People who need people

Alright guys,
    I am not here to whine or make judgments on people, but this is something that has been bothering me for a while and it took today for me to experientially understand something that I already knew was quite a problem in today's p.c society.
Today, my friend Shannon and I took this gorgeous day as an opportunity to see the beach. Naturally, we took our beach bums over to downtown Laguna. Now, Laguna beach has it's friendly people (usually the barefoot millionaire surfer hippies), but today, I encountered some very distant and quite sour people. Now, I am by no means the perfect model citizen, but today I was feeling especially inclined to smile at every person who passed. Not one person looked at me. Everyone thought I was odd and continued walking. I said, Hi. and....crickets. Just being friendly. You would think I was dressed as a criminal with a hand gun showing by the way people were looking at me. But no, I was wearing a floral skirt and cowboy boots (real scary stuff). Shannon and I started talking about how sad it is that alot of people don't acknowledge others around them in every day life. Not all people are like this, but it seems like this is a sad epidemic. What happened to the smiles at strangers? What happened to the general sweetness of citizens?
After our chat on how silly it is that people don't look at you when you are near them, Shannon and I wandered to my favorite vegan restaurant in Laguna, called the Stand, and got ourselves some frozen fruit soft serve. There was a woman near The Stand who had two very large bull dogs that she was casually walking back to her work place. One of the drooling pups took took off as soon as it's collar came undone and waddled her fat self into into the street and back into The Stand. The woman, was screaming, NO!!!, clearly angry that she had no control of her dog. When the dog got into the Stand, the owner slipped and fell, trying to regain some control of the situation. People just watched her struggle until she said, "can somebody help me"? She took a hard fall, but I grabbed her dog for her while she tried to get up. Then, people started to ask her if she needed help. She didn't want to take it. She was clearly embarrassed at her fall and large scene she created. The dog continued to slip...and this woman was tearing up. She didn't want to be helped either. She needed people to help her gain some control, but she couldn't accept.
As we walked away from the uncomfortable vibes we got, both from her, and the bystanders, I thought to myself, jeeze, that woman was having a bad day. She fell pretty hard and people barely acknowledged her. It was only when she begged for help that people (including myself) felt appropriate to help her. Then, when I did help her, and others offered, she was too embarrassed to accept. I walked away, and I got an opportunity to actually understand what it felt like to be that woman. My slick cowboy boots don't do well on wet concrete, so I slipped and fell elbows first. BAM! I was bleeding pretty profusely, and I looked around, and not one person (besides shannon) even asked me if I was ok. There was a woman nearby, who looked at me, then looked away. There was a group of young boys who just stared at me from a distance. The only person who looked at me was a curly haired three year old boy who knew no social boundaries. He surely had tears in his eyes, cause he saw that I was hurt. Kids are very perceptive.


Perhaps this is due to the digital age that we live in. People are so plugged into their gadgets, that we rarely have the need to look at each other or interact. 90% of our interaction comes from online communication. I don't even need a person to check me out at the grocery store, the movie theaters, or any phone transaction. We have machines to do that. Here is the danger in this folks. We need each other. We need to look at one another more. Have you ever noticed how much a simple gesture of kindness or a smile from another human being completely changes your outlook? It's because we DO need to feel that love. I think we have lost some of that in the way we relate to people. Now, I am going to challenge myself (and others, if you dare to be a little bit weird) to make eye contact with people. To smile at passer-bys. To buy a coffee for the person behind you in line. Let's be neighbors. Let's invest in our communities. In some cases, you have to be cautious of strangers, but really people.....are you not going to walk across the street because you are afraid of getting hit by a car? Let's get rid of the fear of being humiliated. I'm ok with being weird, if it means we can re-connect.

My Mando and I

Here's the thing. I am never going to stop exploring this amazing world we have here. I mean, it's kind of incredible how each day can be new, filled with fantastic moments if you just open your heart to it. I thought to myself, you know, even though I am not traveling the deep blue anymore....my locations are still exciting. I am still traveling on land. I may settle down for a bit, but I will never stop exploring. 

I wanted to take a moment to talk about my Mandolin. I travel, and I take my mandolin with me. I can't remember the last trip that I didn't take it with me. It has become a part of me (cheesy, but true). I find that my mandolin case is getting torn and tattered. My fingers are developing hard calluses, and I can hear the mandolin accent in every piece of music using this fine instrument. I admire talented musicians like Chris Thile ( from Nickel Creek and Punch Brothers) who make it their lives to respect this tiny but mighty noise maker. 

I was thinking back to when I first began to play my mandolin. Why did I even start? It was the summer of my senior year of high school. Some very old friends of the family invited me and my family up to their ranch in Idaho to see the music festival on the lawn that happens every year. I wasn't expecting much. I mean, Idaho? I had never been and I had never thought of going. But when we got there, it was something magical. The sheer beauty of the place alone took my breath away. I was able to respect the nature, and not feel like I was overwhelmed by the good ol' California traffic. The festival blew me away. I was young, and I didn't know much good music yet, but I did feel a serious connection to the musicians. How they stood up there and shared their lives through a single song. How they conveyed so much passion that made people sing along and dance for joy. They all looked so happy. I wanted that. I want that. But then, Nickel Creek, who I never heard of before, came on the stage and took the concert to a whole new level. I stared at Chris Thile play his mandolin at lightning speed. I couldn't take my eyes off of him. He was a genius. I remember not even getting up to pee, I loved it so much. Their gorgeous harmonies and interaction with the audience made my heart flutter. This was the first time I knew I wanted to pursue music. As a musician and a singer.

After that summer, my father bought his dream ranch up there, and we went to as many festivals during the summer as we could. I sometimes couldn't make it, but I would always discover new artists by my mother getting the CDS. Many incredible artists have played there. To name a few Brett Dennen, Brandi Carlile, Ryan Adams , Wynonna Judd and many more. I have been inspired by this festival. 

But the mandolin came into my life about 2 years later. My sophomore year of college. My father actually fixed up this mandolin for himself because of seeing Nickel Creek at the festival. I remember admiring the details of the F-shaped epiphone (after the gibson), with it's stunning woodwork and impeccable cut through sound. I knew my brothers and dad were the talented ones on guitar and instruments. I tried to pick up the guitar, but truth be told, I have carny hands. But as my dad was fixing this delicate instrument up, I picked it up, only to find that I loved pretending to play it. My dad taught me a few basic 2 finger chords, and I stuck with it. That christmas, my dad gave me the mandolin. And I have been playing it every single day since then. I still have not taken a proper lesson, but I feel it, and I know I want to be better. I get a thrill when I am singing and playing this magnificent piece of art. How can something so small, be so loud and yet gentle? I am going to do this. With my band mate Jessica, one day, I will perform, in honor of beautiful music and dreams, on that same stage that sparked this fire in me. Here's to Portland first, then traveling again. With my Mando. 

Into thin air-ish

11/29/11 

Honolulu, Hawaii.

So I was on IPM today....and it was really hard to find the time to get off the boat, since we just had 5 straight (and incredibly rocky) sea days...and after honolulu, 5 more sea days to go. As you can see, getting off the ship was very important to many. Even though I could not get off the ship during the day, I was productive, I made some phone calls (yay USA), I did some internetting, and I ran on sky deck. So, I felt like I did something. Although, I have to admit, even though I have been to hawaii before, I really wanted to go sky-diving like many of the crew members did. What a way to end the contract. I know I will sky-dive one day :) In fact, a few of the guests on board are from Portland, and when Jess and I visit soon, we will meet up with them, and maybe go skydiving there! Wouldn’t that be a thrill? (sorry mom, don’t freak out!!) 

Well, after some people released me to get off the boat for a while, Sam and I went to get some Mexican food close the the port. It was great, and the sunset was to die for. Then, I met up with Jess and the other Sam and decided to go to waikiki beach. It was very crowded when we got there, and reminded me alot of Newport Beach. Very swanky and tons of shopping opportunities. There was a group of street entertainers who gathered up a large crowd, only to refuse to perform since the energy wasn’t strong enough.....we told them, “hey, we were cheering” and they said “not loud enough!”. So we walked away disappointed we didn’t get a show, AND they were rude. We then got a flyer to get a massage, but when we got there, they were also unclear about the price, and we apparently disappointed them too. Then, we were pretty annoyed at how people were acting towards us, and we decided in order to blow off some steam, we would shoot some guns.....no really. I am an official SWAT club member ( I have a card and all)! But here’s the real deal, I don’t like guns, and I sure as heck don’t like shooting them. I thought perhaps I may feel empowered after shooting a rifle and a small hand gun, but instead I was indifferent. Plus, the guide teaching us was very rude as well, making it seem like I was the worst student he ever had. I didn’t hit the target, but I continually hit the same wrong spot 3 times! Off the target, but impressive? I guess it was an experience, and since we didn’t sky dive, we got another dangerous thrill. (Don’t  worry, not a scratch on me!)

Well everyone, with one day left of my life at sea, I thought I would wrap things up a bit. I am not sure what is going to happen with me after this contract ends. It all seems so abrupt. The ship literally drops me off near my home in LA, and I get to see my lovely family. I have no weight limit on my luggage since I am not flying, so I have packed these suckers so ridiculously tight, they may pop open!  Like I said, I don’t know where I’m going exactly or what my life holds for me next. Of course I have tentative plans (some that I have been dreaming of for years now) and I hope to move somewhere that nurtures creativity (portland). But really, I only have myself and this moment to live. I am not planning too much because if there is one major lesson I have learned on this journey, it’s “live in the moment”. Every day I was in a new place, there were tons of new experiences to be had, and the only thing I could do was seize each day. When I get home, I will take all this personal growth I have had, and start a life on land. Sounds strange to say, but it’s something I am so longing for. I would love to smell the freshly brewed coffee in the morning. To hear the sound of birds chirping in the sunlight early in the morning. Just to have some familiarity, simple things, but all the glory of being on land. I have treasured the time spent on this trip, and I sure will miss some of my ship folk, but I know this journey has been important to me, and I will never forget a moment of it. 

Thanks

Thanksgiving

It’s been a long time since I’ve been away for Thanksgiving. It feels so strange not being able to give thanks along with my dear family. I will miss the giant, golden brown turkey made by my dad and brothers, or one of my charming uncles. I will miss my mom’s gourmet and perfect side dishes that literally took her hours of love and thoughtfulness to make. I will miss my grandma Wildish’s ambrosia salad (though I can no longer eat it, I still can’t understand why it’s so green and delicious!). I will miss reminiscing about my grandparents that have passed, they will always be in my heart. I will miss playing charades with my crazy family; ganging up on my dad who still has no idea how to sign for a movie. Though we poke fun, we would not have it any other way. I will miss practicing jingle bell rock over and over and over again with my dad so we can play it for everyone at every gathering during the holidays: ) I will miss opting out of yet another game of euchre..... I will always refuse to learn how to play! ;) I will miss meeting my nephew for the first time, what could be more angelic than a precious newborn? I will miss giggling and squeezing my two nieces....for they are the joy of my heart. I will miss every aspect of Thanksgiving at home; except cleaning up the mess!

As I get older, I have to be grateful for the moments I DO have, not the moments I am missing out on. I have had the most incredible journey these past 11 months, and I have a hell of a lot to be thankful for. I cannot express what this moment in time has done for me. I have seen parts of the world I had never expected to see. I have embraced many cultures; here on the ship and out in the world. I have been fearless, something I know I could not have said before coming on this contract (some of you know how much of a stress ball I have been before! :)) I have learned how little difference there really is between people, once you take away all the backgrounds, religions, and cultural upbringings. I have gained so much love from the many people I have met on this journey. I have written music that means something, and I am grateful for that. I have fallen in love with life and friends. I have learned from every person who has been on this journey with me. I have learned that no matter how far away I am from home, I still have the love and support of my family and friends. I am the luckiest girl in the world. And that’s my thanks. 

Paradis en Iles des pines, New Caledonia

11/19/11

New Caledonia, Ile des Pines

Today we got on the tender boat ride off the ship and on to the most glorious island beach. This island looked like the best kept secret. You know when people ask, “if you were stuck on a deserted island....” well, I wouldn’t mind at all being on THIS remote island. It was a white sand beach, surrounded by the most stunning and intricate trees. They were all wind blown and stuck together, making a perfect entrance archway to the beach. I stood in awe of the trees. A bunch of crew members played games in the water, and truly soaked up the sun. They speak french here, so I definitely tried to brush that up again. It’s amazing how much of it I have lost, but if you don’t use it, you lose it! I wandered a bit by myself before heading back to the ship. I tried some exotic food, cooked in banana leaves, and tried to have a conversation with a local. I had to head back early, because I was going to eat some pretty amazing 5 star ship food. We have this restaurant on board, where you can get the most amazing 5 course meal for only 25 bucks....it’s really a steal. So, sometimes, you just go to get some good eats while on board. The night, after we had left, was pretty magical. The stars were unbelievably bright, and we got to see the southern cross, which you really can only see on this side of the world. I was mesmerized by the beauty of the sky. 

Aussie's get a little feisty when they drink :)

Melbourne November 13th

Today, A few of us rented bikes and headed for the Melbourne Zoo. I mean, we just had to see some quintessential aussie Roo’s and Koala’s, right? Let me tell you though, it was a maze getting to the zoo. It took us 2 hours to get there and two hours back. I was pretty sore! And it was raining for the latter part of the day. But besides that, it felt great to get on a bike again. Melbourne was beautiful, too. The beginning the day started with a few laughs. We all stopped to get coffee, and asked for a regular coffee. The Aussie servers looked at us funny and said, do you mean a latte? And we tried to explain....umm, an americano? or just a regular coffee? And then finally she said, “oh, half black”. Turns out, that was a very strong expresso, but I wasn’t going to argue. In so  

many ways, Australia is so similar to the US, however, not in the convenient way we order our morning Joe. Then we saw a common street pigeon begging us for food, and it only had one leg.....then Jess commented saying “I bet that one legged pigeon is just faking it to get some crumbs”. And sure enough, he was......he put down his other leg right then and there.....guess you had to be there! After stopping for coffee, we got lost on the way to the zoo, but finally made it. We loved all the animals, but in my opinion, I have seen cooler zoo’s in San Diego. But really, it was quite nice to be in the Melbourne zoo of all places. 

Sydney November 15th and 16th

At promptly 6 am in the morning, I got up to watch our ship dock at the most brilliant and epic sail in I have ever seen. This was a sight to see. The sky was unbelievably clear, just waking up for the day. We could see the iconic Sydney opera house and the bridge in all of it’s beautiful glory. I had IPM for the first day in Sydney, but I was lucky enough to be able to get off around 2 p.m. due to switching with other people. Both Jess and I were on IPM, then released, so we went off together in search of an adventure. We wandered around town, and found some nice Aussies to tell us where we could find some good food and art. Let me just say, almost every Aussie I met has been oober friendly. They all go out of their way to help foreigners. It’s really refreshing. Anywho, back on course. We get to this area called Surry Hills and wander for a bit to find some food and internet for a bit. We then got some amazing, fresh, organic and gluten free food from this really neat nepalese restaurant. Such an feast for my taste buds. And so healthy! Then we headed back to the ship to change our clothes into something more classy. We got tickets to see “The Merry Widow” ballet at the Sydney opera house. Are you kidding me? The most iconic piece of architecture known to Sydney.....and we got tickets for a ballet there. I know they were kind of pricey, but to me, it was worth it. We got there, and I started to feel really nostalgic. It made me think of the Orange County Performing Arts Center back at home. There were tons of other sections of the huge opera house that had events going on. It was so full of energy and class. I felt like I was a young girl again, going to see some magic on stage. Jess and I sat a little further back than Eli, but they were still great seats! When the orchestra began to play, I was mesmerized. It has been so long since I have heard this many live musicians play classical music. And not only that, I am very familiar with the music of The Merry Widow, having studied it many times before. The dancers moved effortlessly, though I know their art form is demanding on the body and spirit. They were so expressive, too, because they could not use words to convey the story. The supporting couple were my favorite. The lead female was also exquisite. For some reason, I think the male lead was weak (I didn’t really notice so much, but Eli said he lacked precision). When the song “Vilia” began to play, I teared up. I was so nostalgic. I remembered all the countless times I learned this song. I am so blessed that I have learned to appreciate this beautiful classical art form. I felt rejuvenated, and it made me want to study classical music again.....who knows, maybe I will. :) I know I will never forget my love for classical music. The night out was simple, but effective. Watching the ship and the stars from a park bench across the bridge was a pretty captivating end to the night. :)

Sydney Day 2

Today, Sam and I rented bikes and went around town all day. In the afternoon, it began to rain, but it still was a very special day. I love riding a bike because I feel so free :) We got coffee in the morning, and I tried to convince him that Starbucks is great, but we should support local coffee. Turns out, the local coffee was really awful, and we ended up conforming...haha once again! So, we sat and drank our morning coffee while people watching and playing with my camera. Then, we hopped back on to our bikes and into the free botanical gardens. It was so lovely! We then saw several huge bats hanging from the trees. We must have watched them for a half hour at least! They were so unique! I mean, it’s not every day we get a chance to see a whole lot of bats hanging in broad daylight from several trees. We then plopped on the grass, and took shelter while the rain dripped slowly. After that, we wanted to find the artsy part of town, once again. So we asked several locals which way we could bike to Surry Hills. Then, after biking into what looked like a cool part of town, we stopped and ate delicious Thai food for lunch. After lunch, we saw some very angry Aussie’s get into a street brawl. We knew they were just drunk, so it was more funny than scary. This was a nice part of town too. I  always heard that Aussie’s get feisty when they drink, and I got to see it happen, right across the street. There was no actual violence, just very violent threats and words. And a ton of screaming, and punching of walls. I felt bad for the guy that was just trying to be on his way. He was just a skinny little fella who was wearing flip- flops. Not proper shoe-wear for a street brawl, I say. Anywho, the guy got in trouble, but I got a matinee of entertainment during my lunch. Overall, the day was wonderful. I felt so relaxed and happy to be alive. 

We come to the end of our contract soon. It really hasn’t hit me yet. I mean, it’s about time to face some real life things. When you are at sea, it seems like everything is so far out of reach. Life takes on a different pace here. You get to know so many people as family, because your family is so far out of reach. You also get used to meeting people, and then losing them really quickly. Getting attached to familiar faces is a really difficult thing to get over here. I have learned to give my heart fully to everyone I meet, but know that I may not see some of these people again, or for a really long time. I know every single one of these brilliant people have come into my life for a reason. I am so grateful I have had this opportunity. What a life! And when I get home, I am taking a trip a few places before I settle. First Portland, then Idaho, and then home sweet home, I know it seems forever, but I will be home the whole month of January. I miss you all so much. Soon!

Do Roly Pollie's still exist, or did I just get taller?

11/4/11 Bali, Indonesia

Today was the most glorious day. A group of us took a 15 dollar taxi to a white sand beach the moment we were able to get off the ship. This beach was incredible. We got some snorkels and got to spend some time going through the water staring at the beautiful fishies. It was almost unreal. I didn’t want to leave. We didn’t have more than an hour, but you better believe, we were all basking in the delicious sunshine. The sand was painfully hot and it made us jump like crazy people trying to get to a cooler area. It was like the sand in Costa Rica....where you think you are fine....and then it slowly creeps up on you until you scram, jump and laugh at the same time.....haha. I enjoyed a large coconut water and spent the last few moments taking the whole day in. I was in paradise.

November 6th

Exmouth Australia

I guess when I think of Australia’s land, I think of the outback and dry desert sands with a beach. And that is exactly what Exmouth looked like. I was able to get some time off in Exmouth, even though I was on IPM. So, I jumped right into the water and continued to walk far out into the shallow warm waters and play for the day. The water was perfect and the company was even greater. A group of crew just sat outside and played frisbee with a really flimsy frisbee and enjoyed the sun. Not much to say about this port, except that it was an excellent beach day. The only thing that would have made it perfect would have been an australian bbq and some cold drinks ;)

November 8th and 9th

Perth, Australia

We had a drill at 2:30 in the afternoon, so it really cut into the first day in this port, which was kind of a huge bummer, so thanks cap’n :) Anywho, today we were to celebrate Eli’s 21st birthday and we took the train into Perth (we docked in Fremantle) and Eli and I shared some delicious Australian wine. We then went shopping and found some really cool vintage shops and great places just to look at things. I would have to say, Perth is very fashionable. Everyone I saw looked like they came out of an Urban Outfitters store. We went into one place where this chick was wearing these awesome combat brown boots (which all of you know I love) and I commented on them. She said, “oh these boots have seen the world, they are my trekking boots”. That made me smile, since I always call my boots trekking boots. To me, boots have to have a story, and so far my boots have alot to say because they too have seen the world :) We then wandered around some more and I went off by myself for a bit and went in to a great store where the ginger bearded manager greeted me with a perfect australian accent. He was so cool, he offered to play my favorite music. Since he didn’t own any Mumford and Sons or Led Zeppelin, he played some Bob Dylan while I tried on some clothes. Smart thinking, man ! He also told me of some places to go eat and go out! And, I guess Eli did some good research, cause the same places he mentioned were the same as where we were going. We then all met up at this amazing restaurant with all recycled material and organic food, called the Green House, and ate the most amazing meal. It was Tapas style, so we all shared bits and pieces of this glorious food. Every bite was sensational. I  tried this thing called black pudding (some kind of blood sausage) and some tomato gelatin (sounds gross, but it was good) and the best dish which was stewed chickpeas and pumpkin with a green chili yogurt. It was all divine. We also shared spectacular wine and good conversation. It wasn’t alot of food, and it was very expensive, but quite a change from Lido food (no complaints for the free food, but you know what I mean :)).

Then, we all went to a bar in Fremantle that was called Little Creatures, and it was an old warehouse turned into a bar. Overall, the night was a culinary and taste-bud delight. And a very happy birthday to Eli.

The next day, I got up really early with Sam, and we wandered around Fremantle and got some amazing breakfast. I got the best gluten- free breakfast ever. I was such a happy eater :) We didn’t have much time to wander, because all aboard was at 11:30, but it was nice to see the sunshine in the morning. That is something I am so looking forward to when I go home. Waking up to the sun ! :) Next stop, Melbourne

Singapore and Indonesia

October 29th and 30th Singapore

Today I had IPM during the day, but luckily was able to go off during the night since the next day we had to leave by 10 am. Eli and I were both stuck on board until 4, but then wandered into the terminal (which was a huge mall) to look for Jess. We really just wanted to go and get food, so of course, thinking with our tummies, we wandered to a part of town called Clark Key (not sure how to spell that). Eli had explained that this was the best place to go get drinks and food. When we got there, it looked alot like a swanky outdoor mall. Kind of like the Block of Orange. It had really wonderful cultural restaurants everywhere, but all of them were pretty pricey. All of a sudden, we had a hankering for good indian food. So, we took a taxi to a part of town called India Town. In Singapore, they have all sorts of cultures meshing together and several little areas dedicated to specific cultures. So, we got to this amazing area, which looked like it came out of Mumbai, but it was less scary. They were still celebrating deepavali, so it was beautifully lit up with lights and colors. I was brought back to India with the scrumptious vegetarian meal we shared. After that, we wandered around town a little longer and went shopping. I didn’t buy much, but it was fun to look. Then we got into a cab and asked them to take us to Sentosa island, where a night of halloween festivities awaited us. Our cab driver was this funny old man who played Madonna and made us laugh. When we got to Sentosa, however, the haunted house was sold out. We decided to look around anyway, even though we really just wanted to be spooked by some asian horror. Come-on, we all know that asian horror films are the best.....anyone seen ringu? (the ring) or the grudge that they did? Way scarier.....if you didn’t know that, rent them:) We were kind of disappointed with the island. Though it was really cool with indoor skydiving and some pretty killer theme park attractions, it all seemed so fake. I wasn’t about that. We then went down to the beach on the island and found this cool restaurant on the ocean, where a Singaporean Adele was crooning us for a while until we had to leave because we saw the price of the drinks. It was short lived, but she really did sound and kind of look like Adele. So that was pretty cool. After that, we knew that it was Halloween here in Singapore, so we went back to Clark Key for some Halloween festivities. We got there, and everything was so busy! We couldn’t find one restaurant outside near the band to sit at. We were all pretty tired, and the drinks were expensive, so we didn’t stay long. Just long enough to have one drink and people watch all of the crazy costumes of the night. 

After a full night of wandering and exploring, I started to wonder if Singapore had any of it’s own culture. I really didn’t see much of what Singapore had to offer, with such limited time, but really it was not very thrilling. It was very western and very clean. Give me the slums of India, the marshy waters of Vietnam or the raw culture of Brazil any day. I feel the same way about Singapore as I do Dubai. Same Same. I think culture is what excites me. Different is far more interesting. 

Jakarta, Indoniesia

11/1/11

Today I was also on IPM (I have alot since we left China) but I was ok with having it today. Today, I was a lucky crew member because I got the opportunity to help several of the crew members onboard the ship with family from Jakarta sign their families on the ship for the day. I kid you not, this was a love fest. I was tearing up because I saw fathers meet their babies for the first time, daughters being re-united with their mothers after 11 months of hard work and brothers holding each other so tight. It was a blessing to be a part of this re-union. Ericka, one of my close friends on the ship had her whole family on. I got a chance to meet her elegant mother and family full of boys. I was their tour guide for the afternoon and later Ericka told me that her family had no idea what I was talking about and they thought I was funny cause I laughed all the time and my face turned red. haha nice. I also got a chance to meet Yulien’s (another one of my friends on the ship) father and nephew. Her father said “I love you” to me. I laughed and smiled.        

The whole day was a thrill, and I am so thankful I got to witness these glorious reunions.  

I know what it is like to be gone from family for a very long time, but they have it much harder on the ship. I am very fortunate to have the time to spend with my family. Every moment counts. I miss you guys. Soon I will be home to hug and kiss you all.

Java (Borobudur) 11/2/11

Today I took a trip to the ancient building of Borobudur. It took Brad, David and I about 2 hours to get there and 3 hours back. It was breathtaking. And I met a couple from Aliso Viejo, which is right next door to me at home. It reminded me that the world is incredibly small...once again. When we walked in. they gave us wraps to cover our legs....it was incredibly hot, I just had to wear shorts. But this was a holy place and it was rude to not be covered. But Brad and David had to wear the cover too :) 

Next stop Bali! in other words....heaven! We have our last performance of Las Vegas Nights tomorrow.....so it’s the last time I will be wearing my lovely Dolly Parton costume and wig.....I may cry. 

GOOOOOOOOD MORNING VIETNAM!

Nha Trang, Vietnam October 27th 2011

Today will go down as one of the best days I have had on this trip so far....and that’s saying alot! Well, after the long, hot and sticky raft drill in the morning, Eli, Sam and I went to meet Jess and David out where the free shuttle drops you off. It was so hot, but right outside the ship there was a market and they sold young coconuts to drink, so naturally Eli bought some for us :) We then got to where the shuttle drops you off and bargained with a cab driver to take us all for 60 us dollars to a remote area where Eli had read about waterfalls and cliffs to jump off of. We knew it was far, but we really had hoped the cab driver knew exactly where it was. I was a little nervous too, I remember because in the cab ride, I got bit a few times by bugs and I had remembered, I totally sprayed myself with sweet perfume before stepping outside. Not the best idea to wear perfume while trekking through the jungle of NAM! So, we drive down a really bumpy and un-paved road and finally arrive at a park where we were to walk to the waterfall. It was right out of a movie. I wanted C.C.R’s “fortunate son” to be the soundtrack of going through these bushes and stepping through marshy water. I could hear the cicadas chirping so loud, it sounded like construction. There were moss covered rocks we had to climb over, and tons of areas with rushing clear water. We knew the waterfall was close, but we didn’t know how to get there. Suddenly, tada!, there was a guide and a few other ladies who showed us to the exact piece of paradise we wanted to see. The picturesque, tropical, booming waterfall we all had hoped for was right in front of our eyes. Deep breath.....this was a dream! I was so thrilled to be here, I thought I could step into a shallow part of the water off the rock, but I slipped right in, dress and all, and floated down the strong current! haha I was soaked, but it felt so refreshing. It was so hot and humid, that the water is exactly what we needed to cool ourselves off. We then all climbed further up, only to jump from the high up cliff all the way into the water. I was flying, but when I hit the water, I went bottom first and screamed cause it was the most painful slap! :) but the pain went away when I got back out and heard the waterfall. We then all climbed up to the top of the waterfall and our little guide (guardians) yelled at us not to jump. I guess we would have gotten hurt from there because it was so high! It was so gorgeous! I could have stayed there forever, I kid you not. However, we did have to start heading back, and so we all headed to one last place. The chum towers were another part of our day. They are old temples carved out of stone, and they were so stunning. It was like a mini-Petra in Jordan (as David called it).  What a day, seriously. I love Vietnam. It was kind of crazy to think about how we were here just a few decades ago, and now, a new generation is here to visit, with new and refreshed feelings. Tomorrow, we are in Singapore overnight! hooorahhhhh!

KING KONG or was it hong kong?

Hong Kong, China October 24th and 25th

It’s pretty surreal spending my 23rd birthday in a country I never imagined I would get to go to. But nowadays, my life is pretty exciting. I don’t ever want to take it for granted. The first day of Hong Kong, a group of us (Sam, Eli, Jess, Dan and I) all went to the Buddha located on an island in Hong Kong....I can’t remember the exact name right now, but it is where the BUDDHA was enlightened. We took some awesome subways through scenic areas to an area to catch the cable cars to the island. The line to get to the cable car was long, but I was thoroughly entertained by the good company I was with. We got onto the glass bottomed cable car that took about 30 minutes to get to the island. We were so high off the ground, good thing I am not afraid of heights. It was just gorgeous too. We could see the airport, the beach, and fisherman walking through the shallow parts of the water. It was a spectacular sight. And when we got over the hump of the mountain, there it was. The big Buddha made out of stone that sits so peacefully on top of the hill. It was stunning. We then go into town and there were little shops and bubbles and monks walking around. We were amazed at how commercialized the tree of enlightenment was. It was actually plastic. They put that in instead of a real one....maybe for preservation? Anywho, it was cool to see the most holy place for buddhists after just being in the most holy place for christians in Jerusalem a few months ago. It was very peaceful and very warm. I was sweating pretty profusely walking up the steps to see the big buddha, but it was worth it. After we went back down, Sam had to leave and the rest of us went to see the temple. It was so ornate and there was a monk performing a ceremony just as we walked in. I have to admit, after a while, taking photos of everything starts to feel like you begin to miss out on the actual beauty, so I paused for a bit to take it all in. All the sights, all the incense, and all the sounds of the chinese workers doing construction. It also made me think how every part of this earth has a holiness and a peacefulness, as well as every person. But we as a people seem to make only specific area more important than others. Jess and I were talking about how this amazing place (though awesome to see and experience) probably was much more peaceful before people deemed it as an important place. It is cool that they built a shrine  where buddha was enlightened, but before that, wasn’t it just a mountain like any mountain? wasn’t it just a beautiful tree like all of the trees? I guess what I am getting at, is beauty is literally in everything. And if we only took some time to cherish the small things too, we wouldn’t be so focused on a few great things. 

Ok, so after my little rant :) haha we went down the cable car. We made our way back into town and we all got the best massages ever. Jess and Eli paid for my whole massage as a gift and it was an hour and a half body massage with a reflexology foot massage! Oh my gosh, this place was so clean and so beautiful. It was all red, and there were rooms with beds in them and tons of people waiting to help you. It was also quiet, unlike some places you can go in America, where people are loud during the massage. They gave us tea and little cotton outfits to climb on into. Jess, Eli and I were all in the same room for our massages. It was so funny (and Jess, pleeeeease forgive me for saying this) Jess’ guy giving her the massage slapped her behind a few times and giggled cause he had never seen someone as well shaped as she is. We all roared with laughter! I guess they don’t have curves in China ;). I had a guy who used just the right amount of pressure. Some of it hurt so bad, but felt so good after. I needed this! I must have dropped in voice range after as well, because I sounded like a tenor! It was truly relaxing.

After our massages, we were all pumped to go out, but we needed outfits! So Jess and I wandered into places to get something funky to wear out. We didn’t want to spend too much and we wanted to look kind of crazy. And finally, we found the perfect retro outfits to go dancing in. Hot pink and yellow skirts and over the shoulder tops! It was perfect.

We then needed to go back to the ship in order to shower and get ready. So, we got ready and waited for a bit for people to be able to go out with us to a bar called insomnia, which I guess had a live band and a whole street full of awesome bars.

When we got there, it was all decorated for halloween and the clubs were packed! Everyone from the shop was there too! It was such a party! Then there was this awesome cover band from the Philippines who played the best music. They sang happy birthday to me and I turned candy apple red! It was so fun though, I danced the night away and had the best 23rd celebration I could ever ask for!

25th

The next day, as expected, we were all pretty tired! So, I got some free internet and coffee in the morning and then went to get foot massages with my friend Adele. We ended up going to get some incredible thai food as well. It was a relaxing day, and an amazing birthday! thanks again to everyone who made it special! 

So, I know halloween is coming up....does anyone have an idea for me? I am so bad at thinking of quick and creative things haha. Love and miss you all!

Shanghai warrior

October 19th and 20th Shanghai, China 

On our first day in Shanghai, Jess, Eli, Sam and I went wandering together. We had some things we all wanted to do and had a limited time together (Sam had to work at 4:30) So, we go out into town and wander the metropolis city of Shanghai. It was stunning. The buildings are futuristic, majestic and put New York architecture on a lower level (sorry New Yorkers). Anywho, we took some photos of the town and we went shopping for a bit. I had a nice time wandering. There was no pressure and it was a picturesque day once again. We stopped and got a bite to eat and some wine at a little cafe downtown. Man, Jess and I each got a tiny bottle of wine that was 30 US dollars each! We were shocked, and realized we need to check the conversion rates before ordering the wine! It was tasty, but not worth the price. But hey, we were in Shanghai! We then got a cab to go into Old Town. Old Town is one of the coolest places in Shanghai. There are coy ponds and gardens and old world buildings down every street. I was so impressed at the ornate buildings here in town. It was really busy though, and easy to get lost. Sam stopped to get a tiny little buddha, and Jess and Eli wandered further, and I was sure we lost them for a bit. It was funny for a few minutes and then we were bummed and positive they were gone. But then Jess had just stopped a little ahead to get her family some gifts. I got a ton of gifts for friends and family already, so I am cooling it off for a while on gifts here in Asia....I hope ya’ll don’t mind! Moving on, we all wanted to go to a tea tasting ceremony and actually see what that was like. We followed some girl in Old Town who took us up some stairs and into her little tea tasting area. Her voice was so soothing and she was so relaxed presenting each of the teas that it made my brain tingle. She taught us the right ways to hold the tea (dragon hands for men and Phoenix hands for women) and how to truly respect the benefits of the teas. I was so sleepy at the end of this free session. It was free, but they want you to buy things....and I did. haha. We then thought this would be the best time to go and get a massage, being all relaxed and all. So, Jess took us to place she went to the year before where they literally slap you with bamboo sticks to help the blood flow. Jess and I tried it, while Sam and Eli laughed at us. I didn’t like it, but Jess was in a trance. Sam said it must have been some cruel practical joke they made up years ago where people are still laughing. Those crazy Americans will buy into anything if you call it an ancient chinese tradition. :) So, after that, Sam had to get back to work and Eli, Jess and I wandered some more around old town. Then, we all got hungry and searched for a long time for a restaurant that would fill us up and be a reasonable price like our food in Beijing. We finally found an authentic restaurant and ate it very fast. We were ravenous. We then went back to the ship to rest up before our big night out. We walked back and it was spectacular. The sky line was rich with color and lights. I was at Disneyland haha. We got back just in time to see the last half of the acrobatic show onboard. It was awesome. I swear these Chinese gymnasts are flexible! Jess and Eli went out, while I waited for Sam to get off work at 12:00. It would have been hard to find people out alone, so I thought it would be best if I waited. We met up at a swanky live music bar aptly named  Rendezvous. It was happening, but really expensive, so we wandered around some more to find another place. We did a little too much wandering because we only got to stay out for another hour after that, but it was fun, so I am thankful that we got to see the night of Shanghai. 

Also, I forgot to mention in my blog for Beijing, that while I was out at the bar with Jess in our artsy part of town, we ran into a group of Americans who knew a ton of people from Elon! I was amazed, but also, how many times does this happen to me? The world keeps getting smaller and smaller!

Shanghai Day 2

Today I just went out with Sam because Jess and Eli got sick....and were quarantined (locked in their rooms for eating bad chinese food) I thought I had dodged a serious bullet here, since I didn’t get sick today, but low and behold, here I am, trapped in my room for two days because I got sick the next day. I think it was the spicy chinese food. More information than you need to know right? haha well, anyway, I was feeling fine in port so we did what Sam wanted to do; ride the magnetic 300 km/hr bullet train to the airport. I felt like we were champs. We walked to the Subway, then got on line 2, and got a round trip ticket to the airport and back. The train went 301 km/hr and when we passed another train going the opposite way, I nearly jumped out of my seat it went so fast! We didn’t stay at the airport, instead, went back right away to get some food into town. We wandered around town forever trying to find something that wouldn’t upset our stomachs, or break the bank, but for some reason, we couldn’t find anything but Starbucks. I know, I know, I’m ashamed to admit. We ate a snack at starbucks. But at least it was guaranteed haha. So after that, we wandered back and some nice conversation about life in our futures. This trip has really made me respect every day as an adventure. 

After I got home from Shanghai, the next morning, I got sick. It’s a rule on the ship that you must call and report the sickness right away to the nurse. So, naturally, I did. They make you stay locked in your cabin for 48 hours! I haven’t even gotten sick since then, and to be honest, I feel weak cause I have no fresh air! And I think I watched every depressing movie possible yesterday. Let’s see American History X, American Beauty, American Pshyco (to keep with the theme) and Requiem for a Dream. All great films, but not the best things to watch alone in your room. I am going a bit crazy not gonna lie, so if any of you have any suggestions. Shoot :) 

"He who doesn't reach the great wall isn't a true man" Mao Ze Dong

October 14, 2011

Dalian, China

We made it to China! As soon as I got off the boat to do my early morning passenger tour around Dalian, I was filled with excitement. I was in China, all the way around the world, ready for all of the amazing adventures that come to me. I can’t tell you how awesome it is to be in a place where nearly everyone speaks another language, and you are the minority. Anyway, I had to find my tour bus right away, so I looked for bus 2. My tour guide Joe was a sweet old man who welcomed me right away to China, along with his assistants Tony, Li and my favorite, Nancy. I sat next to Nancy right away as all the passengers loaded onto the bus. She is an English student and this helps her to speak English and learn it when a bus full of English speakers come to her country. She was very proud of her homeland, telling me all of the amazing things she feels China has to offer. I was looking through the bus windows in awe of the old-world architecture. Our guide Joe was singing to us many songs on the way there, but it really moved me when he began to sing, “You Are my Sunshine”. Mainly because it holds sentimental value to me. My Grandpa Mesler always used to sing that to me....miss you Grandpa. 

Our first stop on the bus was at the Pole Aquarium. We were all lead to a dolphin and whale show and everything was in Chinese. Luckily, I made friends with Nancy and she was telling me what was going on. It was basically Sea World, but all in Chinese. The next stop on our bus was at a Kindergarten. We got to see all the little one’s playing and  then take a tour of their place of learning. We had to take off our shoes before we took the tour. It’s considered rude to wear your shoes inside, but it makes sense because the bathrooms are so dirty in China. And young children don’t wear diapers, instead they just pop a squat, like a dog and do their business wherever they want! They even have little holes in their pants to accommodate for that factor! In the Kindergarten, they had these adorable little bunk beds for their nap time....man, if only us Americans would have had little bunk beds for out nap times...maybe I would have taken my naps :) We then went to what was my favorite part of the tour. We got to go inside someone’s house. The host, Mr. Li, welcomed a small group an I into his home along with our translator, Wendy. Mr. Li showed us around while we asked him questions and Wendy translated. It was so sweet, he offered us tea and snacks right away. His daughter was away with his wife, but he was happy to have us visit. His home was pristine. It was simply decorated, but very clean. His daughter was a champion pianist there in Dalian. I told him that I sang, and gladly sang for him “someone to watch over me”. It was really a fun experience. Then, we all loaded back onto the bus and went to get some lunch and entertainment. The food was gourmet, and the entertainment was nothing like I have ever seen (except maybe on youtube haha). There was a guy that changed his “face” every few minutes, a guy that spinned plates, and a young girl that stretched her legs over her head and spun around on her neck. I was amazed. Seriously, the girl was the most impressive. I couldn't believe the acrobatic tricks that she could do at age eight. The food was also really spicy and delicious. They gave us tiny plates and tons of food. I couldn’t keep track of all the food I was scarfing down. The last stop, we went to People’s Square where there was a large fountain and little old ladies selling kites. I was very impressed with the culture and people of Dalian. I didn’t want to say goodbye to my new friends I had made, but I was sure grateful that happened. Lucky me. Next stop, Beijing overnight!

October 15th and 16th

Beijing, China

What an adventure today was! We (Dan, Eli, Jess, Brad, David and I) tried to get off the ship really early,  but because of strict immigration, we could not exit til about 11:30. We then get outside and we are greeted by several, angry, yelling Chinese people. They all wanted us to get into their taxi. Our tour guide on the ship told us it should only cost about 15 dollars to catch a ride to the train station, so we were set on getting the best deal possible. Once of the ladies was really angry and mean and convinced us to take a cab ride for thirty....or so we thought....she then raised it to 40. But after a while, you just go for it. You just want to get out of there and head into town. So, we got the train station in tianjin and took a thirty minute bullet train ride into Beijing. I could not believe how fast the train went. We almost got up to 300 km per hour! I tried to catch a wave of sleep, but I was way too excited. We then got into Beijing and tried to get a cab to the hostel we were looking at staying at for the night. None of the cab drivers spoke any English, and so that was impossible. It took a lot of time to find anyone who spoke any English, but finally we did, and we took the Subway into the part of town we wanted to go to. I was in NO WAY any assistance to getting there. I was lost and very thankful I was with people who were directionally savvy. After we got into our final stop, Brad and David agreed to come with us to our hostel first....but we had to find it. Again, the search was for an English speaker. We saw a group of American tourists and asked them where our hostel was. They gave us vague directions, but we were taken to this really artsy part of town where supposedly our hostel was. It was amazing. There were red lamps everywhere, cute little art shops and tons of bars. I looked at Dan, Eli and Jess and we all agreed we would want to stay in this area tonight no matter what. We were running out of time to go to the wall, since it closed at 5:00, so we just decided to stay in for the night. We couldn’t find our hostel, but we did end up finding this awesome hotel for 15 bucks a person and a guy that organized our tour to the wall really early in the morning. It was a great deal. He also told us we could still make it to the Forbidden City and Tianaman Square if we wanted to go. So, that is exactly what we ended up doing. We went to the city, and marveled at the amazing architecture, and then wandered around Tianamen Square for the night. It was breathtaking. The weather was a crisp fall delight and the sun was setting just as we walked into the Square. We were all getting really hungry after our day of travel, and so we stopped to get a gourmet meal out. The food here was so cheap, and so incredible. We were the only tourists in the restaurant, so we knew it had to be good. We had tofu, duck (including the brain), beef, cashew chicken, rice and many other to die for items of food. I was stuffed and it was under 20 bucks for each of us! I couldn’t believe it! After dinner, Brad and David went back to their hotel and called it a night, and we decided to head back to our area of town. At first, we had some discrimination coming from the cab drivers! No one would take us! We even had a card that had the chinese words and characters on it, but they scoffed at us, and wouldn’t take us. When we finally got someone to take us back to our quaint part of town, we wandered around shopped, and stopped into an awesome bar. We walked up to the loft of the bar, took our shoes off and sat on some pillows. We were laughing so much and saw several different travelers pass by, including a group of very blonde Swedish boys with cool haircuts and style. They were on vacation and heading to Bangkok the next morning. We then went back to our hotel, and I saw a group of Chinese teens lighting up an air balloon and letting it go into the moonlight. It was breathtaking, really. After that, the boys stayed in, and Jess and I decided to head back out. I mean, hey, we were only going to be in Beijing for the night. :) Live it up! So we went back to a bar and started talking with a ton of travelers from all around the world. We met an Irish guy who taught English, a few Ukrainian people, a guy from Canada and a pilot from China who lived in England. I was amazed at the kind of people hanging out in this part of town. This had to be the coolest area in Beijing, hands down.

The next day, we got up bright and early and waited for our cab driver to take us to the Great Wall. I was so tired, but happy I got to see the nightlife of China. When I stepped outside our hotel, the street was dead. It was so quiet and incredibly peaceful. Such a shift from the night time bustle. We drove to the wall, and on the way, I got all giddy because there were so many gorgeous fall trees. Nothing makes me more excited than the fall season. It was a treat seeing all of these leaves. I didn’t expect fall to be the same in China. I would say it looked similar to North Carolina, but the mountains were not the same shape. They were actually really uneven and lumpy, but quite stunning. We then literally climbed up to the highest part of the great wall that we could go. Inching up very slowly behind the massive crowd of people. However, the higher we climbed, the less people showed up haha. It was breathtaking. The views were to die for and it could not have been a more idealistic day for climbing the Great Wall. I am so blessed that I got to see this wonder at the age of 22. I was also amazed that people were taking so many photos with us, just because we are American. I felt like a novelty...it was weird. We had quite the day of traveling back to the ship, but made it back smoothly. I was so impressed. Everything was cheap, fun and not stressful. I took in everything I could and I don’t regret a moment of this little overnight getaway in Beijing. Next stop, Shanghai! 

South Korea :)

October 11, Pusan/Busan South Korea

Today we had an impromptu show of Dancin’ Fool, so we had to rehearse and do our tech early in the morning, but you better believe I was out there quick as I could so I could see this awesome port in South Korea. Luckily, they had a free shuttle that could take us on into town from the port. A few of the cast members went out together and started to marvel at this different land. The first stop we made was at a lookout point where you could get a ticket to go up really high onto what looked exactly like Seattle's space needle. Even being up there, I thought it looked so much like seattle. The day was gorgeous, about 70 degrees and crisp and it all felt so new. We got down from the space needle and an adorable woman stopped Jess to tell her something and Jess could not understand her at all because she spoke korean. But after a while, she spelled it out and was telling her she was pretty. I thought it was such a testament to their culture that they pay compliments until someone gets it, no matter what, AND they don’t accept tips. It’s so different from our culture. After the space needle- ma- jig, we walked into town to the fish market. On our way to the market, we saw the MOST adorable little puppies in a shop and we had to stop to pet them, but the owners said NO TOUCHY! I surely hope those puppies weren’t meant for Korean Barbeque.:) When we got to the market, I was stunned. I have never in my life seen so many exotic fish and sea creatures being sold on the street. It was an aquarium. We all wondered, how do they sell this many fish in a day? Wouldn’t it go bad? There were Giant King crabs, slippery eels, squids of all shapes and sizes, sea cucumbers that squirt, and every fish imaginable. I was in awe and wonder. And it didn’t smell as bad as I thought a fish market would smell haha. After the market, we were running out of time, so we searched for a tea house. I wanted to have some tea here in Korea, so we split up and Jess, Eli and I went to a cute cafe and Brad and David went to the nicest Pizza Hut they had ever been in. At the tea house, we walked up some stairs and into a room where no one spoke any english. They took us into a little nook in the corner with a curtain. It was adorable, each room decorated uniquely and we got to sit on the side with a window to view the outside. Outside of our window was a precious town full of tiny people. It looked like an outdoor mall, but miniature and cuter....I can’t explain it. But when we wanted our tea, we buzzed our waitress in and she gladly came to serve us. It was so nice. Everyone was incredibly sweet, and I truly did not want to leave. And neither did 3 of our crew member who missed the boat and had to fly to the next port ahhh!

October 12- Jeju city, South Korea

Today I had no idea what to expect. So far, I loved my day in South Korea, Pusan, and I had overheard that there were pretty beaches here in this port. So, I out on some sunscreen (50, no tan lines, they’re tacky) and a group of us wandered into port. We took a taxi to Dragon rock, where there was a beach, but not really the kind you lay out at. Tons of rocks, including one that looked sort of like a dragon. It reminded me of Laguna beach a little, the rocky area, and the fact that there were Koreans bbq-ing on the beach. :) After exploring that area, we asked an information lady where we should go next. With the little english she spoke, she sweetly told us to go to Hella Arboretum, which was an outdoor free plant area?...I guess....haha. Basically there were a ton of gorgeous trees and nature. I was happy I got to see that. The cab ride was cheap, but took longer than I expected. So, with the limited amount of time we had, we needed to head back early. At the park, there were a ton of adolescent boys who marveled at the girls in my group, giving us high fives as they said, “you’re pretty”....it was really cute and funny. The Koreans were really welcoming and we had a blast in their land. Today we are in Incheon, and it’s near Seoul, but I have IPM.....but tomorrow, CHINA!!!!! We begin that adventure! I have a tour tomorrow with the guests, and I need to rest up for that. We hit Beijing the next day for an overnight where we will be seeing the Great Wall, The Forbidden City and staying in a hostel overnight (and more)......looking forward to some good fun and stories. Catch ya’ll later!

Kiss the land

10/08/11 

12 days at sea matey’s, and the first stop, Vladivostock, Russia! I didn’t think I would be able to get off the ship because I had IPM (in port manning) but a few of the cast members were sure they didn’t want to explore this garbage town. As crazy as it sounds, though it was gloomy and people were unfriendly and everything was in Russian, I thought it was awesome. I needed to be on land. It kind of smelled bad getting off the ship and the entire place was under construction. But there were no saftey signs not to fall in a ditch....with my clumsy record, I am shocked I didn’t fall down one of them! So, in the morning, My friends Eli and Dan and I wandered off the ship looking to find something interesting. I was smiling so big, just grateful to be on land! I love exploring new places and seeing new cultures. The funny thing is that we were off so early, NOTHING was open. So, they found maybe the nicest Cinnebon and got some grub. Of course! haha such American consumers! But it was the only thing open....really. Then we wandered to some statues in the middle of town of some serious Russian political figures and people watched. There were many many old men wearing camouflage gear, young guys with flourishing mullets, and girls with Zooey Dechanel bangs and boots. After hanging out there for a bit, we wandered into the coolest coffee shop in town by accident. There was an english speaking guy there who gave us a free cup of coffee and told us all about his life. He was Russian, but studied English and Spanish abroad, but decided to come and work in a coffee shop there to bring something back to his culture. It was fascinating. Everyone there seemed really depressed and the people in the coffee shop were unlike the others. I was impressed that Vladimir (coffee shop guy) was so friendly. We also have alot of eastern European workers on our ship that are out of the ordinary friendly as well....it’s cool. But anywho, while sitting in the coffee shop, another friendly business man chatted it up with us and told us where to explore. We then wandered some more and picked up our friend Emily to join us. We went back to the statues, and noticed there was a ton of people gathered in the lot in front. It was kind of like a carnival, but no carnival items or things to do. It was really confusing. There were, however, small children on barbie mobiles running over the adults. It was funny. Then Eli, Emily and I looked for food. Emily was starving and went back to the ship, and Eli and I went to an amazing restaurant where we shared a vegetable dish, some water and a hookah that cost 1,000 bucks! ahhhh just kidding, roobles, which are not as bad...haha. It was charming though, our waiter speaking english to us was so awesome. I wish I could at least speak a little ! ahhh Next stop, South Korea! :)

We're off!

9/25-

Is there any thing more delightful than a fall day? I am not sure. I would have to say, I will be spending all most of my October in a rocking ship at sea, without a view of the changing trees, so today in Port Alberni, Canada BC, I got to see what I was missing. Most of the cast decided to stay on board due to the rain and our show tonight, but I got off with Sean (our sound guy) and David (one of our dancers) and agreed that adventure is always out there if you look for it. So, we wandered into town and as we got there, the weather shifted. It was very windy, but the sun came out and it smelled like cinnamon sugar and apples. The trees were starting to turn a beautiful orange red color, and it was feeling like a perfect fall day. The town of alberni had huge streets because it was built to be a metropolitan city (whoops!!!) it was more like a ghost town in the 1930’s. But I am a huge fan of small old towns. We wandered around each of the little shops and then stopped in an old train station where some old locals had fixed up some vehicles from the 1930’s and they talked our ears off explaining what each of the trucks did. They also showed us some old traveling trunks and explained how the people back then did not travel lightly. I chuckled...have they seen my suitcases?????? The day was pleasant, and just enough of a fall day to appease my extreme fascination with autumn. My dad is visiting Seattle again tomorrow for one last time before I sail off to Asia and Russia and Australia. We had such a nice day the other day, having breakfast, going to the music store, with my friend Dan as our guide, and then off to the market. My Dad also got a preview of our Sparrowbear music. It’s starting to feel more and more real. The dream is becoming a part of me now. I know Sparrowbear is the strangest name, but I love it all the more. It means something to both of us, and it’s really goofy. That’s us. Jessica and I were so happy to have our violinist on board Christina Wong play with us on some of the songs. It sounds fantastic. And I think we are going to be playing as often as possible in cabaret type settings.

So, here we go. Off to a explore a new land. My time in Alaska has really been incredible to say the least, but I know that my Grand Adventure to the next place will be well worth it and truly pivotal for my journey. I will learn even more about myself and really be ready to tackle my dreams. Keep in touch everyone! It will be a few more months of me being MIA, but I will try my best to keep you posted!

Grand Asia and Australian Voyage

Hey guys, Sorry I am slacking on my blog, haha but the only one who seems to really notice is my dear mum, ;) but it's all good. I am happy to keep in touch some way. I really have been gone forever, I know. 11 months at sea seems like a long time. And it is, but wow, life does fly by when you are having fun. And so far, my life has been incredibly swift. Lucky me. Right now, we are on a one week Alaskan cruise and then a 3 day little changeover cruise and then we are off to Asia and Australia. I got my chinese Visa successfully, so I am really stoked about being able to get off for that. In case you all don't know the itinerary, we are going to some pretty incredible exotic places.

Here we go:
Seattle, Washington, US;  Cross International Dateline;  Petropavlovsk, Russia;  Vladivostok, Russia;  Pusan, South Korea;  Jeju (Cheju) City, Korea;  Incheon (Seoul), South Korea;  Dalian, China;  Xingang (Beijing), China;  Shanghai, China; Xiamen, China;  Hong Kong, China;  Nha Trang, Vietnam;  Singapore;  Tanjung Priok, Jakarta;  Semarang, Java, Indonesia;  Tanah Ampo, Bali, Indonesia;  Exmouth, Australia;  Perth (Fremantle), Australia;  Melbourne, Australia;  Sydney, Australia;  Ile des Pins, New Caledonia;  Noumea, New Caledonia;  Suva, Fiji;  Pago Pago, American Samoa;  Honolulu, Hawaii, US;  Los Angeles, California, US


I Get to be in Hong Kong on my 23rd birthday overnight! It's going to be insane! And for Eli's 21st, perth overnight. I am so lucky. But again, if you need to call me or email me, do it soon. I will be MIA for three more months for real, so please! Let's chat! miss you all!

Zippers

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Zippers

http://www.youtube.com/user/bauereee#p/u/7/pnpbPHEO6R8

shananogins in alaska

Trip with my bud shannon:)

Seattle August 5th -

So, after being home for a luscious week and a half, I got to spend some amazing time with my wonderful, dear old friend shannon. She got a free cruise out of it too :) (oh the perks of working in a sailing hotel). First off, I flew to seattle really early on the fourth, not sure why, maybe the ticket was cheap...anywho, flew back early, and spent a few hours in the portland airport. As soon as I got to Seattle, I called my friend Dan (who also worked on my ship) and he was my tour guide for the day. He took me to the most amazing places in seattle. We got to see these old abandoned houses that some artists took over and we took pictures through them. They were called mad houses. So cool. Then we went to a tibeten/indian restaurant and ate a delicious meal. After that we wandered around the park near his house and found some bluegrass band jamming. We then went back to his place, chilled with his roommates and had an amazing time singing and playing music. It was awesome, and this all happened before Shannon’s flight got in. He then drove me back to Shannon's friend Emily’s place where we were going to stay for the night. Emily was so sweet to let us crash there. Her house was so cute too! We all got up early in the morning and went to a gluten/vegan and sugar free bakery called “the flying apron” and it was to die for.....no litterally. TO DIE FOR! I almost could see myself moving to seattle for this bakery...I would also get really fat....hahah worth it! But man, this place was soooo good! And then Emily kindly took us back to the ship because we didn’t quite know if we had to be there early to get Shannon checked in or not. I’m not gonna lie, I was kind of nervous and excited to be back. It felt like I was away for the summer, and I was coming back to school to see all my friends. It turned out the process was much easier than we thought and it only took about a half an hour. We then called back Emily and went to lunch with her at Pikes Place market at a greek stand. So incredible I must say! Then, we got back and watched sail away.....did our show and went to bed (soooo tired after that long day) It was a great start to the two week adventure with my bud though! Oh, and Jessica’s sister was sailing with her as well, so it was perfect for Shannon to at least never be bored when I would be doing shows!

8/7 ketchikan, Alaska

Could it have been a more beautiful day here in Ketchikan? I am not sure....the salmon were swimming fiercely upstream and the sky was cotton candy blue. Of course, we had to hike deer mountain. The trail is so awesome. Dani, Jess, Shannon, J.C (our new cruise director) and myself decided to make our way up the mountain. We took so many photos and laughed the whole way up. J.C is from England and so naturally we decided we wanted to speak in British accents while he worked on his southern drawl....obviously. Shannon, sorry to say this, but you need a little work :) Anywho, J.C also introduced us to the best creek game in the world! Pooh sticks! Basically, you find a stick in the woods and we all race them down the creek and see who wins. It doesn’t sound quite as cool as it was, but I swear to you.....its a real treat! haha. Once we got to the first lookout (which was breathtaking) we stayed there for a while, and decided to trek back down since we didn’t have a ton of time left. Then we hopped in to see the free lumberjack show for a few minutes....and headed back to the ship. Such a splendid day!

8/9 Juneau

Today the four of us girls, plus Eli, went to the Mendehall glacier viewing point and took magnificent photos. It was stunning. Waterfalls, salmon, a huge glacier and we even saw a baby bear! It was adorable. We had such fun taking crazy photos by something so majestic. We then went back in to town, and jess and dani and eli went back to the ship to take a nap. However, Shannon and I took the cable car up to the top of mount juneau and chatted for a few hours. We also watched a free movie about the tribes...but I fell asleep (whoops). Then when we headed back down, we wandered into a bar called “the alaskan bar” (how fitting :)) because we heard a bluegrass band jamming. We got a drink and the girls met us in the bar. One of the band members came up to us and started talking to us, and in conversation told us that he inspired the cookie monster character for Jim Henson. He began by telling us he used to have cookies thrown at him  by kids in the cafeteria because he always would ask them for their cookies. Then Jim Henson came to their school (he visited many) and did a workshop with them, and he made up the (menamana...doodooodooodoodoo) voice....and he kept it! Now, I dont know if this is true, but why would someone make that up? haha whatever, it was a good story! Then we met Dale, who offered to buy us all drinks because we reminded him of his daughter who was our age, We hung out with him and later on he bought us a       

bunch of chinese food! ahhh it was so sweet of him! We had a blast that night! :) Really interesting characters in Juneau.....Oh and I forgot to mention, the night before Juneau we docked early because of a medical emergency and a few of us got off the ship to explore Juneau at night.....let me just tell you, Juneauvians, Juneites, or Junes...whatever you call the natives of Juneau, well, they are not so friendly at night.....it put a sour taste in my mouth....good thing we don’t have overnights there....those drunkards are crazy! haha

8/10 Icy Straight point

Let me just say, if you haven’t yet watched the video of me and everyone else posted by Eli on my facebook of the worlds longest zipline.....please watch it.... (you have no idea how fun it was!) Such a day!

8/12 Achorage

Today, was again a beautiful day in Anchorage! It makes me so happy to be able to go outside in this awesome city! Early in the day, I went to the park for a bit to hear some live music, climbed a tree and hung out with some locals. Then everyone met up with me, and we met a young girl from france staying with the singer of the music for the summer. She was so sweet and hung out with us while we wandered around to a thrift store and the park. She thought we were much younger because she came up to us and asked us if she could hang out....haha. It was cool, she was very mature. Oh europeans are so much more mature! :) Then shannon and I stayed off the ship for a while and went shopping in JC Pennys..... of course haha. We had so much fun....like old times when we used to go into Kmart in yorba linda and try on bras that were way too big for us just for laughs....(hmmm, I don’t know if I should have said this, but whatever! ) haha.....anyway, anchorage was a pretty cool day I must say!

8/13 Homer

Today, the girls and I went downtown on the shuttle bus to the wildlife museum and

 then walked all the way back in to town. We wanted to rent bikes, but our HRM wasn't in the office in the morning so we couldn’t. It was a bummer. But the walk surely did us some good for the giant meal we were going to have for dinner. We were so lucky to be invited to a very special wine- pairing dinner at our five star restaurant on board with our friends Jochem and Mark. It was Jochem’s last cruise so he pulled some serious strings to get us to come with them. We couldn’t actually make reservations. Oh my gosh the food and wine were to DIE for. And I almost died.....too much wine haha. But we had many laughs and had a wonderful time enjoying perfect food, wine and company!

8/14 Kodiak

We have one of our shows on this day so we rarely do much in this port. But, jessica and I have been up to the top of the mountain before, and Shannon and Dani got off early enough to hike up the mountain. So, Eli, Jess and I took a taxi up the mountain and wandered back down with them. I swear to you, Kodiak looks so much more amazing from the top of the mountain. It is so peaceful up there, I just wish we had more time up there. It’s a slice of heaven.

8/16

Sitka

Today, Annette, Darren, myself and the girls took a trip to the bear fortress. Oh my goodness, these bears were rescued from being killed and now they are in a safe environment. They are so cute and they can do soooo many adorable tricks! I loved watching them. We never get this close to bears.....it was awesome.

8/18

Victoria, Canada

Today, the girls and I took a bus to Butchart gardens to have afternoon tea there. It was extravagant and it was free to get in and a cheap bus faire so why not? Oh my gosh, I think these gardens are stunning. No, stunning doesn't describe it. It’s almost as if I would never get to see some of these flowers in my life, if not here. They are so unique. It truly amazes me that something growing out of the ground can look like this. Let’s never forget how lucky we are to live on this earth. We are truly blessed. Anyway, after the gardens, we went down town to listen to a bluegrass band in the irish times pub. What a way to end a magnificent day!

Oh, I almost forgot....Fog watch! Jessica and I wanted to play a prank on Shannon and Danielle because we thought it would be a memorable thing for their vacation. Now, we didn’t come up with this, but Heather (one of our dancers) had been pranked like this before and we wanted them to have to do it too. Well, anyway, we had been telling the girls since the beginning of the cruise that they may have to do something called fog watch since they are newly embarked crew...but we weren't sure...We actually didn't know if we were ever going to go through with it, but it turned out they took a tour of the bridge the day before Victoria and we decided, why not? So, we asked our friend Mark, who is an officer of the ship if he would call them early in the morning and make them report for fog watching duty. So, he calls my cabin in the morning and asks (I am going to ask you one more time, do you want us to prank your friend?) in a groggy voice I said yessss! ahahah, then he made me give the phone to poor Shannon and she said she had to report. I was getting up too, because I thought, I have to see this, but she said to go back to bed....I wanted to call Jess to ask if Dani had to do it, but Shannon said not to cause she probably didn't have to....(goood call shan) but Jess ended up calling me, phew! Then they went up there and Jess and I said we could get up too, cause we felt bad and we wanted to take pictures of the sunrise....(haha) then, we go up to the bridge, and neither of them went to the Bow of the ship, like they were supposed to, So, Darren went down and found them. They looked so funny with their large life vests on and dinky   

little flashlights in the water. Darren was telling them to keep an eye out for the vessel ahead that might turn the wrong way and hit us. It was perfect. They only were there for about ten minutes, then they came up and still thought it was real, until we told them otherwise. It was hilarious.....but really, the joke was on us because we got up at 6 am too. hahaha. I guess I needed to feel like I was capable of pulling off a prank as good as  my lice check april fools joke. (nah...nothing will ever beat that!) hahaa