***Guys my post for the weight loss blog went up today. Go check it out Different Paths, Same Destination***
My grandparents took me all over the place when I was little. D.C, Orlando, Daytona, Key West. I went to all these places pretty frequently. Unfortunately, there's not so much a 5-12 year old can do during these trips and some of them I don't remember at all. How much would I love to go back to Key West now? A whole hell of a lot.
Along with my travels as a kid I went to Tokyo when I was 16. Have I told you guys yet? I'm totally a quarter Japanese.
My Grandmother is from there and so we went over to spend some time with family. The entire time I was there I felt like a giant, except for one of my cousins there, he was abnormally tall for a Japanese guy, over 6 foot! It was gorgeous there and for the most part I had an amazing time. There was too much time spent in malls/shopping complexes. My family loves to shop. I would have preferred more sightseeing, but what we managed to do was still pretty awesome. We were there for about 2 weeks and went from Tokyo to a small fishing village in southern Japan and then spent a couple of days in the mountains. I'll post about that trip some other time perhaps.
So I figured I was off to an amazing start on my travels. Then it just stopped happening. I stopped traveling. Guys, my passport expired with just. one. stamp.
It's always been my dream to go on a Mediterranean cruise and I promised myself that I would go by the age of 25 even if I was going alone. I have no fears about traveling alone, company is of course welcome and encouraged but if I have the funds I can totally do it alone, as I proved when I spent a few days alone in L.A. last spring. Anyways, I didn't go. I'm less than two months from 29 and I still haven't gone.
I have begun researching the cruise though. The cruise itself is totally affordable, the airfare is killer but manageable if you plan long term. I'm no fool guys, I really want to buy a house soon so I think planning a cruise for the autumn of 2013 is totally reasonable. I'm even willing to extend that to the spring of 2014. My husband wants to make me happy, but he, I'm assuming, doesn't think too much about it. After the initial discussion that took place over a coarse of two days, over two weeks ago, I haven't heard a peep from him about it. That makes me sad.
I went a different cruise when I was in college with my frienemy. We went to Grand Cayman and Cozumel and we made each other miserable. We enjoyed the excursions we took, but on the ship itself we were very... blah. We both wanted to do different things, and we weren't going to go off and do it alone, so we didn't do anything. I watched Walk the Line 3 times in our cabin. Compromise is not a virtue the two of us had.
So I really want to go with my husband on this Mediterranean cruise. We could do something cheaper closer to home, but the price of the cruise itself is pretty comparable, it's just the airfare is a huge difference. The thing is though, I don't want to waste the money on a trip we don't want to be on. We're not Caribbean, Bahamas, tropical island people. We're culture and history and food. So I feel like my hubby is going to have some real nagging coming his way this weekend.
I have always dreamed of a Mediterranean cruise also. Don't give up trying to make reality out of the dream!
ReplyDeleteI'm so jealous! I've never even been out of the country unless you count that strange trip to Tijuana, Mexico and I don't. Ha! I dream of traveling the world. My plan after I graduated from The Art Institute with my handy dandy (not so much anymore) photography degree, was to live for a year in Paris and take photographs, drink espresso & wine at little cafes, eat those delectable French desserts and spend time at a vineyard in the country. Le sigh.
ReplyDeleteYeah. None of those things happened. Bleh. It is so cool that you're part Japanese! I would love to go to Japan if I ever get to travel the world. The customs are fascinating. I want to do an Alaskan cruise, but after that shipwreck in Italy, that makes me a bit nervous. Eep!
I can't wait to hear the rest of your travel stories! Which you must do. I have to live vicariously through someone now don't I?
I hope you go on your trip!
ReplyDeleteBut if your husband ins't as excited as you don't let that bother you! Not everyone feels the same way about traveling! He might like the idea but not be OVER joyed!
Even if it takes longer to wait for I think you should go on the trip you'd like more so you'd have fonder memories of it!
cruise would be great, i always wanted to do one. Japan? that must have been awesome I so want to go there but I will be a friendly giant.
ReplyDeleteI do a bit of travelling, mostly by car, although I've been to California and to the Dominican by plane. Unfortunately, living in Ontario, where I do, you're looking at least a 6 hour drive to get to the US, a day drive to get to Quebec and a two day drive to Manitoba.
ReplyDeleteI'm in the midst of planning a trip to Scotland with my mother and sister, as that's where our family is from. I have no trouble travelling by myself, but I'm nervous about the idea of travelling anywhere where I don't speak the language (or isn't touristy enough that locals don't know English)
Oh Scotland will be gorgeous! You'll have to tell us all about it when you go!
DeleteI will be leaving the 'ol USofA this June for a study abroad trip to Europe, and I CANNOT WAIT! I have never left American soil. We grew up with modest income, and my parents were divorced and living in different states so most vacations were spent visiting Dad.
ReplyDeleteMy mom, aunt, uncle, grandparents and some friends of the family go every year now on an Alaskan cruise, and they all go on and on about how fantastic it is. I, personally, do not like boats, so a cruise is not happening for me. I'd rather fly, thanks. ;)
Hope you and your husband get to go on your trip!
Oh wow, that sounds amazing! What a great opportunity for you! I'm lime green jello.
DeleteGood luck, I hope you make this cruise happen! I went through a travelling everywhere phase in my teens, and then, like you, my passport from my early 20s only managed one stamp. But, BUT - I've been able to make it work a little more often recently, and it's awesome.
ReplyDeleteOh, to the Goddess of Pickles above, I was in Scotland last spring (in the southern Highlands) and even in the tiniest of towns, I was able to make most people understand me. :) If you get the chance (I don't know where you're going), go through Glencoe - I've never seen more beautiful countryside in all my life!
Having just gotten off of a cruise ship I feel that I have some authority when I tell you to GO. You will never ever regret doing it.
ReplyDeleteMy sister in law and I are already planning on going on another cruise (possibly Mediterranean too!) next year.