An Analysis of My Vacation in the Dominican Republic

Last year I went on vacation to the Dominican Republic. My vacation to the DR was one of the best ones that I ever went on. It was one of the most beautful places inside the resort, but once I got out, I was able to see how poor the island is. During my vacation I was able to meet many people from many other countries including Germany, Belgium, and France. I was not so happy that we went there because I thought that we were going to go to the Florida Keys and we where not able to go because they where booked. So we ended up at the Dominican Republic.

One of the highlights of my vacation to the DR was that I was able to meet people from all over the world. I never knew that I would be able to talk to the kids that I ment from Germany, Belgium, and France. There second language was English. This suprised me because I did not know that they were going to be able to speak english. Suprisingly when I went up to the kids to talk to them the and I had thought that I ment kids from America. After talking to them for a while they had told me that they where from Belgum. All the while I was taling to them I realized that they where able to talk in many other languages to. They also knew french and pish. I also talked to this girl from france that talked little english but knew what you wher talking about when you talked to her but could not speak much english. So i would have my friends from Belgum translate stuff for me. So the whole language thing shocked me because so many people knew there how to speak it.

The other highlight that I had on my vacation was that I was able to get free food the whole time, because we went to an all inclusivce resort. Once I got there, I realized that the food was not the best that I had. The only thing that I had for a week straight was goat burgers and fries. The reason why was only able to eat the goat burger and fries is that, all the other food tasted like the bug spray smelled down there. It was not one of the best things there.

The biggest highlight that I had when I was down there was that the drinking age was 13. I went down to the club me and all my friends were able to drink. That one night that I was there people where drinking so much alchoal and so many little kids that where drinking it I was shocked. So th whole time I was down there I was drinking. The reason why this was such a big highlight was that back in the states I will not be able to drink till im 21 but there, I was able to drink even though I was 16.

Since I returnerd from my vacation to the Dominican Republic I don’t think that I benefited from anything down there to effect daily life. The only thing that I might of have benefited from is that I was able to realize how poor some people are and what people from other countries are like and they are just like us in the states. The bvenifits from seeing how poor some people where down there is that no matter how bad I have it i know that someone has it worse. The people down there where so poor that they would do almost anything for a doller. In American money I think that they got paied around a dollar a day to chop down sugar cane. Another benifit from going there is that I realized people have very little and the houses that they lived in where the size of my shed. This made me think that people have it really rough down there. The way that it went down there is that you are poor or rich.

Read more

My Vacation in Italy

Obviously, since the universe never allows me to have a simple vacation, I happened to visit during one of the first major heatwaves in years. I checked the weather app on my phone. 92 degrees fahrenheit, 85% humidity. I stuffed my phone back in my bag with a exasperated sigh. The tour bus, as it usually does not experience such weather, had no treatment from the heat other than an overhead fan over each seat. The italian countryside rolled by my window. Lots of sunflowers, for whatever reason. The ride from Florence to Pisa was about two hours, and with my nintendo 3Ds out of charge, I had not much else to do but stare out the window. The outskirts of Florence was very reminiscent to the southern United States.I spent the time reflecting on my morning trip to Florence, which is essential background information for the fiasco I will experience in Pisa.

So, first of all, I wasn’t traveling in Italy alone with my family. My parents had a Marriott membership that was a wedding gift they received 20 years ago and since they never used their points on anything, they had enough for a mediterranean cruise. The cruise line offered tours, which we had one scheduled for every day. Today we were going to Florence and Pisa to see the Statue of David and the Leaning Tower. We were packed into a tour bus with fellow cruisers and sent off. This is where I introduce a major character in my story, a boy around the age of 19 who my family has lovingly nicknamed “Free Wi-fi” due to the fact that he was constantly on the lookout for free wi-fi. He was cruising with his Grandma, and they were filthy rich. They claimed to be from the upper east side in Manhattan, just to give you an idea of how rich they were. I first met them when we were waiting on line to get in to see the Statue of David. His grandma was an extremely talkative woman, mentioning that he is “her favorite grandson” because “he usually wanders off with the group, but he always comes back.” He complained that he hadn’t seen a Starbucks since we got here and he needed wi-fi. I told him that Starbucks failed in italy due to the drastically different coffee consumption habits. He wanted no part of it. He told his grandma he was going off to find a Starbucks or a cafe with wi-fi and left. The statue of David is

much bigger than you expect, and we had a great time without him slinking around the seedy back roads of Florence. Florence is a scary town by the way, I wouldn’t recommend visiting.

So eventually Free Wifi returned to the group and we boarded the bus and made our way to Pisa. We got there and it was still hot, no surprise. There was a small ice cream parlor right outside the tower that gave us free water, so we made that our group meeting point. The tower can not allow continuous access up and down because the tower may fall after a few years and the stairwell was pretty narrow, so they only allow 30 people up every half an hour. Our appointment to climb was in 45 minutes, so the group split up and shopped at the long line of vendors selling souvenirs. I photobombed a few people who were taking that touristy “look i’m holding up the tower” picture by high fiving them as I passed. We were expected to wait outside the tower for the rest of the group. Free Wi-Fi and his grandma were there, but she was old and refused to climb. She held their bags and told her grandson to experience the tower. We all went up without incident.

So first of all, the tower is not an easy climb in the slightest. I never really put two and two together, but the stairwell is leaning along with the tower. Each step is also worn in the middle due to hundreds of years of climbing, which was cool. My family reached the top, exhausted, hot and sweaty. Free Wi-fi was already at the top, scrolling away on his phone. He found Wi-fi at the top of the tower. We were expected to meet back at the ice cream parlor in half an hour, so we booked it down the stairs and out the courtyard back to the parlor. We were

the first ones there, and eventually more and more group members returned.

However, Free Wi-fi and his grandmother were nowhere to be found.

So, we waited 15 minutes.

25 minutes.

45 minutes.

Nowhere to be found. The shit was leaving the dock in 2 and a half hours, and the ride home was an hour and a half. The group had to leave them behind. We made our way back to the bus, making jokes at the couple’s expense.

Riding home, looking at the sunflowers roll by again. It’s been an hour, we’re almost back to the dock. The tour guide receives a phone call.

It’s Free Wi-fi and his grandmother.

They are pissed, to say the least. Screaming over the phone about being abandoned, how they’ll sue, they’ll be talking to the cruiseline about this, etc. They demanded that we turn the bus around and get them. The boat was leaving in a hour, the ride to Pisa alone was an hour and a half. We couldn’t turn around. We left the tour bus, all excited to find out about what will happen to them. Apparently he found Wi-fi at the top of the tower and lost track of time.

And that’s the story of how a spoiled 19 year old kid caused a entire cruise of thousands of people to be delayed for 4 hours all because he found wi-fi at the top of a cultural icon.

Read more

An Creative Writing of My Vacation

My Vacation

While on vacation in Acapulco Mexico, I also with my family and friends took a tour by boat to a small resort island. As we approached, I was struck by its beauty. I knew this was going to be fun, but had no idea that this place would be forever in my mind. Two natives dressed in bright colored tropical shirts greeted us at the dock. They escorted us to an open-air type restaurant with a thatched roof that was actually attached to the pier at which we docked. The restaurant had a casual atmosphere that made us very comfortable. The food was served buffet style, with an elegant array of Mexican and American cuisine.

The entertainment provided in the restaurant during and after the buffet was delightful. A ten-minute introduction to the Mexican culture was followed by an intriguing native dance, that was performed by a man dressed in an authentic looking costume consisting of only a rawhide g-string with a short apron in the front. His sandals had leather cords winding halfway up his legs. This dance told a story of a hunter and his prey. It was narrated by a woman who was also in costume. Brightly dressed Mexican men were beating drums and banging sticks, to provide the sound effects for the story. This was truly a great beginning to a wonderful afternoon.

Behind the restaurant was a low mountainous area, accessible by walking trails only. We hiked one of these trails, observing the brightly colored tropical plants and trees that flourished on this well maintained terrain. A beautiful waterfall added to the splendor, and when we reached the top, a lookout provided a panoramic view of the entire bay. What a breathtaking sight. There was a bar here, and after a cool drink we decided to head down. We took a different trail down that brought us to the base of the mountain. In front of us, about 150 feet was the beach. It was 90 degrees and the Mexican sun made the sand hot under our feet. However, a gentle breeze kept us comfortable.

On the beach we rented a cabana with a table, and beach chairs. There, we sat and enjoyed one of those big tropical drinks that has fruit on the edge of the glass and a small umbrella of its own. Staring out into the bay from my chair was possibly the most serene feeling I have had in all my life. There were many people around and they were making plenty of noise, but my mind was absorbed with the natural beauty of this place. It was

like none that I had ever seen before. Looking across the bay towards the mainland, with

all its hustle and bustle, I felt as if I had found paradise.

I had been to the ocean twice before, but only in the U.S., and never to a bay. Bay waters are much calmer, and therefore much clearer. In fact, that at a depth of six feet I was able to see a penny. The color of the water is also amazingly different from oceans water. The intensity of the blue color is almost fluorescent.

After we rested, we decided it was time to get wet, so we rented snorkeling equipment and entered the warm water. I had never snorkeled before, but it wasnt long before I felt comfortable. Most of my family experiences and mine were in very shallow water and I dont think it was even necessary to go down more than ten feet. The fish didnt seem to be bothered by our presence, and although I dont know what kind they were, I touched two of them, and there reaction was only to flip there tail. About forty feet out from the beach it was still only about seven or eight feet deep, and thats where the coral appeared. The feeling I had while snorkeling was something that no television or video could have given me. The vivid colors of the coral alone were enough to make this whole trip worthwhile. There were many different types of fish. Most of them with vibrant colors, varying in size from the size of a silver dollar, to the size of a foot or more in length. If youve seen the salt-water fish tank in a pet store, you know of the vibrant colors that I am talking about. But being in the water with these creatures of beauty, who seen to welcome your presence, is something that needs to be experience to appreciate. Swimming back towards shore, I kept thinking of how sorry I was that this part of the day

was over.

Back on the beach, the sound of a horn signaled the need to prepare for the trip across the bay. Fortunately, the boat that came to pick us up was not the same as the boat that dropped us off. This one had a glass bottom that enabled the passengers to observe everything beneath the boat. There was an experienced diver who was a part of the entertainment. He dived under the boat, and as we watched in awe, he grabbed the tail of a three-foot shark, pulling himself closer enough to the sharks head for his head to be bitten. The diver began to pet the shark as if it were only a puppy. We also saw other fishes as we made our way back to the mainland.

Once on shore we headed back to our hotel just in time to see yet another splendor, an Acapulco sunset. We made our way to the roof of the hotel, so that we could get a panoramic view. The rainbow of colors in the sky was more than you could see in any painting. There were hues of peach to deep orange, pale pink to deep fusia and purple. Gold was entwined throughout, and the sun itself was like a ball of fire. The colors kept changing, as if an artist was continually trying to improve on its beauty. The sunset lasted about twenty minutes, but the colorful streaks in the sky remained vivid for another half hour. I have never seen a magnificent sunset like this before.

Five years have passed now since that trip. In that time I have seen many beautiful

places, but none have made as profound an impression on me as that little island in Acapulco Bay.

 

Read more

An Essay on My Vacation in the Caribbean

I awoke; there was a crash on the upper deck. I heard a thunderous crackling from my head above. I ran up the stairs and what I saw devastated me. The small wooden boat was completely coated in billowy flames.”Help, help, somebody please!”I slowly moved towards the sound being careful to dodge flames as much as possible. The smoke was choking me. I could see a faint outline of a face across the deck. It was Tom, my lifelong friend and companion. He was completely surrounded by the bright flames.

“Tom are you okay?â I asked.

“Yeah, but the fire has me surrounded!” he shrieked.

“Tom jump overboard, hurry!”

“But….but….”

“Do it quick, hurry!”

I hit the surprisingly cold water with a crash. I swam through the sea illuminated by the flames to find Tom.

“You okay buddy?” I inquired.

“Yeah the flames were everywhere and I wasn’t sure what to do.”

“Well you did the right thing Tom.”

Finally he was beside me riding over the waves. We found a large board that supported our weight and we began to circle the destroyed vessel. I began to feel weary from inhaling so much smoke. Everything was going dark and before long I couldn’t hold on.

When I finally woke up, I had no idea where I was. All I could feel was rugged sand all over my body and in my mouth. Land! We had washed ashore! Then I remembered fully what had happened last night. I began yelling for Tom, “Tom, Tom, where are you?” There was no sign of him anywhere. Then I saw the footprints in the sand. I knew they were his because I had never seen a bigger pair of feet in my life. They were going towards the lofty trees ahead of me that lined the boundary of the seaside. I followed them and found him lying against an aged tree trunk. I went around to confront him and discovered he was passed out. Blood ran across his face and down his sandy chest. He must have hit a rock when the waves crashed him against the shore. I began to panic and I hurried to find something to cover his wound. I took a portion of his torn pants and wrapped his forehead up in it. He awoke with a scream of pain and looked around frantically trying to figure out what was going

on.

“Tom are you okay?”I questioned.

“Umm yea, I guess!”he replied.

“We were washed ashore and you probably hit your head on a rock.”

“Well it sure does hurt but, I guess I’m all right.”

We finally calmed down and we began exploring to figure out where we were. There seemed to be no signs of life so we ventured inward following a small stream of fresh water. The few palm trees began to form an amazing rain forest as we traveled deeper and deeper in to this mysterious place. We came to a small clear pond, it was a spring.

“Here Tom, this water is just what you need for your cut.”I told him.

“Great, I can wash out my cut, it really hurts!”he exclaimed.

“Here” I whispered as I splashed his forehead with the cold fresh water.

I knelt down and began to drink the cool clear water. It soothed my salty and sore throat. We decided we needed something like a shelter to stay in. We carried sticks and leaves to a group of trees near the pond and before long we had a semi-efficient hut. I was cold after leaving the sun into the cool rain forest so I tried building a fire. After patiently striking a piece of flint against my pocket knife, a flame shot up from the pile of brush; before long I was as warm as a sweating dog on a hot summer day. This wasn’t exactly how I planned on spending my vacation in the Caribbean. I thought we would be taking it easy cruising across the rolling waves for two weeks. We had no idea where we were, and we had no idea how long we were going to be here.

The next morning we began to venture inward. We were cautious not to get lost. By scratching trees and drawing in the ground we made sure we could find our way back again. It was amazing. There were birds singing, monkeys swinging in trees, and wildlife everywhere. This rain forest was so much cooler then on the beach. The sun couldn’t shine down with the ferocity it would anywhere else.

“Did it just get hot, or is it just me?”Tom questioned.

“Well it’s not you, it just got hotter Tom!”I responded.

“Why is that?”

“Really, to tell you the truth I don’t know.”

We walked for what felt like forever; we were hot, tired, and stiff. I rested to get a drink. Ouch! The pain was astounding. The water was boiling hot! I looked down at my hand and saw blisters and bloody skin.

“What happened to your hands?”Tom inquired.

“I….I don’t know, I just placed my hand in the water and…….”Tom took a closer look and yelled “Phew, this water stinks like rotten cheese!”

He looked at me then at the stream. With a puzzled look on his face he took a tree branch and stuck it in the pool of water. Before our eyes we watched as it bubbled and the stick disintegrated before our astonished eyes. The water was acid, but why? Ah! Yes! It all made sense. The heat, the acid, we were on a volcanic island! We stood alarmed for quite a while until I heard a sound that made me turn pale. A growl, a flesh hungry growl from behind my back. An animal ready to tear me limb from limb. I turned in an instant and backed up to Tom’s side. It was a panther, as black as death itself.

I whispered, “Tom, what should we do?”

“I don’t know but he sure looks hungry!”

“Okay, when I say go lets run as fast as we possibly can. Ready……….GO!”

We hurried but, it was the kind of death run where you know you were doomed. The panther was right behind us, it’s claws tearing up our footprints. One wrong move and he would be ripping us up. He ran us on to a cliff; we turned to face him while he slowly walked up to us. I looked into his eyes and I could see victory; he knew he had won and he wanted us to know. He shifted his legs getting ready for the pounce. Suddenly there was a great blast, it shook with tremendous force! I grabbed a small tree beside me and Tom grabbed my leg I looked up ready to see the pale evil eyes of the panther but I saw nothing. Where was he? The shaking has slowed and I looked over the edge. He had fallen; his corpse lay motionless on the rocky ground below. Tom quickly averted my attention to the sky, smoke rose above the trees nearby and a thick smell of acid was in the air. The ground breaking open and now lava spewed from the islands insides. It was burning with remarkable speed, worst of all it was headed straight for us!

“Run, Tom run!” I ran as fast as I possibly could towards the beaches. Tom was just ahead of me. I ran as fast as I could but the pain was intense, my hand was nothing more than a bloody limb. I was

slowing as Tom ran faster. Suddenly I found myself on the ground. A sharp pain ran across my side and down my leg. I tried to move it but I couldn’t. I began to choke; I felt blood run down my face and on to the hot shaking ground.

“Tom, Tom, help me…help!”

“Don’t worry I will get you out of here!” He ran up and grabbed me, threw me over his shoulder and carried me towards shore. I almost passed out as the agonizing pain engulfed me. I forced myself to stay alert and alive. He trudged on as the wind blew the scorching heat across our bodies. It was getting hotter and the smoke of burning rain forest began to cover the mysterious island. Finally we reached the beach and he placed me under a palm tree while he began to make a raft. He gathered driftwood, vines and branches together. The heat was getting worse and the lava was getting closer. The faint crackling of fire could be heard; the same evil, laughing crackling of flames that destroyed our boat and caused this disaster only a little while ago. He finished using all the supplies from around us and the raft he had made had to do. He carried it to the water and then carried me to it. He balanced it against the thundering waves as I dragged myself on it. I got on and then he waited until the next wave passed before he jumped on. Without warning I was under water. Salt filled my throat as pain ripped through my body as I was tossed by the waves like a rag doll. I felt a tug on my neck as Tom hauled me toward the surface. I coughed and spit trying to clear my throat of salt and sand. Tom placed me on the raft and again tried to get on. Once again I was thrown into the water as soon as the waves hit. I had no way to hold on, or to swim. With one arm and one leg I was at the mercy of Mother Nature. We returned to shore and I knew we were running out of time.

“This is not going to work, what can we do?”called out Tom.

“I don’t know Tom!âl exclaimed.

I saw the panic in Tom’s eyes and I knew what I had to do. With tear filled eyes I said, “Tom, leave without me!”

“I can’t leave you, thereâs no way that will happen.”

“Go!”I yelled.

There was no way I would be able to stay on the raft and even if I did I knew I was dying. I asked him to put me under a palm tree facing the rain forest because I knew I couldn’t bear to watch him leave.

“Bye…bye Tom.”I sobbed.

“Bye, buddy. â he wept.

I watched him out of the corner of my eye as he slowly walked away sobbing. I couldn’t take it and I began to cry, tears streamed down my face. I knew it was the right thing to do but it was so hard. Eventually the waves overpowered his sobbing screams. I was left, alone, to die a slow death.

But then, out of the distance, appeared a sail boat with two men. â¶Please help me!âДI tried to get their attention but it with worthless. I then saw Tomâ¶ls flare. Why didnât we try that before? I quickly grabbed the flare and shot. They didnât see me. I shot again. Hopefully that worked because there werenât any shots left. Luckily, it did and the boat headed my way. After they pulled me aboard and covered my wounds they asked me why I had been on the island. After telling them my story and about my brave friend Tom, the men informed me that they had picked up a man right before they saw me and he was down below. I jumped up and hobbled down to see if it was my lost comrade, and it was! At last, we were both saved! As we finally made it back to civilization I thought about how fortunate I was to have a friend like Tom and my next vacation will be spent deep in the pages of a good book.

 

Read more

Dream Vacation: Family Vacation Essay

This was our first family road trip. Not just any family vacation trip, but with my brother’s and sister’s family as well. There were nine boisterous kids under the age of twelve visiting Disneyworld that summer. We agreed this vacation trip will be an adventure of a lifetime. My younger son packed a lot of computer games just in case this was not an exciting trip. The computer games were all in one large duffle bag.

It was late June and we decided to take a two-day road trip from New York to Florida. Our itinerary was to make a mid-way stop in North Carolina for an overnight stay. We packed everything in two mini-vans to make this twenty hour drive. Going to Florida from New York on Interstate 95 was probably the easy route to follow, but it didn’t start out that way. When we reached Maryland, there was an overturn crash caused by an incident between a big rig and pick- up truck which created a traffic nightmare on the highway, or we were told. There was also a high terrorism alert, they stopped certain vehicles on the highway crossing into the Washington, DC area. At one moment, my husband turned to me and said, “We should have stayed home.”

We decided to make a stop in the DC area for lunch. We went to the nearest eatery, a McDonald’s because the temperature had spiked to 100 degree with high humidity which made walking unbearable. We got back into the vans and decided to continue onward to make our mid-way target to North Carolina. Then my son screamed in disbelief, “Mom, I left the game bag at McDonald’s.” After making a U-turn and retrieving the bag, we were back on the road again.

Then my niece claimed she has food poisoning, requesting stops every hour. Between the many bathroom breaks and “are we there yet?” there was a moment I asked myself, “Should we continue with this trip?” We arrived exhausted at the hotel in North Carolina and slept through the night. During breakfast, the kids were calmer and everyone seemed to be in good spirits with each other. They were discussing the places along the routes and who should be sitting with whom in the vans.

And suddenly, everything seems to go without a hitch to Florida. When I checked into the Walt Disney Swan and Dolphin Resort, the front desk clerk must have looked over at my disheveled hair and felt sorry for me. The concierge asked, “Would you like a free room upgrade?” I answered, “Yes, thank you.” I was too tired to respond intelligently and didn’t give it too much thought. I thought it was an airline ticket change from coach to business class.

When we entered the rooms, we were shocked to learn that we have been upgraded from standard double rooms to a suite. The suite is a duplex bedroom with an open balcony overseeing the Epcot Disney theme park. We watched the fireworks from our windows that night. It was glorious. For the next few days, the kids enjoyed all four theme parks, relaxed at the poolside cabanas and swam in the Olympic size pools. In the evenings, we biked along the boardwalk and enjoyed the massive firework displays.

I’m glad we continued on this journey and arrived at our destination. We spent that week strolling along on the beach, went swimming with dolphins and exploring different water sports. There was a moment I asked myself, “Am I having fun? Is this a good vacation? And the answer was a definite “yes”. It is the relationship that we developed as a family that was the real adventure. When I reminisce on those times, no matter how badly the vacation started, you don’t want to miss the journey on how you arrive there. That is the real adventure. There were those moments when I talked with my son and he agreed he had the best adventure ever. I certainly do not regret this road trip almost not taken.

Read more

My Vacation Experience

Days before my vacation started, I was stressed out and running around, trying to get everything packed. Getting food packed up, filling coolers with ice, Loading my bags into the car. Finally, the morning of the trip was dark and a bit chilly. I had a long ride before we got there.
Picture this, 3 kids and 2 adults packed in like sardines. 2 of the three kids are just a little over 2 years old. The ride down to the keys was nice at first, then the babies woke up. They seemed to cry for the longest time till their big brother decided to play with them.

We are finally in the Florida Keys. It was very sunny and the smell of the ocean made me relax. I couldn’t believe it, I am finally here. I booked my hotel room and we brought all our belongings and everything else in the room. I decided we should go down to the pool and have a nice swim in the water. It was cool and felt great to float through the water after the long ride down to the Keys.

After the pool, we decided to go out with my father in law on his boat. The sky was so blue, and the breeze felt great. I couldn’t believe how far you can see, we decided to go lobstering, it was my first time lobstering, so I was nervous.

The day was beautiful and there were boat’s flying past us. The water went from a baby blue to a pale green. It felt nice to feel the wind blowing on my face. But now it’s time to get into the water and go lobstering. As the gentlemen on the boat got the hooka rig set up, I was also getting my scuba diving equipment on.

Getting into the ocean was easy with all my diving equipment. Once I was in the water I felt weightless. I couldn’t feel the weight bags attached to my hips and the air hose attached to me. But it was beautiful, the coral reef was beautiful. And the ledges were high, underneath one ledge was a massive nerve shark laying there sleeping.

I’m not scared of sharks unless they are circling me, but this one was ok. There were fish everywhere. So many fish in so many colors, I wish I could have stayed all day.

Getting my first lobster was a challenge, they stay in holes on the bottom of the ocean and you have to stick your hand down into the hole to get them. You have to grab onto the knuckle below their antenna, but you don’t know what’s in that hole so you have to be careful. It was exhilarating grabbing my first lobster, I can’t believe I did it, next time I would like to have gloves though.

It was getting late, so goodbye lobsters till next time. The boat ride back was beautiful, the sun was going slowly down, the water was shimmering, and watching the boats coming in with us was fun to watch, seemed as if everyone was in a hurry to get back to shore.
Finally getting back to the hotel I showered and we went to a restaurant to eat. It was on the ocean overlooking a beautiful sunset. I ordered shrimp, baked potatoes, and Mac N cheese. It was delicious the best food I have ever had. Or maybe it was because I was relaxed, and spending a great time with my family. I think even the air smelled better there.

The kids had a blast playing on the beach, making sand castles and splashing in the waves. I took lots of pictures of my babies playing. I think we found what they like. I loved strolling on the beach and watching the waves splash up. And we even went shopping at smaller shops. I think things were slower there and I had no stress while there.

Then it was finally time to head home, I didn’t want to leave, I could stay there forever, But I had to get back to work. The trip back was actually better. The kids slept all the way home. Which I can hardly believe, since they gave us so much trouble on the way down. Maybe all the sun and fun wore them out.

When we finally made it home, I was glad but sad. I can’t wait till next September when we go back. Next time I think we will do more exploring. And maybe we can even stay a little longer.

The end

Read more

Cruise Ship Vacation vs. Land Based Resort Vacation

Instead of taking an ordinary family vacation this year, consider the rewards of a cruise vacation. As opposed to just staying at the resort you are visiting, you could be visiting a different country almost every day. Even with time restrictions while in ports of call, cruiseship vacations are fun and educational because you can visit four countries in seven days. From weekend getaways to world cruises, there is a cruise available that will fit within your vacation schedule.

Although the three and four day “getaway cruises” are very popular, the average cruise is seven days. You can book a romantic getaway cruise to the Bahamas or Mexico from ports such as Port Canaveral, Florida, Fort Lauderdale, Florida, Miami, Florida, Mobile, Alabama, New Orleans, Louisiana, Galveston, Texas, San Diego, California, or Los Angeles, California. If you desire to visit the Virgin Islands of the Eastern Caribbean or a couple of the Central American countries in the Western Caribbean, seven to 10 day cruises are also available out of these same ports.

When shopping around for a cruiseline, you will find that most cruiselines are very competitive with their rates, Carnival is usually the cheapest and Disney tends to be the most expensive. All cruiselines offer optional travel insurance at very low cost. I highly recommend purchasing this insurance. It covers a wide variety of situations ranging from canceling your vacation because of illness or family emergency, to becoming ill while onboard, to having to be airlifted off the ship because of medical emergency.

On one cruise, I became ill the day before the cruise and was very ill by the time everyone was ready for supper that evening. I had to spend the night in the ships’ hospital where I incurred a bill of $995. The travel insurance I purchased paid the bill 100%. While I have been on a total of eight cruises between Carnival, Royal Caribbean, and Princess, it is difficult to say which cruiseline is my favorite because each has individual perks that are unique to that particular company. Another factor that will affect the price of your cruise is the type of stateroom you will stay in.

You have a choice of an interior room, an ocean view room, a balcony room, or a suite. The interior, ocean view, and balcony are all approximately 165 square feet each. The interior has no windows, the ocean view has one medium-sized window, and the balcony room has a private balcony (usually about 35 sq ft). My wife and I prefer the balcony room because it is so romantic to eat breakfast on the balcony every morning. The suites come in about four or five different sizes. Rooms also vary in price according to which deck you are on. The higher the deck your room is on, the higher the price will be.

Taking a traditional land-based vacation to a resort allows you to spend your entire vacation in one locale where you may wish to venture away from the resort and do some sightseeing. Most resorts also have a variety of rooms to choose from. Whether you want to have your vacation on land or at sea, the first thing you need to do is decide where you want to go, then choose your accommodations for your stay. As the countdown begins toward your cruise, there are several items that must be taken care of. Probably the most important document each passenger must possess is a passport.

This is required for all International Travel. A passport costs approximately $90 and is valid for 10 years. If you do not already have a passport, it will take approximately six weeks to receive one by standard mail. If your vacation is at a resort located within the 48 contiguous states, a passport is not required; however, one will be needed if you travel to Alaska or Hawaii no matter what method of transportation you choose. You will also need your driver’s license. Your driver’s license will be used for identification purposes when you board the ship after visiting a foreign country.

Don’t forget to put your cruise tickets somewhere where you will not forget to take them. You would not be the first person to arrive at the cruise terminal only to realize that you left your tickets at home. Pack clothing suitable for the climate of the country you will be visiting. Alaskan cruises tend to be a little chilly even in the summer months. If you are traveling to the Caribbean, light, airy clothing will be the order of the day. Don’t forget to take a couple of formal outfits. Three to five day cruises have one formal night and seven day cruises have two formal nights. These are nights you dress up and act like royalty.

Starting with your second cruise on the same cruiseline, you will also find yourself invited to the Captain’s Cocktail Party or Welcome Back Party! All medication that you will need on your trip should be packed in your luggage in its’ original container from the pharmacy. Any medication that you will need on the day you set sail should be on your person as you will not receive all your luggage until approximately eight p. m. If you are flying to the city of departure, make sure to check with the cruiseline for transfers from the airport to the cruise pier and also back to the airport after the cruise.

These are available for a nominal fee and are usually cheaper than the local taxi’s. If you decide to drive to the cruise pier, you can expect to pay approximately $15 per day for a parking fee. Early preparation is the key to a relaxing vacation. If your travel documents are in order, pack your suitcases about a week in advance and avoid the last minute rush of throwing everything together, and possibly forgetting something. On the day you are to set sail, I suggest arriving at the cruise terminal around 10 a. m.

This will allow you to beat most of the traffic, avoid standing in long lines, and you can be one of the first to board the ship, thus allowing you to be at the front of the line to eat lunch and sit at a table by a window. Approximately one hour before the ship sets sail, all guests and crew must be at their assigned lifeboat station for a mandatory U. S. Coastguard lifeboat drill. This drill usually only takes about 20 minutes. Next is the sail away party on the top deck with live music, dancing, and waving goodbye to the people standing along the shoreline.

As soon as the ship is in International waters, the casino and onboard duty free shops will be open. Now it is time to prepare for dinner. You have a choice every night for dinner. You can eat in the main dining room (proper attire required) or you can eat on the top deck in a more casual atmosphere at the buffet. After dinner, why not take in a Broadway show in the ships main theater which is usually two to three decks high. A wide variety of bars and dance clubs will also be open to allow you to dance the night away. After a good night’s sleep, a full day of possibilities awaits you.

Your first full day of vacation will either find you at your first port of call or spending a relaxing day at sea enroute to your first port. If you are in a port, please pay particular attention to what time the ship leaves and allow yourself plenty of time to return to the ship from your shore excursion. The ship is on a very strict schedule and cannot wait for people who do not make it back on time. If this is a day at sea, here is a list of some of the activities that are available onboard. Fitness center opens about six a. m. , trivia contests, scavenger hunts, men’s belly lop competition, champagne art auction, bingo, slot machine contest, ping pong tournament, karaoke, after dinner Broadway style show, spa, library, Internet lounge, shuffleboard, mini golf, yoga classes, rock climbing wall, and there are about a dozen bars to choose from including poolside bars, sports bars, themed bars, and several dance clubs to choose from also. You can also choose to do nothing and just lay by the pool and soak up some sun. The most hectic part of your vacation is over once you have made it through the traffic and waited in line to be processed as a passenger.

Once you walk across the gangway and board the ship, you can leave all the stress and worries behind you. When you and your family sit down and try to decide where to go on vacation this year, think about how rewarding it will be to combine a world of fun with a learning experience the whole family will enjoy. Do you want to spend a week in a hotel with limited sightseeing available or would you prefer to spend a week visiting several countries with endless possibilities, and you only have to unpack your suitcase once.

Read more
OUR GIFT TO YOU
15% OFF your first order
Use a coupon FIRST15 and enjoy expert help with any task at the most affordable price.
Claim my 15% OFF Order in Chat
Close

Sometimes it is hard to do all the work on your own

Let us help you get a good grade on your paper. Get professional help and free up your time for more important courses. Let us handle your;

  • Dissertations and Thesis
  • Essays
  • All Assignments

  • Research papers
  • Terms Papers
  • Online Classes
Live ChatWhatsApp