When I Grow Up I Wanna Be A World Traveler!

My mom always tells me about how I was when I was little. Her favorite memory was the first day I met my now ex-step dad when I was 6. My mom warned him I was a wild child but when he came over I was on my best behavior. I was sitting in my Mickey Mouse chair watching TV in my big glasses and he asked me, "What do you want to be when you grow up?" And in my little "Minnie Mouse voice" (as my mom calls it) I replied, "A world traveler." I seriously think it is an ADORABLE story. At the time I had been to one vacation spot, Disney World. My mom and I went with her two cousins and her cousins son. It was hard to enjoy a trip with that many people and different opinions so my mom planned another trip to Disney for my birthday. So by the age of 7 I had been to Disney twice and my mom and I realized we LOVED traveling. Since that summer we went on a trip every year, whether it was big or small, we just wanted to see as much as we could.

So, at the age of 18 I've been to 5 countries (Canada, Mexico, Aruba, Bahamas, and Jamaica) and many different states (California, Hawaii, Virgina, New York, Florida, just to name a few). My mother and I are anything but wealthy she saves all year just so we can go a trip, and it's always just her and I. I feel truly privileged to have seen so many sights. Hollywood, Disney Land, San Fransisco, Pearl Harbor, Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade, The Atlantis, those aren't things lots of people get to see.

My Top Three Favorite Places:

1.Hawaii (Maui)- Absolutely gorgeous is as easy as I can put it. Every time I go on vacation I'm excited to go, excited to be there, but by the end of the trip soooo ready to go home. I honestly didn't want to leave. It was truly paradise. I never pictured anything to be that beautiful. The whole place looked like it was a post card. The people are beautiful and so kind, everyone seems as if they are having so much fun. We met Don Ho, whom I really didn't know anything about but my mom was infatuated, and he died the next year. Everything was gorgeous. My favorite animals are turtles and you can see them swimming in the ocean, it's just amazing. I will go back there at some point in my life. (I was also in Oahu, while it was nice it was too commercial, like New York City on a beach. Pearl Harbor is a must see though.) The picture is my amazing view of from room in Maui. All the good pictures are on my old computer.

2. Aruba- Once again simply gorgeous. I was there about a month after the disappearance of Natalie Holloway and I was staying at the Marriott (where she was supposedly last seen at the time, now I've heard so much new information I don't know what the whole story is) so I was a little nervous. Interesting story, on a Sunday afternoon, when the beach was totally crowded (basically everything closes in the afternoons) the two brothers Kalpo (I think) who were being questioned were walking across the beach to tell their story. People started starting at these people all waking really close together and literally 10 feet in front of me was one of the brothers. We then realized they were so close together because he was handcuffed to policemen. It was creepy but definitely memorable. I also met Gretta Van Sustren (basically my mom's idol). The island is tiny but there is a lot to do. I didn't get bored Oranjestad (the town) is so colorful and just beautiful. Once again, I plan on returning there at some point in my life.

3. Disney World (Hello, it's the happiest place on earth)- I've been to Disney World three times and Disney Land once. However, Disney World blows Disney Land out of the water. You can truly be a kid there. Whether you're three or 93 you can just have good time. No one looks at you weird if you're 40 and riding the Winnie the Pooh ride. Dumbo the Elephant is for all ages and is a must! I just love it there. You can take pictures with the characters at any age and not look dumb, people just have fun there. Not to mention, AMAZING PARADES! I went there for my 7th birthday and ate lunch in Cinderella's Castle. Cinderella and the mice came out and sang to me and I hid under the table. It's funny now and definitely memorable. I wanna back a million more time =]

Top Three Worsts:

1. Montego Bay, Jamaica- Ugh, I hated it. It was dirty and scary. The beach was nice, but that's about it. People do drugs on the street and live in little tiny literally 10 by 10 shacks that they paint different colors. The poverty is HORRIBLE it's so depressing. People aren't nice or pleasant their accents are so strong you honestly think they're speaking a different language. We went to craft market where people would follow you and beg you to buy things because they were so poor, we were so scared we stayed with an older couple the whole time.

2. Cancun,Mexico- Sorry, Spring breakers, I'll never go back! I didn't drink then (I was 14) and I still don't therefore, it doesn't amuse me to be there. I really can't stand the Spanish language because all you hear there is "Hola, Hola, Hola!" Ugh! People smelled and there wasn't much to do. I guess the all-inclusive was nice but that was about it. I'm not a fan or bugs or iguanas walking next to me.

Not to mention the fact that getting to these two places was hell in that my mother showed up at the airport with only a hospital record of her birth and not her real birth certificate. She was so paranoid about this happening and it did. We had to postpone the trip 2 days until she got her real birth certificate.

3. Ocean City, Maryland- I've been to lots of beaches. It was small and boring. It was also dirty. The boardwalk sucked. I just didn't like it.

That's all for now.