A New Year!

I spent the first two weeks of the New Year out of town, first Orlando, then a cruise to Costa Maya and Cozumel!
Orlando was exciting as always. I had some problems getting shifts with Disney, otherwise a great time with great friends! I love my trips to Orlando because they always help me to refocus and realize where I want to be. It strengthens my decision making on how to get there. And reminds me how much I love that city.
Our cruise was exciting from the start. The cruise before us had a lot of people get sick. Instead of boarding at 2:30 as planned, we did not get on the ship (Radiance of the Seas) until 8:30, as the entire thing had to be sanitized! Because of this our drill (it is a safety requirement of the coast guard-essentially you stand outside for 20 minutes) was pushed to the next morning at 10 am, requiring guests to wake up early, no fun for a day at sea! From there, Tony and I rushed to the Explorations desk to book our excursions for the trip. Thank God we did! Had we been 5 seconds later we would have been at the end (instead of the beginning) of a very long and growing line. We were one of the last ones to get booked into Zip Lining in Costa Maya.
It was a little chilly that day considering the wind, and there wasn't much sun out. We spent most of our day doing trivia and scavenger hunts and swimming in the indoor pool.
Cozumel was our stop the next day - we spent the entire day about an hour (via water ferry and bus ride) from port doing a cave exploration at Rio Secreto. A river ran through it and it was unbelievably clear. We were required to shower and remove all jewelry since the locals use the river as a drinking water supply. Current Mayans still use the cave for worship practices. During the middle of the excursion the guide had us sit down in a half circle in the water and turned off all the lights. We sat in silence, embracing the solitude and serenity of the dark cave. I have a super huge fear of darkness, especially dark water, so this was a big deal for me. I finally put my yoga practice to work and calmed myself down, focusing on my breathing, not my fear. I finally came to a point of serenity I will never forget. Swimming through the water and being separated from society was incredible. As we climbed out of the cave, we all felt a rejuvenation of our senses. We ate a snack and a $3 quesadilla (the best I have EVER had - and the cheapest!). From there we all napped and relaxed in the shade for about a half hour before leaving for the port again. If you are ever in Cozumel, I HIGHLY recommend this excursion! It is a lot more original than Mayan pyramid tours or snorkeling or swimming with dolphins.
We got back to port with little time to spare, so we headed straight for the ship. We had a while before dinner, so we decided to take advantage of a spa package on board. I have never "spa"-d before, so this was another new experience for the diary. We were each taken into separate massage rooms with floor to ceiling windows that looked out into the ocean, which was a wonderful view while we were moving. We got hot oil back, shoulder and neck massages as well as a mini-facial. From there we were taken to a heat room and relaxed on glass tile chairs- very warm! There was also an aromatherapy room, which hinted of vanilla, I think, and felt like a dry sauna. Next to it was a dry sauna and then a mild steam sauna. And by mild, it was by far the hottest most humid place I have ever been in my life, you could hardly breath! There were two rinse shower with two settings, Rainforest and Ice Rain. Obviously the difference were degree of temperature. All in all, money well spent. Although if I did it again, I would wait until the last day (when the packages have more value per dollar) or a day at sea (so we could spend more time in the last room).
Costa Maya was next - zip line! We zip lined at a place called BioMaya. The shortest tower was 100 feet. That is saying a lot for someone who is scared of heights. This was a fear conquering trip for sure. The longest one was over 2 football fields long! It was well worth getting over the fear. For the first one, they almost didn't let me go I was shaking so much, I impulsively yelled, "Just push me I will deal with it at the next tower, ha!" And they did. And I was off! It was unbelievable, especially the long one to be able to look around at the rainforest. We ended at a beautiful and completely clear lagoon! It was absolutely breathtaking!
The rest of Costa Maya consisted of a 1 hour trip back and a bit of shopping and swimming on the beach. Once on board the ship again, we enjoyed a couple of trivia games before getting ready for the evening.
That night our group played in a game called the Quest. Essentially you break up into groups of six and meet the demands of the host. For example, he asked for proof that you know someone named Jack or Diane. Later he asked for a guy and girl to switch tops. As you can imagine, the game got crazy. We lost, but it ended with two guys from our group, faces covered in make-up wearing a bra and carrying a purse while dancing to "Bringing Sexy Back." What more could you ask for?
Our day at sea was uneventful, I spent most of it sea sick after enjoying about an hour in the pool. Upon our return to Tampa, we realized we had perfect timing, what with every state getting snow (except FL)!
I know this was a long blog, ha! If I had internet I would have kept up everyday on the cruise! I like to get these things down while they are still fresh though.

Best Wishes!

Zapping Myself Bald Part Three

I completely forgot to update with my last appointment! My appointment was delayed by a few days, the laser machine broke! I forgot to shave again - ouch! As I said before, it is a quick pain, but it gets annoying as it is repeated. This time wasn't any different. I have one appointment left, I'm not sure, but I may need a few more. I was talking to another aesthetic place (using another Groupon, Microdermabrasion this time!) and was advised that it often takes 5 treatments for the underarms. I guess we will see by the next appointment!