Posts

First Impressions: Landing in Puerto Vallarta for the First Time ✈️🌇🚌

-
Image
Let me take you back to our first trip to Puerto Vallarta , because somehow I never wrote about it here — only posted snippets to our Instagram. It was a memorable arrival, full of little surprises, some sweaty confusion, and a whole lot of charm. We landed in late January , a great time to visit weather-wise. The immigration line ? Surprisingly smooth. I’ve seen horror stories on social media, but our experience as U.S. citizens was relatively easy. There were two options: Wait in line to speak with an actual immigration officer, or Use the automated kiosks — self-scan your passport, smile for a quick photo, and get a receipt with a QR code you need to scan and complete your immigration paperwork before leaving Mexico . Right at the top it said: “KEEP – DO NOT THROW AWAY.” You bet I tucked that away in a safe spot. Outside the airport, things were… chaotic. A lot of energy, heat, and noise. It was hot — much hotter than I expected for winter — and people were crowding aro...
Post a Comment
Read more

Flashback: Our First Trip to Puerto Vallarta — Finally Sharing the Full Story! ☀️✈️🌴

-
Image
I just realized… I never actually told you about our first trip to Puerto Vallarta (PV) here on the blog! I’ve posted bits and pieces over on Instagram, but it’s about time I gave this magical destination a proper shout-out. We traveled in late January into early February , and honestly? It was the perfect time to go. The weather was warm (okay, hot as soon as we stepped off the plane), but still manageable — especially compared to the scorching summer heat we've heard about. I can’t even imagine walking around town during those humid summer months. Winter in Puerto Vallarta, though? Just right. 🌞 Flying into Paradise We flew in from the West Coast and had quite a few options. While some of the more budget-friendly flights had long overnight layovers in Jalisco or Mexico City , we chose to spend a little extra and go for the direct flight . No regrets. It made our travel day so much smoother — less hassle, more time soaking up that sweet Mexican sunshine. Our flight itself...
Post a Comment
Read more

📚 Detour Alert: Book Drop from the Road! 📚

-
Image
  Because sometimes the best journeys are the ones found between pages. Okay travelers, we’re taking a brief detour from planes, trains, and cruise ships… and heading into the world of stories—specifically, the ones found in libraries. I love libraries. Like, really love them. There’s something magical about stepping into a new city’s public library—it’s like getting a quiet, cozy peek into the soul of the place. Whenever we can, we make time for a library stop on our adventures. The one in Nice was modern and calm, London ’s felt full of old whispers and literary charm, and Boston ? Absolute classic vibes. But even when we’re not traveling, we love checking out our local library to see what’s on display and what the latest eye-catching covers are. (Disclaimer: Some of the links on here are affiliate links and I may earn if you click or buy on them, AT NO EXTRA cost to you. Hope you find the information here useful! Thanks.)  And yes, I’ll admit it... I absolutely judge...
Post a Comment
Read more

The Trekking Pawns Are Setting Sail Again — This Time from San Diego! 🛳️🌴🇲🇽

-
Image
Exciting news, fellow adventurers — The Trekking Pawns are back at it and planning our next ocean escape! This time, we’re heading south for some serious sun and surf on a 7-day Mexican Riviera cruise , round-trip from beautiful San Diego . Our ports of call? The vibrant and beachy Cabo San Lucas and the tropical charm of Puerto Vallarta — two destinations we can’t wait to explore. We cashed in our CruiseNext deposits and scored a smoking deal — talk about a win! For this sailing, we treated ourselves to one night of fancy dining (because, why not?) and added an internet package just in case we need to peek at work emails. But truth be told, we’re hoping to unplug, soak up some November sunshine, and fully embrace that off-the-grid cruise life. One big reason we picked this cruise? On a past trip to Puerto Vallarta , we noticed a cruise ship docked in port for the day — and it sparked something. We realized how much more of Mexico's Pacific coast we wanted to see. Our last...
Post a Comment
Read more

🚢 From Cruise Chaos to Creole Cool: Our Final Days at Sea & Back in New Orleans

-
Image
After a week of tropical ports, unexpected downpours, and non-stop exploring, our final day on the cruise didn’t go quite as planned. One of us came down with a classic case of post-port blues—or more specifically, a stomach bug that hit hard after walking around the less-than-hygienic streets of Costa Maya . 🤒 Sick on a Ship… But Still Dancing? Let’s just say… it wasn’t pretty. The combo of diarrhea, shivers, and likely a fever made us super cautious. We’d heard that medical visits on cruise ships can be expensive —with some claiming motion sickness pills cost $20 a pop—so we decided to wait it out. As long as no food was involved, everything felt okay. But the moment even a little was eaten? Bathroom. Now. Despite feeling rough, we made the best of it: Stayed hydrated (thank you, water and ginger tea!). Skipped heavy meals and stuck to comforting foods—shout out to the congee/porridge station with ginger that absolutely saved the day. Still managed to enjoy the Bro...
Post a Comment
Read more

🌧️ Cloudy Skies & Cruise Walls: Our Rainy Day in Costa Maya

-
Image
Costa Maya was the final stop on our week-long Caribbean cruise aboard the Norwegian Getaway , and while we had high hopes for relaxing on sun-drenched beaches and enjoying spontaneous exploration… reality had other plans. ⛅ “Let’s Decide When We Get There…” This was the only port where we didn’t pre-book an excursion. We figured we’d go with the flow—check out the scene, talk to some locals, maybe hit the beach or snorkel. But as soon as we docked, it became clear: Mother Nature wasn’t on our side . Rain came in waves (literally), and the skies looked moody all day. From the ship, we could see the promise of white sandy beaches , but something else caught our attention: a massive wall dividing the ship-docked tourist complex from the open beach beyond. That seemed… odd. (Disclaimer: Some of the links on here are affiliate links and I may earn if you click or buy on them, AT NO EXTRA cost to you. Hope you find the information here useful! Thanks.)  🧱 The Wall, the Gates, and ...
Post a Comment
Read more

🎭 Lights, Laughter & Late Nights: Why We Loved the Entertainment on NCL Getaway

-
Image
 One of the absolute highlights of cruising for us? The shows. Always the shows. And on our recent voyage aboard the Norwegian Getaway , the entertainment did not disappoint! 🎬 Broadway at Sea – Twice! We’ve cruised with Norwegian Cruise Line (NCL) before—most memorably on the NCL Encore , where we were blown away by a single Broadway-style show about an Irish pub. It was so good, we went twice and loved every second of it. So when we boarded the Getaway , we wondered what their show selection would be like. To our surprise and delight: two Broadway-style shows — with the same talented cast performing both! Each performance was polished, energetic, and totally Broadway-worthy. We appreciated how the shows were different enough in style and story that it never felt repetitive. Hats off to the cast and crew for pulling double duty! Just a heads-up: 📸 No photos or video allowed during the performances. We saw a few guests try (tsk tsk), but staff were quick to step in. ...
Post a Comment
Read more