Gulliver's Travel - Sabrina

02/05/2024

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02/05/2024

Remembering our lovely stay at with

Such a lovely location on the coast of Italy! We took the ferry from the pier to Cinque Terre for the day while

01/05/2024

Hotel highlight: Hotel Brunelleschi | Florence, Italy

This 5-star hotel is a delightful escape from the hustle and bustle of the city. It is a short walk from the Duomo. The tower of the hotel was once a women’s prison. There is so much history in this building.

Lunch at Osteria Pagliazza was delicious! The atmosphere of the restaurant made the meal even more enjoyable. The Signature Travel Network amenities were well used.

The service throughout the hotel was phenomenal. Breakfast offered a wide variety of options in a lovely setting.

Thank you, for a lovely stay!

01/04/2024

Ecuador 🇪🇨: Day 6
Fernandina Island

We walked on more lava fields but were also on the beach, seeing more wildlife everywhere we turned. Marine iguanas, lava lizards (can you find all of them in the pics?), Galapagos penguins, Sally light foot crabs, and more.

29/03/2024

Ecuador 🇪🇨: Day 5
Isabela Island

Every island is completely different. Today we walked on lava fields and saw different plants including the lava cactus.

Dragonflies, marine iguanas on land and swimming, birds, and hermit crabs were a few of the wildlife we saw. Such beauty all around us! The giant tortoises will have their own post later today.

We’ve had a combination of dry and wet landings this week. The tenders are versatile for both.

27/03/2024

Ecuador 🇪🇨: Day 5
Floreana Island

So much wildlife! And this was just our morning walk!

Did you know that flamingos don’t turn pink until they are 1.5-2 years old?

Find the American flamingo, locust, centipede, frigate bird (hard to catch in a photo!), Sally light foot crab (large population here), Galapagos lizard (female with colorful head), and sea lions. So many sea lions everywhere!!

26/03/2024

Ecuador 🇪🇨: Day 4
Espanola, Galapagos

This morning, we tendered to a beach to see wildlife. Many, many sea lions! Birds, crabs, iguanas and more. We also snorkeled off the beach.

After returning to the ship for lunch, we did a tender ride on a different side of the island to see more wildlife including nazca bo***es (birds), blue foot bo***es (I missed the photo chance), sea lions, crabs, sea turtles, marine iguanas, and more! The blow hole was intriguing to see also.

Lovely sunset on the !! Such a beautiful ship for this experience!

25/03/2024

Ecuador🇪🇨: Day 3
Quito -> Baltra
First sight of from the air! Excited to sail the outer loop of the Galápagos Islands for the next week!

24/03/2024

Ecuador 🇪🇨: Day 2
We enjoyed a city tour of Quito today. We saw the Old City and learned so much history. The statue is made of 4000 pieces put together like a puzzle. It is the tallest aluminum statue in the world.

We saw two weddings. We walked on the Inca Trail (a street in Quito now), and saw where the documents were signed for their National Independence.

After lunch in a monastery/church, we went to the latitude 0*0’0” museum and stood on the equator.

Dinner at was delicious!

23/03/2024

TYS -> CLT -> MIA -> UIO
Hello, Ecuador! 🇪🇨🌎

Arrived this afternoon. Staying at the lovely

Late lunch at The food was delicious.

Looking forward to exploring Quito tomorrow.

02/03/2024

Day 11: Queenstown, New Zealand 🇳🇿-> Sydney, Australia 🇦🇺 -> Dallas/Fort Worth, TX 🇺🇸-> Knoxville, TN 🇺🇸 = 30 hour trip (if I make it to Knoxville on time)

I saw the Sydney Opera House from the airplane. 4th grade goal achieved - but I still want to go back to see it up close!

Thankful for this trip in New Zealand!
God’s creation is breathtaking!

29/02/2024

Day 10: New Zealand 🇳🇿 aka The Bike Day

We started our bike journey in Historic Cromwell and ended in Historic Clyde. What a ride!

Lake Dunstan and the Cromwell Gorge provided a view we will never forget.

I am thankful for an e-bike with a hydraulic seat and BOOST! Those level three hills and 41.6 km (25.5 miles) were possible for me because of those two things! 😁🚲

Historic Clyde has a memorial for WWI. The Post Office Cafe had a tasty lemon bar for the end of our ride.

Thanks to Rod at for the last minute booking! Great service!! You made fun today.

28/02/2024

Day 9: New Zealand 🇳🇿 aka The Take-It-Easy Day

We spent today in Cromwell. From the Cromwell Lookout, we could see the original (historic) town. We climbed the Old Reservoir Trail for a higher view.

Walking around the Heritage Precinct (Old Cromwell) was a step back in time with items from the 1800s and the gold rush. They’ve renovated many buildings and have craftsmen selling their crafts while other buildings are recreated to a time long ago.

Fun library in Old Cromwell. (Have you read “Gulliver’s Travels”?)😊

The views are still amazing in New Zealand even as we took a day to relax a bit.

27/02/2024

Day 8: New Zealand 🇳🇿 aka The Day of WOW!

Our day started before darling as we joined a group tour to make the 4+ hour trip out to Milford Sound. The views on the drive and through Fiordland National Park were beyond what we imagined. But then…we arrived at Milford Sound! WOW! Just WOW! I don’t know how many times we said that today!

We took a two-hour cruise through Milford Sound. The views, waterfalls, seals, going to the edge of the Tasman Sea - WOW!

Instead of taking the 4+ hour ride back to Queenstown by bus, we opted for the return flight. WOW! Just WOW!! I highly recommend doing this to see the sights from above. You also get back to Queenstown in 35-40 minutes after enjoying all the sights on the drive to the cruise.

on a WOW day! Thank you and for an amazing day!

26/02/2024

Day 7: New Zealand aka The (Somewhat) Relaxing Day

We left our condo in Cardrona to head to Queenstown. After a couple of hours in Queenstown, we drove to Glenorchy. The drive beside Lake Wakatipu is stunning. The motorcyclists were having a grand time.

Lunch at , stop at the Glenorchy Wharf House, then a walk around and through the Glenorchy Lagoon. Back in Queenstown, we had dinner at . If you’re ever in Queenstown, stand in line for a burger!

Even relaxing days are golden!

25/02/2024

Day 6: New Zealand 🇳🇿 aka The Day I Had No Idea

Or The Day If I Had Known I Wouldn’t Have but I’m Glad I Did!

Isthmus Peak
4 hr 15 min to the summit
35 min at the summit to eat lunch and enjoy the view
3 hr 15 min back down

1854 stops to catch my breath.
12,112 switchbacks.
43,000 bees circling my head.
1386 meters above sea level at 5.5 miles each direction.
(Disclaimer: Some numbers may be exaggerated unless verified by signs or cell phone tracking.)

This may be the hardest I’ve ever had to push myself on a hike, but it was so worth it!

Thankful to be in New Zealand! If you ever find yourself near Isthmus Peak, do it! Start early (we were on the track by 8:20am after an hour drive), and pack plenty of snacks and water. Oh, there are two toilets on the track! Good info to have for an eight-hour hike!😁

Tomorrow may be The Day I Can’t Move…

Sporting my gear 💜💛

24/02/2024

Day 5: New Zealand 🇳🇿 aka The Rainy Day

Driving to Arrowtown, exploring Arrowtown in the rain and enjoying a donut while the downpour passed, the 100+ year old Chinese settlement, Queenstown Gardens, the view back to Cardrona

The rain brought beautiful clouds.

Now I understand why the early settlers called this country “the land of the long white cloud”.

23/02/2024

Day 4: New Zealand aka The Day I Lost My Hat then Found It Again Hanging on A Tree

Hiking Mt. Iron (and finding my lost hat), Wānaka for lunch, walking the Outlet Track by Bremner Bay, seeing , hiking up to Rocky Mountain summit around Diamond Lake for sunset (We were the last ones off the trail after dark.)

What a full day!

22/02/2024

Day 3: New Zealand 🇳🇿

Fox Glacier, Bruce Bay with real fruit ice cream, Knights Point Lookout, Ship Creek (sand dunes and dolphins), Haast for lunch, Thunder Creek Falls, Fantail Falls, Haast Pass, Blue Pools (bridge was closed so we walked across the river in frigid water!), Lake Wānaka & Lake Hāwea. Staying in Cardrona near Wānaka.

What a day !!

21/02/2024

New Zealand: Day 2 - Hokitika to Fox Glacier

We hiked Hokitika Gorge, Franz Josef Glacier (Sentinel Rock), and Lake Matheson. Staying in Fox Glacier tonight.

The views are amazing every way I turn!!

20/02/2024

Knoxville -> DFW -> Auckland -> Christchurch -> Hokitika 23+ hours later

I am again! I stayed awake for the sunset

22/12/2023

Our captain had to cancel our call to Falmouth due to strong winds. We are now in Ocho Rios, Jamaica. Our driver is already waiting on us. Flexibility is key when cruising and .

26/11/2023

Porto Venere, Italy 🇮🇹

Our last two nights in Italy were spent in Porto Venere last month. We took the train from Florence (Firenze) to La Spezia, where a driver met us to take us to our lovely hotel, The Grand Hotel Porto Venere. After checking in, we explored the small town then took a boat out on the water. The owner let Brent “captain” the boat so off the two of us went. Highly recommended!

09/11/2023

09/11/2023

The Sphere in Las Vegas

09/11/2023

Grand Canal Shoppes at the Venetian in Las Vegas

09/11/2023

The Venetian in Las Vegas

08/11/2023

The Sphere in Las Vegas - part 2

08/11/2023

The Sphere in Las Vegas - part 1