Day trippin’…again

By TravelGirl:

In celebration of our 13-year wedding anniversary, TravelGuy and I decided to take a day trip to do some sightseeing in our new homeland of Arizona. Venturing out of our Phoenix home around 7:30 a.m., bundled in jeans and sweaters, we made our way a couple of hours south to the Sabino Canyon, nestled in Tucson’s Coronado National Forest. This also being Valentine’s Day, we really didn’t know what to expect in terms of crowds given that it was a Hallmark holiday, Presidents’ Day weekend, and of course our anniversary which meant we weren’t really sure if the paparazzi had been tipped off as to our whereabouts and whether or not we could dodge them on our special day.

Our arrival to the Sabino Canyon visitor’s center proved to be uneventful. Whew! We both felt lucky that we were unrecognized and would be able to enjoy a day without signing numerous autographs. Though the sunshine felt intoxicating, the shady areas of the canyon were on the nippy side with me zipping up my hoodie as high as possible, and TravelGuy wishing he’d sported a ball cap or something for that shaven head of his. We hopped aboard the shuttle for our 45-minute round trip ride along the canyon trail, passing picnic tables and a plethora of flat rocks perfect for a picnic! Even the creek looked inviting, and we envisioned how fun it would be to come back and set up a little picnic area along the water on one of the rocks, sipping some cruise juice with sandwiches in hand.

The Sabino Canyon was truly beautiful with various shades of green foliage, red rocks, and even a red cardinal. Our PNW blood had never exposed us to a cardinal (other than the dreadful sports teams), so it was cool for us to be up close and personal with one at the end of our trip back down the canyon. That cardinal looked exactly like we’d seen on football helmets and baseball jerseys. If you’re looking for a place to explore with trails to hike, head up to Sabino Canyon – bundle up in the February shade and get there early as the parking lot fills up fast!

From there, we headed southeast to a little place called Lovin’ Spoonful, a vegetarian restaurant in Tucson with an Asian ambiance but a varied menu serving everything from vegan barbecued sandwiches to BLTs to burgers and melts. I recommend it if you’re looking for a healthy eating option in Tucson, but not looking to break the bank.

Our final stop of the day would be the Old Tucson Studios at the base of the Tucson Mountains. This place is noted as the Hollywood of the West, similar to Kanab, UT if you’ve ever been there, but bigger and more of a theme park now though it’s an active working production location. It seems that just about every John Wayne movie was filmed here along with various television series’ such as Little House on the Prairie and The High Chaparral who put their claim here. The set of The High Chaparral is still intact, and along with the entire town, can be toured and enjoyed either by guided tour or just a leisurely stroll on your own. For horse lovers, guests can even take a trail ride or simply gaze at these majestic creatures making their way around the park. If horses don’t float your boat, the park offers a train ride around the perimeter so you won’t miss a thing! We took the opportunity to watch a couple of live stunt shows that were part comedy, part pyrotechnics, but completely goofy and entertaining.

With the day coming to a close and our quest to get home before our doggies became restless, we hit the road – top down, 73-degree sun on our shoulders, and a breeze on our faces. How wonderful it was to be a quick 2-hour drive from a different world, different landscape, and a new adventure. Who knows what year 14 will bring, but if all I have is my TravelGuy, that’s all a TravelGirl really needs.

The bold and the brave

By TravelGuy:

No, I’m not talking about a Saturday morning cartoon or a new soap opera. I’m referring to Royal Caribbean Cruise Line (RCCL) and Norwegian Cruise Line (NCL). Both have taken broad strides to revolutionize their fleets by building two of the biggest ships filled with activities and entertainment that far exceeds what the cruise industry is accustomed to. Yes, these ships are very large, but the passenger capacity isn’t what makes them great. I know I’ll be dating myself, but remember when Las Vegas casinos were just places to gamble, drink and catch a show? Now you’ve got entertainment up and down the strip for the entire family and tons of nightlife options. Similarly, the cruise industry has evolved from a method of getting from point A to B, to floating resorts with food, activities, entertainment, and daycare all included in your cruise fare. Being able to unpack ONE TIME and visit a potpourri of countries is the icing on the cake, and I love me some good cake!

Because taking a cruise on Norwegian Epic would require two more round trip tickets, we decided to add a 7 night cruise the week before our cruise on Oasis of the Seas. A price of just $599/person with a $100 on board credit was too good to pass up. So we’ll cruise Norwegian Epic from 9/18/10 – 9/25/10, hop on a shuttle from Miami to Fort Lauderdale, then sail out on Oasis of the Seas from 9/25/10 – 10/2/10. I can’t think of a better way to compare these two amazing ships.

So besides the reasons above, why do we like cruise so much? Well, you simply can’t find any other vacation where your view changes by the minute and is almost always gorgeous! Our favorite part is visiting multiple countries and then deciding which ones we’d like to return to at a later date. Cruising is like a buffet that way – sample a number of different areas, then pick a few to go back and really explore when you have more time. It’s scary to think how much we’d cruise if we lived in Florida or Southern California. It would just be too darn easy to drive to the port, hop on a ship and spend 7 gorgeous days at sea.

Life is short, and the older we get the more we realize that we need to get out and experience as much as possible. Live life!

Get out there and EXPLORE!

By TravelGirl:

Last night I was thinking to myself, "What good is a travel blog if you're not traveling?" Then, my brain reminded me that half the fun in actually experiencing travel is in the planning of the adventure. A fair amount of planning goes into our travels, but that's not to say that we don't leave opportunities for impulsive decisions.

For example, we're planning a full transit of the Panama Canal in March with some good friends. We'll call them Jessie and Devin to protect their innocence (I just wanted to say that, as it reminds me of Dragnet). We plan to fly to Acapulco, and then embark on a 10-day sail that will take us south to Guatemala, Nicaragua, Costa Rica, and Panama before spending time at sea in the canal itself and crossing over into the Caribbean to Jamaica, and finally up to the Atlantic waters of Ft. Lauderdale. This little journey has been on our calendars for just about a year and while we plan to leave some time to just explore and spontaneously run about (or is that 'run amuk'?), we are making plans to see some of the natural wonders of Central America.

For example, in Guatemala, how cool would it be to explore Antigua and visit the old churches and museums? Or, what about experiencing Lake Nicaragua and the centuries-old Spanish churches, convents and homes? Nothing really floats my boat more than the thought of seeing monkeys swinging through trees or just hanging out in Costa Rica, and buying some good ol' Costa Rican coffee. Can you say, "Yum. If I drink 2 cups in the morning and 2 cups at night, I hope to have some left over to bring home and share?" Share really isn't a word that most only children know about, but I have learned over the years that giving is WAY more fulfilling than receiving. So, I think I'll plan to bring some of that good java back and let others experience what we did through the essence of some good Central American joe. And if that's not enough, perhaps we can pick up a little mini bobsled ornament when we visit the new Mystic Mountain Jamaica bobsled park. Can you just visualize yourself zoom, zoom, zooming down a Jamaican mountain with no snow? Imagine it. It could be you. I sure hope it will be me.

While we live and breathe travel every day of our lives, it's in the planning and the research we do for travel clients, and in the anticipation of our own upcoming travels. Remember this -- "The world is a book, and those who do not travel, read only a page." ~Saint Augustine

Aruba remembered

By TravelGirl:

Having returned from Aruba almost three weeks ago, we thought it was about time we updated the blog with some final thoughts on our travels to this beautiful and serene island. After all, we spent nearly two weeks traveling to, enjoying, and traveling home from the southern Caribbean.

Our visit not only included the fantastic eats at The Dutch Pancakehouse (and by the way, we have since learned to cook poffertjes at home!), the colorful snorkeling in and around the off-shore reefs, the CRAZY Kuku Kanuku paranda bus, the BEST all-around fare at Que Pasa, the Indian cave drawings at Arikok National Park, a visit to the aloe fields, genuine hospitality from the locals, and the crystal clear waters surrounding the island, but the island also presented us with magical gifts that we won't soon forget.

As most of our days were spent with a mixture of sunning, exploration to all parts of the island, inquisitive conversations with locals, sampling a variety of specialty foods and beverages, and truly living life like it was meant to be lived, every evening bestowed the most humbling sunsets ever imagined. Specifically, Arashi Beach -- Its lack of facilities generally keeps most tourists away from exploring this wonderland, yet the unspoiled nature of the area delivered a calmness and appreciation not found on other areas of the island. Its picturesque beauty is truly a vision plastered in my memory as an imprint of a place that I will forever remember. It's amazing how a sunset on a quiet beach can be so powerful, isn't it?

When we travel, we create memories and experiences that each of us holds in a different way. TravelGuy and I have found a way to live our dreams through travel. After all, life is short and each year seems to pass by quicker than the last. We can't get that time back, but we can look forward to what's next.

What's keeping you from living your dreams?

The good, the bad, and the fantabulous of Aruba

By TravelGirl:

After six days in Aruba, we've experienced some likes, dislikes, and some loves -- a few of which we want to share at this point in the journey.

First, one of our loves -- The Dutch Pancakehouse (yes, they spell it as one long word). TravelGuy and I stopped by this place in the Renassiance Marketplace a couple of days ago searching for a quick bite and not knowing what was in store. These little silver-dollar sized pancakes taste like they were fried in a ton of butter (and probably were) and practically melt in your mouth like cotton candy. With so many choices of pancake toppings/dippings, we agreed on chocolate, egg nog, and ice cream to satisfy our palettes. Ok, can you say, "Gimme some more!"? If it weren't for the fact that we had spent the day on the beach drinking cruise juice/vacation tang, sampling local brews, and indulging in amaretto/coffee drinks we may have splurged and put ourselves in sugar comas by ordering more. Instead, we opted to save ourselves for future visits, and I'm happy to say we returned today with Ryan (our traveling companion, partner in crime, and sun-loving "beachie"). This time around we chowed on more of the baby pancakes along with sweet crepes, and will likely make another return visit in the next day to round out our craving with some savory Dutch eats. We are challenging ourselves to find a breakfast/lunch/dinner/dessert place that can compete with The Dutch Pancakehouse in Aruba, so if you know of one please holler!

Ok, now our primary dislike -- Mamba Jamba. Admittedly, we were drawn here because of a coupon for a free Mamba Rita. This cantina-style Mexican joint is located in the Royal Plaza Mall in downtown Oranjestad, up on the second level overlooking the passersby (great for people watching) and the cruise port. Sounds nice, eh? Fast forward to the moment we placed our order. We ordered our free Mambo Rita and were told that there does not exist a Mambo Rita, but we could have a pina colada instead. Never one to pass up a drink with a plastic monkey (I'm referring to the bejeweled plastic placed in my glass, and not referring to Alex), it sounded like a fair trade. Interesting thing is that the pina colada ended up being one of those flavorless frozen drinks that come out of a machine (yeah, just like the $1 frozen drinks you get in downtown Las Vegas on Fremont). We then decided to split the shrimp wrap but were told they were out of shrimp. Really? Hmm...ok. Well, we needed something to go along with the fake pina colada so decided to split some nachos. See image. Yep, those are round tortilla chips purchased at the Super Foods store down the street, a can of cheese sauce, and picante sauce. Disgusting. Gross. Waste of money. 30 minutes and $16 later (yep, $16 for chips, picante sauce, cheese sauce, and one cocktail), we left, and vowed to blog about it and later provide a thorough review on TripAdvisor along with the likes/loves of Aruba. Thinking of Mamba Jamba? Skip the free cocktail and head back to The Dutch Pancakehouse.

Finally, one of our likes after just 6 days -- Pelican Adventures' snorkeling tour. Ever heard of the Antilla? It's a German ship that wrecked off the coast of Aruba in the 1940s during WWII. To make a long story short, the ship's captain created an explosion (rather than surrender to the Dutch Marines) in order to destroy the ship. He was successful, it exploded, split in half, and sank in eight minutes (though the crew was safe as long as they swam to shore before the sharks got them!). Today we got to see that 410 foot ship up close and personal as part of a two-site snorkel trip -- to Boca Catalina where we saw a plethora of fish and eel, and to the Antilla shipwreck where your imagination could place you inside the hull over 60 years ago. If you get a chance to snorkel in Aruba, a visit to the Antilla is a must!

With six days left on our Aruban journey, we plan to create memories at Arashi Beach, Malmok Beach, Surfside Beach, San Nicolas, and various other natural sites around the island via bus, jeep, and car. We might even find time for a few more visits to The Dutch Pancakehouse. Stay tuned.

Journey to the paradise called Aruba

By TravelGirl:

It's been a month since we've posted a blog update but I think we'll be making up for it as we blog daily (or close to it) while on our trip to, in, and from Aruba.

The journey to paradise was a long one, albeit worth the hassles of 4 flight segments, waiting for resolution on a maintenance issue on one plane, jetway personnel who were "off" when we needed them to be "on", and enduring some of the most smelly, unhygenic, H1N1-spreading, and interesting people the world has to offer. Ah, travel. Don'tcha love it?

We arrived very late into Aruba last night due to a delay, but the bottom line is that we made it to this breezy, warm paradise. By the time we arrived to the Hyatt Regency on Palm Beach -- one of three lodgings we'll be enjoying -- it was 11 p.m. We learned that Aruba restaurants close very, very early, with no kitchens open beyond that time along Palm Beach, and our bellies were only full of cheese sticks, granola bars, and pretzels/carbs distributed by various flight attendants during our 24 hours of crazy travel. We opted for cocktails at the open-air bar in the middle of our resort. I enjoyed an Arashi, a tropical refreshment to soothe my aching and dry tummy, while Alex opted for his signature drink -- a Coke with no ice. The stroll through the Hyatt grounds presented us with black swans, tropical fish, gardens, small bridges, various pools, hot tubs, lounge chairs, and finally the palapas on the beach. Imagine Bo Derek running in slow motion along the Mexican beach in the movie, "10". That was Alex and I last night, though less endowed, and neither of us sporting corn rolls.

As I type this, Alex is playing with an iguana that has climbed his way up to our balcony. Iguanas are such beautiful creatures, with various shades of green along their long bodies. It's got to be good Feng Shui to have THAT much green on your skin, eh? Luckily, I saved some leftover salad from our in-room dining service last night, enabling Alex to feed our guy (we've named him Iggy) some greens. We've video-taped this little escapade, but how cool is it to practically hand-feed an iguana that knocked on your door?

I'll make this a short update, as we're anxious to get out to enjoy some local eats, frolic in the sand, and capture some Aruban culture. More later...

Land and Cruise Travel Packing Tips

By TravelGirl:

It really amazes me how much luggage people bring on a weekend getaway or on a 2-week adventure. Why, people, why? Do you REALLY enjoy lugging around bags while you're traveling? Why is it that so many women must emulate their daily cosmetic routine while traveling for leisure? I just don't understand it. Leave the make-up at home! Travel light and enjoy your time OUTSIDE of your hostel, hotel, resort, yurt, villa, vacation rental, or cruise cabin. Get out and see the world.

Alex and I typically don't check our luggage when we travel. Prior to an 18-day trip to Europe in 2005, I took a "packing class" in Edmonds, WA offered by one of Rick Steves' packing gurus, and WOW did I learn a lot. Since then, it has been my goal to never again check a bag on a plane flight. I admit though that some of my overseas purchases have included many bottles of rum, and therefore, I've been required to check a bag on the way home.

If you've traveled with Alex and I, you have seen our brows raise when we see the plethora of bags you've decided to schlep along with you. Not only does this delay the start of your travels when you've landed at your destination, but it also delays the start of the adventure for your travel companions who are waiting with you at the baggage carousel. Out of courtesy for your travel buddies, and to get you moving along to begin your journey, we've decided to arm you with a couple of packing resources. After all, you really don't want to spend your time packing, and waiting for, multiple bags of luggage…do you?

My favorite packing tips for land travel is from Rick Steves.

http://www.ricksteves.com/plan/tips/packlist.htm

My favorite packing tips for cruise travel is from Cruise Diva, Linda Coffman.

http://cruisediva.com/pack_it.htm

I hope you'll learn as much as I did. Enjoy!