dress up. No time to shop beforehand? There are several boutiques on the resort grounds where you can pick up lovely island wear.

The sun, sand, sea, and humidity does interesting things to your hair in St. Lucia. Pack a very good conditioner and styling gel--you'll need it. There will be evenings when all attempts at styling fails--that's the time to slick your hair back into a neat, attractive ponytail. Voila, you're well-groomed and gorgeous.

Leave your fancy jewels at home. Summer costume jewelry fits in perfectly. There are safes in every guest room. Park your passport and wallet in there as soon as you arrive. You won't need them again until you go home.

Pack some insect repellent. After the rain you might have to contend with tiny mosquitoes and 'no-see-ums' in the sand. If you're known to react to bug bites it makes sense to add some antibiotic cream or calamine lotion to your mini first aid kit.

Scuba diving opportunities and PADI scuba certification courses are available at LeSPORT. To learn more click here.

The BodyHoliday at LeSPORT is located 20 minutes from the island's capital city, Castries and from George F.L. Charles Airport, and 90 minutes from Hewanorra International Airport. Make sure to check which airport you will be landing in.

For further information call 1.800.544-2883 and visit the resort's website, The BodyHoliday.

Local gifts for the people you love...

Go natural! With your new digital camera take some extreme close-ups of the resort's exotic flora and fauna. Photos of the lush tropical gardens in fabulous colors are guaranteed to make anybody's heart sing. Frame a few for grandma's powder room. She'll love you for it.

After some taste testing and advice from a LeSPORT bartender, here are three gift suggestions for dad or any other lovable guys in your life:

1. Chairman's Reserve Double Distilled Rum chosen for its smooth refined taste.
2. Crystal Lime Rum which is citrus flavored and can be served with gingerale or straight-up on ice.
3. Nutz 'N Rum which is a liquor best served on the rocks or over ice cream. Yummy!

Mom will always welcome some new spicy additions to her pantry. We chose local West Indian ginger powder, nutmeg, cinnamon and all spice produced by Baron in St. Lucia. Combine these goodies with a West Indian cookbook and you have a perfect Island combo. P.S. These bottles of spice are under $US1.00 each at Julien's Grocery Store in Rodney Bay (located on the way to the airport).

Your sister and best gal pals will love the island-inspired pareos (beach sarongs) on sale at LeSPORT. From funky rayons to elegant silks, a complete rainbow of colors are available in a myriad of styles and price ranges. I bought extras for my 'gift drawer' because these wrap-arounds are so easy to pack and they make absolutely excellent Christmas and Bon Voyage gifts.

The youngest JourneyBabes will love to drag around the Island-inspired rag dolls available at LeSPORT. They're colorful, cuddly, locally made and absolutely affordable.

Finally, for the teenagers in my family I couldn't resist a bottle of Baron's Banana Ketchup. This is a sweet sauce made in St. Lucia using bananas and spices, especially great on burgers, and perfect for anything you might use tomato ketchup on. If nothing else, a bottle of this will be a conversation starter for the bigger kids at your next Bar BQ. Also available under $US5.00 at Julien's Grocery Store.

Happy shopping, everybody!

Balance in a woman's life...

What we lack is not so much leisure to 'do' as time to reflect and time to feel. What we seldom 'take' is time to experience the things that have happened, the things that are happening, the things that are still ahead of us. (Margaret Mead, A Way of Seeing, 1970)

Leisure is gone -- gone where the spinning-wheels are gone, and the pack-horses, and the slow wagons, and the peddlers who brought bargains to the door on sunny afternoons (George Eliot, 1859)

Ed. note: On some level (big or small) there should be a rest and relaxation component in every woman's life. Need some interesting ideas that fit your particular lifestyle? Click here to browse the 'healthy & spiritual listings' offered by your Journeywoman Network of classifieds advertisers. There's some really great stuff on offer.