Our annual Christmas trip (where we go somewhere instead of exchanging presents) started in Brussels, moved to Barcelona, and ended with a 14 day cruise across the Atlantic Ocean.
Kyle and I have cruised quite a bit, we were calculating this to be my 7th cruise and Kyle’s 15th? But neither of us had ever been on a cruise this long or had done a trans-Atlantic. We found this repositioning cruise (where you begin and end in different places) about 18 months ago at a steal of ~$500 for 14 days!
If you’ve never been on a cruise before, just imagine being waited on hand and foot, with unlimited food, a ton of activities, and absolutely no worries. You don’t have to drive anywhere, cook anything, or even clean up after yourself. It’s like living the lavish life, if only for a few days. Bonus: you get dressed up for fun!
We were at sea the first 2 days before stopping 3 days in a row at 3 different Canary Islands. The first stop ended up being my favorite, Lanzarote, and we just so happened to be there on our birthday (Kyle & I have the same b-day).
My parents had planned a surprise excursion for us that toured the entire south part of the island which is known for its volcanic rock formations, wind, and perfect 65-75 degree weather year-round.
Lanzarote is so windy that they have to plant their grape vines in the ground, surround them with semicircular walls, and everything is harvested manually. We got a chance to taste some of the wines, which were very unique and interesting.
But the best part of the day was when we got to make friends with camels and go for a little ride. I love them so much!
We also stopped in Gran Canaria, where we enjoyed the intricate sand sculptures.
Our last stop in the Canary Islands was La Palma. Parts of the island look like Jurassic Park and we really wanted to go hiking, but the ship terminal was a couple hours away from any good hiking so we explored the downtown area and the beach instead.
The next 6 days we spent at sea – relaxing, laying out at the pool, reading, playing games, and of course, eating. Every morning I would jog around the ship’s track, listening to business podcasts and watching the sunrise. And every night Kyle and I would go to the very top of the ship to hold strategic meetings for Wildway - discussing learnings from 2018, goals for 2019, and brainstorming our next big moves. :)
Our last port was Nassau, Bahamas, which we’ve frequented before, so we knew *exactly* where we wanted to go. Enter: The Daq Shack. This hidden gem is about a 25 minute bus ride from the cruise terminal and well worth the trouble. It’s a tiny little hut that makes fresh fruit daquiris that are to die for. We got some to go and took them across the street to the beach where we spent the rest of the afternoon.
After 2 weeks aboard Royal Caribbean’s Rhapsody of the Seas, we landed back in the states in Florida. What. A. Trip.
Adventure complete. Recharge achieved. Soul fulfilled.
If you have the chance to travel, do it. If you don't, find a way. I promise you won't regret it. :)