Cruisin’

March 13, 2015Leave a comment

Cruise

While it has only been a little over 6 months since my last international trip (yikes, and almost the same since my last post!), I can’t seem to think of any reasons to not go abroad again! Ok, so money is always a slight deterrent- but to me, adventure far outweighs any material good. (Plus this is quite a different style of trip than my last.) Rather than traveling via plane or train to hostels, hotels and dorms, my room itself will be transporting me to different tropical paradises. Yes, that is right… I booked a cruise.

Now, I haven’t been on a cruise since my entire family celebrated my grandparent’s 50th wedding anniversary years ago. And at that time, I was pretending to be 16 to gain access to the dance club. I think it is safe to say that my experience this time will be slightly different.

Prior to booking the cruise, different ideas of All-Inclusive resorts throughout Mexico were enticing but when it came down to the actual price for a 1 week adventure, it was shocking. (Even more so, when you include cost of transportation to just get yourself to Mexico.) It was a little disheartening at first, but then it hit me… What if our hotel just took us to Mexico instead? I had remembered from my undergraduate days at the University of Florida how cheap cruises were during the spring (really, anytime of the year) and immediately started searching. Within no time, it was set!

For anyone interested in booking cruises, I would highly recommend comparing prices on the discount sites (Expedia, Orbitz, Travelocity) with the actual cruise line. The prices are generally similar, however either the discount site or the cruise line will offer different incentives. Through Expedia, we were able to book our 7-day cruise and received $150 in on-board credit, which can be applied to drinks/spa treatments etc.

Now, there are few things that people seem to forget about cruises (ok, so I forgot, since I was much younger before)…

1) They do not include gratuity in the price, and you should pre-pay this prior to departure. It is usually nominal, (roughly $12 a day, depending on the cruise line) but covers tips for all employees you encounter aboard. By pre-paying, it helps solidify your trip budget, as you will not receive a bill at the end of your stay.

2) Drinks (soda and alcoholic beverages) are not included in your overall price. Soda cards can be purchased at ~$5 a day and all-inclusive beverages (including alcohol) can be purchased at ~$50 a day.

3) Speaking of drinks – many people know that no outside alcohol is allowed. Not completely true. Ok so it probably depends on the cruise line- but we are able to bring in our luggage, 1 bottle of wine per person with no extra charge. More than 1 bottle is subject to a $15 uncorking fee by the ship.

4) Excursions really do fill up fast. If the excursion that you are interested in fills up, still opt to be on the waiting list! They will try to get extra space for you and your party. (Pro tip – the discount site that you booked through also offers discounts on certain excursions offered through your cruise line.)

5) Not all food is free. There are many free options, from buffets to the traditional sit down dinners. Many cruises offer a different assortment of restaurants to choose from and some charge a “cover-charge”. These charges can range from $15-200 depending on the services. Most ships will have a detailed account of their restaurants on their websites.

6) Days at sea. No matter your destination, whether it is one port or more, you will have days at sea. If you are not one who can sit idly by and relax by a pool (or visit the buffet 20 times in one day), then perhaps a cruise isn’t the most ideal fit for a vacation. I, for one, cannot wait to just be poolside sipping on a margarita and enjoying the day.

Now, while this is an abbreviated list of pre-departure pointers (and various things to think about before you book), I will be sure to update from the ship (if I am able) and have a whopping review of the trip upon my return!

I must say, after all the cold weather Colorado has had these past few weeks, I am looking forward to retreating to sandy beaches and warm waters. The only thing left for me to do is pack and look forward to embarking on a new adventure TOMORROW!

Practice

August 2, 2014September 23, 20141 Comment

Me, in front of the Community Pharmacy

I must apologize for my long absence of posts. As the school semester has rapidly approached, I became extremely distant with all things remotely revolving work and have focused on soaking up my last beautiful days of summer. And now that I have accepted my fate and classes have started (ok so they started almost 6 weeks ago!), it is time to get back to writing about Lithuania!

So what did I actually do in Lithuania? I have been asked this countless times since I have arrived back in the states, so I figure it is about time to divulge such information… For starters, our days were busy. Granted, when I explain to people that we only worked roughly 3 hours a day in the pharmacy, they laugh. Rightfully so, it seems like nothing. But honestly, our practice time worked out perfectly and enabled us to get an extremely thorough experience of the pharmacy and Lithuanian culture. Let me explain-

Vials on display, filled with different chemicals/medications in the community pharmacy

Our practice started once all the other students arrived to Kaunas. There were 8 of us from very different places (Portugal, Croatia, Egypt, Turkey and another student from the US). We were divided into small groups of 2 for our practice sites and I was assigned to the community pharmacy initially. At the pharmacy, there was little English spoken, and we relied on our host to translate (as well as the many, many sound effects from the head pharmacist which emphasized his hand motion explanations). It was here we helped compound different types of creams and lotions – from salicylic acid to nitroglycerin formulations. We weighed the drugs, mixed them with lanolin or vaseline and basically just followed the recipe on the prescription.

Ana and I working in the Community Pharmacy

Other days, we were to weigh out very specific dosages of drugs not normally found in pill formation and fold them into intricate origami papers. (Believe me, after 3 hours of folding these papers, it becomes very tedious work). It was interesting that for patient daily use of these packages, they are instructed to just open it up, dump the powder contents into their mouth, and then swallow- something I couldn’t imagine happening in the US (normally our compounded medications are usually mixed into a suspension to rid it of the poor taste).

A couple of my visits in the community pharmacy were spent bottling eye drops. (Yup, they made their own eye drops – I am so used to all of our pre-packaged eye drop formulations, that the thought of actually making them had never occurred to me.) We washed our hands (no gloves), sanitized the lab bench, measured out 10 mL per bottle, poured and then capped each and every eye drop prescription. Another interesting aspect was how heavily the Lithuanian people rely on homeopathic healthcare. Rather than running to the doctor for antibiotics to “cure any ailment” like what is common in the US, they initially rely on tea. If that doesn’t work, they will then return to the doctor and find another remedy. So what does that mean for the pharmacist? They make tea! Not brewed, made-to-order tea, but we measured out each individual plant/flower/herb and incorporated them into a bags of “loose leaf” prescription tea.

Kaunas Clinicas

The groups switched during the second half of our stay and I was placed in the hospital setting (the Kaunas Clinicas – the largest hospital system in Lithuania). Our first day in the hospital included a long descriptive tour of the pharmacy area, as well as readings on safety and other various regulations. Again, no one spoke english but this time we had no host for translations.

Medication Preparation room within the Hospital

The rest of our time in the hospital was interesting – one day we spent bottling water in the aseptic room. It was extremely hot and amplified by the machinery in the room, including a giant autoclave, but we sat and took turns putting caps on glass bottles, and lined them on the tray to be autoclaved. Once we de-gowned, we went and sorted medications in the supply room. Almost everything in the pharmacy there was done on paper- no electronic prescriptions or orders. We helped stock the medication shelves with assistance from the hand drawn map of the storage rooms and then helped retrieve medications for floor orders.

The other days in the hospital were much more directly related to pharmacy. We were able to be in the prep room where we made more lotions/creams, packed powder into capsules and also were able to make suppositories. At first the women in the room did not know what to do with us- we spoke no Lithuanian. As soon as my friend started speaking Croatian, they beamed! Apparently Russian (which many people speak as their second language in Lithuania) is closely related to Croatian. And with that- down went the walls of our language barrier! They throughly enjoyed being able to explain to us certain daily activities and prescription filling processes.

Our student pharmacy team preparing medications within the hospital.

Once we completed our few short hours within the pharmacy settings, we hopped on the bus to have lunch (usually back in the dorm). Our entire group would usually meet up around 3 pm and head out into town or the surrounding area to experience the culture, museums and various sites. I’ll get to those adventures in future posts!

Embrace all experiences

July 28, 2014July 28, 20143 Comments

This week marks my last in Lithuania and I have yet to discuss any of my adventures here. My days have been incredibly busy as we tour various areas after work- visiting churches, museums and castles (oh and spending the weekends in other countries or on the coast). It has been a whirlwind of activity to say the least. Today I will attempt to start a small series of posts of my travel thus far within Lithuania.

I can’t quite explain what I expected upon arrival, but it was not this. It could have been due to exhaustion from prior travels, it could have been thousands of other reasons, but I arrived and was shocked. I allowed myself to be swallowed by all my doubts, worries and vivid imagination once I was at the dorm. The common rooms were stark and the dull paint glared down while you attempted to get the only wifi access available. The showers were deep within the basement (luckily there was a toilet in our room). Promptly at midnight all lights in the entire building go out. So, that night I went to bed exhausted and consumed with a nervous energy.

My bedroom in the dorm.

The common room.

Experience is just that – you live, you learn and you try new things. It was the following morning after my arrival that I decided to push out all the negative thoughts and embrace this experience fully. I was determined to have the most enjoyable time in Lithuania and have easily managed it. My dorm has since become home and I find myself missing it when traveling on weekends. Lithuania is a beautiful country and filled with incredibly kind people. It is funny how negative thoughts can quickly influence you, but better yet is to recognize it and be able to push them all away.

I am thankful for being able to be in this country and to be exposed to their culture and way of life. I think it is one of my favorite aspects of traveling, that every experience leaves you with new knowledge of not only the land and people, but gives you a deeper understanding of your true self.

Vienybės Square in Kaunas

Main street in the beautiful Kaunas

Kaunas Castle – first mentioned in print in 1361

“Together we love Kaunas”

From Paris to Amsterdam

July 20, 2014July 20, 20141 Comment

There sadly isn’t much I can say about Paris. I have never been the biggest fan of Paris, and after visiting again, I still am not. So my advice? Don’t go. (Ha, I am only partially kidding) But really, once you get past the monuments and museums, it is a dirty city with cruel intentions. However, rather than continuing to why I do not like Paris, I will just leave you with a few tips to the city.

1. No matter how comfortable you feel, or how at home you may be – when you are out in the city NEVER leave your bag unattended. This means sitting on a chair next to you, on the ground near you or any other way where it is not physically on you in some manner. In many cases it will be gone in an instant (and sadly my mom found out the hard way).

2. The city is full of gypsies that not only take your purse, but have these cunning tricks (so please be aware – we ran into all of these): “Do you speak english?” a simple yes will have them harassing you to sign their piece of paper for supporting orphan children. While you are signing, they or their partner will pick pocket you- if you refuse to sign they get closer and closer to you, often touching your face in hopes to convince you to sign. Best to just shake a no and ignore their further questions. Another con includes a “gold ring”. A gypsy will generally toss a “gold ring” on the ground as approach you, pick it up and exclaim what amazing treasure they have found! They continue on to ask if it is yours, or if you would like to buy it from them. It is fake and they just want your money. And then there are the gypsies with fake babies – while the woman I encountered did not throw her fake baby at me in hopes I would try and catch it and rob me in the meantime, she kept tapping me on the shoulder to ask for money. Use caution in any situation!

3. Overall, just be a smart and self-conscious traveler when going to Paris. (or any other big city!) The advice can’t get more simple than that!

Our trip to Paris wasn’t entirely awful- the following pictures document some of our favorite highlights of the city.

Having lunch on a Seine River cruise – it was phenomenal! (One plus for Paris)

Locks upon locks

The beautiful Notre Dame

Luxembourg Palace fountains and gardens

Versialles! Absolutely stunning – a do not miss when in Paris (or perhaps the only place to go when visiting)
Continue reading →

London in a hurry…

July 15, 2014July 16, 20141 Comment

Me in front of the Tower Bridge

So much has happened in the past week, and I will try my best to cover what I can. I have decided to briefly discuss London, Paris and Amsterdam so I can more accurately describe my current conditions and activities within Kaunas, Lithuania, (which has proved to already be an adventure within the first few hours!). So here is my attempt at London and the top sights I would suggest seeing…

Slightly off the beaten trail is the Churchill War Rooms museum. It depicts life within the wartime bunker, the decisions that had to be made during World War 2 and stories of the people involved. Once passing through many of the rooms that were left untouched and abandoned after the war, you enter the larger museum which houses articles of clothing, letters, pictures and others from throughout Churchill’s life. As you meander through the aisles, you will find that each section is incredibly interactive. Some allow you to touch screens resembling filing cabinets to dig deeper into specific dates and what happened, and others will start playing one of Churchill’s speeches when standing on a certain spot. Pictures dance and music plays. The main museum can keep one occupied for quite some time. (Keep track of time if planning to visit other sights at specific times). Upon exiting the main museum, you find yourself deeper in the bunker, around the call center, the map room and finally Churchill’s bedroom. It is best to give yourself a minimum of 2.5 hours to venture through the exhibits – I found that 2 hours was too little because you can easily get caught up in the main museum (as we did) and then rush through the end (we were expected at the changing of the guards at 11:30).

A very popular sight, the Tower of London, was equally as fascinating. Originating in the 11th century, it is vastly older than anything in the United States, so to me, it is understandably fascinating. The stories that go with the castles history are grotesque, brutal and equally as captivating as the age and beauty itself. The Crown Jewels are also kept here! I would recommend spending at least 2.5 hours to be able to tour it all without being rushed – we actually ran out of time because we went too close to the closing hours.

Nestled underneath the London Bridge rests the Borough Market, and is the last stop on my quick tour through London. It can be accessed many different ways, but I would recommend completing the Queen’s Walk and passing by some wonderful sights, local vendors and delicious food trucks (one is even a double-decker frozen yogurt stand!) Before you even reach the market, the aroma of the fresh food hits you. I would suggest that you arrive slightly hungry – as everything looks tasty. You can purchase sandwiches, paella, cheese, wine, beer, pastries of all sorts, fresh produce and beautiful flowers. It is worth checking out!

Double Decker frozen yogurt along the Queen’s Walk

Food and flowers of all kinds

I had a wonderful 4 days in London, we were constantly moving in the hustle of all the locals and tourists, hardly stopping. Rather than continue with more descriptions of places, I’ll leave you with a handful of photos taken throughout our London days.

The obligatory “photo in the phone booth”

When in London, every Beatles fan has to visit

We battled crowds to get this picture

Me, in the Kensington Palace gardens

The hygge of Copenhagen (Part 1)

July 4, 2014July 4, 20149 Comments

As I am sitting in the lobby of my hostel in London, I cannot help but miss the beauty and adventures of Copenhagen. (Don’t get me wrong.. I am very excited for my upcoming travels, too.)

Copenhagen has a certain, well, “hygge” to it. “Hygge” is a Danish word, with no direct english translation. It was explained to me as being a feeling, a feeling in which you experience comfort, warmth, and a family-like sensation while in the company of others. And Copenhagen felt just like that.

It will be hard to summarize exactly everything that went on during the time I spent in Copenhagen. I was moving non-stop. Let’s see how well I do!

I arrived at my hostel after taking the train into the city from the airport. It was relatively quick and convenient – right into the city center. (Oh and cheap too!) I walked with my luggage (those 30lbs were starting to feel heavy) through town with the limited map I had printed out online. In reality, it was more like walking blind – I had assumed all the streets would be reasonably labeled, and of course found none… even when I did, the Danish words were horribly confusing. At one point I was attempting to just match letters on my map to what was on a building wall. I was about to hail a taxi and admit defeat, but was pleasantly surprised when I looked up – I was right in front of my hostel.

As soon as I had finished checking in, their system crashed and my key was unable to open my shared room (4 bed mixed dorm). So I tossed my luggage into storage and walked through the city! First thing I noticed, as anyone would naturally, was the amount of bikes. Bikes everywhere! You are more likely to get hit by a biker when crossing the street than a car. (They also do not lock them to anything and only use a small rear wheel lock to ensure no one could ride away with your bike). Luckily when I returned I was able to check in. Due to my long flights and sleeping 4 hours at most, I retired to bed.

The following morning, I awoke feeling refreshed- my little twin bunk bed in my dorm was worlds better than sleeping on an overly packed airplane from Dallas. I skipped the breakfast offered at my hostel (plus it was 65 dkk, which is roughly 13 USD) and decided to find a local cozy spot in town. I didn’t have to go far. Around the corner from my hostel is the oldest street in Copenhagen – the Mastraede. Along this street was a quaint little coffee shop that reminded me of being home in my own living room. It was farm house inspired and had a green table which was chipping paint – similar to my own coffee table. Each table was adorned with fresh flowers and newly lit candles that flickered in the soft morning light. Although I was alone, it was very hygge.

The once empty coffee shop was soon bustling with activity, as was Mastraede. I soaked it all in, enjoyed ever last bite of my flakey croissant and each remaining sip of my coffee. By 11, I was back at the hostel and awaiting the start of the free walking tour. (If you are traveling, alone or with anyone for that matter- I would highly recommend the walking tours! They are especially great when you have nothing else planned and want to learn the history of the city you are in.) It may come as a surprise to some, but I have to say it – pharmacy is a small world. And as such, I met a fellow pharmacy student who was setting out to partake in the same APhA Student Exchange program! We were both traveling prior to setting out to our final destinations and just happened to be in the same city and staying at the same hostel. But I digress.. enough pharmacy talk for the moment!

The tour was fabulous – we saw all the major sites – Town Hall on Raadhuspladsen, Strøget (a large pedestrian street filled with shopping and restaurants), Amalienborg Palace where we witnessed the changing of the guards, Nyhavn (my favorite and probably most photographed place of Copenhagen), canals, cathedrals, museums, and heard tales of vikings, fires and politics of the city. Our tour guide, Ben, (captured in some pictures below) was wildly enthusiastic and entertaining. It was the best way to spend the morning/early afternoon. Post walking tour a handful of us went to enjoy some Danish ice cream and a glimpse at the infamous “Little Mermaid.”

Town Hall

The controversial fountain (notice the water emerging from the woman’s breast, and the child urinating… oh and our tour guide, Ben)

Me in front of Christianborg Palace.

The Nyhavn area – so beautiful!

Changing of the guards at Amalienborg Palace

The Little Mermaid

The evening involved a trip to Christiania. Christiania is an interesting place. They do not believe that they are a part of Copenhagen, nor Denmark. They ask that you do not take photographs in their “green district” due to their selling marijuana and apparently all of Copenhagen just turns a blind eye. It reminded me of a mix of Boulder (if all hell broke loose and it turned into a crazy commune of the hippie-est of all hippies) and a lot dirtier.

Entrance to Christiania.

Own a share of Christiania!

Rest did not come until 3 am after my first full day in Copenhagen. It was such a fantastic day and I met such lovely people. Hostel travel when alone is like moving into the dorms for the first time as a freshman – you are nervous but everything is exciting, everyone is interesting, you all make plans to hang out constantly, take group trips to the grocery store and have new experiences with each other. It is actually an interesting way to travel, one in which I am grateful for. I would highly recommend everyone to take a step out of their comfort zone and try it out!

Until part two, as the Danes would say – “Skål!”

And I am off!!

June 29, 2014June 29, 2014Leave a comment

It is a bit amusing to me that I have had writers block for the past couple of weeks. This fog has seemed to slowly extend itself into my everyday life and has prevented me from completing any serious planning for my trip -And yet, I’m not stressed or worried about it. Am I sick or something?

I’d like to chalk it up to the fact that I am ready for a new adventure!

I took off this afternoon and as many of my trips start – it was a bit hectic. Checking in online proved to be a lost cause, and I was also denied electronic check in at the airport. Once I had finally flagged down an actual airlines worker I received my actual ticket. From there lines were long through security and I made the poor decision to be in the longest line possible. (Go figure!) I made it to my gate with about 3 minutes to spare. But I made it, and am currently sitting in Dallas-Ft. Worth for my next flight to London. I am a firm believer that difficult beginnings can be the start of something beautiful – so cheers to that!

Like I mentioned before, these past few weeks have been uneventful in the planning aspect of my trip. Sure I have all my flights situated and hostel stays, but besides that, there is not much else planned. I have decided that spontaneity is going to be the underlying theme of this trip. And by traveling alone, it makes that quite easy!

I had phenomenal help with packing from a friend – I tried on a plethora of outfits and there were many attempts at creating multiple outfits from the same small amount of clothing options. I think that I was very successful, yet probably still overpacked- It is just so difficult planning and packing for travel and work.

The Before… (hoping most fits)

The almost after… I was able to fit most.. (1 black dress, 2 patagonia dresses, 2 pencil skirts, 2 jeans, 2 workout pants, 3 coats -one rain, one white coat for work and one jean jacket, 2 pairs of dress pants, 3 white tanks, 3 shirts, 6 dressier shirts for work/dressier events, 3 pairs of shoes, climbing shoes and of course 1 pair of American PJs) So yes, I probably overpacked!

My favorite item that I am bringing along is a travel journal that a wonderful friend of mine surprised me with. It is just perfect – half of the pages with lines for writing, and half blank and perfect for sketches. If you travel without one, you are missing out! They become some of my most prized possessions once I return home because they can instantly bring you back and even fuel that passion for your next adventure.

Next post, I’ll be in Copenhagen – stay tuned!

I’m going!

May 12, 2014Leave a comment

Although every thought that passes through this overpacked and seemingly overflowing brain of mine should be on studying for finals this week, it is daydreaming of summer instead. A summer bursting full of adventure. That’s right guys, I have been placed!

No more waiting in suspense! My ticket is booked, bags are packed (ok, so not really) and I have already started counting down the days. I am extremely excited to announce that I will be spending my summer practicing in Kaunas, Lithuania!

Image from: http://www.partnerinlithuania.com/IMG/mapEurope.jpg

Even though I booked my flight at a particularly inconvenient time (only 3 months before my travel), I still managed to find a decent deal. If you haven’t tried Kayak Explore, you should definitely do so! It enables you to set price limits, rough estimates for when you would like to depart and then picks spots all over the globe that you could possibly travel to. It places them all on a fun, interactive map – so it is really easy to just sit and daydream of traveling to obscure places for hours. (I guess I can’t really pretend I didn’t do that!) From those listings, I was able to pick a handful of the cheapest airports to fly in and out of and then compared prices between them for my specific dates on separate sites.

Now I just need to survive finals (only one more week!) and then start organizing and planning for my trip! I am beyond psyched! Stay tuned for updates!

Patience is not my virtue

April 17, 2014April 17, 2014Leave a comment

I hate waiting. I’m not good at it- which sucks because that really has no effect on whether you wait or not. Regardless, I am just left waiting.

Sitting at our campsite in Campamento Torres, Torres del Paine, Chile

Some of you may know that I applied to work abroad this summer. (Those of you who didn’t, well now you do!) It is a program offered through the American Pharmacist’s Association. Compared to the normal college study abroad process, this is a little different. Here is how it works: This year they accepted roughly 60 students from the United States to go abroad. (The number is based upon the amount of sites available for foreign students to come to the US). Once you are selected, you put together a separate application and pick 3 countries of where you would want to work. These three countries are then notified once your application is approved. They have the opportunity to “reserve” your application so no other country can see it, and follow up by “placing” you in your actual site.

My application was officially submitted and then I waited. A month passed and I had heard nothing. Great, more waiting.

Then it happened! I was reserved and ready to go off to the Czech Republic. I was ecstatic! Ok, maybe a little too overzealous buying a guidebook, but I was going!

I was going… right?

About a month later, I had heard nothing. Fabulous, more waiting! (This places us around the end of March, early April) The wonderful students who are working and organizing many of the sites for the United States had attempted to contact the Czech multiple times. No word. It was then suggested that I attempt to be placed outside of the 3 countries I had chosen. Sure, why not!

So now I am back waiting. I recently got word that I might have been offered placement in another country. I am hesitant to say which, until it is official.

So for now, I just keep waiting….

Paige Ashley

A prescription to travel

Category: Travel