caribbean cruising.

it's about time i blog about my cruise! 

two and a half weeks ago i set off to Galveston, Texas so i could take a vacation with my family, my best friends family and few other people. I was super nervous to take off my second week of school. And even though my grade is really going to show it and the end of the semester, it was worth it. Some of the experiences i had are some that will never leave my mind, and i loved spending those moments with the people i love most :) so here we go!

our boat was so awesome. (on the left) HUGEEEE. and there was mini golf, water slides, theaters, and so pretty. 

our first stop was in Cozumel, Mexico! I was really looking forward to going to see old Mayan Temple ruins, but those plans were ruined when we found out we wouldn't be able to catch a ferry back to Cozumel.  I was SO bummed because seeing those temples is something that i have always wanted to see. Instead, we all got on this little boat and went about 30 minutes away. 

the people driving our boat gave me some mexican coke on the way there-- and even though i don't like plain coke that much. i felt like i had to :) haha 

some people went to the beach where they had all these fun water toys.  but i decided i wanted to go snorkeling with the boys! and i am SO GLAD I DID. It was amazing. I swam with schools of fish, touched fish, saw jellyfish, and my favorite was the SHARK! it didn't look very big from what i saw- but when we were talking to our tour guide he said that because i had goggles on my vision is distorted and the shark was probably about 5-6 feet long! WHAT?! IT WAS SO CLOSE. 

i loved it. 

after the day of fun, we went to an authentic mexican restaurant. there is nothing better then real mexican food! 

they know how to do salsa and guacamole right.

homemade tortillas. PLEASE.

and the fish tacoosss :) I love then so much. and this fish was caught fresh. i could tell. 

i could eat these fish tacos every single day of my life.

the day was finished by talking the mexicans down on prices for souvenirs! 

the next day we stopped in the Cayman Islands! i loved walking around the town. 

this man cut me a coconut open with his machete.

and i drank up all the coconut milk!

then i went back to the man, and his cut it open for me and made a spoon

 so i could eat the inside of the cococnut!

the rest of the time spent in Cayman was on a awesome boat. 

stopping at the reef to hold and play with sting rays about as big as me! they were so adorable.

(even though i did get bit and now have a big gnarly scar on my finger! haha it was my fault)

we then went snorkeling. even though there weren't as many fish, i was able to see a lot more coral and plant life! The water in the Cayman islands was so incredibly clear and blue. It honestly took my breath away. 

our last stop was in Jamaica. i am convinced that this day changed my whole life! not even kidding. all starting with our tour guide O'Neal! He was a RIOT and made the 45 minute drive a blast. singing, yeah mon's all the time, and even  the history lessons were too fun. not to mention his driving almost had us killed a number of times! haha  our first stop was hiking up Dunn's famous waterfall. this was a beautiful sight and so much fun to go up with my family. 

O'Neal then took us to a place in his hometown. it's owned by a friend a believe, and there just a huge pool of water from the river where we went rope swinging, and CLIFF JUMPING! this was by far my favorite thing i did on the whole trip. i was incredible to be just surrounded by trees, waterfalls and our group of family and friends. no other tourists were there. 

it was beautiful.

and it was fun having O'Neals friends show us cool tricks on the rope swing and have them running through the forest off the cliff! i want to go back to jamaica and hang out with them SERIOUSLY. 

the jamaican people are so nice-- and carefree.

they are always saying "no problem mon" and are so friendly. 

and their jerk chicken? 

HOLLER YES. SO FREAKING GOOD. 

they are freaking crazy--but i love them!

one of the funniest/scariest things was us getting into a road race with a semi carrying propane. hahaha he was LITERALLY driving people off the other side of the road. near head on collisions! hahah 

i plan to fly back to jamaica and spend more time there--because one day was not NEAR enough time! 

the best thing was that all the cruise photographers thought we were

lesbians. so we took pictures behind these BRILLIANT backdrops. but didn't want to pay for them :(

our waiters Gede, Ivan & Rodger were theeee best! and they lurved us.

OH--and i got a tan line you guys! it's fading major now. but it was freaking awesome while it lasted. 

i LOVED this week. so so so much.