Day 6: May 5, 2015 - Donkeys, a Black Sand Beach, and a Hole in the Floor

We slept in and got a late start because we weren't pulling into Santorini until around 1:00. The ship anchored because there wasn’t a port big enough so they used a ferry to get us to and from the ship. Once we got on land, we discovered there were three ways we could get up to the city - walk, take the electrical tram thing, or ride a donkey. We picked the donkeys, obviously! We found the donkey place and it was only 5 euros a person. It was crazy - like four old men would help you get onto the donkey super quickly and then they would smack the donkey on the butt (get it - an ass’s ass hehe) and it would start going. They didn’t care if you were actually on correctly or comfortable or whatever. It was amazing! It was such a different experience than it would’ve been in the U.S. - first off, they wouldn’t allow us to ride the donkeys in the first place, let alone on the same pathway that people were walking on, and we would have to be strapped in and have guard rails and stuff. It was SO fun! Mom went first, then Al, then me, then Dad, then Cory, then Jess. Mom kept screaming because Al’s donkey kept biting hers. Dad and Cory were kind of freaking out because Jess was stuck behind another group and they couldn’t see her. It was hilarious! We climbed higher and higher and the view got more and more beautiful. The donkeys were so trained to just go up and down the mountain. I kept having to give mine a little kick to get it moving. Sometimes they got a little close to the wall and my leg would scrape against it. There were people walking on the same trail which was stupid for several reasons - it is a long freaking walk! The pathway is covered in donkey poop which makes the path really slippery. Plus, the donkeys don’t have steering wheels! We can’t control where they go or if they got close to people. Some old guy was like yelling at us because our donkeys were getting too close to his wife and Dad said, “Do you think they have steering wheels on them? We can’t help it!” It was awesome haha when we got closer to the top, this group of hippies were walking down and yelling at everyone riding the donkeys because we were hurting them and we were being cruel and we should just walk. Cory’s response to that was if the donkeys weren’t carrying people up and down the mountain, they would be turned into glue. I don’t think Cory and Dad have an opinion at all, do you? It was a super fun, beautiful, hilarious ride with Mom screaming and Dad yelling at hippies. 

We got off the donkeys and walked around the city for a little bit, took some pictures of the view. 

We decided we wanted to go to one of the black sand beaches so we found a taxi station and a bus station. The taxi was going to be pretty expensive for all six of us so I walked down to the bus station and discovered it would be 1.50 euros each. I pride myself on knowing how to travel cheap, I learned some good skills on study abroad! We got our tickets and waited for the bus to come. 

In the meantime, Jess had to go to the bathroom, of course. There was one on the other side of the bus station. She was gone for a while and we were about to send someone to go check on her when she came out all huffed and puffed. Apparently the bathroom wasn’t really a bathroom, it was a hole in the floor. And the best part is she had to pay to pee in the hole. She said she didn’t really know what to do because she couldn’t really aim… I was dying! She was all grossed out. My solution was we were going to the beach so she could wash off haha moral of the story - just hold it! 

We got on the bus and headed to the beach. Once we got there, we discovered that the black sand was actually little black pebbles which really hurt your feet but it was gorgeous! There were lounge chairs set up all along the beach and when we occupied a few of them and no one said anything or yelled at us in Greek, we stayed. It was so strange - I’m used to a beach that slowly slopes out to the water and deepens as you walk further in the water. This beach was different. There was like a build up of the rocks and right behind it was the water about a foot deep. Dad got to change into his swimming suit on a Greek beach while we held up towels around him haha so that was cool. Dad and Cory got right in but it was a little too chilly for the girls. I collected a bunch of rocks to bring home - they were mostly black volcanic rock that was smooth because of the water but there were a few white or red rocks as well. 

After a while, we walked up to the little beachfront shops and did some shopping. I found some epic leisure pants and a floppy sun hat, I was very excited! The lady was really cute and gave me a little wrapped up prize for shopping with her. I later discovered it was a little magnetic turtle - little weird but cute! 

We packed up our stuff, got back on the bus, and headed back into the city. We did some more shopping. We found this little shop with a bunch of cheap t-shirts and stuff. The girl running it was super friendly and cute. She had a bunch of baby stuff - I bought baby girl a donkey onesie haha the girl kept touching Jess’ stomach. We got baby girl two Greek dresses - one white one and one blue one. They are so cute! Al and I found some cool paintings and I, of course, had to buy a little donkey to remember that experience haha 

The last ferry to the ship was at 9:00 that night. We didn't want to risk it so we headed down around 7:30. We were thinking of taking the electrical tram thing down. Al and I started walking up there but the stairs got steeper and steeper and we were like there is no way pregnant Jess will be able to handle this. So we headed back down. Turns out, Jess and Cory had found a much easier way to get up to the tram and were already down the mountain. So me, Al, Dad, and Mom decided to walk down. The sun was setting while we were walking down and we got some truly beautiful views. 

It was super slippery and I was wearing flip flops so I kept falling haha plus, I have old lady knees and they were not liking the downhill stairs. But we made it back onto the ferry and back onto the ship. 

At 9:30, there was a magic show in the Stardust Theatre with the magician Jorgos. We went down and it was the weirdest thing... he did some pretty cool tricks but mostly just paraded girls around in skanky outfits and bragged about the awards he has received. It was strange... but entertaining. 

It was a wonderful day! I loved Santorini, the donkeys, and the beach. And thankfully, that was the worst bathroom we experienced in Europe this trip! 

Day 5: May 4, 2015 - The Island of Corfu

Al had been to Santorini and Mykonos before but she had never been to Corfu so we decided to do a tour excursion. We had to meet our tour guide by the bus station at 9:15 so we were up and eating breakfast by 8:00. Once the ship had docked, we were able to get off. We found our tour and got on the nice, air-conditioned bus. We booked the tour through Costco and were on the Shore Excursions Group. We first headed to an old monastery in Paleokastritsa that was about an hour drive away. While we were driving through the city, we saw how the economic downfall was starting to affect the city - there was garbage and graffiti everywhere. Our tour guide gave us her opinions on the matter as well as we traveled to our first stop - she was not a big fan of the government and how they have been handling it. As we got closer to the monastery, we had a beautiful view of the coast. In Cory's intelligent words, "The water is shining like pixie farts!" Even though I'm not really sure what pixie farts look like... it was beautiful water.

Once we got to the monastery, we got off the bus and the tour guide took us a little tour of the church and the gardens. It was very small and smelled like cats. We may have bailed out on her schpeal a little early and chilled in the shade... on our way back to the bus, Dad found Coke (the cruise only had Pepsi) and bought a drink he thought would be similar to Dr. Pepper - ya it was definitely NOT Dr. Pepper...

We got back on the bus and headed to an old Achilleion Palace. The tour guide bought our tickets and we followed her inside. We started off listening to her tour of the palace but got bored quickly and decided to explore it ourselves. We walked through the different rooms. There was a huge painting of Achilles dragging Hector through the streets of Troy, that was super cool to see.

We went outside to the gardens. There were a bunch of super cool statues, including the famous one of Achilles.

Cory and Dad found a lizard - it was hilarious! Cory started imitating the lizard while Mom jumped on Al and freaked out. Our group was still in the palace so we walked down to the little shop and got some souvenirs and snacks.

We got back on the bus and headed to the Corfu Town, the city part of the island. We didn't even try to stay with the group this time - we had to find a bathroom for pregnant Jess and thankfully found one at a McDonald's. While we were waiting, Cory pointed out some ancient sex calendars and playing cards for my entertainment - thanks? Dad and Cory went exploring the Old Venetian fort during our last few minutes on the island.

We headed back to port - we had to be back on board at 3:00. We went through security, and got back on the ship. The weather was perfect for sunbathing so we all got our swimming suits on and headed up to Deck 12. We discovered nachos and chips and salsa. Al, Mom, and I tried out the pool - it was super cold! I'm pretty sure they got the water from the ocean because it was really salty and cold. I got a little sunburnt...

We got some crepes for dinner and we were a bit exhausted from our day and the sun so we headed to bed. Overall, Corfu wasn't my favorite but it was beautiful!

Day 4: May 3, 2015 - A Day at Sea and Deal or No Deal!

So... we were a little sleepy and may have slept in until around 11:00 that morning. I was completely okay with it. I did, however, miss breakfast which was a bummer - the boat had some super yummy waffles that we discovered later in the week.

The boat was traveling from Venice to our first stop in Greece - the island of Corfu, so we spent the day at sea. I took advantage of this day and wore my cruise leisure outfit which consisted of some wide leisure pants (if you don't know what those are, you make me sad inside) and a soft sweater that had holes in it, so it was the perfect temperature. I loved every minute I spent in this outfit.

We had a relaxing day on deck, reading and eating at our convenience. We decided to go to the game show Deal or No Deal in the Stardust Theatre. Jess and I love this game so we each bought a card to play along. Archie, the cruise director, hosted the game. We played two games. They called the contestants up by the number on the card you bought. The first contestant was called up and we played along with her. She won like $30. During the game, there was someone in the audience that kept barking like a dog and it was really strange... it kept freaking Archie out. He called out the second card number and it was my card! Jess had paid for the game with her cruise card though so they called her name. I let her go up and she was SO excited. It was hilarious!

She picked Briefcase #12. Before the game, Cory was all about the strategy and how you need to take the deal because chances are, you won't win anything big. But as soon as Jess got up, he kept screaming "No deal! No deal!" and was so nervous and excited while Jess was up there haha Jess did really well! It ended up being between her briefcase and Briefcase #17 and there was only $500 and $125 left. Archie asked if she wanted to switch to #17 but she stuck with #12. She ended up winning $125 which bought us all pina coladas haha it was so fun and hilarious watching her up there. She did a great job and loved every second of it. That is definitely something we will never forget haha with her winnings, Jess decided to try some more of her luck in the casino but we didn't win anything.

Cory and Dad went to the Japanese restaurant for dinner so the girls went to the French restaurant, Le Bistro, because the dessert sounded really good. It was a little awkward because you were supposed to dress nice and I was still in my leisure outfit... Oh well. All of us ordered this chicken with mashed potatoes. The chicken was really froo-froo and not very good haha but watching Al try to choke it down was hilarious! The potatoes were yummy though. We each got these amazing desserts - it was like chocolate molten cake from Chilis but with gelato. I got Stracciatella. YUM!

After we finished dinner, we went up on deck to watch the sun set. We noticed one of the four hot tubs were free and we figured it would be cleaner to get in at the beginning of the cruise rather than at the end... so we hot tubbed for a while.

There was an acrobatic show in the Stardust Theatre at 7:30 that we decided to go to. It was this couple from Warsaw that have been together doing acrobatics for 10 years. They did some acts together, some apart. It was insane! It was really cool. They even brought their little daughter out on stage and she was really cute. It was a fun, cool show. Overall, it was a nice, relaxing day at sea!

Day 3: May 2, 2015 - All Aboard!

We were allowed to board the ship beginning at noon which gave us a little time to sleep in and get some breakfast. After enjoying some chocolate filled croissants and some of the best fruit juice I have ever had, we finished packing up and met our taxis outside to take us to the port. We got all checked in with the cruise line and gave them our luggage so they could take it up to our rooms. Once we were allowed to board the ship, we went to our rooms to drop the rest of our stuff off. We were supposed to have three rooms - one for Jess and Cor, and then adjoining rooms for Mom and Dad and Al and I. However, the Costco travel agent that Mom used messed up and only gave us two rooms. We were wondering how the sleeping arrangements were going to work because other than the bed, there was just a little couch that didn't even pull out. However, there was a bunk that pulled down from the ceiling. It was a little close and crowded but cozy and worked out just fine.

We dropped our stuff off and explored the ship. We were on the Norwegian Jade cruise ship. It is funny - it's a Norwegian cruise line, set to sail in the Mediterranean Sea, and came from Hawaii so it was all decorated with Hawaiian themes and names like the Bali Hai Grill and Bar and Blue Lagoon restaurant. Mom was awesome and bought us the ultimate dining package as well as the unlimited soda package. Unfortunately, there was no Dr. Pepper aboard but we survived. There was 13 levels to the ship. The first six or so levels had just staterooms for guests mostly. We had a stateroom on the 9th floor with a balcony overlooking the water. Level 12 had two pools, four hot tubs, an outdoor grill and bar, a gym (that we never used once), the spa, and the main buffets inside. Level 13 had a sun deck, an outdoor track, an outdoor chess set, and a basketball and/or tennis court. There were some fun restaurants that you mostly needed reservations for - an Italian restaurant called La Cucina, a steakhouse called Cagney's, a french place called Le Bistro, a Teppanyaki place, a sushi bar, and a Tucanos type restaurant called Modern Churosciaro. There were a bunch of buffets and other restaurants and bars that you could go to anytime all throughout the boat. There was a huge indoor theatre called the Stardust Theatre on deck 6 and 7. There was a casino, an art gallery, a photo studio, a library, and a duty free shop and gift shop. We encountered a lounge called the Medusa Lounge with a dance floor in the middle and a couple of rooms with doors and locks that were called "Whatever" rooms. I don't even want to know what goes on in those rooms. They claim it was for like private karaoke parties or to play video games but I'm pretty positive that wasn't the only thing going on in those rooms... Anyway, it was a very nice boat with very nice accommodations and activities.

After exploring the ship for a while, I took a little nap to try to get rid of a headache. I woke up to announcements from the intercom telling me I needed to go to the Stardust Theatre for the mandatory safety training. I met everyone else down there and was thinking it was going to be a long and boring safety training. Uh nope - they showed us how to put a lifejacket on and then dismissed us haha we went up to the sun deck to see the view of Venice as we left the port. It was a really cool way to see the city and enjoy the view as we disembarked on the Mediterranean. 

We ate at the Italian restaurant La Cucina that night for dinner. I got spaghetti with meatballs. It was a fun night. Al and I reenacted Lady and the Tramp. 

So far, I was loving the cruise. It was a little chilly for my taste but overall, it is a super fun and convenient way to travel. 

Stay tuned for more cruise fun! 

Day 2: May 1, 2015 - The City on the Water

We landed in Venice around 3:30. Thankfully, all of our luggage made it with no problems. We got all of our stuff, went through customs and all that fun stuff, then found a bus to take us to our hotel. We were staying at the Hilton Garden Inn near the port so we could get to the cruise easier. It was a really nice hotel - it pays to travel to Europe with your parents who refuse to stay in scary hotels or hostels. We had a while to shower and freshen up before heading into the city. It was really nice to shower after a full day of traveling.

We took the bus back into the city and started exploring. It was a little rainy which was actually nice because the streets were less crowded. We stopped by a little pizza stand and got a slice. It wasn't the best pizza I've had in Italy but it was really good at the time since we were hungry. We just walked around and got lost in the city. There are so many little alleyways, bridges, and shops. We had a fun time trying to find a bathroom (or as they call it, a water closet) for pregnant Jess. Bathrooms are rare over there, spaced far apart, and you have to pay to pee - it's really annoying. We obviously stopped and got some gelato. It was Mom and Dad's first real Italian gelato and it was definitely a hit!

We ended up in the main square, Piazza San Marco. We saw Saint Mark's Basilica which I vaguely remember learning about in art history class. We walked around the square and enjoyed our first day in Europe. It was really cool because Cory had never been out of the country before so when we got to the square, it was so cool to see him just look around in awe. 

We didn't realize how much walking we had done until we stopped to rest for a little while. We were tired and pregnant Jess needed a break. Dad got us a water taxi and we sat outside even though it was a little chilly to enjoy the view. It was a really cool way to see the city, especially at night when they were turning all the lights on and everything. 

We got back to the bus station and waited a while for the bus. We got back to the hotel and made sure we were all packed and ready to go for the cruise in the morning. It was a long and tiring day of travel but we really enjoyed Venice and our first day together on this amazing trip. 

Oh and this happened... She was excited to travel to Greece apparently...

Day 1: April 30, 2015 - Off we go!

Technically I had Thursday off of work but I wanted to go in to finish up a few more things and make sure everything was good before I left. I'm very grateful to have coworkers that will cover for me when I'm gone and for my boss who is very understandable and willing to work with me. I finished up and said my goodbyes. I then headed down to Sodalicious to get my last JoJo's Mojo for two whole weeks. At least I didn't have to wait five weeks to get one like Mom... I came home and finished packing everything up. After a little emotional breakdown from pregnant Jess, we packed up the car and headed up to the airport. Thanks to my aunt Tam and friend Blaine for taking us up. We said our goodbyes, checked in, and went through security. We got some food at Smashburger (flash back to my last trip when I did the same thing). I put my lovely compression socks on and we boarded.

After about nine months of constantly having to do homework and not really having anytime to myself, I was finally able to read a book for enjoyment and it was so nice! I read this three book series while on the trip about a retired American spy that travels to India, Egypt, and Greece in search of ancient jewels. It was such a good series and I really enjoyed actually reading a book for pleasure versus for school.

We survived the long flight and airplane food and landed in Paris for our layover. We had a short layover and then headed to Venice.

Traveling is never the fun part of going on trips but it is necessary. I did discover a new way to fly though, I'll have to try it out next time.

Ta ta for now! 

Trip to Europe with My Family - May 2015

So my dad has worked at Omniture/Adobe for ten years. Every five years, the employees get a paid sabbatical. This time, my dad got a five week sabbatical. My dad has very bad back and neurological problems that might cause him to be in a wheelchair for the rest of his life in just a few years. That and since their children have seen more of the world than they have, my parents decided to go to Europe for the five weeks and explore. My dad's motto for as long as I can remember is "Carpe Diem!" and I was instilled with this idea since I was little. We were given a gift of a wonderful, beautiful earth and we need to take advantage of it while we are here. This trip is so well deserved for my amazing parents and I hope they had the time of their lives. We obviously couldn't let them go alone for five whole weeks without us so Alex, Jess, Cory, and I tagged along for a few weeks. It was good timing since Wes and CJ are in Honduras and Mexico on their LDS missions - we aren't sure they would've enjoyed this trip so much. Since the girls have been to quite a few places in Europe already, we decided to do a Mediterranean cruise to the Greek isles then head up to Austria and Germany for a few days. It was a struggle convincing Dad to let us do the cruise - he has seen too many news articles about boats sinking or the halls being flooded with feces. But last summer, I bet him that if I went out on the boat and learned how to surf, he had to take me on a cruise. I won that bet (thank you very much) and therefore, he was forced to do the cruise.

We chose to go at the beginning of the trip for a few reasons - Jess is pregnant and was nearing the point where she couldn't fly or go on the cruise so we timed it right under the wire. Cory and I just finished spring semester at UVU and definitely needed a break. And tourist season doesn't really start until the beginning of June so we wanted to avoid the crowds as much as possible.

We left Utah on April 30, 2015 and landed in Venice, Italy. We loaded the boat on May 2, 2015 and were on the cruise until May 9, 2015. We took a night train from Venice to Salzburg, Austria that night in order to make it to a hotel with strong wifi to talk to Wes and CJ on Mother's Day. We spent the week in Salzburg and the four kids took a night train to Zurich, Switzerland on May 14, 2015. We flew into New York on May 15, 2015 and then got home late that night. My parents had a few more weeks over there. They had a tentative plan on where they were going and when but really just played it by ear and really got the most out of their European vacation.

I had the best time on this trip. I got to visit and see places I had never been before. I got to experience a cruise for the first time which was awesome and will definitely be happening again. I got to celebrate the end of a tough semester and two weeks off work. But the best part is I got to spend it all with my amazing family. My parents, my sisters, and my brothers are my best friends and I absolutely love spending time with them. I cannot wait for the day when my brothers are home from their missions and we will all be together again. I am so grateful that we have been sealed together as a family and will spend eternity together. I had an amazing time on this trip and can't think of a better way to spend two weeks.

Stay tuned for future posts - I will give details about every day and our adventures in Europe. I'm excited for another chance to share my experiences on my blog Oh the places I'll go!