Up up and AWAY!

    B.  Key West - Parasailing.

The boat, as you probably would have guessed, was AC’ed.  Sometimes, it’d actually get a little nippy and when you stay in a place like that all day, you kind of forget what the temperature outside might actually be like.  Well…I did.  I stepped outside to the stuffy sizzle of 90-something degree weather.  You’re probably thinking…what the heck is she talking about?? 90 is NOT that bad.  And yes, I agree.  BUT when you combine that with 300% humidity, you are in for a surprise, my dear.  And for some reason, the sun felt closer than anywhere else I’d been.  Everywhere else, it was like a hot air balloon in the distance, radiating its warmth.  But here…it was at the end of the 3ft string I held among a camera and a bottle of sunblock.

      Walking along the dock, we saw little wooden lemonade-stand-like vendors advertising their adventures.  Boat rides, jetskiing, snorkeling, and what my brother and I ended up doing:  parasailing!

This is my dad snorkeling in the middle of the ocean...something I have yet to do!

      We rode the boat out to open waters, “saddled up,”  and got on the edge of the little motor boat to be swept up into the air.   Without hesitation, we assumed position and soon after, our chute caught wind and we were hoisted into the air, hanging by a seat-belt-like strap.  With our feet dangling below us, we could see all of the ocean around us and it felt like we were flying!...well I guess technically we were...but I mean it felt like we had no restraints on. :p

      However, more than like a bird, I felt like a jellyfish bobbing through the water.   I had lots of fun and it was awesome don’t get me wrong!  Buuuut it made me a little seasick, so unfortunately I missed out on some apparently awesome jetskiing with dolphins.  

Basically, next adventure needs to include jet skiing and snorkeling!

      Even though I missed out on a potentially great adventure, I discovered something that will amuse me for the rest of my life!  There was this store called DelSol that had the COOLEST stuff EVER!!! You know that glow in the dark stuff and how it never gets old?  Well this is 300 times better!  It was an entire store of stuff that changes colors in uv rays aka the sun! :D

That flower pin in my hair used to be all white...before I stepped outside :D

      The shirts, jewelry, hairpins, shoes, EVERYTHING changed from white to colorful right before my eyes!  I was as excited as a puppy dog around new company and ended up walking away with a shirt, some extra souvenirs, and nailpolish.  Probably my favorite souvenirs from the entire trip!!

"Woah...that's a really big butt"

       A.  The boat.

       The boat itself was enough to keep me happy for a week.  

The deck becomes a party at night!

From lobby deck to roof-top, there were:   numerous restaurants; unlimited almost 24/7 buffets, a “posh” and “chic” dining banquet hall serving 3 course meals every night consisting of lobster tail, prime rib, fruit cocktails, and chocolate melting cake (1085 of these were served every night to a ship of 4,000 people in one dining hall alone…it was probably 1085 calories too -___-);  

Notice the friendly waiter guy making sure I got all the best desserts!

 

I can smell the rosemary just looking at this picture...

bingo; a casino filled with flashing lights of slot machines and tables; dancing clubs; a waterslide; numerous pools; a huge screen showing movies; live karaoke parties; bars;  a gym, spa, and health center; a basketball and volleyball court; a track; and random lounge chairs all over for ample tanning. 

Oh, I almost forgot…the millions of photographers with various backgrounds set up in the evenings to take formal pictures.  My brother and I became good friends with a few of them just because they were so cool.  We have plenty of hilarious goofy pictures among everyone’s formal pictures to prove it, but asking ourselves if they were really worth $21 each…ehh I’d rather go on a movie date.  

This is my brother. Everyone kept thinking we were a couple, causing a little awkwardness, but we just laughed and explained the misunderstanding...500 times.

Of everything, though, I’d have to say that my favorite was the track.  It was on the highest deck, overlooking the ocean, and at around 6:30 am right as the sun was rising over the horizon of the ocean, running around the track was a breathtaking experience.  Irreplaceable by expensive things and luxurious riches, running on a moving boat while watching the sunrise truly cleared my mind.  I stopped for a while and sang some Justin Young as I watched the cruise line approach our first harbor – the Florida Keys.  

OH my gosh look at the SKY!!

Cruisin' in Paradise

One love.  Ya mon.  For sure one of the BEST experiences I’ve ever had!  If you enjoy indulging in foods that tantalize your taste buds and satisfy your stomach, and your guilty pleasure is gluttony, you should definitely go on a cruise.  As a graduation present, my dad booked our family a Carnival Cruise to the Caribbean…definitely a top 10 experience in my life.

Starting off at Ft. Lauderdale in Florida, I eagerly awaited the unexpected.  A giant boat…for a week…without internet or a cellphone.  WHAT AM I GOING TO DO?!   I for sure fell off the face of the earth for a week but I think it was definitely worth it!

  

First getting on this giant floating hotel left me astonished.  From the decorations at the door to the lavish food displays and breathtaking balcony view from our room, I was taken aback by how extravagant this vacation would be.  I’ll separate it into sections by location just to organize my thoughts, which are running around my head like children high on pixie sticks, scrambling to shove tokens into machines in exchange for tickets at a Chuck-e-cheese.  

Beginning a new chapter of my life

Hello.  Hi.  Howdy.

This is long overdue, but unfortunately I don't have consistent access to the internet where I'm at right now, so it's been delayed quite a bit.  

I'm in Korea, beginning a series of new unknown adventures, throwing myself out of my comfort zone and trying anything and everything I can.  I am going to seize every single opportunity and gain something whether it be knowledge, perspective, or skill, from every experience I encounter.

BUT

before I start sharing my Korea stories, I have to go waay back to my cruise, because I need to share an excuse as to why I've gained weight since I graduated ;]

so, here goes...