In 2022 we went camper camping for the first time with our friends Sarah and Matt and their dog Mieka. Brett and I had never taken Cal the Pom camping before. We had also never introduced Cal to Mieka, who is a high energy and sweetheart of an Australian shepherd. Below is a picture of all of us in the side by side and another of the dogs coming to an understanding.

From Chicago, Silver Lake Dunes is three and a half hours. We drove to Kalamazoo to meet Sarah and Matt first (2 and a half hours) and then went the rest of the way by camper, with a trailer for the side by side. The camper has a “garage” so it carries bikes, gas powered toys, kayaks, and extra gear and so forth, but can also be used as an extra bedroom if you have an air mattress. This is what Brett, Cal and I did for the weekend. We debated having a beer in the camper (the driver did not) on the drive up, but decided that probably wasn’t legal and abstained until we got to the campground. I am a rule follower after all.

Below is our campground at Silver Lake State Park.

There’s only so much you can do at a campground at night. Sit around the fire, eat, drink, talk, and stargaze. So that was our first night. We walked the campground and probably talked too loudly, which made me anxious and want to go back to the camper for the “wild” (aka slightly louder) part of the night. I understand being a courteous neighbor to fellow campers, but why do I assume someone will be angry with me before it even happens?

The next day was an anxiety adventure. There are seat belts in the side by side but I wasn’t sure how I would fair on the dunes, or driving on the streets on the way there. I took a klonopin for anxiety. Annnnnddd… so one thing I learned that day was that the side by side was not yet street legal. It didn’t have registration or a license plate. We tried to go to the park area of the dunes to ride in the vehicle and we were stopped by a park person. We also almost got a ticket at this time, but Matt made the executive decision to drive away while the 21 year old looking ranger yelled for us to wait. I freaked out about this and had a panic attack and decided they were going to follow us and we would be arrested. Unlikely considering we had no license place and his office was a hut.

Matt assured me everything was fine. He’s a natural extrovert and is charming and knows Michigan law more than I do. In some parts of the UP and northern Michigan, driving a side by side that is not street legal is fairly common. But I’m an omnivert, so I assumed I was being overly worried and I “knew” with a change of attitude I would go back into “fun party camping” mode. I tried, I really did. I drank a beer and tried to have a “fuck it!” Attitude. Later, he admitted he kept an eye out behind us for a couple miles after the run in.

I panicked enough that we decided to keep the side by side off the street as much as possible. I think everyone was annoyed with my paranoia, but it would not cease. I clenched my jaw until it felt like my teeth would crack and I tried to belly breathe but it didn’t work because I was too worked up. Then I decided the cure for this was legal Michigan marijuana. I got way too high and the paranoia worsened. We took the side by side to a general store to get more food, drinks, and ice, and I stayed in the back of the vehicle staring at the sky and my hands trying to act “normal” while the others went inside to shop. I mostly spent the time over analyzing every situation we had been in that day and assuming I was the worst version of myself in every scenario.

Later that day once I had quietly read a book in bed and taken a nap to reset, we found a sandbar off the beach and laid out blankets. We crossed a small bridge with the dogs and found a shady grassy area next to a small creek and leading down to a sandbar. We wanted to go swimming, but it was Lake Michigan in June cold, so we didn’t last long.

We chose not to use the pool as we would have had to leave the dogs in the alone in the camper and I was not ready to do that. Cal was not interested in camping at all and spent the majority of his time sitting in front of the steps of the camper waiting to go inside.

We spent the day cooking and drinking and laying in the sun. That evening we had a beautiful bonfire and watched the sky over the lake through the sky view app. We laid in the grass looking at stars and found Saturn, Cassiopeia, and Vega. Thus far in all my US travels I have seen the best stars in Michigan, Maine, and Montana.

I also discovered that I burned the bottom of my shoes from sitting like below.

On our final day we got a little “hillbilly” as Matt put it- we tried to go to the dunes a second time and I was stressed af but also did a lot of stating the facts (what are they going to do? Ticket and/or tow Matt, the owner)? We made it inside however we couldn’t affix the flag to the side by side to get onto the dunes so we couldn’t go up. So make sure you’re adequately prepared if doing off-roading, which I have very little experience with. Instead we drove around where we could and I enjoyed the sun and air on my face while breathing deep and trying to fully take in vacation.

We stopped just north of Muskegon in White Lake for lunch and brews. We went to Fetch Brewing Company and found outdoor seating with the dogs. The taps of beer and cider rotate so I can’t recommend a particular drink, and we got food from a local food truck- pretzels with cheese and other small bites. The dogs did so well and enjoyed the patio and being loved on by everyone outside.

We then headed from Fetch to Virtue Cider in Fennville, MI, about an hour and fifteen drive. Virtue is famous for their award winning ciders, tours, farm, and amazing outdoor space. We did samplers and bought tee shirts and some bottles to bring home.

Overall I was a nervous Nellie that weekend and most of it was unfounded. We laugh about it now and the side by side is now legal for the streets and we take it on new adventures. We drive back to Kalamazoo and parted ways there, taking home a very exhausted Pomeranian and a lot of sand.

Here’s part of the list of questions that I sent our consultant at Go2Africa about Namibia for our May 2026 trip.

We plan to fly to Frankfurt, Germany and spend a few days with friends and then go on to Windhoek (pronounced Vindhook) from there on an overnight flight. The flight is around 10 hours long from Frankfurt. The time zone will not change.

1. How large are the planes that go to Namibia?

The direct flight from Frankfurt to Windhoek with EW Discover they usually use the Airbus A330 which is fairly big. 

The benefits of business class are ideal for this flight as it’s an overnight flight and they have the lie flat seats.

https://www.discover-airlines.com/en/information/travel-classes/business-class/

2. Are there safety issues flying to Africa?

We don’t have issues with safety, what can happen is missing luggage so it is advisable to pack a separate overnight bag with essentials that you can take on board with you.

3. What is what’s the safety rating for the light aircraft? What are the weight limitations for people and suitcases on the light aircraft?

 Again, no issues with safety. Flights generally operates the following aircraft in Namibia: Cessna 206s and 210s – carrying 4 guests with 20 kg (44 lb) luggage per person, Cessna 406s – carrying 9 guests, as well as the GA8 Airvan – carrying a maximum of 7 guests. Weight restrictions for passengers are 220lb per person, or extra fees may apply.

Only soft duffel/tog type bags will be accepted – no frames or rigid structures may be transported as they physically cannot fit into the aircraft. Wheels on a bag are only permissible if they are not part of a solid frame or rigid structure.The maximum dimensions of ALL bags which can be accommodated are as follows: 25 cm (10 inches) wide x 30 cm (12 inches) high and 62 cm (24.4 inches) long.

 4. What are the average daytime temperature in the areas we are going to be at at what is the evening temperature? 

 Average day time temperatures around 75 degrees Fahrenheit and night time it can drop to single digits, but not often below zero.

 5. Do we need to bring coats? 

One warm jacket should be fine, no coats required.

6. Is tapwater safe to drink at all the hotels?

Yes, Namibia’s water is safe to drink from the tap, however, I always advise guests to stick to bottled water just to make 100% sure you don’t end up with an upset tummy which can ruin your trip.

7. English widely spoken?

Yes

8. How widely is credit card accepted? 

Almost everywhere

9. How easy is it get to an ATM? 

ATM’s are in the bigger towns like Windhoek and Swakopmund, at the camps you have access to card facilities but not ATM machines

10. How much pocket money should we carry?

$1000 in total for the two of you should get you far

11. How much should we expect to spend per day additionally?

Impossible to say, as some camps are all inclusive and others only include breakfast. Where necessary, card facilities are available.

12. How is cell service? Is there Wi-Fi at all the hotels? 

Yes wifi at all the hotels but remember the camps are in remote areas so it can be interrupted.

Yes we have cellphone networks and you can buy a local sim at the airport.

13. What are the emergency medical procedures if one of us was to be sick or injured in the various locations? 

It is strongly recommended that you take you medical and travel insurance, but you will be transferred to the nearest state hospital in event of illness

 14. Are there safety harnesses on the 4×4 excursions?

No not on all vehicles

15. What is recommended clothing/ do we need any fancy dress?

Definitely no fancy dress required and we will send you a comprehensive ‘what to pack’ brochure prior to your trip, and well in time so that you are well prepared.

16. Can you help us choose our flights from Frankfurt to make sure we use our time wisely? 

 Yes we can but this is only possible closer to the time as flights for 2026 are not available

17. If we have a layover what do we do if we get held up and miss it?

There is a direct flight from Frankfurt to Namibia so a layover is not necessary. In an event where your arrival is delayed, we will make all necessary arrangements to limit the impact on the rest of your trip, but again, it is not always possible, so comprehensive travel insurance will cover you so that you don’t suffer a financial loss.

18. Is there anything that is prohibited to bring into Namibia?

Only the normal products that are illegal across the world.

19. Are there any gestures or words or cultural differences we should avoid?

No

20. What is tipping culture like? 

 Tipping is not compulsory although it is quite the norm to tip the lodge staff, guides, etc. We will provide you with a detailed tipping guideline closer to the time.

 

Logistics

 Is the Himba tribe tour included? If not, how much does it cost and which day would we do it? Are there any gifts? We should bring the Kimba or any local money that we should get?

Yes, you can visit the Himba Tribe during your stay at Serra Cafema.

Gifts etc., we can advise on closer to the time once we have measured the need at the time.

1. Day one Windhoek. What time will we arrive on the first day in Windhoek and what time will be we able to check into our room? Do we have the day to ourselves? Is it safe to hire a taxi or walk around the city and go to the museums and restaurant? 

Your room is available from 2 pm onwards. Arrival time depends on your flight arrival time and not available at the moment. You have the day to yourself and the hotel can assist to book reliable transfers if/where necessary.

2. Day two, Soussuvlei. How long is the flight to little kalula lodge and What are the twice daily scheduled camp activities? 

It is just over an hour’s flight. Activities include nature drives, excursions to Sossusvlei and Sesriem, guided walking trails, hot air ballooning (available at an extra cost), stargazing, guided scorpion walks at night, guided quad biking, in-room massage at an additional cost.

3. Day four Swakopmund. how long is the flight from geluk to swakopmund? Are there other places to eat dinner besides the hotel? How expensive is dinner at the hotel? Do we have any activities the first day or what is there to do solo? Do we need any dress-up clothes? 

Arrival time in Swakop depends on the weather, that is why we keep the first day open. You are free to walk around town on your own on the first day. The flight is approximately 1,5 hours. There are plenty of good restaurants in Swakop. Dinner at the hotel is around $25 per person, depending of course on what you eat. No reason to dress up.

4. What time is the half day desert tour on day 5. Can we arrange any other tours in the afternoon on the day of if we so choose?

It is from 8 am to 12 pm and the afternoon is free and open so you can do something else if you’d like.

5. Day 6 kaokoveld. How long is the flight to kaokoveld and the car trip to Serra cafema camp. What is the standard double tent like. Is alcohol included in local beverages. What are the scheduled camp activities. 

You fly from Swakopmund to Doro Nawas (1 hour), then another flight to Serra Cafema airstrip (another hour) and then it is a 60-90 minute road transfer to the lodge (depending on wildlife sightings, scenery and photographic opportunities along the way).

Activities include nature drives, guided quad biking, guided nature walks, boating (water levels permitting), Himba excursion, stargazing, back of house tours. Yes local beverages are included (no premium brands like champagne and cognac). Tent description: luxury canvas tents on raised deck, with elevated wooden walkways and private viewing decks overlooking either the dunes, hills or river valley.

Each tent comprises ensuite facilities with flush toilet, double vanity basin, indoor and outdoor shower, mosquito net, electronic safe and tea & coffee making facilities.

No air conditioning, however each room has a pedestal fan and three ceiling fans.

6. Day 8 Etosha. How long are the two flights. What are the scheduled camp activities. Are the prices all included?

Same estimated times as above: 1 hour to Doro Nawas and another hour to Ongava. Both scheduled activities are game dries in the Etosha National Park. Included in the rate: all meals, twice daily scheduled activities, park fees, local drinks and laundry

7. Day 11 return to Windhoek. How long is the flight? What time do we get back? Can we chose to spend a day and rest there? Can you help us book a hotel by the airport?

The flight time is approximately 1,5 hours back to Windhoek. The departure time from Ongava will only be advised closer to the time, but if there is a particular concern/need for very specific timing, please let me know. We can certainly help you book a hotel, but it will be in Windhoek as there are not hotels close to the airport. The airport is approximately 40 minute drive outside of Windhoek.

23. How much is the plane ride excursion over the skeleton coast?

As we fly over the Skeleton Coast twice during the travel days, our pilots will fly low as is safely possible so you may take photos from the plane. If you choose to book another plane excursion that will be at additional expense.

24. The Skeleton Coast is known to be foggy, how will this affect our flights?

The flights on these days are flexible due to the nature of the weather and the planes have the ability to fly inland if necessary to avoid the fog.

More to come as the trip comes closer. The deposit was 30% down. They suggested Redpoint Travel Protection for travel insurance, and said we must get the travel insurance within 14 days of placing the deposit.

For my high school graduation gift, my mother and former stepfather took myself, my brother, my grandmother and a close friend of my mother’s to Ireland. We went in mid June. Please note this was my first experience outside the U.S. and as it was 19 years ago somethings I experienced at the time may be out of date.

I also want to emphasize that I did not plan this trip or do much research prior at all. This was before Pinterest so I didn’t look up any travel blogs, and my parents did the travel plans with the travel agent. I barely researched more than “have a light jacket” because it’s cooler than the Midwest in June. And of course I double checked o could have my first (legal) drink over there. I also didn’t take as many pictures as I have since started, and they’re from a grainy disposable camera.

We flew Chicago to Boston and then into Shannon International Airport. Shannon is on the west coast of Ireland, just west of Limerick. We had paid for a 7 person Mercedes automatic van. What they gave us was a Mercedes, but it was a 14 passenger white van that was basically as big as the roads we were driving down. We were also driving on the opposite side of the road for the first time, and many roads are narrow and lined with stacked rick fences. This was pre anxiety medicine for me as I was only 18 and we still thought I just had depression, not Bipolar disorder. I laid down on one of the “bus” seats in the back with my eyes closed for some of the journeys to field off the panic and also because the winding roads and left side driving made me car sick. Take Dramamine or ginger if you are driving on the opposite side of the road there!

The weather was in the mid 60’s and foggy. We didn’t stop over in Limerick even though we were close. We headed straight down to the southern coast to a small town called Youghal. It’s about a two hour drive. This was before AirBnb and my mom booked a townhouse close to the estuary of the River Blackwater and facing the sea through a travel agent. It is a town of around 8500 people. Youghal is a “Irish Hertiage Port” city, and a popular seaside resort town. We used Youghal as our home base for 4 days, and did day trips by car out of it. It is such a cute town and I highly recommend it if you prefer a home base rather than switching hotels every few days. We spent the last 2 days in Ireland in Dublin.

Things we did in Youghal: Immediately went to Tides Restaurant and got our first Guiness, walked Front Strand Beach (it was too cold to swim), we went to little shops and bought souvenirs and claddagh rings (Buffy was still in my heart two years after the finale), looked over the Youghal harbor at the eastern most point of county Cork, the Youghal boardwalk, the Clock Gate tower, went to The Quay’s Bar and Restaurant, and ate and drank a lot.

One night my mom took me to my first bar (no food) and hovered watching how much I drank. It was a tiny place and I don’t remember the name. Smoking had been banned from bars recently. At 12am the bars close, but they (at the time) just closed the doors and locked them and then continued the party til 2am, while everyone smoked inside. I had a group of 40 something year old men serenade me with Daydream Believer. I thought I was hot shit.

We drove an hour to Cork to explore for a bit and then on to Blarney Castle to take the tour, explore the grounds, and kiss the Blarney Stone, which is supposed to bring good luck.

Things to do in Cork: We walked St. Patrick’s street and went to the English market. Then we moved on. Things I had wished we’d done were Cork Public Museum and Elizabeth Fort.

Blarney Castle and grounds were stunning. I had a mini heart attack climbing the tower stairs to the top because they were so narrow and there were people all smushed together waiting to get to the top.

One day we drove to the Cliffs of Moher, a three hour journey from Youghal. It was a chilly, drizzly, misty day, but still incredible. The 700 foot tall cliffs are facing the Atlantic Ocean and made of Namurian shale and sandstone and you can see (on a clear day) the Aran Islands from them. Warning, if you have vertigo, stay back a ways. There are no fence guards.

Waterford Crystal Factory, or House of Waterford, was another stop we did. It is in the aptly named city of Waterford, Ireland. It is an hour and fifteen minute drive from Youghal. I can’t find the pictures I have from this part of the trip, so the pictures below are from the official website.

Tickets today to enter are 17.50 euro for an adult. We actually went to a different facility location I. 2005 than where they are located today. They kept over 750 tonnes of crystal a year there. We took a tour and saw how they carve the molds, the glass blowing, the cutting and shaping of the glass, the polishing, the inspection, and the etching and marking of the final products.

We also had an afternoon tea reservation at the facility we were at and it is best to reserve in advance.

After we left Youghal we traveled to Dublin. It is an almost three hour drive and we stopped in Kilkenny for lunch. Things to do in Kilkenny: boat tours, historical city walking tours, Kilkenny Castle and gardens, Swithwicks Beer Experience, the Kilkenny Witch tour, St. Canice’s Cathedral, and so forth. You can also drive into the Wicklow Mountains on the way to Dublin. We had a typical Irish lunch with items including Irish Stew, corned beef and cabbage, shepherd’s pie, Irish soda bread, and more.

In Dublin we returned the van at the airport and went everywhere by taxi or public transportation. We stayed at the Clontarf Castle Hotel across the Dublin Bay from the port. It is a ten minute drive from the Dublin City centre. (Photos are from the hotel website). We stayed for two nights.

It is a four star hotel with a variety of rooms that include tvs, WiFi, laptop friendly safes, 24 hour room service and more. It has the Knights Bar, and the contemporary fine dining restaurant at the double-rosette winning Fahrenheit Restaurant.

While in Dublin we took a double decker bus tour of the city, and did the Guinness Storehouse experience, tour, and its Gravity Bar. The ticket prices begin currently at 20 euros and go from there depending on the package you choose. We were able to take home key chains that had a small bubble with Guinness in them.

We also went to Temple Bar, St. Patrick’s Cathedral, and the Book of Kells Experience (pre reservations advised). Finally we went to Kilmainham Gaol and did a museum tour. We did a lot of eating and drinking I didn’t record, but popular places to go today are Hatch & Sons Irish Kitchen, The Exchequer, The Brazen Head, and more found at https://www.ireland.com/en-us/magazine/food-and-drink/dublin-food-and-drink.

After our two and a half days in Dublin we said goodbye to Ireland and got on a ferry from Dublin port to Holyhead, Wales. The ferry ride today costs an average of 45 GBP per person and is a 3 and a half hour journey across the Irish Sea. There are plenty of comfy spots to sit, a cafe, restrooms and shopping on board. I got the current information from https://www.directferries.com/wales.

We didn’t stop to explore Holyhead, Wales, we went directly to the train station. I do wish we had because from what I saw it was a beautiful town.

We took a train from Holyhead, Wales to London and ended our trip after three days there. I will devote another post to London.

go dté tú slán! Or “safe travels” in Gaelic.

I’m taking my mother Stephanie to France for her 70th birthday in 2025. We are going in mid September during harvest season for the wine country. We are doing a mother-daughter trip and we used the agency SmoothRed. We did this because my mom has a bad back and some leg injuries and I wanted a bespoke tour that would accommodate her needs. We had a wonderful travel consultant named Sira who spoke with us on the phone twice and multiple times over email to tweak the itinerary before putting down a 30% deposit. Flights and travel insurance were not included in the quote from SmoothRed.

This is not my first time traveling with my mom. We have been to Ireland and London, Argentina, New Orleans, LA, a road trip through the state of Maine and New Brunswick, CA, and on a European cruise to Venice, Montenegro, and Greece. There are challenges to traveling with an older person, and there can also be personality clashes especially between two neurotic people. So below is the plan, and in one year I’ll update how it went, where we are, where we drank, and what we saw. Oh… and also if we survived 🙂

The itinerary:

Day 0 from Chicago ORD to Paris CDG overnight and arrive on the 14th for Day 1.

Day 1. Private car from CGD to Paris train station for a train ride of two hours thirty minutes to Bordeaux. Private car from train to Hotel de Seze. Meals not included.

Day 2. Breakfast at hotel included, private driver to Saint Emilion. Morning private tour of a TBD winery featuring Premier Grand Cru Classé. Lunch, booked for us but not included, at TBD restaurant overlooking the city. Afternoon tour at another TBD winery and tasting with the sommelier. Private car back to the hotel for a second night, dinner and evening activities on our own.

Day 3. Check out of hotel and head to Medoc for tastings. Tbd vineyard with Grand Cru wine at a chateau. Tasting paired with artisanal chocolates. Lunch on our own (booked but not paid for by SmoothRed) at a TBD brasserie. In the afternoon head to another Medoc area estate for a private tour and tailor made tasting session. Spend the night at Château Cordeillan-Bages.

Day 4. Breakfast included on the terrace at the chateau and then day at leisure. Optional cooking class can be arranged for an additional price. Recommended to head to village of Bages for dinner.

Day 5. Breakfast at the chateau, check out and private transfer for Bordeaux train station. 2 hour 30 minute train ride to Paris. Check into Hotel Balmoral Paris. Afternoon at leisure.

Day 6. Breakfast at the hotel, private transfer to train station to travel approximately 45 minutes to Reims in the Champagne region. Private full day tour of two champagne houses in Montagne de
Reims. Michelin starred 3 course lunch included. Visit to Reims Cathedral and Masion Fossier. Private transfer to train, 45 minutes back to Paris, private transfer back to hotel.

Day 7. Paris museums. Either Musée de l’Orangerie and then Musée d’Orsay, or an upgraded trip outside the city to full-day private tour at Giverny and Claude Monet’s home. Return to Paris hotel for dinner on our own.

Day 8. Day at leisure. We opted to upgrade to a private tour of Versailles. They booked us a private English speaking guide for the two of us that can walk slowly and take breaks. They also booked us an afternoon Royal tea-time at Versailles. Return to Paris and the rest of the day on our own.

Day 9. Breakfast at the hotel and then check out. Private transfer at time we need to return to CDG. Hotel will hold our luggage until it is needed.

The questions I asked before booking:

1. What are the average day and night temperatures?
   • It varies. Southern France near Bordeaux is typically warmer and Paris typically chillier. But with global warming, we won’t know exactly until sooner to the trip.
2. Is tap water safe to drink everywhere?
   • Yes, and the hotels and chauffeured tours provide mineral water and still water bottles.
3. Are there mini fridges in the hotel suites and is there ice available?
   • Yes, but the cost of taking out items is not covered by Smooth Red and will be charged when we check out. We can ask room service for ice- the French do use it more than some other European countries.
4. Is English widely spoken?
   • Yes, in all regions, and each driver and guide we have will speak English.
5. Are atms available at the hotels? How wide is the use of credit cards?
   • Yes, atms are available at the hotels except for at the chateau. credit card is accepted almost everywhere
6. How is cell service and WiFi?
   • Non-issue. All hotels have WiFi and it is offered in many restaurants and malls.
7. We went from separate rooms to a shared suite at each location to save cost. Are we in separate beds?
   • Yes
8. We requested first floor or hotels with elevators (lifts) due to my mom’s walking abilities. Is this possible?
   • Yes, all hotels are first floor or lifts. It was important to sign and deposit quickly once we chose our price and itinerary to make sure we locked those in.
9. What if there is an emergency?
   • We have an app to use and a 24 hour number to call with Smooth Red. Each town we go to has police, ambulance, and hospitals.
10. What kinds of cars do the chauffeurs drive?
    • Even for this private two person tour it will be a Mercedes minivan with air conditioning.
11. What if our train is delayed and we need to contact the driver for the transfer?
    • The app or the 24 hour Smooth Red phone number will allow the agency to contact the driver for us.
12. We both smoke- where is this allowed?
    • Not in the rooms or common areas of the hotels, but almost everywhere outside.
13. Is there laundry service at each hotel?
    • Yes.
14. Are we paying for the first class train tickets to and from Bordeaux/Paris or is that included?
    • It is included in the price of the package.
15. Is Notre Dame still closed inside?
    • Yes, it is.
16. Can they book us a private tour of Versailles on our leisure day in Paris?
    • Yes, for an additional cost. They booked us a private English speaking guide for the two of us that can walk slowly and take breaks. They also booked us an afternoon Royal tea-time at Versailles.
17. Can the hotel concierges make us recommendations and reservations for dinners on the nights that dinner is not included?
    • Yes.
18. Will the guides be told ahead of time of my mother’s walking restrictions and pace?
    • Yes
19. Are any of our hotels on cobblestone streets? (Walking hazard).
    • No

We’ll see what happens in 2025!

The year, 2012. The goal, spring break. The company- my boyfriend of three months, Brett. The other goal: hide your crazy.

I want to first off say that this was not my first travel, but my first cruise. I had trouble with it. You may love cruises. If this blog post isn’t for you, that’s ok!

Brett and I had known one another for a year and a half. We had a bit of a “will they, won’t they”. I never had good boundaries with boyfriends, and after ignoring him for three months and working on my self esteem in therapy, I laid down the law. You will treat me well, you will stay at my house, you will meet my friends and family. And if you EVER get wishy washy on me again, I’m gone. He never did get emo, “not your boyfriend”, “I’m too busy for a relationship”, doesn’t call me for a week straight again. November 12, 2011 he said “All I want to do is make you happy.” And he meant it. We married 3 and a half years later.

I couldn’t ask for a better partner. He’s my co-captain, my travel partner for life, my love song writing, hold me when I’m sobbing, puppy daddy. We’ve been married 9 and a half years now.

But those first three months were precarious. We were long distance, he, in Chicago and me at Purdue. I was waiting for something to go wrong and trying not to get too close. He was trying to show me he was all in. In February 20, 2012 he kissed me to the Get Up Kids song “I’ll Catch You” on his birthday after eating a Nyan Cat cake I had specifically ordered, and waited til my makeup was off and my mouth guard was in to tell me he loved me. I whispered back “I luff syou too”. Bastard. 🙂

So we booked a cruise for spring break. I was still trying to be the “perfect” version of myself in front of him. The “putting on makeup and getting back into bed while he was asleep” person. (Props to Kristin Wiig from the movie Bridesmaids to show this is an actual thing we do). I was trying to be the “cool girlfriend”, up for anything. “Sure I want to listen to your band play music for 5 hours on the one weekend we get together”. I waited til he left to use the bathroom. I hid my mood swings and made light of my disorder. “It’s not a big deal, I just take some pills.”

March 2012 we flew to Miami and boarded a Royal Caribbean cruise ship to Nassau, Bahamas, Coco Cay- a Royal Caribbean owned island, and Key West, Florida. I hid in the plane bathroom taking a Xanax, I turned up the volume on my headphones as loud as it would go so I didn’t have to risk hearing someone be disgruntled on the plane. Why does that bother me? It does, and it’s infuriating. Someone gets shitty and I immediately am on edge. I’m sure they’ll make a scene and I’m terrified to see it. I worry they are mad at me, and I imagine getting yelled at and crying in front of everyone. I empathize with everyone around me and I take on their discomfort at my own. I freeze and I make myself as small as possible…. And we had literally just arrived. Next up was figuring out bag tagging and getting out passports and being herded like cattle with 3000 other people onto a boat. Everyone is impatient, everyone is rushing to the front of the line. You get bumped and rustled. I HATE being touched by anyone, I need to initiate touching expect with a few select people. I make myself smaller. And smaller. And smaller.

The cabin was my safe space. It was tiny and had a porthole and no fresh air. I cried in the fetal position of the bathroom floor, telling Brett I just needed to take a shower. Would this get better?

It did, but cruises are still not my thing. I’ve been on two others, and one was to do a family trip with Brett’s parents who love to cruise, and another to take my mom to Italy and Greece because she’s amazing and has some mobility issues and I thought it would be easier on her. Those stories will come later. There’s chaos in the dining halls, chaos at the bars, expensive drinks if you don’t buy the package and the pools are packed. You have to get to the pool at 7am if you don’t want to fight for a spot. It was also spring break so there were the usual cruise fans and then the rowdy younger crowd. The only way I could cope with people being so loud and drunk was to drink myself. I have since bought Calmer ear plugs (similar to Loop) and they help immensely. And I’ve worked on the alcohol consumption. I learned there is a 30 minute “urge” period. Ride out that urge wave for thirty minutes, and a lot of it passes.

I seem negative. Maybe I am. The excursions were great honestly, if not a little short for the one in Key West. I just don’t like crowds. It’s why we moved out of Chicago after living there from 2013 to 2022. I need space and nature. I figured that out for later trips.

So on to what we actually did. Our first stop was in Nassau. We were able to dock at the port, no tender needed. I mentioned in an Instagram post (@theneuroticadventurer) that buskers and people selling things stress me out. I practically ran past the sellers at the port. We had nine hours in port. We chose a snorkeling excursion. I then found out that Brett was not a strong swimmer. We catamaraned past the Atlantis Hotel and out of a beautiful spot. The sea was rough and Brett drank more salt water than he actually swam in. Even I, a strong swimmer, had some issues. But the fish were colorful and the boat was heavenly. I would just recommend for future travelers to take a look at the sea and determine if you can handle the waves that day. They’ll take the boat out if it’s safe-ish enough and will bring in the tourists.

After the tour we cleaned up and walked the town. Nassau is beautiful, but there are certain areas to avoid. “Over the hill” south of Shirley street is one of those areas. We stuck close to the ship, did some shopping and found some bars. We ate conch fritters at the succinctly named Conch Fritters stand. We drank Bahamian beer at Sharkeez and bought Cuban Romeo y Julieta cigars. We debated sneaking a few home, but I’m to a fault, a rule follower. We even walked into the most touristy place on earth, Senor Frogs, and danced a little and watched the strangest sight of a mom pushing a stroller at 9pm at night near the dance floor.

Our next stop was CocoCay, also known as Little Stirrup Cay, Bahamas. It is owned by Royal Caribbean. it is less than a mile long and at the time we had to use tenders to get there. They have since built a port on the north side of the island. There is a water park, pools, beaches, nature trails, and a shopping and food area. There are also a bunch of activities you can book. We chose to have a relaxing day with no activities. We got lunch, a pre set buffet which was mediocre, and then found a less crowded area to put down our towels on loungers and splash around in the sea. We watched parasailers and kayakers go by, and sipped rum drinks. We walked the beach, but not the nature trails, and explored the piers and looked for shells. One side of the island was busy with families and screaming joyful laughter from kids, and the other side a little more relaxed.

On the ship that night we did the captain’s dinner which was actually very fun. I didn’t love sharing a table with strangers but I’ve since gotten better about socializing on later trips. The sunset was breathtaking and we got to dress up and sip wine with our seafood. I was calmer at this point and getting into a groove on the ship. We played blackjack and explored the ship and even peeked into the nightclub for a bit.

The third and final port was in Key West. We were able to dock in port, overlooking Mallory Square and Lands End village. This was our shortest day, only 6 hours in port. But by the time you get off and on the ship in the crowds, it’s more like 4 and a half hours. We first went parasailing. If you’ve been, you know the experience. It’s a fun diversion and a beautiful boat ride and we got to touch our feet to the water. We then went to Sloppy Joe’s bar for happy hour Yuenglings, (we couldn’t get them in Indiana at the time) and then walked up and down Duval Street. We shopped and looked at statues and 6 toed cats and iguanas. We didn’t take the trolley tour and I wish we had.

Here is where we made our mistake. We asked a local for a recommendation for an off the beaten path bar to drink at. We ended up at Pepe’s. I just looked it up on google maps and I can’t find this bar anymore. There’s a Pepe’s Cafe but that wasn’t it. It was exclusively outdoors with flowering trees and shaded picnic tables. They had $1 Yuenglings and boy did we indulge. Then we went up to the bartender to chat and he said “I have all these fresh peaches and I don’t know what to do with them, do you want to sit here and try the concoctions I make?”. Big Mistake. We of course said yes and promptly got hammered. I threw up in the restroom and we nearly missed the boat home. I practically carried Brett back to the ship, which we got lost trying to find despite it being the massive thing in the sky in front of us. We were the last ones on the boat and everyone was pissed and hooting and hollering off the decks at us. We scurried to our room with our heads down and continued to get sick and pass out.

Instead of Pepe’s, which may be gone or renamed, I recommend After Deck Bar at Louie’s. It’s got good reviews, an outdoor space and views of the water and sunset. It will likely be more touristy than what we experienced though.

The next day was tough, I was hungover and sure everyone’s eyes were on me. I hid in the room except to get lots and lots of water and caffeine and was thankful we reached Miami quickly. BUT, we forgot to put tags on our bags and put them out in the hall. So they got hauled down late with no tags and we ended up waiting for our luggage for over an hour in the cruise terminal baggage claim. Mess.

We had a few hours to kill before our flight so we found media noche sandwiches and bloody Mary’s and pretended we were Dexter Morgan, living it up in Miami. Then we got on a plane home and I was asleep long before I had time to worry about everything that had plagued me on the flight down. So there’s that at least.

Overall, we made it. I had a few snippy moments, a few tears, and Brett got me through it. He didn’t leave me, he embraced me. Find a travel partner like that.

I started a blog post and got so far in and it deleted itself, because I’m a WordPress novice. So here’s the short and sweet summary.

I may not write about all my trips in order. My first international trip was at 18 in 2005 but I’m starting with a trip in 2012 in my next blog post. I’ll try my best to get all the names of hotels and restaurants and dates accurate, and if a place I went isn’t still open, I’ll note it and recommend something else. Some of the pictures will be from old iPhones and blurry. If you see an error you can tell me!

Hey if this blog makes money someday that’s great, but it’s mostly a travel journal for me and for my friends and family. Not everyone wants to read about mental health, they might just want some photos and a list of places to see. That’s fine!

Here’s a list of countries I’ve been to: (sometimes multiple times)

Ireland

Great Britain (Wales and England on one trip, Scotland on another)

Argentina

Brazil

Bahamas

Dominican Republic

Mexico

Jamaica

Haiti

Germany

Spain

Portugal

Canada

Costa Rica

St. Lucia

Italy

Montenegro

Greece

Norway

Sweden

Poland

Here’s a list of upcoming trips planned:

Thailand

Japan

Vietnam

Cambodia

Panama

Aruba

France

Namibia

This is a hard one, just fyi. Trigger warnings for depression, self harm, death of a pet.

Did you know there are elephants in Namibia? Desert dwelling elephants that currently only reside from Mali to Namibia. We are planning a trip to Namibia in 2026, and I can’t wait to see them.

But that’s not the elephant I’m writing about in this post. The elephant, is the elephant in the room. The 23 pound fluffy black and tan little man that takes up all the space in my house and my heart. My 13 and a half year old Pomeranian, Calzone.

Every trip, I wonder- is this our last snuggle? Is this the last time he snorts in my ear and licks my face (he always goes straight for my lips no matter how I try to deter him). Is this the last time I disappoint him as I walk out the door with a suitcase and no leash for him?

Time never ceases to turn, and he’s not a young man anymore.

We adopted Calzone when he was six years old (guesstimate) in December 2016. I had been having the worst year of my life. I was 29 and the return of Saturn was doing a number on my sanity. The pills stopped working, I could barely get out of bed, I couldn’t keep a job, or shower myself, or stop thinking about just sleeping through the rest of my days (if not worse). Self harm and alcohol were involved. Brett was desperate to help me. I asked for a dog.

We went to PAWS and found in a room full of excited little pups a sound asleep fluff ball that had no interest in jumping at the window. I met him and he pawed my hands and curled up at my feet. I was done. I had found my man.

I had dreamed for a while about naming a dog Lemon. 30 Rock is my favorite tv show and I imagined yelling “Good God Lemon!” at a dog doing something exasperating. He didn’t “feel” like a Lemon though. Brett suggested the name Calzone as a half joke. It’s his favorite food. I laughed more than I had in months. He was to be Calzone.

I can’t currently write in detail a history of the time with my perfect dog, I will lose it and never finish this post. He’s still alive and happy and healthy currently. He sees a vet more than I see a doctor and that’s saying something. He is a preening, confident, well kept little gentleman. But he’s getting older. And I keep traveling.

In a preposterous turn of events in July 2016 our tortoise, Giles, (Buffy fans unite!) “ran” away. We went to the Dominican Republic on a friendscation and he stayed with a vet tech. She kept him outside during the day in a pen, and he escaped under it and disappeared. We found out in the airport on the way home and I was distraught through the worst entire plane ride of my life. We went to search for him for hours, he was gone. He wasn’t my first tortoise. I had Betty years before and she died of an infection. I purposefully left him with a vet tech during our vacation because of what happened to her.

This was my fault. I was cursed, a terrible pet parent, a terrible human being. I sank lower into the darkness that had been creeping in for 6 months. I can still barely talk about it.

Cal was our light. We brought him home 6 months after Giles disappeared and I started new meds and a partial inpatient program for my bipolar. I fought through wave after wave, fighting to swim instead of sinking. In a longer story, I even scooped him up and ran down a Chicago alleyway running from a husky that broke loose and was crouched like a tiger ready to pounce on him. I went outside to walk him after days of laying in bed and I raced him to the emergency vet when he managed to grab on to half a rack of ribs someone dropped on the parkway by the United Center. I cooked for him and sang to him.

With renewed energy and excitement for life after a year of near nonexistence, we booked a trip to Scotland for May 2017. We were going to drink scotch and hike highlands and explore castles! Then came a tiny voice in the back of my mind. “What if it happens again?”

We have traveled countless times since we got Cal almost 8 years ago. Each time is the same. Yay! Trips, adventures, good food, photography, romance! And each time a nagging little thought that doesn’t go away. “What if…?” The night before a flight or a weekend away I don’t sleep. I take two klonopin and I lay awake and try to distract myself with games and books and Reddit. I lay my hand on my baby’s belly and I feel the rise and fall of his breathing. I say things to him like they are the last time I will say them.

He’s always fine. He stays with grandparents and gets spoiled rotten. They feed him ham and steak and greenies and let him sleep in their rooms. We face time him nearly daily and he sings for us. We ask for regular photos and updates. I always leave a detailed list of his daily schedule and list of vets and emergency contacts. He greets us when we get home with running and wagging and rubbing his face against ours. Then he immediately demands the treats he’s become accustomed to.

We’ve had some health scares recently with Cal. He’s fine for now, great health for a chubby pup his age. But that time will come. And it could be when I’m away. Each year that passes, it gets a little harder to walk out the door. A FaceTime every day. A few extra texts to grandma about how he’s doing. A few more klonopin when those responses don’t come quick enough. More belly breathing and talking through scenarios and laying out of the facts and only the facts in my head. more mental preparation for what ifs and plans for just surviving the trip home if the worst happens.

He’s got a personality the size of an elephant. I’d never travel again if it meant he’d live forever. We’d spend our days on walks with his stroller, barking at the UPS guy, and laying on the couch watching Bender yell “shut up baby I know it!”. so Namibia may happen in 2026. But if I got to keep my elephant at home, I’d skip the real thing in a second.

My name is Rachel Davis. I’m 37, with no children, living in the Chicago suburbs with my husband Brett, my mother Stephanie, and a fat and sassy 13 and a half year old Pomeranian named Calzone.

I have bipolar 1 disorder and generalized anxiety disorder. These were diagnosed for me at ages 19 and 22, respectively. They offer unique and sometimes unfun challenges to daily life, like for many people out there. I take a regime of medication daily, see a psychiatrist monthly, and a therapist weekly. I also do ketamine infusions for ptsd and depression.

I also love to travel. I’ve been to 37 states and 23 countries. In December/January 2024-2025 I’ll be adding three more countries to that list. Those will be incredibly interesting, because it will be my first time in Asia, and in incredibly populated cities that are very unlike what I’ve been to before.

We returned home yesterday from Nova Scotia. It was an amazing trip, and while I was there I purchased a travel journal. I am constantly taking photos on my travels because I studied photography in high school and took a few classes in college. But I was never great about keeping written records of my trips. I have scraps of notes here and there, ticket stubs and receipts. But I wanted a place to put it all down as a record for me. I also thought others might be interested in it for travel purposes, and because I can offer my perspective on what it is like to travel as a person with a mental disorder.

So many people suffer from a condition that requires medication or therapy or any other type of technique that allows grounding and finding peace. Sometimes we aren’t our best selves when we travel. Sometimes we desperately miss home and are stuck 8000 miles away. Sometimes we embarass ourselves or overschedule or, like me, have a manic episode in New Orleans and buy $200 worth of macarons and drink bloody Mary’s til dawn.

I wanted to write about what that has been like for me. The good, the bad, the beautiful, the ugly, and the unique. Travel opens us up to new people, things, ideas. It also is a lot of work, mentally, physically and financially, and sometimes we just need the comfort of home. Sometimes we need to take our pills to make it on to the plane to the next destination, or use grounding techniques and 4-6 breathing so we don’t cry in a museum in Sevilla.

I hope to impart some of the practical and philosophical wisdom I’ve gained from my travels here. I’ll also provide recommendations for places I’ve been. Please remember that each thought is my own, maybe you’ll love a destination I didn’t, or hate a restaurant I loved. Gather as much information as you can on a destination, and go be brave and explore.