vacation from vacation

my type of vacation usually entails shlepping luggage onto public transportation and hefting it through foreign streets whilst trying to find an unmarked hotel or driving down bike paths as directed by my GPS to find a hidden gem of a restaurant or an elusive but expensive parking space. this time we went on a cruise. i wasn't sure if i'd like cruising at first -- there are little asian women literally around every corner spritzing you with hand sanitizer to prevent the cruise ship sh*ts (mission not accomplished, thanks), there are two hefty life jackets in the closet, and the whole idea seemed sterile as compared to the hectic or slightly uncomfortable up-close vacations i'm used to.

but, in all, cruising was the way to go for this vacation from vacationing -- a relaxing, fun, easy, worry-free, with my husband, no planning required, no hotel finding, no restaurant disappointments, way to see three countries, four islands, a few pyramids, and a ton of toppled marble columns.

i could write a seventeen page blog about our 13 day trip to turkey, greece, and egypt, but that seems excessive. instead, i am going to download my pictures and maybe write a few short blogs, like this one, about things that were especially interesting (turkey, greece, egypt) or uncomfortable (like almost missing the sunset because i was stuck on the toilet on deck 12 aft).

this is actually the reason i started this blog in the first place -- because i travel. i started it so i could look back and remember some of the places that i've visited, not just to talk about toilet cleaning (white vinegar, trust me) and rainy british days. i already tried a conventional travel journal. talk about BORING. so this is it: my cruise journal. hopefully i can stick to it like an egyptian cabbie to a group of american tourists.