After my last Vegas trip, I realized I needed a *real* vacation (not just long weekends), so in January 2004, I went on a cruise with some of my closest friends; Arlene, Matt, Lisa, Jennifer and Jennifer’s brother Rob.
Arlene and I flew to Miami the night before we set sail and just relaxed. Matt, Lisa, Rob and Jennifer arrived late that night. We sailed Sunday afternoon and headed out to sea. Monday was a day at sea, and Tuesday we arrived in Montego Bay, Jamaica. Arlene and I had signed up for a shore excursion to Ocho Rios (on the other side of the island). The drive there was crazy! Riding with a Jamaican in Jamaica is probably like riding with Johnny Knoxville during one of his stupid stunts in which he attempts to drive blindfolded- in either case, it involves driving way to fast, “overtaking” other vehicles (Americans call it “passing”), and getting back into your lane a split second before you would have crashed head on with oncoming traffic. Our tour guide on the bus was hilarious- Ar and I were suckers and liked her so much that we let her con us into buying bracelets that she claims her daughter makes and sells so she can afford lunch at school. There’s probably about a negative 10 percent chance that story is actually true, but the bracelets were like 2 bucks so we didn’t mind.
After several “spectacles-testicles-wallets-and-watches” and flat out cries for Jesus, we finally made it to Ocho Rios safely. We enlisted ourselves to climb Dunns River Falls, which is a beautiful waterfall in Jamaica.
Once we got there, we realized that participants were expected to wear their bathing suits. Looking back, I can’t believe Arlene and I didn’t anticipate that, but regardless, here we were- waiting to climb up this waterfall and no bathing suit. *LUCKILY* we both have great fashion sense and we had (as we always do) coordinated our bras with our shorts (we both wore tank tops, so our staps had to match our short bottoms). When we got to the falls and everyone else stripped down to their bathing suits, Ar & I decided to take off the tanks and just wear our bras. They were Victoria Secret bras, so they were high quality and they covered more than most bikini tops, so we went with it.
Climbling the falls proved difficult, but it was a blast. Fortunately, I latched onto an older man who helped me climb my way to the top.
Our next port of call was Grand Cayman. I don’t recall much about the Island, but I remember that night Arlene and I decided to dress up for the formal dinner. We had each received onboard credit and decided to use it at the ship’s salon to have our hair done for the evening.
After Grand Cayman, we stopped next in Costa Maya. In Costa Maya, we mostly shopped. In a weird act of weirdness, Lisa and I (who hadn’t seen each other all morning while getting ready b/c we weren’t roommates), wore almost exactly the same thing- a coral colored tank top and khaki shorts.
It was in Costa Maya that Ar came out in true form 
Ar is known for being gullable, and as we were walking through the markets on the island, a man stopped her saying “ma’am! Ma’am! Please come back, you dropped something back there.” Arlene, confused but attentive, retraced her last few steps, looking intently at the ground for whatever dropped….and after several steps, the man smile and said “come right in here to my shop! Come see what I have for the pretty lady.” *hehe* Poor Ar.
Lisa and I got hairwraps and then we boarded the ship. It was that night that we decided to splurge a bit and have dinner at one of the specialty restaurants on the ship. This particular cruise was freestyle, which means cruisers are not assigned dinner times or dinner tables. You can eat where you want, when you want, and with whomever you want. If you choose to eat at one of the speciality restaurants, there was usually a $10 surcharge.
We had decided to dine at the Italian restaurant on one of the floors near the top of the ship. That night, the seas were knocking and our boat was a-rocking. Dinner was less than enjoyable simply because none of us were very hungry. The rough waters had forced our stomachs into our throats a few times and we decided to call it an early night.
Our final stop was in Cozumel, Mexico. It was in Mexico where we all did a catamaran ride and snorkeled. It’s the one and only time I’ve snorkeled! I brought a waterproof camera and was able to shoot some great underwater shots.
Arlene and I also took some time to kick back and relax.
I forget which night it was, but one evening the cruise hosted a deck party for the guests. After the cruise staff introduced themselves and showed us how much fun they were, the band began playing. So, all at once, the entire cruise staff jumped into the pool. It was like 10PM, freezing cold, and they all just cherry bombed right into the pool. Next thing I see is this black streak fly by me and then Arlene nearly belly flops into the pool, too! Of course, I didn’t need a written invitation to know what to do next…I, too, took the plunge. In my dry clean only shirt and see through skirt.
Many things make this cruise one I’ll never forget. I had the best company (well, Craig would have completed the bunch), I took advantage of great shore excursions, and I made lots of memories that I still remember to this day. After this cruise, I swore the only way I’d travel again would be on a big boat.
I’m currently in the process of making my first scrapbook ever, and I decided to use this cruise. I have so many pictures and keepsakes that it’s perfect for a beginner like me.
March 24th, 2006
Posted by
Jessica |
Oh the places I'll go |
one comment
If you’re sick of my Vegas posts, lo siento kids! But, I promise this is my last one (until Sept of this year b/c we’re taking Craig’s sister there for her 21st birthday!).
My last trip to Vegas was November 2003 for a friend’s wedding. Sara and Bret (high school friends) live in Hawaii, so when they decided to marry, they picked Vegas as their destination for the big day. I couldn’t have been happier. After all, Vegas and I have a great track record and this trip would prove to be no different.
While most of our friends decided to stay at the Mirage, I stayed at the Ho. I couldn’t afford $200/night, so I opted for the $60/night at the Ho which I split with Laura.
Ok, some background on my friends.
Martha, Laura, and I were part of a “group” in high school. We weren’t the preppies that were too good for everyone else; our “group” was pretty much the welcome wagon for high schoolers. New to the area? Come on in, we’ll break you in and get you on your mighty way into the halls of OTHS. If you were semi-entertaining and didn’t do drugs or drink, you were more than welcome to hang out with us. We didn’t do drugs, per se. We did, though, stage a drug night in which we convinced Laura to take a hit of the bowl….which, of course, was essentially oregano and some pepper. She eventually caught on, but in the meantime, she provided some much talked about entertainment.
Martha is the sarcastic one, Laura is the wanna-be gangsta, and I am…….somewhere in between.
So now the three of us are in Vegas together. Lord help us all.
At the wedding, we’re seated with friends of Saras from Hawaii (Sara is a some kind of nuclear engineer, I think- so all of her friends are presuambly super intelligent scientists). We’re given table #69. Let the party begin.
Patrick, Martha’s husband, is the first to consume a little too much early on in the evening, and when the videographer comes around and asks what song comes to mind when we think of the lovely couple, Patrick looks right into the camera and says “Put it in your mouth.” (if you’re not a Laura Gangsta, then you may not know that that refers to a rap song which describes certain lude acts). I’m sure thats exactly what they want on their wedding video.
The night got more and more fun. We bonded with the Hawaiian friends we dined with and became especially fond of Ryan (the very cheery man in the middle below).
With the bar being right next to our table, we all enjoyed our fair share of beverages. The wedding was a mid-afternoon ceremony and reception, so afterwards, a group of us decided to head back to the strip and hang out. Not sure what made us think of this, but someone thought it would be a great idea to ride the roller coaster at New York New York (seen as the red winding coaster in the picture below)
The girls and I handled it well, Ryan on the other hand, upchucked several times in the bushes outside the exit to the coaster. Uh, sorry dude.
Overall, another very successful trip. What I enjoy about Vegas is each trip was very different for me; even when I went with the same people, we created great memories each and every time.
Unfortunately, in November 2005, the Westward Ho closed it doors for good. Needless to say, Polly and I shared several emotional phone calls, and have realized that future trips will not only cost more, but won’t be nearly as fun to recall b/c they won’t include stories that center around staying in the Upper Rear of the Ho.
Long Live Las Vegas!
Cheers to my girls
March 23rd, 2006
Posted by
Jessica |
Life, Oh the places I'll go |
2 comments
The first real time I went to Vegas was in Oct 2001. I recount the festive memories of that trip in an earlier post.
I tripped to Vegas again in March 2003. We planned the trip with my best friend, Martha, her husband, Patrick, my other best friend Polly, and Maggie, a college friend and Polly’s little sister in the sorority. We went for another long weekend and, of course, had a blast. What made it even more fun was that Craig proposed to me the day before we left. So, I got to travel in style with my new bling bling.
We arrived in Vegas and established a routine. This was Craig, Martha and Trick’s first time in Sin City, so we did the usual touristy stuff. It was a little difficult keeping up with a schedule b/c Martha, the boys, and I were in one room and Polly and Maggie were in another. And, after the first night, we got our sleep schedules all out of wack, so Polly and Maggie stuck to a similar schedule Polly and I had the first time in Vegas, while me and the others weren’t able to stay out as late because we were exhausted from walking (also, with the boys in tow, our ability to score free alcoholic beverages was significantly limited).
The Bellagio had redone the interior of the lobby and it was absolutely beautiful.
Patrick also enjoyed time he spent with the ladies…
A great memory from the trip involved me getting the wind knocked out of my body during a reality check. Here’s what went down- Martha, Patrick, the Craigster and I were walking through New York New York hotel and casino. We had just rounded a corner and began heading in another direction when I felt this POUNDING on my back. I probably would have lost consciousness, but I immediately realized why Patrick had slapped the crap outta me….Bob the Bachelor had just walked by us. Now, I know I watch like 20 shows a week, but I’ve never watched the Bachelor. The Fraffels (aka Martha and Patrick), however, are huge fans of the show. Knowing this, I can’t really fault Trick for nearly killing me. Patrick meeting Bob would be the equivalent of a Jessica-Jake Gyllenhall meeting.
Bob was kind enough to offer himself for a picture.
Once again, Vegas proved to be tons of fun. Craig enjoyed his first time in the big city.
Martha and I had such a blast, that just 8 months later, we rounded up our partner in crime, Laura, and hit the city streets again.
I want to name our first born “Vegas.” I love that place.
March 22nd, 2006
Posted by
Jessica |
Life, Oh the places I'll go |
2 comments
My third big trip was to Las Vegas in October of 2001. I had a freaking blast! There are many, many reasons this trip is super memorable.
People I went with: Polly Frostman, aka Polly Pissy Pants
We graduated college together in May 2001 and while talking on the phone one day, decided we wanted to meet up. So, we decided on meeting up in Las Vegas. Polly flew in from Rochester, New York and I was coming from St. Louis. I knew it was going to be an awesome trip when I got roundtrip airfare, 3 nights in the hotel, and free breakfast buffet and all-you-can-drink-drinks for less than $250!
This is the first time we’d seen each other since graduation earlier in the year. We were PSYCHED about our long weekend in Vegas. We dropped our stuff off at the hotel and hit the strip.
We stayed at the Westward Ho (Motel) which is actually on the strip, but it’s at the far, older end down near Circus Circus. Although it’s a much older motel, it was clean and we got free food and drinks, so we didn’t mind. The funniest part of our hotel experience was when we got our email confirmation and it indicated we were staying in the Upper Rear of the Ho! Haha! Again, I just knew this was going to be a great trip!
I don’t remember the sequence of events too well (not really b/c of drinking too much, but because I have a terrible memory)- but the best night by far was October 16th (I only remember this b/c my mom called me the next morning from work and everyone sang happy birthday to me….more on that later).
Our routine was to stay out late, then hit the sack. Then sleep in the next morning, get up and walk around the trip in our t-shirts and sneakers, then we would head back to the motel and nap. Then, around 9:30pm or so, we’d awaken and get dolled up for the night. We eventually would make it out the doors sometime between 10:30 and 11:00pm. We’d pay the $2 and take the bus towards the newer part of the strip.
The night of the 16th- we headed out a little earlier b/c it was my birthday night (my birthday is the 17th, so we had to bring it in right!). We walked around as usual, seeing which casinos were deserving of our presence for the evening 
We started out at Treasure Island in a Mango bar which reminded me of Coyote Ugly. They sang and danced on the bar, poured liquor into my mouth straight from the bottle right at midnight, and I was called Tony the Tiger
Polly and I were sitting at the bar (unfortunately we had to purchase our first drink, but that was the one and only of the night we paid for) and a man walked up to me and said “my friend thinks you must be wild” as he pointed to a high-top table behind us. I just smiled, turned around, then looked at Polly and laughed. “Now, why would he think that?” “Well, your leopard print thong pretty much gave it away. Can he buy you a drink?”
Yikes! Oh yea, my friends, I was sporting the plumber look! Ooooops! Well, he didn’t mind buying me a drink, even after learning that I was taken. This definitely started the night off right. Twenty minutes out on the town and we already had our first free drink. This rocks!
Eventually, we ended up at the Paris Hotel and Casino. It’s absolutely beautiful inside. We sat down at the bar, was asked for ID when we attempted to buy a drink, and we were immediately pegged by an older, handsome gentlmen who inquired about my crown (Polly had bought me a crown to wear since it was my birthday…see pic below). Once he learned it was my birthday, he vowed to buy us drinks all night.
The dude didn’t lie. We spent several hours talking with him and a couple of his friends (male and female). Turns out Gordon was from Cincinatti and knew someone we went to college with- Polly made out with him and we continued to get free drinks all night. And, I’m not talking about the little 4 oz drinks you get for free when you’re being taken advantage of by the slot machines or trying to make a run at the roulette table. I’m talking about the nice, 20 oz pina coladas served in the souvinere Paris Hotel ceramic balloons.
We had it made. According to Gordon, he was the CEO of a paper company called XpedX (or something like that) and he said he was loaded. “Whatever, man! It’s cool if you want us to believe your story.” Then he wipped out about a $1,000 from his pocket.
We hung out with him until about 3:30am, then we hailed a cab and made our way to Treasure Island. We walked around, and I played Wheel of Fortune and won $110! The guy that came to cash us out TOTALLY had the hots for me, so he hung around (again, giving us hours of free beverages) and we had a good time. He kept asking Polly if she thought I would give him my number. Ummmm, No! He even knew I had a long time boyfriend. Once I knew that didn’t matter to him, we pretty much split. Oh yea, as it turned out, he had been in jail several times as a youth for a number of offenses. We basically appeased him for a bit longer, then split!
We walked outside and much to our surprise, it was light! We hadn’t worn watches out that night (they didn’t match our outfits) but by the time we WALKED back to our hotel, it was nearly 7:30am. We were totally exhausted, hungry and just wanted to sleep. We literally crawled into bed.
About 20 mins later, my cell phone rang and I got a beautiful rendition of “Happy Birthday” from the ladies in my office.
The whole trip was incredibly memorable. Polly won $250 playing “Little Dude” (which, of course, prompted the creation of the Little Dude dance) and I won money on the slots, too. We met a lot of really cool people (an Australian guy there for a wine tasting) and were regulars at the comedy club in our motel casino. We kept a list of everyone we met and have tons of great memories.
What a greaty way to celebrate a girls 22nd birthday. Thanks, Polly! Muuuahhh!!
January 29th, 2006
Posted by
Jessica |
Life, Oh the places I'll go |
one comment
I got to thinking last night about the places I’ve visited in my 26 years of existance. My sophomore year was the first big trip of my life. I went to New York City with my May Term Fine Arts Class. It was a blast. I saw 7 shows on Broadway in 6 days, including Beauty and the Beast, Ragtime, Rent, Phantom of the Opera, and the New York Symphony (I can’t remember the other shows I saw).
We stayed at the Ameritana in Times Square. We walked EVERYWHERE, it was exhausting. But, I was on a contstant high from being in NYC that I never really felt as tired as I probably was.
People that went with me: Rocki and Shandra. I know Kym Powell went, too, but we weren’t really friends at the time.
Things I remember about the trip: It was the first time I tried Cheese Cake and I Loved it! I had never tried it before, well b/c it was called CHEESE cake……who in their right mind would take something sweet like cake and add cheese to it? I was scared to ever try it and finally decided to while in NYC. Good thing I did!
While touring the New York Symphany Hall, there was a screening of NBC’s fall line up, so we got to see Kelsey Grammer, Dean Cain, Teri Hatcher, and someone else, but I can’t remember who. I was psyched that I got to see them up close. Kelsey even spoke with us (all I really remember was thinking “Man, that girl he’s with looks half his age!). When I got my pictures from the trip developed, every pic expect the close up of Kelsey came out fine. What I don’t understand is- if the stupid film developer person really wanted a pic of Mr. Grammer so badly, whey didn’t he/she just print another pic instead of taking mine? Bastard/Skank.
The day we saw Phantom was fabulous! Phantom was my favorite musical, even though I had never seen it. I loved the soundtrack and loved the story. So, on a rainy afternoon, we decided to eat at the Harley Davidson cafe and then catch a cab to see Phantom. We bought tickets earlier in the day- I handed the lady $60 and said “give me the best seat I can get for this money.” She took the money, handed me a ticket and I promptly ran over to the Seating chart of the theater. OH MY GOD! I had front row tickets to see Phantom!
So, after lunch at the Harley Davidson cafe, we tried “hailing” a cab, and a limo pulled up right beside us. It was raining outside and we were getting drenched, but when the limo pulled up, we got really excited about whoever was about to get out. Turns out the driver wanted to give us a ride to “wherever we were going” for $5 a person! HELLO! The five of us piled into the limo and made our way to the Theatre to see Phantom. Needless to say, this was the best possible way I could think of to arrive to see my favorite show.
The funniest part was when we pulled up to the theatre, and all of these people were standing in line (in the rain) to buy tickets and they got so excited to see who was about to walk out of the limo and LONE BEHOLD: Five soaking wet, Kentucky girls! Get out your cameras, people! We take great pictures!
Anyway, we get into the theater and I take my seat up in row BB (AA was technically the “first row” but it wasn’t a full row since it was split by the orchestra pit). I was so excited I remember thinking I probably would have wet my pants had the show not started so soon.
The best part of the whole experience: As I waited anxiously in the front row, I saw the conductor take a phone call (he was standing in position ready to que the orchestra), hang up the phone, then he looked around, saw me, winked, and then started the music!
The lights dimmed and the show began.
One of the most memorable moments of my college experience. I’ll never forget it.
January 26th, 2006
Posted by
Jessica |
Life, Oh the places I'll go |
2 comments
