A couple of weeks ago Eric and I spent a few days on Catalina Island in California. I had only been once before with my mom when I was 20, and Eric had never been. Here are a few, and by a few I mean many, highlights.
1. Waiting for our boat to arrive at Long Beach. I was feeling happy knowing we had a full 3 days ahead of us.
2. The boat ride. We spent about half the time in the boat and about half of the time on the deck. It was a bit (very) chilly for me.
Eric's signature pose:
About an hour later we arrived on Catalina Island, checked into our hotel, and hit the streets to do a little exploring.
3. The next day we had a leisurely morning, and then took a kayak out into the open ocean.
As we met and talked to other tourists in the following days and told them we went kayaking they would always ask us the same thing: "Is that safe?" And I would always respond with, "Yes. Totally." But upon further review and introspection I should have said, "No. Unless you are with my husband and then it is totally fine." Because you can bet that if I was with anyone else, I would not be kayaking miles out in the ocean.
We saw numerous sea otters, that often swam right under our boat. It was awesome!
We went about 8 miles round-trip (I'm so hard core). Approximately 3 1/2 miles in I started to feel seasick, so when we stopped at a beach on the way back, I threw-up (overshare) and then felt completely fine! I have come to the realization that I am easily to throw-up type of gal. Who knew?
4. The rocky beach we visited was totally private so we did some nude sunbathing.
Just kidding.
Mostly we did the aforementioned throwing up, shell hunting, and water watching.
5. We ate a number of really good and really expensive meals. Island vacationing ain't cheap.
This was seriously THE BEST steak I have ever had:
And this seafood pasta was nothing to joke about either:
6. While in Catalina we also did a little geocaching. We found our first cache in an elaborate pet cemetery. Full of tombstones like this:
7. Our cute island transportation:
8. That we used to explore the island:
9. On our travelers we discovered the Catalina Island neighborhood that mirrors ours:
10. When you are on vacation, especially one sans children, it is perfectly acceptable to take a nap at 4 pm:
11. While resort town shopping (something I don't love) I found this amazing Bret Michaels inspired cowboy hat that thrilled me. Definitely a highlight:
12. We spent a good amount of time on the beach.
Gratuitous leg shot:
On this beach I was bitten approximately 20 times (no exaggeration) by some type of sand fly. Eric was not bit once!
Hair ornamentation:
13. Gratuitous butt shot:
14. One evening while we were walking home from dinner, Eric and I spotted something slowly emerging from the ocean. Upon further review we discovered it was a baby seal!
It was terribly cute.
At one point I got too close to it and it made a loud seal noise that scared me to death:
We were concerned for it, especially since its mother was nowhere in sight, but we consulted some locals who said it was no big deal.
15. All too soon (I could have used one more day) it was time to pack up, head home, and see my kidlets. They had been living it up with Eric's parents and enjoying a resort vacation all their own. Although they did have to go to school (at least for one day) the resort they were staying at in Las Vegas had 4 pools, a lazy river, a basketball court, shuffleboard, etc......
Lucky them and lucky us!
2. The boat ride. We spent about half the time in the boat and about half of the time on the deck. It was a bit (very) chilly for me.
Eric's signature pose:
About an hour later we arrived on Catalina Island, checked into our hotel, and hit the streets to do a little exploring.
3. The next day we had a leisurely morning, and then took a kayak out into the open ocean.
As we met and talked to other tourists in the following days and told them we went kayaking they would always ask us the same thing: "Is that safe?" And I would always respond with, "Yes. Totally." But upon further review and introspection I should have said, "No. Unless you are with my husband and then it is totally fine." Because you can bet that if I was with anyone else, I would not be kayaking miles out in the ocean.
We saw numerous sea otters, that often swam right under our boat. It was awesome!
We went about 8 miles round-trip (I'm so hard core). Approximately 3 1/2 miles in I started to feel seasick, so when we stopped at a beach on the way back, I threw-up (overshare) and then felt completely fine! I have come to the realization that I am easily to throw-up type of gal. Who knew?
4. The rocky beach we visited was totally private so we did some nude sunbathing.
Just kidding.
Mostly we did the aforementioned throwing up, shell hunting, and water watching.
5. We ate a number of really good and really expensive meals. Island vacationing ain't cheap.
This was seriously THE BEST steak I have ever had:
And this seafood pasta was nothing to joke about either:
6. While in Catalina we also did a little geocaching. We found our first cache in an elaborate pet cemetery. Full of tombstones like this:
7. Our cute island transportation:
8. That we used to explore the island:
9. On our travelers we discovered the Catalina Island neighborhood that mirrors ours:
10. When you are on vacation, especially one sans children, it is perfectly acceptable to take a nap at 4 pm:
11. While resort town shopping (something I don't love) I found this amazing Bret Michaels inspired cowboy hat that thrilled me. Definitely a highlight:
12. We spent a good amount of time on the beach.
Gratuitous leg shot:
On this beach I was bitten approximately 20 times (no exaggeration) by some type of sand fly. Eric was not bit once!
Hair ornamentation:
13. Gratuitous butt shot:
14. One evening while we were walking home from dinner, Eric and I spotted something slowly emerging from the ocean. Upon further review we discovered it was a baby seal!
It was terribly cute.
At one point I got too close to it and it made a loud seal noise that scared me to death:
We were concerned for it, especially since its mother was nowhere in sight, but we consulted some locals who said it was no big deal.
15. All too soon (I could have used one more day) it was time to pack up, head home, and see my kidlets. They had been living it up with Eric's parents and enjoying a resort vacation all their own. Although they did have to go to school (at least for one day) the resort they were staying at in Las Vegas had 4 pools, a lazy river, a basketball court, shuffleboard, etc......
Lucky them and lucky us!
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