Well... We Did It!

Yep, that's right we cruised. For all those friends who have been telling us for years you've got to go on a cruise, I have to say it was... enlightening. By enlightening I mean this. I always take pleasure in trying new things and seeing new places. And, don't think for a minute I didn't appreciate the opportunity to get away and do something new. But this wasn't exactly my idea of great travel. However, I really do get why a lot of people love this type of adventure, and... adventure it was.

We started our trip by getting up at 3:30 AM to get to the airport and hopefully catch the first flight to Dallas. You see, my husband works for the airline industry and we fly standby. This means that whenever we travel by air, we just cross our fingers and hope we can actually get to our destination. This trip we were able to get on all the flights we had hoped to (except for the final flight home and than we made it on the next flight). It's always a little nerve wracking, but hey, free is free.

We landed in Miami around noon and were at our hotel by 1:00. Our balcony room looked right out on Biscayne Bay. Beautiful! We didn't explore much of Miami but our night's stay was lovely. At noon, the following day, we headed to our ship. Boarding was very well organized and we zipped right through the process. Now this is where my head started spinning. Stepping on the ship was like entering another world- a loud, crowded, partying world. It took the better part of two days for me to even find my way around this huge monstrosity.

(Our ship was the larger of the two!)

Day 2 we docked in Key West. Love that town. I've been there once years ago and remembered it fondly. Now I remember why. It's quaint, unique and has a particularly interesting history. Craig and I toured the town via the "Conch Train". I would strongly suggest doing this for anyone heading there for the first time. You get a great overview of the history, the gorgeous homes and an opportunity to view the lay of the land.

(Southern most point in US - Key West, Florida)

Day 3 was spent swimming in the warm waters off Cozumel, Mexico. I'd forgotten how relaxing it is to bob in warm sea water. It has been a few years since I'd spent any time in a warm ocean. Maybe the best thing I did.

(Lily white Vicky resting between jaunts in the ocean- Cozumel, Mexico.)

Day 4 was at sea. On this day, Craig and I separated for some time. That was cool. Six days of constant companionship makes one start to get a little testy. Craig watched the Chiefs game at the sports bar and then tried his hand at Black Jack. He won enough money to cover our tips and travel home!!! Yeah! Making this even more of a "budget trip".

(Sunset from the ship)

Here are the things I didn't like about this particular cruise:

- Noise: Imagine 3,000 partying people.

-Inside cabin: I actually had a bit of a panic attack the first night. Something about the pitch dark and the image of a bizzillion tons of ship on top of you and an ocean just right outside that could come flooding in at any moment. This only happened once. In daylight I was not worried about any ship disasters.

- Quiet Time: No where to quietly read a book, contemplate, relax and just be. Now... you could do that in your cabin but inside cabins are NOT conducive to hanging out.

-Partying: I wasn't that interested in getting inebriated, which seemed to be the number 1 occupation.

-Cheesiness Factor: Bingo, anyone?

-Cozumel: I've been to a couple Mexican resort towns and to Mexican border towns, as well as the interior of Mexico. I always felt like I stepped into another world, but the Carnival port isn't the real thing. It didn't feel like Mexico, it felt like a stage set. I was disappointed.

Things I loved about the cruise:

-The Ocean: Warm, balmy, ocean breezes and the smell... yum, love that fishy, salty smell of the ocean.

-Convenience: Who wouldn't like taking their hotel with them? No flights, trains or car rides between destinations. No moving luggage around. No navigating new and strange lands without a clue. You are moved from place to place and guided every step of the way. For those who have some fear of new places and strange lands, this is the way to go.

-Gluttony: It's seriously fun to eat about every two hours, simply because you can. The food output is outrageous. Some of it was a bit sub par but much of it was great.

-Chocolate Melting Cake: Apparently anyone who has been aboard a Carnival cruise is familiar with this delectable dessert. I ate one every day!

-People Watching: I was amazed at the diversity aboard ship. Europeans, every ethnicity, families, hard bodies, beautiful swim suit modelish girls, very large bikini clad women, lots of seniors, drunky mcdrunkersons (we actually saw a young women puke all over herself and on those seated near her at one of the comedy shows), all ages, sizes and shapes. While I sometimes felt overwhelmed by all the bodies and the talking and the music, it was truly people watching heaven.

-People Meeting: We met some lovely folks on this trip. We also met some not-so-lovely folks, but they sometimes make the best stories.

-Entertainment: We saw 2 great comedians, a high cost variety show, heard lots of good music and enjoyed Karaoke. We even danced in a conga line (now how cruisey is that?). Craig sang twice and even had two women dance on stage with him and slip him dollar bills. Funny, funny, funny.

-Positive Body Awareness: Now hear this... you do not EVER need to be overly concerned about your swim suit body on a cruise. Seriously, no one cares and there are ALL types (big, really big, small, young, old, really old, etc.)

-Spouse Time: Spending time with the husband... always a good thing.

In the end I am so glad we did it. It was a new experience, something that is as important as breathing to me. Would I do it again? Maybe. I think location would be the enticement- I'm thinking Alaskan or Mediterranean Cruise. Somewhere I've never been before. It also would be fun to travel with others. Craig and I sometimes felt kind of left out with all the families and groups in abundance. And a balcony room would be a must.

I'm just grateful for the get-a-way. Now... where to next?

VSL

Going Cruisin!

Craig and I haven't traveled this past year. It's been a rough one financially; with a job loss, a child's wedding, college tuition, etc. But I believe that traveling is good for the soul and so, despite limited funds, suggested we plan a trip to Colorado at the end of the month. My rationale was we survived the wedding hoopla and hadn't yet celebrated our 30th anniversary. We deserve this. We can watch our spending this month and do the trip budget style.

Although Kansas borders Colorado, we live on the other side of the state, making any trip to the mountains a minimum of 8 hours. Depending on where you plan to go, the drive can be upwards of 15 hours. Our plan was to visit my brother's horse ranch and then head to the closest mountain resort, which in this case is Estes Park. Estes is not one of my favorite Colorado towns but it's one of the closest and within an hour of the ranch. And, the Rockies are the Rockies, whether you're in Estes or Aspen. We thought we could pack a cooler with food and beverages, find a reasonably priced hotel and just enjoy the mountain air, sight see for wildlife, take a hike or two and then come on home.

We haven't road tripped in a long time. I was imagining books on tape, stops in funny little towns, eating at local diners and just enjoying some time away. The Rocky Mountains compete with any astounding scenery in the world. And, though Colorado is the home of my birth and I've visited many, many times, I've never been there in the fall. I was looking forward to this getaway.

Interesting how things can change when other options present themselves! A couple days ago, Craig decided to peruse an airline employee website for cheap cruise specials. And, boy, were they cheap. Cheaper than driving to our adjoining state with a cooler full of food. I was pretty surprised.

Now, I know, for many people cruising is the way to vacation. But I grew up in a family of travel snobs. Despite growing up in small town middle America, the maternal generations before me had spent much of their lives living overseas and had traveled the world. My mom's snobbery rubbed off on her children as well as my dad.

Growing up, we experienced many weekend getaways to unusual spots in the Midwest. Our summer childhoods were spent traveling to my Grandparent's in California. We didn't stop at the usual destinations on the way. We would find ourselves camping on Indian reservations and learning how the Navajo lived. Or, driving deep into New Mexico to eat in a hundreds year old restaurant, well off the beaten path. Before we flew the coop, they made sure we'd seen Europe. While many of my friend's parents took their offspring on cruises as ways to celebrate big anniversaries, my parents, took us through the southwest by train to one of their favorite American cities- Santa Fe, New Mexico. Anyone who's visited knows this city is definitely pretty culturally advanced.

You really couldn't have grown up in my mother's home without being a bit of a travel snob. Some of the places we never considered desirable vacation destinations were: Florida, Hawaii, Las Vegas, Orlando and anywhere on a cruise ship. All popular vacation spots in their own right. People have fabulous vacations in these very spots. I, myself, celebrated a cousin's reunion in Vegas and took my kids on a vacation to Florida. And, while these spots are fine and can be quite entertaining, as a result of my upbringing, they just aren't among my top desired vacation destinations.

So, when Craig suggest we try this cruise thing, I was hesitant. I am not a sun person, I don't love Miami. I've been to Mexico several times. I just wasn't sure this was something I preferred over the Colorado road trip. But... it is something we've never done, so we booked it. Everyone I know loves cruising. Why wouldn't we?

This is truly a last minute trip. We leave in a couple weeks and like the Colorado trip, we will be doing this spending as little money as possible. This is, simply put, a last minute getaway. Craig has limited vacation time, so we will only go for 4 nights. We will be sleeping in an inside room (I'd much prefer a balcony room). But hey, if we like the overall experience and want to take advantage of the cheap fares, we can plan further ahead next time and go for the room upgrade.

Because it's a short trip, we only go to one port, Cozumel. I haven't been there but I've spent time in other Mexican resort towns and so have a good idea what to expect. I like Mexico a lot. I love the people and the culture. I like staying in Mexican resort towns, getting pampered, eating and drinking too much. So, I'm pretty sure I'll like Cozumel.

A couple nights ago my daughter Paige and her BF were over for dinner. We were discussing traveling and threw out the question. Where are the top five places in the world you would like to visit? These are my choices:

I must see India before I die. My mother and her mother both grew up there.

I would like to experience the Galapagos Islands. The older I get the more I love sea life and wildlife. Both of which are in abundance on these unusual islands.

I want to eat amazing food in Italy.

I want to stay in a white washed seaside inn in Greece.

And, I'd love to visit either New Zealand or Australia.

(Hard to stop at five. If I hadn't limited myself I would add Africa and SouthEast Asia to this list.)


Makes me think about all the places I want to visit (or visit again) in the United States:

I must return to Maine, one of my favorite states in this great country of ours. Maybe a trip up the northern seaboard on our way to Maine. I haven't spent much time in the northeast.

I want to visit Savannah, GA., go on a ghost tour and visit plantations from a time past.

I would like to see San Francisco, then rent a car and tour wine country.

I want to go back to Yellowstone National Park. I remember a trip there as a child and the delight I had over seeing the bears and the springs and Old Faithful.

I'd like to go to northern Michigan or Minnesota and spend time in a cabin on a clear lake, reading, walking and cooking freshly caught fish.

I want to take Craig to New York City and show him all the sappy sites and see a Broadway show.

In the meantime, I'm going cruising from Miami to a Mexican resort town.

How cliche... (At least we don't have to do the diet thing, traditional for any kind of upcoming ocean trip- no time!)

VSL