Our next stop was Lautoka, Fiji. We didn’t bother going into town for this one, in fact, we got off our ship and immediately onto a catamaran to take us to Malamala Beach Club. It’s the world’s first beach club situated on a private island (allegedly).
After the sweat bus incident the day before, we were relieved to sit in the air conditioning on the 40 minute ride over to the island. We had ended up booking this excursion with the ship last minute, but refused to pay an arm and a leg to get a cabana or a beach lounger.
As soon as we made it to the island, Andy made his way to find chairs – and I high tailed it to the information desk to see if they had any cabanas for sale at a normal price. (The ship had jacked up the prices and they were astronomical). The lady looked me square in the phase and said, “Would you like number Cabana 1, 2, or 10?” I was a bit puzzled and asked her how much it was. She shook her head and told me that it was first come, first serve at this point.
Y’all. We got a Grand Cabana for free! And because we got there first, everyone else thought we had paid for it and didn’t feel comfortable coming over and trying to share it with us. They didn’t realize we hadn’t paid a penny for it. The only difference was we didn’t get a butler included, but who cares!
This is what it looked like – we forgot to take pictures
The four of us had shade and multiple tables… and more chairs than we could use. It was a nice upgrade from what we were going to be working with previously.
The island was small, but had different areas where you could swim. It was also covered in washed up coral – was a bit shocking! It was everywhere so we had to be careful where we stepped because some of it was quite sharp. There was plenty of room for all of us to spread out – and water activities if you wanted to (stand up paddle boards, kayaks, snorkeling, etc.) and lunch was included for us as well.
We splashed around for a while and then took a walk around the island. There were two different pool areas one was special for the real paying cabana customers – and the other was for the rest of us. We decided that after lunch we were going to hit up the pool.
It was a really relaxing day and we started to wrap up when we started to see the catamaran coming to retrieve us. I looked ahead of us in line and saw a familiar face. I could have sworn it was “Pilot Pete” from the Bachelor franchise and more recently, Traitors.
Andy took this picture to help confirm
I was doubting my own eyes and enlisted the help of others. Sure enough, it was him! There was a kerfuffle as we were getting off of the catamaran and Emily and I found ourselves next to him in line. I asked him a few questions about Traitors and he was really nice to chat with.
After making our way back to the ship, Emily and Mark had another great night of karaoke on the ship.
Our cruise brought us to Suva, the capital of Fiji. While many travelers head straight for the beaches, Suva offers something different. There is history, culture, and a look at everyday Fijian life.
Suva is the largest city in Fiji and the country’s political and cultural center. It’s known for its colorful markets, colonial buildings, and strong traditions from the native Fijian people, known as the iTaukei. Many of Fiji’s customs are still practiced today, especially in villages throughout the islands.
One tradition that plays a big role in Fijian culture is kava. Kava is a drink made from the root of a plant in the pepper family. The root is dried, ground into powder, and mixed with water. It looks a bit like muddy tea, but it’s much more than just a drink.
Kava ceremonies are an important social ritual in Fiji. They are often used to welcome visitors, mark special events, or bring a community together. During a ceremony, the drink is served in a large wooden bowl called a tanoa. When it’s your turn, you clap once, drink the kava in one go, and clap three times after. The drink has a calming effect and can make your mouth feel a little tingly!
The four of us had signed up for the Jewels of Fiji tour with the ship, which would bring us to one of these ceremonies. Much to our dismay, we made our way off the ship and were greeted by a large coach bus with every window open (think 85 degrees and 85% humidity). And somehow – even though we were the first ones out of the theater – we were at the very back of the bus.
It was a pretty uncomfortable ride, but as soon as we got off the bus we were greeted by the sound of drums and we immediately got excited. Our guide had prepared us well for what to expect: we needed to remove our hats, sunglasses, and shoes before entering the long house.
One member from our bus would taste the kava. (Unfortunately for us, we were in the back so even if we wanted to volunteer there’s no way we would have been picked). By the time we got in to the long house, there were no chairs left.
As a quick side note, I don’t think I’ve mentioned this yet. But this cruise is a bit on the older side. Even compared to our Alaskan cruise, we were the youngest by far!
Knowing that we wouldn’t want to take any chairs from someone our senior, Emily and I sat on the floor. What we didn’t know is that we were right behind the two volunteers who were going to be drinking the kava. There were a few times where I thought about asking if I could have a taste. 😉
If you don’t know us, we are always looking for the furry locals wherever we travel!
Our host welcomed all of us to their village – explained how kava was made – and led the rest of the village in song to welcome us. Then the ceremony began!
I have to be honest – the kava looked like mud. We as a collective group chose to have one of our “tributes” drink a tsunamis worth (he was a good sport).
Once it finished, they began their performances. Some of the men began a traditional dance – at this point Emily and I were front row. The dance was more of a “warrior” dance – and they had their battle axes. I had whispered to Emily, “I hope he doesn’t swing that thing this way.”
I’m sure you can guess what happened next… Yep! He did! Not once but twice, and I’m sure our giggling only fueled the fire. Mark got a great video of the “attack.” The local women came out next and sang a much calmer song before we began lunch.
After lunch, we climbed into a long boat and cruised down the Navua River. The scenery felt straight out of a movie because it actually was. Parts of the jungle along this river were used as a filming location for Anacondas.
Thankfully, we didn’t see any giant snakes. But we did find something even better! A beautiful waterfall hidden deep in the rainforest. After the boat ride, we hiked a short trail to reach it. The cool water and the sound of the jungle made it feel like a secret world far away from the cruise ship.
The river itself had some fun rapids, at one point our captain asked the men to get out and walk. At first we thought he was joking, but realized he was serious. Our boat just didn’t have enough power to make it up! Our group all got out and walked up together – but on the way down we all rode in the boat and got absolutely soaked in the brown river water. It was an incredible adventure that none of us will soon forget.
Suva may not always be the first stop travelers think of in Fiji, but it offers something special: culture, tradition, and a little bit of adventure in the heart of the islands.
We boarded the Celebrity Edge in Auckland, not far from our Airbnb, but because it was a longer trip we had to take two Ubers to the port. We split up and both drivers took creative liberties in getting us there. Thankfully, it wasn’t too much of a wait and we were on our way in the boarding process.
Once on board we were able to show them around quickly, as we had been on this ship only a few years ago. Compared to the Millennium the amenities are really nice (which is one of the older ships in the fleet – and the last ship we were on!!) we had fun walking around and getting reacquainted ourselves.
Safety Briefing- check!
We pushed off around 8 pm, which was sunset there. It was absolutely beautiful with the skyline and the city lights.
Pulling out of port during sunset is the best!
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The next morning we woke up in Bay of Islands, which was a revisit from our last cruise. Andy had to work, so I just relaxed. Once he logged off for the day we took the shuttle into town and walked around and explored a bit. Emily and Mark did the excursion we had done last time (glow worm caves!) and had a great time. There wasn’t much noteworthy here because it was a shorter stop once Andy logged off from work.
We booked a room off the back of the ship this time, makes for great views!
The next few days were sea days – so not much to report there. But we were having fun catching up with Emily and Mark and just relaxing on the ship!
Mark and Emily love Karaoke (we love to watch) and then of course our favorite- the Martini Bar Show!Silent Disco Night!
We flew into Auckland to check off one of our longest running bucket list items – the US National Parks. I know what you might be thinking, why are you flying to New Zealand to complete the US National Parks? And yeah, sort of weird.
But to make a long story short, a few years ago I researched the easiest way to get to American Samoa National Park and realized that you could fly through Hawaii to Pago Pago and stay for a few days (but it’s a small island and the flights are expensive) OR you could fly into New Zealand and check off a few countries while hitting up the last national park.
Hence, the trip was booked and a “dream” was finalized. Some of you reading this blog may have met us at different points along the way – but from the very beginning, one of our park adventures, or maybe just knew that this was something we were passionate about.
It feels a little bittersweet that this is the end of the road. The question we get asked the most of course, “What’s next?” I’m laughing thinking about this because I already know our reputation procedes us – and you’re right. We aren’t going to be sitting home savoring a job well done.
I think we will switch to more event based travel – the Olympics, Oktoberfest, Hot Air Balloon Festival, etc. I personally want to get to every country, yes, every country.Even the “scary” ones (which I don’t buy into). Maybe hit up every Disney park, who knows?!
The other extra special part about this trip is that our best friends Emily and Mark are joining us. I’ll give credit where it’s due that Emily mailed me a postcard from Yellowstone NP back in 5th grade of Morning Glory Pool and that’s what made me realize the world was so much bigger. Sparking a curiosity and love that would turn me into who I am today – and I’m grateful that I found Andy, who I got to share this journey with.
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Once we landed in Auckland we rented a 2 bedroom apartment for the few days leading up to the cruise. We had been to Auckland before on a different cruise, but Emily and Mark hadn’t. We thought it would be easier to fly in the weekend before to ensure if there were any baggage delays that they would have time to catch up.
We didn’t have any issues and had an easy time navigating the Auckland airport. Our Airbnb was in a prime location and was easy to walk to everything. We had an amazing dinner the first night and were excited when Emily and Mark flew in the next day.
After they landed and freshened up we decided that we were going to take a ferry over to Waiheke Island for some wine tasting. We had been given recommendations to go to Mudbrick – and since we didn’t have a car we decided that since we could walk we would go to Cable Bay since it was next door.
Both wineries were great – and the views were incredible. When we had visited 2 years prior, the wines had been good, but we were with the ship’s excursion team and the experiences were only okay. This was a completely different experience and we ended up buying some wine. I’m still not sure how we’re going to get it home. But that’s a problem for a different day!
The remaining days in Auckland were relatively low key due to Andy having to work so we just had some fantastic dinners with Emily and Mark in the evenings.
We came into port on Saturday morning and had a nice breakfast on the ship before making our way out into Singapore. We had less than 24 hours in Singapore – so we knew we had to make the most of it. I had made a to-do list that would cover the major tourist locations in addition to doing some foodie-fun as well.
Our first mission, of course, was to drop off our luggage. When I had traveled to the Philippines for work previously, I had stayed at a Shangri-La hotel and it was absolutely lovely. In my search for a hotel I had seen there was one in Singapore, so it was a no-brainer that we stayed there for our one night.
Somehow, the universe looked down upon us favorably and when we checked in at 9:30 am our room was ready! The room was really nice and had a great view of the pool. We had a quick cat nap before we made our way out into the city.
Public transit in Singapore is incredible – I kept reading about the “MRT” (Mass Rapid Transit) and how they had tourist passes. Candidly, I love saving money and I know Andy and I can always figure out public transportation in a foreign country. The 1-day tourist passes came out to about $26 for both of us, and gave us unlimited access to the city. The MTR system was vast – and honestly puts any US system to shame. (Don’t get me started on how clean and safe it is as well…)
We made our way to the closest MRT station, which happened to be in a mall. It felt like we were in a whole underground city + mall. Because Christmas had just ended – there were a ton of sales and everything still felt super festive. We had to stay focused though – we only had the one day in Singapore and this wasn’t the time to go shopping. So, we got our MRT passes and got on the train!
Our first stop was the Newton Hawker Center. Have you seen Crazy Rich Asians? This is where Nick and Rachel go to meet his best friend and his fiancé when they land in Singapore. It also happened to be the closest Hawker Center to our hotel!
We were there during the day, so not all of the food stations were opened, but we made due. We got more noodles, rice, and chicken. One lady was really pushy and she almost talked Andy into ordering a beer – instead he got a peach Jinro from Korea. (It was really sweet). I stuck to a Tiger beer. The food was really good, but more expensive than our food market in Malaysia.
After lunch we hopped back on the MRT and made our way over to Gardens by the Bay. I’m sure if you’ve ever seen pictures of Singapore, you’ve seen these famous trees. We wish we could have seen them at night, but time was not on our side with this trip. They were still amazing to see during the day (and free!) – we walked around until our time at the SkyPark observation deck.
The SkyPark is part of Marina Bay Sands hotel – the surfboard shaped hotel that is also a famous part of the skyline. Naturally, I had to get to the top of it because I figured this would be the best viewpoint of the city. The cost was actually really affordable – about $50 for both of us to get up there! As far as we know, there isn’t a time limit for how long you can stay and there is a restaurant where you can get food and drinks. But remember – we were on a time crunch!
Photos of the photo spots
Looking upLooking down
Places to see people! We did a complete walk around of the observation deck (I read every plaque – I’m one of those people) and took pictures. My mom went to Singapore in the 1970s – so I wanted to take pictures and videos so she could compare and see how much it’s changed from when she was there. (I’m sure a ton!)
Our Cruise ship getting ready to go for it’s new routeSingapore HarborMerlionFor the F1 fans
After we felt like we had taken as many pictures as our hearts desired – and we spotted our cruise ship in the distance! We made our way back down the elevator. Our next stop was the famous Merlion.
Unfortunately, this was a tough one to get to by MTR and we decided to hail a Grab (their version of Uber) to get over there.
We hopped out and blended in with the other tourists trying to take a picture of this famous statue – and of the Marina Bay Sands hotel, which was weird because we had just been there 7 minutes before! We didn’t stay for too long, but it was a nice area.
We decided to walk to our next stop, the famous Raffles hotel. This is where the Singapore Sling was created. We hadn’t researched it ahead of time, otherwise we might have gotten there earlier, but we ended up waiting in a line to get in.
Thankfully the line was moving pretty fast – and it was in the shade. Once we got inside, we were greeted by peanut shells all over the ground and punkah fans on the ceiling. Back in the early 1900s, women weren’t exactly encouraged to drink in public. Juice was acceptable, cocktails were not. Enter Ngiam Tong Boon, who saw a loophole and ran with it. He slipped gin and liqueurs into what looked like a harmless pink juice, giving us the Singapore Sling – a discreet cocktail with a rebellious streak.
We had a few Singapore Slings on the trip, but this was definitely the best one we drank and the most expensive.
At this point we started to make our way back to our hotel. We wanted to have a quick dinner and then repack our suitcases to redistribute the weight for the flight. We opted to eat at the hotel since we had a credit with our American Express card – we opted for pizza and wine. A classic.
We were off to bed and had an early wake up since our flight was at 9 am the next morning!
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We were excited to get to the airport early because the Singapore airport is known for being one of the best airports in the world. We dropped our bags and were thrilled just to walk around the airport.
I had researched things to do in Terminal 3, which is where our ticket said we would be departing from. Unfortunately, we were actually departing from Terminal 1. (Noooo!!)
This meant that I was going to miss out on the giant slide and free movie theater – yes, you read that right. But when life hands you lemons… so we decided to walk instead of taking the train so we could see everything as we went.
The main attraction is the Jewel. This glass-domed stunner is home to the Rain Vortex, the world’s tallest indoor waterfall, crashing through the center of a jungle-filled oasis like it’s no big deal. Jewel turns the airport into a destination. It’s the kind of place that makes you forget you’re in an airport… until you realize you actually wish your flight were delayed. Unfortunately for us… it doesn’t turn on until 10 am. So we took the train by it, and got to see the lush jungle surrounding it and used our imagination. (You can use yours too…)
We headed to a lounge to get a quick bite and a coffee and before we knew it we had to head to security to board our flight. For those of you who have really long layovers, just know that the Singapore airport even has free city tours that you can sign up for that take you around the city on a bus. (How cool is that?!)
Until next time – thanks for joining us on this trip!
Up Next: Our last US National Park cruise: New Zealand / Fiji / Samoa / American Samoa! – March 2026
Happy Christmas Eve! The next day we pulled into port with an open itinerary, but our server, Gama had given us a recommendation the night before. Rent a motorbike and go exploring.
I can feel our moms shaking their heads all the way over here, but after the day before we were itching for an adventure. It was another day with expensive full-day excursions that were far from the port. I got to work researching what looked cool that was closer to our ship. I found a cool beach and a temple.
We decided that we wanted to make our way to the temple, but now we needed to secure a motorbike. This port stop was a tender ride in, meaning we needed to use one of the ship’s lifeboats to go to shore. We thought it would be a slow process, but by the time we finished breakfast they were practically urging everyone to make their way to the tenders.
Once we got to shore we could already tell this stop was different than Lombok. For starters, we were greeted by musicians and not people hassling us. The store owners warmly smiled at us and gestured towards their stalls, but didn’t pressure us to come in.
In fact, we had a hard time finding anywhere that was renting motorbikes! We walked all the way out and didn’t see a single stall that had rentals. We didn’t want to take a car, even though I’m sure that would have been affordable. I kept reminding myself, the motorbike was the *experience* so we actually started walking back to port.
That’s when I noticed a sign that was official looking that was for tourists to help connect them with their drivers. I wandered up and asked them if they knew where we could rent a bike. Jackpot! They asked where we wanted to go and I showed them the name of the temple. They confirmed it wasn’t very far so they said $10. Gama (our server) had warned us to not let them charge us more than $20, so we didn’t bother to negotiate because we knew it was a fair price.
They had trouble securing a second helmet for us – but we weren’t leaving without it. I’m notoriously clumsy and I certainly wasn’t going to die from head trauma on the side of a road in Indonesia. I might be dumb enough to get on a bike there, but not without a helmet! 😉
They also drive on the “wrong side” of the road in Indonesia, so that took some getting used to. At least for me being the passenger, but we were off! I was Andy’s GPS and quickly assumed the role of passenger princess. I probably should have taken a shot or two before getting on because I was a bit nervous with every pot hole, bit of loose gravel, and truck that got too close.
But eventually we both got more comfortable and we started to have fun! The temple was only 30ish minutes away, but it did feel a bit like an eternity on the way there. I had a vice grip on my phone because I was afraid I would drop it. Nevertheless, we made it to the temple!
The temple was on the top of a hill that overlooked the port and it was stunning. It was very affordable (maybe around $2-3) to get in to Brahmavihara-Arama, which is actually a Buddhist monastery. This temple is pretty unique because Bali is predominantly Hindu and this happened to be the largest Buddhist temple in Bali. We have visited probably close to 50 temples of different cultures in our travels, so we knew to wear conservative clothing (pants and ability to cover our shoulders. As we bought our tickets, we a got a thumbs up from one of the workers who who saw how we were dressed, she had just got done renting coverings to other tourists so they could go inside.
It was a very calm and serene place to visit. There were lots of different features to explore throughout the temple. We loved how intricate everything was and that no details were left out.
We had to follow the same path we took to head back towards the cruise ship, this time with a bit more confidence on the bike. We made it safely, and really enjoyed our time out and about. Would we do it again? Yes! Would we do it any time soon? Probably not. 😂
That evening was a more formal night on the ship – so we freshened up and I was thrilled to break out one of my sparkly dresses for dinner. Another favorite thing about cruising is getting to break out clothes you don’t normally get to wear every day at home.
The next two days are sea days, so I won’t blog those days because they will be rather boring. I’ll pick back up when we arrive in Port Klang/Kuala Lumpur.
Monday morning we woke up feeling much more refreshed after having slept almost 10 hours. We got ready and ate breakfast at the hotel. They had a nice buffet, which really was getting us ready for the cruise life we were about to embark on.
After breakfast we decided to finish our walk from the night before, we weren’t able to walk the whole property because we had run out of daylight. We were able to explore the adults only pool – and then we walked on the beach for a while. We decided to relax for a bit and lay out on the beach chairs.
It was a really lovely morning! We packed everything up and made our way to the hotel lobby to wait for our taxi to take us to the cruise port. We always love embarkation day. There’s such a sense of excitement in the air – a new beginning!
Benoa Bali cruise port
Our driver made sure to drop us as close as possible because it was starting to rain. The line wasn’t too bad at that time and we were able to drop our bags right away. We had been on this ship before, back in 2023. There had been some refurbishments done – and we wanted to get familiarized with the ship again. We dropped our smaller bags in our room and then started to wander.
We had a quick bite to eat and then we were surprised because our bags were already delivered to our room (that never happens!) and we were able to unpack early in the day. One of our favorite parts of cruising is only having to unpack once, but still getting to see a ton of new destinations. This time around we brought Christmas decorations to decorate our door – to give it a bit of festive flair!
We were feeling very jet lagged so turned in early that night.
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On day 2, we stopped in Lombok, Indonesia. This port was an interesting one because it was about an hour away from the city. All of the ship’s excursions were really expensive and honestly, none that were of interest to us.
I had looked up different options on Viator and Get Your Guide and couldn’t find anything of interest. We decided to just get off the ship to stretch our legs and see if there was anything nearby or at least some shops.
That was a mistake. It felt like we were back in Egypt. The people that owned the shops were hassling us so hard. They wouldn’t take no for an answer and kept following us. It was really uncomfortable, and since we had no plan and there was clearly nothing nearby we just decided to turn around.
And then it started to rain. We rain back to the closest welcome back to the ship tent and took cover until the rain let up. Our waiter from lunch the previous day was there setting up the water station, so it was good to chat with him for a bit. He confirmed that things really were that far away.
We decided to just relax around the ship. Something I’m personally not great at, but I guess that’s what people normally do on vacation? Because it was a port day it was much quieter at the pool so we took advantage of that!
We caught a beautiful sunset from our room’s balcony
For us, Bali is not an easy destination to get to. It’s about 21 hours in the air – that doesn’t count the time spent driving up to LAX, going through the airport, the layover, customs, and then waiting for our bags. However, flying to the other side of the world for a 12 night cruise? Totally worth it!
It was our first time flying Cathay Pacific and we had a great experience with them. Although, on our return flight we are flying with Singapore Airlines. (Another first for us!)
I had arranged our airport transfer with our resort so we didn’t have to think too hard after such a long travel day. He had messaged us to let us know that he was there, and even set us a picture so we knew who to look for!
Unfortunately for us, our bags were some of the last ones to come off the plane. But you can’t win them all. Celebrity Cruises did a good job letting us know that we had to complete one form when arriving in Indonesia, but they didn’t let us know about a secondary form. We were able to complete it pretty quickly on our phone and then we were on our way!
We were at our hotel within 45 minutes – I had found a nice resort in the Nusa Dua area. We only had one night there, so we were hoping if we had time we would be able to spend it on the beach. Once we got checked in, we freshened up and then walked around the property. It was decorated really well for Christmas and we really liked the blending of the indoor/outdoor space for all of the restaurants.
We turned in early that night due to the red eye flight. The next morning we had planned on spending more time exploring the resort and then boarding our cruise ship. We’re excited for this cruise because it’s around Asia. We’ll explore Indonesia, Malaysia, Thailand, and end in Singapore. We enjoy cruising over Christmas and New Year’s Eve as well because Celebrity does a nice job making the holidays special!
Hope you’re excited to travel with us!
Accommodations: Grand Mirage Resort & Thalasso Bali
Up Next: 12 Night Cruise – Indonesia, Malaysia, Thailand, and Singapore with Celebrity Cruises
One of the major pulls for us to Guatemala was the coffee industry. I had done a lot of research on different companies that offered them, but one that had stood out was De La Gente. They are a nonprofit organization that works with local small scale coffee growers that have formed a cooperative to make coffee growing possible for the locals.
It started back in 2014, the plantation that we visited is a part of the San Miguel Escobar Cooperative. There are 16 coffee growers that are a part of it, and they actually renewed in 2021.
We got picked up close to our hotel for a quick bus ride to the coffee farmer’s house. When we booked the tour, we loved the idea that it would include a portion of it that would include a stop at the house. As we made our way out of Antigua, the streets got rougher and you began to see the disparity from the “city” life to rural Guatemala.
The further out we got – we even saw local watering holes where women and children were gathered with buckets collecting it for the day. It was just such a stark difference from back home where we genuinely take for granted turning the tap on and getting hot water. Often times when we travel I’m left humbled and a little in my thoughts feeling both ashamed for complaining about things about utterly grateful for the things that I do have.
As we pulled up to our stop we were greeted by a group of dogs (Guatemala is definitely a stray dog country – not as many cats wandering around!) and our coffee farmer – Andres was out front throwing a biscuit at a rather sad looking puppy.
We had been in a van full of people, but about 5 of us had been called to get out and our groups were split up. We were with a wonderful gal, Ava, from Ireland, Haim, from Florida, and another woman from New Jersey who I don’t know how to spell her name! We had a short uphill walk to the coffee field with Andres, the translator, and someone else from De La Gente (DLG).
Andres
Once we got to the field we learned more about how Andres, how he got into the coffee industry, how coffee is grown, and how many fields he owns. It was really fascinating to learn Andres’ story and how much he sacrificed to become successful. He had grown up picking coffee for someone else, and then had spent 18 years waiting tables in Guatemala City while his children grew up to save money, and then finally had enough money to buy his own land to grow his own coffee. In the beginning he sold his coffee to big corporations, and didn’t make a lot of money.
Then came along DLG. DLG made it possible to form the coop, which provided the equipment for them to produce their own coffee end to end. The tours also provide about 30% directly to the coffee farmers themselves (at least according to the fact sheets that they provided to us).
We got to pick the ripe berries from the field and then made our way back down to his house. He told us all about how you need the shade trees and how the berries ripen at different times. Full growing process from a master!
You only want to pick the red fruit, the skin is called “cascara” and the coffee bean is inside. It’s ripe and ready to pick when it’s bright red!
You guys, like his actual house with his wife, daughter, and grandson. Incredible. We roasted the beans on his wood-fire stove with his daughter, taking turns of course.
A machine that separates the fruit skin (cascara) from the coffee beanGreen coffee beans after they have been sun dried for almost 2 weeks in the sun (manual process to keep them moving so they dry evenly and don’t grow mold or rot).We hand roasted the beans on their kitchen’s wood fire stove; the smell!
Then they broke out their old lava stone metate – a long lava stone tool that is used to grind grain and seeds – and we took turns grinding the roasted coffee beans. We learned that the metate was passed down from Andres’ wife’s grandmother. It was at least over 90 years old, if not older. There I was standing in this man’s kitchen in rural Guatemala thinking about how many women had touched this metate. This man and his family had graciously welcome us into their humble home.
We all took turns hand grinding the freshly roasted beans
And I complain about the most embarrassing things. Haim and I shared a moment where everything truly just felt so small. Like our problems really aren’t problems. That really felt like the theme from the day, because Ava felt the same way as well. That we really don’t need all of these THINGS. As we’re standing in their kitchen and they were all just so happy.
So I started crying, just a few tears. I mean it was beautiful to think about something that was so unbreakable – so valuable – to be passed down from generation to generation. There we were, grinding out the coffee beans (rather poorly might I add) and drinking coffee with them.
I can’t recommend that tour enough.
From there, we made our way back into town and parted ways. Andy and I made our way to get empanadas for lunch. Before making our way to Casa Santo Domingo. We had made deep tissue spa appointments beforehand.
The facilities were incredible – it was a former convent that had been destroyed in one of the major earthquake. We got there early so we could swim in the pool, use the sauna, and the hot tub. By the time it was our appointment we were really relaxed. Both of us had incredible massages – we both thought we might have bruises from how much pressure our therapists were using!
After the massages we made our way back to our hotel. We freshened up and were trying to figure out what to do for dinner when I realize we were close to a speakeasy. It was a no brainer at that point and we made our way over there. The front was a wig shop – which was really funny – we were the first ones inside so we got our pick of the tables.
By the end of the night, after we had wrapped up and the place was full. I was seated next to one of the old school rotary phones and it started to ring. I looked at our server and asked him if I should answer it and he shrugged. So I did. I had to solve a riddle – and once I did I was rewarded with a shot.
We woke up the next morning and packed up our luggage for one of the last times on this trip. I know what you might be thinking, and yes… it was a grueling schedule. There were a number of different moments throughout the trip where I would look at Andy and just say, “I don’t know where (insert clothing article) is!” And not to mention that I completely forgot to pack my rain jacket, which was a rookie mistake… but I digress.
We wanted to get a quick breakfast because we had a few sightseeing spots we wanted to see before heading to the Zürich airport. There was a Starbucks next to our hotel and we collect the “Wish You Were Here” series coffee mugs from our different international destinations, so we figured – why not kill two birds with one stone?
Well that quickly became the most expensive Starbucks visit I think I’ve ever had, $76 later. Yes, you read that right. That was for two drinks and two breakfast sandwiches and a mug. When people say that Switzerland is an expensive country, they aren’t kidding. Despite how expensive it is, Andy and I really want to visit again to do a more extensive trip.
Once we finished breakfast we made our way out into the rain to do a quick power walk around Zürich. I had realized that Grossmünster was known for its stained glass windows, so we made our way back to see if we could do a power walk through the church to see them. But as soon as we got there, we saw a bunch of police officers standing outside.
Gulp, that didn’t look good. Turns out it was closed for some special ceremony and closed to the public. So we continued on our original plan and finished our walking tour. Stopping by a few other sights before picking up luggage and car.
The Zürich airport was really quite lovely, and at this point on the trip we had seen a ton of different airports. I think I’ll rank this one highest for ease of security, amenities, and overall shopping. However, everything was super expensive – so that deducts a few points.
We landed in London without any issues and hopped on the tube to make our way to Marylebone, where we were set to meet Kim and Craig. We had met Kim and Craig when we were in Antarctica and immediately hit it off. We connected with them on the trip and had felt like we’ve known them for years, so when we were planning our Europe trip we had asked them if they would meet us in London for dinner.
Which ended up turning into sharing an Airbnb and having the whole evening catching up on life post-Antarctica. Our Airbnb was directly above a pub, so naturally instead of spending hours researching the perfect place for dinner we just went downstairs and had dinner there. Unfortunately, no discount.
We had so much fun reminiscing about Antarctica, but also talking about how life has been since then.
Up Next: –Brunch with an old coworker -Fly back to San Diego
Accommodation: 2 Bedroom Apartment in Marylebone Hight St.
The next morning we packed up our bags and hopped in the car for our next destination – Liechtenstein! If you haven’t heard of it, it’s a small nation nestled between Switzerland and Austria, which was a perfect pit stop on our roadtrip!
We didn’t have long to stop there before moving on to Zürich. We stopped for a quick walk through town and lunch in Vaduz, the capital, where castle views rise above quaint streets lined with cafes and little shops. Though our visit was short, it felt like stepping into a Hallmark movie: clean, peaceful, and surrounded by stunning Alpine scenery. It’s the perfect place to stretch your legs, grab a bite, and check another country off your list!
We hopped back into the car and finished the drive to Zürich. We wanted to drop our luggage at the hotel before heading to the Lindt factory for the tour, yes, that Lindt factory!
We were staying at the Central Plaza Hotel – and I can’t recommend it enough. We were within walking distance to so many restaurants and the sightseeing destinations, plus the service was exceptional. Our room wasn’t ready, but they helped stow our luggage and get us sent on our way in time for our tour.
A coworker of Andy’s had recently returned from Switzerland and had recommended this tour, so we were glad we had gotten tickets. They tend to sell out – for obvious reasons!
From the moment you walk in, it smells like heaven. You also walk in to see the largest free-standing chocolate fountain at 30 feet tall! The tour starts with a fun and interactive look at how chocolate is made and how it became so popular in Switzerland.
Of course, the best part is the tasting. As you explore the exhibits, you can sample different kinds of chocolate – and do a blind tasting to try to guess what kind it is. It is a true test of willpower to stop at just one bite.
At the end, you get to take a bunch of different samples home with you. And just like any amusement park, they pop you out in a gift shop at the end where you can shop for treats to take home. You can shop for classic gold foil truffles to special flavors you will not find anywhere else. The Lindt factory tour is part museum, part candy dream, and all sweetness. We had a blast exploring the factory!
We made our way back to the hotel and this time our room was ready for us! Andy had to run payroll, so I spent some time mapping out how we would capitalize on our time in Zürich since we just had the one night and a few hours the next morning.
Our friend at the front desk had recommended a restaurant that locals (in addition to tourists) frequented, and once Andy was at a good stopping point we made our way there. There was a small line, but because the tables were so large and we were willing to share a table we got seated really quickly.
It sort of made the experience a bit more fun sharing with strangers, unfortunately our table mates didn’t speak much English. Nearby tables were getting to know each other – and sharing fun stories. (You could see the philosophy worked out well in most cases!)
On our walk back to the hotel we stopped by to admire Grossmünster, St. Peter Church, Fraumuenster, and some of the other picturesque sights that the city had to offer. We really loved it there! It felt really clean and safe, and definitely had some of the friendliest people we had encountered on the trip!
Up Next: – Sightsee around Zürich – Fly to London – Meet up with Kim & Craig!
We made our way to Schwangau, Germany about a 1.5 hour drive (2 hour train ride) outside of Munich to visit Neuschwanstein Castle (Pronounced Noy-Shvaan-Stine Castle). If you haven’t heard of Neuschwanstein Castle, it’s okay – but odds are you might be familiar with its look alike, the Sleeping Beauty Castle at Disneyland. (Also, the castle in the Disney logo itself!)
We woke up to rain, which was a bit disappointing because we were worried about being able to see the castle from the bridge. But nevertheless, we started our trek over to the castle. We had our car, so we had more flexibility with our start time than if we took the train. Once we arrived, we had made the decision that we were going to pay for the bus to make the trek up to the castle.
You have a few options to make the final descent up to the castle. You can walk, pay a few euros for a bus ride (one-way or round trip), or take a horse carriage. Because of the rain, we decided the bus round trip seemed like the most practical option.
Glimpse through the cloudsTalk about old growth and weather beaten
I had also read a lot of blogs ahead of time to not be late because they were strict about their timed entries. Their timing was no joke, there was an older couple that couldn’t figure out the tickets on their phone, the worker was basically counting down for them to figure it out or they wouldn’t be let it; we don’t know, but doubt they got in.
We didn’t want to be late, so we got on one of the first busses and high-tailed it over to the bridge to get one of the best views of the castles. Only to be met with a view of… rain clouds. It was disappointing, but honestly. There’s nothing you can do in situations like that, and thankfully we’ve ridden Soarin’ at Disneyland enough times so we at least know what it looks like!‘
Either take off your glasses or squint really hard 🙂
Just imagine it, right above Dani
We made our way back down to the courtyard to wait for our timed entry. We ducked under the overhand to try to avoid the rain. The tour itself is rather short, only about 45 minutes. We had a guide with little devices to listed to him on, so great information! No pictures are allowed inside the castle, which was such a disappointment since quite a few rooms were so beautiful!
Only about 15 rooms were ever finished (turns out dream castles are expensive and Ludwig wasn’t exactly practical), but the ones we got to see felt like stepping straight into a storybook. Each room has its own theme, mostly pulled from operas and old German legends that Ludwig was obsessed with. Basically, the man turned his fan-fiction into interior design.
There’s the Throne Hall, which looks like a church without the pews – full of mosaics, saints, and one very dramatic spot where a throne would have gone… except it never actually got built. Then there’s the Singer’s Hall, a massive space painted with scenes from the knightly adventures of Parzival.
My favorite? The grotto. Yes, an actual man-made cave inside the castle, complete with colored lights and a little waterfall. Ludwig designed it after the Venusberg scene in Tannhäuser, but honestly it felt more like a secret lair. King Ludwig unfortunately passed away before it was completed and officially used.
The weather cleared enough to see the bridge just fine from the castle
The rain cleared up enough as we were leaving for the fairy-tale view ❤️
After Neuschwanstein Castle, we made our way down back to town and had lunch. We hopped back into the car before heading to a palace. Because who doesn’t want to feel like royalty on their birthday?
Andy can’t say no to a German SausageGerman Mac and Cheese = yes Neuschwanstein Castle is not on Zillow or Redfin, I checked…
If Neuschwanstein is the dramatic fairy tale castle, then Linderhof Palace is King Ludwig’s over-the-top bachelor pad. He was completely obsessed with Versailles and built this as his own mini version, filled with gold, mirrors, chandeliers, and enough sparkle to make you feel like Marie Antoinette’s plus-one. Of Course no photos in the palace either, what the heck Deutschland?!
The palace is the only one of Ludwig’s big projects he actually finished during his lifetime, and it shows. Every inch is dripping with detail. The Hall of Mirrors makes you feel like you’re in an endless selfie booth, the dining room had a table that magically rose up through the floor so Ludwig could dine without servants watching him, and the gardens are so perfectly arranged they would make Versailles proud. The guide said there was over 8 lbs of gold leaf throughout the palace, it was all of the extra you’d expect from a king that never got to really reign over his father’s country.
It is smaller and more intimate than Neuschwanstein, but just as extra. Think of it as Ludwig’s “Versailles starter pack,” created for one very dramatic bachelor with a flair for royal fantasy. He had a much larger grotto here that was recently restored, but we weren’t able to add it on to our ticket last minute. We were pretty bummed about this, but we wrapped up our tour and made our way back to Munich.
We had dinner at NENI in Munich, which is a fusion of Israeli, Spanish, and Romanian. It was delicious. We had a lovely dinner there before turning in for the evening. After a few failed attempts and closed shops, Andy found a bottle Veuve Clicquot for a birthday cheers (again Germany, don’t shut down at 8pm)!
It was a full day of exploring. The next day we would be off again on another roadtrip!
Scribbles and Snapshots 
