Winter in the Caribbean

Happy 2015, everyone!! I finally had some time to upload my photos from my vacation to the Caribbean and I can't wait to share some of my favorite ones with you! As I sit, laugh, and reminisce back on all the memories, I couldn't be more thankful to have ended a challenging yet humbling year in the best way - a trip to Haiti, Jamaica, and Cozumel.

We traded in our rainy LA days for the beautiful sunshine aboard the Royal Caribbean Oasis of the Seas cruise ship. We set sail across the Caribbean Blue to Labadee - Royal Caribbean's very own private beach in Haiti. We awoke to a beautiful view of rolling green mountains, the sounds of the island music being performed by the locals, and the smell of delicious Haitian BBQ. A few of our friends went zip lining from the tops of the mountains all the way down to tip of the sandy beach. While others went on adventures like a roller coaster tour of the mountains and jet skiing through the bay, we took the opportunity to relax with a few drinks, sunbathe and play in the warm water.

The following day, we landed in beautiful Jamaica! The eight of us crammed into Great Vibes's tour van, traveled off the beaten path into the jungles of Ocho Rios and arrived at a Jamaican hidden gem, The Blue Hole. The road is a bit rough to get there, but you'll find scenic waterfalls amidst an enclosed and lush organic landscape that will make the drive worthwhile. Our tour guides were highly entertaining, as they jumped off some of the highest edges, performed tricks on rope swings and even encouraged us to take a few risks of our own. On our way back, we stopped into town to grab a few delicious Jamaican Patties from our guide's favorite food truck. We then ended the day with Jerk Chicken and a Red Stripe in hand. "Everyting was irie!" :D

Our final destination with Royal Caribbean was Cozumel, Mexico. We woke up early and found our way to the docks to Scuba with Alison. The visibility was fantastic and could see far into the ocean. We swam with turtles, explored the reef, and even saw two nurse sharks sleeping. Famished after a few hours of diving, we got into a taxi to make our way into downtown Cozumel, where we had ceviche, tacos and cervezas for lunch. Of course on the way back to the ship, we had to stop at every bar to grab a margarita / tequila shot along the way.

We ended a perfect trip across the Caribbean, relaxed and with great memories with new and old friends that would last a lifetime. I hope you enjoy this little recap video from our "Winter in the Caribbean" we put together. Can't wait to embark on some new adventures in 2015...where should I travel next?!

XX.