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The Wonder Luster

For Those Of Us Whose Dreams Won't Die Between 17 and 65.

Life is wondrous! Feed your lust for life with the tools & inspiration to help make it a great one.

A Beautiful Cruise To Bermuda

Travel | July 30, 2015

I absolutely loved my cruise to Bermuda on the Holland America line. Here's what I did while I was on the island - I highly recommend the experience!

Have you been to the island of Bermuda?  It was my first trip abroad, and my first solo cruise with Holland America on a delightful 7 Day Bermuda cruise that was both invigorating and relaxing.

The island wasn’t what I expected.  Bermuda isn’t your typical lush, tropical oasis you might expect. While it does boast some amazing beaches with some gorgeous blue waters, the palm trees are imported and the island itself doesn’t really produce anything.  It is a British island, and while it’s known for it’s awesome rum (which I’ll get to later, I’m a fan), there isn’t too much that’s actually created here.

Additionally- there are only two ways people really live here, you’re either Bermudian, or you’re really, really rich.  Literally.  You either are born in, marry in, or have a temporary visa to work- or you’re a quadrillionaire (technical term) who can afford the 19 million dollar homes on the island, and even then- you’re only permitted as a foreigner to stay at that home 6 months out of the year.

Because of this- the island has a unique culture which is a mishmash of British, islander and foreign influences, with a dialect and way of life that’s vastly different from anything you’d encounter elsewhere.

Hamilton Bermuda

Not all of the houses are mansions, but nearly all houses have the unique white terraced roofs, engineered to capture rainwater for the homes.  While all homes have plumbing, there is no water system on the island-so each home is responsible to capture their own water, with lime covered roofs and tanks to help purify the water.  They say, you can tell the state of a person’s cleanliness and life simply by the state of their roof.  Houses in Bermuda

On the ms Veendam, we docked in Hamilton, since our cruise ship was a bit smaller than the other ships that frequent the island.  Hamilton is the big city on the island, and it’s got a (small) city vibe.  To get to the beach spots, you’ll need to grab a bus or a cab out to Elbow Beach or Horseshoe Bay.  You can rent a scooter, but honestly- locals advise against it.  Every few months a tourist or a local suffers a fatal accident- it’s not a big island, but it’s a busy one.

The other, larger cruise ships are docked at Dockyard, which I got to visit by taking a ferry over to that end of the island.  Dockyard is home to the Frog & Onion Pub, the Bermuda Rum Cake Company, Bermuda Glassworks and plenty of shops.

Bermuda The Frog and Onion

Dockyard Bermuda HAL Cruises Dockyard in Bermuda

Dockyard Glassworks BermudaThe Bermuda Rum Cake Company

Bermuda Glass CompanyBermuda Glassworks

Bermuda Glassworks, you can buy a cake and watch glass being blown.

Through the cruise, I took several excursions on shore- including shipwreck snorkeling, a sunset catamaran and a rum cruise at sunset.  Bermuda is home to Gosling’s Rum, a new favorite of mine, and I was able to enjoy my favorite drink, the dark & stormy a drink that’s actually trademarked by Gosling’s Rum as the official drink of Bermuda…(aside from the rum swizzle- a concoction of rums, pineapple juice, orange juice and grenadine).

I took the Dark & Stormy Tour with Gosling’s Rum and had a blast.  I scored a free pair of sunglasses for answering a trivia question, which I totally got wrong, but got a laugh- so I enjoyed my new shades…and purchased two amazing bottles of rum to take home..including the Bermuda Gold which is made of loquats… I’m sort of crying tears of joy and sadness, Captain Jack Sparrow style, and asking “Why is the rum gone?”  …because it nearly is.  My friends love the stuff..and so do I…it went too fast and isn’t available in Chicago.

bermuda sunset Goslings Rum The Dark and Stormy Tour Bermuda with Goslings Rum

 

goslings dark and stormy tour bermuda

Sunset, rum, cute guys.  I heart solo travel.  Please, pour me another.

Dark & Stormy Tour with Goslings Rum in Bermuda

My free swag for answering a trivia question about booze making..woot.

I also got to take a catmaran snorkeling tour on the Restless Native, a really fun pink catamaran that offered freshly baked cookies, unlimited rum swizzles and a cove tour that allowed us to snack, snorkel and enjoy the gorgeous blue waters.  If you’ve never been on a catamaran, it’s a big boat with hammocks in the front.  The Restless Native also had bean bag chairs to lounge on, so I splurged on a dark & stormy, my favey fave beverage, and enjoyed a dip in the warm, blue waters and a few cookies that were baked on board during our tour.  It was also a favorite!

Restless Native Pink Catamaran Tour with cookies in Bermuda Catamaran Snorkel Tour Restless Native Bermuda

To find the best spots in Bermuda, you have to venture outside of Hamilton to find the picturesque coves and beaches.  Luckily, our guides knew the best cove spot on the island (well I thought it was the best) for paddle boarding, snorkeling and kayaking.  We got to enjoy some delicious treats on board and some of the most relaxing waters I’d been in.  I found some sea glass and had some great conversations with other travelers, it was wonderful!

the Restless Native Catamaran Tour Bermuda The Restless Native

I had an awesome trip to Bermuda, and I took so many photos.  If you haven’t been to the island, taking a cruise out there is a relaxing way to travel- and the tours/excursions are a great way to explore!  I was on the 7 day Holland America cruise to Bermuda and really liked it- it was just enough time on the island (2 days at sea each way, 3 days on the island for excursions and plenty of beach time.) and just enough time away…plus, if you can get a sale on a cabin, you and a partner can travel for around $100 a day or under- which is much cheaper than going to the island solo.

I already miss the beaches of Bermuda, but the trip has made me want to explore even more. I’m not sure if I could live there (honestly, leaving a place you could imagine starting a life at is hard!)…even if I were a gazillionaire, it was an interesting, but totally friendly and approachable culture.  I think for the next few years I’ll want to see what the beaches of Mexico, Jamaica and Costa Rica look like since this was my first international trip..Bermuda has created a beachy wanderlust in me!

If you’ve been to Bermuda, what did you think?

Life is wondrous! Feed your lust for life with the tools & inspiration to help make it a great one.

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Some people just make the world a more vibrant pla Some people just make the world a more vibrant place, simply by being in it.  I can say that about these people- who make life more colorful, brighter and true just by being themselves. 

Grateful we could slow down to capture a little snippet in time for our family before we grow again. ❤️
IYKYK, bath time edition. 🛁. #bathtime #travelb IYKYK, bath time edition. 🛁. #bathtime #travelblogger #travel #familytravel #travellust
3 years since this photo was taken and my former k 3 years since this photo was taken and my former kidney became this guy's kidney. ❤️

I can say, I've grown to appreciate this moment a lot more as time has gone on.  It hasn't been an easy road for my recipient, he and his family have had a few health scares and ups and down, but I'm so grateful we are in each other's lives.

Chances are, you may know of someone in need of a kidney. 1 in 3 adults in the U.S., over 80 million people, are at risk for kidney disease.  While not every diagnosis leads to kidney failure, there are millions of people in this scary limbo hoping for good news.

I didn't know my recipient before this process started, but when I found I could live healthfully with one, I knew I had to try.  Donation is low-risk, my costs were generously covered by my recipient (both through insurance and the kindness of others) and I was back at work in 4 weeks.  Needless to say, it was easier than birthing a baby.

Candidates for kidney donation are thoroughly vetted to ensure the surgery, and life with one kidney are a good fit.  Trust me, your team will not ask you to donate if you have any risk factor of being in need of a transplant yourself down the road.  Testing took months and was incredibly thorough.  Your remaining kidney can do the job of two, and my kidney levels are normal and healthy 3 years later.

Even if you don't personally know someone who needs a kidney, please consider living kidney donation.  You can anonymously donate, be paired through a registry or find someone on social media who is in need, like I did.  There are literally thousands of people using Instagram and Facebook to try and someone who is even willing to get the basic tests.  You could be their person.  Have questions? I’m here for you! 

Being a living kidney donor absolutely enriched my life beyond imagination and has blessed my little family with a beautiful extended family to celebrate with.  Grateful for this day.
Life’s moments are made better with our pets. ❤️

Joey had been with us for nearly 4 years, made possible by the kind folks of South Texas Boston Terrier Rescue. I picked him up, intending on fostering him for a few weeks and ended up falling in love with his sweet spirit, exuberance for anything food related and his lovable derpiness.

Previously, he was kept in a small cage with two other terriers, all day every day and used as a stud. When he was no longer profitable, he, like plenty of others, was surrendered to rescue.  He was blind in one eye, needed teeth extracted and had skin lesions from life in a cage. 

Life hadn’t been easy for him, but I’m glad a rescue was there to give him a second chance, and they trusted me to give in his second chapter.  He was a well travelled dog and he was the Best Pup on our wedding day in Marfa.  Last night we said goodbye. Hubs and I will miss him dearly, but savor the moments and adventures with our little tank. 

Adopt, don’t shop.  Support your local rescues and give your fur kids an extra squeeze for Joey tonight.
“Is this enough for you?” My husband has asked “Is this enough for you?” My husband has asked me this before. To which, I answer- life is full, wonderful, and I am grateful. 

I believe he asks because before kids, I had a very different lifestyle. I traveled to Europe by myself, started businesses, donated a kidney, ran half marathons, got my master’s degree.  I lived a full life, then too. I was fiercely independent because I had to be.

I’m still that person, but fortunately I have more people to share it with. I also have to be more vulnerable than ever.

I had years to find myself and don’t plan on losing that woman I forged. Being a mom has also helped me heal some of the hard parts of the experience I had with my own mom. (I didn’t see that last part coming.)

Being a mom can make you lose yourself.  For me, it’s helped me discover myself once more. Grateful for this day and so many days - I’m just happy to be here. 

Happy Mother’s Day everyone. I hope you discover yourself, heal what you need and feel the love today and everyday.

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