A long overdue update!

Hello my friends and traveling comrades!  It is time for a VERY belated blog post- mostly blabbing about updates in life and travel!  Before I do this let me just say- happy 4th of July!!  Thank you to all the veterans and military that make this day possible for us to enjoy and to celebrate our freedoms!  And thank you Jesus for allowing me to be born and raised in the land of the free!  May we never take these freedoms for granted!

Much has happened on the Rokey Ranch since my last post in March-.  Those clients on my newsletter list will be finding out soon enough as my newsletter goes out next week– buuuutt for the rest of you- we announced that a new little traveler would be joining the Dream Seller team!  We are excited for this new little addition that will be here so soon after harvest!  
The ranch has been busy putting up hay, combining Wheat, baling straw, shipping pigs, hauling fertilizer and so much more!  Summertime is a busy time and tough to sneak in extra traveling times and vacations!

But Dream Seller does have a couple of things planned for the month!  Next week I have an all day conference in Chicago that I am greatly looking forward to.  Then later in the month I will be blogging to you LIVE from San Antonio, Texas!  I’ve never been to Texas so this will be a real treat for me!

So where did I disappear to after my March post regarding the Disney Wonder?  No where!  I was busy with my {now} 18-mo old toddler – who keeps me on my toes – and my many traveling clients!  March and April were very busy months in regards to trip planning- with lots of last minute trips planned for May and June.  In May I had a few client trip issues and some flight cancellations that resulted in some midnight phone calls and an insurance claim.  {Stay tuned- more on trip insurance in my next blog post!} I had clients traveling every WEEK in the month of June so that was exciting for me; and thankfully the travels all went smooth!  That trend is continuing into July as I currently have clients traveling every week into August!  I’m sending clients all over the globe and it is so fun!  Africa, Disney, Europe, South America, Cruises to Alaska and Bermuda and the Caribbean, and quaint little city getaways like Washington DC, NYC, Niagara Falls, and Charleston SC.

Earlier this winter I announced the NEW look of Dream Seller Travel- have you seen it yet?

Thanks to Dena McDonald, my husbands cousin, of Bloomington for designing the new look of Dream Seller!  I love it!  This week my summer newsletter is in print as well as new pens are being printed!

Another big project going on is my office is moving!  {2 doors down}.  Not a big move but once baby comes my son will be moving into my office and Dream Seller will be officially “evicted”.  So we are relocating and my husband is helping me pull it all together!  I can’t wait to present the before and after pictures!  But for now a sneak peak:

Laying the new flooring!

My husband hanging the newly painted cabinets!

So as you can see much has been going on here at Dream Seller Travel and the Rokey Ranch.  Thank you for your patience at the lag in posts!  I’ll be talking to you again soon!

Safe Journeys-

Megan

M-I-C-K-E-Y M-O-U-S-E!

As a little girl I took my first cruise – {to the Bahamas} – with my family.  We traveled on the “Big Red Boat” by Premier Cruise Lines and it was a DISNEY themed cruise!  What a treat that was for me!  The pool, the movie theater, and the characters on board!  There was (a lot) less to do than today’s standards and yet I still remember and think of this trip fondly.  My sisters, older than I was, also enjoyed the trip so don’t be fooled when you hear – Disney -you think “KID SHIP”.  That wasn’t the case then  and that most CERTAINLY isn’t the case now either!

My beautiful picture

Just a little history for you!  This ship began service in 1965.  At the time of our cruise it was operated by Premier Cruise Lines and was often referred to as “The Big Red Boat” although the ships name was StarShip Oceanic.  In 2012 she took her last sail and then awaited scrapping.

A few weeks back I had the opportunity to travel to Florida; Miami to be exact.  I was on a mission.  A mission to see… “the mouse!”.  Well in all truth I was there to see his boat!  {Confession} It has been YEARS since I’ve stepped foot on anything remotely Disney (the theme parks or the cruise line…).  I was really excited to have the opportunity to explore the Disney’s Wonder.

My Delta flight was on time and I arrived into Miami at 6 PM.  I spent one night in the Sheraton at the Miami Airport.  I love Starwood Hotels & Resorts brand and properties {Westins, Sheratons, Four Points, St Regis, LeMeridien, and more}.  This particular property was {as expected} a very clean property and a very nice room.  I had a “pure air” room which is great for those with severe allergies or who want to breathe “clean air”.    I spent the evening on their in room wi-fi working.  I ordered room service.  While not the fastest service the food was good and they were attentive!  In the morning I ate at the restaurant and had their continental breakfast buffet which hosted a wide variety of fruits and bakery items in addition to the eggs, potatoes, bacon, yogurts, pancakes and waffles options.  After checking out and safely storing my bags at the hotel I met my transfer to the cruise port and away we went.

Beautiful dusk view from my room

LOVE their heavenly beds!

Disney Wonders was in port for the day picking up her new passengers for the next 5 days!  The itinerary departed Miami, spent a day at sea, a stop at Grand Cayman (ONE OF MY FAVORITE cruise ports!) and then spent another day at sea before returning to Miami.  As I sat and awaited clearance to board I watched families embark on this adventure.  They walked through the doors and got in lines to “check in” and board their cruise ship.    These weren’t just any families!  They were Disney Lovers!  Mommies, daddies, boys and girls ALL decked out in Red, Black, and White shirts.  Some had mouse ears on them.  Some WORE Mouse ears!  Some had glittered facial paint on their cheeks.  Some carried Disney bags.  And SOME just came as they were with big smiles on their faces and cameras dangling around their neck to catch their children’s delight and pleasure as they boarded the ship and were GREETED by the Disney staff and characters!
OK so folks you probably expect me to say this ship is AWESOME!  Well!  I am pleased to say that NOT ONLY was it AWESOME but it FAR surpassed my expectations.  I can honestly say I don’t know that I’ve ever been so impressed by a ship at inspection time.  I like them don’t get me wrong but to leave me wanting to book a cruise then and there isn’t normal for me!  As I walked through the ship and toured the different rooms there were Disney songs playing in the background.  Even as an adult I wanted to skip or dance or break out in song!  Craziness!  I know!  Disney has a way of bringing – the kid in you- back again!

Disney Wonder first sailed in 1999- to some that means – “an old, outdated ship”.  I have been on “older” ships and you can usually tell they are old- but this ship- WOW!  As our ship guide said, “Disney ships are never old, they are just classic.”   Disney Wonder & Disney Magic are two smaller class ships each carrying around 2,000 passengers.  The Disney Dream & Fantasy are larger class ships and carry up to 4,000 passengers each.

So let me tell you just some of why I love the NEW Disney cruise lines!  Let me tell you this is NOT the big red boat that I sailed as a little girl.

Let’s start with the cabins!  Parents and couples and individuals will LOVE these SPACIOUS staterooms!  And I’m not just saying that!  Look at the facts!!  Disney’s interior rooms are 184 sq ft.  Comparing the same passenger sized ship for Royal Caribbean with the same room category and their rooms vary from 109 to 144 sq ft.  That’s 75-40 more square foot with Disney!  And the Norwegian Gem, another similar sized cruise ship – their BALCONY suites are 204 sq ft.  Disney’s OCEANVIEW suites are 214!   Seriously- there were about 19 agents looking at these rooms and the murmurs were all the same-  WOW these rooms are much bigger!   Besides the “spaciousness” of it all they did a really good job of utilizing the space.  They have couches that lay flat to make a single bed- instead of pulling out into the room and hindering your walkways.  Pull down hideaway wall beds and bunk beds.  And my favorite!  The main beds were 1 mattress (not two singles pushed together) but 1 REAL mattress and a REAL bed frame.  This bed frame is TALL allowing for easy storage of your suitcases underneath!  Now you don’t need to stuff them in the skinny closets that are already full with your clothing and other belongings! I can’t tell you how GREAT this is!  Here are some more reasons for why Disney staterooms are so great for kids and families!  For those of you that have sailed before you know that the stateroom bathrooms leave alot to be desired!  And HOW in the world are you to “shower” a 14-month old (in my instance).  With Disney- they take the hassle out!  They have the first BATHTUBS at sea!  Yes little bathtubs just perfect for your little small fry and room for you to wash them!  AND most of the staterooms even have a double bathroom feature so you can have a family member showering and the others using the extra bathroom to finish getting ready. And if these reasons aren’t enough- I have two more.  Parents- want a little privacy but don’t want to splurge for the 2 bedroom suite… YES PLEASE!  Disney has privacy curtains that can be drawn between you and the children allowing you a little bit of privacy.  And if that’s not enough- keep costs low and book two staterooms next door to each other with a connecting door!  Now THAT’s a great option!  Even the “balcony” has a little “connecting” gate that can be opened so you have a larger 2 -stateroom balcony for the family to come and go as they wish!  To see pictures of the suites and cabin options on the Disney wonder you can click here!

Next I want to mention the dining options.  Disney is the only cruise line to do rotational dining.  And I am EX-CITED about this feature!  How many of us love the sit down dining room option with the same wait staff?  Raise your hands!  {ME ME ME!}  Some people don’t like this but I loved getting to know the wait staff.  So Disney combined the two!  Rotational dining allows you to eat in each of the three different restaurants (rotating nights in each restaurant throughout the cruise) but here is the BEST part – your wait staff moves with you!  That means for those with strong food allergies- your wait staff will know what you need and will be with you every step of the way!  You are safe, there is no hassle, and no need to re-iterate your food allergies every night!  And these dining rooms aren’t the same- far from it!  Disney wonder has; 1) Tritons.  {Theme: Little Mermaid} 2) Animators Palate {I cannot WAIT to try this one!} and 3) Parrots Cay {tropical theme}.  OH!  And did I mention- soft drinks are included!!  On other cruise ships you would have to buy the soda package!

Tritons beautiful mosaic wall

Entrance to Tritons

Animators Palate- see the paint brushes going up to the palates on the ceiling?

For those thinking this is all about the kids and “cartoons”.  You are wrong!  Disney didn’t make everything cartoony and silly– everything was very tastefully done!  Check out route 66 on your way to the “entertainment” zone of the ship!

Keep in mind that Disney also has many “adults only” features like the restuarant Palo.  Several night clubs/bar areas might be “family areas” by day and adults only areas by night. There is an adults only pool area also.

There is plenty to do on board the ship. Spa services for the adults. There are clubs for every age group and I wish you could’ve seen the children’s play area!  Amazing!  Plus they have a nursery!  They even have a teen center that has everything your difficult-to-please teens might want!  Plus every night enjoy fantastic broadway style shows in the Walt Disney Theater.    They have lots of theme nights; don’t forget to come dressed up for pirate night!  One thing you won’t find on board a Disney ship is a Casino.

Disney is the only ship at sea with lifeguards on duty!

More entertainment! Enjoy movies under the stars while at sea!

Sailing with Disney in the future?  Let me recommend something!  Download the Disney Cruises app.  This app allows you to mark all the “events” on board” the ship that you don’t want to miss or that you might want to go to and when the appointed time comes  for that activity it will send you a notification reminding you when and where to go- you don’t have to miss a thing!

This blog was already a little long so if you have questions or are interested in more details, contact me today!  I would be more than happy to tell you so much more about this great ship!  Disney has lots of itinerary offerings and fascinating destinations but there are only 4 ships in the fleet so their sailings tend to sell out quick!

Until next time- safe journeys!
Megan

 

Day 5 – Back in Miami

I woke this morning to the beautiful lights along the coastline of Florida, as we were pulling into port.   It was dark and still very early yet so I didn’t bother with a photo. 

Disembarking a ship has a lot of details involved.  The process starts the night before.   You get colored luggage tags that correspond to the time you should be disembarking and to the waiting zone you wait in.   You also get a customs and declarations form that you need to fill out before you get off the ship.   So for the most part we were prepared to walk off the ship when we woke up…

So we took time to go and eat breakfast in the main dining room.  From there we had a pretty easy disembarkation as we chose to carry our luggage on/off the ship.   As we excited and entered the terminal we passed customs and exited outside to the pouring down rain of Miami where we got a taxi.

With travel…word to the wise…BE FLEXIBLE!  We had a half hour delay in Miami. From there we had a mechanical delay in Atlanta with another almost 2-hr delay!  Overall we chose to be happy and thankful that we didn’t have an overnight layover or any in flight issues considering all the weather swirling around the US!  In fact we had fairly smooth flights even though we had to go around some systems…

We had a great trip, lots of great memories and you know its always a great vacation when you were happy to be home.  All good things must come to an end.

Day 4 – Great Stirrup Cay

CAY pronounced: {KEY}…

Another somewhat cloudy but still tropical and beautiful day in its unique way.  We started off again with a trip to the fitness room.

We ate a nice sit-down breakfast in the main dining room Crossings.  From there we boarded the tender over to the island Great Stirrup Cay.  These tenders, especially next to the boat, are extremely rocky and rough. We waited for awhile before leaving.  Once we got going it was a quick 8 min or so ride over to the island.  This rocky tender boat is not easy to walk on as it sways.   Older couples, handicap, and children will need to use extreme caution.  We sat across from a sweet 2-year old and her family and unfortunately the tossing was too much and the sweet little thing got seasick on mommy just before we docked at the other side.

On the beach they have floats, rafts, jet skis, 4×4 vehicles and more excursions to rent or do.   Alcoholic drinks on the beach are extra and not includes.  However the staff comes on land and prepares a complimentary lunch for you in a nice open air facility.  There are cabanas to rent for families up to 8.  We started odd on a walk and then settled on a quiet strand of beach away from the loud bandstand and public area.  It was peaceful and relaxing. 

Once we tendered back over to the ship around 3:30 we had a snack onboard and then spent some time in our rooms before getting ready for supper.   The evening was much the same.  Supper and shows and game entertainment.

And of course with the last night we allowed time for packing and for us…early bedtime. But for many the last evening continued on into the night.

Tomorrow: disembarkation!

Day 3 – Nassau

We had another beautiful day in the Bahamas (albeit still a bit chilly for us northerners!…and even more so for the southerners!). But it was very nice to see the sun and feel the warmth today.  We are on the verge of a “warm up!”. Let me just make note this cloudy 60 degree weather is NOT the norm for the Bahamas region this time of year.  Don’t let this blogging deter you from a winter visit!

For those that think cruising is boring and there wont be anything to do…let me set your mind at ease.   You can sleep in or for those energetic sorts you can get up and start the morning with a  walk or jog around the ship on the ships jogging path.  From there I entered the exercise room for a view of the neighboring two ships, (Royal Caribbean’s: Majesty of the Seas and Enchantment of the Seas), while enjoying an additional walk or run on the treadmill.  From there I entered the aerobics room for a 20 minute and class.  Sorry folks, no pictures of the ab class!

Shortly after breakfast we headed into port.  From the port we were able to get a taxi to Atlantis.  The cost is $4/pp and its about a 5-8 minute drive.   They cram you in like sardines! (But hey its a quick trip!).  I recommend you use them at your own discretion.  If you use them I pray you get the nice good drivers like the one we had on the way there.   Coming back to the ship was an entirely  different, shall we say even terrifying, experience?  Road rage, honking, high speeds, swerving and more could define that return trip… Like I said use at your discretion… Although it is an easy and fast way to get there and back.   There are four ships in port today.  Don’t push it to the last minutes before your ships “all aboard” as we had a little line to wait in (security) before we could begin the little walk down the dock and to our ship.

And now…the pictures you’ve been waiting for our tour of….ATLANTIS!

This is the “iconic” royal towers that Atlantis is currently known for.  However Atlantis originally begin with just the beach and Coral towers.  In the picture below beach and Coral are the two pink buildings in the far back behind the royal towers.

I gleaned SO much information and took a LOT of pictures.  I would love to share these pictures and give you a property review if you have interest in going there, just let me know!

We had lunch at the lagoon bar and grille.  We sampled a conch salad. Bahamas is known for conch so I was glad to be able to try some of it!

Atlantis is a great place to consider for conventions or business meetings, family reunions, destination weddings, and any other functions with large and small groups.  This particular pool area was going to be closed down for a private cooperate function the following afternoon.  They have a convention center with several various sized ballroom options as well as beaches and gazebos located throughout the property.

Atlantis is an amazing property!  Located on 171 acres the $53 daily resort fee includes WiFi in the room and the shuttle that runs throughout the property, as well as the onsite movie theater, 2 bottles of water daily, and use of fitness rooms.  They have something for everyone and they cater to all! They are a very friendly people and they will welcome you with open arms!

After a long day of relaxing on the beach and walking Atlantis nothing says relaxation more than …ice cream.  Soooo back on the ship we go! 

(I really only ATE one. Was just holding two!)

And tonight was chocoholic night.  Chocolate desserts abounded!  We ate in the other main dining room the Main Palace… (serves the same menu as the other main dining room Crossings). We preferred Crossings over main palace…but when YOU go…YOU can be the judge.  Or eat in one of their specialty restaurants (note: the specialty restaurants on any cruise line charge a cover charge pp or a per plate amount..)

Our evening was filled with game shows like “deal or no deal” and “battle of the sexes”.  And in the main Stardust theater we caught Alvin Williams comedy act.  It was a busy but great day filled with fun, great food, and laughter!

Next stop: GREAT STIRRUP CAY
Norwegian Cruise lines own private island

 

Grand Bahamas

Day 2 – GRAND BAHAMAS,  FREEPORT

This morning Grand Bahamas majestically welcomed us.  If ever there is a reason for an ocean view or balcony room it is for this….

The sunrise view from my window in my room as we are pulling into port.  

So a little history for you… Bahamas is made up of 700 islands! Wow right? BUT only 30 of those are inhabited.  Bahamas has a population of approx 60,000.  It also is the largest of islands (land mass) and the closest to Florida.  It is only 57 miles east of West Palm  Beach and 80 miles from Ft Lauderdale.  The best and only way to get between islands is boat or plane.

While it is the largest in land mass…Freeport is still considered the “second city”.  As Nassau is its capital and that is where the prime minister lives.  Nassau is like a little ” New York” as its highly populated but smaller in size that Freeport.  We visit Nassau tomorrow where I will be reporting direct from the beautiful and huge resort of “Atlantis”.

On our tour of Grand Bahamas we learned that it is a basically flat terrain with no hills or mountains. There is no wildlife, no alligators and no poisonous snakes or spiders.  You can expect it to be in the 90s in summer….and 70s in the winter…or in our case today… The 60s. You can easily spot the natives from the tourists.  Natives are dressed in warm coats and stocking caps, tourists are in shorts, flip flops and lightweight coats… And SOME can be spotted wearing their beach towels. 

Tourism is the main industry here and the currency is a 1:1 ratio with the US dollar.

We made a stop at the Rand Nature center… We learned that the national bird is the pink flamingo.  We learned that the blue marlin is the state fish. And we learned about the conch and took a nature walk.  Watch out for the poison wood. (Reacts similar to the poison ivy plant)

Next we saw the Jubilee cathedral – a non denomination church and the largest church (seats 2000) on the island.  It is the only cathedral on the island and it is 17 years old.  We were welcomed in and learned some about the church.  The current pastor and his wife have been serving this  congregation for 34 years. 

It had 89 beautifully stained glass windows in the cathedral.  This church also houses a nursery/preschool for 10 months – 5 years. At the end of the tour we were pleasantly surprised to get to meet just some of the students as they sang us a few songs!

Walters Grove – a US businessman and his Canadian wife came to Freeport in the late 30s to vacation.  They liked it so well they went to the government with a proposal… He wanted to develop the city of Freeport to tourism. And on August 4, 1955 the government agreed to lease the city to him.  Thus tourism in Freeport was born.  Next we drove by an area called millionaires row.  Beautiful and large prestigious homes are located here.   Famous names that have homes in the Bahamas;  Sydney Portier (a native Bahamian), Michael Jordon, and Sean Connery.

Next we made a brief stop at the beach where the sun once again graced us with its presence, at least for a little while.

Next we headed for Port Lucaya marketplace.  This is where all the locals display and sell their wares.  From the souvenir trinkets and t-shirts, to jewelry, bags, and straw hats and dolls.  This is also the hotel and resort area as well as dining and casino area. 

Once we headed back to the ship we were hungry! As you know there is NO lack of food at anytime on a cruise ship!  Our food search tool us up to deck 11 – the pool deck.  Here there was lively music and friendly competitions happening around the pool. BUT there was more!  It was a BBQ!

Steak, hamburgers, and shrimp pasta all were serves.  You didn’t have to pick just one as they willing would serve you all three!

For supper we went to one of the main dining rooms, crossings.  It was formal night.  We sampled Moscato wine and had a wonderful three-course meal.

And for dessert…when I doubt?! Always choose two! #ohyesidid

After supper we enjoyed a silly game show of the newlywed game in the lounge.  And then we enjoyed the stardust theater presentation of “Showdown”.  There is always something going on onboard a cruise ship!

Next stop: NASSAU!

Greeted by the Norwegian Sky

We were greeted this after noon by the Norwegian Sky.  A beautiful ship that carries 2004 people.  Crew and staff are busy filling her with food, cleaning her, and making ready for the next wave of passengers heading to the Bahamas. 

From the airport we used LYFT (an app similar to Uber) to safely transport us to the pier docks.  This was my first experience and it was a great one.   To my lady friends though I do NOT recommend this type of app when traveling alone as it can have its share of safety hazards.  I only recommend this app to those who have traveled much, traveling in a group, and are comfortable using technology.  Otherwise each cruise line offers their own transportation to/from the airport for a small per person fee.  They even take care of your bags.  

Upon arrival to dock F we were met by bag porters.   For a small tip you can let them get your bags to your room.  OR you may wish to carry then on yourself.  We left our bags with the Porter and moved into the building.  From there we passed through security and then into the large check in room.  There wasn’t a Terrible line but a line none the less…  I forgot to time it. I’d say 15-20 mins…it wasn’t bad.  From there you head up the gangway and onto the ship where they scan you id card to make sure its still you and then….voila!  You are onboard and ready to go.   Just as we arrived they announced Over the PA system that our rooms were ready but we decided to grab a quick bit of lunch.

We headed to the Great Outdoors (a grill located outside at the back of the ship.). We had a great meal and great views of the Miami skyline and other ships in port.  

From there we went to our staterooms.   This is my ocean view stateroom. A cozy room but very comfortable.  Plenty of room to put my bags away and to move about.

Next we toured the ship, decides where to eat and stretched our legs.  At 5 pm we watched as they loosened the ropes and we began drifting away from the docks and pulling out to sea… So long Miami!

Next stop: GRAND BAHAMAS…

Beware of blog posts!

Strange title for a post I know …but a warning just the same! Dream seller is on the move again and you know what that means!  More blog posts!!

Currently I am boarded on a Delta flight headed to Atlanta where we connect for our flight to Miami.  It was -9 when I woke up, -2 as I type this and I HOPE for 70s when we arrive to Miami!!

While we wait I thought I’d give you a quick recap of the new year!  It’s been busy.  

My son turned 1 on January 7th.  We had a great time at his farmer/cowboy themed birthday party!

Then on January 15th my wonderful husband and i celebrated 4 wonderful years of happily wedded bliss.  I helped him on the farm in the morning and in the evening we had a wonderful date that included going to our favorite spot in Peoria, 2 Chez...  One of Fred’s high school classmates and friends owns it and is the chef there.  We finished our evening together at Sweet CeCe’s making “sweet memories”.

The rest of the month was full of business as usual and travel planning!  Lots of cruises booked.   Couples trips planned. Quotes delivered.  Fall trips booked… And so much more!  I’ve also been working on special quotes to South America and Africa.  The most exciting event is getting ready to reveal my new look and logo of Dream Seller Travel…coming soon to Facebook and the blog!

But enough of that boring business news!  Today is a travel day as the first ladies trip 2016 commences.   We are heading for sunny FL. From there we will depart on a 4-nt / 5-day Norwegian Cruise to the Bahamas.  I have two great ladies and loyal customers joining me.  While it IS a small group we are sure to have fun.  And as always with female travelers… Chatter and laughter abounds!! –even at 4 am!

Stay tuned as I bring you more updates from life onboard Norwegian Cruise lines and the fun we are about to have in the Bahamas!!

Merry Christmas

This past week my little family got to do a little “pre-crazy-Christmas-season” getaway.  Fred and I have been married (almost) 4 years now and have NEVER attempted to go anywhere in December (I stand corrected, overnight to a B&B last year).  But seriously to say “take a vacation in December” probably isn’t going to happen.  But it turns out we had a free timeshare vacation (you know- listen to the 2-hr talk and then tell them no type of thing…) and it just so happened that the piggy schedule had an opening of time before our new piggies arrived so – VOILA!  Away we flew!  (Drove actually, 9 hours actually – but whose counting?!)  This 3 night, 4 day getaway was SO fun and just what the doctor ordered before the Christmas craziness begins.

On Tuesday morning we left home bound for Gatlinburg TN (Pigeon Forge actually).  We were met with a somewhat quiet and peaceful town as the week BEFORE Christmas is NOT their peak season.   That was a treat as busyness, chaos, and LOTS of people is NOT our preference…

Our first visit to one of their Log Cabin Pancake Houses!

Our home for a few days!

Clayton’s 1st trip to McDonalds! #talesfromGatlinburg

So who has been to Gatlinburg?  Show of hands please?  No?  Well– let me inform you of some things!  First of all its true what they say – they ARE known for 3 things.  1) Moonshine, 2) T-shirts, and 3) Pancake houses.  All of these are in abundance in this area!  And of course– the best SWEET TEA and CORN FRITTERS ya’ll ever tasted reside in this beautiful state as well!  oh- and one more thing – they say things like they are!  Merry Christmas!  Merry Christmas Ma’am!  Merry Christmas to you Mrs!  I loved it!  No seasons greetings, felicitations, or happy holidays!   So there it is for everyone to see– those words Merry CHRISTmas!  Yes I’m one of THOSE people.  No happy holidays, seasons greetings, or other “variation” of this special time of year.  And its ok.  If you don’t believe Merry Christmas then you may respond with “Thanks, seasons greetings to you”.  Whatever your preference is but Merry CHRISTmas is my preference and like those in Tennessee I want to feel free to use it and speak it without concern of offending another.  My goal is not to offend someone by saying these words but to spread CHEER, and HAPPINESS and JOY for this special and loving season that we are in.

So with that- from my family to yours– MERRY CHRISTMAS!

Alaskan Adventure – and now for the rest of the story…

And now—to quote Paul Harvey – “for the rest of the story…”

DAY 7:  arriving into Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada
This morning as we woke up we were pulling into our final port, Vancouver.

Love this city! The sun was just coming up!

I have to say- I have personally been to Vancouver before and I loved the city.  And I loved it all over again.  The only part I didn’t enjoy was the crowd of people as they had a lot of extra activities going on that weekend!.  After we departed the ship around 9:45-10:00 we were taken by bus to our hotel, the Westin Bayshore! {Insert plug}: I LOVE Starwood properties!!  Seriously!

Our view while at the Westin Bayshore!

They smell so wonderful when you walk in and they truly DO have “the” Heavenly beds!  AND Fred even let me sleep with the curtains open so I could fall asleep staring out at the lights of the city- (I love doing that!  AM I weird or does anyone else like that?).  Our room had a great view of the bay and the pool.  After getting settled we decided to go next door to Carderos for lunch.  (Great choice! As recommended by hotel staff!).  We had squid for an appetizer- SO glad we did.  And a specialty mushroom pizza for the main meal and it was good too!  From there we rented bikes.  Stanley park was right behind our hotel so we were able to ride around the whole park which took about an hour and a half….  I for one really enjoyed it, would have enjoyed it more had it not been SO crowded!  I wonder if we were there at a “normal” timeframe if it would’ve been more relaxing and enjoyable! For dinner that night we split a FABULOUS fish and chips at the hotel restaurant.  (Again, since there were so many “extra” people in town getting a dinner reservation prior to 8:30 pm or even getting delivery wasn’t really an option).

DAY 8:  Victoria, Vancouver Island, Canada
This morning we woke up and walked 1 block to the White Spot!  It’s a burger place that Vancouver has around that is very well known—and NO we didn’t get burgers!   They serve breakfast too!  And it was a good breakfast!  Then we briskly walked back to the hotel and headed to the Lobby to meet our tour guide that would take us to Victoria for the day!  What a trip this was.  I will be completely honest- even travel agents have times where their expectations aren’t met!  I was expecting some different things out of the day then actually happened but it was ok and we made the best of it.  There was a lot of drive/travel time involved with this trip that wasn’t communicated at the beginning to us when we “signed on the line!”.  But now I know!!  So after a 45 minute bus ride we arrived at the ferry terminal.  Here we waited a few minutes before boarding the ferry.  Have any of you done this?  It’s a neat experience to drive the bus onto the ferry and then everyone unloads and goes up on deck for the duration of the ride.  Then we had a 90-minute scenic ferry tour to get over to Vancouver island.  Once there we re-boarded the bus and then disembarked the vessel.  Once on land we headed towards Vancouver Islands notorious Butchart Gardens!  It was beautiful!  So hard to grasp and imagine the hours that goes into it and also the mastermind(s) behind the design of the gardens!  After a quick 2 hours here at the gardens we continued on driving until we came to Victoria, British Columbia’s Capital City!  Again – unbeknownst to us – it was BC Day the following Monday (which is like our 4^th of July AND we were in their CAPITAL hometown—you do the math?!) which meant LOTS OF PEOPLE and closed off roads.  We got dropped off and had about an hour and a half to walk around and explore the downtown area.  {INSERT: Ice cream stop for the Rokey’s!}   Then we loaded the bus and headed back across town, to the ferry, across the sea, off the ferry, back on the bus, and back into Vancouver around 9:30 pm.  It really was pretty to see the city all lit up at night even if it was a long day of traveling!

DAY 9:  A happy homecoming!
Finally- our last morning waking up without a morning snuggle from my little guy….  This morning we had a little more energy as we anxiously got up and headed off once more- this time to the airport!  It was a long go- through three checkpoints before we made it to our gate and were able to finally sit down and grab a bit of breakfast.  From there we had a nonstop flight from Vancouver to Chicago.  Once on the ground we obtained our vehicle and away we went!  Only stopping long enough to get lunch/supper before continuing on to pick up our son!  We picked Clayton up around 6:30 pm.  He was 6 months 3 weeks when we left him but coming home he was just a few short days away from 7 months!  It was so exciting to see him and the smiling and his kicking feet quickly gave him away!  We snuggled and cuddled and loved on him the rest of the evening before it was time for bath, bottle, and bed!

So in closing: how do you know it was a successful vacation?  Because you were ready to be back home!

So here I am- having been home already for 1 week!  I hit the ground running- returning calls, emails, and trying to continue sending people to their dream locations!  So thank you for being patient to “wait” for the “rest of the story!”……

Safe Journeys
Megan