Travel: Tips, Trips, and Tales

Traveling!

Traveling is a great way to relax while also experiencing new cultures, places, or people you haven't had the chance to. WebMD says that traveling is good for you because new experiences can improve the functions of your brain. So, if you're thinking about booking that flight, backpacking through a new country, or a weekend get-a-way, here's your excuse! I have some tips and recommendations for your next vacation!

Where to?

I have been on many vacations before, both in and out of the United States. I have 3 favorite destinations, and here they are:

1. Alaska

I went to Alaska through a Disney Cruise. Oh my goodness, it was absolutely gorgeous! We had three stops on our cruise: Juneau, Ketchikan, and Skagway. Out of the three stops, Ketchikan was my favorite! It was our final stop before coming home, and it left a great impression on me and my family. We went on a crab boat and got to see animals like crabs, octopus, fish, eagles, and more. We went into a Native American territory as well, and because territories like that are not under American law, we watched our guides feed bald eagles! Juneau is the capital of Alaska, and was our second stop. We went whale-watching, and we were glad we did! A baby humpback whale and its mother were swimming along alongside us the entire time! Apparently, it is very rare to see a baby humpback, so we got very lucky. We also saw 3 different species of seals! Skagway was our very first stop on our cruise. My family and I went hiking and rafting in the mountains. Did you know that there is sand in Alaska? The sand is formed from the glaciers constantly grinding the rocks into tiny pieces. Rafting in the glacier water was very cool as well (literally). The water was about 31 degrees Fahrenheit. This is my favorite vacation I have ever been on, and I 100% recommend it to anyone looking for adventure and a retreat from everyday life.

2. Cozumel, Mexico

Cozumel, Mexico is an island off the coast of Mexico. My family and I went to Cozumel as an excursion for another Disney Cruise. For this excursion, we hired a tour guide to take us snorkeling and to a shallow sand bay. We went on a private tour, which I recommend over a crowded boat. When we went snorkeling, we were over the World's second largest barrier reef! We saw animals like sea turtles, fish, sharks, lobster, barracuda, and stingrays. Our guide and his boat crew took us to El Cielo, a shallow sand bay with turquoise waters. The entire bay was about 3 feet deep and filled with rays and barracuda. The sand was speckled with color because all the sand was made up of coral. Though it was mostly white, there were specks of green, purple, red, and pink! The crew on the boat made us some traditional Mexican dishes like quesadillas, guacamole and salsa with chips, and spiced fruits. My brother and I got to sit on the front of the boat while we rode back to our cruise. I definitely recommend taking sunscreen for this because I did not and ended up with a 2nd degree burn. This island is a perfect place for a beachy, relaxing vacation!

3. Hilton Head, South Carolina

Hilton Head is my most recent vacation as of now (January 2025). It was the first time my family and I went somewhere during winter, and I am glad we went when we did. The weather was consistently 60 degrees and pretty sunny most of the day. We stayed at the Disney Resort (Do you notice a theme?) on the southern part of the island. This was a great change of scenery from your typical island vacations. Our resort overlooked the marshlands, and the beach was about a 15 minute drive from us. We went on a dolphin tour and shell scavenging through a local company. We saw upwards of 15 bottle-nose dolphins, many types of birds, and lots of shell-living mollusks. Because of the cold temperature of the water, it was impossible to swim in the ocean, but it was fun to walk along and shore with our feet in the sand. Pictures from this vacations are priceless, as there is nowhere that is an "unattractive" background. This trip is great for a family that enjoys a southern-lifestyle, fishing, and immersing themselves in local tradition.

My "Grave of Paradise"

As mentioned before, one of my favorite vacations was snorkeling in Cozumel, Mexico. This vacation was life-changing for me, and this portion of the travel segment is dedicated to this experience. As this blog was a school assignment, I should state that this was a personal narrative I was required to turn in!

My subconscious fear of drowning is finally making itself apparent while I stare at my reflection that moves with each wave. The azure water makes the boat and my balance shift every second. The shore, lined with the native trees and people of Mexico, is reaching for my feet. I wish it would stop calling for me; I have yearned for this my whole life. Maybe I am not scared of drowning, maybe I am scared I won’t return to land.

The Atlantic Ocean, named after the Greek God that holds the heavens, now holds my heart which is left in the Gulf of Mexico. The water is so blue that my eyes meet the color of their own. Dense trees line the coast, and the homes of the people of Cozumel, Mexico, steal their view. I sit on the back of our excursion boat, gazing at the furthering silhouette of my cruise as I pray that my sunscreen lasts seven hours in the hot, Mexican sun. I make my way to the shaded center of our personal boat for the day, and I am met with my family, and our tour guide, Oscar.

“We get to the place in 15 minutes. Listen here,” Oscar’s English is broken, but still easily understandable, “we snorkel for 1 hour.” While I’m daydreaming, Andrea, another tour guide with beautiful clear skin and hair that waves from the constant exposure to the earth’s natural salt, hands me a snorkel, fins, and a mask. Oscar teaches us how to put it on, making sure we are watching and following his every move. Life jackets followed, and I could feel my skin start to crawl with the thought that I might have to rely on it.

We stop the boat far enough from land to worry about swimming back. I see the white shores, mocking me with their safety. Oscar leads us to the back of the boat where I sat originally. The strap of the life jacket irritates my inner thighs, and I am already walking like a duck from the fins anyway.

“Molly, go first,” my mom says to me. I have always been her ‘daring and fearless’ daughter, so naturally she would assume the same now.

“What if there’s a shark, Mommy?” asked my sister, who is not helping me with my nerves. I watch Oscar plop into the ocean. He comes back up and waves me on; I can’t let them think I’m scared. Holding my mask on my face to ensure it doesn’t fall off, I take a deep breath and watch as my horizon fills with water. I watch the shore disappear from where the waves meet the sand to the tops of the tree leaves. I kick up to the surface, my life jacket also pulling me up to save me from a grave of paradise. I turn to wave in my siblings and mom, laughing at how funny they look standing on the boat. The salt is caked onto my face, and the air now feels cooler than the water.

Once all of my family has jumped into the water, Oscar leads us like a school of fish. As we snorkel, an array of colors fills my eyes and wonder fills my body. Pieces of coral that reach so high are begging for me to touch it. My mind turns blank. The waves roll over me, soothing my fear and replacing it with memorization. Schools of fish fill the gap between the sandy floor and my floating body. Some of the fish’s curiosity mirroring my own as they swim up to me, nibbling on my arms. We drift along, taking pictures and trying to capture the beauty and the moment in a single device. The shell of a sea turtle swims into view, and I tap my brother and point to this once-in-a-lifetime sight. I hear my breath as it enters and exits my snorkel, and it muffles the sound of our boat's motor. Hearing my breaths soothes my fear of drowning. I can’t drown here, I can’t even feel the weight of my own body, so how am I to sink? Even if I were to drown, at least it would be in this grave of paradise.

The end of the hour approaches, and I am haunted by the intentions of the boat. As I climb up the ladder and remove the salted snorkel gear, I feel the weight of the water leave my body. My family does the same, and we all complain about our chapped lips and dry skin from the salty water. While I lay on the front of the boat, trying to tan rather than burn, I watch as we leave a piece of my heart, a conch shell horn that is sounding for me to come back. The lasting impact was not the 2nd degree sunburn I acquired, nor the sting of salt in my eyes, it was the fear of not being able to go back to find the lost piece of me that has found where it’s meant to be. The fear of drowning has shifted to the fear of being anywhere else but where my heart belongs.

Tips:

Because of my many vacations, I have learned a lot when it comes to how to plan, what to bring, and the best ways to explore your location. Here is a little advice from me to you!

Book your vacation in PLENTY of time! - Not only should you book flights and hotels as soon as you are sure you want to go, you should book activities, reservations, and any other bookings you may need. This causes a stress-free vacation - and hopefully one with a short wait time at restaurants!
Update passports, licenses, or any other form of I.D! - No matter where you go, you will have to show I.D. Whether your checking into a hotel, or ordering a drink from a restaurant, an I.D is important to have. Make sure you never leave with an expired licenses, credit card, or passports. If you need to obtain new passports, be sure to do so at least 4 months in advance. The passport-approval process can be lengthy, and you want to have time to redo them if necessary. Places like pharmacies and the DMV are approved to take passport photos. Also, be sure to send your passport to the courthouse for the process to start.
Use the locals! - Regardless of the amount of research you do, no one will know your travel location better than the local people. I recommend booking local tours to learn about your getaway, and it is a great way to immerse yourself in local life with new people.
Disney! - You had to know this was coming. I love Disney based vacations - whether that's for cruises or resorts. Disney is great for people of all ages, usually separating adults and children based on activities. Safety is a major point for Disney as well. Most of Disney's resorts are pretty enclosed, so it's easy to let your responsible children roam. The Disney Cruise Lines have the best staff, food, and activities. If you're in doubt, use Disney!
Join Groups! - A great way to get any questions answered is to join groups on Facebook or blogs that are focused around your vacation! My family always joins the Facebook groups, and we have found them to be useful when we have a question. Also, they can give you an inside look to your vacation!
Look at weather! - Wearing appropriate attire for vacation is of tremendous importance. Be sure to pack the correct items. This may include raincoats, sunscreen, hats and gloves, or a sweater. Also, I recommend packing the second you book your hotels and flights!