I was hiking in Monocacy National Battlefield earlier this year when I thought to myself, “I don’t like battlefields as much as other National Park sites.” When I think National Parks, I think Yellowstone, Grand Canyon, Denali. When I think National Park Service, I think the monuments in Washington, DC. […]
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My very first cruise was in October 2009 to Bermuda. I was 24 years old and I had just begun working on Royal Caribbean’s Explorer of the Seas. I was scared. Everything was new and life was overwhelming. But then we arrived in Bermuda. The pastel homes met the brilliant […]
I went hiking in Mount Rainier National Park a couple weeks ago. I wasn’t in a good place. Physically, I was in a good place, a great one even. Mentally and emotionally I was in a dark place. I was dealing with a lot of uncertainties and inner turmoil. To […]
If you follow me on Facebook or Instagram you know that I attended the Washington, DC Travel and Adventure show a few weeks ago. I spent Saturday and Sunday listening to and learning from some of the biggest names in travel. In between sessions I was able to visit booths […]
It’s been a year since my National Parks project began. For those of you new to the blog, I’m attempting to see 100 sites managed by the National Park Service before the Park Service turns 100 on August 25, 2016. I devised this challenge when I planned a birthday trip […]
Last Saturday I visited my 67th National Park – Olympic National Park! I wasn’t sure what to expect. Visiting the Olympic peninsula in February could have been a terrible choice. To be on the safe side I rented a four-wheel drive vehicle and was mentally preparing for the worst. I […]
After my flight around McKinley, my trip was coming to a close. It was nearly time to head to the airport. I was so grateful for everything that I had the opportunity to see and do. I knew I was returning to “real life” a different person. Time in the […]
On the road out of Talkeetna early Saturday morning I hit some ice that sent my pickup truck fishtailing down the road. Now that I was wide awake from that excitement, it was time to see some wildlife and hopefully Denali before I had to head back to get on […]
After exploring Denali National Park, I climbed back in my truck and drove all the way to Hatcher Pass Bed and Breakfast in Palmer. I’ve stayed in B&Bs before and they’re not my scene. I don’t dig the frilly rooms and the meals with strangers. This place is WAY different. […]
After Seward, my next major stop was Denali National Park seven hours north. My plan for Friday was to drive to Talkeetna and take a flightsee trip over Denali on Saturday. I would save about six hours of driving (round trip) if I could just fly out over the park, […]
After my near all nighter and a couple hours of sleep, it was time to head south to Seward, Alaska. I had heard that this drive along appropriately titled Seward Highway is one of the most beautiful I will ever take in my life. So I wanted to really take […]
One of the things I miss most about cruise ships is the ease of making friends. You’re stuck together in a small space with all of the other crew members so why not be friends? After a few contracts you begin to know or know of most people who have […]