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Good afternoon. Good afternoon, friends. I am coming to you from just outside the port of Vancouver. I'm on a solo mission by myself. Audrey isn't with me on this trip, unfortunately. And my sweet baby girl, my re doll, didn't come. But I am on a trip to Hawaii. And this video is going to be a little behind the scenes look at what I get up to. I have 7 days out at sea. That's a very long time until I reach my first port of call. It's going to be in the form of a diary vlog. So, every day I'm going to show you a little bit of what I do on this cruise ship. Let's get started. So, guys, the first thing that I wanted to talk about was just how nice of an
experience it was to leave Vancouver. If any of you have been to Vancouver, you know how variable the weather can be. You can arrive and it can be absolutely pouring or super overcast and gray. Today was anything but. We had gorgeous weather and I got to see all of the iconic landmarks as we were leaving Vancouver. For instance, the float planes taking off. Stanley Park, there was the beautiful skyline of Vancouver. There were all kinds of different ships and vessels from small to large. And yeah, it was just a very calm and peaceful way to start our voyage. And guys, I wanted to give you a little room tour. I'm going to be doing an actual
dedicated video, like a fullon room tour and ship tour. But in this particular vlog, I'm just going to give you a quick sneak peek. So guys, what you'll notice is that this is a very spacious room for one person. And it's a really different experience from what we had on our Alaska cruise. It almost feels like a big hotel room to be honest. And this is a view. This is going to be an epic journey. I mean, 7 days to reach Hawaii. I don't know if I'm going to go stir crazy or not, but I will show you everything along the way. Something else I wanted to mention today that's different from our Alaska cruise is that for dinner, we have assigned times and
tables. So, I'm going to be going to Culinary Bliss, and I'm supposed to be seated between 8:15 and 8:30 at table 303. Yeah, I'll definitely be hungry by then. and friends. Long gone are the summer days. And so the sun is going to be setting very soon. I'm going to try to go from floor 16, which is where my stateateroom is, all the way up to 14. And I'm hoping to get some awesome, spectacular views from up there. Friends got so lucky. Just caught the tail end of the sunset as the sun disappeared over the mountains and the horizon. And fancy a little game of golf. It looks like you can do a bit of a mini putt over here. Well, I've made it to the end of the ship. Behind me is a sunset bar. And if I turn around,
there's the sunset. I'm heading back to the stateateroom. I'm thrilled to have gone out onto the deck and caught sunset. That was absolutely epic. But I'm not going to show you any more of the cruise ship today because we have six more days out at sea and there is a lot of time left for me to reveal the ship little by little, slowly but surely. Well friends, I just had dinner. And oh boy, am I ever full. What a feast that was. So quite the extensive menu. I ended up going for a pretty eclectic mix. My appetizer was cold Thai soup. It was really spicy and gingery. It brought me back to the years that Audrey and I spent in Thailand. For the main, I had a prime beef, which was a very generous
portion. Came with lots of gravy and vegetables as a side. And then I went for the classic apple pie alamode for dessert, which of course comes with vanilla ice cream. And woo, I'm stuffed. I'm not used to eating this late anymore cuz we haven't been in Argentina for a while. So, I'm just going to chill out and digest and call this a day. You can think of me as being a pate pooper. There's entertainment going on. I'm going to save that for another night. Instead, I'm going to get a good night's sleep. That's it for day one.
Good morning. Good morning, friends. It is now day two out here at sea. We have traded the calm waters for the real deal. It is now choppy. I didn't think it was going to be smooth sailing the entire trip, but I actually like it. I remember waking up in the middle of the night and feeling that gentle sway, and that actually helps me sleep better, believe it or not. I woke up this morning and I decided to check out the buffet. I took the stairs all the way up to the 14th floor. The selection at the buffet was phenomenal. There was options galore, so I opted for a complete omelette. I asked for every single ingredient that was available, so that was really nice. And then I grabbed a
side of bacon to go alongside it. And then I had one more plate with fruit and some smoked salmon along with about three or four cups of coffee. So I am good to go. It was so good to get out there on the walking track and get those popsicle sticks moving. Get a little vitamin D. A little bit of an embarrassing moment while I was going up the stairs. I almost tripped suddenly and I fortunately I caught myself. So yeah, avoided injury on the way up. Um the walking track is great. It's actually not that big. Unlike the previous cruise ship I was on that went around the entire circumference, this one was just sort of limited to one particular area. A lot of people were out using it. I felt like we had the
camaraderie, the spirit of like, let's get active, let's get fit. And yeah, it was great. Good evening. Time for a muchneeded update. I've got to be perfectly honest with you. This afternoon was a total write off. I guess after a couple days of travel to get here, I was really tired. So, I ended up having a massive siesta, but I made up for it in the evening as I went out and enjoyed the nightife here on the cruise. So, there was a fantastic performance by Broken Strings. It's a group of really talented musicians and dancers from all over the world. They had performers from the UK, Australia, the US, South Africa, Argentina even. So, a really diverse group of people and the performance was fantastic. So kudos to them. They did an
excellent job. And then in terms of food today for lunch, I had cheese sticks, turkey medallion, and also apple strudel. Oh, that was good. And then for dinner, I had some more steak and chocolate cake with douls de leche. I'm glad I made up for a lazy afternoon with a really action-packed evening. So, it's time for bed. Greetings, friends, and welcome to day three out at sea. Today was another chill day for me. I think we should discuss what it is like to be out at sea. So, I'll be honest with you guys. When you're cruising, you can be as social or as solitary as you wish. For instance, on the social side of things, you can be waking up and doing yoga and stretching and joining workshops and then in the afternoon
learning how to play the ukulele. Yes, there is a program for that. Or if you can have a day like I had today and just take it easy, be solitary. You can read a book, you can be on your computer, you can take a nap, you can work out, you can even order in for room service. So, you have that much of a range. And guys, I realize I've had a couple chill days. So, I'm really looking forward to kicking things off on day four and doing a lot more of the social things. But what I can talk about today was what I ate. So for breakfast, I went to the restaurant for the first time. I didn't go upstairs to the buffet and I had a marvelous breakfast. So I ordered fresh fruit. I got salmon and cream cheese
holding on the bagel. And then I also went for eggs benedict and that was a fantastic breakfast. So tasty. And then for lunch I arrived a little bit late so I was told, "Oh, we're closed." So I went up to the buffet. So, what was nice about the buffet lunch was that I keyed in on the first plate with uh kind of healthy options, salads. I got two different kinds of hummus, guacamole, tabul, and for my second plate, I went over to the British hot section and found myself some buttered chicken, roast beef with gravy. I found a stew that had Guinness. I ate really well for the buffet. And the nice thing is that was a bit more timeefficient. I just love the walking tracks here on the
cruise ships. are one of my favorite places to hang out, obviously getting some exercise. I love the fact that you're outside and breathing fresh air. And guys, it's not that windy today. It's so much calmer than it was the last couple days. So, it's great to be out. Most people right now are having dinner. So, I've almost got this walking track all to myself, which is the complete opposite as in the morning when it's really busy. Well, after that beautiful blue hour walk along the walking track, I decided to come down to the buffet and uh have a little tea. And guys, as a little tip, if you come around 7:15, 7:30, 8:00, it is so much quieter. The
dinner crowds come here between 5 and 6:30 and then around 7 onwards and especially even past 8. It feels so nice and quiet. We have beautiful views right now. There's just such a calmness. So, this is a nice uh little tip and a nice little quiet moment that I'm enjoying. You know what, friends? I haven't been eating this late since I was in Argentina. I'm starting to get used to it though. Another really nice dinner. Had an aged steak, creme brulee, and then got to check out a really cool performance. So, this is my second performance. Divas 3. So, they were doing all kinds of classic songs from Dolly Pardon to Whitney Houston to Selene Dion to Artha Franklin. So, they
put on a fantastic show. again, such talented performers and um I'm going to call it a night and I'm excited for day four to be a little bit more action-packed. So, stay tuned for that. Well, friends, welcome to day four, life out on the sea. It's been 4 days of cruising and uh yeah, today I wanted to talk to you a little bit about cabin fever. I guess the best way I could explain it is I'm definitely missing my baby and my wife at this point. I'm not used to solo traveling as much anymore. Being out at sea and being in my own room and spending a little bit too much time in my room has kind of made me feel a little bit of cabin fever. I've felt a
little bit lethargic, a little bit unenthused, but I found myself getting stuck in a few sort of bad habits. First was that I decided to purchase the online internet package. And instead of just using that to um connect with Audrey and baby Rei back home, I found myself kind of spending too much time online. That's crazy because I'm out here on a once in a-lifetime adventure. Why should I be wasting that time in front of a screen? And I know better than this because yes, I do have work to do, but it can wait until I get home. It doesn't have to be done today. For the rest of this journey to Hawaii, I am going to be far more present. I'm going to be more engaged, more active, and also more living in the moment. I'm
going to use this trip as a way to disconnect a little bit. I'll still go online to talk to Audrey and to see baby. I want to do that at least three times a day. But what I'm not going to do is get caught up in social media. I'm not going to read the news. I'm going to completely do my best to disconnect from all of that and I'll let you know how that goes. And friends, we have an epic sunset going on. Check this out. How lucky am I to be able to have my own private little deck out here. I am making the most of this today. Something else I wanted to talk to you about was just how calm it's been out at sea. That's been a huge surprise for me. By the morning of the second day, it was quite rough out there. And I was
thinking like, whoa, this is just a preview of how it's going to be. Like, I thought we were going to have a really rough crossing on route to Hawaii. But now, by day four, I have to tell you, it has been smooth sailing for most of this trip. I'm so relaxed out here. The cruise ship feels like it's barely swaying back and forth. And to be honest, that's been one of the biggest surprises of this journey. You know what? I feel quite a bit better. I got out of the room. I did all the things that I said I was going to do in terms of turning it around. I got off my computer. I got out of the room. I ended up going for a sunset walk. That was beautiful. Kind of felt like connecting with nature a little bit. Bit of breeze,
fresh air. It's amazing what that'll do. And then had a nice dinner. I had breaded mushrooms, barbecued ribs, and banana flambe with rum sauce. So, I'm eating so well. Friends, welcome to day five. Now, if day four was a low point, day five has been a high point. I'm feeling a thousand times better. It's amazing what just a reframe, a bit of sleep, and a little bit of meditation and gratitude can do. I woke up this morning after a great sleep last night, feeling excited to be here, feeling grateful to be here, and just reframing my whole mindset about this entire trip. So, today's been a fantastic day. I mean, it started off
with some really good food. Always like to talk about what I eat, in case you hadn't noticed. So, I had waffles for breakfast with bacon and sauteed mushrooms. Yum, yum, yum. Oh, so good. And then for lunch, it was the best meal of the entire trip. Blueberry soup. I'd never tried that before. Pad Thai. One of my all-time favorites. And then for dessert, key lime pie. And I think key lime pie might be my favorite dessert in the world at the moment. The tartness, the sweetness, the texture of the graham cracker. It just like ticks off all the boxes in my opinion. And friends, the other thing I wanted to talk to you about was I went to a fascinating presentation this morning. I learned all about the birds
of the city. I mean, I didn't know if I would like this presentation or not, but it was absolutely fascinating. I learned about everything from penguins to the albatross and everything in between. I learned how each bird captures its food, the different techniques it use, its wingspan, also all the little quirks and fascinating facts along with some conservation information. And this afternoon, I plan to get out of my room again and to explore the ship and to get out on the deck. So, let's get out there. Well, friends, I thought I would show you one of my favorite spots to read the Kindle. Deck 14 on Celebrity Solstice, right by the Ocean View Bar. A lot of people don't bother coming out
here. This is kind of the end of the buffet zone, and a lot of people just don't come out here. I found it quiet any single time of day I've come here. You've got unbelievable views, and you also avoid the crowds. That's a win in my books, friends. It's hot tub time. I'm so excited for this. I scouted it out for the past few days and I've realized that if you go between 6:30 to 7:30, you get a little bit of the sunset. It extends to blue hour and that's when everyone is starting to dine or get their entertainment ideas sorted for the evening. So, there's hardly anyone there and I'm banking on that
strategy. Oh my gosh, that was an epic fail. All of the hot tubs are closed only for tonight. I'm not exactly sure the reason. I wasn't able to find that out, but just everything's closed. Normally, it's not. And just like that, I may have redeemed myself. Actually, there's going to be no jacuzzi time, but the pool is available. I just asked. So, I'm going to go for a swim. Well friends, I know I said it earlier, but what a difference a day makes. Day five was my favorite day out at sea by far. I just had so much fun. Turned my attitude around. So I ended up finishing off with a really nice meal and then a
fantastic performance. performance featured the same group from Broken Strings. And I thought this one was even better. More acrobatics, more fascinating sets, a visual feast for the eyes. Good morning. Good morning, friends. Welcome to day six out at sea on route from Vancouver to Hawaii. So, I'm feeling great again today. That's the first thing I want to mention. I completely got over that funk I was in a couple days ago, and I've just been really enjoying myself on this cruise. I've been going out and doing as many things as I possibly can. In fact, I'm actually making another video today, a day in the life at sea. And so, it's basically a challenge for me to be maximizing my time. Already this
morning, I've gone out for exercise around the jogging track. I came back, did a video workout, had a shower, had breakfast, went out and did Tai Chi, and then just listened to another presentation. Today is already going so well, and I have so many more things to do. So, I'll check back in a little bit later. Guys, that Tai Chi class was a lot of fun. It brought me right back to being in Hong Kong where I remember during my backpacker days, I'd be wandering around. I'd find a green space in Hong Kong and I would see people of all ages doing Tai Chi. It's such a great workout. It's the type of workout I need to start doing more of. I tend to focus more on like strength, endurance, and
balance. But this is all about smoothness of motion, connecting to your breath, and also getting a bit more flexible. And friends, this is day six of our journey. This sunset does not get old. It's a bit different every single day. So, filming this vlog, showing you guys seven days at sea, I thought for sure, for sure there's going to be some rough days. I'm going to be showing you like, oh, my stomach isn't feeling so well. Check out the waves. Check out how crazy it is today. None of that on this trip. It's just been such smooth sailing. And I feel the closer that we get to Hawaii, the smoother it's become.
My gosh, the weather has been warming up. There's hardly any waves. And it feels like the boat is almost moving in slow motion. Uh, it's just so incredibly chill and relaxed. With just one day left, I'm starting to get really excited about my trip to Hawaii and what I'm going to be doing once I hit the ground running. Red up and ready to go. I'll see you at the pool or the jacuzzi. In the go. Oh my gosh, that's absolutely wonderful. Nothing like being in a jacuzzi, especially when you got it all to yourself. I love that. So relaxing, so comfortable. I'm having so much fun just chilling out here. And now we got the bubbles going. Oh my gosh, this feels like a private spa, private resort. And
to be on a cruise with thousands of people and for it to be this packed in the afternoon, this is unfathomable. And friends, is the pool now empty? It could be. It is. Check that out. Highlighted of the day was having the pool and the jacuzzi to myself for a full 40 minutes. That was phenomenal. Well, friends, day six was certainly an action-packed day. I did more today than almost all the other days combined. I mean, I'm just reflecting on all the things I did. It was absolutely insane, but um in a good way, obviously. Went out, had a fantastic dinner, pork, spring rolls, pasta. Thought, you know what? I've been eating a lot of meat, a lot of protein
on this trip. And then had a strawberry cake for dessert. Went out and experienced another really fun performance. and capped off the night watching some live entertainment at the theater. So, what a day. Okay, friends, welcome to day seven of a diary out at sea cruising from Vancouver to Hawaii. This is the final day before we reach land. And my goodness, the sense of anticipation is high. I'm feeling very excited to be finally reaching Hawaii for the first time. And having been out at sea for 7 days, I can't wait to see land, as you can imagine. Now, unlike day six, which was my most action-packed day, day seven was very chill. The one thing that I did is
eat very well, which shouldn't come as a surprise. I've been eating well on the entire cruise. So, breakfast was pancakes and syrup. Lunch was steak and peach cobbler. And for dinner, I had breaded cutlet kind of like a schnitle and also sacritor. So sort of like an Austrian inspired dinner. So in terms of activities and entertainment, it was pretty limited today. The one thing that I did catch was a 20inut performance from the passengers on the cruise who had learned how to play the ukulele and dance the hoola. So they got up on stage at the theater and did a little performance.
God for you and I. It was really inspiring to see how well they did and how quickly they learned just doing these lessons over a few days. It made me think, I should have done that, too. And uh I don't have too many regrets from this particular cruise, but if I could go back in time, I would have signed up for those lessons as well. So, basically, we're at the point of the video where it's time for me to wrap things up. I experienced 7 days out at sea as a solo traveler. The
longest time I've been out at sea, the longest time I've been away from my family and my baby girl. So, now that I have some time to reflect, I can realize that it was a trip filled with highs and also lows. Um, I found it difficult to be away from family and um, I don't know if I've talked too much about this, but this was supposed to be a family trip. Like, our daughter wasn't able to come because she's 11 and 1/2 months old. She had to be 12 months. So, we were scrambling last minute to decide what to do. We ultimately decided it was best for me to come on this trip, and I'm glad that I did, but at the same time, I really miss my family. And the other thing too was that I found halfway
through the trip that I was getting into a rut. I was getting stuck in my head because I had purchased the internet package. I was kind of just like getting stuck on my computer um checking the news, scrolling through social media a little bit. And uh that was definitely the low point. I also felt a little bit guilty because I thought, you know, here I am on this incredible cruise. Why am I not living in the moment? why am I not taking advantage of everything that I can possibly do? But you know what? I snapped out of it. And um from that point onward, I really turned things around and I really made the most of my time out at sea. What it showed me is that I was capable of snapping out of a funk. And um yeah, I just felt like it
was a building block of resilience. And now that we're getting so close to Hawaii, I feel really excited. So, so my biggest tip out at sea, especially for a 7-day trip when you're going by yourself, is to be engaged as much as possible. Get out of your stateateroom, do the activities, eat the food, enjoy the entertainment, strike up conversations with new people, and um and also realize that this is just a short experience in the grand scheme of things, like a week out at sea. Enjoy it. So, those are my final thoughts, but at this point in the video, I'm more interested in hearing from you. So, please leave a comment if you've done a similar trip to this. What are some tips that you have for other travelers? And
also, did you enjoy being out at seas for that length of time? I'm curious to hear about your experiences. So, thanks so much for watching, and we'll have more videos coming to you from Hawaii very soon. I booked this 11 night Vancouver to Hawaii cruise aboard Celebrity Solstice via Cruises It. One big reason to book with them is that they have access to exclusive agency discounts directly from cruise lines that you wouldn't normally get. Plus, their cruise fair watch system tracks prices right up until your final payment. So, that means you are getting the best rate guaranteed. So, if you're thinking of cruising soon, be it to Hawaii or elsewhere, you can scan the QR code on the screen or check out the link in the description box.
