Travel – Page 15

Categories: Travel

Girls Cruise 2013

I have a really, really hard time making friends. I always have. Even when I was younger, while I had friends, I didn’t have that many and I wasn’t especially close to the ones I did have. Most of the friends I had were “school friends.” I would see them at school, hang out with them at school, but rarely did we see each other outside of school. My lack of friendships is one of the reasons I’ve felt like a Big Fat Failure as an adult.

I had a tight band of girlfriends in high school. I was even a bridesmaid in the wedding of one of those friends! But they gradually fizzled out, when people moved away, entered different life stages, and just fell out of touch. I miss those girls.

College was a hard time for me. I moved away to live on campus but was paired with an awful roommate and I hated every second I spent on that campus. I was in junior-level classes, while everyone else was taking general ed requirements. I found friends in my classes, but they were all 3-4 years older than me and those friendships never evolved into anything more. After that first year, I moved back home and commuted to campus. And from there, I had a much different college experience than most people and never really tried to make friends in my classes. I kept to myself and did my own thing. I went to class but never stayed on campus for longer than I had to. Looking back, I regret not trying harder to carve out my place in college, but I was also working 30 hours a week on top of a full college load, so I didn’t have a ton of free time (especially considering I had an M-F daytime job which killed a lot of extracurricular activities).

So when I found a twenty-something women’s book club on Meetup.com, I desperately wanted to join. I knew it would be a fabulous place to meet friends – friends who liked books (my favorite type of people!). It took me around a year and a half to summon up the courage to join. I would check in on the group every now and then, wanting so badly to join and meet new friends but my social anxiety made it impossible. My anxiety talked louder than my desire.

Finally, though, I forced myself to join the group and I happened to join it right before the leader was hosting a new members’ dinner. It was the perfect scenario for me. I was able to slowly ease my way into this group. I was extremely nervous about that dinner, but I went and met the leader, book club members, and girls who wanted to join the group. I didn’t actually want to go, but I knew I needed to go. And I am so, so, so glad I went because the dinner was just fabulous. The leader made me feel so comfortable and at ease right off the bat, and I left feeling really excited about this group. And a bit better about my social skills.

Since then, I’ve become a regular at book club. Our meetings average around 3+ hours, where we spend more time chit-chatting than we spend discussing the book. I look forward to our meetings now and it was just about taking a leap and doing something that terrified me that reaped a big reward. I couldn’t have put together a more perfect group of friends – girls who get me, make me feel welcomed, and also make sure I don’t take myself too seriously. These girls are amazing. They are the ones you want in your corner.

It was in August when Amber, our leader, brought up the idea of taking a girls’ cruise. Norwegian Cruise Lines had a two-day mid-November cruise. While it didn’t stop anywhere, it was cheap and would be a fun way to spend a weekend. Plus, it was a great beginner’s cruise for the girls who had never taken a cruise, to see if they would enjoy it.

The cruise was this weekend and it was so much fun. I can’t even express how wonderful it was (but I’m sure going to try!). We were upgraded to balcony rooms and I believe I am now spoiled for all future cruises because goodness, it was a treat. I loved sitting outside with a book or opening the door to allow the cool ocean breeze to float through the room and the sound of the crashing waves to fill my ears. If only I could afford a balcony on every cruise I take! It is so, so worth it.

I’ve always been hesitant of traveling with friends because I am a quiet introvert who needs plenty of time to myself. I felt like traveling with friends would exhaust me, especially on a cruise when I like to spend a lot of time laying around reading. But the great thing about traveling with friends you met through book club is that they generally want to do the same thing. We spent a few hours on Saturday afternoon, sitting back with our books, sipping strawberry daiquiris, and relaxing in the sun. (It was mostly gray and dreary for the entire cruise, but the sun peeked out for a little while!) And then we lazed around in the room, slowly getting ready, chatting, and reading our books. It was a most perfect day.

We never stayed out too late (also a good thing about these girls, anything past 11pm is late for us!), but saw some great shows (the comedian on board was fantastic!). I sang my heart out during a sing-along show while dancing with strangers, had my first Sex On the Beach (I am so picky about alcoholic beverages and this one passed my test!), and ate so much at every meal that I swear I gained five pounds in two days. It was really the perfect vacation, solidifying my need to book my sixth cruise very soon.

Also, people sang “happy birthday” to me four times. First, by my friends during dinner. Then after they sang to me, the table next to us sang to me. Then, the wait staff came by with a cake and sang to me. Later on, we were sitting in the atrium ordering drinks and listening to a pianist and she started playing the happy birthday song, so of course, my friends sang to me again. I loved it! I am a huge fan of birthdays, and mine especially (ha), so I loved every second of the attention. (Even if it wasn’t really my birthday! Shh.)

I’ve cruised with Carnival five times, so this was my first Norwegian cruise. I was interested to see the difference between the two ships, but I didn’t really find that much of a difference, at least enough to cause me to want to book a full Norwegian cruise. I prefer Carnival still because I get better rates (being a past guest and a Florida resident) and I find they offer a better selection of destinations.

All in all, it was a fun two days and I am so glad I was able to go and share the experience with these girls. It feels hokey to say but I really feel like I found my tribe, because I can be myself around them and not feel silly. I can be quiet or loud or obnoxious or weird and they’ll still accept me. I mean, I think they still like me and they had to put up with my snoring this weekend! (Though it was described as “delicate” and one of my friends told me it reminded her of her one-year-old’s snores. So at least I don’t snore like a lumberjack? My future husband is so lucky!)

And now excuse me while I go research cruises for 2014…

Categories: Travel

Orlando

Orlando was the perfect getaway.

It was crazy fun roller coasters, long lines, and people-watching.

It was a 2-hour+ wait to ride Space Mountain, our first Fast-Pass experience that turned a 45-minute wait into a 5-minute one, and an out-of-this-world stunt show.

It was a toll booth snafu that had one of us throwing an epic tantrum (me) and a calm solution (mom). It was realizing that we would get so much airtime if we were ever on The Amazing Race with how I deal with stressful situations.

It was crowds and crowds and more crowds.

It was seeing a 3-year-old’s excitement and awe at seeing Mickey and Minnie and Woody and Goofy in front of her eyes. It made my day.

It was overpriced park snacks and drinks that tasted oh-so-good in the heat of the day.

It was less time on my phone and more time talking to my mom and opening my eyes to my surroundings.

It was driving the slowest race car on the Speedway, with cars passing me from both sides, while I had the gas pedal floored.

It was a cookie upon arrival at our hotel, hot bubble baths after long days, and the best sleep I’ve had in a while.

It was cinnamon rolls as big as our faces, cake pops, and melting ice cream.

It was 85 degrees, sunshine, and a slight breeze.

It was Cinderella’s castle and a Beauty & the Beast performance that brought my childhood to life.

It was dying iPhones, Candy Crush levels beat, and a barrage of Instagram photos.

It was happiness and tiredness, annoyances and thrills, fighting and laughing.

It was just imperfect enough to feel right.

Orlando, you are magical. I will be back. Again and again and again and again.

Categories: Travel

Carnival Paradise | Western Caribbean Cruise | Day 5 Recap

I woke up at 7:30am on the last day of my cruise. Sleeping in is a thing of the past for me now, even on vacation!

My mom and I decided to eat breakfast in the dining room since it’s usually better food and it surely was! I ordered an English muffin, omelet, and sausage and it was so delicious. The service is usually slower but the food more than makes up for it! We also ordered mimosas, which was just the icing on the cake. Yum, yum!

After breakfast, we headed down to the Serenity Deck where we found two chairs together. It was overcast on this day, with the sun peeking out from behind the clouds every once in a while but never enough to get the full effect. I didn’t mind, though! It still felt really good to be out on the deck. I did my usual: reading and people watching and trying to sleep. It was a wonderful, wonderful morning!

For lunch, we decided to dine in the dining room for the first time on this cruise. I’m usually not a big fan of eating in the dining room for breakfast or lunch because they seat you at a table with strangers and it just feels very awkward for me. Luckily, on Paradise, they had all the tables sectioned off so we were able to eat by ourselves. I was very happy about this!

The lunch was okay, but nothing spectacular. And at the table next to us sat an older couple who complained for the entire meal. It was very annoying!

Anyway, after lunch, I decided I wanted to nap in the cabin so that’s what I did! I took a beautiful three-hour nap and it was all sorts of lovely. I really miss those mid-afternoon naps, for sure!

I woke up leisurely and then slowly got ready for dinner. There was a family-friendly comedy show at 7:30 so we got ready early so we could see that before going to dinner. We weren’t too impressed with the adults-only comedy so we were hoping this would be better. We ordered our last drinks of the cruise to watch the comedy and then settled in for some laughs!

…or not.

It just wasn’t very good and the comic recycled a lot of his jokes from the night we saw him last – just tamer and without the curse words. What a bummer! I’m hoping the comedy on my next cruise is much better than this one.

The last dinner is always sad, as everyone talks about preparing to leave the next day. I was feeling very thankful for my 15-minute drive back to my house from the port since two other couples (who live in North Carolina) have a 10-hour drive. No, thank you!

This was the first cruise I’ve been on where everyone seated with us comes to every meal. We had a really fantastic group – which is funny considering I thought it was going to be the worst group I’ve had! There were funny stories told, inside jokes made, and memories that will stay with me forever. We all sat around the table long after dinner was complete and gave hugs to everyone when saying goodbye. I was so sad to leave these fabulous people!

The rest of the night was fairly low-key. None of the performances interested us, so we poked around in the gift shop and then went back to our cabin to pack and prepare for debarkation the following day.

And there you have it! The recap of my wonderful, fabulous, oh-so-fun 2013 cruise. We booked this trip a bit spur-of-the-moment and I didn’t see any new islands in the Caribbean, but it was still amazing, amazing, amazing. I can’t wait for my next one!

Categories: Travel

Carnival Paradise | Western Caribbean Cruise | Day 4 Recap

Day 4 was Cozumel day! We had a crazy day planned, but our excursion didn’t start until later in the morning so we had the opportunity to sleep in and take our time with breakfast. I woke up at 6:30am (thanks to my lovely internal alarm clock!) but lazed around in bed before getting up and ready for the day.

(We were side-by-side another Carnival ship when we pulled into the port! There was also a Royal Caribbean cruise docked so Cozumel was filled with tourists!)

In Cozumel, we signed up to participate in The Amazing Cozumel Race, a mini-version of the reality TV show The Amazing Race (a show my mom and I are both addicted to and yes, it’s on my “30 Before 30” list to audition for the show.) The reviews of the excursion were great, gaining 4.9 out of 5 stars from 60+ reviews. We weren’t running to win any medals, just wanted a different type of excursion that allowed us to see and do more in Cozumel.

We got off the boat, checked in, and picked a team name (The Stella’s, after my mom’s favorite beer! Ha.) We were given a race packet with a map and items we would use during the race, as well as a working cell phone to use if we ever got lost. There was one woman doing the excursion alone so she joined our team. This was both good and bad. Good because she was fluent in Spanish and had no problem asking random strangers for directions. (This is not our strength!) Bad because she was very overbearing, a bit bossy, and kind of annoying. She just had one of those personalities that I clash with. I don’t do well with loud, overbearing personalities. But, by the same token, I’m not sure we would have done as well as we did without her so she was a worthwhile member of our team. It just soured the experience just a bit.

The race started with everyone hopping into a van and heading over to Margaritaville, which is in the heart of downtown San Miguel – Cozumel’s largest town. We took a race photo, learned more about the race, and were handed our first clue!

The easiest way for me to recap the race without detailing every single thing we did (mundane!) is to make a list of all the fun (and not-so-fun) things that happened during the race. (Also, I took about 0 pictures during the race itself, because I was too focused on winning! No, not really. But I was focused on the race and not on taking pictures.)

Walking about a mile in downtown San Miguel in the heat of the day, ankles burning, and seeing team after team run by us. This is when I started regretting signing up for this excursion and cursing myself. We’re only 10 minutes into the race at this point so not the best start. Not the best start at all.
Exploring an authentic Cozumel history museum. All the information plaques were in Spanish, French, or Italian (which made it hard to look for clues!) but it was still very interesting to walk around all the artifacts and fill out our worksheet, which would lead us to our next clue. (And, quite frankly, I was so happy to be in the air conditioning after walking around the streets for 20 minutes!)
Hearing all the local shop owners shout at us, “Amazing Racers!” every time we were in the streets. I had heard that the local community gets really involved and helpful but it was so neat to witness it firsthand. They would let us know how many blocks to go until our next destination and shout and cheer as we passed. It was really, really cool!
My mom getting a henna tattoo! The tattoo had a Mayan symbol on it that would lead us to our next clue.
A really annoying boat ride that would take us to a sunken ship where we would find another clue. I had mentioned to my mom and our partner that I wanted to snorkel for the clue. It just seemed fun and I was really excited to get in the water and do it. (Plus, I just wanted to cool off!) But our partner decided she wanted to snorkel, too, and took over. At this point, we had been racing for a little over an hour and I was hot, tired, and hungry and just wanted to get done soon. So I decided to let our partner snorkel and my mom and I stayed in the boat. I’m bummed I didn’t get the chance to snorkel, but it was for the best, I suppose.
Working with another team to decipher a long clue that would give us our next destination to find. It felt like we were really in The Amazing Race, especially after we followed them to find that destination and beat them to the lady holding the clue.
Racing through the streets of the real Cozumel. Thus far, I had only been to the very touristy sections: Mayan ruins, a resort, and a zip-lining place. With this race, we were running along the streets, passing local businesses, and seeing the locals just going about their day. It was… eye-opening. Life in Cozumel is a hard life and it was evident in how run-down the city is. But then there is just something steadfast and strong and welcoming in these people. People who aren’t afraid of hard work and a life filled with only the necessities.
Knowing the answer to one clue within seconds and being able to pass two teams in the process. I read that knowing Cozumel’s history would come in handy so I did some light research. And by light research, I mean I spent 5 minutes on Cozumel’s Wikipedia page. I had about 3-4 questions I kept quizzing my mom on and one of the questions I was quizzing her on ended up being the question for a clue! Go me. (And to get the answer, teams had to find people milling about the streets in a very deserted part of town. They weren’t allowed to go into any of the local businesses. So glad we didn’t have to do that!)
Having my teammate almost get hit by a car. YEAH. That was frightening! She was crossing a street and looking backward, asking people for directions to our next location and I had to shout at her to stop and the car had to swerve. The car was moving pretty fast, so it really wouldn’t have been pretty.
Being in a real Mexican grocery store. One of our clues directed us to this place where we had to find a vegetable and a shoe. I felt very lost during this task because there was a huge language barrier and most of the time, even our teammate who spoke decent Spanish was feeling misunderstood. But this place, man. Like, it was COZUMEL. It was dirty and unkempt but raw and beautiful and earthy. It was a real grocer with a meat shop and a vegetable shop and dirty walkways. Not the pristine supermarket I’m used to! I wish I could have taken a picture. It was just so beautifully Cozumel.
Finding the finish line! Oh, my goodness, you have NO FREAKING IDEA how fabulous it was to come upon a cantina and see a black-and-white checkered flag waving right outside. We ran to it and came into the cantina to the cheers of all the other teams! We finished! YAY!

We wound up coming in 6th out of 11th with a time of 1 hour and 45 minutes. In contrast, it usually takes teams over 2 hours to complete the race so we all defied the odds. The winning teams finished about 15-20 minutes ahead of us so we weren’t too far behind. I was proud of us for not coming in last – my only goal!

Everyone got a free drink so I ordered a strawberry daiquiri (the strongest daiquiri I’ve ever had! I couldn’t finish it!) and my mom had a pina colada. I ordered food, but it wasn’t very good. At this point, we were very tired and hot and wet from the boat ride and we decided to go back to the cruise port.

The rest of the day was pretty low-key. We walked around the shops, ate a very lunch late on the ship, and took a long nap until dinnertime. I was wiped after being up so early and running around in the Cozumel heat. Dinner was fun and eventful, like always. (We received applause again for surviving the race!) After dinner, my mom and I went to the talent show which was a surprisingly good show (two singers and a cheer squad). There was a Mexican fiesta deck party going on but we decided to go back to the cabin to sleep.

Our last day on the ship will be recapped on Friday!

Categories: Travel

Carnival Paradise | Western Caribbean Cruise | Day 3 Recap (Part II)

When I left off on recapping my 2013 cruise, I had finished my parasailing excursion which was one of the most awesome moments of my life. I wholly recommend anyone who’s up for a crazy adventure to try parasailing. It’s an incredible experience!

But back to Grand Cayman. After everyone had a chance to be up in the air, the boat brought us to the Seven-Mile Beach which was already super crowded with people. Mom and I both felt kind of meh about it so we opted to go back to the cruise port instead. The other two times we’ve been to Grand Cayman, our excursions have been long, and haven’t left any time for exploring the island. At this point, it was barely 10am so we had plenty of time to spend in the port before going back to the ship.

It was fun to actually get out of the port square and walk around the island. We didn’t venture too far away, mainly just walked over to Margaritaville and all the stores and shops in that center. Very touristy, very crowded. I wound up buying a shirt but nothing else really caught my eye. Around 11:30, we made our way back to the ship. Just a few hours spent on the island, but there really isn’t a ton to do around the port. Grand Cayman is always fun to visit, but since I’ve been there once a year for the past three years, it’s safe to say I’m ready to move on to other Caribbean islands and destinations.

We were back on the ship by noon and enjoyed a delicious Caribbean meal of jerk chicken, red beans and rice, and beef stew. So good! We had a fabulous view of the Caribbean and the ship was quiet and calm, with most people out exploring Grand Cayman.

After lunch, we headed down to Serenity Deck where we scored two fabulous deck chairs with an umbrella! Seriously, with only a few deck chairs that have an umbrella, it is a prime location and I was so happy we snagged it that we spent about 6 hours outside on the deck!

We read, we napped, we both enjoyed a Mango Swirl, we had a snack of cookies & ice cream. We watched the ship leave Grand Cayman and start sailing to Cozumel. It was SUCH a wonderful afternoon. So calm. So peaceful.

I wrote in my Notes app about how I felt at that very moment: “I just feel so happy right now. So alive. So content. I could stay here forever.” It was one of those perfect afternoons where everything feels as it should be. I felt so at peace.

Around 6:30, we headed back up to our cabin to get ready for dinner. By that time, we had spent over 10 hours in the sun! Yikes. (It felt amazing, though. I wouldn’t have it any other way!)

When we came to the table at dinner, everyone applauded us for surviving the parasail, which was cute. We became the “Twisted Sisters” of the group! At dinner, we all chatted about what we did during the day in Grand Cayman and it was just a really great dinner. All of the dinners ended up being amazing and I really, really loved our dinner companions. It was one of my favorite parts of this cruise and usually, I get really stressed about the dinners and being social. It was a nice change.

After dinner, there wasn’t much going on by way of entertainment so we took some pictures of ourselves in the atrium, strolled around the gift shop, and then headed back to our cabin. We were in bed before 11 and ready for what awaited us tomorrow – Cozumel!