Let’s get the bad over with first. I mentioned I’ve been training for a half marathon that’s approaching in two weeks. I won’t be running it, unfortunately; even though I feel ready.
About a month ago, my boss pulled me into his office and said in a serious tone that I’m in trouble. Are you serious? What for? I thought to myself. I probably blurted something like, “Am I?” in a high pitched voice. I can’t remember. I just got nervous.
Then he quickly said with a smile that he’s joking. Phew!
Here comes the good news. The reason why he asked to speak with me was to find out if I’d be interested in going on a Christening cruise aboard the brand new ultra premium cruise ship, Oceania Riviera! I wanted to scream! Are you serious?! You’re asking me?!
So, this isn’t just good news; it’s actually fantastic news!
Oceania Riviera's Terrace Cafe, one of 10 dining venues onboard. The ship accommodates 1,250 guests. Photo courtesy of Oceania Cruises.
“Are you interested?” He asked. I recall responding with a resounding YES! (I refrained from screaming). There was no question – I would not be passing up this opportunity. I hadn’t realized the date interfered with my race, but even when I discovered it later, there was no way I’d change my mind, despite my training. There will be other races, but to be part of a big event like this, that doesn’t come around often.
The Christening cruise is by invitation-only. There will be a lavish ceremony and gala and for all you foodies, guess who the Godmother is that will be christening the ship? Cat Cora!
For those who are not familiar with the Godmother of the Riviera, she’s best known as the first female on Iron Chef America.
If you can’t tell by now, I’m over the moon. I can’t believe I’m going on this cruise! And the itinerary is amazing, with two overnight stays.
An overnight in Barcelona and Venice!
I can’t wait to see the ship, experience the fine dining onboard, and exlpore the ports, as well as meet some people I highly respect in the cruise industry.
Now, with less than two weeks left before I cross the pond, I’ve yet to decide what clothes I’ll be packing. I’d like to get a new dress or two, especially one for the Gala Naming Ceremony on May 11. Help!
This is surreal.
Starting May 5, I’ll be tweeting away via @Cruise_Xperts and posting updates on the agency’s Facebook page. I’ll also be summarizing daily highlights on the agency’s Europe blog. Hope you’ll tune in!
I went zip lining for the second time in my life this past weekend and in Whistler again.
Whistler Village
Remember I said it was one of the most exhilarating things I’ve ever done? The second time around was just as exhilarating! This time though, we went with the The Adventure Group (TAG).
Our adventure started with a bus ride out of Whistler Village into the rainforest where we were transferred into a vehicle that looked like a tank! The four of us chose to sit in the front with the driver and oh my gosh! The bumpy ride up was an unforgettable experience all on its own! We were up and down, side to side. So fun! I honestly felt like a little kid again. I think we all did!
Inside the tank
After the bumpy ride, we were given a lesson on how to put on our gear and how to stop and off we went! There were 5 lines.
This was a baby one, to help ease our fears.
Zipping over a valley!
You're stopped by bringing your knees up and then smacking into this cushion.
You can choose to hold hands to the very end on one of the lines.
Ziptrek Ecotours vs Adventure Group
Which zipping experience did I enjoy more?
- I liked the ecotour component of Ziptrek which we didn’t get this time around.
- I liked that I wasn’t really in a seat my first time and was free to go upside down or whatever we wanted.
- I also liked that I didn’t have to think about stopping my first time. They did the stopping for you. This time, we were required to assume the landing position. It takes away from the excitement, having to think about when to prepare for stopping. Also, we would smack right into a cushion (see second last photo). That’s what stopped us. I don’t remember stopping like that with Ziptrek.
In the end, I still had fun and that’s all that matters. I’ll definitely go zip lining again, wherever!
One of the most exhilarating activities I’ve done is zip lining in Whistler, BC with my sisters and my friend, Thi back in the summer of 2009. It was our first time ever doing anything like this, so we were super excited!
Oh, the anticipation!
If you’re not into skiing or snowboarding or it’s summer time in Whistler, you really should go zip lining. The company we went with, Ziptrek Ecotours, offers an educational component about the rainforest while you treetop trek from one zip line platform to the next.
Learning about the vegetation of the area. Fascinating.
My favourite part was the ability to hang upside down! Unlike with some other zip line companies, we were secured in a harness that’s attached to the cable rather than being confined in a seat.
Thi had the guts to do it upside.
Even though we had just finished the same line ourselves, watching her being all wacky made me nervous.
Pristine setting.
We had so much fun! Would I do it again? Well, thank you for asking. In fact, zip lining in Whistler is one of the activities I’ll be partaking in this weekend. Different company though and I’ll be strapped in a seat rather than harnessed. We’ll see how much difference that makes! Eeek!
Since I moved to Vancouver in 2008, I’ve learnt to always carry an umbrella during the fall and winter months. It’s a known fact, to Canadians at least, that Vancouver has the mildest weather in the country, but fudge, it rains a lot!
Now that spring has arrived, the constant grey skies threatening a downpour have lessened. We’ve been lucky last weekend to have the sun peek through and finally this weekend it’s made a grand appearance.
Happy that our weekend is rain free!
When it’s sunny out, Vancouverites flock outdoors for some vitamin D they’ve been without for too long, even if it’s not that warm. And what’s lacking in warmth at this time of year, the city more than makes up for with beauty; because when the sun shines in Vancouver, the city shines.
I was outdoors all last weekend with plans to do the same this weekend. I mean, who would want to be inside when a you’re rewarded with breathtaking scenery and views?! Here’s what last weekend looked like!
False Creek, near Granville Island
Along False Creek seawall, looking at the entrance of Granville Island. Just me and my bike on a gorgeous Vancouver day.
Vanier Park offers a view of the West End and the mountains on the North Shore.
Vanier Park, looking the other direction. This is where my boot camp classes were held was last summer!
Vanier Park
Vancouver Maritime Museum. Never been in here, but was told by a fellow Vancouverite on Instagram there's a cool boat inside.
Kitsilano beach
A lot has been on my mind lately… I feel like I’ve been all over the place, not really focused. Maybe it’s because I decided not to drink alcohol for two weeks (okay, okay, it’s not. I’m just looking for an excuse to get back on the bottle. It’ll be a week in two days, by the way). Just a few things that have been keeping me busy…
My workouts. I’ve been waking up early to train for my half marathon and if I don’t work out in the morning, I’d do so after work. I slipped this week though. I took two days off, that includes today. I need to be more disciplined. 21k is not a walk in the park, right?
10k mud run
I’ve been thinking about entering races around the world. I know someone who does that or used to do that. But first, I gotta conquer this half marathon in my own city. Imagine running a race in Hawaii… eeek!
Speaking of Hawaii…
Aerial of Waikiki beach, where I'll be basking in the sun. Photo sourced from Wikipedia.
My travels. My hotel is booked for Hawaii, but that’s it. I haven’t done anything else with it. Each time I look at airfare, what I see, I don’t like very much. So for now, my Hawaii planning will wait. I can’t handle constant disappointment. I’m not leaving until the end of July anyway.
What has been nagging me lately, like that voice that keeps telling you you should study back when you were in school instead of going out is my group cruise. What my annoying brain keeps reminding me is the fact that not as many people as I’d like have put down a deposit. Everyone’s got their reasons. We are having a reduced deposit sale for my cruise next month and hopefully this will entice people to secure their spot. For only $100 per person, their money isn’t tied up in a cruise deposit. But guys, I wouldn’t wait any longer than April. If you wait too long, you may lose the spot you want. I booked my balcony room! Woot!
Going back to working out – see, I’m all over the place – I’m looking for great workout songs to put on my iPod. Fast stuff, preferably with a good beat, something I would love dancing to and is current. I really enjoy The Motto by Drake, but I don’t want to get tired of it and risk losing the happy feelings I get when I hear it. It brings back memories of fantastically hilarious and fun times with the best gfs in the world. So, any songs you like to workout to? Leave me a suggestion, please!
And with that, I leave you with The Motto by Drake.
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