Highlights From a Travel Filled November

3 countries in 30 days!!!

Here are some highlights from each country:

Myanmar: We spent 5 days traveling with 25 Semester at Sea friends and had the BEST time!!

• Taking an overnight train from Yangon to Bagan the first night which was 9 hours long but we had lots of fun playing music and sleeping.
• Watching the sunrise with hot air balloons in the background from a pagoda.
• Moped-ing around Bagan from temple to temple.
• Taking a sunset cruise around Bagan and relaxing at our incredible river resort, the AyeYar Hotel.
• Getting to walk around Mount Popa and enjoy lunch at a beautiful resort across from the mountain.
• Exploring an elephant conservatory near Yangon where we got to play with, wash, and ride elephants through a forest.
• Spending the last day in Yangon visiting the famous Shwedegon Temple and eating lunch on a rooftop with close friends.

Myanmar was one of my most favorite ports so far. Despite the controversial issues occurring there and the tension between the country, the people were extremely kind and loving. I felt at home. However, there was a tragic accident that occurred for the SAS community. We lost a student, Kassie Braun, at one of the Pagodas in Bagan. It was so terrible for our whole community but we spent the next few days celebrating Kassie’s life.  We had a memorial on the ship for her as well we each threw white roses into the water and sent a message her way. It was so impactful and a beautiful celebration of her life. Although the accident was terribly tragic, our community really came together to celebrate life and the incredible adventure that we are all on.

Vietnam: MY PARENTS CAME TO VISIT AND IT WAS AMAZING!!!!

• We spent the first day doing a cooking challenge where we made authentic Vietnamese food. After that my parents took a big group of us out to eat and to a rooftop bar! We had so much fun!
• We then spent the next few days getting custom suits made for my dad and Curtis and saw much of Ho Chi Minh City.
• We then went to the Mekong Delta and spent the night in a cute beach town called Vung Tau and enjoyed some relaxing pool time and warm weather.
• We took a water taxi back to Ho Chi Minh city on our last full day and enjoyed a great dinner on the top floor of our hotel.

Although the time went by way too quickly it was incredible getting to see my parents!!!! We had so much fun and it was so nice to relax and catch up with them! After facetiming them as often as I can for the past 2 months, I was more than ready to see them! I’m so excited to be home in 18 days with them for Christmas!!! Shout out to the best parents in the whole wide world for coming all this way to spend 4 days with me! It was the highlight of my trip.

China: WE GOT TO CROSS OFF SEEING THE GREAT WALL OF CHINA FROM OUR BUCKET LISTS.

• The first day I had a field trip for my Hospitality class and we got to see the Shanghai JW Marriott hotel and spoke with the GM to learn more about his role in the hotel. It was a really great experience to get to see the back of the house of the hotel and tour the rooms.
• My friends and I then headed to Beijing where we went to see the Great Wall of China and shopped at the black markets! The Great Wall was incredible. We hiked up to the 8^th deck and then took the Toboggan down. The views were spectacular and my friends and I had a great time together.
• We then headed back to Shanghai. It was great to get to explore and see the famous Bund area. We got brunch at the M on the Bund. We also went to the top of the Oriental Pearl Tower where the view of the city was breathtaking.
• The last day, 4 of us went to Shanghai Disneyland!!! We rode almost all the rides and had an amazing lunch at the Cheese Cake Factory.

China surpassed all my expectations! It is a country I never could have imagined that I would visit but I am so grateful for this experience that takes me out of my comfort zones, because it is so rewarding in the end.

 

This month I am most grateful for my family who came all the way to Vietnam to visit me, my friends who I get to travel the world with and the nice thanksgiving dinner I got to have with my 9 closest friends on the ship while heading to China. Although I sure did miss home since I couldn’t be there, it was the second-best place to spend the day.

I am currently in our last port, Japan, right now!!! The blog post for here will be up soon!! I can’t believe I only have 18 more days of traveling the world… time sure flies when you’re having fun!!!!

 

Life is so good!!!! Sending love home to all my friends and family!!!!

Next stop after Japan is a day in HAWAIIIII

AND THEN TO SAN DIEGO!!! AMERICA, WE ARE COMING FOR YOU!!!

XO,

Lindsey

When you’re given 6 days in India… DO IT ALL

Here is how I did it:

My experience in India was unreal. I never thought I’d ever have the opportunity to say I traveled there in my whole life. I did a Semester at Sea field program to the Taj Mahal and Jaipur for 4 out of the 6 days which was a perfect way to see the country. Everything was set up for us including flights, hotels and an extensive itinerary. I traveled with my roommate Morgan, Curtis and our friend Preston. Here is what we did:

Day 1: Explored the port town, Cochin, via TukTuk (motored Rickshaw) and drove through markets with 2 friends. We had so much fun buying gifts for family and friends at home! A highlight of the day was talking to local shop-owners about their country and daily life. We had lunch in town and dinner and drinks at the beautiful Vivanta Malabar Hotel by Taj hotel.

Day 2: Woke up at 4:00 AM and flew to Mumbai in route to Jaipur. We went to the Amber Fort in Jaipur in the afternoon and did a jeep tour up to the monument and then stayed at the Indana Palace Hotel. It was a perfect first day.

Day 3: We went to the City Palace (Pink Palace) and the Jantar Mantar – an astronomical observatory. In the afternoon we went to markets and an authentic hotel for drinks and in the evening we visited an orphanage in the city. It was an incredible experience. The children were so happy. It was hard not to get too attached to the kids though. They were so playful and snuggly which made it difficult to leave. I never thought of an orphanage as a happy place but the kids were healthy, safe and taken great care of. We had dinner at the Narain Niwas Palace hotel and stayed at the Indana Palace hotel again.

Day 4: Day 4 was INCREDIBLE. I visited 1 of the 7 wonders of the world – the Taj Mahal in Agra, India. However, we started the day taking the train from Jaipur to Agra & then visited the Agra Fort. After this, we finally made our way to the Taj. It far exceeded my expectations. It is massive and pristine. After this, we took another train to Delhi and checked into my favorite hotel of the 3, the Suryaa. The hotel had many amenities ranging from a rooftop patio, amazing restaurants, beautiful bars, a club and local markets. It was great to get to spend time with many Semester at Sea kids while relaxing.

Day 5: Day 5 was busy. We drove through the old and new parts of Delhi, saw the Humayun’s Tomb, visited 3 temples, rode on a rickshaw through the busy Chandni Markets and finally headed to the Delhi airport for a 4:00 PM flight. We then stayed at the Vivanta hotel with a big group of friends. It was really nice to relax after a crazy few days in the city.

Day 6: A large group of us explored the markets in Cochin and grabbed lunch at an authentic hotel on the water and then returned to the Vivanta hotel to catch up on some homework and relax before getting back on the ship for 4 days.

The Semester at Sea trip to the Taj was incredible. It was so nice to have everything planned and set up for us since there is evidently a large language barrier between Americans and Indians.

Highlights from the visit included:

1. Seeing the Taj Mahal
2. Riding in a rickshaw to the markets in New Delhi
3. Staying at the beautiful Suryaa and Vivanta hotels
4. Visiting the orphanage and playing games and dancing with the children all evening
5. The poverty is raw, extensive and difficult to see but the people have the largest hearts. Everyone is family to one another and it was incredible to witness that
6. I felt safe the entire time I was in the country and felt so welcomed

Life is so good!!!! I hope all my friends and family back home are doing great! I can’t wait to see you all soon! As of Nov. 1^st I am HALF WAY through my semester! It has flown by and I am ready for time to SLOOOWWWWW DOWN! Each day has brought so many new adventures and my heart is so full. Cheers to the good life!!!

Next stop: Burma

P.S. This post is delayed a few ports! Sorry about that!!! I am currently in Vietnam with my family and will be sure to post a blog post from both Burma and here when I arrive to China next week!

XO,

Lindsey

Quick Change of Plans to the Itinerary:

Unfortunately, we had to skip Mauritius due to poor weather leaving South Africa that put us a day behind schedule and instead we spent 12 days straight on the ship! However, what could have turned into a horrible 12 days on the ship turned into an awesome week and a half and we had SO much fun!

 

Here are some highlights from our long adventure on the ship from South Africa to India:

• Semester at Sea celebrated their 123rd anniversary so there was a huge outdoor BBQ by the pool that offered delicious Macaroni and Cheese
• The pool was open late one night
• Pub nights that include making strawberry frozé
• Big dinners with the fam (Shoutout to Morgan, Caitlin, Tate, Bella, Savannah, Bruce, Preston and Curtis)
• Stargazing and seeing a shooting star!!!!
• Getting 3 midterm tests out of the way
• 3 study days which are equivalent to pool days on the ship
• Movie nights with the fam
• Enjoying 2 fancy dinners for friends’ birthday’s
• Hearing the crashing of the waves every day and feeling the fresh breeze as I sit outside and read/do homework/or lay out by the pool with friends

 

I sure was ready to get to India though – but I know I will be craving the consistency and routine of ship life by the time we are ready to leave. The ship feels like home and my heart is so happy here!!!!

Thanks Mom and Dad for the adventure of a lifetime!!!!

Things to look forward to:

• My parents are coming to visit Curtis and me in Vietnam
• Seeing the Great Wall of China
• Spending the week staying at an Airbnb and exploring in Tokyo
• Seeing my Elon friends, who I miss SO much, in 2 short months!!!!!!

Here’s to the good life & life at sea!!! Sending immense love to all my friends and family at home!!

XO,

Lindsey

It’s time for AFRICA!!! Featuring: Ghana and South Africa

Overview:

Right after our weekend in Spain, we spent 8 days on the ship heading to Ghana. Our first port was in Tema, Ghana and the second was in Takoradi, Ghana. We spent 2 days in each location and took full advantage of the opportunities in each and stayed in hotels to fully experience all that Ghana had to offer. After Ghana, we headed straight to Cape Town, South Africa. In Cape Town, we spent 5 nights in a beautiful Airbnb home with impeccable views of Table Mountain. In both countries, locals were very friendly, positive and sincere. I absolutely loved my experience in Africa and know I will be back someday soon because this continent is amazing.

 

Ghana Highlights:

1. Visiting the Morning Star School
2. Seeing the markets in Accra
3. Canopy walking in Takoradi
4. Visiting Cape Coast where many slaves were held hostage before departing for the Americas
5. Beautiful and delicious breakfasts with fresh fruit and crepes
6. Enjoying a bottle of red wine with Curtis while talking about the adventure of a lifetime we are on
7. A relaxing pool day at the beautiful Best Western Plus Atlantic on the last day

 

South Africa Highlights:

1. Hiking Lions head
2. Going to the top of Table Mountain in a Cable Car
3. Staying at a beautiful home in Claremont, Cape Town
4. Exploring Water Front where there are many restaurants and shops on the water
5. Karaoke night at Dizzy’s in Camps Bay
6. Visiting the Botanical Gardens
7. Stopping to get coffee at intricate and themed locations
8. Getting a famous Berry Mojito at Sgt. Peppers on Long Street in Cape Town
9. Experiencing 2 wine tours in the country side
10. Seeing Cape of Good Hope (The most South-Western point of Africa)
11. Going to the light house in Cape of Good Hope which had impeccable views of the ocean and private beaches
12. Visiting the penguin beaches

 

Each port just keeps getting better and better and I am incredibly grateful for each day I have on the ship and in each new country. I have made friends for life and seen places I never could have dreamed of visiting and for that I am forever thankful.  I can’t wait to keep you guys updated with the next few ports that are coming! Hope you all enjoy getting a snippet of what my travels have been like so far!

Life is GOOD!!

NEXT STOP: INDIA

P.S. This post is a few ports late – sorry for that!!! It has been a challenge getting wifi in many places!!

XO,

Lindsey

The First 18 Days on the Ship: Featuring Germany, Spain & the Canary Islands

The past 18 days have been incredible!!! We started off our journey from Newark Airport in New Jersey and flew directly to Hamburg, Germany. In Hamburg, a group of Elon friends and I all explored the city. We spent our first day sightseeing around and found a delicious coffee shop. The weather was rainy and cold, but we still got out and explored. The second day we went to a beer garden and had amazing Italian food. The third day we jumped on buses and headed to Bremerhaven to embark on our semester. We spent 5 days on the ship traveling from Germany to Spain. The days went by quickly and I met so many new people from all over the world!

Our first port in Spain was Barcelona. I had the best time here! We met up with some Elon friends who are spending the semester there and they were great tour guides! We saw most of the top tourist hot-spots, such as the Arco de Triunfo and the unique architecture of Sagrada Famiglia by Gaudi! We also walked to the beach and enjoyed the views and the warm weather! I wasn’t quite ready to leave Barcelona but after 2 days it was time to head to another city. We traveled overland to Valencia via train early on the 17^th and spent the whole day exploring the port town!

I absolutely fell in love with Valencia and hope to go back someday soon! The people were so friendly and the beach town was beautiful. We drank and ate our way through Valencia with lots of Sangria and gelato! After 2 days in Valencia it was time again to head back onto the ship! 4 days into our voyage from Spain to Ghana, we stopped at the Canary Islands to get gas! The views were incredible and it was difficult not being able to get off the ship! However, over the next 3 days on our way to Ghana I thought I would really miss being on land but the boat is starting to truly feel like home.

Here are a few highlight of ship life:

• Whale watching during an outdoor HIIT workout class
• Seeing dolphins at sunset during dinner on the back patio
• Long pool days
• Meeting some of the greatest girls from all over the country who I feel like I have known for years – Shout out to Caitlin, Morgan, Tate, Savanah, Hannah and Bella
• Pub nights which include 2 glasses of wine and lots of socializing
• The pool bar smoothies
• My interesting classes; the Hospitality Industry, the Tourism Industry, Hospitality Marketing and a Global class
• Getting to speak with Akosua Busia, who played Nettie Harris, in the film The Color Purple – She is from Ghana and had so much to share with us about her country
• My incredible roommate, Morgan, who is the best
• Movie nights with the girls
• Getting to experience this adventure with Curtis

Here is what I have learned so far:

1. The friend group I have on the ship will last forever – they are the best
2. Peanut butter can be its own meal
3. The rocking of the ship gives you the best night’s sleep
4. Being on the water constantly is so refreshing and calming
5. A smoothie a day keeps the doctors away
6. Working out with a view makes it a lot better
7. Breakfast is the best meal on the ship- it’s worth it to wake up early

I am so grateful for this experience! Each day brings something new and I couldn’t ask for a better first 18 days on the ship or better people to spend it with! I can’t wait to see what the next 3 months bring!

Next stop: Ghana then South Africa

 

West Hampton/ Sag Harbor

For Labor Day Weekend, my family and I went to New York!

We started off in Long Island for a night, then spent 2 nights in Sag Harbor and one in Newark! We had SO much fun! We spent a few days exploring West Hampton while staying in Sag Harbor and it may just be my new favorite place! We stayed at Barons Cove in Sag Harbor and it was beautiful – so classy, trendy, amazing pool, delicious food, a beautiful bar and great views of the harbor!

On Sunday, for lunch, we went to downtown West Hampton and ate at the C/O Maidstone  on Main Street. The entire dining room was covered with palm tree designs and pink walls – it was AMAZING! 

AND the champagne & fresh juices were incredible!!

On Monday, we road bikes around the harbor and it was so fun exploring all the neighborhoods! I think I found my dream home – and spot the state of the license plate out front – FLORIDA – it must be a sign it is meant for me! 🙂 

Our trip to the Hamptons was incredible and the perfect family vacation before heading off to Germany to start my journey!! I am all packed, sitting at the hotel in Newark and I couldn’t be MORE excited!!!! 

I am so grateful for the opportunity of a lifetime that my parents have given me! I miss them already and cannot wait to be reunited with them in Vietnam!!! I am leaving America today with the most full and grateful heart!!! Here is to the good life!! Sending all my love to the greatest parents and friends a girl could ask for!!! I am coming for you World Odyssey!!!!

XO,

Lindsey

 

 

Semester at Sea Itinerary

Semester at Sea Itinerary – AKA where I will be for the next 4 months!!!! Follow me along on this journey to…..

September 6-9, 2017 – Bremerhaven, Germany

September 15-18, 2017 – Barcelona + Valencia, Spain

September 27-30, 2017 – Tema + Takoradi, Ghana

October 7-12, 2017 – Cape Town, South Africa

October 19, 2017 – Louis Harbour, Mauritius

October 25-30, 2017 – Cochin, India

November 4-8, 2017 – Yangon, Myanmar (Burma)

November 14-18, 2017 – Ho Chi Minh City, Viet Nam

November 24-29, 2017 – Shanghai, China

December 2-6, 2017 – Kobe, Japan

December 16, 2017 – Honolulu, Hawaii, United States

December 23, 2017 – San Diego, California, United States

 

If any of you recommend any specific locations, restaurants or activities in any of these cities please let me know!!! I am getting so excited for this semester!!!

My first adventure (not listed on the itinerary) is to the HAMPTONS in NY on the second of September, then to Newark, NJ, & then to Germany to start my trip around the world!!!! I’ll be sure to keep you guys updated! Hope you enjoy following along!

XO,

Lindsey

 

A Voyage Around the World Awaits

 

Semester At Sea – 106 Days – 11 Countries – 13 Cities & 4 Continents

I am 1 month away from an adventure of a lifetime and I am SO excited!!

From applying for 3 visas, getting shots, filling out tons of paperwork and online forms, signing up for classes and field programs, ordering sunscreen & medication for the next 4 months, it is finally time for me to start packing, preparing & reflecting! I cannot believe I am going to be on a ship for 4 months! I am so excited to be able to leave my phone in my bag for the whole time & take in each moment & each port! I am excited for the peace and adventure that boat life will bring while at sea- the nights of playing board games & filling a room with 20 gals for a movie night! And I am so excited for the nights in port & the days filled with exploring new cities. It is a perfect combination of adventuring around new countries and embracing boat life. Throughout the whole experience, I am excited to be in the moment with new friends and new surroundings.

So often we forget the power of face to face communication. The power of lifting each other up, encouraging others and appreciating each moment given to us. I find myself normally too busy to sit down and truly enjoy the “busyness”, the stress or the excitement of each day. But those emotions all make up life, so why not embrace those moments and emotions- enjoy them, and appreciate them? When people ask me what I’m most excited for about this adventure I typically say to travel to places I never thought I’d have the opportunity to see – such as India, Ghana & Myanmar to name a few- and to meet so many new people. But really, I am most excited to focus on each moment, each port, each night at sea under the stars & each new unknown experience, new food, new cultures & new adventures. I feel SO fortunate for this experience. I know it will not only change my life, but every single person on the ship. I vow to enjoy each of the next 106 days, 11 countries, 13 cities and 4 continents.

Although I may miss acai bowls, fresh fruit, my comfy bed, the ability to get in my car and drive anywhere at anytime while jamming out to music, and my incredible bffs/parents, I know this is a once in a lifetime opportunity! Since I will not have access to social media or my phone for a good portion of the voyage, I will be blogging hopefully every week & you can email me at anytime at lindsey.mygatt.fa17@semesteratsea.org!!! I hope to share this experience to inspire others to step out of their comfort zones and enjoy each moment! Because at the end of the day… all that matters is happiness, good health, great friends & family and adventure, right? Cheers to the next 4 months of adventuring at sea!!!!

Wherever you are, whatever you are doing, and whatever life throws at you, I hope you enjoy it and embrace it and live in the moment. Step outside more often, meet new people, and push yourself. Life is good!!! Hope you guys enjoy following me on this adventure!!!

Next stop: The Hamptons

XO,

Lindsey