Middle Eastern Adventures

March 10th, 2014

I am back for a quick minute to just share some upcoming things I have going on, and to share a video I made from an amazing trip I took exactly a year ago!

I am now officially 75 pounds lighter from my highest weight ever!  I am still continuing my love for zumba, and have included lots of hiking into the mix.  I am blessed to live in a part of the country where I can go hiking in a t-shirt during the middle of winter! 

I have a few trips set in stone now.  Next month I head to New Orleans for Jazzfest,  a week later I go to a work conference in Orange County (not too far away, but I will still have to be out of town for that).  Two weeks after that I head off for my big trip.  My first stop will be Ireland (my 50th country!), where I will be partying in Temple Bar, kissing the blarney stone, visiting the Guinness factory, having an Irish Car Bomb, and visiting the Giant's Causeway and Cliffs of Moher.

Afterwards I head down to Kenya to visit the Masai Mara, visit an elephant orphanage, and to go on a few safaris before heading to Uganda to go gorilla trekking! After visiting Uganda for a few days I am back in Kenya to relax before venturing to Tanzania to see the great migration at the Serengeti and to see Mount Kilimanjaro.  To end the trip I will be relaxing on the beach in Zanzibar.

I am hoping that after these few trips I will have enough miles for some free flights around the USA.  :)

A year ago I was starting my big annual trip in Egypt and Jordan (I traveled for another month after that in Europe).  I met the most amazing people and we just meshed so well together.  In fact, I met up with one of my friends that I met on that trip for breakfast last week, and we talked for over 3 hours that the restaurant began serving lunch while we were there!  It always amazes me the friendships I have made simply by traveling. 


Life is treating me so well right now, and I am so fortunate that things continue to come into place.  I miss you all, and leave me a comment and tell me how you are doing!

Float In The Dead Sea

Floating in the Dead Sea was one of the experiences I was looking most forward to while traveling to Jordan.  It looks like any ordinary sea, but in actuality it is quite different.   The salt content is so high that it is almost 9x saltier than the Ocean.  Because of its high salt content it makes it difficult for animals to thrive in the waters, hence it being called the Dead Sea.  The Dead Sea borders Jordan to the East and Israel to the West.    It is 34 miles long, and 11 miles wide.  It is also 400 meters below sea level, and the lowest point of land on Earth.

Because of the high salt content it makes it a bit too easy to float....

Before floating in the Dead Sea make sure you don't have any open cuts, and avoid shaving a few days before your visit.  Also do not get the water into your eyes!  My friend was unaware of this and decided to dive in.   It was one of those moments that you can replay in slow motion as my friends and I, and 2 local Jordanian guys were screaming "Nooooooooooooooo!" as he dived in head first.  The shocked look on his face when he emerged out of the water was priceless.  Needless to say he learned his lesson.

My friend took our photos, and somehow I managed to get ZERO photos of me floating in the Dead Sea.  But some of my friends did it with so much more class that I had to share their photos.  The water felt oily on my skin, but don't be fooled by the calm looking waters. The waves were pretty intense and had us swishing all over the sea.

Then it was time to look like this.....

Because of the high salt and mineral content the dead sea mud apparently has many healing properties.  For a few dollars we paid to rub this black mud all over our body.  It BURNED!! 

We took turns helping each other paint this stuff on our bodies, and we laughed and giggled the entire time.    This was probably the best part of the ENTIRE experience. 

We turned into Dead Sea Mud Monsters, and the Dead Sea version of the Incredible Hulk.  We had caked so much of the mud on us that it took 15 minutes to dry in direct sunlight!  My face was burning, but I patiently waited for the mud to dry.  As the mud dried our bodies became stiffer and stiffer, and I really began to feel like a Monster.

Once the mud dried we had to PAINFULLY walk back into the Dead Sea.  The Dead Sea floor was VERY ROCKY, so it was one of the most painful and unexpected ways of exfoliating the soles of my feet.  It took us another 15 minutes to wash most of it off our bodies.

There was a shower up a hill that we washed the remaining mud off our bodies.  Actually the shower had the slowest trickle, so my friend found a hose and hosed us all down like dogs!  I found small remnants of mud still on me the following 2 days!

If I were to do the experience again I would not apply any of the mud on my face.  The burning feeling I felt on my face was in fact my face being burned!  There was a small dry red patch on my upper cheek that lingered for a few days.

At the top of the resort sits huge beautiful pools.  When we first arrived we didn't understand why ANYONE would want to go into the pool if the Dead Sea was just a few feet away.  Well we understood it after our Dead Sea experience.  The pool was just more relaxing and pain free than the stinging waters of the Dead Sea!

Date Accomplished:  April 4th, 2013

The Top 10 Things I Am Most Excited About In 2013

January 17th, 2013

It's been a crazy year thus far, and I have gone full swing on planning for my Middle East and European Vacation that I am taking from March to May.  You know how much additional planning and prep there is to leave for such an extended period of time?  I have to make sure my taxes are done, I have to take a medical certification class a month early because it expires during my trip, I have to make sure all my bills are set up to be paid, and not to mention notifying banks and credit cards that I will be out of the country.   

Thankfully I have an awesome roommate, my brother, who can take care of my house while I am gone, like making sure the mail is checked, saving my most loved valuables in case a tsunami hits, and that my plants are watered.  You know, the usual house sitting duties.

I started off 2013 in San Francisco....

.....where I was arrested for being too awesome.  Actually the pic was taken in San Francisco.... in a porn studio...where I was a broadcasted live on a porn website.  My parents are so proud of me.   Actually they don't know about my porn site debut yet, I will save that for my upcoming appearance on Maury Povich.  Actually, if you believe that last bit then you don't know me well at all.  Actually, wow, I love saying actually. 

I will have to save that story for another rainy sunny (Southern California) day.

But really, 2013 is going to be great.  2012 was filled to the max with so many losses.  I think I wrote more bereavement cards and attended more funerals in 2012 than I did in all my previous years COMBINED!  Not to mention my little bout with cancer....2012 really entered the hall of fame as the suckiest year evaaaaar!

I have so many things to look forward to in 2013, and here are ten of my favorites...

1. Experience Mardi Gras

 (from the berry)

I scored a free flight with my miles to visit New Orleans for Mardi Gras!  They had to modify the Mardi Gras dates this year because of the Super Bowl, so thanks to the Super Bowl I am going to Mardi Gras for FREE! 

"Hey CeCe, you just didn't win the Super Bowl, what are you going to do next?"  Go to Mardi Gras BITCHES!!!!!!

2.  Visit the Pyramids

I am going to bloody Egypt, and I am going regardless what the media says!  I think Egypt gets a bad reputation, but I have done lots of reading on other travel blogs and they all say it's safe.  I'm riding a camel, kissing the Sphinx, going on a hot air balloon ride over the dessert, and taking a felucca ride along the Nile River.

3.  Visit Petra

 (from The Planet D)

Located in Jordan, it is not only a archaeological marvel, but also one of the Seven Wonders of the World!  Also if you're a movie buff, then you might also recognize it from Indiana Jones.  I am also looking forward to floating in the dead sea ALIVE and staying at a Bedouin Camp in Wadi Rum.

4.  Go on a Hot Air Balloon ride over the fairy chimneys of Cappadocia

The minute I first saw a photo of Cappadocia I immediately placed it onto my life list.  While planning my trip to Turkey I begged my friends that Cappadocia had to be one of our stops, and I must be very convincing because I am going!  As an added bonus, our lodging will be inside a cave that Cappadocia is also popular for!  I hope to see Fred, Wilma and Pebbles while in the caves too.

5.  Go Sky Diving

I am conquering great heights this year!  This is something I should have done two years ago.  I have seen several sky diving deals in San Diego, but I really wanted to do it somewhere extra beautiful.  My best friend is getting married in Maui, and what better way to make the trip extra memorable but jumping out of a plane in Hawaii! 

6.  Hike to Neuschwanstein Castle

I have no idea why it has taken my THIRD visit to Germany to finally make it to this castle.  This castle was the inspiration to Sleeping Beauty's castle.  I found a day trip from Munich that takes you on a hike to the castle while hiking through waterfalls, and picturesque landscapes.  I'm seriously contemplating listening to every Disney Princess song on the way up. 

7.  Relax in Santorini

When my friend and I visited Greece in 2007, Santorini was one of those places that we shook our heads and put on our "What we didn't do but should have done list."  So for 2013 we are putting it on our WE EFFING DID IT(!!) list.  

8.  Visit where the hills are alive with the Sound of Music in Salzburg, Austria

(from Isabelle's Travel Guide)

Similar to Neuschwanstein Castle, it has taken my THIRD visit to Austria to finally make it to Salzburg.  I absolutely adore the Sound of Music, so I can't wait to visit this little piece of movie history.  I am already planning on singing, dancing and skipping around the grounds.  I have no shame, remember?

9.  Visit Istanbul

Istanbul is filled with list items, like shopping at the Grand Bazaar, visiting the Hagia Sophia and Blue Mosque, and enjoying Turkish Delights.  I am pretty stoked that this is not my last stop, otherwise I would be taking a huge Turkish rug home with me!

10.  Drive the Road to Hana

Near the end of 2013 I will be enjoying two weeks in Hawaii.  One of things I am most excited to do is renting a car and taking the Road to Hana drive.  It is 60 miles of highway in Maui that is literally carved into the cliff.  During the drive it is highly recommended to make frequent stops to enjoy waterfalls, beaches, and lush forests. 

Honorable Mentions:  Visit Luxembourg (my 49th country!), revisit the beer halls of Munich, travel to North Carolina for a friends backyard wedding,  revisit the Acropolis in Greece, visit a friend in Cologne, Germany, and Visit Ephesus in Turkey.

Wowweee.  I'm exhausted just looking at it all!  

So Cheers....here's to a fabulous 2013!!

Also...like me on my new facebook page...pretty please?

(shameless plug over!)