Aruba!

The week we spent in Aruba will probably be always at the top of my list of favorite weeks of my entire life. Courtney has always been one of my very favorite traveling partners, and Julia has become one as well. We travel so well together (except that they like to put on pjs and climb into bed at about 9:00 p.m. and I can't sleep until about midnight). We laugh and talk a lot, but we're also perfectly content to not talk. #introvertsunite

When we went to Rome two years ago I met them in Washington D.C. for our connecting flight to Rome. My flight was late, they had to try to hold the plane full of people, I had to run the length of about 12 football fields to get from one end of that airport to another to get to our gate.
It. Was. Awful. So this time I headed to Baltimore the night before and we got up well before dawn to head to the airport together.

The flight to Aruba was fairly uneventful, as flights should be. I get antsy on flights though-- which makes it difficult to travel sometimes. I don't like the tight spaces, or sitting for so long without moving, I can't get comfortable and I fidget a lot...which no doubt annoys my seat mates.

But we made it to Aruba! We waited in the long line to get through customs and then found our shuttle to take us to our resort. Aruba is different than other islands I have visited-- it is dry and arid, with cacti! We decided to stay at an all-inclusive resort and it really was the perfect location for us.

Our room was perfectly nice, the pool was incredible, and the food was delicious, and the ocean was the most amazing turquoise.

It was a great week of eating and relaxing and then eating some more.

On our first short flight we sat together. On our second longer flight  we had to sit separately.

Customs line in Aruba.

Our room (every room) had a "liquor dispenser." We don't drink bottles of liquor of course. And, seriously, who on earth needs four full bottles of liquor in their room??

The room.

The view from our room.

Our first night we changed out of our travel clothes and ate dinner at the steakhouse. It was SO good. The seating was outside and it was a beautiful night. My phone was dead from traveling so, sadly, no pictures from that night.

Heading down to breakfast.

Enormous breakfast buffet! So so much food.

The pool. 

Lizards were all over the grassy area by the pool.  They provided me with constant entertainment.

I basically stalked them. Even though the bigger ones kind of scared me. 

This might have been my favorite part of the resort. There was a lounge open 24 hours a day with drinks, coffees,  and snacks (like nachos!). 

Heading to dinner, 

Our second night we ate at the Italian restaurant. It was probably our least favorite of the 4 dinners we had--- but the  antipasti/salad bar was great.

Look at how gorgeous this lettuce was! All of the produce was oh so good.

Dessert!

The beach!

Our resort.

Breakfast day two. Note the spaghetti :) I do love non-traditional breakfast foods.

Me and Jules. We swam out to this dock. The weather was clear and the most amazing turquoise color. And we saw some colorful fish swimming around the dock.

We always eat at Hard Rock Cafe when we travel. It's our thing. So we headed  down the road just a bit to find the restaurant. The place was empty, the service was appalling, but the food was good. So not a total loss.

Dinner at the French restaurant. Later that night we went to a Carnival show :)

Sitr Fry Bar at lunch!

Lunch buffet. It was insane and huge too.

Heading to dinner on our last night.

We ate at the restaurant with local Aruban food. It was surprisingly delicious.

Morning walk on the beach before heading to the airport.

Dinner at a Ramen Bar at the airport!

We got in super late on Wednesday night and my flight didn't leave until Friday afternoon. It was fun getting to spend a bit of time in Baltimore. And I always love snuggles with Alex :)

I often struggle with returning to places I have already visited. It seems like if I have the chance to travel I should go to a new place. But I really hope to go back one day.