Onlineshoes.com Contest Winner!!!

Thank you to everyone that left a comment on my last post. We have an Onlineshoes.com contest winner! The random number generator came up with number 10, and the tenth comment was from:



Syn of the blog Vegan on Stage!



Congratulations on winning the contest, Syn!!! Please e-mail me (vegansnorkeler@gmail.com) with your last name so I can forward your info to Onlineshoes.com. Have fun shoe shopping!

Eco-Friendly Vegan Shoe Contest and a Sea Turtle

I'm back from Mexico, and I'm officially scuba certified! I meet this handsome sea turtle about 50 feet under the surface of the Caribbean Sea. It was a thrilling, crazy, awesome experience that I will be sure to detail as soon as I get a little more settled back into life in New Jersey. It's weird going from gorgeous warm water and tropical beaches to winter in one day!

In the mean time, I have a fabulous contest to share with you! The people at Onlineshoes.com are offering a $50 gift certificate to one lucky reader of The Vegan Snorkeler. Onlineshoes.com offers free shipping, a 90 day unconditional return policy, and over 200 vegan shoes!

Check out the Onlineshoes.com Earth Page. Earth shoes are eco-friendly (70% recycled content) and use negative heel technology. That's supposed to help you get more toned and burn more calories while you walk while promoting healthier posture. I've worn Earth shoes before, and they really are comfortable.

If you'd like a chance to win, simply leave a comment! The winner will be randomly selected and contacted on Feburary 16th. Unfortunately, this contest is open only to U.S. residents. If you are a winner, I'll need to give Onlineshoes.com your first/last name and valid email address. Good luck!

Clear Sinuses and Scuba

My Mexican vacation and scuba certification are so close I can practically feel the sun and taste the salt water. Here in New Jersey, I've been surrounded by flu and cold germs. Stuffy sinuses and scuba don't mix, not being able to equalize the pressure in your ears can result in some pretty nasty injuries. I'd like to say I've been super pro-active about taking vitamins, getting plenty of rest, avoiding stress, and drinking plenty of liquids. Real life kind of gets in the way of my best intentions, though. I have been kind of stressed, haven't been getting enough sleep, and sort of remembering to take vitamins. I have been religously using a neti pot with this amazing quick dissolving salt that has essential oils mixed with it. So far, it's been keeping my nasal passages clear! This stuff is amazing. I've been waking up sort of congested, and after using the neti pot, I'm all good. For anyone not familiar with a neti pot, it's this device you fill with warm, salty water that you use to literally clean out your nasal passages. You kind of tilt your head, stick it in one nostril, and let it out the other. It sounds gross, but it WORKS! If you've never tried it, I highly recommend that you do, especially if you've been having some sinus issues.

Hopefully I'll complete my scuba certification without incident. My next post will be all about my vegan scuba and travel adventures in the Riviera Maya! Wish me luck!

Vegan Carry-On Luggage

I've been searching for the perfect carry-on bags: big enough to hold all of my stuff, small enough to still be considered carry-on, and no wool or leather. Bonus if it's eco-friendly and economical. Here's some promising options:

Made of 100% recycled polyester, the Half Mass Bag from Patagonia is on sale this week ($70).

Also from Patagonia, the MLC Wheelie ($200) is made of recycled soda bottles and can carry 3-5 days of clothes.

Land's End makes a nylon carry-on/under seat bag combination that is pretty much as big as you can get and still consider it carry-on ($250).

More affordable, Roxy carry-ons are coated cotton. This carry-on bag is $66.

This matching roller suitcase is $135, also made of coated cotton.

Sometimes you can find Roxy luggage on sale at macys.com.

Don't forget about the 3-1-1 rule for packing liquids on carry-on bags. Each passenger can fill a one quart bag with liquids in containers not more than 3 ounces. The Container Store has a reusable set ready to be filled with your favorite vegan shampoos and soaps.

New Year Travel Resolutions

2009 has already been flying by! I don't know where the days are going, I've been keeping busy, busy, busy. Looking to the future, I'm planning two exciting getaways. In February, I'll be going to the Riviera Maya for some fun in the sun and to complete four open water dives so that I can finally finish my SCUBA certification. In July or August I'm (hopefully) going to Australia!!! It has been a life goal of mine to see the Great Barrier Reef since I did a report on Australia when I was in third or fourth grade. I hope 2009 is the year I cross that off my list!

Totally unrelated, but deliciously vegan, I finally went to Babycakes and tried some wheat, soy, and refined sugar free cupcakes and a spelt flour, agave-sweetened cinnamon roll. They had a "different" taste in that they weren't too sweet. I'd definitely go there again if I was in the neighborhood. While I like the cupcakes and cinnamon rolls I make in my kitchen better, there's something appealingly healthy about these treats. I look forward to their cookbook, apparently coming out soon.