Travel, Travel Guides

My First Cruise

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Birthday coozies.
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This is my current most favorite swimsuit.
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I was ready to sail away in this cute dress!
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I needed this comfy top and shorts with my sunburn!
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I love these pants, but the wind took them!
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Grammy and her oldest brother. Love this top.
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Everyone for the cruise.

I had never been on a cruise before. I lived most of my life in the Midwest, which made cruises a not very cheap option. Now that I live in Houston, I really should start going on cruises more often.

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In love with this bikini and beach pants.

This cruise was put together to celebrate my grandmother’s 80th birthday. There were 18 of us in attendance. There were three over 80 year olds, one turning 80 this year, a bunch of cousins my parents age, my parents, a seven year old, and a fourteen year old. It was a varied bunch. I roomed with my parents because I like saving money…. As great as they are; next time, I will be getting my own room.

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I LOVE this dress that I wore on formal night!

Going into the cruise, I really had no idea what to expect. The only real expectation I had was there would be a lot of water and sky. Those expectations were met. I sailed on the Carnival Triumph for their second to last trip ever before going into dry dock to return under a different name. It was a four day cruise to Cozumel, Mexico. We boarded Thursday morning, I was eating beignets by 10:00 am on Monday morning in the French Quarter. We had a room with a balcony. If you can afford it, have a balcony. They’re great; the view is spectacular. It also helped keep the seasickness to a minimum.

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The sunsets were amazing in this jumpsuit!

Carnival Cruises have amazing guest relations. I kinda fell in love with Larson – the guy who cleaned our room. He was wonderful. I had a tag in my beach pants, he chased me down the hall and helped me cut it off because “Miss RaeAnna, your tag does not look good!” I appreciate that level of kindness and honesty.

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My parental units.

I would call Carnival the Walmart of cruise lines. It is cheap but does the job. It is absolutely excellent for people watching. There are all kinds. I truly, deeply mean that. A whole bunch of fun and laughs, but I think I’m ready for the Target of cruise lines next time.  

Here are some things I learned:

  • Bring your own toilet paper. The toilet paper is awful. One ply. Chaps the butt hole really well, which is unpleasant.
  • Explore on the first day. Take an hour to walk the entire ship. I’m kind of a stickler for knowing where everything is and how to get there. Taking the time saves more time later especially if you happen to be intoxicated.
  • Drinks aren’t free. I don’t drink alcohol, but the non-alcoholic versions are only a dollar cheaper than the alcoholic versions. There are drink packages. If you’re going to have more than five drinks a day, go with the package. It pays off.
  • Super windy. Cruise ships are incredibly windy. Give up on the long hair being down. It won’t work. Also anything that can blow in the wind, will, so dress appropriately.
  • Eat everything. Unlike drinks. Food is free. I ordered two appetizers and two desserts every single meal because I wanted to try them, and they were free. I gained a few pounds, but I have no regrets. I never want to regret food I didn’t eat.
  • Look inside the gym. I didn’t work out because I hate it. I did wander the gym. It was at the very front of the boat, and they view was bonkers.
  • Wifi sucks. It costs money to have any internet. Even after paying the $40, the wifi sucks. It’s good enough to send messages and snapchats to friends on land, but not great for browsing Instagram or uploading videos. Forget streaming. If you don’t need the internet, use the time to digitally detox.
  • Meet people! I am introvert. I have a horrible time putting myself out there to meet people. I spent the entire cruise hanging out with my parents. They’re great, but they don’t have my kind of dancing stamina. Finally on the last night, I met people and went dancing. I should have done it sooner.
  • The cruise is not about the destination. I’ve been to Mexico, but I have not done Mexico. I was there for seven hours. I spent the day on the beach and parasailing. I spoke zero Spanish. It doesn’t count. Cruising is about cruising not about the destination.
  • Bring reading material. Ok. This isn’t a necessity, but I really loved sitting on the deck reading. It was probably my favorite thing. I almost never get to simply enjoy the sun and reading anymore.
  • Go see stuff. There is a bunch to do. Go do it.
  • Gambling. Drinking. Oh my. Carnival cruises are geared more towards the gamblers, drinkers, and bingo players. I don’t do any of those things. Luckily, I have fun just listening to music.

I enjoyed my first cruise. I would really like to go again with a friend or a partner, so I can enjoy the nightlife more fully. I’m currently trying to pressure all my gal pals into going on a cruise with me.

Experiences, Travel

Hiking Mount Werner

I grew up going to Steamboat Springs, Colorado because my grandparents own a condo on the mountain. In the three decades I have been visiting, the town has changed drastically, but Mount Werner has stayed the same. I hear mountains don’t change very quickly.

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The beginning of the hike!

My family is very outdoorsy. I, myself, have waffled between outdoorsy and hermit. The last time I was in Steamboat with my family, my allergies were at an all time high, and I was suffering from an undiagnosed heart condition. Suffice to say, that trip earned me a non-adventurous-curmudgeon award within the family unit. (Also, during that trip I ended up in the hospital on a completely unrelated thing, so I wasn’t feeling real great.)

This trip was completely different!

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Half way up!

I am now older and more mature… I also am completely aware of my physical impairments, so hiking is no longer viewed as the soul sucking activity it used to be.

The second full day in Colorado, I convinced my partner-in-crime into a hike up the mountain by way of small lies and a lot of “It will be an adventure!” and “You can do anything! You’re a Marine!”

Here’s some back story: My grandparents’ condo is located on the mountain. You walk out the back door, and voilà there’s the hiking trail. There is a gondola that will take you up the mountain for a small price of $25 per person per day. I’m a big ole cheapo. I like spending money, but I much prefer saving money. Why spend $50, when we can just hike? Exercise and savings! Plus it’s free to ride the gondola down the mountain. From the gondola drop off point, it’s another 1.5 miles to the peak of the mountain. The views are stunning, by the way.

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We started our hike at 10:30 am with an expected arrival time of 1:30. The last gondola down the mountain is at 4:30. So there would be plenty of time to hike up to the peak and back down. I would convince my P.I.C. of how good of an idea this was on the first leg of our hike. Our four mile hike to the gondola ended up being seven miles because of a wrong turn. We managed to find a bike path that lead us the last half mile. My P.I.C. carried the backpack full of camera equipment, and I hauled a heavy backpack full of water bottles and a book. I’m a book blogger; a book is always necessary.

Altitude really is a kick in the ass.

We made it to the gondola drop off point at 2:00. Two realizations dawned on us: 1. Look at all the people! 2. Dark clouds.

As we made our way up the mountain, we passed several people hiking down the mountain. We saw one biker going up the mountain, but he turned around at the two mile mark. I don’t blame him; he’s a winner in my book. All the people were at the top of the mountain. They were in hiking clothes, but not the sweaty, gross, wheezing blobs of former human beings my P.I.C. and I were. These athletic appearing beings were walking around with cute hair and makeup, taking pictures, and saying things along the lines of “So beautiful!” “What a hike.” and “This is going to look great on Instagram.” A few started on the trail down the mountain (cheaters). Most hopped back on the gondola they so obviously rode up on. LIARS!!! All of them liars. They did not earn those social media posts because they cheated and spent the money to ride the gondola. We were the real hikers! We earned the pictures we were never able to take because……

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I made it!!!

At 2:00, we still had time to hike to the peak. BUT!!! As the trees started to open up into the clearing, I saw the dark clouds. On top of a mountain, dark clouds are never a good thing for hikers. Storms roll in with frightening rapidity over the mountains. Being caught in a storm on a mountain let alone at the peak is not only scary but down right dangerous. We decided to stop to refill our water bottles and grab a snack. I have been in the unfortunate desperate sprint from peak to gondola because of a storm before. It was not a position I desired to be in again, but I was hopeful the clouds would roll pass.

Mount Werner is a skiing mountain in the winter. In the summer, it is a biking and hiking haven. Where the gondola is housed on top of the mountain, there is a bar and restaurant for those wanting to eat with views. There’s an indoor area and a large patio. It’s not cheap, but it is pretty. As I ordered my french fries, the bartender said, “Do you have anywhere to be in the next several hours?” I replied, “I’m on top of a mountain, so probably not.” “Well, that’s good because they just shut down the gondola without warning due to lightning. You could maybe make it if you ran.” I’m not a runner, so I made myself comfortable waiting for my fries.

I took literally a handful of pictures waiting for my fries and sandwich. Thank goodness I did. Right after our food arrived, I felt a thud on my head. Hello hail! We quickly stuffed all our belongings and the very expensive camera away before running inside. It was official, the gondola would not be starting back up. A bus started its way up the mountain to pick up everyone who didn’t make it onto the gondola.

I have to tell you, almost nothing about that day went as planned. It was definitely an adventure. I really loved seeing the storm come in over the mountain. The sky was dark. There was lightning and thunder and hail and a ton of rain. It was an afternoon I will never forget.

 

Lifestyle

Off Goes My Wandering Soul

Happy Tuesday Truth!

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I have a wandering soul. I majored in languages at university for so many reasons. A big one being my love for travel. Seeing the world, communicating with people in their native language, and experiencing a culture the way the people do held an immense appeal, so I dedicated a huge portion of my life to learning languages.

A dream of mine for as long as I can remember: finding a way to make traveling my job. I quite literally want to go everywhere, taste all the food, and hear everyone’s story. Nothing trips my trigger quite like setting off on a new adventure.

I’m a freelance editor, writer, and translator. My job doesn’t include traveling; however, I can travel and do my job. I abhorred working in an office with two weeks of paid vacation a year. I was suffocating. I quit very quickly. Freelance was never on my radar as a possibility. Until it happened. It’s been a long road to being a self-sustaining freelancer… Sometimes, I wonder if I’m even there yet. For arguments sake: I arrived! My work can go anywhere, so I do. I go everywhere. I travel so much I wonder if my bed misses me.

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One of the attractive things about being a blogger is the fact I can write about my travels. In a way, I am turning traveling into my job! No one is paying me… yet! I remain hopeful. I am always open to collaborating with an five star hotels with a spa.

On Saturday, I left Houston for a month long trip. (I’d be so fired if I had an office gig.) First! I’m in the Chicago area visiting family, enjoying the city, seeing friends, and going to a drag race. Over the weekend, I will be dropping my dog, Beau, off with her grandparents in Iowa as I head to Colorado! I’ll be there doing a whole bunch of outdoorsy shit and content creation for a week and a dayish. Lastly, I’ll be spending time with my family in Iowa for two weeks before my little brother gets married.

So be ready for lots of book reviews, travel posts, and other updates! I have a busy, busy month! I am so excited to bring you along on this big summer adventure of mine! Off to picturesque scenery I go. My wandering soul will be so well traveled after the month; I may just be ready to go home! For a little while anyways.