I Kissed A Dolphin, and I Liked It

“Structural Dissatisfaction: Returning to circumstances that once pleased you, having experienced a more thrilling or opulent way of life, and finding that you can no longer tolerate them.”

The quote above is from A Visit from the Goon Squad by Jennifer Egan, the novel I coincidentally began reading on my vacation, which perfectly describes how I now feel that I am no longer on vacation.

From November 20th – 27th, I was aboard the Carnival Valor cruising for 7 days and nights with my bestie and travel buddy Erin. I was completely disconnected from the real world and it was absolutely blissful. Nothing but island time for a whole week. Rather than go through my trip day by day, I’ve decided just to list the highlights interspersed with some of my favorite photos.

THE SHIP

Being that this was my first cruise I don’t have a point of comparison, but in my opinion the Valor was fantastic.  With 13 different decks the ship itself is impressive and immaculately kept. We booked an interior state room as it was the least expensive, and I was more than happy with the accommodations. My bed was very comfortable and there was a lot of storage space for luggage and personal items. Never did I feel cramped. Our room was at the very front of the ship, so in rough waters we could hear the waves crashing against it as we sliced through the water.

Sailing away from Miami, Florida.

The Valor docked at Cozumel, Mexico.

THE CREW & STAFF

I cannot say enough positive things about the crew, staff, and service. Our House Steward was simply awesome. He was so friendly and always had a kind word. The housekeeping staff was also very observant and paid attention to when you left your room so as not to disturb you.

Amos, from Bali, was the Team Headwaiter for our dining table, and our Bar Waiter was Siwapakorn (who we nicknamed Sip Sip), from Thailand. Amos was very charming and included all the ladies at our table in the dancing routines performed by the servers.

Dinner on the first night. (Photo credit to Erin.)

Towel swan.

FOOD & DRINK

I’m pretty sure it’s impossible to want for anything on a cruise. There is constantly yummy food and even yummier alcoholic drinks at your disposal. One small complaint is that the healthy food options were not very tasty, so most people (including myself) opted for the non-healthy options. This makes it hard to not gain the 1.5-2 lb. per day that many people average. Drinks were more expensive than I thought they would be, but after a few days we figured out where the best specials and bartenders were to get the most bang for your buck.

Sunday drink of the day. It was tropical, fruity, and full of rum just like all vacation beverages should be.

Best. Thanksgiving. Ever.

THE SHORE EXCURSIONS

Erin and I booked shore excursions in the ports of Cozumel, Mexico and Georgetown, Grand Cayman in the Cayman Islands. Both excursions were well worth the money we spent.

In Cozumel, we took a ferry to Playa del Carmen where we then caught a bus to the city of Tulum. Driving to Tulum involves going through rural, rather poor, areas of Mexico. It was interesting to see a part of real Mexico, rather than just another tourist trap. In Tulum, we hiked through the Mexican jungle to the Mayan Ruins of Coba. Our tour guide, Marco Polo (seriously) had a degree in history and was extremely knowledgeable in explaining the history of the area.

The Mayan Pyramid of Coba.

I did not walk to the top because stairs make me dizzy.

The second shore excursion in Grand Cayman took us to Dolphin Cove where we swam, danced with, and kissed dolphins. It was absolutely amazing to be in such close proximity to these creatures. After, we took a boat to Stingray City, which is a sandbar in the middle of the ocean where hundreds of stingrays live. Some of the rays are very old and large, up to five feet across in wingspan. They are very accustomed to humans and they glide around you and through your feet fearlessly. Unfortunately, I didn’t get any pictures of these excursions because I couldn’t take my camera in the water.

Dolphin Cove - the weather was horrible.

Parrots at Dolphin Cove.

NIGHTLIFE & ENTERTAINMENT

Our dining time was 8:15 pm, and often it was close to 10 pm when dinner finished up, so I was glad that Carnival provided a number of late shows and other entertainment options. We saw musical routines, magic shows, three comedians and some classically bad karaoke. Even if we didn’t go to a show there was always the casino or a number of bars and dance clubs to hang out in. I felt like Carnival really catered to the younger crowd in that respect, which I appreciated.

Mexican dolls.

Indigenous man dancing in Belize City, Belize.

SERENITY DECK

Probably my favorite part of the actual ship was the serenity deck, an adults only sun deck with circular lounge chairs, hot tubs, sauna, steam room and bar. It was incredibly peaceful to just lay in the sun with the sea breeze blowing against my face and sipping a pina colada.

A dying moth in Tulum.

Sunken ship in Mahagony Bay, Isla Roatan, Honduras.

GUESTS

The success of every good party depends on the people who attend. We met so many interesting people who were all down to drink and dance the night away. The experience would not have been the same if the cruise guests hadn’t been fun! At one point, it was said that there is a 1 in 10,000 chance that you will ever see or hear from the other guests ever again, so just put yourself out there and live it up. While I agree with living life to the fullest, I have also located several other guests via Facebook because we (unknowingly) had mutual friends. So, the lesson here is to have fun but don’t be an ass. And, if you are going to be an ass, make sure you do it on the last night of the cruise.

Eating red beans and rice and drinking Belizean beer!

Erin and I excited to swim with dolphins! (Photo credit to Erin.)

Overall, I had SO MUCH FUN. The words I have written here cannot even begin to encapsulate what I experienced. We’re already starting to plan another trip. Going on this cruise and swimming with a dolphin also fulfilled numbers 18 and 30 on my Thirty Before 30 list! I can’t wait to complete all 28 other items!

– A Very Sad, Post-Vacation,  American Twenty-Something

Fall Update

Before the tomato-throwing commences, yes, I am aware that I haven’t posted much of substance lately. Here I will try to encapsulate much of what has been happening in my life, and I promise to make more of an attempt at regular updates in the future.

Probably the biggest change this fall has been going back to school. Most people think I am crazy for taking classes in pursuit of another graduate degree (being that I already have one), but truthfully I am most happy when I am learning, studying and intellectually stimulated. Normal everyday life just doesn’t require me to perform the brain acrobatics that school does and I bore easily. Right now I am considered a non-degree seeking student, and I have to make a decision as to whether I should apply to a Master’s or PhD program. My professors are encouraging me to apply for the PhD which is incredibly flattering and such an ego boost. When I talk to my professors about the PhD and my future it makes me feel so hopeful and happy. I wish there was a way to bottle up that emotion and save it, so I could always carry a bit of hope with me.

On the work front, I have officially been working in the education field for six months now. It has taken me about that long to mentally transition out of suicide prevention and mental health. Anyone who has worked with social issues understands how they can become ingrained in your life and I believe this to be especially true of suicide prevention. I really defined myself as a preventionist, and when I rather forcibly left the field it caused me to re-examine my inner purpose and goals. I think I am finally starting to understand that my job does not make me who I am. I know I can excel at many things in many different jobs, although it is of course preferable that I enjoy those jobs.

Regular readers will have noticed that my running ambitions tapered off a couple months ago. I have not given up. Let me repeat that. I have NOT given up. I have been walking several times a week, and when I feel secure that I won’t be in pain I’ll start running again. Thanks to keeping a close watch on my nutritional choices I have now successfully lost 86.5 lbs. I will most likely write a separate blog addressing that issue in the future, but right now I’m still processing this change in my body.

In three weeks, I will fulfill #18 on my Thirty Before 30 List and go on my very first cruise! I booked the trip so long ago I can hardly believe it’s finally here. The next three weeks are going to be crazy with all the deadlines I have to meet and tasks to be done, but I want to get everything out of the way before I go. Sipping mojitos on a boat in the middle of the Caribbean sounds absolutely blissful.

– An American Twenty-Something

Photo courtesy of Carnival.com.

Misadventures In Running

If you’ve been dying to know how my running is progressing, prepare yourself for a disappointment. It’s come to a screeching halt. It seems I’ve developed a (self-diagnosed) case of plantar fasciitis. Plantar fasciitis is the inflammation of the plantar fascia, the thick tissue on the bottom of the foot that connects the heel bone to the toes and creates the arch of the foot.

Image courtesy of PubMed Health.

The pain is mostly on the bottom of the foot, especially with applied weight, but sometimes it extends up the back of my leg to my hamstring. I have tried walking, but after just half a mile my foot starts to hurt.

To make things worse, last Sunday I was walking at the lake close to my apartment and had a minor spill. My toe caught on an uneven seam in the concrete sidewalk and I fell sideways into a wooden fence. I am grateful that the fence was there, because had it not been I would have fallen into the lake. But, I did walk away with this rather nasty scrape and bruise.

Day 2 of healing.

Don’t ask me how the scrape and bruise managed to line up so perfectly with one another. It’s like a rainbow of injury.

With this disruption in my training schedule, I question whether I should attempt running the October 2^nd 5K or wait for a later race when I feel more prepared.

My friend Louise has asked me to join a beginning running class with her that starts on September 21st. If I don’t have any conflicts, I think I’m going to do it.

– An American Twenty-Something

C25K Week 2 Complete

Last night I completed Week 2 of the Couch to 5K running program. After I finished my run, I also walked part of the race route again and snapped these photos.

Nice paved running trail.

This is the paved trail where I do most of my running. It is wide, paved and clear of debris that I could trip on. There is good visibility and I feel safe when I run here. It is also really green and lush and generally provides a nice view.

Unpaved forest trail where I'm afraid of being attacked.

This is the unpaved forest trail that comprises approximately half of the upcoming 5K race route. When I walk here, I feel secluded and vulnerable. There are a lot of roots and sticks protruding from the ground for me to trip on. It would also be easy for a psychopath to jump out of the bushes and attack me.  Don’t let the light in the photo fool you – it was brightened with photo-editing software. There is also greater potential to encounter wild animals, like rabid raccoons and possums, or venomous snakes. (Can you tell that I was raised in the city?)

Unpaved trail with boardwalk where I feel mildly safer.

This is also part of the unpaved rape forest trail. I consider it to be the first sign of approaching civilization. For some reason I feel a little bit safer when I see these wood bridges even though they are totally irrelevant to the level of my personal safety.

Week 3 of training begins this week which involves 3 minute running intervals; the longest interval thus far in the program. Let’s hope I don’t have a heart attack.

– An American Twenty-Something

Running Behind

I am behind schedule. My running schedule that is. I finished Week 1 of Couch to 5K on Saturday but have yet to start Week 2. Between the sweltering heat and summer lightning storms something always seems to get in the way of my training. I don’t belong to a gym, so running outside is currently my only option (and I prefer it as well). Excuses, I know.

Big Bend Cares finally posted the 5K race route, so on Sunday I decided to head over to the park to check it out.

Image courtesy of Big Bend Cares.

It was around 7:00 pm when I arrived at the park, but it was unusually dark because of angry, black clouds signaling an impending storm. Although I’ve hiked several trails in this park, the race route trail was unfamiliar to me, and I was a bit apprehensive about walking through the woods in such poor light.

Nevertheless, I pushed my apprehension aside and started out on the paved part of the route, then descended down a hill onto the unpaved, wooded part. Now, when I say wooded, I mean you are in the FOREST with nothing but trees and wild animals. Occasionally, the trail will veer close to more populated parts of the park such as the dog run area, but for the most part you are extremely isolated. As I walked into the woods I saw a bloated, dead squirrel, which felt like a bad omen.

When I started walking through the trees I grew more and more nervous. The thunder was getting louder and more ominous, it was dark under the tree canopy, and it was eerily quiet. Normally, I gain a sense of peace when hiking in the park, but this time I was seriously creeped out and my over-active imagination began to think of how easy it would be for some psychopath to attack me and dump the body for forest creatures to nibble on. (Before you dismiss me as paranoid, keep in mind that Tallahassee has already seen the likes of two serial killers: Ted Bundy and Gary Hilton.)

I had meant to snap some photos on my walk, but I was so eager to get the f*** out of there that I forgot. I kind of felt like Snow White when she flees from the wicked queen and she encounters something more terrifying around every corner. In my urgency, I also made a wrong turn and didn’t even complete the whole route. Overall, this trial run was a major fail.

I will definitely start Week 2 tonight… unless there is another lightning storm. Only 8.5 weeks until the race.

– An American Twenty-Something