Category: EUROPE/ASIA

Posted on

20 SMART TIPS YOU NEED FOR YOUR CRUISE

So you’ve booked the cruise! You are going to love it. Here are some of my favorite tips for cruising that I wish someone had told me!

  1. Hide a foldable duffle bag in the bottom of your suitcase. When you hit the ports and start buying gifts, you are going to be glad you have it for your return trip home. There have been times we had to search around for a reasonable priced suitcase to bring our souvenirs home.
  2. Take a small travel power strip (preferably one that has a few USB slots also) so you can charge your phones, tablets, cameras etc. . https://www.amazon.com/dp/B07D25RSWX/ref=cm_sw_r_oth_api_i_TYhnEbK8QNYM7
  3. Waterproof phone bag that floats. You can wear it around your neck but if it happens to fall in the water during one of your activities it will be safe and float. https://www.amazon.com/dp/B075CGYP46/ref=cm_sw_r_oth_api_i_CWhnEbMR9RTG2
  4. Pack a large brightly colored T-shirt. Why you say? When you are at sea, no one tells you how windy it is on the deck! . My towel kept blowing off of my lounge chair when I would get up to go grab a snack or drink.. So I took my husband’s t-shirt and put it over the towel and the back of the chair. The t-shirt holds the towel down and it makes it easier to identify your chair with the other hundred chairs. I received many compliments on what a great idea that was. Now you could always take those towel clips but that is just one or two more things to keep up with. A large t-shirt make a great coverup too. So it’s a win!
  5. Don’t forget a refillable bottle. Come on, do your part to cut down on waste. This is great to have on the excursion days also. The juices are free in the dining room of the ship, so my kids like to fill up with juices before we take off for morning activities.
  6. Do the BEHIND THE SCENES KITCHEN TOUR! It is so amazing how many meals are prepared on the ship each day. They have crew working around the clock in preparation.
  7. An Over the Door hanging organizer for your toiletries and makeup is a Must. It saves a ton of space.
  8. Magnets-most ships have a lot of metal, like the walls and doors. So if you get the hook magnet you can hang your lanyards, sunglasses, goggles right by the door. Each day you will get a paper schedule of the daily activities so we like to put it up on the wall where we can all keep track of the fun events happening.
  9. Highlighter. Great for highlighting your schedule on the wall with the magnets.
  10. Packing Cubes. They are a lifesaver for me and my family. You can squeeze in a lot. You can line the bottom of your closet with the cubes. Tip for kids. I pack my kids stuff in ziplock type bags (that we reuse over and over). They are labeled Day 1, Day 2 ….So each morning I can grab the say DAY 3 bag. It has their outfit for the day, undies and socks. I also have a bathing suit bag that has swimsuit, googles and sunscreen. Also you can ask your steward to bring you extra hangers if you want to hang your formal outfits up. Did you know you can put your suitcases under the bed? This is a great space saver.
  11. Sunscreen! Don’t wait to buy that stuff on the ship or at the island. You will pay out the Wazzu! Many destinations are not allowing you to bring regular sunscreen to their locations because it is destroying the Coral Reefs, wildlife etc. So be sure to buy the kind that is Reef Safe.https://www.amazon.com/dp/B07Y9TT1K8/ref=cm_sw_r_oth_api_i_U0hnEbMVSCKX7
  12. Carry a lightweight drawstring back pack. It’s perfect for lugging around sunscreen, water bottles, books etc. This will just help keep your hands free. But I wouldn’t put anything important or valuable in there. They can be easily snatched if the wrong person wanted to take it.
  13. Don’t worry about packing beach towels. The ship will have towels around the pool and by the exit door when you are leaving the ship to the ports. Just keep up with them. They will charge you if you don’t turn them back in.
  14. Before you leave for your trip, buy some blow up floats at the dollar store. When you arrive at your island stop, there will be a tremendously long line to RENT these. Keep in mind, You will just need to blow it up so don’t get a huge one. Then you can deflate it before getting back on the ship or you can throw it away if you had a $1 worth of fun with it and want to be done.
  15. Costco and Amazon have those snorkeling masks that you can rent to go snorkel. It may be worth it to you in investing in one before the trip if you see yourself cruising more. I wasn’t sure I wanted to put my head in something other people have been breathing, spitting and sweating in all day before me. There is a long line to get these also when you arrive at your island stops with swimming.
  16. Tour packages…..This is a tough one. Do you buy the ships tour package or book one on your own? If you aren’t an experienced traveler I would stay with the ships tour package. It’s just safer. The best ones fill up fast so if there is something you are dying to do, book now. If not, wait. Sometimes if they don’t fill up they will offer discounts. If you are experienced traveler, and you will know how to book tours on your own, do the research on good tour groups in area. Make sure the tour group knows (before you leave on the tour) what time you have to be back at the ship. Pad this time. If you are late, the ship will not wait for you. It will leave you and take all your stuff still on the ship with them! . One trip we bought the ships tour, not for the tour but to get to our desired location without wasting all of our time. When we cruised to Santorini, we had a very limited amount of time there. If we took the ships tour bus, it drove us all the way up the mountain. If we didn’t we had to WALK it. It was going to take a good amount of time. By the time we would walk it, it would be time to leave! So we bought the tour-just for the bus ride. When we arrived the top, we then left the tour, and ran ahead on our own so we could get pictures before the CROWD from all the ships arrived. We also found a nice bar with a view so we had a seat for the sunset. We saw much more on our own than if we had stayed with the group. As I mentioned before, we have done a lot of traveling so we have well researched the areas that we go, how to get around and stay mindful of the time and our safety.
  17. If you are going to a port that has a View like the Sunset in Santorini, research some restaurants before your trip and make a reservation! Depending on the destination, (like Santorini) you may need to make the reservation months in advance.
  18. If you need internet just buy ONE cell package for one phone. It’s usually a sign in type of internet access so my husband uses it. Signs in and out. Then I use it on my phone sign in and out with his password. We don’t mind taking turns and sharing. From the moment you get on the ship to the time you get back to port make sure your phone is in AIRPLANE mode or you will Pay.
  19. Dinners on the ship. Did you know in the main dining room you can order more than one entree? Also, since there are so many nationalities who work on the ship, many times you can access Indian dishes, Thai food, etc. I also just learned that you can have continental breakfast delivered to your room for FREE! (BUT DON’T FORGET TO TIP)
  20. Check the wine policy but on some cruise lines like Royal Caribbean, you are allowed to carry on 2 bottles of wine on per room. But don’t forget your bottle opener. The cruise will charge you a corking fee if they have to open it for you. (check your ships policy before you go.)

Now go pack your bags and have a Great cruise! Bon Voyage!

Joys On A Journey

The perfect dinner spot we found by getting ahead of the crowd.
Behind the scenes food tour on our last cruise.

*All of these tips and tricks may only work for some cruise ships and not all . So do your research before you go. I was not paid to mention these products. These are things that I have found to be helpful and that I use on when I travel.

Posted on

POST CARDS FROM EUROPE

img_3411

TAKE EVERY CHANCE YOU GET IN LIFE BECAUSE SOME THINGS ONLY HAPPEN ONCE! 

As many of you know,  I’m all about the Trouvaille! Something lovely that happens by chance. The night I met my husband so many years ago was just that. (Sorry, now you know how it turned out!) But it is still a pretty amazing story. There was some sort of magic that happened the moment I met him and  I knew I would never be the same. Even though we were from different cultures and were strangers; the things we talked about just fell together as if we had written the lines we were going to speak next.  After that, We would meet every moment we could for the next three weeks. But then the ball dropped……he announced he had planned a month-long trip to backpack around Europe and he would be leaving all too soon! All I could think was “No, not now! How could this be?”  I knew it was all too good to be true. I imagined he would leave for this adventure only to forget about me. I’ve always been a collector of cool cards and quotes so I made a travel journal for him so he record his travel memories. He seemed to really like it and I was in hopes as he wrote in it, he might think of me.  This was back in the OLD days when cell phones weren’t an extension of our bodies and most people only called their MOM from overseas because of the expense.

But a crazy thing happened, I started getting post cards from every stop he made! He thought of me enough to write to me! I was so exited!! Each day I would run to the mailbox in hopes that it would bring another card from him. They kept coming. I collected each card and read and re-read about each adventure, dreaming of the chance that I would one day see these places myself. He would sight see during the day and take the train every night only to arrive in another city by morning. This should have been my first sign of what kind of traveler I was dealing with! When this guy is traveling there is no time for sleep. “You can sleep when you’re dead.” He always says. He covered 29 cities in 35 days! Limited only because, he spent his first four days in Paris to go watch the French Open tennis tournament.  I couldn’t wait for him to return home, so I could hear all about each of these beautiful locations that the cards had come from. When he arrived home, he did just that and we picked up right where we had left off. Everything was still magic. He was my introduction to the love of travel. The sights, the sounds, the food (smells), the people, from that moment on I wanted to see it and live it and do it. And all with him. We have covered a lot. Many places in Europe, Asia and South America. He has been to 47 of the 50 United States. He is my Greatest Adventure for sure!

So, 6 years later, (yes, you read correctly, SIX YEARS LATER) when we were finally  married, he told me to pull out my book of postcards and select my favorite two from the book. These would be our Honeymoon destinations! I knew right away where I wanted to go! PARIS AND BRUGGE, BELGIUM. The two most beautiful pictures in my book. And Yes, even more beautiful in person! This is where our Journey began…..

cuba laugh
Such a Silly Picture but it makes me Laugh!

Tip: Now when we travel we let our children select a post card from our highlighted stops.  At the end of the day, they record their favorite memories.  This is a great way to keep their memories of the day. When they are older I hope to make a book for them with their collections. Do you still send Post Cards? What are some of your favorite ways to remember your trips? Let us know! Please Comment and Share! Until next time…..

Joys on a Journey

Posted on

GREECE- EXPERIENCE ATHENS LIKE AN ATHENIAN

Update: Since first writing this piece, Greece has been hit with devastating wildfires. It’s hard to believe we were just there a few weeks ago. It’s heartbreaking to see the smoke and destruction on the news. Our thoughts are with those in that beautiful country. 

img_1507-1Please be a traveler, not a tourist. Try new things, meet new people, and look beyond what’s right in front of you. These are the keys to understanding this amazing world we live in. -Andrew Zimmern

img_1555ATHENS

The History, The History, The History. It’s all around. Every corner. Every Stop. There is a story.

One of the oldest cities known as the birthplace of civilization. Athens.  It’s hard to comprehend how long many of these sites have been in existence.  The fact these amazing monuments are still here for us to experience-even MORE amazing! It wasn’t until going to Greece that I learned how much the Greeks have influenced our lives today!

When we visit a new place, we don’t just want to see the highlights, we want to see REAL Life. So this post is to offer you some of the highlights that the local Athenians enjoy.

img_1087The first thing we like to do when we arrive in a new place is to check out the public transportation. Luckily for us, Athens has a great public transportation system. That is unless there is a protest going on (which they do quite frequently) so be aware! There was a Metro stop right outside of our hotel. We knew we were going to be tied up with tours covering the historic highlights the following day so we wanted to check out some of the things the Athenians like to do. What do they do? They head to the Beach! Well, for those of you who know me…..you don’t have to say Beach twice! I’m there! They work during the day and head to the beach in the afternoon or early evening when it’s not as HOT! After checking out the map and we hopped on a metro and headed to the beach. It was summer break, the metro was FULL of teenagers. Guess where they were headed? The Beach! So there we were packed on the train, with all the kids laughing and talking.  Kids are kids no matter what the language. We couldn’t understand their Greek but they were having fun. The metro ride took approx 40 mins but we didn’t even notice because we were enjoying the scenery! Blue Skies, the waterfront, palm trees. We could tell we were no longer in the touristy area. People were milling about probably on their lunch break grabbing a quick bite and doing a little shopping.  These were the areas people lived and worked.

First Stop: Voula Beach. This area is pretty far out. I felt like we were the only tourists. Perfect for us! Many of the listings about the beaches said that they charged a fee. But no one charged us! When we arrived at the beach we found a spot amongst the Athenians and tried not to stand out. There are no chairs so we chilled on our towels. There was a stand that sold cold beers and snacks. Here we were at the AGEAN sea! How wild is that?! Cheap Cold beers, awesome views,  and the calm sea, so refreshing on a very hot afternoon. The kids piled into the water in huge groups where they stayed until dinner time. This was such a find. One of my favorite memories in Athens!img_1126

If you want to go check out the beach take the Metro to Voula beach stop. There is a bit of a walk to the beach and it feels a bit secluded but we just followed the kids. They led us there. Just head towards the water. You will see the signs. 

As the sun was starting to set and the kids started heading out, we took the metro back up heading towards Athens. A few stops up we spotted this beautiful resort type looking place on the ocean so we stopped off there to check it out. This area seemed more for tourist but there was a mix. Here they had chairs on the beach with waiters to bring you drinks. It was more expensive but you pay for the view, the chairs, and the waiter. It was still worth it. We arrived here in time to catch the sunset.

A peaceful way to wind down a perfect afternoon.img_1093

After all of this, we had worked up quite the appetite. The food smelled so delicious here! When asking the locals where to eat here, one mentioned trying a “DIRTY STORE”. Well, that didn’t sound exactly like what we were wanting……as they went on to explain,  its a place where they pile so much yummy meat, and sauce that you get DIRTY! We were relieved and headed out to get Dirty! YUM!

img_0163After a day of traveling and in the sun we headed back to rest up for our Historic tour coming up the next day.

TROUVAILLE MOMENT (something lovely found by chance):

Taking the Metro out to the beach area away from the tourists.

NOT TO MISS ATHENS:

ACROPOLIS, PARTHENON, AND ERECHITEHELON: THE MOST FAMOUS OF ALL STOPS IN ATHENS

img_1110

img_0143img_0123TIP: Arrive EARLY! This is the site to see so everyone will be heading there too. Lines are long. People are herded like cattle. Once the cruise ships arrive you are packed in like sardines. Wear a hat, COMFORTABLE SHOES, and sunscreen. Be sure to take plenty of water and put on your good attitude and patience. This is not a site you can dash through.

TROUVAILLE MOMENT: (something lovely found by chance)

When looking at the Acropolis if you turn around and look behind you…..you will see a large Hill-Areopagus or Mars Hill. It’s a short walk from the entrance path of the Acropolis. Our guide warned us of how dangerous it was to go there.  The climb up is steep and a little slippery but not terribly hard or crazy. They even have a stairway with a rail to the main part. We felt the climb was a great find. It offers magnificent views of the Parthenon and the Acropolis as well as Athens. This is a famous site for Christians for it is the known spot where the Apostle Paul would preach the Gospel to the Greeks. Because of this, it had added meaning to us. Don’t miss it! Great Views!

IMG_8363

PANATHENAIC STADIUM: OLD OLYMPIC STADIUM:

img_0110This is the famous site of the first Olympic games in 1896. You should stop by and see it but we didn’t buy a ticket to go inside.

CHANGING OF THE GUARDS (PLATEIA SYNTAGMATOS):

img_0695This is worth a quick visit if you can time it right. It happens every hour not always on the hour but it’s supposed to be on the hour. Great Uniforms and ceremony.  It’s in the heart of Athens so there are many other places to visit or stop for a bite in that area.

ACADEMY OF ATHENS:

Be sure to stop and wander around this set of Neo-Classical buildings. This is a great Picture taking spot. We were majorly looking like tourists here!  The Orignal academy was founded by Plato back in the 4th century BC. A place where many of the Greek philosophers also attended. We did not go inside because we hit it after hours but we heard that if you ask permission they will let you inside to take pictures. It’s supposed to be stunning.

(Take the Red Line/Number 2 Panepistimiou Station after exiting the Metro it’s across the street)

PLAKA:

img_1493One of the oldest neighborhoods in Athens. It has terrific little shops and cafes. Great place for a stroll if you need a bite to eat or a fun place to pick up a few gifts and nice souvenirs.

Tip/Warning: As with anywhere, be aware of your surroundings. Athens seems pretty safe however due to the financial crisis there you will hear of pickpockets. We did experience this first hand riding up the escalator of the metro. It was night time and we didn’t feel that there was even anyone near us. My husband felt a tug on his backpack and sure enough, this thief had his hand down inside our backpack. We didn’t have anything in our bag of value so it was ok. But be cautious!

img_1094Thanks for joining us on this stop in Athens! We hope these highlights will help you. We would love to hear if this was helpful. Please comment and be sure to Follow our blog for other adventures. Share with your fellow traveling friends. Up next, The Greek Islands! Even more beautiful than the pictures! You don’t want to miss it!

Joys on a Journey