At our first dinner on Hurtigruten’s MS Trollfjord, my parents and I spent most of the meal imagining what my 3-year-old son would have thought. Aksel would have picked at the bread, asked how many courses of “real food” were left before dessert, and probably driven his Hot Wheels through the butter. Instead, he stayed
When one of my most anticipated trips turned out to be one of my most frustrating, it was entirely my own fault. I travel professionally for a living, but I still get caught up in excitement and unrealistic expectations when planning. Like many travelers, I’d been dreaming of Greece for years. I watched “Mamma Mia,”
My first cruise on the Virgin Voyages Valiant Lady was much better than I expected. Justin Lee Despite my lifelong fear of the ocean, I decided to face my anxieties and book my first cruise. As an introvert, I was surprised that the Virgin Voyages ship offered activities beyond partying. I was also relieved that
I don’t spend much time with anyone over 50, besides my parents. As someone in my early 30s, I find myself interacting primarily with people in a similar stage of life: completing graduate degrees, building careers, and discovering adulthood. I also usually take my trips alone and connect with other travelers my age while exploring.
In 2013, my dad died from prostate cancer. He was 56, and I was 25 at the time. Losing him made my family realize how short our time on this earth — and our time together — really is. With part of his life insurance payout, my mom decided to take my sister and me