Adventures of a Muppet meets Black Girl in Bucharest! Part 1

I'm writing many of the following posts on the plane home, mainly because this trip was so insanely full of amazing things that I just didn't have time to write in real time. It's giving me lots of things to do on the flight back, however, since it's not an overnight and the likelihood of me sleeping any is null. So, without further ado...Let's head over the pond!

Thursday, July 10th.

I hated that my flight departed so late in the day, because it gave me hours upon hours of being insanely jittery before getting to the airport. I was running over things multiple times and driving myself nuts trying to remember if I had actually packed my passport. 

I had.  Seven times I checked...each time in the same place. Seven. Times. 

Oddly enough, even with all of my thought preparation, I still forgot a few things, so the next time I decide to travel alone I will make a To-do list..and use it.  Though I’m not sure where exactly the hair dryer would have fit in my bag now that I know exactly how much stuff I purchased, seeing as how my poor rolling duffel bag is stuffed to the gills somewhere underneath me. I hope my Raphael tag makes it back..

Mom drove me to the airport at 3:00 because I remember security for our California trip being slow, long, and obnoxious, and I needed enough time to get that taken care of.

Once I realized my fabulous carryon bag (that you see my darling little sister hauling behind her in this picture) was actually too big for a carryon, I felt a small pang of anxiety as I would not, as I had hoped, have my bag with me at all times.  As I watched it roll away I thought bitterly that with my luck, they’d lose it, and I would be stuck in Bucharest with one lonely, dirty outfit.   

(Side note, I didn't realize how hardcore I was repping UMD on my departure day.  T-shirt and a Sweatshirt. Woowoo.  MARYLAND UNIVERSITY REPRESENT!  I’d realize later just how badly I would stand out in Bucharest, but I’ll get to that later.)

I said goodbye to Mom and Andi, and panicked briefly at the thought that this was it.  My first trip overseas, and my first solo flight with no one to steer me in the right direction when I inevitably got lost in the airport.  It was a confusing mix of terror and excitement.

Security was a breeze.  So much so that I thought I had magically side stepped Dulles Security and wondered if I would get arrested. They didn’t make me strip off my shoes, or check the laptops, even if they had earlier in the week warned that if you couldn’t turn on your cellphone at the airport you’d be liable for a search.  Yes, arrested was impending, I had figured out their loophole.

Turns out, it was just that lax. 

With the flight being on time, I didn’t have too long to wait and before I knew it I was stepping into the tin can that would whisk me away over the ocean. My first impressions of Austrian Airlines, a small branch of Lufthansa- nice!  Much bigger than Southwest, less claustrophobic. Not that I have a claustrophobia problem, but I admit, Southwest is a little tight. 

I was greeted with a smile, a sea of red, and a ton of Austrian accents. I was happy already. It made me want to go to Biergarten immediately. 

I sat near the window and wrung my hands a bit, noting that the plane actually had a fantastic amount of leg room, and a personal screen in front of me with an abundance of movies for me to watch.  Movies I had already seen, but good ones- Captain America and Divergent to name a few.  It also had a fantastic selection of music- Including the soundtrack for Wicked. >:)

Text Message from AJ:  Thunder and Lightning outside.  The world must know we're about to be on the same continent again.

I played Defying Gravity a whopping 7 times while waiting for our flight to depart. A magic word chant, if you will. As we sat, I noticed out my window an insane amount of lightning and thunder, and a shit ton of rain beginning to happen.  A bit creepy considering AJ’s text a few minutes earlier.  We were in the middle of a Virginia thunderstorm.  Maybe the planet really was aligning. 

When we started to move on the runway I started to feel slightly uncomfortable- We weren’t taking off in this, were we? ARE WE? GAH! WHY ARE WE STILL MOVING!

 Babies on the plane were crying furiously since the thunder was really very loud and we were sitting sans engine noise. I felt bad for the mommies, we hadn’t even gotten in the air yet and it was a choir of screaming infants. 

We took off after the storm, a little bumpy with the left over air turbulence, and I'm pretty sure I scared the hell out of my seat mate while I giggled hysterically at the fact that we were in the air, and I was by myself, and I was going to Romania. I threw my face into my sweatshirt because although it was a liberating feeling, I was terrified and my stomach dropped as if I was on the Tower of Terror in Disney World. I never thought myself a nervous flier, but, I guess I am. I think that's why I like sitting near the window- so I know that the ground is steady under us.

The plane ride was, without a doubt, very comfortable, even given the fact that I was barricaded in. Even the food was pretty solid. Watching the sky change was awesome.

Oh Hai, Boston!

Captain America movie- also awesome.  

Sunrise over Ireland

Watching the sun rise at midnight- beautiful, exciting and awkward.  My body had no clue what to do with it’s self.

Almost to Vienna!

When I landed in Vienna, I was welcomed with overcast and cloudy weather and I wondered if it would be the same in Bucharest. Spoiler alert- it isn’t.

 
 

Stay Tuned for Part 2 - Bucharest!

Adventure of a Muppet and Black Girl in Bucharest: TAKING OVER EUROPE!

Well, the time has come for this Muppet to embark on her long-awaited trip to Bucharest, London and Wales. This is a quick blog post since I'm still finishing up packing and my plane leaves in about 5 and a half hours.  (Mini-freakout here, deeeep breaths)

For the next week or so, I will be updating as much as I can, and posting pictures.  If you want more on our adventures or discover more really awesome stuff about Bucharest, you can check out Aisha's blog at Black Girl in Bucharest.

I successfully got my carryon bag under 8 KG, which was nothing short of a miracle! Hopefully they don't make me check it.  I even have an adorable new luggage tag! It's Ninja Turtles! ;)

On Driving Your Friends Nuts as You Prepare for Your Trip!

I'm probably driving everyone completely nuts on Facebook with my "Oh My God, I'm traveling in a month! YAY!" statuses, but I'm excited, I can't help it.

Truth is, I'm excited mixed with a bit of fear.

Or a lot of fear...terrified, even.

I have always wanted to travel to Europe, and so when one of my best friends moved to Bucharest, Romania, it was the perfect opportunity to go over. Bucharest. The city of many churches and gardens, and not too far away from the site that spawned Vampiric legends- Transylvania.  OoOooOoOOooooooooo. It's exciting.

I don't know how excited AJ will be going back to Transylvania for like, the 238942nd time in 2 years, but...I will be!

Romania even has a place in our family history as my cousin was adopted from a town outside of Transylvania, or so I'm told, so it's always been a place of interest for me.  I've even been practicing some phrases in Romanian, but I'm pretty sure I'm butchering them, so I'll spare you from my embarrassment.

We're also headed to jolly old London and Cardiff, Wales, and I've had Portobello Road from Bedknobs and Broomsticks stuck in my head for the better part of a month now. If you want it stuck in your head, too, just click Here: Porrtobeeelllooo Roooaaaddd! 

Sorry, I'm back.

Our pilgrimage to London and Cardiff is really a geek's dream when you think about it.  Nearly everything we have planned on this adventure revolves around Doctor Who and Harry Potter.  And I would have it no other way! I also need to point at Big Ben and recite "Big Ben...Parliament..." like a stupid American, but whatever, judge away. :D

I've spent countless hours researching how to navigate airports and how to pack light, so I really don't know how much more I can do to educate myself but it's the first time I have ever flown over seas..and on my own.

And I'm terrified. I'm not generally scared of things, but if I'm being honest, I'm nervous to fly over seas. I've been reading blogs on tips and tricks to calm nerves, but as it stands, my plan is to go to the Orioles game on Wednesday night and stay up late and get up early so I'm exhausted on the plane- forcing me to sleep.

I would, however, love to watch the sun rise on an airplane. Luckily I have a window seat.  I just hope I don't have to use the bathroom..or that I have awesome seat mates.. :D

Stay tuned for my next blog post:  "Kristen Attempts to Pack Light"!

So..You're Planning a Trip to Europe!

Since last September, I've been plotting out my very first trip over seas to visit friends of mine who are living in Romania. Out of all of the countries, Romania was always on my Europe list, but I never expected it to be my first country over seas. When you have people that can let you bunk for free- you go. And I am excited.

What I've discovered on this journey to the other side of the pond is how much research you need to do beforehand.  While I love to plan, sometimes I am super glad that I do have friends already there, because I'm pretty sure I would have been *that* person in Hostel that was at the wrong place at the wrong time. Here are some tips and tricks I have learned and I bequeath to you while you plan that trip over seas!


1.) Find the perfect piece of luggage. Figure out a way to pack light, and downsize the amount of crap you want to bring with you. Baggage fees when you're overseas SUCCCKKK.

2.)  Do your air fare research. I found that checking later at night during the week resulted in more reasonable airfares. Whatever you do, avoid the weekend.  AVOID. THE. WEEKEND. You'll be figuratively throwing money out the window.

3.) If you're a nervous flier, don't look at the news. Like, ever. Whenever you're getting ready to fly, shit always happens.

4.) If you can, listen to podcasts, lectures, go to a travel show. My favorite people to listen to and to watch  are Rick Steves, Samantha Brown, and Wild Things with Dominic Monaghan. While Dom may have a show about wild creatures, he explores some amazing places, like Indiana Jones!

5.) Save any Money you can for extra things. Because, travel.  And unless you are *not* like me, and stick to a rigid schedule and don't feel like varying off course...well.. then you're going to need it.

6.)  Trip Advisor is your friend. READ ALL THE REVIEWS!

7.) Learn key phrases in the language of the country you're visiting, if any. You don't want to be THAT person asking for a cow wearing a polka dotted hat, when really you just need a bathroom.

Bring it, October.  We're ready for more.

Anatomy of an NHL Playoff game. In Gifs.

It's game day.  Maybe its game 1, maybe its game 7.  Either way, you are ramped up to get this party started..

Of course, there's always one co-worker or Facebook friend who teases you relentlessly because you're playing each others respective teams.  Friendly squabble?  Okay.But it never stays friendly for long.  By the end of the day, your email and timeline look something like this:

Game time approaches.  You kind of eat dinner, waiting for the team to take the ice and to freaking drop the puck already. Is it hot in here? I think I'm feverish.  Do I feel feverish to you? I don't feel good.

Puck Drop finally gets here. Here we go.

Third period.  You've suffered 2 periods with no score on either side when finally....Your team scores a goal!

Followed 2 minutes later with the other team also scoring a goal.  

The referee calls 2 minutes for slashing when CLEARLY there should have been a call for hooking by the other team.

Period 3 and the score is still tied. You feel the urge to jump through the television or glass and score yourself.

The other team gets a break away with two minutes to go.  This is it, the end is nigh.

 The puck hits the goal post.

Sudden death Overtime.

Your team draws a stupid Delay of Game penalty.  You text your buddy to see if they're also having a good cry of anxiety.  You are fairly certain you can not watch this kind of a loss.  You know the game is over by now.

Penalty killed.

By some sheer, stupid dumb luck, your team fakes out the other goalie and scores on a fucking fluke.  GAME. OVER. Your team wins. 

Cozumel - April 21

We started our morning with room service. FREE room service. Today is our first day off the boat and I was so excited. Cozumel's water is swimming pool blue. Very misleading, considering pool water tastes like, we'll, it tastes like chlorine, but this is sea water so I have to remind myself that it's gut wrenchingly salty.  We got off the boat and walked down the long gangplank full of Los Angeles type costumed people.  And nothing is free. These people are gorgeous to look at but you'd better have a shit ton of tips handy. Because if you don't tip them, some of them get snippy. We discovered this with a Mariachi band in The Three Amigos Restaurant...while applauding, "tips only please". Well fine, mariachi man. What do you think this is? Mexic-oh. Right. We are actually in Mexico. 

And speaking of the Three Amigos, we got completely sucked in to this tourist trap. It's one of my favorite movies so I gave it the benefit of the doubt and we ate there for lunch. Do yourselves a favor, grab the memorabilia if that's your deal, but skip the food. I'll stick to Mi Rancho in Germantown. For a Mexican restaurant in Mexico, the food was HORRIBLE. And over priced.  But don't worry, Steve Martin, Chevy Chase and MartinShort..I don't blame you. I blame myself.

One of the great experiences of Cozumel is a painter who sits in the cruise village. As we approached, through the hordes of other vendors who call to you and try to get you to come in and take advantage of their specials, I spotted this person surrounded by his hand painted crafts and took note of his art. He stopped a painting he was working on to create a small 2 inch by 2 inch finger painted card, which he presented to me as a "gift". I'm sure he was looking for tips so I one upped him and purchased one of his painted tiles.  It's those kinds of performances I don't mind rewarding you for. He didn't beckon me over, he simply took advantage of my presence and created something just for me. And they're both awesome. One I could actually use in my kitchen once I get my own place and re-tile a back splash!

So, tips for you people thinking about cruising. If Cozumel is one of your stops, PLEASE consider, nay, book, an excursion. Even if its the cheapest one your cruise ship offers. Because unless you like to be harassed the ENTIRE time you're in Cozumel by creepers who want you to buy a zillion silver charms or cheap crap you can find in Ocean City, you're going to be miserable. The downtown area of Cozumel is scary, and locals are pushy. We spent a whopping 15 minutes there before we grabbed a taxi back to the cruise line area.

I'm sure the fun areas were worth it because like I said, the ocean area is gorgeous, but we left Cozumel early to enjoy the scenery from our pool and balconies. I heard from a few of our balcony mates  that their excursions were well worth the money, they had a ball touring Cozumel and they would absolutely be back, but we missed the mark on this one, didn't do the research, and our experience on Cozumel reflected our poor planning. A bummer since it's my very first impression of Mexico.

Hopefully Belize will be a better experience. We've booked a snorkel/private beach excursion!

Belize, Bannister Island - Tuesday

Such a beautiful place, Bannister Island, and it was worth the $39.99 we paid for it, especially after yesterday's debacle.  We had to hop on a tender boat, since our water hotel was anchored in the middle of the bay, and they took us to a private beach. Scoooore! White sands, turquoise water...wild starfish everywhere. It was all inclusive, except for food, which we could have added for an extra few dollars, but since we were only there 4 hours, we decided to eat for free on the ship.

I have to say, the sun is strong here near the equator.  Whoo. I got a bit crispy today, but worth it. 

The island is about a few hundred feet long. I can walk it in 5 minutes. There's a gift shop, a tiki bar, a kayak hut and a starfish observatory where they let you hold them. That was new for me. 

I'm not a huge swimmer, so mom and I decided to go kayaking around the island. The water is about 8 feet deep for most of it, so I could usually see the bottom. I think I'm going it invest in a kayak. My arms feel totally buff!

We finally got Haley and Andi in a boat and they enjoyed it. (Told you so!)

 I could have stayed at Bannister all day.  It was quiet and relaxing, but sadly, our tender boat called.  Our boat guides were hilarious:  they break danced for us, let us do the electric slide and the YMCA while we docked up to the cruise boat.  We even saw a glimpse of wild Dolphins and a Manatee. :)

Much better day today. :)  "You better Belize it!"  (Don't ask me, Mom and Haley got that on some shirts.)

Went to the Casino after dinner. We watched Ryan play in the Blackjack tournament where he got into the top ten.  (( As I'm writing this, I am nursing my sun fried crispy self, so I'll update you tomorrow on how he did.))

Tried my luck at Roulette. Lost a million dollars of money.  Okay, I lost 20 but, but that's a lot of money for a preschool teacher.  I'll try again tomorrow. Maybe I'll ask for red chips , since I hear the Caps clinched the division?! Did I hear this right?!

Wednesday- Isla Roatan, Honduras

::hearts abound:: I love this place. Isla Roatan was beautiful! I did this day alone, since certain someones don't like heights, or adventure.. ;). I met the rest of my tour group inside the Isla Roatan welcome village around 9:45. Right off the bat, I liked it better than Cozumel.  The people here are friendly, laid back, and welcoming. Every store I went into, no one begged me to buy shit, and many of them said "thank you" and "God Bless Your Family" (("woah! Friendly alert!"))

We hopped on a rickety island bus and met Nelson, our tour guide. He was wonderful! He lived in Roatan his whole life, and his favorite subject was science. His words: "I'm the stupid one in my family, I have a brother working for the Pentagon." I didn't think he was stupid, he had TONS of knowledge about everything Roatan: pirate knowledge, macaw knowledge and he trained monkeys. Cool guy.

When we got 700 feet above sea level in the Canopy of Gumbalima Park we began the zipline portion of the excursion. ::hands get sweaty, stomach churns::  you can hear the whhhiiiiirrrrrrrrr of people going down the line and it really starts your anxiety.  Excited anxiety.  I met some cool people on the excursion, and a few other loaners.  Luckily I was with one of those loaners and it was nice to chat them up from platform to platform. 

What a crazy experience, zip lining.  They strap you in super tight..super...tight... I felt like Indiana Jones in this park. It felt like it went so fast, but it took about 25 minutes from the first platform to the last, with the major one going over a river ravine and a swinging bridge.  ::squee!::

After that we got to check out the pirates, birds and monkeys part of Gumbalimba.  We got briefed like 20 times about hiding loose articles from the monkeys, because if they take something you HAD to let them have it..or they'd bite you. A lot.  There was a mama with a 2 week old baby.  IT WAS SOOOOO CUUUUTTEEEEEE. I took like 20 pictures..3 were good, haha. 

The ride back  was just as entertaining. We rode through the village just as the schools were letting out.  Now, the village is made out of hundreds of treehouse type houses. They're all made out of wood, some painted, most don't even have glass in the windows.. The barber shop was literally a 5x5 square wooden hut..painted white with a plastic chair and the word BARBER painted on the door.

On the ride back all of the village kids poured into the streets- and not a single road law, by the way. You drive and pray. The kids all had their shoes off or in the process of, and outside the school were hordes of vendors selling fruit, Popsicles and cotton candy to the kids! HOW AWESOME IS THAT? Where was our cotton candy after school?

I got back with 15 minutes to spare to get to the boat.  

Learned how to play russian roulette tonight..lost my whole 20 in, oh, 5 minutes. Will try again tomorrow!

Thursday - Grand Cayman Island

I FINALLY GOT TO VISIT GREAT BRITAIN! Grand Cayman is governed by the British!  WOOOOO! Okay, I'm done. By far, I felt the safest on Grand Cayman Island, and it is gorgeous. We had to tender in to this one also, just like in Belize.  By the time we caught a boat and got to the mainland, it was already noon and we had to be back on the boat by 4 so we could make it to dinner. We knew we wanted to visit Hell. Yes, there is a place named Hell! We walked out to the main strip to catch a taxi, but quickly discovered that no one really taxied, but gave tours of the island. So for 15 bus a pop, we met Josephine, who runs her own tour service.  Best. 15. Dollars spent on this whole trip.

Governors house 

7 mile beach

Hell

Rum cake factory

Dolphin encounter

Back

We loved going to Hell.  And if anyone ever tells me to go there, I'll be just fine, because the Grand Cayman Island is amazing.  The coral rocks left over were melted by acid rain, creating these amazing, craggy black rocks.

Then, we went to the Tortuga Rum factory and finally the Dolphin Reserve.  Haley was in 7th heaven!

Grand Cayman went by way too fast, and Unfortunately I knew our sea Day would fly and vacation would be over.  It was a great time, and I finally made some money playing roulette.  20 dollars into 75.  Not bad. :P

Things I learned from cruising: 

-Invest in a cute pool skirt. Too jealous of some of the poolside fashion on this trip.

- Going to the gym before hand is imperative. You will gain 5 pounds.

- Body image issues are thrown out the window, there are way scarier people on this boat than you.

-Boys from Croatia are ADORABLE.

-I have a really horrific affinity to rum, and I can drink a lot of it.