Showing posts with label Travel. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Travel. Show all posts
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To know me in real life is to know that I have a Caribbean obsession. How in the hell a girl born in Indianapolis in the middle of a February blizzard has the sea in her veins is anyone's guess.
My first visit was in 1999. Jamaica, on a reward trip with Mr. Nomad's employer. Ah, we were wee then, just an unmarried couple on our first "nice" trip. The pina colada's flowed, hangovers were nursed, I was bitten by a yellow jacket in my abdomen. It was nice, but it didn't hit me "there." You know, the heart (not the groin, you sick bastard).
For our honeymoon, we went to Aruba. We were halfway in to our first drink when I looked at my new husband and proclaimed, "we need to buy a house on this island." Annulment was still an option for him at that moment; he should have considered it.
I've tried on other islands over the years as I've depleted our expendable income: Grand Bahama, Sint Maarten/St. Martin, Anguilla, but a one day cruise stop in 2005 changed it all. We pulled in to port at St. Thomas, and our day was to be spent on St. John, a short ferry ride away.
It was August, it was overcast. "Shouldn't we just stay here," asked Mr. Nomad as we stepped off the boat in St. Thomas, knowing my answer was "no" as soon as his question came out of his mouth. So on that ferry we went. (Annulment was no longer an option, it had been four years and we aren't Catholic. He had to tag along.)
"Welcome to St. John," proclaims a rather banal sign as you step off the ferry and walk by the pumpkin-colored ferry terminal. Welcome, indeed.
We took a jitney cab ride to the North Shore beaches. Though the driver was moving fast, the vistas glimpsed between the trees revealed St. John to be no ordinary island. Unlike St. Martin or Anguilla, where it was rare to find an ocean vista unspoiled by development, the North Shore of St. John embodies unspoiled with a few exceptions.
Don't get me wrong, I love the water and beaches of Anguilla, Mexico, the Bahamas. But the landscape is boring. No, I couldn't handle a flat island. Florida? That's out. I need points of reference, points of interest. A mountainous island for me, thank you very much.
St. John protected by law. Dedicated to the US Park Service by the Rockefellers. Caneel Bay, Peter Bay, and small portions elsewhere (a homesite or two) are all the development the North Shore has seen to date.
Our day in 2005 was far from perfect. The heavens opened up as soon as we dipped our toes in the water at Trunk Bay. But when I look back at photos from that day, my smile in the pictures as we took cover from that storm says it all: I was happy.
See? Happy... and young. Good to see you, 27 year old face and clavicle. May we take a pause here to remember?
Moving along.
We went back for our first land-based trip in 2007. Then again in 2008, 2009 and 2010. I haven't been back since, which is hurting my soul. St. John is truly my place. See that picture above? That's no photoshop trick; it really is that beautiful. And that's just one of the North Shore beaches. That scene is played out, over and over again.
St. John even has a smell. It's earth, salt, decay... nature, really.
I don't mean to make it seem as if this is some deserted island. There is plenty of development. 1/3 of the island is not protected, and many millionaires (billionaires?) have chosen to build large monuments to their egos. Cruz Bay, the main town, is slightly seedy but serviceable. I always have fun there. The people are overwhelmingly friendly. I love it.
I'd love to move there. I think. I ponder this often, but holes are always punched in my plan. Private schools are required to the tune of $18K/year. Housing is through the roof expensive. Salaries are poor. Third world living at first world prices. That's how I've heard it described. There's an element of truth to that. But, there are things I cannot find in Atlanta: a small town feel, those views, no Apple stores, a sense of community.
For now, I must be content with visits. Perhaps I should stop typing and get to looking up airfare?
Maaahhho Bay.
To know me in real life is to know that I have a Caribbean obsession. How in the hell a girl born in Indianapolis in the middle of a February blizzard has the sea in her veins is anyone's guess.
My first visit was in 1999. Jamaica, on a reward trip with Mr. Nomad's employer. Ah, we were wee then, just an unmarried couple on our first "nice" trip. The pina colada's flowed, hangovers were nursed, I was bitten by a yellow jacket in my abdomen. It was nice, but it didn't hit me "there." You know, the heart (not the groin, you sick bastard).
For our honeymoon, we went to Aruba. We were halfway in to our first drink when I looked at my new husband and proclaimed, "we need to buy a house on this island." Annulment was still an option for him at that moment; he should have considered it.
I've tried on other islands over the years as I've depleted our expendable income: Grand Bahama, Sint Maarten/St. Martin, Anguilla, but a one day cruise stop in 2005 changed it all. We pulled in to port at St. Thomas, and our day was to be spent on St. John, a short ferry ride away.
It was August, it was overcast. "Shouldn't we just stay here," asked Mr. Nomad as we stepped off the boat in St. Thomas, knowing my answer was "no" as soon as his question came out of his mouth. So on that ferry we went. (Annulment was no longer an option, it had been four years and we aren't Catholic. He had to tag along.)
"Welcome to St. John," proclaims a rather banal sign as you step off the ferry and walk by the pumpkin-colored ferry terminal. Welcome, indeed.
We took a jitney cab ride to the North Shore beaches. Though the driver was moving fast, the vistas glimpsed between the trees revealed St. John to be no ordinary island. Unlike St. Martin or Anguilla, where it was rare to find an ocean vista unspoiled by development, the North Shore of St. John embodies unspoiled with a few exceptions.
Don't get me wrong, I love the water and beaches of Anguilla, Mexico, the Bahamas. But the landscape is boring. No, I couldn't handle a flat island. Florida? That's out. I need points of reference, points of interest. A mountainous island for me, thank you very much.
St. John protected by law. Dedicated to the US Park Service by the Rockefellers. Caneel Bay, Peter Bay, and small portions elsewhere (a homesite or two) are all the development the North Shore has seen to date.
Our day in 2005 was far from perfect. The heavens opened up as soon as we dipped our toes in the water at Trunk Bay. But when I look back at photos from that day, my smile in the pictures as we took cover from that storm says it all: I was happy.
See? Happy... and young. Good to see you, 27 year old face and clavicle. May we take a pause here to remember?
Moving along.
We went back for our first land-based trip in 2007. Then again in 2008, 2009 and 2010. I haven't been back since, which is hurting my soul. St. John is truly my place. See that picture above? That's no photoshop trick; it really is that beautiful. And that's just one of the North Shore beaches. That scene is played out, over and over again.
St. John even has a smell. It's earth, salt, decay... nature, really.
I don't mean to make it seem as if this is some deserted island. There is plenty of development. 1/3 of the island is not protected, and many millionaires (billionaires?) have chosen to build large monuments to their egos. Cruz Bay, the main town, is slightly seedy but serviceable. I always have fun there. The people are overwhelmingly friendly. I love it.
I'd love to move there. I think. I ponder this often, but holes are always punched in my plan. Private schools are required to the tune of $18K/year. Housing is through the roof expensive. Salaries are poor. Third world living at first world prices. That's how I've heard it described. There's an element of truth to that. But, there are things I cannot find in Atlanta: a small town feel, those views, no Apple stores, a sense of community.
For now, I must be content with visits. Perhaps I should stop typing and get to looking up airfare?
Maaahhho Bay.
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Wednesday, August 22, 2012
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Now that the babies are almost 1 and 3, I'm coming up (a little) from that all-consuming baby phase. Don't get me wrong, we're still plenty busy, but a 1-year old is infinitely easier than a newborn or even a six month old. I'm starting to do a few things for myself again. Yoga. Running. Food journaling. Thinking about traveling.
There were a few big trips I wanted to make before we had children. I did all but one of them. Africa would have to wait. Because I started this blog in 2009 and didn't transfer posts for my earlier blog, I've never really shared where we've been in the past. Here's our list of major travels (this list excludes lovely trips to Chicago, NYC and North Carolina to visit family and friends), followed by the "to do" list for the future.
Where I've Been:
1. St. Maarten/St. Martin: 2003-2005, 2007
2. St. John/BVI: 2007-2010
3. Maui: 2006
4. Costa Rica (Osa Peninsula, Arenal Volcano and San Jose): 2008
5. Italy (Amalfi Coast, Rome): 2009
6. England (Manchester, Telford): 2001
7. Jamaica (Negril): 2000
8. Bermuda: 2011
9. St. Croix, Dominica, Grenada, Tobago, St. Kitts: 2011
10. Puerto Rico: Several times, can't recall years
11. Grand Bahama: couple of times, can't remember when
12. Anguilla
13. Belize (Ambergris Caye): 2012
14. Mexico (Cancun, Riviera Maya, Isla Mujeres): 1997, 2009, 2012
List for the Future:
1. Africa: Tanzania and Kenya
2. St. Vincent and the Grenadines sailing
3. BVI Sailing
4. Santorini, Greece
5. Istanbul and Cappadoccia, Turkey
6. Paris and South of France
7. Amsterdam
8. British Columbia
9. Alaska
10. Kauai
11. Japan
12. Thailand
13. St. Lucia: To see the Pitons
I once said that when it comes to travel, you either have the time or the money, but rarely both. Now we've got the money (I mean, we're not rolling or anything, but we could make it happen), but the time! Oh, only if we could find it. I'd love to work remotely for a period of time and live in Europe with the boys. That way, we could see a lot of that fabulous continent in a short time. I can get Mr. Nomad on board, don't ya think?
Now that the babies are almost 1 and 3, I'm coming up (a little) from that all-consuming baby phase. Don't get me wrong, we're still plenty busy, but a 1-year old is infinitely easier than a newborn or even a six month old. I'm starting to do a few things for myself again. Yoga. Running. Food journaling. Thinking about traveling.
There were a few big trips I wanted to make before we had children. I did all but one of them. Africa would have to wait. Because I started this blog in 2009 and didn't transfer posts for my earlier blog, I've never really shared where we've been in the past. Here's our list of major travels (this list excludes lovely trips to Chicago, NYC and North Carolina to visit family and friends), followed by the "to do" list for the future.
Where I've Been:
1. St. Maarten/St. Martin: 2003-2005, 2007
2. St. John/BVI: 2007-2010
3. Maui: 2006
4. Costa Rica (Osa Peninsula, Arenal Volcano and San Jose): 2008
5. Italy (Amalfi Coast, Rome): 2009
6. England (Manchester, Telford): 2001
7. Jamaica (Negril): 2000
8. Bermuda: 2011
9. St. Croix, Dominica, Grenada, Tobago, St. Kitts: 2011
10. Puerto Rico: Several times, can't recall years
11. Grand Bahama: couple of times, can't remember when
12. Anguilla
13. Belize (Ambergris Caye): 2012
14. Mexico (Cancun, Riviera Maya, Isla Mujeres): 1997, 2009, 2012
List for the Future:
1. Africa: Tanzania and Kenya
2. St. Vincent and the Grenadines sailing
3. BVI Sailing
4. Santorini, Greece
5. Istanbul and Cappadoccia, Turkey
6. Paris and South of France
7. Amsterdam
8. British Columbia
9. Alaska
10. Kauai
11. Japan
12. Thailand
13. St. Lucia: To see the Pitons
I once said that when it comes to travel, you either have the time or the money, but rarely both. Now we've got the money (I mean, we're not rolling or anything, but we could make it happen), but the time! Oh, only if we could find it. I'd love to work remotely for a period of time and live in Europe with the boys. That way, we could see a lot of that fabulous continent in a short time. I can get Mr. Nomad on board, don't ya think?
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Wednesday, July 25, 2012
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After our long morning of travel, we were excited to see Matachica Resort. I'd poured over where to stay for this trip, and was very excited about our choice. Matachica is a small resort comprised of about twenty casitas, eight of which are directly on the beach. We were lucky enough to book one of these. We stayed in a Deluxe Beachfront Casita called Strawberry (all the casitas have fruit names like Mango, Lime, Papaya, etc).
As we settled in, I realized it was hot. Like, really, really hot. Our first day was sultry, to put it mildly, with nary a breeze in the air. We proceeded to take our overheated selves to the main palapa for lunch and to book some excursions for the week. After a lunch of chicken quesadilla and caesar salad at Mambo restaurant, we booked a snorkel excursion to Hol Chan Marine Reserve and Shark Ray Alley for the following afternoon.
The rest of our day was of little note. I recall a cocktail and a nap and dinner in there somewhere. We slept the whole night through (yay for no kids!) and woke up early for our first full day.
After enjoying Matachica's complimentary continental breakfast (cereal, fresh fruit, yogurt and egg), we laid around and read. We much appreciated the breeze that was blowing consistently off the ocean.
I'm sure it hasn't escaped notice that the sea seems to be filled with seagrass near the shore. It is. That's how Ambergris Caye is. The reef is very close to the shore (you can see the breakers from the sand) and the sea inside the reef is filled with life. There are designated swimming areas off the docks, but Ambergris Caye is NOT for people who need a beach you can wade into.
We had scheduled a snorkel trip for the afternoon. Snorkeling is abundant off Ambergris Caye, though generally not accessible by swimming from shore. You have to take a boat or kayak to various spots along the reef. We wanted to snorkel the popular Hol Chan Marine Reserve, which has 24/7 protection from marine patrol. You have to go with a guide (as it is protected) and you receive all kinds of warnings about not harrassing the wildlife, etc. This location was about a 30 minute boat ride from Matachica. We had hoped for a private charter, but we couldn't make it worthwhile, cost-wise. So, we opted to go with a trip that left from our resort.
This trip had two stops: Hol Chan Marine Reserve and Shark Ray Alley. Our boat got to Hol Chan about 45 minutes before a big rush of boats showed up. Our group had only eight people, but it was too crowded for my liking. I frankly would have loved a private snorkel at Hol Chan, but it is costly. We saw a few things I haven't seen before, like a green turtle and a moray eel (a very large one). Though I've seen many, many stingrays, the spotted eagle ray has always eluded me. Not any longer! It was a great hour long snorkel, and the channel was very calm on the day we went. Belize has recently had some tourist deaths at Hol Chan, as I understand the current can get strong at times. It was like a big pool the day we went.
Our next stop was Shark Ray Alley, where I finally got some footage. Behold, the nurse shark feeding frenzy!
We were able to get in with these guys and swim around for a while. Though the largest nurse sharks I've ever swam with, these guys weren't scary. No teeth, so they are just big fish. It sure looks impressive from the boat, though.
After our snorkel, we had a nice boat ride back. We went into town that evening and ate at Elvi's Kitchen. Belize is not known for it's fine cuisine, but we had a great meal of stewed chicken and battered coconut/ginger shrimp at Elvi's. Definitely the best meal with had while on AC.
As we settled in, I realized it was hot. Like, really, really hot. Our first day was sultry, to put it mildly, with nary a breeze in the air. We proceeded to take our overheated selves to the main palapa for lunch and to book some excursions for the week. After a lunch of chicken quesadilla and caesar salad at Mambo restaurant, we booked a snorkel excursion to Hol Chan Marine Reserve and Shark Ray Alley for the following afternoon.
The rest of our day was of little note. I recall a cocktail and a nap and dinner in there somewhere. We slept the whole night through (yay for no kids!) and woke up early for our first full day.
After enjoying Matachica's complimentary continental breakfast (cereal, fresh fruit, yogurt and egg), we laid around and read. We much appreciated the breeze that was blowing consistently off the ocean.
I'm sure it hasn't escaped notice that the sea seems to be filled with seagrass near the shore. It is. That's how Ambergris Caye is. The reef is very close to the shore (you can see the breakers from the sand) and the sea inside the reef is filled with life. There are designated swimming areas off the docks, but Ambergris Caye is NOT for people who need a beach you can wade into.
We had scheduled a snorkel trip for the afternoon. Snorkeling is abundant off Ambergris Caye, though generally not accessible by swimming from shore. You have to take a boat or kayak to various spots along the reef. We wanted to snorkel the popular Hol Chan Marine Reserve, which has 24/7 protection from marine patrol. You have to go with a guide (as it is protected) and you receive all kinds of warnings about not harrassing the wildlife, etc. This location was about a 30 minute boat ride from Matachica. We had hoped for a private charter, but we couldn't make it worthwhile, cost-wise. So, we opted to go with a trip that left from our resort.
This trip had two stops: Hol Chan Marine Reserve and Shark Ray Alley. Our boat got to Hol Chan about 45 minutes before a big rush of boats showed up. Our group had only eight people, but it was too crowded for my liking. I frankly would have loved a private snorkel at Hol Chan, but it is costly. We saw a few things I haven't seen before, like a green turtle and a moray eel (a very large one). Though I've seen many, many stingrays, the spotted eagle ray has always eluded me. Not any longer! It was a great hour long snorkel, and the channel was very calm on the day we went. Belize has recently had some tourist deaths at Hol Chan, as I understand the current can get strong at times. It was like a big pool the day we went.
Our next stop was Shark Ray Alley, where I finally got some footage. Behold, the nurse shark feeding frenzy!
We were able to get in with these guys and swim around for a while. Though the largest nurse sharks I've ever swam with, these guys weren't scary. No teeth, so they are just big fish. It sure looks impressive from the boat, though.
After our snorkel, we had a nice boat ride back. We went into town that evening and ate at Elvi's Kitchen. Belize is not known for it's fine cuisine, but we had a great meal of stewed chicken and battered coconut/ginger shrimp at Elvi's. Definitely the best meal with had while on AC.
Categories :
Belize,
Central America,
Travel
on
Friday, July 6, 2012
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I've been interested in visiting Belize for a number of years now. Back in 2008, when we visited Costa Rica, I vacillated between the two countries. In the end, the wildlife won out, so Costa Rica it was. But, I always knew a trip to Belize was on the horizon.
This trip was to celebrate our 10th wedding anniversary (yay us!). I spent about a month researching where to go, and once I'd decided on Belize, another few weeks deciding where to stay. In the end, I chose to visit perhaps the most well-known part of Belize, an island a short plane ride from the mainland called Ambergris Caye.
Ambergris Caye (AC) is known as a diver's destination. However, it's also immensely popular with honeymooners, couples and people who are adventure-minded in general. I honestly wanted to spend a few nights on the mainland and just a couple on AC, but the mainland jungle lodges are not known for their use of air-conditioning, and my husband is known for his love of air-conditioning. Apparently, sweating in near 100 degree heat and humidity is NOT romantic.
Anyway, after debating Victoria House versus Matachica (the two resorts that were frontrunners), I chose Matachica. In the end, I liked the way it looked better. It was colorful, bohemian, and had a thatched roof. I like a thatched roof. Also, it was further from town, which was appealing because I have two kids pulling at me every.single.day, plus a full-time career as a lawyer. I'm tired of people.
In the end, I made the right choice. Victoria House is known as the "class" of Ambergris Caye. In that case, I do believe that Matachica brings the sexy. I mean, is this a sexy place or what?
But, I'm getting ahead of myself. Since everyone likes a good travel story (not really, but I'm going to tell you mine), let me just say I almost screwed the whole trip by mis-timing our arrival at the airport. Not sure quite what happened, but we checked in with 30 minutes until takeoff. We made it after sprinting through security and begging people to let us push ahead. We then ran to the train, took the train almost to the end (damn gate assignment) and then ran TO THE END OF THE TERMINAL. Literally, I think our flight was as far from the check-in desk as it could be. Mr. Nomad was furious at me. Like, "what the hell were you thinking" mad. It was a great way to start an anniversary trip. Ah, marriage.
Anyhow, we had a multi-step trip. A flight to Houston, then a flight to Belize City, then a puddle jump on Tropic Air to AC. I was really unsure about the Tropic Air flight. I've been on a few small flights, but this was the smallest. A 12-passenger, single engine cessna. I normally avoid single engine aircraft, as I believe redundancy is better. I fortified myself with a rum punch from Jet's bar at the BZE airport. Our flight was called shortly after I received my rum punch, so I downed it in under 3 minutes. I should've just taken a shot.
This video shows my reaction upon takeoff. Basically, that hand wave and terse smile is saying "well, we're committed now." It's possible I made the same hand gesture on my wedding day (kidding!).
The flight was actually quite pleasant, and, thanks to my alcohol-induced chatter with fellow passengers, we were landing before I knew it. It was fun.
Upon arrival, we were met at the airport by our cell phone rental representative (highly recommended service, as calling using AT&T's international plan was cost-prohibitive) and a representative from Matachica. We took a short ride on a golf cart to Fido's bar and restaurant to wait for our water taxi to the resort. Planes, smaller planes, golf carts and boats: we were almost there, and it was just noon, Belize time!
This is Fido's dock in downtown San Pedro. This is the dock our resort shuttle used.
My first Belikin of the trip!
The beach in front of Fido's. More to come soon!
I've been interested in visiting Belize for a number of years now. Back in 2008, when we visited Costa Rica, I vacillated between the two countries. In the end, the wildlife won out, so Costa Rica it was. But, I always knew a trip to Belize was on the horizon.
This trip was to celebrate our 10th wedding anniversary (yay us!). I spent about a month researching where to go, and once I'd decided on Belize, another few weeks deciding where to stay. In the end, I chose to visit perhaps the most well-known part of Belize, an island a short plane ride from the mainland called Ambergris Caye.
Ambergris Caye (AC) is known as a diver's destination. However, it's also immensely popular with honeymooners, couples and people who are adventure-minded in general. I honestly wanted to spend a few nights on the mainland and just a couple on AC, but the mainland jungle lodges are not known for their use of air-conditioning, and my husband is known for his love of air-conditioning. Apparently, sweating in near 100 degree heat and humidity is NOT romantic.
Anyway, after debating Victoria House versus Matachica (the two resorts that were frontrunners), I chose Matachica. In the end, I liked the way it looked better. It was colorful, bohemian, and had a thatched roof. I like a thatched roof. Also, it was further from town, which was appealing because I have two kids pulling at me every.single.day, plus a full-time career as a lawyer. I'm tired of people.
In the end, I made the right choice. Victoria House is known as the "class" of Ambergris Caye. In that case, I do believe that Matachica brings the sexy. I mean, is this a sexy place or what?
But, I'm getting ahead of myself. Since everyone likes a good travel story (not really, but I'm going to tell you mine), let me just say I almost screwed the whole trip by mis-timing our arrival at the airport. Not sure quite what happened, but we checked in with 30 minutes until takeoff. We made it after sprinting through security and begging people to let us push ahead. We then ran to the train, took the train almost to the end (damn gate assignment) and then ran TO THE END OF THE TERMINAL. Literally, I think our flight was as far from the check-in desk as it could be. Mr. Nomad was furious at me. Like, "what the hell were you thinking" mad. It was a great way to start an anniversary trip. Ah, marriage.
Anyhow, we had a multi-step trip. A flight to Houston, then a flight to Belize City, then a puddle jump on Tropic Air to AC. I was really unsure about the Tropic Air flight. I've been on a few small flights, but this was the smallest. A 12-passenger, single engine cessna. I normally avoid single engine aircraft, as I believe redundancy is better. I fortified myself with a rum punch from Jet's bar at the BZE airport. Our flight was called shortly after I received my rum punch, so I downed it in under 3 minutes. I should've just taken a shot.
This video shows my reaction upon takeoff. Basically, that hand wave and terse smile is saying "well, we're committed now." It's possible I made the same hand gesture on my wedding day (kidding!).
The flight was actually quite pleasant, and, thanks to my alcohol-induced chatter with fellow passengers, we were landing before I knew it. It was fun.
Upon arrival, we were met at the airport by our cell phone rental representative (highly recommended service, as calling using AT&T's international plan was cost-prohibitive) and a representative from Matachica. We took a short ride on a golf cart to Fido's bar and restaurant to wait for our water taxi to the resort. Planes, smaller planes, golf carts and boats: we were almost there, and it was just noon, Belize time!
This is Fido's dock in downtown San Pedro. This is the dock our resort shuttle used.
My first Belikin of the trip!
The beach in front of Fido's. More to come soon!
Categories :
Belize,
Central America,
Travel
on
Tuesday, December 27, 2011
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1 comments
As 2011 is quickly ticking away its final hours, it's occurred to me that a lot has happened this year. I have: (i) changed jobs, (ii) gone on two "adult" trips, (iii) gotten pregnant, (iv) survived a 20 person family beach trip, (v) dealt with an exhausting pregnancy, (vi) had a baby, (vii) had surgery (see "had a baby") and a whole bunch of other cool crap I've forgotten about. Frankly, I'm spent. And now I'm back to work full-time. Lord have mercy.
On the travel front, I believe I hit six new countries this year. Not bad for a pregnant mommy, eh? Okay, okay, five of them were cruise ports, but still! Five places I'd never been, and five new adventures. I went to St. Croix, Dominica, St. Kitts, Grenada, Tobago and Bermuda. Are you sensing a theme? I might like beaches. I'm not sure.
When I think about 2012, I want the courage to travel more with my kids. I think I don't give my oldest son enough credit. I worry about how every new environment, scenario and stage of life will affect him. He seems to roll with the punches. He's starting a new school on January 3rd. He's been at the same place since he was 12 weeks old, and I am sick for him. I don't want him to be scared or confused. But I guess those things will happen regardless of what I do, right?
We are taking the kids to Isla Mujeres in May for a family wedding, so that'll be our first official "fancy" vacation adventure with two little ones in tow. I've got, like, four months to plan. That *should* be sufficient. If not, I'll just ask our relatives to push back the wedding.
Here's my favorite travel picture of me from this year, taken as we departed St. Kitts. I only wish I had a trip like this coming up again this winter... and that I could fit into that dress right now.
On the travel front, I believe I hit six new countries this year. Not bad for a pregnant mommy, eh? Okay, okay, five of them were cruise ports, but still! Five places I'd never been, and five new adventures. I went to St. Croix, Dominica, St. Kitts, Grenada, Tobago and Bermuda. Are you sensing a theme? I might like beaches. I'm not sure.
When I think about 2012, I want the courage to travel more with my kids. I think I don't give my oldest son enough credit. I worry about how every new environment, scenario and stage of life will affect him. He seems to roll with the punches. He's starting a new school on January 3rd. He's been at the same place since he was 12 weeks old, and I am sick for him. I don't want him to be scared or confused. But I guess those things will happen regardless of what I do, right?
We are taking the kids to Isla Mujeres in May for a family wedding, so that'll be our first official "fancy" vacation adventure with two little ones in tow. I've got, like, four months to plan. That *should* be sufficient. If not, I'll just ask our relatives to push back the wedding.
Here's my favorite travel picture of me from this year, taken as we departed St. Kitts. I only wish I had a trip like this coming up again this winter... and that I could fit into that dress right now.
Categories :
Travel,
Wee Nomads