10 FOR 10: Trip #10 Grand Cayman, Again

"so that the monotonous fall of the waves on the beach,
which for the most part beat a measured and soothing tattoo to her thoughts
seemed consolingly to repeat over and over again as she sat with the children
the words of some old cradle song, murmured by nature,
‘I am guarding you—I am your support,..."
Virginia Woolf, To the Lighthouse

TRIP #10: GRAND CAYMAN, AGAIN

For our final 10 For 10 trip, we decided to go back to Grand Cayman, where we had visited last fall.  It was such an enjoyable, relaxing environment, and we all had a wonderful time before, that we felt we could all use a stint on a stress-free beach before the chaos of the upcoming holiday season, starting to pack up our house, and the upcoming move in the new year.

Originally we were not going to do any excursions, but AC heard about a turtle farm and sanctuary, where they allow you to snorkel in a small lagoon with some of the smaller sea turtles and other fish.  It was really fun, even though the snorkel mouthpiece was a bit awkward for us all to get used to.

We also remembered to take our waterproof camera, which resulted in a bunch of fun pictures.  

The other thing we did that was unplanned was that SC and I got to swim with a dolphin, after SC won a free excursion from the dolphin trainers who came to speak at the kids' club one day.  The facility ended up being directly across the street from the turtle farm, so it was easy to decide to add that in.  The time slot that we got, it ended up just being SC and I with the trainer for 45 minutes with a 35 year old dolphin named Luna.  We learned so much about dolphins (they shed/renew their skin every 2 hours!) and it definitely is something we want to do again, maybe with AC as well next time.

Even though I love getting to travel to new places, it is nice to go back to somewhere comfortable that we are familiar with as well.  It was the perfect end to our 10 FOR 10!

In case you missed the first post ...

WHAT IS THE 10 FOR 10?

In July 2015, AC and I celebrated our tenth wedding anniversary, and previously had been discussing what sort of big trip to take.  However, it occurred to me that we typically take some pretty big trips every year, sometimes as a tag-along when AC works, and sometimes just using all the points and miles he has amassed from his work travels.  I couldn't help but wonder if another trip would really be that special and different.  So, I came up with the idea that instead of just one more trip, we should take ten trips to celebrate our years together.  I told AC, and told him that it didn't have to be just him and me (because SC is also part of our lives, obviously), but that I wanted to take ten purposeful trips, that are focused on celebrating us (and our family) as much as we can.  I told him that they didn't all have to be long or complicated trips, though we had already talked about a few places that will be, and we can start in our tenth year (July 2014) and run through the end of 2015 so that we don't take too much time away from work.  Hopefully these ten trips make this a celebratory year, one that stands out for us as we look back (in another ten years).

TRIP #1: Universal Studios Florida & Walt Disney World

TRIP #2: New York City

TRIP #3: Panama City, Panama

TRIP #4: Grand Cayman

TRIP #5: London & Paris

TRIP #6: London & Oslo

TRIP #7: Whistler, BC, Canada

TRIP #8: Southern California

TRIP #9: London & Dublin

10 FOR 10: Trip #4 Grand Cayman

"The earth is the Lord's and the fullness thereof,

the world and those who dwell therein,

for He has founded it upon the seas

and established it upon the rivers."

Psalm 24:1-2

TRIP #4: GRAND CAYMAN

Our fourth 10 FOR 10 trip was one simply for family time and relaxation.  Over the past couple years we have been lucky enough to take a trip (though some through tagging along for AC's work) to an "exotic" beach location during the early winter months, and this year we planned one specifically to recuperate from the busyness that our life has recently become.  Even on our other beach trips, there has always been an agenda of adventure or work, and while this one did have an exciting learning experience with some aquatic wildlife, most of the time we sat on the beach or lounged in the water.  AC and I spent a ton of time talking about plans for 2015, while SC was in and out of the water all day, building sand structures, making friends with other vacationers, and looking at all the fish milling about with her scuba goggles.  It was the most easy, relaxing, do-nothing trip we have ever taken!  It is definitely on our list of places to go back to one day.

The one adventurous part of the trip was when we went to swim out in the ocean with semi-domesticated sting rays.  We went on a tour that included a stop at "Stingray City," a sandbar out from the north side of the island, plus two snorkel stops over the various barrier reef chunks.  The stingray swimming was interesting, though we will probably never do that part again.  The water at the sandbar came up to my chest, and there were hundreds of stingrays of all sizes swimming at various ocean depths in and around all the people.  I say they are semi-domesticated, because they are used to being fed, so they are curious and friendly, but they have not had their stingers removed, so your feet must stay firmly in the sand.  With the water level up so high, and the surf moving you around, it isn't very easy.  AC had an easier time staying in place because he is taller, except he was holding a squirming SC who was terrified of getting stung.  She was actually fine until some of the other women in the tour group started shrieking, and then she got it into her head that she had something to be afraid of.  The two snorkel stops were amazing, and we saw so many interesting fish. We saw a "stars and stripes" puffer fish, so many angel fish, schools of silver damselfish, bright blue tangs, a needle-nosed gar, and a "stoplight" parrotfish.  Luckily, we didn't see anything scary or dangerous like moray eels, barracuda, giant grouper or lionfish. We regretted our decision not to bring any cameras at this point, though we did it on purpose so as not to be constantly looking through a lens vs. experiencing and relaxing.  Oh, well!  We did get a few fun shots from the cameras on the phone while we were on the beach.

Finally, if you know me well, you know that I collect artisan pottery (mostly mugs) from each location we visit.  Usually I forget to do any research beforehand, which leaves us trying to cram in a last-minute unplanned trip to a local artist shop nowhere near where we are staying or going for the last day.  This time, however, I made a plan and found 3 Girls and a Kiln online, and was able to contact them about what they might have to offer and how to purchase.  They crafted this beautiful mug with coral on one side, and the Grand Cayman motto (from the Psalm listed above) on the other, and actually delivered it to me at the hotel since I was leaving before the next craft fair day.  

In case you missed the first post ...

WHAT IS THE 10 FOR 10?

Next July, AC and I will celebrate our tenth wedding anniversary, and as such have been discussing what sort of big trip to take.  However, it occurred to me that we typically take some pretty big trips every year, sometimes as a tag-along when AC works, and sometimes just using all the points and miles he has amassed from his work travels.  I couldn't help but wonder if another trip would really be that special and different.  So, I came up with the idea that instead of just one more trip, we should take ten trips to celebrate our years together.  I told AC, and told him that it didn't have to be just him and me (because SC is also part of our lives, obviously), but that I wanted to take ten purposeful trips, that are focused on celebrating us (and our family) as much as we can.  I told him that they didn't all have to be long or complicated trips, though we had already talked about a few places that will be, and we can start now (in our tenth year) and run through the end of 2015 so that we didn't take too much time away from work.  So, hopefully, these ten trips will make this a celebratory year, one that will stand out for us as we look back (in another ten years).

TRIP #1: Universal Studios Florida & Walt Disney World

TRIP #2: New York City

TRIP #3: Panama City, Panama