Photo: Subhan Dawson
The Caravan of the Beautiful will come together April 16th-20th 2008 at:
Rising Tide International
5102 Swift Road
Sarasota, FL 34231
Meals
Our dear friends Leilah Stewart and Noor-un-nisa Hejny, both marvelous cooks and mothers, will prepare 3 meals each day for all Caravan registrants, from Wednesday dinner until Sunday lunch. Noor-un-nisa and Leilah are super-qualified chefs and have extensive experience in preparing food for large groups of conscious-living people. It is a great blessing to have them cook for us!
Breakfast, lunch and dinner will be served buffet-style on the Rising Tide land, and each meal will provide ample food choices that include carbohydrates, protein, fruit and vegetables. Meals will be vegetarian with fish. If you have a serious food allergy, please notify Siddiqi when you register. Coffee, tea, and snacks will be available throughout the day.
Dishwashing will be a group effort.
Housing
2008 is the first year that the Caravan will take place at Rising Tide. As always, the large majority of participants come from all over the U.S. and Canada as well as countries around the world. This year, there are 3 different housing options for traveling members of the Caravan:
1) Community Homes Rising Tide community members and our Sarasota network of friends are happy to offer space in their homes. We ask for a modest contribution of $15-$35 per night, which you may pay directly to the homeowner when you are in Sarasota. When registering, please notify us that you wish to stay in a community home, and we will do our best to find a room and to put you in contact with the keeper of the house. No housing arrangements will be made until the full application and payment is received. There is a limited amount of space available, and rooms will be offered on a first-come-first-serve basis, so register early if you want to ensure a room.
2) Hotel
Rooms are reserved for our Caravan at the local Holiday Inn Express (a mile and a half from Rising Tide) at the group rate of $80 per night, plus tax. Rooms come with either 2 queen beds or 1 king bed, your choice. To book your room at the Holiday Inn you must contact them directly at 800-930-4439 or 941-924-4900. Tell them you are a part of the Rising Tide International group. We recommend this hotel because it is halfway between Rising Tide and the beach, a 20 minute walk from both, with lovely shopping nearby and an organic food store next door. Transportation to and from Rising Tide will be arranged in the mornings and evenings. Car-pooling is encouraged, and renting a bike is another easy option for those who wish. The Holiday Inn rooms will be held at our group rate until March 16th and will likely rise to $110 a night afterwards. If you wish to find a roommate to split the cost, please email Ahuraor call her at 941-366-4851. She will try her best to match people together in hotel rooms, but there are no guarantees.
-Additionally, Sarasota has full beach-front condos, top-class hotels, and fanciful guesthouses for those who want to shop around.
3) Rising Tide
We welcome anyone who wishes to sleep on the floor of Rising Tide, free of cost. Our building has nearly 2000 sq. feet of open carpeted space; we have yoga mats and blankets for bedding (or you may bring your own); there is an enclosed, outdoor shower available (with hot water); and the room should have sweet vibrations from being the heart of the Caravan's activities each day. The only requirement is that you wake up and clear your sleeping space by 7:00am, in time for the morning meditation, and we ask for your mindfulness of the space and respect for others who are sleeping there.
Airport Transfers
For those flying, we recommend you to arrive into either the Tampa airport (TPA) or the Sarasota airport (SRQ). Rising Tide is approximately 1 hour and 15 minutes from the Tampa airport and 25 minutes from the Sarasota airport.
Tickets to Tampa are often cheaper than those to Sarasota, but if you can find a ticket with a good itinerary and price, flying into Sarasota is definitely recommended. We can arrange transportation from the Tampa airport ($50 per car / each way) or Sarasota airport ($25 per car / each way). These costs may be split if you are flying with partners, friends or family. For those coming alone, there is a good likelihood you will be able to find others with whom to share the trip and costs since many participants will be flying at similar times. If you want our help finding a ride-share, please contact Siddiqi before you purchase your flight.
Please check which rides you will need on the registration form and make sure to send a copy of your itinerary to Caravan Registration
If you are so inclined, renting a car could be a very good choice, especially if you are open to giving a ride to other Caravan participants. Sarasota is a city designed for people with cars, and many community homes are miles away from Rising Tide. Parking space is also limited at Rising Tide, so we are asking those who will have cars to be open to the idea of car-pooling if the need is there.