Stay Tuned....

Still many more great blogs to come! Soon check out the latest trips I have taken (all within the last 4 months)...

• Daytona Beach, Florida
• Destin, Florida
• Nashville, Tennessee
• Gatlinburg, Tennessee
• Tuscaloosa, Alabama
• Milwaukee, Wisconsin
• Charleston, South Carolina
• Knoxville, Tennessee

Anaheim, California

Every once in awhile, in between the many Orlandos is a California, or a Florida, or another random state I am asked to visit for more cheerleading championship coverage. This year, California was one of them. So, I flew into Los Angeles (a place I have visited before and love) and drove about 40 minutes to Anaheim.. Home of Disney Land. As you can see, I can't seem to get away from these thrilling lands of cartoon characters. Disney World, Disney Land... it's safe to say I have seen enough, but still anticipate and love going back each year.

This Anaheim trip was different though, because I had never been there. I was only there a few days, so the trip really only consisted of work and a little fun after. The worst part about being in Anaheim instead of home in Memphis? Any normal person would say there is nothing WORST about that scenario, but this very weekend... there WAS. The University of Memphis basketball team was playing the University of Tennessee basketball team in Memphis. This was one of the biggest games of the season or should I say ever? Both teams from Tennessee, they were ranked number one and number two... this rarely happens, supposedly.

Anyway, I would never have gotten tickets because it was almost impossible since people were selling them for thousands of dollars, but Memphis was the HOT SPOT this weekend (that will never happen again...haha). So, I had to watch the game and NOT celebrate a win in the state of California. It turned out to not be such a bad gig, even though Memphis blew it. I watched the end with a fun group of friends and got talked into buying a loud, orange UT shirt to celebrate the win with a few fans I was with. So me and about 5 people walked around with the same shirt on for the remainder of the night. It was pretty funny having every other Californian we passed congratulate us on the "Big Win." haha! Good Trip!

Orlando, Florida

I never thought in a million years that I would call Disney World my second home, but it now welcomes me five times a year from January-April, almost every other weekend in some cases. I can remember being a kid, and wanting to go to Disney World so bad... little did I know, by the age of 25, I would have visited Mickey and Minnie more than a dozen times.

So, when my plane lands in January, and February, and March, and April - the sun hits and Donald, Goofy, Aladdin, Simba, Mufasa, and the rest of the crew are ready for me with open arms. No really, I don't get to "play" at the Disney parks that often. We usually get to Orlando one day early, which gives us time to prepare for the weekend, but also gives us lots of spare time that most of us spend at the mall (because shopping in Memphis sucks... which brings me to another perk of my many travels: shopping. I refuse to do it unless I am in another city other than Memphis). Then that Thursday night is usually spent in the Orlando night-life, since it's one of the only few times we get to actually enjoy the city in the four days we are there. My weekends in Orlando mostly consist of work from 7 am until 11 pm - nonstop on Saturday and Sunday, with a few good dinners and drinks at the Ale House to conclude the night.

Out and about in Orlando

The only thing that gets us all through the week is knowing that the "Final Night Party" is just right around the corner on Sunday. The Final Night Party is held for all the staff that works UCA Nationals to thank them for their hard work with good food, cutting loose with friends, dancing, and LOTS of alcoholic beverages. And, if you have a 6:00 a.m. flight on Monday morning, the goal is usually to pull an all-nighter, just so you won't go to sleep, only to hear your alarm go off one hour later to pack up for the airport.

Blues City Cafe with Tres... this spot is an Orlando nightlife fav

Those all-nighters though? Sometimes not such a good idea. Since everything in Orlando closes at 1 am on Sunday night (yes, all bars too), there is usually never an after-party spot to pull this "all-nighter," therefore, you go back to the hotel, not sober, and you sit on the bed (never lay) because you refuse to go to sleep until it's time to head to the airport. With lots of booze in the system, fighting sleep is never an option, so there's always someone to fall into a deep slumber with no alarm set and missing that early a.m. flight. Or in some cases, you set the alarm because you are "such a responsible drunk," only to find when it goes off that you are on the wrong time zone, therefore, missing your early a.m. flight. It never matter though. Why? Because you worked 15 hour days on a WEEKEND, you're physically exhausted, and you just HAD to get as much beer, wine, etc. in your body on Sunday at the Final Night Party to make up for all of those lost days from the rest of the weekend.

That's the work crew in Orlando Florida. Not once but five times a year. Not many people can say that, and despite the tiring work days on those Saturdays and Sundays, I am glad to be one of those people. This is why I love my job.

London, England

Once upon a time, I stepped off of a plane and walked into a magical fairytale land. That's what visiting London, England is like. Imagine cottages for houses, buildings that have been around since before America was even thought of, and castles and towers that the great kings and queens of England once called home. There is nothing like it!

With a group of friends in front of the British Museum

I was called on for work to go to London, leaving the day after Christmas and staying over New Year's Eve and New Year's Day. Every year, UCA and USA cheerleading associations invite their "all stars" from camp to go to London and participate in the London New Year's Day Parade. It was my job to follow different cheerleading groups around each day and keep a journal on what the experience is all about to visit London and participate in the parade. I took pictures and posted a new journal article each day in my online diary called, "Andrea's London Journal."


The famous London Telephone Booth!

We stayed in The Tower hotel, which is a hotel within steps of the Tower of London. We experienced popular places such as the Tower of London, Tower Bridge, Covent Garden, Big Ben, Buckingham Palace, St. Paul's Cathedral and Widsor Castle, just to name a few.

St. Paul's Cathedral

Buckingham Palace

The experience was amazing, and although I complained about missing the ever-famous festivities of my January 1st birthday, I would not trade my London trip for the world! Not only did I see landmarks that many people will never experience, I gained a strong appreciation for history and the Royal Family.

Me and Crista in front of Tower of London

I could go on and on about how amazing my trip to London was, but if you are reading this and would like to intake the full London experience, I will leave you with my blog - a descriptive, interesting, and humorous diary of my six days in "The Old Smoke" (just a little city nickname I learned)!

Me and a lion in The British Museum

Link to my Journal: http://www.varsity.com/Index.asp?article=3566

It begins with Day One, and you can continue to read by clicking on each of the days!

Since I was so sad that I missed my birthday on New Year's, they surprised me by singing Happy Birthday!

Indianapolis, Indiana

I have to say, I went through a little bit of a dry-spell from the months of August-November. This is nothing out of the ordinary. With my job, the big travels usually begin starting in January and go non-stop through April (literally - nonstop... I have very few weekends to spare during the winter months). Fortunately, there is always luxury travel just for fun or the occasional work travel that just happens to "spring up" during the so-called traveling drought. December of last year was one of those months. I visited Indianapolis, IN for a cheerleading competition that I had to cover for our website. It was my job to interview cheerleaders and coaches, write creative stories, and post results from the competition. And it's obvious -that's exactly what I did (note the missing pictures to show that I was actually in the city). When I go on these work trips, work is always the priority, but I always manage to "kick it" with the friends who are also traveling for the job. Great restaurants and fun bars always come second and third on the priority list for these trips!


So despite the cold (no seriously, when I say cold I mean... COLD! Try being from Mississippi and go to Indianapolis in December... every time you step foot outside you will feel as if you are trapped in a tub of water and ice with no way to get out. Yes, even if you have on 50 layers of clothing), I managed to experience a little of the Indianapolis night-life, and I learned that I liked the city. Nice people, fun downtown, and let's not forget the blue and white crowds on Sunday, swarming around the RCA Dome or Lucas Oil Stadium, just waiting to get a good seat to see their 2006 Super Bowl Champions go for another successful season. And a note on the fans: I give them BIG props for being able to sit through four quarters in extremely low temperatures and sometimes snow - some of them shirt-less, painted blue and white. You will never see a Southerner do that in those temps... or you may see one try, but I doubt he would last in the icebox that I felt when I was there... no way! Overall review of the big Indy? Not too shabby... I found it to be a great city, that would be MUCH better in July! :)

Mexico - Costa Maya and Cozumel

Drinks, beach, fun in the sun, and my best girlfriends... Life could not get much better! Last July, almost a year ago to the date, I set sail with Ginger, Sara, Tracy, Amy Claire, and Morgan. We boarded one of Carnival Cruise Line's "Fun Ships" for five full days of FUN, and we were no rookies on the cruise ship! Just a year before, a few weeks after college graduation, we took a similar cruise ship trip to Mexico and told ourselves we would try to take a "girls" trip every year. As of today, we have successfully went through with two years of ladies vacations, and I am hoping there is another trip well on it's way.

On the Fun Ship!
While on the ship, we caught some much needed rays - some of us caught a little too many (Amy Claire... haha), ate as much as we could fit in our newly-worked out little bodies (we made sure to pull it together for this trip since on the last trip, we seemed to fit right in with the whales that were swimming beneath us), and we drank lots of yummy, beachy alcoholic beverages (like the sun, also much-needed). It was the life... and when we stopped off at Costa Maya, then Cozumel for our beach and party boat excursions, it got even better!

"Carlos and Charlies", anyone?! It's our Favorite!
The catch? A year out of college and living booze-free lives seemed to catch up with us quickly. After a wild day in Costa Maya, it was a chore to get started on the Party Boat in Cozumel the next day, and although we felt "too old" for the over-the-top alcoholic intake and untamed partying, we were introduced to people double our age who seemed to be taking it all in so easily. After seeing them do more than we ever wanted to on the Party Boat (a grown man in thongs and a father in a shirt labeled "My Dick is Bigger Than Yours" is never good), we hesitated but joined in on the fun. Tequila shots, margaritas, and the will to dance soon entered all of our systems, and WE WERE BACK! College days... eat your heart out! All-in-all, I could not have asked for a better trip with my favorite girls, or of course finding out that the tail of a ship REALLY IS as big as a REAL whale's tail! HAHA!

There it is! What a beauty! It's great to be so smart!

I hope we all do it again soon... maybe this time it will be for Ginger's wedding! Bahamas, Jamaica, Cabo... do I hear one of you calling our names? I sure hope so!

Our Signature Pose... there's plenty more where that came from!

Hawaii - Oahu

A little more than a year ago, I was right in the center of the Pacific Ocean - right in between the good ole United States of America and the ever lovely Asia. I bet you didn't know Hawaii was so far away? Well, guess what? I didn't have the slightest clue until I got home and my dad showed me on a Satellite map where Hawaii was located. Let's just say this... you never want to get washed away in Hawaii or you are not going to be finding your way back anytime soon! No wonder that flight was so long!

Here are the girls... having fun on the beach!

Anyway, my grandmother got married, so she and her brand-new hubby took us all (the family) to the gorgeous islands of Hawaii!!! We had a blast... swimming, laying out on Waikiki Beach, kayaking, and going to a real Hawaiian Luau. Not only that, but we saw one of the most historic landmarks in the World - Pearl Harbor. That was, by far, the best part of the trip. I am no history buff, but that is really soemthing every American should see!

Pearl Harbor Memorial

What a FUN trip! If I ever go back, I will probably visit one of the other islands of the state.. who knew there were so many? Maui is probably next on my list!

This was the view we had from our balcony!

New York City

Ok, Ok, so this trip was a REALLY long time ago ( 2 years), but with the FABULOUS ladies movie of all time, "Sex and the City," playing in theaters circa now, I thought it would be appropriate. Mostly because I have one of the best pictures ever from the Sex and the City Tour that I went on while I was there - which was P.S. really the only reason I wanted to go to New York in the first place. Haha... just kidding. I can't wait to go back, and with a close friend of mine, Cristen Marzula's boyfriend living there, you will see many more of these pictures to come... never fret! New York, HERE I COME.... again and again and again!

Yes, that is me on Carrie Bradshaw's front doorstep! Don't be jealous, my Sex and the City sisters of America!

My Journeys Thus Far...

Thanks to my good friend, Sara... I am now a blogger! I never thought I would do this, but my love for writing and many voyages give me no reason not to start a great memorabilia that I can look back on for years to come! The bad part?I should have started this bad-boy a LONG time ago. Why? Well, for the last two years I have done what seems like NOTHING but travel... for work, for fun, with family, with friends, etc. I have been to several places, and most of them have been some of the best places I have been to in my life! I would like to do a quick, little re-cap of some of the best trips I have been on in the last year! Then, it's on with the almost-every-weekend-trips I have planned for the future. And believe me, I have more than enough coming up to share! STAY TUNED! :)