Category Archives: Travel

Love the Cats but What about Travel?

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Love the Cats but What about Travel?

I do enjoy talking about my cats. They give me great pleasure and make me laugh so like a doting grandma I tell their stories.

 

But I know I can get carried away so I’ll keep my kitty tales to myself this week and talk about travel. Hope that works for you.

Domestic or International?

Now that the vaccines have started flowing and the world is getting restless, like a flower unfolding after the winter’s snow, we’re slowly peeking our heads out. Will it be safe to travel again in 2021? If so where do you want to go? I’ve been giving that some serious thought.     

I’m primarily a domestic traveler and I think my first trip after COVID will probably be a domestic one. I feel more certain that it will be a clean resort although I hear plenty of horror stories.  I’m still a timeshare owner and for all the negative things you hear about timeshares, one thing I can say is that I’ve never had a bad resort experience with my time share.   They have all been top of the line, modern and clean. 

Using that same rational if I do decide on an international trip, it will be with my timeshare. 

Where Do You Plan To Go?

I think if I go for an international trip I’d head to Grand Cayman. I want to go to Stingray City. In past trips I’ve snorkeled with Manatees, gone night snorkeling with Manta Rays and snuba diving with giant sea turtles. I think I’d like to be able to check off the stingrays next.

Turtle Town 2020

As for a domestic trip the debate is still going on. Do I want a repeat visit somewhere or to go someplace new? I was trying to get to all 50 states but I may be running out of time because I keep going back to places I’ve really enjoyed and did you hear? Kilauea, the volcano on the Big Island of Hawaii is erupting again. That’s exciting. I always loved seeing Kilauea so do I want to go back to Hawaii?   

Lava Lake Glow

Kilauea’s Lava Lake glows 2018

So many placed so go, so little time! 

 

Any New Year Resolutions?

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New Year Resolutions

Ok, the big question…did you make any New Year Resolutions? 2020 was certainly a weird year when I look back on it. But I found myself wondering how you can make a resolution when the future is so unknown. I’m not ready to resolve to join a gym even though I need more exercise.  We have a light at the end of the COVID tunnel but its too soon to tell if its going to work. I miss traveling but I’m not sure I’m willing to risk my life for a little excitement. Hanging out at home isn’t so bad especially since I have my little buddies to amuse me. 

Travel Resolutions in 2021

If I do take a trip in 2021 I think it will be near the end of the year. I’m not making any reservations yet. Hopefully things will begin to ease up over the summer. I can do some day trips locally with my camera. I live in a beautiful part of the country. With The White Mountains of New Hampshire to the north and the rugged coast of Maine to the northeast Opportunity abounds. I can go south to Cape Cod and the National Sea Shore. Or take a boat trip to Stellwagen Bank to watch the whales.

Whale Breach off Cape Cod – 2017

 

Go west and we have the rolling mountains of the Berkshires.  So many day trips, so little time. 

Where to go for a “Big” trip in 2021

I’m not sure where I’ll go if I do take a trip in 2021. I might go back to Hawaii but part of me thinks I’ve been there too much and should take a break.

Dreaming of Hawaii

I was looking for a specific photo recently and couldn’t find it. The photo was from one of my trips to Sedona, AZ. I was thinking I might need to go back there again so that I can capture the missing picture again. It’s of Montezuma’s Castle  That’s not really a castle.

Montezuma’s Castle-By Tomas Castelazo – Own work, CC BY-SA 3.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=10142804

Its a cliff dwelling and I know I had a picture.

The Bottom Line on Resolutions this year

 

Skip the usual resolutions!
I’m going to spend more time with my cats

 

Cruising for Vacation, Bahamas, Mexico & Alaska

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Cruising for VacationCruise Nassau, Bahama

To cruise for vacation or not to cruise. Cruising has become the way to vacation in recent years (pre Covid). I can see the appeal. You have a floating hotel room and all of your meals. Once you board you unpack once and you are all set for the duration. For those of us who have worn out our joints so that we have had to slow down, being delivered to our location is a nice perk.

Still I haven’t been a fan of cruising in the past. My first cruise was to celebrate my friend Joe’s 40th birthday. Some of Joe’s friends and I chipped in and took him on a 4 day cruise to the Bahama’s. Since we were all on a budget my roommate and I settled for an inside cabin. It was small and cramped but we figured we wouldn’t be spending much time in the cabin so we could tolerate it. Never again. I’ll pay the extra for an outside cabin- preferably one with a balcony. The best part of that cruise for me was the stop at the private island. I spend most of the day snorkeling. There wasn’t a lot to see. Just a sandy bottom and occasional fish but floating in the warm waters was great!

I’m not a shopper so I didn’t get much out of the shopping spree in Nassau but I did enjoy the trip to Atlantis Resort. The bottom line is that Joe had a really special birthday but the experience didn’t encourage me to try cruising again.

 

Tulum

Tulum, Mexico

Tulum, Mexico

The next cruise I tried was once again with my friend Joe. We took a 4 day cruise out of the port of Miami to Cozumel, Mexico.

Before we headed out for Mexico we made a port of call in Key West. We were very familiar with Key West. Joe had worked there and I had visited on several occasions. Even so we enjoyed wandering around.

 

Once we reached Cozumel we took a wild ride across the channel to  Playa del Carmen. From there we took a bus to the Mayan Ruin at Tulum.

This was worth every penny. The ruins were amazing and when we went shopping we got to see The voladores, the flyers. These men tie themselves to a pole and and slowly descend circling the pole.

 

This cruise could have been longer as we didn’t have much time to spend in Mexico but what we saw was great. 

The Long Alaska Cruise Tour

With a couple of short cruises under my belt I let me sister talk me into taking an Alaska Cruise. What I learned from this experience is to not rely on the travel agent. As usual we were watching our pennies. We wanted to get the biggest bang for our buck. The travel agent convinced us that if we wanted to see baby animals, wildflowers and such we should take an early cruise-plus a shoulder season cruise was less expensive. Sounded good to us so we booked the first cruise of the season in late May. As our departure date neared we were notified of a cabin upgrade from ocean view to balcony. That was a great upgrade. We watched glaciers calve from that balcony.

On a shore excursion we got a taste of native culture.

Young Tlingit Dancer in Ceremonial dress

The weather didn’t cooperate for most of the cruise. Alaska had a late spring that year so there was still snow and a daily dose of cold, rainy, gray weather. We were glad we packed winter clothing. The bears were just beginning to come out of hibernation and most of the other mammals were still very pregnant. No babies yet and no wildflowers,  We were about a week too early! 

We did get to go dog sledding and spend time with the puppies. That was fun even though the snow had mostly melted there. Our sled was a big converted car body on wheels. I thought it would be too heavy for the dogs but they loved it. 

We did see Glaciers in Glacier Bay and bald eagles were everywhere. In Denali we got to see moose and caribou. At one port of call we spotted an otter! It wasn’t a total loss. I just think we had bad luck with our timing.  

Magarie Glacier

Bald Eagle on an ice floe

Even so Alaska is an amazing state. I want a return trip- by land this time. I’ve heard the way to see Alaska is in an RV but I’m still thinking about what I want from a return trip. 

Memory Lane

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Memory Lane

It’s a rainy Saturday morning. The weather folks say we’re getting a nor’easter with snow in the mountains. Seems like the perfect day to continue with my trip down Memory Lane. Last week we talked about Key Largo, Colonial Williamsburg, The Grand Canyon, and Maui. Let me see…where else have I been?

Airport CowboyJackson Hole Wyoming- 2017

My trip to Jackson Hole was a top 10 trip even though I almost got snowed in the day I was leaving. Located on the southern end of Grand Teton National Park the views are extraordinary. The Teton range rises from the valley floor with nary a foothill. Like a dragon spine the mountains are just there! Tall, jagged and majestic.  Throw in the wildlife and the history and you truly get a taste of the old  west.

 

 

A pair of Bull elk

Majestic Bull Elk in the Elk Reserve

Bear Up a tree

Black Bear

Jackson hole is not far from another amazing place. Yellowstone National Park.

Before the Charge

2 Grumpy Bison

Yellowstone National Park- 2017

Filled with geysers, mud pots and majestic mountains, Welcome to America’s First National Park.  This, like the Grand Canyon, should be on everyone’s must see bucket list. There is no place like it. This is also where I thought I was going to become a statistic- DOA in Yellowstone when 2 Bison decided my little rental car was challenging them. That was one scary moment! 

Old Faithful Erupts

Old Faithful

 

Besides the Bison I was lucky enough to see Grizzly 399 , the most famous grizzly bear mother in the world. This was a real high for me. I just wish she’d turned around for a frontal picture.

3 bears out for a stroll

Grizzly 399 and cubs

As long as we’re talking about wildlife, I can’t forget the trip to South Dakota that I took with my sister. 

Mount Rushmore

South Dakota -2010

When Sandy said let’s go to South Dakota I was puzzled. What’s in South Dakota? But it turned out to be a great trip. Besides the huge stone monuments of Mount Rushmore and Sitting Bull there were National Parks, wildlife, cave systems and the amazing scenery of the Badlands! We even got to see wild horses and visit a dinosaur dig!

 

 

Race the wind

Wild Horses

Badlands

That’s about all I have time for today so we’ll say goodbye with my little prairie dog friend. This is the iconic photo from the South Dakota trip. 

 

Prairie Dog with Flower

Oh, the Places I’ve Been!

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Oh, the Places I’ve Been!

Oh COVID how you’ve clipped my wings! But that doesn’t mean I can’t revisit the places I’ve been. Today I thought I’d take a trip back in  time to re-visit some of the places I’ve been. Care to come along?

Key Largo Fla – 2019

John Pennekamp State ParkNature at it’s finest. This northern most Island in the Florida Keys offers diving, snorkeling and a lot of Ocean Fun. My favorite spot- John  Pennekamp Coral Reef State Park. But be prepared with water shoes . The shoreline is sharp coral that can bruise and cut bare feet.              

Great White Heron in Mangroves – Key Largo 2019

Iguana at Pennekamp Park 2019

 

Busch Gardens – 2018

Colonial Williamsburg, VA (and Busch Gardens) – 2018

Just weeks before my hip replacement surgery I made a trip to Colonial Williamsburg. It was much colder than I expected Virginia to be even if it was November. I was joined by family and friends. 

Colonial Williamsburgh 2018

 

Carriage Colonial Williamsburgh 2018

On the South Rim, Grand Canyon 2008

Grand Canyon Arizona- 2011

If you have not been to the Grand Canyon you are missing an amazing sight. I’ve been twice and can’t wait to go again. When I first saw the canyon my mind could not embrace it all. It was too large, too majestic. I was with a guide and he warned us but I still felt dizzy and overwhelmed. Something this magnificent just couldn’t be real! But it is. 

Grand Canyon- 2011

Grand Canyon 2011

Maui Hawaii – 2020

Hawaii is one of my favorite places. I’ve been to the  Big Island, Oahu and Maui.  My latest trip was right before the pandemic. I was back on Maui and had a chance to go SNUBA diving. It’s like Scuba but your tank is floating on a raft on the surface and you breathe though a hose. The other big difference is that you do not need to be certified to SNUBA making it something everyone can try.

snuba at Turtletown 2020

Wind Surfing 2020

Oh, the Places I’ve Been!

This was fun. It’s nice to reminisce now and again. And I have so many other trips to share. Maine for Puffin watching, Sedona and my first helicopter ride . The amazing state of Alaska and Denali National Park. I can’t forget Yellowstone and Old Faithful, Florida and swimming with Manatees or the Big Island and snorkeling with Manta Rays. Not to mention Bears and Moose and Elk in Wyoming. The Teton Mountains are magnificent rising from the valley floor. We have a lot to talk about!

The Grand Teton

The Grand Teton 2017