Be a Traveler not a Tourist: Part 1

go somewhere

So many people go on trips every year (sometimes more) and really don’t get anything out of it. Although I know that everyone has different ways of wanting to go on vacation, I hope that this post can give people an idea of how they can travel, let’s just say “better” than before. Not forcing anyone to do anything they don’t want to do, just wanting people to think about what happens in places where tourism is such a big part of that place. So many people go somewhere typical (which is fine) and just check off the things one should see in that location. Example, I’m going to Rome so I’ll see the Vatican, the Colosseum, and the Spanish Steps. Then I’ll go have some pasta and some gelato and perhaps some wine. Check, Rome is done, I’ve seen enough- maybe some day I’ll come back when I have more time. FALSE. Try something different, go outside your comfort zone.

I’ve been on a lot of cruises (which by the way are very cool and a great way to get a taste of so many different places in a very short time) and it is really hard not to just be a tourist on these trips. You are drug around in a group of individuals clad in walking shoes, D-SLRs around everyone’s neck, and of course the lovely walkie talkie contraptions or “whispers” as some guides call them also draped around one’s neck. You look foolish, but you get to see a lot this way. The problem is the only thing you are doing is SEEING a lot, you aren’t diving into the culture head first. The first time I went overseas I just spent a lot of time looking at the sights and I didn’t really get a lot out of the trip other than I saw a lot of cool things, basically all I was doing was following the tour group and seeing what was in front of me. I wanted my next trip to be something I got a lot out of both educationally and emotionally, but I’m different like that, I use travel as a way to express myself and learn more about myself. That isn’t how everyone likes to do things, but I’ve found I really come back from trips feeling overall better about myself if I really immerse myself into the locations I visit.

go somewhere and don’t just follow the leader

Let’s make this silly situation better! Let’s say you ARE on one of these tours and you aren’t off on your own (which I find is always the best way to see anywhere if you have more time and aren’t on a time constraint- if you are on something like a cruise I do think the shore excursions are the best way to get the most bang for your buck ), there are plenty of ways you can still discover what your destination is all about. Most trips give you some free time to eat or shop, take advantage of that! Find a map, wander down some side streets, get kinda lost and then figure out your way back to where you came from- it really gives you a sense of accomplishment to be able to find your way around somewhere completely foreign to you. It also makes you figure out what makes that place tick. Do the places to eat/drink get cheaper as you walk down side streets and get further away from tourist traps and closer to where people actually live? Usually it does. These are also AMAZING places to eat because it is where the locals eat, so usually a more reasonable price and you get the chance to talk to people who aren’t used to having THOUSANDS of tourists encroaching on their space every single day. From personal experience this is when I’ve really learned the most about cultures elsewhere is just by doing this little trick, going off the beaten path. Sometimes you don’t even have to go that far to find places with menus only in the local language (MOST of the time you can get by with English, but I find that it is polite to try to communicate in the local language first before going to English). Remembering you are a visitor to someone else’s home, be polite and be willing to try new things and talk to new people. You never know who will be willing to talk to you or what you will encounter. That is truly the beauty of traveling.

The times that I’ve strayed off the beaten path have been fantastic. I’ve found great hidden places to eat, lovely shops, and amazing people. I’ve wandered around places in Italy, France, Spain, Scotland, England, Ireland, Belgium, Holland, Greece, Monaco, Alaska, Canada, New York, Turkey, Malta, and so many more places. Each destination has something to teach you, my goal each time I travel is to discover what exactly I’m learning from that place. Holland taught me that I CAN find my way around a city I’ve only been in for literally minutes, Greece taught me to see the beauty in simplicity, Scotland taught me to appreciate the beauty of the world around me and England taught me that I can be so much more than I ever thought I could. Traveling really has helped me find direction and meaning to my life and traveling alone has helped even more.

go somewhere ready to try to “fit in”

Do research before you visit another country, learn how to say hello and thank you at the very least. I know so many people that complain about people who visit America or even move to America not being able to speak any English, give other countries the experience you want to have with foreigners, or at least try! Learning languages can be fun and a great family activity to do before embarking on a cruise or going on a trip if you are going somewhere as a family. Duolingo is a great little app that gets you started with the basics  Look into customs such as dress and body language. For examples there are cultures where one finger pointing not something you should do. Always be aware of things like that. Walk with a purpose, don’t feel bad about stopping to take photos, but be respectful of the people around you. Don’t stop in the middle of a busy sidewalk, go off out of the way so the people who live there can continue to go about their daily business.  Always carry currency of the country you are in, don’t expect places to “just take” the dollar because you think they should. (I’ve seen this happen in a few different countries, the end result was never a friendly exchange…).

This blog has mainly covered the basics of how to turn what would have been a straightforward tourist experience into something where you become a traveler and really start to learn about other cultures and places in a more personal and in depth way. Remembering everyone has their preferred way of traveling and I’m not looking to boss people around into changing how they vacation, this is purely food for thought and a reflection on how I like to travel.

Look for more in this series of posts, I hope it helps others prepare for travel abroad (and even in their own country). I’m aiming to help others grow through travel the way I have, it really is a way of life and once that travel bug bites you there really is no better way to learn more about yourself or relax.

Disney Vacation Club: Tricks and Tips

Introduction to vacation club

If you’ve never heard of Disney Vacation Club and are curious to learn more, please start reading here, if you know a bit about DVC feel free to skip this intro section and move on to the “tips and tricks sections”.

There are a variety of different resorts to choose from when you buy into Disney Vacation Club. There are currently 9 resorts at WDW (I’m sure more will be built in the future), they include: Animal Kingdom Villas, Bay Lake Tower at Disney’s Contemporary Resort, Beach Club Villas, BoardWalk Villas, Villas at Grand Floridian, Old Key West, Saratoga Springs, Villas at Wilderness Lodge, and the Polynesian Villas and Bungalows. In Disneyland there is the Villas at the Grand Californian. In addition to the park resorts there are three beach resorts that are destinations within themselves: Aulani in Hawaii, Vero Beach in Florida, and Hilton Head in South Carolina.

DVC operates on a point system. You buy a certain number of points and each year in your predetermined month you are rewarded that amount of points to use. You can use these points at the DVC resorts but they can also be exchanged for Disney Cruises, Adventures by Disney and partner hotel rooms around the globe. However, the most bang for your buck is to use them at the DVC resorts, if you want to do a different kind of vacation other than what the resorts offer, your best bet may be to rent out your points for that year and then use that money towards the vacation you wish to do.

Another bonus of having DVC is that when you go to the parks your room is larger than a regular studio and includes a microwave and a mini fridge and if there is no washer/dryer in your room you get tokens for free laundry! The one bedrooms and up have a full kitchen so you can make your own meals and save some money in the parks!

The initial cost to join is rather large, but continues to get larger each year so if you think this might be for you and you have the ability to join go ahead and do so before prices go up, you can always sell your contract if you find DVC is not for you. Keep in mind you will have to pay annual dues/maintenance every year so keep that in mind when you pick which resort to buy into.

Mickey Ice Cream bar

best ways to use points

There are plenty of options when it comes to using DVC points, but there are ways to get more bang for your buck! I’ve compiled a list of things to do to ensure you can go on more vacations- if that is indeed your goal!

1. Stay during the less busy season. This means the point chart will be in your favor and you can stay at all of the resorts for less points. This also means you can stay longer, or stay in a bigger room or even at a nicer resort if that is what you are looking for.
2. Stay in studios instead of one or two bedrooms. Sometimes it ends up being cheaper point wise to stay in a bunch of studios instead of the larger suites, be sure to check the point chart so you are getting the most for your points!
3. Rent points out and use the money toward cruising, or do half points/half cash to pay for the cruise so you can stretch the points as long as you can- the same applies to adventures by Disney.
4. Don’t be afraid to resort hop- stay a few nights at a monorail resort and then spend the rest of the time at a cheaper point resort for different experiences and point savings!
5. Try to use points for DVC resorts, not for exchange programs or cruise and adventures by Disney, the points go so much further at the resorts, but if you really want to use points for these things go ahead.

Fountain in Toontown

Travel hints and General tips

When you buy into DVC it comes with some perks- be sure that you utilize them! For example there are member get-togethers on board DCL and in the parks, just call member services or ask when you get to your destination for what is offered for members- and usually we get lanyards and sometimes hats when we ask what is going on for members. There are also special events that go on from time to time like the Typhoon Lagoon beach party that are going on later this summer.

Remember you get discounts throughout downtown Disney and in all of the parks and some of the resorts, a list can be found on line, but be sure to carry your membership card around with you and ask everywhere you go if there is a DVC discount- it never hurts to ask and many locations offer a discount!

At DVC resorts your self-service laundry is free! Even if you don’t stay in a unit with a washer and dryer you can ask for tokens to use in the laundry rooms!

Member lockers are a great way to leave stuff that you need at the park and not have to drag it back in forth, another good thing to look into if you visit the parks frequently!

Dining plans are available for DVC members and their guests while staying at a DVC resort- an opportunity only offered to those staying on packages if you are just the general public.

You aren’t charged extra when two or more adults (+18) are staying in a room, if you are not in DVC the resorts charge extra!

Conclusion

Overall, if you are planning on vacationing at Disney for at least the next 15-20 years (if not longer) DVC is a great idea for you! Even better if you have the cash to pay for the points at hand and you are wanting to stay at deluxe resorts and for sometimes extended periods of time, or a few shorter vacations a year. DVC isn’t for everyone, so if you aren’t a Disney die-hard, it is not recommended- but if you love all things Disney and think that you will continue to vacation at Disney, this is the program for you!

Disney Dilemma: Cruise or Park?

When it comes to planning a Disney Vacation you have endless opportunities to do so many different things, all centered around our favorite mouse!

I’ve had many people ask whether they should spring for a Disney Cruise or if they should go to the park, which was the better way to have a Disney vacation? There of course is no right or wrong answer- it just depends what your budget is and when and where you want to travel and what you want to do. If you just can’t decide- there are always the land and sea packages so you can do both!

So- like anything else I blog about, I usually make a list- if items on the list apply to you for the particular vacation experience you are wanting to have then look further into that destination! I hope this serves as a helpful tool for those who are deciding what kind of vacation to take!

You should cruise if:

• You have a fairly large budget (or if you don’t you are willing to compromise on stateroom or length of cruise)
• You love eating (so many great food options and so much is already included!)
• Your kids will utilize the kids areas (or your over-sized kids will utilize the fantastic adults only areas)
• You are willing to pay more than other cruise lines in exchange for the unforgettable Disney experience
• You enjoy live stage Broadway like performances
• You want a place where your family can all go and do their own thing and/or stick together and do family activities as well
• You want to experience the fantastic rotational dining Disney Cruise Line has to offer
• You don’t mind paying for shore excursions or doing some research on the ports you stop in and doing your own thing (remembering the boat doesn’t wait for you if you are on your own!)
• You want to have an opportunity to have something for every member of your family to do at any given time
• Your kids are more independent and like doing things on their own (kids club activities and teen spaces)
• You want to see different parts of the world with the comfort of knowing Disney is your guide
• You have smaller children (babysitting is available for charge for those children not yet old enough for the kids spaces)
• You want to see fireworks on the high seas and experience open air deck parties and princess gatherings and special character meet and greets
• You want to see the places on the itinerary of the cruise you’ve chosen or you don’t care where the cruise is going and just want time to relax and enjoy the ship

You should go to a Disney Park if:

• You have a smaller budget (you can always just stay in a Disney Resort Hotel and get the Disney experience without even paying to go inside the parks)
• You love rides and want to see the Disney theme parks and all they have to offer
• You want to do more family activities together and less splitting up
• You love sitting by the pool or going to water parks
• You have kids old enough to walk around and not be afraid of characters and rides
• You want to experience Downtown Disney (soon to be Disney Springs in WDW)
• You want to be able to see things like Universal Studios or Sea World as well on your vacation (all are within reach)
• You don’t mind large crowds or waiting in lines
• You don’t mind paying a lot of money for food (or you don’t mind bringing in your own or investing in a meal plan)
• You don’t mind investing a small fortune in park tickets- or if you don’t want to pay an arm and a leg for tickets you have something in mind you want to do outside of the parks
• You enjoy staying in interesting hotels and trying different kinds of foods

Overall, cruising is a great way to have a family vacation where everyone gets to do what they want. You can let your kids wander around the ship with no problems or worries and you can sit back and enjoy all the fantastic adult areas and entertainment and activities. Of course you can always do things as a family but cruising is a great way to let everyone do what they want.

A theme park vacation is also a great way to spend those vacation days, and there are many different ways you can enjoy the theme parks and Disney Resorts. There are less opportunities for kids to do their own thing and more opportunities for family activities as I’m sure very few parents are willing to let their young children wander around the park unsupervised. There are plenty of things to do even if you are just enjoying the spas and pools and shopping and not riding the rides and seeing the shows.

Most of the time I find it comes to the budget when it comes time to decide on a destination- cruises in general tend to be much more than a park vacation- but the food is all included (unless you go for Palo or Remy)- also keep in mind alcohol and specialty drinks are additional charge so that is something to keep in mind when budgeting!

I hope this little blog helps some of you determine where you go with Disney next! Enjoy and feel free to share 🙂

Disney Cruise: Photo Blog of Alaska Cruise

One of the more stunning cruises you can do is to Alaska. I went last year in August and took some photos I would love to share in the form of a photo blog of my trip! We began in Vancouver, went to Skagway, Ketichakan, and Juneau as well as Tracy Arm Glacier. I’ll post explanations on some photos, but if you have any questions feel free to leave a comment at the end of the post! All photos are my property and if you would like to purchase any of them for any reason please again post at the end of the blog 🙂

Vancouver bay, we took a walk around the sea wall on our day we had there before the cruise.

Totem in the totem pole park in Vancouver

Fishing boat in the harbor in Vancouver

House on stilts in Vancouver on the sea wall.

Disney Wonder’s smokestack with the city of Vancouver in the background

Going under the bridge leaving Vancouver!

View of Vancouver from the Disney Wonder sail away party on a beautiful sunny day.

Our first sunset on the Disney Wonder.

We spent our day in Vancouver walking along the sea wall, you can rent a bike there if you’d rather bike than walk to the totem pole park. It was a lovely sunny day and there are lots of spots to stop and people watch or enjoy the day along the way.

Views from our day at sea before we approach Tracy Arm Glacier.

Rounding the bend towards the glacier.

Waterfall into the bay on our way into Tracy Arm.

Mist over the trees, it was a misty cool day which made for some stunning photos.

Eagles we spotted flying over the Disney Wonder.

A beautiful valley we saw sailing towards the glacier.

Tracy Arm Glacier.

Ice floe near Tracy Arm.

Island with a big eagle’s nest on it near the glacier.

Sunset on Tracy Arm night.

Next we visited Skagway, Alaska. We went horseback riding at sunset as well as went on a raft adventure in the bay.

Waterfall we saw up close and personal on our raft tour.

An eagle we got up close and personal with.

Me and the waterfall!

The Disney Wonder in Skagway.

A little harbor seal by the ship.

Horseback riding at sunset on the lookout for bears.

Our guide on horseback.

One of the beautiful views while riding.

Next we went whale watching in Juneau where we were lucky enough to see a pod of humpback whales bubble-net fishing! A national geographic moment for sure!

Fishing boat coming into port.

Our first whale spotting!

First glimpse of bubble net feeding!

We learned to follow the birds to see where the whales would come up next!

Sea lions!

Next we visited Ketchikan where we went salmon fishing and then visited the cute town area.

Reeling in the salmon.

Our catch!

My sister fishing.

Totems in Ketchikan,

Such a beautiful little place.

Walking around looking for the salmon ladder.

Salmon running up the salmon ladder.

Beautiful Alaskan Sunset.

Sailing away back towards Vancouver from Ketchikan.

Disney Cruise Line’s Private Island: Castaway Cay

The cherry on top of an excellent Disney vacation is most definitely Disney’s private island in the Caribbean, Castaway Cay. Situated in the Bahamas this picturesque island is sure to be the highlight of your Caribbean vacation.

The only way you can get to this little piece of paradise is by taking sail on a Disney cruise ship, there is no resort on this island and very few cast members permanently stay on the island, many of  the extra cast members come in by boat every day to maintain the island and help with recreational activities on the island.

While docked at Castaway Cay almost all of the staff aboard transfers to the Island. The best place to  get lunch on Castaway Cay day is on the island. There is however one buffet station open if you insist on staying aboard.  The food is traditional cook-out style bbq! Plenty of options for everyone and of course free ice cream!

If you look at the above map you will find there are an array of options for you and your family while docked at Castaway Cay! We prefer to just take the tram to the adult section of the island and stay there til either we get tired of the weather conditions or til we are ready to go in and change for dinner. Serenity Bay is just pure bliss. There is ample room to go snorkeling and searching for tropical fish, you can snooze the day away in one of the hammocks along the shoreline, you can relax in paradise with your toes in the water or you can go for a bike ride around the island if you wish! Also, just like the pools cast members will gladly bring you a tropical drink or a drink of the day to you to sip on.

There are tons of kids activities going on while on the island also- lots of fun beach activities, I remember seeing hermit crab races one time while we were walking by the family area and thinking how cute that was!

Everything on the island is relatively easy to find and if it is further away the tram takes you there (like Serenity Bay since it is on the other side of the island). There are fun things to rent like kayaks, paddle boats, big wheels for the water, or even a jetski!

Other Castaway Cay activities range from renting a cabana for your family for the day (extra charge), feeding stingrays (extra charge), beach spa treatments (extra charge), shopping for special Castaway Cay merchandise, character encounters, snorkeling (extra charge or bring your own gear),  extreme water activities like para-sailing (for a fee), Castaway Cay 5k, bike rentals, activity areas for kids, swimming, playing in the sand, or just plain relaxing and enjoying the beautiful island.

Cute little Disney touches surround the island, lots of photo opportunities and where else can you go to a beach and randomly see Captain Jack Sparrow wander down the beach wondering where his rum might have gone? Or pose with Mickey and Minnie in front of Mount Rustmore- a cute little tribute to four Disney favorites.

Shells can be found along the shore, but if you’d like to pick up a shell or two for a souvenir beware that if the crew finds them they will be thrown back into the ocean.

Buy the Seashore has some great keepsakes that cannot be found on the boat and are specific only to Castaway Cay, expect to find some Finding Nemo themed gear and some special Castaway Cay branded Disney Cruise Line gear. Of course things you might need while ashore for the day can also be found there- things like beach towels and sunscreen and water bottles.

Expect to leave the island either very relaxed and perhaps a tad bit sunburned or exhausted in the best way possible.

My recommendations for a day at Castaway Cay would be as follows:

Adults or Adult only parties- Go to Serenity Bay (adults beach) and stay there all day. They are very strict about no kids allowed, perhaps I’ve seen an infant once or twice but it sure wasn’t running around splashing water so I had no qualms. Drinks are available (both alcoholic and non) all day, there are hammocks, beach chairs and beach loungers and umbrellas to get out of the sun. There is a second eating area for adults right by the beach area and we usually keep our towels and stuff at the beach chairs while we eat lunch, then return to swim or sun bathe the rest of the day. It is the best beach day you can imagine! If you want a little more activity, rent bikes and go for a ride around the beautiful island!

If you have kids, I’m sorry, I can’t really relate to you what to do, but I can imagine that they would love spending the day doing kids club activities if you’d like to go off to the adult area. Or renting a cabana so you don’t have to fight over the closest beach chairs would probably be a good way to go if you are staying at the family beach. Also the stingray encounter looks great and a fun way to introduce kids to ocean wildlife in a safe environment- also could be used as an educational activity. I also remember that teens had their own set of activities too and special teens only activities- unsure what they are but I’m sure they are bound to be a blast!

No matter what you choose to do, I’m sure Castaway Cay will be a great way to cap off your magical Disney Cruise. Be sure to check the Cruise Line website for any new activities that might be offered since I have not visited the island super recently, I don’t want you all to miss out on any fun new things! Happy sailing!

New Year’s Eve at Sea: Disney Dream

Have you ever wanted to ring in the New Year in shorts and a t-shirt? Or perhaps with free champagne and snacks while you wait for the ball to drop in NYC? All while aboard one of the most amazing cruise ships on the water? Look no further than a New Years Eve Disney Cruise!

Our cruise featured a short itinerary with Castaway Cay and Nassau on the list. We spent most of the day on the ship while docked at Nassau and spent the day on Castaway Cay on the adult beach but mostly we spent a lot of time enjoying what the Disney Dream has to offer. Mostly the Rainforest Room in the spa!

We also tacked on a short trip to WDW before we left for our cruise to make a longer vacation our of the trip!

After a nice dinner at one of the boat’s excellent restaurants, we headed over to the bar district on board for a glass of the pink champagne made specially for the ship, relaxed in one of the lounges, watched the show for the night, and checked out some of the other activities (comedians ect.) before going to the top decks to wait for the clock to hit midnight!

Special Mickey clocks had been placed around the open deck area so we could count down to midnight better and keep track of time (I mean if you really wanted to). The whole crew was decked out in their very finest garb and most of the boat chose to dress up as well, which was pretty fun!

While having a dance party in the Caribbean on the 31st of December, we were served champagne (adults only of course) and fruity beverages for the kids as well as countless appetizers (many which I turned away having just eaten a huge dinner of course), however I did not turn away the delicious little bite sized desserts they were serving!

The champagne flutes we got to keep too!

The big screen showed the activities in NYC and we watched the end of the ball dropping after we did our own countdown and had the best fireworks at sea! The aqua-duck was lit up and of course there was a dance party after the fireworks! In usual DCL style it was a wonderful way to celebrate a new year!

The boat of course was still decorated for Christmas and there was still plenty of Christmas merchandise available. Our fellow cruisers were very friendly and we very much so enjoyed sitting in the sun while our friends at home were stuck inside while it snowed.

Another plus to this particular cruise? A special New Years Eve poster, limited edition, only those on board a Disney ship for a NYE cruise can get them! We had ours framed with some photos from our trip.

My thoughts: if you want to spend New Years with friends and family in a safe and fun environment (also warm) go on a Disney Cruise! Also, you don’t have to worry about who will drive home after a night of celebrating, just crawl back to your stateroom! For those adults worried that they will have to pay an extraordinary amount of money for drinks, don’t worry, you can carry on alcohol with you (however they ask you to consume your own alcohol in your room). There are lots of adult events and of course a lot of kids events, a win-win for everyone, and plus you can do it all in flip flops! This cruise is a bit pricey (we went on vacation club points) but it is a holiday cruise so a large price tag is to be expected, for sure is worth the money!

Tips: bring formal wear and get great photos from the night, bring NYE hats (some are provided but it is fun to bring your own and the kids might take all of the DCL ones)

As always all photos are my property, please leave a comment to purchase a photo, and I’d love to hear comments on what else you would like to see me blog about!

Happy sailing and I hope a cruise director welcomes you “home” soon!

Disney Wonder: Alaska Cruise Review (Aug 2014)

Itinerary: Tracy Arm, Alaska (sailing), Skagway, Alaska, Juneau, Alaska and Ketchikan, Alaska- departing from Vancouver, Canada

Vancouver, Canada

We flew in the day before the cruise left to ensure we were there on time and to get a chance to visit this beautiful coastal city in Canada. Our waterfront hotel we booked through Disney was home to a delicious restaurant and lush accommodations. We took advantage of the day there to visit a world-renowned gelato shop (which was way worth it) and only steps away from the hotel. We also walked to the Totem pole park along the waterfront, if you’d like there are bikes for rent, but it is a very doable walk as well. This is an amazing city full of all different sorts of people and lots of dining options, be sure to arrive early for your cruise to experience this vibrant city! I’d love to come back and see more of the city.

Tracy Arm, Alaska

Although listed as a “port of call” this is just an amazing extra special day at sea. You will sail through narrow passageways all day and catch glimpses of eagle’s nests and wildlife and a glacier! There is narration from a park ranger that can be heard on the ship’s tv in your room or on the outer decks of the ship. Prepare to spend most of the day out on the decks and be sure to pack lots of layers. Even in August I was wearing three or four layers and hat and gloves are nice to have as well (they are of course available for purchase on the boat for a substantial price so be sure to pick some up before you leave). We were lucky enough to see the glacier calving and there are plenty of photo chances as well as ship photographers stationed on the upper decks to take family photos for you! We indulged that day with special hot chocolate and bailey’s in a souvenir mug, the best way to warm up!

Since we are platinum Castaway members we chose this day for our Palo meal and it was an amazing day to do so, we sat down to dinner and still had AMAZING views throughout our whole meal. If you’ve never been to Palo, MAKE RESERVATIONS. It is amazing. The lamb and the chocolate soufflé are must-haves and the fresh mozzarella and bread are fantastic as well. Remember this is just like your dining downstairs and you can have as many courses as you can stuff in, I would recommend coming STARVING before this meal so you can try as much as you can! They also have special drinks that are (I believe) only available in Palo. Do yourself the favor and book Palo for this day of your trip, it is so worth it!

Skagway, Alaska

We went on two excursions this day and missed our dinner on the boat, but had time to catch the show. First we went on a rafting adventure around the bay. It was fast-paced and a fun way to see some wildlife and just the scenic views. We were able to see lots of eagles, hidden waterfalls, and seals. This excursion wasn’t too long so we had time to go adventure around the little town to look for souvenirs.

We then hopped back on board for lunch and then ventured back out onto the dock to meet for our sunset horseback ride and salmon bake. On this excursion you get to ride for at least an hour (if not more, I can’t quite remember). The trail ride is suitable for anyone who meets the age and weight requirement and is a nice relaxing ride through the woods to a beautiful clearing that overlooks the water. You stop to let your horses take a drink from a mountain stream, have some photo opportunities and then go back to the camp for an AMAZING salmon dinner (and this is coming from someone who doesn’t even eat salmon). This excursion is my favorite out of all the excursions I’ve ever been on for any itinerary from Disney Cruise Line.

Juneau, Alaska

I wish I had something to say about Juneau, but I cannot since I did not see any of it. We were able to go whale watching while we were in Juneau and I recommend that this is what you do! We found many whales during our excursion and were able to see the phenomena of bubble net feeding, which is pretty amazing “national geographic” quality event. Our captain of our whale-watching ship was amazing at getting us to see as many whales as possible and we even got to see seals as well! There was a very knowledgeable naturalist on board as well who answered a lot of our questions and narrated for a lot of the trip as well. This excursion took up the entire day but was well worth it, there was an included snack of hot chocolate and smoked salmon as well as other food for purchase on the boat. You were able to watch from a climate controlled covered lower deck or on the upper deck to get better photos.

Ketchikan, Alaska

Last, but not least was Ketchikan. Here we decided to go salmon fishing at Knudsen Cove Marina through a Disney excursion. As a family of four we got our own boat and our own skipper who helped us reel ‘em in! We bought fishing licenses and our skipper prepared our lines for us after locating a suitable area where he had caught fish for previous cruise ship customers. He had water available for us and there was a toilet available on the boat as well. Our guide asked us what kind of fish we wanted to try to catch, there are many different kinds of salmon apparently (who knew? I for sure didn’t). We ended up reeling in about 11 fish and they flash froze and shipped all of our fish back to us in Nebraska where we have been eating salmon for quite some time…LOL!

Recap: This is one of the most relaxing cruises there are. Alaska is beautiful and it is a great experience to whale watch from a balcony room or just from an outer deck. The food onboard the Wonder was fabulous and our waiters were excellent. We chose balcony rooms because so much of the cruise is spent looking outside, but an inner room would be adequate as well if you didn’t mind staking out a chair on the outer decks! If you’ve never been to Alaska or are considering a Disney Cruise to Alaska I hope this blog helped!

Bon Voyage friends!

{All photos are property of Julianna Zieno Photography and may be purchased. Please leave a comment if interested.}

My Bucket List.

Everyone should have a bucket list- some sort of list of things that you would LOVE to do someday. This is my ‘someday’ list.

1. Travel without a destination in mind.

I’ve always wanted to just drive up to the airport (ideally an international airport) and just take the next available flight to somewhere. Once I got to that somewhere I would find a place to stay, discover the local flavor and scene, and talk to the locals. Many travel blogs recommend that you ask a bar tender or a taxi driver about what to do/see in where ever you happen to be at. I’d love to have this experience. There is nothing better than the feeling of conquering a new city that you’ve never been to before and because discovering something new is the best way to grow as a person that is why this is at the top of my bucket list.

2. Live in London Permanently (or as a second home)

London is by far my all time favorite place I’ve ever been. I felt more at home in this city than I do in Omaha. The fact that I could stumble across a quaint little cafe or a movie set around every corner was pretty sweet. There was never a lack of things to do and when I felt the need to discover something different, I was always only a train ride away from a new country or a new town with something unique to offer. I know this is one of the priciest places in the world to live but if I ever make my millions on something the first thing I would do would be to buy a home in my favorite city. I even have my favorite part of the city (and even ideal location for my flat) picked out.

right about here would be nice 🙂

3. An around the world cruise.

Cruising is my favorite way to travel. It is an awesome way to sample a lot of different places all while returning to the same home base and never having to unpack bags more than once (ideally). I wanted to do a Semester at Sea for my study abroad experience – but I ended up in London instead. I still feel the need to go see as much of the world as I can before it all becomes one big tourist trap. China, India, Africa and South America are all places I want to explore hopefully on this dream cruise I want to take. I guess I could just take a bunch of shorter ones as well instead of just one big around the world voyage (when I find my imaginary money tree). Traveling really helps me put things into perspective and grow as a person, so the more cultures I can experience the better!

4. See the Northern Lights.

As a photographer this is another dream vacation. I’ve always wanted to go and hunt for the Northern Lights and try to capture beautiful photos to remember them by. I’ve known a few people that went to go see them in places like Iceland and I would absolutely love to experience this miracle of nature. I’m not usually one that wants to camp, but I think I could deal with staying a few nights in a cabin in the woods so I could snap a few awesome pictures of the lights!

5. Go to the Olympics

I’m not sure why I’ve always wanted to go to the Olympics, but every two years when it appears on our TV screens on NBC I always have this desire to be there right in the thick of the action. I think it is something about the fact that the whole world gets together to compete against each other and to celebrate the best of the best in the athletic world. I think that being right there and experiencing people from every different kind of culture would be such an amazing experience as well as getting to see athletes who are at the peak of their career. I’d love to go see the equestrian events as well as some of the other sports. Overall, I just think going to the Olympics would be a great experience.

This is the end of my list that I will share here, there are many more things I’d like to do and places I’d like to see, but I won’t bore you with everything else (at least not in this post). Happy traveling and remember to live your dreams!

Word on the Street

Street photography is something I would love to get more into. Just taking photos of the everyday normal things that we see both in our own environment and when we travel. I often take photos of the locals wherever I visit just to get a taste of the local culture to keep forever. If you’ve heard of Humans of New York– this concept is something I would love to put into action in Omaha. I love to hear the conversations of strangers and get to know the local flavor. I always try to take a lot of pictures of locals doing their own thing, which may seem creepy but the photos that result are always some of my favorites.

From my trip to Italy this summer I captured some stunning shots while visiting some of the smaller fishing towns along the coast. This set of photos I like a lot mostly because it captures the feeling of the town. The vibe of the little villages that we visited had an air of peace and tranquility as well as a rustic feel which I attempted to capture in my photography. Here is the set of photos that followed:

I saw this man sitting on a bench in the town square and could not resist taking a photo. It just seemed like the scene captured the vibe of the town. Even though there were quite a few large tourist groups this guy just sat down and started reading his paper and enjoyed the beautiful summer day in the beautiful resort town.

While waiting for our tour group to move on to the next town I was just waiting in the town square and noticed that this woman was putting her laundry out, and I couldn’t help but take a photo. It just seemed so quaint and rustic and so deserving to be captured forever.

This last photo is one of my favorites, the bright colors of the clothing and the rich color of the building just made the photo so warm and inviting. I think that this photo captures the rustic nature of the city as well as the laid back feeling you got just from strolling around.