Something about going on a resort vacation seems to cause people to pretty much forget about the rest of the world.

Had it not been for a television tuned to CNN in the health club at the Sandals Dunn's River Resort in Jamaica, our paradise away from home last week, I might not have found out who won the Iowa caucus until returning home. I still haven't heard anything about the State of the Union address, and somehow, don't much care.

Must be the brain cells baked by sunshine and lulled to sleep by too much good food, drink and activity at the luxury all-inclusive adult summer camp/spa that is Sandals. Why worry about the world, when there is fun to be had?

That attitude seemed to be shared by pretty much everyone at the resort. I heard no discussions of politics or world events. People were far more interested in trying out the multiple varieties of rum and fruit drinks and finding the best spots to position their chairs around the pool or on the beach.

You don't want to miss out when the playmakers (think highly caffeinated camp counselors) are rounding up participants for volleyball, pool Olympics, Name That Tune, scavenger hunts, lovers games and any of the other activities that fill the daily schedule.

You're never bored at Sandals. If the sunshine and endless food and booze wear thin (hardly possible) and you get tired of relaxing or reading books you've wanted to get to for ages, plenty of other options await.

My Beautiful Wife and I hit the health club every day, played croquet, ping pong, pool, poker, blackjack and pitch and putt golf. We did water aerobics daily and were regulars at the piano bar. I even took the stage for a little karaoke singing. Add nightly shows and a late-night disco, and we were pretty busy.

We somehow had to squeeze all that in around meals at any of four restaurants, ranging from casual buffet style to white glove service. Italian, Jamaican, Japanese (cooked in front of you) and international cuisines were featured in the restaurants, with burgers, fries and other comfort foods available pretty much all day and night in the poolside snack bar.

This was our fourth trip to a Sandals resort, and the novelty doesn't wear off. We had been a little uncertain about where to go for this vacation before finally deciding to sign up for our second trip to Dunn's River. And we're glad we did.

It took a day or so to adjust to the long journey, but after that, it was all fun and relaxation, with our biggest decisions each day being where to put our beach chairs, when to fit in our workouts, so we could indulge in a few extra calories, and where to eat.

That's hardly what you would call a high-stress lifestyle, and probably explains why the rest of the world seemed so far away. At Sandals, they sum up the state of the union in three words: "No problem, mon."

Contact staff columnist Jeff Frank at (760) 740-5419, fax (760) 745-3769 or jfrank@nctimes.com.