Marathon Weekend–Saturday

It’s Saturday night and the nerves are starting to set in – for both my mom and me. I always get super nervous when she races.

Today was an early wake-up call for us as we were going to Disney World for the day! The last time I was at Disney was a little over a year ago on my birthday but before that? It had been at least ten years. Crazypants! I think I felt “too mature” for Disney. Luckily, there was this great deal where you spend $99 and get a three-day pass to the park (or spend $128 and get a three-day park hopper pass which allows access to all four Disney parks) so we jumped at the opportunity, since it will allow my brother and I a place to chill while waiting for Mom to finish her race.

Anyway! Today was about Disney – and most especially, experiencing Disney through my nephew’s eyes. Today was his first day at the park ever and being that he’s pretty obsessed with all things Disney (specifically Mickey Mouse and Toy Story), he was in heaven. He was mostly concerned about seeing Mickey but, unfortunately, we never made it over to his meet-and-great area. He did see Pluto, Pinocchio, and Buzz Lightyear. (He was too scared to go up to Pluto and Pinocchio but took a GREAT picture for Buzz!)

We spent about seven hours at the park today and barely covered two of their lands. Disney World is so huge, there’s no way you could do all you want to do in one day there. We did do a few fun things – the carousel, the teacups (which he LOVED!), the Buzz Lightyear ride (My master zapping abilities were impressive. At least to me.), and the Winnie the Pooh ride, to name a few.

As a sidenote, I saw a lady bring her tiny, tiny baby on the teacup ride. The baby couldn’t have been more than two months old – and I think I’m giving him a few weeks on that age. WHY WOULD YOU TAKE A NEWBORN TO DISNEY WORLD… MUCH LESS ON A SPINNING RIDE? I just don’t understand this! Even if you don’t use the spinner, it still goes pretty fast for a BABY. Weird.

We had a fun day, though! It was so neat to experience the park through the eyes of a three-year-old. When we arrived, there was a parade of all the characters coming through and the utter glee and astonishment on his face at seeing them all was priceless.

We arrived back at the hotel around 6:00pm and my nephew was zonked out. My brother and sister-in-law left to pick up a pizza and the rest of the night consists of playoff football, eating, and kicking back. My self-imposed bedtime of 7:00pm is flying out the window so now I’m hoping to make it to bed by at least 10:00pm. That will give me… oh, four hours of anxiety-ridden sleep? Sounds like fun!

I’ll be back for the MARATHON recap tomorrow! I will be tweeting up a storm all morning long so be prepared for the onslaught!

Marathon Weekend–Friday

Hello, hello, from Orlando!

I have wanted to get better at documenting my life on my blog. When looking back on my blog from the past year for my yearly recap, it was apparent I don’t blog too much about my everyday life – especially as it relates to trips I take. Not that I’m jettisoning off to different exciting locales every other month, but I hope to begin traveling more now that I’m done with school and my life has calmed down a lot.

But that’s not what this post is about! Today, I left work at 1pm so my mom and I could begin our trek to Orlando for marathon weekend!

The trip up wasn’t bad at all. We had stopped before beginning the drive for lunch, gas, and to pick up a package at the apartment. My mom drove (since I’ll be driving home. Something about having tired legs from running 26.2 miles?!) and we arrived a little before 4:00pm.

We checked in, found our room, and relaxed for a little less than an hour. My mom was anxious to get to the expo. While our stay here is pricey (we’re staying at the Animal Kingdom Lodge), it’s worth it for a) easy transportation to and from the race site and b) views like this:

We headed down to ESPN’s Wide World of Sports for the race expo. It was smooth sailing there, from picking up her bib to getting her tech tee and swag to strolling around the expo. It wasn’t as crowded and hectic as last year, possibly because we went later in the day? I also forced my mom to buy something. Last year, she didn’t buy anything and you just cannot run a race like Disney and not buy something at the expo. Am I right? She bought a shirt from a ministry called Team 413, a Christian charity that ministers at endurance events. Pretty, pretty cool.

And somehow, my paths crossed with an old friend from my days as an education major in college. Divine intervention that from all the thousands of people who are running this weekend and the hundreds at the expo, our paths our literally cross right in front of each other! We had a ton of education classes together and she was a really close friend of mine in college. We’ve somewhat kept up with each other but it was so neat to see her! She’s running the half tomorrow (go, Kim!).

We left the expo, hopped back on the bus to take us back to our hotel, and then left to hit up Premium Outlets. It’s an outlet mall with a ton of name-brand stores that is an absolute must whenever I visit Orlando. I spent $35 and bought a new cover for my Kindle (I have a case, but it’s not as sturdy as my other one so I wanted something to carry it in) from the Vera Bradley outlet, as well as a scarf and hat from The Loft outlet. I’m not the best at bargain shopping so I was stoked.

(I also saw a fairly popular blogger at the Lululemon outlet but was way too shy to go up to her and introduce myself. We’ve somewhat chatted on Twitter off and on, but I felt really awkward, especially surrounded by all those runner/yogi types in the store. Sigh. Will I ever grow out of my social awkwardness?)

After the mall, my mom and I headed to Outback Steakhouse for dinner. It was packed but the wait wasn’t too bad, especially for a Friday night. And our service & food was delicious. Seriously, my mom and I have such bad luck with service so we’re especially grateful when the waiter actually does his job.

And now, it’s 11:15 and I’m in my jammies, writing this blog post. My plans for being more well-rested for marathon day are flying out the window, I believe. Tomorrow, my brother, sister-in-law, and nephew are coming up here in the morning and we’re all going to spend the day at Disney. I’m pretty excited as it will be my nephew’s first time! And I just love Disney.

I’m off to bed now, hoping to get some good sleep before an insane two days that are ahead of me. Thanks for all your words of encouragement for my mom, they really mean a lot! She still has a lot of nerves (who wouldn’t?) but she also has a lot of excitement, too. I hope I can find time to blog before Sunday but if not, I’ll update on Sunday night!

Have you ever seen a blogger in public but were too shy to approach? I’m not alone in my social awkwardness, am I?

Carnival Inspiration

I wanted to give a fair review of my first cruising experience. I’m an inexperienced cruiser, but I’m pretty positive I will be experienced in just a few more years because I am hooked on cruising. I’m drawing from Caitlin’s review post of her stay at a resort in the Dominican Republic to give this review. Ratings are as follows:

1 - Lamesauce

2 - Fair

3 - Good

4 - Great

5 - Awesomesauce

CABIN (4 - Great)

I really, really loved our cabin. It was small, but not as small as I had imagined. There was plenty of space for us to put all of our clothes and girl junk. Everything was up-to-date and clean. My only problems lied in the bathroom and outlets. The bathroom was tiny. I think my walk-in closet at my apartment is bigger than the bathroom was. There wasn’t a lot of space to put anything, especially in the shower stall. (I had to balance my shampoo and conditioner on the soap/shampoo dispenser located in the stall, and put my body wash on the floor. Ick.) And there were only two outlets to use in the entire cabin, one of which was in the bathroom on the ceiling. Because it was on the ceiling, it was hard to get a true charge. Luckily, we didn’t use our phones enough but it was tough when we were getting ready.

But the ocean-view made up for everything. Nothing is better than that view. I miss it.

AMENITIES (INCL. DECKS/ 3 - Good)

My favorite deck by far was Serenity Now, which was for 21+ adults. It was the quietest part of the ship and felt so peaceful and, well, serene. The lounge chairs were a million times better and it was close to the food. Always a plus.

The other decks weren’t as amazing. I really hated the Lido deck, because it was so loud and the lounge chairs cut into my back. It was always filled with people and loud music. (Yes, I’m on a cruise ship. No, I’m still not going to enjoy loud music. No, I am not 70 years old.) The pool was tiny and always filled with boisterous kids.

The gym was pretty sweet, I must say. I only went once but it offered some great views and up-to-date equipment. They even offered classes like spin and boot camp for a price.

FOOD (3 - Good)

We ate in a fancy dining room every night that served some of the most delicious meals that have ever graced my lips. I didn’t even try to go fancy but stuck with the meat and potatoes option almost every time. The appetizers weren’t amazing, but they were decent. Of course, I am not a foodie so my opinion has no real bearing on the quality. I was also impressed at how easily one could eat vegetarian and/or healthy on the trip. Every meal featured at least a few vegetarian sides and it was entirely possible to lose weight on this trip. I just chose not to.

The food at the brasserie was meh. It was buffet-style so you can’t expect much from that anyway. There were some delicious meals, but most just ok. Nothing spectacular that stands out. I will not say, though, how many cookies my mom and I ate during our five days on the ship. It’s kind of embarrassing.

My mom and I both purchased a soda card ($36) which gives you an unlimited amount of soda refills whenever you want them. For us, it was the best decision because we didn’t drink too much alcohol. We both only had two drinks at our last two dinners. (I heard one lady ordering her THIRD drink at 10:00 a.m. one morning! I wish I could have seen her bill at the end of the cruise. Yowza.)

ENTERTAINMENT (3 - Good)

Because of our late dining time, we missed a lot of the good entertainment. There were some late night comedy acts, but it’s always uncomfortable watching R-rated comedy with your mother. We went to a performance one night, got professional pictures taken twice (the first time had a photographer putting us in weird couple-esque poses that I swear she thought we were together), and just generally enjoyed being on the ship.

There was always a lot to do on the ship so it’s impossible to be bored. While we didn’t take advantage of a lot of it, it was a good experience to see what’s available and give us a taste of cruise life. We may be apt to do more on our next cruise.

EXCURSIONS (5 - Awesomesauce)

The variety of excursions offered for this cruise was pretty vast. I don’t have anything to compare it by, but there were so many amazing things to do. Prices were anywhere from $30 to $300, depending on what you’re doing. We tried to to keep it in the $70 - $90 range when searching for excursions. Generally, anything involving dolphins or scuba diving cost the most, whereas snorkeling, tours of the city, and swimming with turtles/stingrays was in a reasonable range.

Since we are not the most adventurous type, picking an excursion was the best option. It allowed us to see the city while being in a controlled environment where we didn’t have to find our own taxi or restaurants or beaches.

It was also easy-peasy to switch excursions when ours was canceled. All around, a very positive experience with excursions!

AMBIENCE (5 - Awesomesauce)

This was the perfect setting for me. Nothing is more calming than the ocean and it was exciting being around a slew of people you’ve never met before. Sleeping was never easier than on a cruise ship, being lulled by the soft rocking. It was the perfect mixture of fun and games and peace. I felt at home while on the ship and totally relaxed and happy. I never wanted to leave.

CARNIVAL INSPIRATION ITSELF (4 - Great)

I would totally ride on this ship again, because the experience was fantastic. Service was great, food was delicious, and the stops were fantastic. There is so much to do in both stops that I could probably ride this ship again and again and never have the same experience or adventure. The ship was big enough that I never noticed a lot of rocking or swaying, and never once felt seasick. (One of my biggest fears.)

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All in all, I would completely recommend Carnival for cruising. The process of booking the trip was simple and we were able to do it all on our own. I loved the service I received on the ship, always feeling like these people were happy to help and not annoyed with their job. My mom and I will be back, Carnival. Hopefully before next May.

Western Caribbean Cruise: Playa Azul

After our tour of the Mayan Ruins, we were taken to a place called Playa Azul which was a resort at a beach. We were going to be served lunch and then have about 45 minutes to enjoy the beach and/or pool. It was around 2:00 p.m. when we finally got to Playa Azul, and we were starving. I had eaten a small breakfast around 9:00 but my stomach was feeling a little off so it wasn’t much.

I was excited for lunch and ready to experience some yummy Mexican food.

Uhh... not really.

We were served two mini-tortillas with maybe an 1/8th cup of fajitas (more sauce than fajitas, though) on each tortilla. And then the “light salad” we were promised in the brochure was actually a small serving (not even 1/4th cup) of coleslaw. That. Was. It. I’m sorry, but that is NOT lunch! That is a snack. I wish I had taken a picture of this piddly offering but I was too busy trying to make it last for more than 3.5 seconds. (It did not.)

After our lunch snack, my mom and I headed to the beach to lay out and enjoy being in Mexico. (Even if our bellies were grumbling.) We tried going into the ocean but a) it was freezing and b) the floor of the ocean wasn’t very steady. We meandered our way to the pool where we swam for a bit and then just laid out by the pool and read on our Kindles.

We are nothing if not exciting.

This is one excursion I wouldn’t recommend to others. The one in Grand Cayman - heck yes! But this one was fairly disappointing and I was really bummed I missed out on other great excursions because I thought this one would be interesting. While touring the Mayan Ruins was thrilling for me, the second half of the excursion was such a bitter disappointment that it overtook the whole experience. (Especially considering my mom didn’t enjoy the tour, so I was hoping the second half would make up for it.)

We came back on the ship a little after 5:00 and I felt like my heart was breaking as I left Mexico. To know all the fun adventures were over and we only had one more full day left on the ship was incredibly sad. I didn’t want to leave this cruise, didn’t want to enter reality again. Reality is no fun.

Our trip, though, was so much fun. I was able to leave the country for the first time, conquer some fears, and revel in amazing experiences. I am now a huge fan of cruising and I cannot wait to go again!

(Tomorrow, I’ll be giving you the low-down on what I thought about cruising with Carnival and my overall rating of the cruising experience.)

Western Caribbean Cruise: Mayan Ruins

When I chose our excursion in Cozumel, I wasn’t really thinking. For me, I was excited about the prospect of touring the Mayan Ruins. What history! What amazing photographs I would capture!

I forgot about my mom.

My mom doesn’t share the same excitement and passion for history as I do. She appreciates it, but it isn’t something she seeks out. While I am the quintessential auditory/visual learner, she is tactile/kinesthetic to a tee. She can barely sit still in a church service or spend a day at home doing nothing but watching TV and reading. She likes to keep her body moving and doing something involving touch and feel. So touring an old historic site of which she had no interest in? Not the best idea.

I enjoyed it and loved listening to the passion in the tour guides’ voices as they explained different monuments and what they meant to the Mayan people. Before the tour, I had known a bit about the Mayans and I’m not sure if I learned anything new, but it was pretty inspiring to be at the archeological site and hear about the ways they lived and the customs they kept.

We spent about 45 minutes to an hour at this place, 30 minutes being the tour, and another 15 minutes allowed for us to look around (there was some shopping at the site) and take pictures. I also held an iguana on my arm and a bird on my head, but it cost $5 just to take pictures of it from my own camera (!) so you’ll just have to take my word for it.

 
I held both of these - at one time!

Western Caribbean Cruise: Cozumel, Mexico

I’m not sure why, but I was more excited to visit Cozumel than Grand Cayman. Grand Cayman is a beautiful island and gave off a nice, relaxed, island vibe that felt so different from the rushed craziness of my city. But there wasn’t a whole lot of difference between the States and Grand Cayman, at least in Georgetown. So I was excited to visit Mexico and be on its soil.

When we got to our cabin on departure day, we had a note saying that the excursion we had previously scheduled had been canceled. (We had planned on a tour of the city, along with lunch and shopping at a mall.) So we had to choose something else. For me, the Mayan Ruins intrigued me the most. Looking back, I wish I had done another snorkeling or sea excursion, but at that time, I didn’t know how I would feel about the snorkeling experience and wanted to do something completely different.

I think my favorite part of Mexico was being there. I kept thinking, “I’m in Mexico!” It felt surreal. I had heard about Mexico, learned about Mexico, knew where it was on a map (don’t be jealous of my awesome geography skillz!), but being there was incredible. I snapped picture after picture of the island as we drove by bus to our destination, enthralled by the difference of where I lived and seeing words on storefronts that I had only seen in textbooks before.

I have a lot to say on the excursion, which was broken into two parts: a tour of the Mayan Ruins and then lunch and an hour at Playa Azul before going back to our starting point. For now, enjoy some photos of Cozumel.

Western Caribbean Cruise: Snorkeling in Grand Cayman

Our excursion in the Cayman Islands included two stops: swimming with the stingrays in Stingray City and snorkeling amongst coral reefs and fish. I was super stoked about the snorkeling. I had purchased an underwater camera for this very reason: to take incredible shots of the underwater life.

Well, that didn’t happen.

Let me back up. After leaving Stingray City, we sailed for another 10-15 minutes to get to deeper water where the coral reefs were. With this journey, we were the only boat around so it was a little scary. (But there were also 50 people with us - so, really, not that scary at all!) I had to put on my flippers, grab a mask and snorkel, and hop into the water. It wasn’t easy, but that didn’t even come close to being the hard part.

I guess I should mention that I’ve never snorkeled before. Not even in a pool. Basically, I had no idea what I was doing. I pulled down my mask, inserted the breathing part-thing into my mouth, and stuck my head in the water... only to come up sputtering 5 seconds later as salt water made it’s way down the snorkel tube and into my mouth.

Blech.

I hate salt water with a passion. It’s the main reason I’m not the biggest fan of the beach. Well, that and the fact that sand gets everywhere.

It took me a while to get used to the snorkel and how to use it properly to actual swim with it. My throat felt raw from all the salt water I had choked up and for a while, I was not a happy camper.

But I got used to it and learned how to snorkel and became a pro in no time. The strap from my camera fell off somewhere so I had a fun time taking a picture and winding the film with one hand, while keeping the other hand firmly grasped on my upright snorkel. I had a few pictures with finger shots, but they turned out pretty good. For an underwater film camera.

I think the most disappointing thing was the lack of fish around. At most, I saw around 20? I was expecting to see a lot more! The coral reefs were amazing, though, and the whole experience was simply awesome so I’ll take what I can get. I mean, I snorkeled in the Cayman Islands! For a girl whose biggest adventure thus far was skiing in Virginia... well, this took the cake.

We had about 35 minutes to snorkel and I could have used another 20-30 minutes. Once I got good at the snorkel part, I was happily swimming everywhere, exploring the world beneath me. It’s pretty amazing to think of what a world there is beneath the sea. After a while, I looked up and saw about half our group was already in the boat and my mom and I had ventured pretty far away (farther than I would have liked!). So we high-tailed back as fast as we could with flippers on our feet and masks on our faces.

It was an amazing excursion, one I highly recommend. I wish I had chosen another snorkeling excursion for Cozumel, but I wanted two totally different experiences. After snorkeling, we got back into the boat and to Georgetown, where my mom and I indulged in a Cayman Island delight - Dairy Queen! ;) Yes, we are cultured folks. (To be honest, it was the only place where we could find a bathroom but we also had to buy something!)

As for purchases, my mom bought a keychain but that’s all we got. Shopping in the Cayman Islands was not a good experience, at all! I don’t think they’ve ever heard of the phrase customer service, shown as a worker began putting up magnets on a display as I was perusing it! I mean, really? That couldn’t wait another two minutes? Sigh.

Our time in Grand Cayman was short, but incredible. I would definitely go back again for all the fun excursions there are. My tablemates (the family of three) went on a dolphin excursion that sounded divine. Swimming with dolphins? I’m up for that!