The music was banging loud, people dancing on the deck, the pools full of bright blue water, and then the loud horn sounds. It is time, time for the boat to leave the dock of Louisiana and head for Mexico. I was in 6th grade, it was my winter vacation and my parents joined my dad’s side of the family to embark on a cruise. I had never taken a cruise prior to this. It is a Carnival ship with over 4000 people on board. My heart is racing as I see the ship move away from the land and into the vast seas. I am on the edge of anticipation as I feel the ship move. The music is louder than ever and excitement fills the air as everyone is ready to start their vacation. 

The ship runs its course to go to the Gulf of Mexico in the Atlantic Ocean. Unlimited soft serve ice cream fills me up in between the meals. I am pleasantly surprised by how much food is there. It takes 3 days on the ship before we reach the tip of Mexico. Meanwhile, I enjoy playing pingpong, basketball, video games, and running on this large ship. I can not even feel the waves below. Every morning, when our small cabin room is cleaned, fun animal shapes are made with the towels. I enjoy the balcony view as we can see the waves below and the vast Ocean. It is so calming and so impressive. 

Here I land, at the tip of Mexico, our first stop is Costa Maya. I had never been to Mexico before. In fact, I had never traveled outside of the US before. As we step out, my family goes into a bus and we leave for the Mayan ruins. It is a long, 2 hour drive. These MesoAmerican pyramids are fascinating. The guide talks about how people lived and died in these pyramids. I enjoy walking the stairs of the pyramids and reaching the top with my parents and brother, enjoying the views below. I am surprised by how these structures have been preserved. After walking the ruins, we stopped by a tent and I bought souvenirs with my brother. Next we board the bus and head back to the ship. Our excursion takes the whole day. I am ready to eat dinner in the main dining hall and I am looking forward to the next excursion, the next stop. I feel the ship leaving and heading for the next stop, Honduras.

Now I land in Honduras and we decide to explore the jungles. I have never seen a wild monkey before today. As I leave the ship, I head into a van with my family and after about 30 minutes we are up a hill. The hill is pretty steep. Walking out of the van, we are on top of a platform on a hill. It is time to zipline. I have never ziplined before.The zipline workers explain how to use the zipline by stopping ourselves with a glove in one hand and holding onto our hoist with the other hand. They explain the safety rules and we gear up with helmets and holsters. My stomach churns as I glance down, it is a long way down and I have to go through 10 zip lines before getting to the bottom. I bravely stand tall as a worker attaches my gear to the double lines and I am ready to go. The air blows hard in my face as I zip down the line from the platform to a large tree. “Don’t forget to see the wild monkeys below” he yells at me as I let go and move down. The jungle is dense with large trees and monkeys are making noise below as they freely jump the vines. The scenery is breathtaking, the jungle is so green and so diverse with many different types of trees. My nerves calm down after the first line and now I am excited to complete the pathway. I am Praying as I go down the first line. However after I feel comfortable with the technique of ziplining, I go from anxiety to having fun. As we land on the last line on the ground, I wish there were more lines, I wish this did not have to end.The colors of this jungle are vivid and bright. 

Next stop the next day is Belize. The island of Belize means it is time to see the Coral Reefs. My family signed up for snorkeling. As I board a small boat, the workers explain how to wear the snorkeling gear. I jump out the boat with my brother as we swim in our gear. I see large reefs in the water, shocked to see the reef directly and not just a textbook picture. I want to touch the reef but they are too deep below and I must stay close to the surface to breathe. This ecosystem is fascinating and I am immersed in it. 

Now the ship is stopping at the next stop, Cozumel. Here I learn so much about dolphins and I even pet a dolphin. The water is so clear that I can see shells underneath. My brother grabs his snorkeling gear and swims to grab some sea shells. I enjoy the warm sand between my toes. Mexico has so much to offer that it occurs to me why have I not come here before? 

It is time to get back on the ship and head back home. My family takes a picture to keep on the staircase in the main lobby of the ship, grateful to be here. The cruise was worth every memorable moment, every excursion in a foreign country. I relax in my cabin and wonder, wonder if I will ever get the chance to go on another cruise.