Reach Your Peak: Lessons in Life and Snowboarding

Yesterday, for the first time in 2 years, I hit the slopes at Ski Apache in Mescalero, NM. Today, it was painful to toss the covers off and get out of bed.  Tumbling downhill  Snowboarding really takes it out of you, but it was a blast! As I listened to my more seasoned friends and the resort's instructors, I realized that many guidelines in snowboarding can be used in everyday life.

 

1. Set your sights in the direction you want to go, and do not stray.  It's been proven that you will generally travel in the direction on which you are focused, voluntarily or involuntarily.

2. Know your limits. Push them, sure. But know them.  If you try to hop on the steepest slope your first time, for the sake of impressing, you will embarass and likely injure yourself. Take the small steps to the top, and you will appreciate your journey that much more.



skiapache.com



3. Better safe than sorry. I was the only one in my group who opted to rent a helmet. It looked kind of nerdy. I was also the only one who flipped and went airborne. Thank God for my cautious nature.



4. Never give up. In fact, expect and accept failure. At some point, you will fall. You're fighting against greater forces. Like gravity. So just anticipate the falls, and brace yourself to get back up, despite the fact that you will inevitably fall again.

5. Find your balance. It is the only way to stay afloat. Stay attuned to your own needs and strengths. Know how much is too much, and you will eventually know how much is just right.



6. Your greatest opponent is yourself. Always. It is not a competition. Nobody around you is worried about going faster or smoother than you do. The more experienced people are worried only about bettering themselves. They just hope you keep out of their paths. The less experienced people are focused on not falling again. The only person over whom you must prevail is your current self.

"In the mountains, the shortest way is from peak to peak; but for that you must have long legs." - Friedrich  Nietzsche

On Board for Fun!

So, I promised a short entry about our cruise adventures, and it has been a few weeks already.  I've finally recovered from the post-vacation semi-depression (what do you mean no chocolate buffets, slot machines or cute, animal-shaped towels at home?!) enough to relive some of my favorite travel memories. Here are a few pictures: 



The Bon Voyage Party on our deck. We weren't even out of port yet.
Cruisers waste no time hitting the pool!

The decor theme on the ship was Classical Artists.
There were so many gorgeous murals and art pieces. It felt so formal and decadent.
I loved this err..chandelier.. inspired by my favorite paintings- Van Gogh's Sunflowers.

The port in Montego Bay.
I'm determined to return to Jamaica for much more than 8 hours!
The island is like a dream, and there is so much to see and do.

 

Dolphin Cove in Ocho Rios. We got to swim and kiss the dolphins!
Unfortunately, they wouldn't allow us to take pictures of them.



This house on Grand Cayman Island has maintained its original
integrity through hundreds of years' worth of Caribbean hurricanes!
I was impressed.



I refused to leave the islands without visiting Jimmy Buffet's Margaritaville.
I know. How shamelessly tourist-y of me.





In Cozumel, we visited a Mayan ruins site.

This arch represented the 7 levels of entrance into the Heavens.



Each night, the steward left us a little towel animal. So cute and fun!





I think the most important part of any vacation is good company.
I'm glad I got to share this experience with D.
If I got shipwrecked in Jamaica, I'd want it to be with him.
And a pina colada. I'd never complain.

Unfortunately, we lost one of our cameras in the second port. So you're missing out on our waterfall trek at Dunn's River Falls, playing with the stingrays, and hugging the sea turtles. But, trust me, it was awesome.

I'm so glad we chose Carnival.  It is like no other hospitality company I have ever encountered. Our crew was amazing. Service was phenomenal. The food was to die for! It was an amazing experience. If you've never cruised, I suggest you make plans!

No Problems, Mon!

I haven't posted in a while because I spent last week sailing the high seas with my sweetheart in the comforts of the Carnival Conquest fun ship . It was a fabulous vacation and the most fun, interesting week I've ever spent.

My favorite port by far was Jamaica. The island is more beautiful than anything I've seen on television. It's tropical and marshy, beachy and mountainous all at once.  The best part of Jamaica was the people, though.  Our guides and strangers we encountered along the way were so friendly and the culture is just so laid-back and free-spirited.

 I'm also fascinated by language and by the ways different people use the same language.Our tour guide taught us three common phrases in the Jamaican dialect, English Patois, which combines phrases and words from English, African, and Irish decent.

"Yeah, Mon" is used as any affirmative answer. It's a very wide-used word, and not only in slang. My boyfriend answered an elderly man by addressing him "Yes, sir"  and the man told him that if he really respected him, he'd say "Yeah, Mon" and save the Sirs for America!

"No Problem" is used a lot in making deals and also in answering yes. In Jamaica, there are no problems, only situations!

"Irie" goes behind feeling good or doing alright. It means you are at total peace and feeling good vibes from your day, surroundings, etc.  So when someone asks how you are, you answer "irie."

Just some fun tidbits from my trip! I will post some pictures and more about our adventures later!