I am an attorney by trade, and an adventurer by spirit. I started traveling when I was married. I’d go on cruises with my husband and once we went to Austria and Germany. I also showed Pembroke Welsh Corgis and Shetland Sheepdogs in breed, obedience, herding and agility events. While doing this, I traveled across the US and Canada. Most of this was by car, but some trips were by flying. If I went on a long distance dog trip, I always tried to see some of the local sites.
Life changed and I went to law school as a single woman from age 43 until 47. I opened my own law firm in 2006, and began work as a court- appointed criminal defense attorney. The work is rewarding, but stressful. I found I cope better with a vacation planned in the future. I began my vacations cruising in the Caribbean and finding someone to go with me. One 14 night Southern Caribbean cruise I wanted to go on, I could not find someone to go with me, so I went alone. I ended up having the best time of my life. I also met a Canadian couple who I became great friends with and we ended up going on several trips together.
After that cruise, I began doing Transatlantic, Transpacific, Panama Canal, and Alaska cruises. I also began traveling to foreign countries, and cities in the US and Canada. I planned a big trip to Morroco and Egypt, another to Thailand, and a Southeastern cruise. All three of those were postponed over two years by COVID. I finally did my Africa trip this fall, and I go to Thailand in less than a month. The cruise is now scheduled for January 2024.
COVID threw a wrench in my traveling, but did not stop it. I researched a great deal about safe places to go. I went to Water Island, a very small island near Saint Thomas, Cozumel several times, Belize and two cruises when it was safe again. Cozumel had 40 cases of Covid when everyone else had tons. The island had almost no one there. It was wonderful! On Water Island, I stayed at a campground. 200 people live on the island. I was there for 2 weeks. During an 8 day period, I never saw anyone at all.
When I went to Cozumel, I took snorkel trips with a wonderful dive shops- Dressel Divers. I had thought about learning to dive, but was sure I would be claustrophobic under water. My resort let people try out dive gear in the pool for free, and I discovered I was fine. I then signed up for a 1 day dive course. I did course work and pool work. Then the harbor master closed the ocean for diving. The dive shop manager convinced me to sign up for Scuba Dive certification by offering the second dive alone with my handsome 40 year old Brazilian instructor since I told time I didn’t have time for a second boat. That dive changed my life. I’m now advanced open water certified with 102 dives under my belt. I’ve dove in Cozumel, Tulum, (6 cenotes), Belize) and Dahab, Egypt.
I’m here to share my stories of where I’ve been, cool things that happened along the way, neat people I’ve met, amazing things I think you should do, and ways to save money traveling, and places I think are worth splurging on. I like saving money, but I don’t mind staying at the St. Regis (which I did for free in Cairo in a junior suite!)
Thanks for dropping by! Stephanie ps-every trip I’ve taken alone, something super cool has always happened!
