Candilane

Santorini, Greece

2010-05-02T19:04:00.000-07:00

One of, if not the most picturesque place I have been to yet. Santorini is absolutely stunning, from white washed buildings on the high cliffs, to sunsets over the blue Caldera below. I enjoyed it more and more each time we stopped here!!!

Portugal, Villefrance, and Barcelona

2010-05-02T18:49:00.000-07:00

Caribbean on the Equinox

2010-04-02T18:42:00.000-07:00

Some of the highlights from the month of March in the Caribbean while onboard the Celebrity Equinox!

Maho Beach

2010-02-07T07:25:00.000-08:00

Last week in St. Maartin, a group of 8 of us took a taxi van to the other side of the island's Maho Beach. It was amazing as the airplanes fly right over top! We took awesome pictures, and experienced a sand storm whenever the 747's flew overhead. It was very cool, and there was an excellent little restaurant next to the beach, where we stopped in the afternoon. Probably one of my favorite days yet.

Zip Lining in St. Kitts!

2010-01-31T18:15:00.000-08:00

In St. Kitts, I went on a Zip Lining tour with my friend from Shore Excursions. It was my first time and I absolutely loved it! I felt like a little kid flying high over the valleys and through the trees. We did 5 lines, one called "The Boss" 1350 feet high! So much fun! Afterwards we enjoyed tropical drinks at a restaurant overlooking the cruise ships!

Labadee

2010-01-30T17:04:00.000-08:00

We stopped in Labadee, Haiti last week, a beautiful spot on the coast where only Royal Caribbean and Celebrity ships stop. The beaches are unspoiled, the water is turquoise, and the hammocks are plentiful. Our ships donated plenty of supplies to the Haiti relief fund, offloaded by large UN trucks, and all proceeds from our stops there will continue to be donated to the people of Haiti.

Bacardi Tour and San Juan!

2010-01-30T16:54:00.000-08:00

Last week in San Juan went on the Casa Bacardi tour, which was quite fun as well as interesting! Got to taste some of the signature rum drinks, and learn the history of the Bacardi family. San Juan is a beautiful old town with a large fort looking over the water, colourful old buildings with lots of history, and a sea wall wrapping around the coast line.

Phillipsburg, St. Maartin

2010-01-16T17:51:00.000-08:00

My favorite port so far. The ship docked in Phillipsburg, on the Dutch side of the island. Took a water taxi with some friends over to the beach where we rented beach chairs and umbrellas. The water was amazing, with great restaurants on the beach and shopping on Front St.

Designed for you!

2010-01-16T09:32:00.003-08:00

Friars Beach, St. Kitts

2010-01-14T17:09:00.000-08:00

Beautiful little secluded beach on quiet side of St. Kitts.

San Juan, Puerto Rico

2010-01-14T16:41:00.000-08:00

San Juan was beautiful! It was a very hot day but perfect for my first exploration of this vibrant port city. Spanish flair is everywhere, although American, and filled with historic forts, museums, and churches. Walked along the board walk on the ocean edge, home to many cats of all types. Enjoyed the view from the hilltop, watched kite flyers, and ate passionfruit and coconut ice cream. Later we went to Senor Froggs for some yards of Margaritas! Fun day in San Juan!!

Celebrity Solstice

2010-01-09T09:51:00.000-08:00

Flew to St. Maartin on Tuesday to join the Celebrity Solstice on my new contract as Asst. Art Director. We flew right over a beach as we landed and the view of the island was beautiful! We were in Port with the Oasis of the Seas and I was able to snap a few photos! The Solstice is a beautiful ship, so far I love it!

New Years Eve!

2010-01-01T04:28:00.000-08:00

Watched beautiful fireworks off Madeira, and drank champagne while celebrating on the Queen Victoria! It was a spectacular New Years!!

Madeira, Portugal

2009-12-31T04:26:00.000-08:00

Spent News Years Eve in Madeira, beautiful city. Took the cable car up the mountain and guys took us back down on the wooden sleds. Quite the experience!

Santa Cruz de La Palma

2009-12-29T04:24:00.000-08:00

We climbed up the hill where there were beautiful views of the town and the ocean below. Very pretty!

Tenerife, Spain

2009-12-28T04:20:00.000-08:00

One of my favorite Canary islands by far. Took a taxi to a beach town not far away where we rented sun chairs and drank coronas! It was so much fun, and the weather was perfect. Later strolled through the town and had lunch!

Gran Canaria, Spain

2009-12-27T04:17:00.000-08:00

Big boardwalk and a big beach kept us busy the whole day. Had a yummy lunch on the beach, then strolled through the sand castle displays for Christmas.

Lanzarote, Spain

2009-12-26T04:13:00.000-08:00

First stop in the Canary Islands of Spain. So happy to get some sun and warmth. The little town was really pretty and reminded me a little of Greece with all the white buildings and small fishing boats.

Malaga, Spain

2009-12-24T04:09:00.000-08:00

First stop on the cruise was Malaga, where I had to buy clothes etc. in order to survive 10 more days without luggage. The city was very decorated for Christmas, got a nice picture of the ship at night since we docked overnight.

Lisbon, Portugal

2009-12-22T04:04:00.000-08:00

First stop was Lisbon where I spent the night before joining the QV for Christmas and New Years. This is also where my luggage was lost by Lufthansa. I am happy to report it was found, although not returned to me until New Years Eve

Maui!!

2009-11-22T13:26:00.000-08:00

A few of my favorite pictures from my recent family holiday in Maui, Hawaii!

Maui Snorkel Trip

2009-11-14T00:05:00.000-08:00

Took an amazing Snorkelling trip out to Molokini, and Turtle Town this morning. We woke up at 5:30 am, before sunrise and took the and Pacific Whale Foundation trip out! It was amazing! We snorkelled in 2 spots, first seeing beautiful and colourful fish, and later swimming above Green Hawaiian Sea T|urtles and large Manta Rays. I've done plenty of snorkelling and Scuba Diving, and this was probably one the of the best!. Here is just a taste of what we saw off the coast of Maui!

20 kinds of butterfly fish found only in Hawaii.

Sea Turtles, gliding around, I spotted one with a missing back foot, Shark had bitten it off : (

Humuhumunukunukuapua'a, the state fish of Hawaii, Also known as the Reef Triggerfish.

Manta Rays

Oasis of the Seas - Insanity!

2009-11-06T12:01:00.000-08:00

The largest cruise ship in the world is about to set sail from Port Everglades, Florida in only 6 days! Royal Carribean's "Oasis of the Seas" will carry a record breaking 5400 passengers. The ship hosts 7 themed neighborhoods where you can stay, and choose your 2 story loft to overlook the sea, the promenades, or Central Park. The ship holds the first ever Aquatheatre Amphitheatre, 1st living park at sea, carousel and theme park boardwalk, zip line adventure zone, 2 rockclimbing walls, beach pool, and two surf simulators. Amazing!

Quebec City

2009-10-06T19:46:00.000-07:00

Quebec in the fall is stunning! The old town charm mixed with the culture of Canada's "European City" was exciting to say the least. I flew out for the weekend to visit Shaun, while the QV was in port. We had a fantastic weekend, taking in the sites, eating in quaint little cafes, and drinking Quebec beer! |I loved the crisp Autumn air, the pumpkins, and the colourful leaves floating around the city!!

Whistler for the day!

2009-09-20T02:27:00.000-07:00

Kass and I headed on a mini road trip to Whistler for the day. We stopped at Bridal Falls and ate lunch in the village. On the way home we watched the planes take off from Green Lake.

Pitt Lake Boating!

2009-09-14T01:58:00.000-07:00

Boating and tubing mid September is not a normal Vancouver activity. But the weather was still so sunny and hot. So on the first day of Fall, my uncle took, me, Courtney, and my little cousin Sarah out to Pitt Lake. We had an amazing time! Pitt Lake is so beautiful and serene!

London!!

2009-09-05T11:29:00.000-07:00

PARIS!

2009-09-04T23:46:00.000-07:00

Kass and I took the Eurostar train from London to Paris for a few days! Paris was absolutely amazing! Although it was quite rainy, we took in all the sites, riding the metro everywhere, and dining in cafe after cafe. We went to the top of the Eiffel tower at night, saw the Mona Lisa at the Louvre Museum, and shopped on Champs De Elysees!!

Cruising the Mediterranean!

2009-08-30T23:09:00.000-07:00

Soller Mallorca, Chebourg France, Alghero Sardinia, Pisa Italy!

Monte Carlo, Monaco

2009-08-24T22:21:00.000-07:00

Barcelona!

2009-08-23T22:13:00.000-07:00

ROME!!

2009-08-20T21:54:00.000-07:00

Took the train to Rome and walked for 8 hours straight all over the city. Had an amazing Italian lunch near Trevi Fountain! Rome was spectacular!!

Sweden to Russia!!

2009-08-16T21:38:00.000-07:00

Wow it feels like I’ve been gone for ages; it’s been about a month now! We are heading back to Southampton, and will soon be doing the last cruise before coming home. So excited for the Mediterranean, and the chance to visit some more beaches! The cruise around the Baltic has been amazing, but not that warm. However, we have been really lucky to have mostly sunny days.

Probably my favorite port this cruise was Stockholm. Such a beautiful city! Kasandra and I got off together and took the harbour cruise around the city starting with the Royal Palace. From the boat we saw the theme park “Tivoli Grona Lund”on the water with crazy looking rides and we just had to go. We rode the “Insane” roller coaster where we were strapped in, flipped, and dropped from way above the city. The view was amazing!

In Helsinki, Finland I escorted on a tour where we rode a steam train to the old town of Porvoo, dating back to 1346. I saw some beautiful churches (one made entirely out of a big rock), and had a traditional lunch in a big manor house. Back in Helsinki, we spent time in Senate square where sits the city’s large and famous white cathedral.

We spent 2 full days in St. Petersburg, Russia. After finally passing Russian immigration a group of us toured the city. Last year I did a full day tour, so this time it was more relaxing and wandering around. Russia is very strict, depending on your nationality, they may not let you in, thankfully being Canadian, I was okay. We took pictures outside The Hermitage, and St. Isaac’s Cathedral, and shopped in the Russian bazaar. I bought one of those traditional wooden painted dolls, with smaller dolls inside. We also went inside my absolutely favorite church/landmark “The Church on Spilt Blood”. It’s so incredible, it almost doesn’t look real! The night out in Russia was a lot of fun! We all went to The Pappanin Club to drink Russian vodka and dance, however I ended up getting 3 stitches in the morning after a glass was dropped near my foot! At least I will always remember it as my scar I obtained from a night club in Russia!

In Tallinn, Estonia, I escorted on a tour where we visited a family farm where they made cheese. We got to try different types and see where it was made. After we visited a private Estonian house where the father and daughter gave us a tour and then served us coffee and cake in their garden. It was really neat to see how these people lived and spend some time in a typical Estonian home. Later in the city we visited Alexander Nevsky Cathedral, built in Tallinn by the Russians. It was also very beautiful.

The last port was Gothenburg, Sweden. The weather was pretty cold and rainy but we were given ponchos on our canal boat cruise. We passed under many bridges, one so low called “The Cheese Slicer” we needed to sit on the floor and duck down. We also went into the fish market which takes place in a building built to look like a church. Later I went to the biggest shopping mall in Scandinavia “Nordstan” and had a look around.

Belgium to Denmark!

2009-08-08T21:25:00.000-07:00

We’re a few days into the Baltic cruise now, today is a sea day which is nice because I was able to sleep in, and catch up on some reading and journaling! Wow! I sound like an old timer I’m so used to cruising now! Anyways here is an update on the ports I have just been to in the Baltic seas.

The first stop was Belgium to the port of Zeebrugge, which means “Bruges at the sea”. I did a tour which took us into Bruges which was so beautiful! The old town was once the center of all of Europe and is a world heritage site. There were amazing old churches and palaces, and many canals. We took a canal tour through the city where we passed a Belgium brewery and you could smell the hops from the boat. Bruges was very picturesque, and lovely to walk around in. There is a church that holds a “Madonna and Child”, the only Michelangelo taken out of Italy. I bought lots of Belgium chocolates too. All the chocolate shops sold little boxes with pretty ribbons and gave out yummy samples.

Next stop was Bremerhaven, Germany. I took a tour to Hamburg, which is the 2nd largest port in all of Europe, next to Amsterdam. However I didn’t know until I was on the coach, that the drive was 3 hours each way to Hamburg. It was awful, but I did manage to sleep sitting up for a bit! Once in the city, which was huge, I went and got a typical German meal which consisted of a bratwurst sausage and fries. There was a beautiful city hall with a nice courtyard, and a huge mall nearby that I wandered through. On the way home we passed many rich areas near Alster River and Alster Lake. The homes were amazing. Hamburg is a very big wealthy city, I guess it’s all the cars they make and export.

Kristiansand, Norway was a very nice place to visit. From the port you can walk right into town, where the land is surrounded by the sea on both sides. There is an indoor fish market and lots of outdoor restaurants by the water. In the water swam beautiful swans and heaps of orange jellyfish, the type that sting! Everything in Norway is very expensive, for example a postcard is 9 Norweigan Kroners, equal to $2, and a coffee is about $7. In the afternoon I had a tour to the town of Lillesand, and then took a boat tour from Scottevik back to Kristiansand. We passed all the little coastal islands, where all the Norweigans have summer holiday homes. It started to rain, but later the sun came out and the viewing was much better. All the families waved from their patios and boats as we sailed by!

Yesterday we were in Copenhagen, Denmark, one of my favorites! In the morning we quickly went into town, where I grabbed a Danish hot dog which was delicious! We also walked along Nyhavn, the famous canal street with many boats, and tall coloured buildings! I was here last year so I decided to take a tour out of town. We rode on a vintage coach to the town of Lyngby, where we caught a boat from 1896 named the Prins Christian. We cruised around the lakes and later had tea and Danish pastries in Frederiksdal. The lakes were beautiful with lily pads, swans, and many families out canoeing, and kayaking.

I am having an absolutely amazing time on the cruise. There are not many kids/teens this cruise so I have the chance to escort on many tours! Tomorrow we are in Stockholm!

Cannes and Corsica!

2009-08-01T20:52:00.000-07:00

On the 27th we arrived in Cannes, France, home to the International film festival. Cannes is full of fancy hotels, expensive restaurants, and designer shops. I have never seen so many Ferraris and Lamborghinis in one place. Kim, Kass, and I grabbed a French baguette with brie cheese and ham, and strolled along the promenade. We then met up with a bunch of friends at the beach and swam out the the rocks. The beach was great, and the weather was so hot! Cannes is set on the Cote d’Azur, a coastline home to St. Tropez, Nice, Cannes, and Monte Carlo, along with thousands of gorgeous yachts!

The day we arrived in Civitavecchia, Italy, most people went into Rome. However since I saw it last summer, I chose something else instead. I did a tour to Bagnaia, Italy, a little old town a few miles from Viterbo, close to Tuscany. I didn’t think my tour sounded too exciting, but I accepted it anyways and was pleasantly surprised. I had to laugh because I was the only person out of 16 under the age of 50. We had a tour of Ville Lante Gardens, very beautiful but not what I expected. There were no flowers, only fountains, which is typical of Italian gardens. I took many pictures in this quaint Italian town, there were little alley ways, windows with clothing hung, and villagers meeting at the corner café for a morning coffee. Hard to imagine living in a little place like Bagnaia, life seems so uncomplicated and peaceful.

Ajaccio, Corsica was one of my favorite ports yet. Corsica is the third largest island in the Med, after Sicily, and Sardinia. This French island is gorgeous! I was scheduled on a tour to Calanques de Piana, which are rose coloured granite cliffs plunging into the ocean. A world heritage site recognized my Unesco. The roads were so winding and narrow. I slept the whole way there to avoid motion sickness, and then walked about 20 minutes along the cliffs edge. The views were amazing. It was almost a cross between being in the Rockies, and the Grand Canyon. We later drove to a pretty little Greek village called Cargese. The little town looked just like a postcard, with colored window sills, quaint little bakeries and shops, and a cat sleeping outside a doorway curled up on a chair. At the waters edge perched on a cliff were two beautiful churches, one Roman Catholic, and one Greek Orthodox, facing each other like rivals. However, these days the priest usually stands in for one another. Our tour guide Mark, was actually German, he had come to Corsica 15 years ago on a vacation, and had never left!

Yesterday we were in Gibraltar. Located at the very bottom of Spain, this British rock town is a short distance across the water from Africa. A big group of us got off together, looked around the town, and had lunch in a British pub. I had fish and chips, and a pint of Strongbow. You only have to walk about 15 minutes until you reach the border of Spain.

Lisbon, Mallorca, and Barcelona!

2009-07-26T20:42:00.000-07:00

About a week into the first Med cruise now on the Queen Victoria. The first couple sea days were a little hectic, and super busy, but its smooth sailing now! After the first rainy day in Vigo, we headed to Lisbon, Portugal. The weather has been quite good and I have had many chances to suntan on the top decks, as well as relax in the spa! If I am not working, there is always plenty of things to do!

Lisbon was amazing! I escorted on a tour of the river and saw Lisbon’s best landmarks. They served us wonderful pastries, and fresh juice. Lisbon is home to a beautiful fortress and to the sister bridge of the “Golden Gate Bridge” in San Francisco. I walked though the downtown later where there were many shops, outdoor café’s, and bakeries.

Yesterday we headed to the city Palma on the Balearic island Mallorca in Spain. I got a pass on the city tour bus, sat up top and got a wonderful view! Mallorca is home to Spain’s royal family’s Summer Palace and an amazing cathedral. There was a castle at the top of the mountain we walked up to thrugh a crowd of people, when we got caught in a wedding celebration. The bride and groom came though and confetti and silly string went everywhere!! It was beautiful and I was caught in the middle of it all! As all the locals sang and celebrated I couldn’t help but snatch a picture! What great timing! We later relaxed at the beach, and had a quick lunch at a beach side café. It was very hot!

Today we sailed into Barcelona! I was so lucky to have Alex pick me up at the port. We started the day off with a café con leche and croissants while we caught up. It was really great to see him! Being Sunday today, the city was pretty quiet, everyone is either on holiday or at the city beaches. About an hour later we picked up Kasandra who just got off work, and we drove about 30 minutes down the coast to a beach town called Caldeta. We went for a swim and later went for lunch on the beach where we shared tapas: patatas bravas, calamari, and gazpacho! Lunch was delicious, and we had a wonderful visit! I got to show Kasandra Gaudi’s La Sagrada Familia, and later Las Ramblas Boulevard.

Vigo, Spain

2009-07-22T06:48:00.000-07:00

Arrived today in Vigo, Spain. It's raining so really not much to do or look at. A group of us went and had coffee on a street side cafe. Lots of seafood restaurants and old ladies selling Oysters on the street. There was a big mall that we wandered through with a Mango and a Sephora. There were lots of pig statues everywhere, however I am not sure why. Lucky to find free internet!

London for an afternoon

2009-07-22T06:41:00.000-07:00

My flight was a red eye overnight to London, arrived UK time in the afternoon so we were able to explore a bit! Alex took us in London, and the Windsor Palace and Richmond for drinks by the river. It was a very short time, but well worth it!

Off to Europe this summer!

2009-07-06T16:56:00.000-07:00

Looking forward to another summer onboard the Queen Victoria, Cunard's newest ship! Leaving July 18th from Southampton, England!

Twilight - Great Book, Great Movie!

2008-11-22T01:03:00.000-08:00

Sarah and I bought tickets online today for opening night of Twilight the movie! It was madness, line ups, sold out shows, and packed theatres, I felt like I was going to a Harry Potter movie! I read the book, so I had to see it, and although movies are usually not nearly as good, they did a pretty damn good job of this one! I loved it, especially Edward Cullen! Wow!, I feel like a silly teenager... I'm going to bed now! lol

Sydney!

2008-11-07T01:36:00.000-08:00

Ile de Pins

2008-10-29T07:22:00.000-07:00

My last port day was today, and after our Halloween party last night, it took a huge effort to get out of bed and make it to the island early enough. It was awesome, and I am so glad that I did! The weather was beautiful and I snorkeled around the whole sacred rock “Kanemura”! There were plenty of fish, and I borrowed an underwater camera from the ship, so I was able to get cool photos! I saw a sea snake slithering on the sand, which was a little frightening, as they are poisonous and very prominent on Ile de Pins. The island is a French islet discovered by Captain Cook in 1774 and is called “Kunie” by the local Melanesians! Later we strolled around and I enjoyed my whole coconut that a native chopped for me with his machete so I could drink from it! Yummy! It was a perfect day to end with! Only 2 more sea days until Sydney! Hooray!

Ouvea, Loyalty Islands

2008-10-28T03:16:00.000-07:00

There are beaches, and then there are beaches… but the island of Ouvea has quite simply some of the most beautiful beaches anywhere in the world. I was very lucky to get off today. I jumped off with Andrew first thing in the morning, but shortly after the captain announced crew could no longer tender, as two of the boats were not working, and there was a back-up of passengers! So most of the crew was stuck on the ship, which would have driven me mad! Anyways, we headed to Mouli beach, where the gleaming sand is talcum powder soft and the water crystal clear! I brought by big camera today and took heaps of photos! There were barely any people, I felt like I had the beach to myself. So thankful for the weather, after yesterday’s never-ending rain I was a little worried! We probably walked 2 hours to reach the end of Mouli beach where we had an amazing lunch at a beautiful resort, saw some huge spiders, and then headed over the bridge to find more sand. The turquoise waters of Ouvea are breathtaking, and literally untouched! Later Andrew, John, and I jumped off the bridge. I was scared at first, but it was great, and decided to jump 3 more times! Ouvea is by far my favorite island in the South Pacific! It is no accident that Ouvea, in English, translates to “the closest island to paradise”!

Vila's Waterfalls!

2008-10-27T04:46:00.000-07:00

Spent the day in Vila at the beautiful Cascade Waterfalls! They were amazing, for once I was not dissapointed by waterfalls I had too high of expectations for! The rain poured, and after swimming, we were soaked while we hiked back down, but it was well worth it! Rainy days are sometimes surprisingly the best!

My rainy day in Sydney

2008-10-23T23:14:00.000-07:00

Had the whole day off today in Sydney! The weather was crap, but Candice and I still walked all the way to the Opera house and then up George Street to do a little shopping! I ate McDonalds (not the same), and got a Starbucks! I really felt like I was in Vancouver, as I walked with my coffee in the city, with the rain pouring down, and the people hurring back to work from their lunch breaks! Only one cruise left to go, and then I will be coming home! Hooray!!!

Isle of Pines!

2008-10-21T23:03:00.000-07:00

Spent the morning on the Isle of Pines, it was a beautiful although the weather could have been better! The beach had amazing sand and clear blue water. It was kinda windy, so hopefully next cruise when we stop there, it will be warmer and I will snorkel!

It's a Mystery...

2008-10-19T05:50:00.000-07:00

Vila!!!

2008-10-17T05:44:00.000-07:00

We had a big crew drill this morning, so for two hours we were exercised in our emergency duties. I was extremely tired from staying up late the night before, but I finally made it though! A big group of us went for burgers at Jill’s American diner in town; we then took a cab to a resort with nice pools and swim up bars. I drank Tusker, Vanuatu’s own beer! Vila has the largest population in Vanuatu, so there are lots of things to see and do and plenty of resorts to check out!

Back to Wala island!

2008-10-16T22:53:00.000-07:00

Back in Wala for the 2nd time, and the weather was beautiful! Candice and I snorkeled and relaxed on the beach! Wala is one of my favorite places, always sunny and very pretty!

Luganville, Vanuatu

2008-10-15T22:44:00.000-07:00

I was scheduled for a tour today but the weather was too rainy so all tours were cancelled. A group of us hired a Vanuatu native to drive us around and show us Luganville, the 2nd largest town in Vanuatu. We drove by 4x4 to different beaches and over bumpy terrain through villages. We went to “Million Dollar Beach” where the beach is covered in remains from World War II. You can see it all washed up on the beach, very cool!
Later our driver took us to a little resort on the water where the owners created a platter lunch for us all to share. It was yummy, curries, spring rolls, rice, and salads! The rain withheld most of the day, John, Clair and I rode in the back of the truck, it was a lot of fun!

Still at Sea with P & O

2008-10-14T22:42:00.000-07:00

Mystery Island...

2008-10-08T22:39:00.000-07:00

Enjoyed sleeping in, ate a full breakfast, and then headed out by tender boat to the small island. Since it was my second time here I mostly just relaxed, read my book, and went for a little walk! A nice day!

Vila, Vanuatu

2008-10-07T00:32:00.000-07:00

Vila was beautiful! This is where Survivor Vanuatu was filmed! In the morning I went on a great tour of Ifira Island where there is a small village of about 200 of the Ifira people. We paddled over to the island in Outrigger canoes, and then were served fresh mangoes, coconuts, bananas, and grapefruit, all grown on the small island! We were then taken in small boats out to the reef where we snorkeled for about an hour. I saw so many fish, the water was so clear and the viewing was spectacular! We later had a walking tour of the island, all the kids were adorable, waving, and giving out flowers! It was so interesting to see there homes, literally a whole different world from what we are used to. Later when back at the port, I met up with some others and we spent the afternoon at Iririki resort also on a private island, only accessible by boat. We swam in the pools, drank some cocktails and ate lunch by poolside. The resort was so nice, and had many bungalows perched out on the water!

Crusing out of Sydney and Island Party

2008-10-03T00:18:00.000-07:00

Divine Island, Poum

2008-10-02T01:50:00.000-07:00

I Slept in today which I really needed! The view from the ship of Divine and the surrounding islands was unreal! So pretty! A few of us tendered over and relaxed on the beach and went for a swim. I was a little reluctant after hearing of people sighting the poisonous sea snake (which will apparently kill you) Yikes! There were also reef shark sightings on the other side of the island. The cruise ship set up a huge BBQ and hosted a tug-of-war! Later we hiked up to the viewpoint that looked over the island!

Wala, Vanuatu

2008-09-28T21:57:00.000-07:00

Today was wonderful! Beautiful weather with plenty of sunshine, on a gorgeous island in the middle of the South Pacific! Wala is one of the gorgeous islands of Vanuatu! I explored the island today with Andrew and Tania, who is a photographer from Toronto! We both had our pro cameras and together took probably over 500 photos! We followed an island native through their jungle on a tour where we were shown a traditional show, dancing, and where the villagers lived! Later we drank from coconuts and went for a swim! Lots of snorkeling, with beautiful coral! We explored the other side of the island where we ran into random pigs, chickens, and children playing. The water was very warm and the island people were really nice, I really enjoyed the day! So far my favorite island!!

Mystery Island, Vanuatu

2008-09-27T20:32:00.000-07:00

The winds and weather was so rough last night that there was talk of not being able to tender today, which would mean another day at sea and no stop on Mystery Island. : ( Luckily… the weather today was okay, and I caught a tender boat over to the island around 11am. My roommate Candice and I were delighted at how pretty the island was. There are no inhabitants (the natives come over from the neighboring island), and you can walk around the island in less than one hour. Many people were snorkeling, relaxing on the beach, or strolling around the little market. Around 2pm on our way back to the boat the storm came in, we got absolutely soaked while waiting for the tender! We then experienced an extremely rocky ride to the ship, where I grabbed lunch in the Lido and watched the rain fall on the windows.

Noumea, New Calendonia

2008-09-27T00:20:00.000-07:00

My day in Noumea was a little overcast, but luckily the rain decided to hide for most of the day! Noumea is known as the soul of France in the South Pacific, and it’s the capital city of the island! Everyone speaks French and the currency is still the Pacific Franc. A few of us got off the ship right at 8am to explore the island. There was a nice old church where a wedding was taking place; I snapped a quick picture of the bride as we walked by. Andrew from New Zealand and I rented a scooter and explored the coastline. It was great! We headed down past Lemon Bay (Baie Des Citrons), and then to Anse Vata, a beautiful beach with a French promenade. The beaches were practically empty. We packed a picnic which we had bought at the Supermarket which consisted of a traditional baguette and French Brie cheese! It was very yummy! After we ate, we headed up some windy roads to the bay of Anse Kuendu. It was the prettiest beach by far! There were horses off to the side, and a really rustic looking resort with cabins out above the sea! Something that until now I had only seen in pictures or advertisements for far off resorts! It was really nice! On the ride back we stopped to talk to some young boys who were jumping off a high bridge into crystal looking water below! The boys were so friendly, I spoke to them in my broken French and we took some photos! After telling them I was not going to jump, they kept saying “Another photo Madam!!” It was a lot of fun! Next time hopefully the sun will shine a little brighter!!! Xox

Sydney Sail Away

2008-09-26T01:29:00.000-07:00

Leaving Sydney on the Pacific Dawn was beautiful! I had a wonderful night over in Sydney, I took a wander down to the beach in Brighton, and relaxed at the hotel. I am liking the cruise so far, but it is a big change from Cunard! So many differences, and a whole different experience! It is taking a little getting used to, and the weather has been pretty crap, but it's still great! I really cannot complain...

Leaving tomorrow!

2008-09-19T13:47:00.000-07:00

Well here I am again with a million things to do! Haven't started packing and it's the day before I leave for Australia for a month! Why do I always leave stuff like this to the last minute? Unlike July, when I found out two days before I was flown off to Europe... this time i've have actually had plenty of notice. The worst part is I am sitting at Lisa and Q's right now, blogging when I should be packing and running errands. My computer suddenly became deathly infected with viruses and I had to drive out here so my Hero Quentin could fix it!!! Thank goodness for good friends, and Lisa's homemade soup!! xox

From Sydney I will be working a month for P & O where I will be exploring the islands Vanuatu and New Caledonia! Here are a taste of the ports I will be visiting!South Pacific Regions I hope to update on here and post some pictures, so stay tuned!!

Fish Pedicure

2008-09-18T00:42:00.000-07:00

This is crazy! You can travel to Virginia, USA to have this done! Your toes are nibbled on by a type of carp called garra rufa, or doctor fish, during a fish pedicure treatment at Yvonne Hair and Nails salon in Alexandria, Va.

Just touched down in London Town!

2008-09-01T00:23:00.000-07:00

From Barcelona I flew to London where I stayed with Alex for a couple days! Windsor
Windsor Castle

Parliament Buildings

London Eye and the River Thames

Watching a Cricket match in Kew
English Football Match!

Hampton Court Palace!!!!
Home of King Henry the 8th!!!

Barcelona Spain

2008-08-29T00:05:00.000-07:00

My father in Spain picked me up at the end of my cruise contract in Barcelona! I had 4 days to visit with my Spanish Family which was wonderful! I love Barcelona, it's my second home!!!

My dad and Aunt in Spain growing up! Love this picture....
La Ramblas
Gaudi Architecture

At the top of Tibidabo, looking down over Barcelona
A day on the Costa Brava, then Paella Lunch with Family

Gaudi's La Sagrada Familia
A day in Sitges at the beach!

Marseille, France

2008-08-24T20:49:00.000-07:00

Marseille was a very pretty old French port town! I took the little tourist train to the top of the mountain over looking the harbor. The famous church "La Basilique Notre Dame de la Garge" sat at the top. The views were amazing! Later I had French cuisine with the girls, and shopped around the Sunday market!

PISA!!!

2008-08-24T20:41:00.000-07:00

Finally got to visit the Leaning Tower of Pisa! The drive there was beautiful as we drove through the Tuscany region where we traveled windy roads lined with trees, and passed over beautiful rivers. Pisa was really cool! Irene and I were on the same tour again so we got so many great pictures posing all sorts of ways in front of the tower. We also got to see the inside of the Cathedral Duomo, which was beautiful! Pisa was really fun, and I enjoyed souvenir shopping and walking around, although very tired from the night before. When we were leaving it started to rain, thank goodness for the timing! The drive back to Livorno was really pretty as we got to see the Tuscan countryside, with many olive trees and farms. I spent the afternoon on the ship napping, and starting to pack my stuff. I think I have bought too much!

A relaxing day in Civitavecchia, It.

2008-08-23T20:38:00.000-07:00

I didn’t have enough time to go back into Rome today. There was a crew drill so I had to cover for Paul in the morning. It’s okay because Nikki and I went to the beach. A shuttle took us from the ship to the main city center of Civitavecchia. The beach was nothing special, but nice enough, and the sun was super hot! I also did a little bit of shopping and bought some really cute Italia red polka dot shoes. I had a Panini, and suntanned all afternoon then had the night off at work, so I went to the spa for a facial, which was amazing and so relaxing, and then met the tour girls for dinner in the Lido. At night, went to the White Star party-bbq which was a blast once again!!

Taormina, Sicily

2008-08-22T20:06:00.000-07:00

From the port of Messina I took a tour that took us one hour away to Taormina, perched high above the sea on the slopes of Mt. Tauro, a town that has entertained celebrities and artists since the days of the Caesars. It was gorgeous! The view is amazing, you can see the ocean, beaches, and coastline below, and the active volcano Mt. Etna is close by. Our tour took us to the 3rd century Greco-Roman theatre with picturesque views of the blue Ionian Sea below. You could see the smoke coming from the volcano in the distance. Later I grabbed a Pistachio Gelato and wandered the streets lined with little shops and a few cafes. Taormina was a really nice place, and a great place to enjoy a holiday!

Ephesus

2008-08-20T19:59:00.000-07:00

This was the most amazing ruins/archaeological sight I have ever seen! Ephesus was a port city for all ancient civilizations over 2000 years old. Only a small portion has been uncovered, but was has is fascinating and you can really envision life back then and how it used to be. It was so hot out it was almost unbearable, but our tour was great! We saw the great theatre (where St. John preached), the Temple of Artemis, The library of Celsus and so much more! I’m not so much for ruins but Ephesus really exceeded my expectations. Later back in Kusadasi, I shopped around their Bazaar and took in the scenery. There was a really nice beach close by. So far I am very impressed with Turkey.

Istanbul, Turkey

2008-08-19T18:10:00.000-07:00

Istanbul is a great city! When we sailed into the harbor I could see the skyline lined with many Mosques. They are beautiful! I did a full day tour and was very lucky because Irene (tour staff) came with me. Istanbul is very interesting, especially because its spread over two countries, half is in Europe, the other half in Asia. We toured the Blue Mosque where we had to cover our shoulders, legs and remove our shoes. We visited St. Sophia, one of the oldest cathedrals in Europe, and Topkeki Palace which was amazing and sat high on a mountain. We saw the underground Cistern palace, which was so incredible, all built underground with waterways, and pillars, it was cool! We enjoyed a traditional Turkish lunch served in a beautiful outdoor courtyard like restaurant. Later we had free time in the Grand Bazaar (2nd biggest in the world). It was a never ending marketplace full of all the clothes, leather, ceramics, souvenirs, and Turkish delight you could ever want! I got some amazing bargains and we had a lot of fun!

The Greek island Mykonos

2008-08-17T16:17:00.000-07:00

If there was ever a place on this journey that I had to miss the ship, and get left behind, this would be it! Mykonos was definitely one of my favorites by far. Unfortunately we only had from 7am to 12 at port, so we were forced to wake up at the crack of dawn, and be among the first people off. I grabbed my English breakfast tea, and an orange and we hiked up this hill to this wonderful viewpoint. All the homes and buildings in Mykonos are white, and the harbor is beautiful. This was the Greece I had been waiting for, little windy streets, with white houses, blue windows, and pots filled with red and yellow flowers. There were little old ladies hanging their clothes to dry and little cars and scooters racing by. This little town is amazing, and I really wish I could have stayed a week. There was a group of us, who shopped along the narrow streets, walked along the seaside, and then had an incredible lunch. Probably the best Greek food I have ever tasted. We shared tsatziki, hummus, pita, calamari, Greek salad, and baked feta, it was so fresh, and the best part was the café looked out onto the ocean. Mykonos also has these nice windmills sitting on the cliff, and beautiful big white pelicans, that you can get really close to! The beach was beautiful too, and I could have wandered around all day if I had more time! Also saw where they filmed the Borne Identity!! I love Greece!

Olympia, Greece

2008-08-16T16:11:00.000-07:00

Yesterday I went to Olympia, Greece today from the port of Katakolon. I went on a tour that took us to the ruins and archaeological sight of the first Olympic Games. It was so hot (42 degrees), and very dusty, but I still had a good time. We saw where they lit the torch, the first running track, chariot races, swimming pools, and learned all about Zeus and the historical making behind the Olympics. Sounds really exciting, but was really just a bunch of ancient ruins (that looked like rocks) lying in the dust, that I walked through in the sweltering heat. Later we went to visit the museum and shopped around the town a little bit. I bought a couple souvenirs and had a Greek pita, which was definitely better than any I have ever had back home! The Tzatziki was amazing! Yum!

Dubrovnik Croatia!

2008-08-14T15:40:00.000-07:00

I went into Dubrovnik again!!! I got off the ship with Grace, Marion, and Dannette. We found the beach, which was gorgeous made up of smooth pebbles. The view as we walked down the path was beautiful. The Adriatic was a little cooler than the Med Sea, but the water super clear and very refreshing! I loved it! We swam and relaxed for a bit, then went for lunch in town, at a little restaurant situated on a pretty narrow street. Dannette and I shared gnocchi with gorgonzola, and mushroom and veggie risotto! It was really nice. Later we did a little shopping and I bought a pair of Havianas, (really comfy flip flops that I am in need of from all the walking I have been doing!) Later, back at port, there was a crew center that had super cheap and fast internet, so I spent an hour there, then went back to the ship! Overall a great day in Croatia…. Again!

Venice!

2008-08-13T22:42:00.000-07:00

Just spent 3 days and 2 nights in amazing Venice! What a place! When we sailed in I could not believe my eyes, waterways everywhere. From the port we were able to hop on the shuttle boat that took us to St. Marc’s Square every 20 minutes. I did a tour the first day of St. Mark’s Basilica and Doges Palace, both beautiful spectacles of Venice. Doges Palace is made of gothic arches, delicate marble, and houses the remains of the old palace prison, very interesting! The highlight of the tour was the gondola ride! Usually cost $100 euro per couple for 30 minutes, but I got to go for free, as I was escorting the tour! The gondola took us up and down the small canals and through many waterways, it was gorgeous! There was no serenading however; I guess you have to request to have that. Venice is amazing, as there are no cars, only boats, and many, many bridges. I didn’t have to work until 10 pm that night, so I wandered around town, did a little shopping, and had dinner is a nice Italian restaurant on the waterfront. I ordered pizza, and a glass of wine, and watched the sun go down! Yesterday Chris and I took the water taxi from St. Marc’s sq. to Lido Island, where we met Sarah to go to the beach! Sarah had come back to Venice for a few days after leaving the Queen Mary on August 1 for holiday. The beach was a lot nicer, and quite bigger than I expected, we all ate Panini’s and lied in the sun. Later on, Chris and I got gelato and made our journey back to the ship. I worked my shift for the day (which was one hour embarkation), and then Alex and I headed out for the night in Venice! The Grand Canal was an amazing sight, we watched all the gondola’s carry people from point to point, and had a drink at an outdoor café. Venice is definitely one of the most amazing places I have ever been!

Dubrovnik and Cavtat, Croatia

2008-08-10T22:35:00.000-07:00

I think this was one of my favorite stops yet! Croatia is amazingly beautiful! Way more stunning then I ever imagined! I took a tour of the Coast of the Croatian Riviera. First stop was Cavtat, a beautiful seaside resort town where I took a stroll on the promenade and browsed the shops. Next we entered the rural Konavle Valley near the Ljuta river where we all were served wine and Croatian open faced sandwiches. There was a waterfall nearby and all the servers were dressed in traditional clothes. Last stop was Dubrovnik, the walled city! Absolutely amazing! I spent the afternoon with one of the kid’s family from New York. We got ice cream, walked along the wall high above the city below and saw the 2nd oldest synagogue in Europe! It was sweltering hot, but I really enjoyed it all! I cannot wait to go back to Dubrovnik next cruise, the roads were made of marble, and the water was crystal blue with beautiful beaches nearby!

The Greek Island of Corfu!

2008-08-07T22:30:00.000-07:00

Spent the day at the beach! It was lovely and I really needed the rest and relaxation! The water was great, but we were told there were nice beaches farther out! There was a hotel on the cliff were the water ran over the edge, it was so nice and had a beautiful view! Later I went into the old town and bought a couple souvenirs. The town was very quaint and had beautiful building and narrow streets. For the first time I was worried about missing the ship, so I hurried back just in case it left earlier than I thought. Better to be safe than sorry!

Messina, Sicily

2008-08-06T22:22:00.000-07:00

Messina, Sicily was Alex’s birthday so a group of us went for a really nice Italian lunch in an outdoor café. I had tomato and boccocini salad! There was not much going on in Messina, I think everyone was having siesta, because the shops were closed and it was really quiet! So I relaxed on the upper deck for most of the day!

When in Rome...

2008-08-06T00:16:00.000-07:00

Rome was out of this world! I never realized how much there was to see and do! So for this reason I chose the extremely long and detailed tour of the Eternal City! The passengers were paying $320 a person, so I figured it would be good! Saw the Vatican City, Museum and the Sistine Chapel! So crowded but amazing to say the least! We saw St. Peter’s Basilica, which is the largest church in the world. I could not believe the size and the beauty inside. I threw a coin into the famous Trevi fountain, which means someday I shall return to Rome (hope so!). We had lunch in a beautiful restaurant where we had pasta, bread and olive oil, chicken, dessert, and of course wine and espresso! Later in the afternoon we quickly saw Circus Maximus, the Forum, and then spent a long time touring the Coliseum! It was very impressive! So exciting to be there, so much history! I slept the whole way back on the coach, I was exhausted!

Florence, Italy

2008-08-04T23:55:00.000-07:00

My first stop in Italy was Livorno in the Tuscany region. I went to the capital, Florence where I did an all day tour. It was a beautiful city! Never got to Pisa, but I will see the leaning tower when we go back next cruise! First we were taken to a lookout high on a cliff where we could see the whole city. We took a tour of Famous Uffizi gallery where the original “David” statue is, and we saw the famous church where Michelangelo, and Machiavelli lay. The cobblestone streets were beautiful and you could smell the pizza and fresh tomatoes coming from the little cafes. Our tour took us to a little restaurant where we were served lasagna, veal, and tiramisu! Yum! Later I met up with Grace, we had a glass of white wine, people watched, and did some shopping! I bought a couple beautiful prints of Tuscany and Florence.

Cannes and Nice, France (Riviera)

2008-08-03T23:17:00.000-07:00

I Spent the day in Cannes and Nice today. It was absolutely gorgeous! The weather was the hottest it’s been yet and I was so happy to have some beach and swimming time! My morning started off early as we had to tender into shore on boats from the ship at anchor. There was a big red carpet as you entered the port at Cannes, signifying their famous film festival. The drive to Nice was nice and once there we were given an hour of free time. Irene (tour dept) and I walked around the flower market, went to the famous English promenade and I had a coffee with our tour guide Franc, who showed us the newspaper saying that George Clooney and Cindy Crawford were visiting the French Riviera. We took a little train ride around town and then to the top of Castle Hill park where we had an amazing view of the coast! It was great! Later, once back in Cannes, Irene, Suzanna and I went to the beach and had a very nice swim! I spent my afternoon swimming in the Mediterranean Sea! I also had the best Panini Roma I have ever had! Today was a beautiful, beautiful day!

Gibraltar, UK

2008-08-01T23:06:00.000-07:00

I wasn’t really sure what to expect in Gibraltar. It is a British ruled territory right next to Spain. The big attraction is “The Rock” which had absolutely fabulous views over Spain, and North Africa. I went on a tour in the morning that took me up the cable car right close to Gibraltar’s most famous inhabitants, the monkeys! They were everywhere, and there were so many of them! A little vicious, and apparently they will bite, so I kept a little distance. Later our tour took us through the Great Siege Tunnels inside the rock that were used during the big invasion “The Great Seige”. It was pretty neat and I definitely got a big dose of history lesson that day! Later went through the Gibraltar museum and then wandered through town on my own. I had a drink and a toasty bacon sandwich at a sidewalk café and people watched and wrote a couple postcards. It was great and so nice to just explore on my own a little bit. The town had a nice little square in the middle where I came with Alex later for ice tea with a short walk back to the pier.

Oslo, Norway

2008-07-30T22:48:00.000-07:00

The last port of this cruise we stopped at today! I was scheduled for a tour called the Highlights of Oslo, but I slept too late, and almost missed it. We had a Big White Star staff party on the outer deck last night! There was a live band, free drinks, it was fantastic! I raced down to the Queens Room just in the nic of time this morning, and I was so tired! Our tour visited the oldest Ski Jump in the world, Holmenkollen, used for the Olympics in 1952. We then took a walking tour of the Vigeland Sculpture park! It wasn’t too sunny in Oslo, but the weather was mild and I had a nice time walking around! I came back for a rest, and then took a walk around Akershus Castle and fortress!

Copenhagen, Denmark

2008-07-29T22:10:00.000-07:00

Copenhagen, Denmark

Today was amazing! It has even topped Stockholm, for being my favorite spot yet! I took a one hour canal cruise which was beautiful! Nikki and I were on the same open air boat, it was great! Copenhagen is made up of little islands and waterways, many people live in house boats. We saw the statue of the Little Mermaid, a landmark based on Hans Christiansen’s story. Nikki and I decided to walk from the boat through town and to Tivoli theme park. Today in total we walked over 4 hours straight. I was exhausted! There was so much to see and do! I got a Danish hot dog, very different but definitely the best hot dog I have ever had! We were really lucky because the admission to this park is over $40, however we were just wandering around and ended up inside (for free!), we have been so lucky I tell ya! On the way back we wandered though the shops, H&M, Zara, etc. and I picked up a couple postcards. Denmark has the highest taxes of anywhere in the world! A very expensive place to live! Very beautiful!

Stockholm, Sweden

2008-07-28T21:36:00.000-07:00

So far this is my favorite city I have stopped in! When I looked out my window I couldn’t believe how beautiful it was! I went on a tour in the morning “The Best of Stockholm” which took us on a tour of the city via bus, stopped at a viewpoint, and visited city hall and the Vasa Museum. The Vasa Museum was unbelievable, all based on the wreckage of a great Boat the king had ordered built, which sunk while only 20 minutes into its journey. They recovered it from the ocean after over 300 years and house the original here. It was so interesting, I just could not believe my eyes really. Very cool! Later Nikki and I met up and went on a tour of the Absolut Ice Bar! They put us in furry winter coat like ponchos and gloves, and we were served vodka in a glass made of ice. I was wearing flip flops so my feet were freezing, but it was still really neat! Later we shopped around a bit, Sweden has some amazing shopping streets, and I had some Swedish Meat Balls! Yay! Sweden is absolutely gorgeous, a city made up of a bunch of islands. When we sailed away, passed the archipelagoes, it really reminded me of the Gulf Islands! If the tax wasn’t the highest in the world, I could definitely live here! Stunning!!!

Helsinki, Finland

2008-07-27T21:24:00.000-07:00

Helsinki was very cool! We walked through a park where they had performers to the waterfront where we stopped at a market like place where I grabbed an excellent sandwich. The place reminded me a bit of Granville Island. We walked the steps that led up to a large white cathedral and Danette and I later left the group and enjoyed an ice coffee atop a boat café. It was lovely. Later we walked around the market where people were selling everything from grilled salmon and herring, to wooden bowls and silver jewelry. Helsinki I found very expensive! They use the Euro there but everything was very pricey!

St. Petersburg, Russia

2008-07-25T21:16:00.000-07:00

The last two days have been spent in St. Petersburg, Russia! Wow! So amazing! The weather has been fantastic as well, in what is usually a really dark and gloomy city. The first day I took the Grand Tour of St. Petersburg (this tour includes everything and is worth a couple hundred dollars). So I jumped at the chance to go. I was the escort which meant I had make sure everyone got on the bus, didn’t get left behind etc. We saw Peter and Paul Fortress, St. Isaacs Cathedral, The Hermitage (former winter palace full of some of the most famous art work in the world), and the Church of Spilt Blood (which was amazing, the whole church was completely done in mosaics. I have never seen something so fascinating when it comes to art and architecture!) We had lunch in a Russian restaurant and were served Caviar and Vodka. Lastly, we took a Canal tour of St. Petersburg which they call “Venice of the North”. It was my favorite part of the day, we went under at least 20 bridges, and saw the most amazing sights! There was a little boy who ran to each bridge and waved to us from above. He must have run for an hour straight, it was really cute! Last night everyone went out to a club called Papanin in the city! It was really fun, they had a casino there and we were all given a free $5 chip, I turned mine into $30 playing Black Jack! It was really busy, lots of Russians of course, but there were so many crew from the ship!

When we left Russia today we sailed pass a huge, old Russian Navy base, and the view with the sun setting was amazing!

Ship Life

2008-07-25T21:12:00.000-07:00

Life on board the Queen Victoria has been great! Here I am with the QV behind me on the right hand side. I am really enjoying the cruise, still doesn’t really feel like I am working, but when I am, it’s really fun!

Estonia and Poland

2008-07-24T20:59:00.000-07:00

Yesterday went to Gdynia, Poland. It was a nice waterfront city, with a lot of ship history and museums. We took a walk through town along the sea side and went for lunch! Had some Polish beer and soup! I wanted to have perogies, but I did not see them on the menu, and when I asked our waitress she had no idea what I was talking about. Hmmm… none of the British people have ever heard of them either.

Today we went to Tallinn, Estonia, a country off the coast of Latvia and Russia. It was beautiful! I really enjoyed walking around the cobblestone streets of the old town taking in the old buildings and sidewalk cafes. We also found an amazing viewpoint of the city below! I would never have thought to come here, but it was really a sight to see!

First couple days on the ship!

2008-07-20T05:29:00.000-07:00

Well I can honestly say everything is even greater on board than I expected! Sometimes I wonder how I get so lucky! My first two days have been great! The ship is beautiful, and very elegant, as well as all the passengers lucky enough to be spending their holiday here. There are 7 of us working with the teens, 3 Canadian, and 4 British.

I am sharing my room with Nicola from Northern England, she plays professional soccer and is about to become a police in London. She is so nice and fun! The best part about our room is we are in a passenger cabin! Not a small one either, when I saw it I could not believe my eyes! We have an OCEAN VIEW!!! It is amazing! Since we are the seasonal youth staff, and they ran out of crew cabins, we were placed here. So for the next 5 weeks I have room service, a wonderful big window looking out to sea, and a cozy white robe and slippers! Talk about luxury!

There are 6 of us working on the ship with the teens, but hardly any children! The teen center is filled with big screens, PS3's, Wii's, and Rock bands! We were told right away that we would never have to work a port day, which means I can see every city on the itinerary!!! We will also be working very minimal, if you even call it work!? Today, for example I started at 4pm, and held a one hour tennis tournament for the teens, at 9:30 we held a scavenger hunt around the ship, then we went to watch the show in the theater! We haven’t received our I.D. cards yet which meant we couldn’t get off the boat today in Belgium, which was a little disappointing, but I was so tired I slept in until 1:30.

So coming up…. Poland, Sweden, Finland, and Estonia! I found out we can sign up to go on any of the day tours for free! This is great because they need crew to report on the quality of the tour each time. I am stoked because some tours cost hundreds of dollars, I will be taking full advantage of this for sure!!!

Hope everyone is doing well! Miss you xox

First day in London!

2008-07-17T15:48:00.000-07:00

I am too far from the city to do anything fun in London, and the weather has been a typical "English Summer" day (Crappy!). So... thank god for my internet connection and the US/UK adapter I got from the front desk!
I had a nice little dinner (paid for by Cunard of course) that consisted of typical English favorites, curry chicken, prime rib, and Yorkshire pudding(yum)! I have to be up in 5 hours for breakfast and transportation to the ship, but I cannot sleep!!!

Here are some Mediterranean and Eastern European ports I will be visiting! So excited!

Where the Hell is Matt?

2008-07-17T12:38:00.001-07:00

I think I want to be the next "Where the Hell is Matt"!
This guy is so funny, he travels all over the world, dancing with people on video! Check out his YouTube video which gets millions of hits! He is huge on the internet!!!

Where the Hell is Matt right now????

Queen Victoria!

2008-07-16T14:54:00.000-07:00

After one days notice, and a very frantic day of running around and throwing clothes into my suitcase, I am ready to go. I am sitting at the airport right now waiting for my flight to London. I cannot believe I am actually doing this. I will be working as Youth Staff/teen events on Cunards newest and most Luxurious ship the "Queen Victoria". I end in Barcelona where my dad is picking me up and I will be spending a few days in Barcelona with my Spanish Family!!! I cannot wait!!!

"Queen Victoria will spend her first summer based in the sunny Mediterranean, with an array of exciting itineraries to some of the most enchanting ports of call in the region.

Many of Queen Victoria's voyages begin and end in different classic Mediterranean destinations, such as the Ancient Wonders of the Mediterranean voyage which embarks in Rome and concludes in Athens. Or Greek Isles & Aegean Shores which sails from Venice to Istanbul. Several voyages include overnight stays in some of the world's most charming cities, including Barcelona, Venice, and Istanbul. "

This is where I will be this summer. My itinerary. xoxo

Friday, July 18, 2008 Southampton, England Depart
Saturday, July 19, 2008 Zeebrugge, Brussels, Belgium
Sunday, July 20, 2008 Cruising the North Sea
Monday, July 21, 2008 Cruising the Baltic Sea
Tuesday, July 22, 2008 Gdynia, Poland
Wednesday, July 23, 2008 Tallinn, Estonia
Thursday, July 24, 2008 St Petersburg, Russia
Friday, July 25, 2008 St Petersburg, Russia
Saturday, July 26, 2008 Helsinki, Finland
Sunday, July 27, 2008 Stockholm, Sweden
Monday, July 28, 2008 Cruising the Baltic Sea
Tuesday, July 29, 2008 Copenhagen, Denmark
Wednesday, July 30, 2008 Oslo, Norway
Thursday, July 31, 2008 Cruising the North Sea
Friday, August 1, 2008 Southampton, England Disembark

Friday, August 1, 2008 Southampton, England Depart
Saturday, August 2, 2008 Atlantic Ocean
Sunday, August 3, 2008 Atlantic Ocean
Monday, August 4, 2008 Gibraltar
Tuesday, August 5, 2008 Cruising the Mediterranean
Wednesday, August 6, 2008 Cannes, France
Thursday, August 7, 2008 Livorno, (Florence, Pisa) Italy
Friday, August 8, 2008 Civitavecchia (Rome), Italy
Saturday, August 9, 2008 Messina, Sicily, Italy
Sunday, August 10, 2008 Corfu, Greece
Monday, August 11, 2008 Dubrovnik, Croatia
Tuesday, August 12, 2008 Venice, Italy
Wednesday, August 13, 2008 Venice, Italy Disembark

Wednesday, August 13, 2008 Venice, Italy -- --
Thursday, August 14, 2008 Venice, Italy Depart
Friday, August 15, 2008 Dubrovnik, Croatia
Saturday, August 16, 2008 Katakolon(Olympia)
Sunday, August 17, 2008 Mykonos, Greece
Monday, August 18, 2008 Istanbul, Turkey
Tuesday, August 19, 2008 Kusadasi (Ephesus), Turkey
Wednesday, August 20, 2008 Cruising the Mediterranean
Thursday, August 21, 2008 Messina, Sicily, Italy
Friday, August 22, 2008 Civitavecchia (Rome), Italy
Saturday, August 23, 2008Livorno, Florence, Pisa, Italy
Sunday, August 24, 2008 Marseille, Provence, France
Monday, August 25, 2008 Barcelona, Spain Disembark

Miss South Carolina answers a question - WoW!!

2008-06-07T23:51:00.000-07:00

Had to post this, it's so funny, and embarrassing for her! lol

The Other Boleyn Girl!

2008-02-26T17:53:00.000-08:00

I read this book while on Vacation in Thailand! It was one of those page turners you cannot put down. I absolutely loved it, and I am so stoked for the movie coming out next week! What a story!!
Trailer!

Chang Mai and Bangkok

2008-02-24T14:45:00.000-08:00

Ko Phi Phi, Kho lak, Similian Islands

2008-02-23T14:36:00.000-08:00

Ko Libong, Krabi, Railay, Ko Lanta

2008-02-22T14:24:00.000-08:00

Ko Samui and Ko Tao

2008-02-21T14:17:00.000-08:00

Hong Kong/ Schenzen

2008-02-20T14:15:00.000-08:00

Thailand Tommorrow!

2008-01-12T11:40:00.001-08:00

The time has come... I am leaving tomorrow for my big Asia trip. First stop is Hong Kong for a few days, then down to Thailand!!! So excited! Here I am with my back pack I got for Christmas, all set!

Canon Rebel Xti

2008-01-06T20:51:00.001-08:00

I spoiled myself with a brand new pro camera on boxing day! It's so amazing and can do really great things! Now I have joined the Lisa and Sharon photography club!

I am leaving in a week for my Asian Adventure!! I will be backpacking around Thailand for over a month. Along the way I am also going to Hong Kong, Malaysia, Cambodia and getting my PADI Scuba Diving Certification! I am so excited I can hardly wait! So expect fabulous photos (those who still read my blog..) I have been definately slacking with blog posting so I don't blame those who no longer check...

xox