let’s go!

Day 1 - Oahu

Saturday morning walk along Waikiki and then headed to KCC farmers market with tons of great food options

Diamond head hike

Matcha Gelato from Cha to Gelato Zen

Swimming at Waikiki

Caught a fun break dance competition that was happening at my hotel (Endless Summer)

Dinner at Totoya (ordered the negitoro)

Ice cream at Mosa! (Taiwanese ice cream)

Day 2 - Oahu

Sunrise on Waikiki and had coffee from Island Vintage Coffee next to the Royal Hawaiian Center where there is an amazing huge tree

Ho'omaluhia Botanical Garden

Caught the Sunday Kailua Town farmers market and got a gorgeous fruit bowl

Lanikai Pillbox hike

Lanikai beach - super clear, swam with a turtle

Dinner at Rigo was great and I said it was my birthday

Day 3 - Oahu

Sunrise Hanauma Bay ridge hike

Breakfast at Leonard's Bakery

Circle drive with stops at Makapu'u Lookout, Waimanolo Beach (great open sandy beach, not crowded), Kualoa Ranch (only worth stopping if you have an ATV or horseback ride planned here), stopped to swim at Kaaawa Beach with super clear shallow water right off the road, Ube latte from Hala Tree Cafe, drove by Kahana Bay Beach Park and it looked like it would've been a great beach tooo stop at, stopped at the Sugar Mill food trucks (sadly got to Da Bald Guy too late but wanted to eat there, otherwise would've tried Ry's Poke Shack if it were open or Giovanni's shrimp), then stopped at the Banyan Tree near Turtle Bay Pillbox and there is a nice forest walk the leads to the beach and then swam at Kawela Bay Beach which felt like a hidden gem (though the water wasn't clear on the north shore), then stopped at Sunset Beach to watch the sunset

Dinner at Redfish (AMAZING POKE)

Day 4 - Travel to Kauai

Drove to Kalalau Lookout (beware of carsickness) and from there walked to Pu'u O Kila Lookout for the best land views of Na Pali coast

Drove to Waimea Canyon, stopped at a few viewpoints along the way. If we had more time we would've done the Cliff Trail Lookout and Mini Falls hikes, but beware they are all downhill and then all uphill on the way back

Sunset at Poipu Beach, green turtles come up on to the beach to rest

Sunset snacks from Puka Dog

Dinner at Kaua'i Sushi Station which was pretty good for a food truck

Went Swimming at our gorgeous hotel pool at the Royal Sonesta

Day 5 - Kauai

Spent the morning enjoying the beach and pool at the hotel

Grabbed breakfast from Lawai'a Fish Co. which had great poke and it seemed like many locals were going there

Afternoon/Sunset Na Pali coast tour (Highlight of the trip!) with amazing views and we saw so many whales including a few that breached

Ice cream at Lappards

Day 6 - Kauai

Wailua Falls

Kountry Kitchen for breakfast - Ube French Toast (still thinking of this 1 year later)

Stopped at Hanalei Beach which was AMAZING with gorgeous views, amazing beach to walk on and fun to watch the surfers

Rented a snorkel near Hanalei beach, stopped at Foodland to pick up some papaya (the best ever) and pineapple (wish I were hungier for a meal and wish I could try the poke) and headed to Anini beach where we snorkeled for 2 hours and saw SO MANY FISH and 3 sea turtles!

Went back to Hanalei beach for sunset and then had dinner with live music at Tahiti Nui (Order the Mai Tais and ahi carpaccio)

Pulled over on the drive back to the hotel and saw amazing stars

Day 7 - Travel day back to Oahu

Enjoyed the hotel in the morning until the flight, unfortunately there was a delay in our flight and then there was a HUGE line at the rental car place at the Oahu airport which took soo long, then we went and dropped bags at the hotel and picked up dinner from Ono Seafood (disappointing given its reputation) and took it to Kalama Beach where we swam and watched sunset from the water

Had drinks at the Maui Brewing where they had live music

Day 8 - Oahu

Sunrise on Waikiki

Coffee and pastries at The Royal Hawaiian hotel cafe - their signature croissant is so good!

Went swimming at Waikiki and the tide was so low and we could walk out sooooo far and the water was so warm

Dropped my mom & Kev at the airport and then continued on to the north shore where I went to Waimea Valley where I enjoyed the botanic gardens and then swam in the waterfall for 45 mins (the falls were much smaller than in the pictures but it was so fun to swim in). They provide lifejackets and there are lifeguards, rocks are slippery getting in

Stopped at Hale'iwa Ali'i Beach Park, grabbed an Acai bowl from Hale'iwa Bowls down the road and ate while watching the surfers

Stopped at Jenny's Shrimp Truck on my way to the airport

Enjoyed the airport lounge before heading back for like 16 hrs of travel

Overall an AMAZING trip! Can't wait to explore the other islands.

In general I felt like things in Kauai were much nicer and my favorite beach (Hanalei) and experience (Na Pali coast boat tour) were there. I loved the hikes and variety of landscapes in Oahu (the jurassic mountains were amazing and many different beaches)

Day 1 - San Pedro

We flew in to BZE and originally allotted for 2-3 hours in customs, butt the lines went smoothly and we were able to be put on an earlier flight to San Pedro on Ambergris Caye. We flew Maya Air and they were very accommodating and we were very impressed with the airport efficiency. The other domestic airline option to the islands is Tropic Air which our local taxi driver said was more reliable compared to Maya Air which he thought was more prone to delays; however, we had a great experience on Maya. Our flight to San Pedro was amazing, only 15 minutes but we saw great views of the clear blue/green water around the islands.

A taxi was unexpectedly waiting for us to take us to our hotel Mahogany Bay which was about a 15-20 minute drive. There were lots of golf carts available to rent right next to the airport and they would bring yours to the airport for you if you arranged ahead of time however, be mindful of ability to transport luggage in the golf cart.

Since we got to the hotel early we were able to enjoy the afternoon at our hotel's private beach which was a 15 minute boat ride from the property with stunning clear water which only reached a depth of 4 feet. They had free kayak and paddle board options at the beach as well. On the boat ride back to the property, the captain stopped so we could enjoy a stunning sunset.

Places in eat in San Pedro:

Elvi's Kichen - our favorite restaurant in San Pedro; live music, great food, cute vibe inside. Order the coconut curry. Drinks were good too

Caramba's - Totally touristy and very overpriced but super fun concept where you choose your items from the catch of the day and they can each be prepared differently, for example you can do a whole fish, a few shrimp, 1 scallop, 1 crab claw. We loved the Hogg Snapper with blackened preparation.

Pineapple's - this is the hotel retaurant at Ramon's which is an enchanting property wiht tree houses and tons of amazing jungle landscaping. There is also a beach and pool so could be a fun place to stay.

Estel's Dine By the Sea - great breakfast spot. Must try the Fry Jacks and we loved the fry jack nachos with stewed chicken on top. Try to snag a spot along the water

Neri's - for breakfast this place had super fresh and affordable fry jacks, tacos, burritos. Lots of locals eating here as well so you know it's good and authentic.

Day 2 - Hol Chan Snorkel & Caye Caulker

We did a full day tour through Ride & Reef Adventures to Hol Chan Marine Reserve where we saw tons of fish, barracuda, lobster, octopus, rays, sea turtles and then went to shark ray alley where we swam with lots of nurse sharks (up to like 14 feet probably). We stopped at a few other snorkel stops where we saw more turtles, rays and sharks. Then we had lunch at Caye Caulker and walked around and had time at the Split which is a cool channel between two islands were people hang out in the water and drink. Caye Caulker has a very laid back islandy vibe and is what Ambergris Caye was supposedly like 20 years ago before all the development started. We ended the tour with stops a Tarpon cove to feed the fish which was a little scary and then at the beach of the Iguana Reef Inn where there are alwaus stingrays that hang out and come up and go over your feet and legs.

Day 3 - Relaxation

We had a leisurely morning in town and then spent the afternoon relaxing at our resort beach.

Day 4 - Transfer to San Ignacio

We spent the morning in town having breakfast and walking through local markets then regrouped for our flight back to BZE; Maya Air put us on an earlier flight again which worked out well! Once we got to BZE we had a driver pick us up and take us to Table Rock Jungle Lodge. It was a bit rainy that day so we spent the evening at the resort. I cannot say enough good things about Table Rock - there are only 10 cabanas so it felt very intimate, the whole staff knows all of tthe guests names and addresses you personally, they have a farm on property so all of the food is very fresh and made to order so you can customize your meals, the grounds are amazing and so serene with the feeling of being in beautiful nature with the main dining area surrounded by hummingbirds at all times, the pool is gorgeous, there is canoeing and river tubing available and some small hikes on the property as well as bird watching and night animal spotting hikes led by their staff, the happy hour and Piña Coladas are fantastic.

Day 5 - Xunantunich & San Ignacio

We took a taxi to Xunantunich, a Mayan site and walked around enjoying the structures. There are guides available for hire for $50USD at the entrance if desired. From the top of the highest structure, we could see into Guatemala.

We took a short stop to visit the San Ignacio market on our way back to our hotel and bought Recado, a belizean spice used in their stewed chicken. When we got back to the hotel we did a short canoe trip up the river; if we went further and earlier we could have stopped at Chaa Creek, another resort that has its own butterfly farm that you can tour.

Things to do in Cayo District:

Visit the market in San Ignacio, visit Barton Creek where you can canoe in a cave, do a horseback ride along the mountain pine ridge trail (MET company was recommended), visit Caracol and many tours stop at Rio on Pools and Rio Frio Cave along the way, zip line at Calico Jack's, visit Green Hills Butterfly farm (seemed like a rip off to us though), visit the butterfly farm at Chaa Creek and eat lunch there (the british royals recently stayed here), Excursion to see Jaguars at the Cockscomb Basin Wildlife Sanctuary, visit the botanic gardens, day trip ot Tikal Mayan Site in Guatemala.

Day 6 - ATM Cave

We visited the Actun Tunichil Muknal (ATM) Cave which was an absolute highlight of the trip. There are untouched archeologic artifacts within the caves which give a glimpse into how the Mayans used the cave for religious activities including using human sacrifices with visible skeletons. the guides are knowledgeable. There is a 1.5 mile hike to the mouth of the cave through 3 rivers and then about 1 hour hiking 500 m in the cave (and then reversing both of those distances to get back to the lunch area). We used Mayawalk Tours which we booked on Viator for $145 USD per person which included pickup/drop-off from our hotel. It is possible to get a tour for $120 if you shop around in town but booking ahead saved us time while in the country. Each guide is allowed to take up to 6 people. When we got back we relaxed and enjoyed Table Rock and made friends with a lovely British couple who also did the cave tour that day.

Day 7 - Bird Watching, Zip Lining & Enjoying Table Rock

We did not have anything planned this day so decided to join our new friends on the bird watching tour around our property. We saw Keel-billed Toucans, Mot Mots, Baltimor Orioles, Aracari, and many more species! It was an unexpected highlight and may have started a new interest in birding.

We decided to go zip lining at Calico Jack's which was easy to just drop in and do for an hour which was fun zipping through the canopy. Recommend wearing closed toed shoes as there were fire ants.

Our lovely taxi driver Mario took us to a local small waterfall near his home in Cristo Rey which we never would have found or visited without his guidance and it felt so magical and exciting to see something off the beaten path.

Spent the last evening/night enjoying our hotel and hanging out with our new friends.

Day 8 - Back Home

Spent the morning at our hotel enjoying the nature before heading back to the airport (2 hr drive).

If we had more time in Belize:

I would have visited Placencia - could do a trip to Laughing Bird Caye from here

Also heard great things about Hopkins which is supposed to be the culture capital as there are lots of mixed ethnic groups of people that give a comprehensive representation if the Belizean people and there is supposed to be good food there.

Lamanai is a site of an ancient Mayan city. The boat ride here is apparently amazing with great wildlife spotting.

Driven along the Hummingbird Highway

Tips:

If visiting San Pedro recommend arranging for a golf cart rental ahead of time (a good rate would be $35-50/day)

If visiting Caye Caulker stop at the seafood bbq stands on the main road - we already ate before we saw those and wished we ate there instead

Belizean stewed chicken is amazing and the coconut curry is also a great preparation (especially at Elvi's)

Renting a car would be easy - the main roads are well paved. Otherwise, it is easy to find taxi services

Stay at Table Rock if you can!

Do the ATM Cave tour. Wear pants to minimize scrapes and you must cover shoulders. Do not wear bug spray or sunscreen.

The Belizean dollar is pegged too the US dollar such thatt $1 USD = 2 Belizean dollars. Always clarify if prices are listed in USD or Belizean when paying or before arranging taxis. US dollars are widely accepted and it is not necessary to convert money unless smaller bills are desired.

Try Soursop fruit or ice cream in San Ignacio

If you stay at Table Rock you get a perk of being able to feed the animals including jaguars if you go to the Belize Zoo

When choosing tour operators you can probably always find something cheapest by shopping around when you are there but you run the risk of things being sold out. I recommend finding companies with good reviews on get your guide or viator and then also comparing the price directly on their websites.

Day 1 - Crete

Stayed in Chania near the port, it is so calm and beautiful in the mornings before things open up. Well worth a walk around in the mornings but don't expect restaurants to open until ~10.

Drove to Elafonisi Beach - the water was so gorgeous and blue. It is famous for pink sand but the sand wasn't that pink in real life. Still so worth a visit. We swam so much, make sure to walk all around including past to the other side of the sand dunes. We had an amazing dinner at Taverna Stomio on the way back, it had such a cute outdoor area with animals in the courtyard. The food was so fresh and it was clearly family run. Of course they followed customs with a shot of ouzzo after dinner and they brought lots of complimentary watermelon for dessert before we left.

Some good places in Chania that I researched: Bohéme (bar), Pallas (good rooftop fancy restaurant), Tamam (restaurant), Pulse vegan, Adespoto Music Taverna, The Well of the Turk, Salis, Chrisostomos, The Five Restaurant, Matzénta kuzina del sol, Maiami, Thalassino Ageri

Day 2 - Crete

Spent the day at Falassarna Beach - felt like more of a local vibe. Gorgeous clear water with stunning views of surrounding rock formations. Then spent the evening enjoying Chania including shopping at the markets and leather stores, walking around the water/old venetian port, getting drinks at Bohéme (cute garden bar), and enjoying a really nice dinner at Pallas on the rooftop.

Day 3 - Crete

Samaria Gorge hike! This was a doozy. We woke very early to start our hike when the park opened around 8AM. Very steep steps down for the first 1.5-2 hrs. About 1/2 way through the hike once in the gorge my mom fell twisting her ankle, which ended up being broken. The only options are hiking your way out or getting donkey to carry you out; they go twice a day. She ended up hiking her way out another 5 miles! Then we ended the hike at a very nice black sand beach Agia Roumeli with super blue water. Logistically pretty hard to coordinate because you need to reserve a ferry from the end of the hike (Agia Roumeli) to another town (Sougia) where you can catch a KTEL bus (from Sougia-Omalos) to the start of the hike and then we drove back in the dark which was treacherous because there were so many goats sitting in the road without any lights! A very crazy day. The gorge itself was nice, but we learned after the fact that people get very hurt there and someone ended up needing their leg amputated due to a rock slide crush injury. You should book tickets on the ferry and bus ahead of time because you don't want to be stranded!

Day 4 - Crete

We spent this day driving from Chania to Heraklion with a stop in Rethimno along the way. Could've spent more time exploring Rethimno, especially the Venetian Fortezza Castle! However, in terms of the old town and vibe I preferred Chania, Rethimno felt too touristy. There was a cute Rimondi Fountain there and a nice Neratze Mosque. Once in Heraklion we went to the Heraklion Archaeological Museum where they had the famous cuneiform tablet. We had a great dinner at Ippokampos near the water in town (Kastella next door also looked good).

Day 5 - Santorini

Caught a morning ferry from Heraklion to Santorini which took ~2h. Then got dropped off at our lodging in Fira. We walked around Fira a bit and then caught a bus to Oia where we walked some more, had a nice lunch and cocktail and caught a gorgeous sunset. Beware, people start lining up for sunset 2-3h early in Oia and the streets are mobbed.

Day 6 - Santorini

Had an absolutely perfect day in Santorini starting with the Fira to Oia walk which took a few hours and had gorgeous views throughout. Then we ended in Ammoudi Bay at Ammoudi Fish Tavern where we had a very fancy fish lunch where you pick out your whole fish and they cook it for you. Very much for the experience. This is the bay in Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants where Lena draws and jumps in and also gets caught on the wire in the sea. I loved every second of it!! Then we took a donkey up the stairs - they call it Santorini Ferrari! Then we caught a bus back to Fira and enjoyed sunset on our balcony that had a great caldera view and a restaurant nearby with live music that floated up to us during the experience. There truly is no bad view in Santorini. However, the crowds and prices in Santorini are insane. There are cruise ships that dump hundreds of people every day who mob the streets.

Day 7 - Santorini

Woke up to see the sunrise from our balcony - sooooo nice! Then had some breakfast and coffee at Volkan on the Rocks which had a nice view and plays Mamma Mia nightly at their outdoor theater which I totally would've done if I knew! and want to the port to catch our ferry to Milos. unfortunately, the seas were very rough and our ferry was delayed by >3hr and was almost canceled. Thankfully we made it on but the seas were very rough. Ate at Nostos Seafood Experience

Day 8 - Milos

Wanted to go on a boat trip to Kleftiko to see the most amazing rock formations and swim in the bright blue water. However, the water was predicted to be very rough and after the ferry journey the night before we decided to forgo this trip. There is a hiking option there but my mom's ankle hindered us from doing that, we also heard there are venomous snakes on that hike. So we went to Venus de Milo (statue of aphrodite of Milos) and then walked around Klima at the bottom which was colorful and cute. Then we went to Sarakiniko beach which felt like we were on the moon!! It was so cool. Hard to hike up to the top parts though without sneakers. It was also super windy - I wished it was calmer so I could do some cliff jumping. Then we went to Firiplaka Beach which was so gorgeous and shallow with nice waves and red rock backdrop. Then we went to watch sunset in Plaka - the best place to view sunset is from is the back balcony of Church of Panagia Korfiatissa. Then we went to dinner at O! Hamos! which was one of the most memorable dinners. It was clearly family run and everything was very fresh. They gave a really nice submarine dessert at the end which was so cool, like a sweet taffy-like thing submerged in a cup of water.

We stayed at Santa Maria Village Resort & Spa and really liked it - had a great breakfast spread

Day 9 - Milos

Woke up and went to Firopotamos with very cool ruins of a doorway and super clear blue water. Then we went to Mandrakia where we could walk on the little boat ports that individual families have. Then we went to Paleochori Beach which was nice to swim in but got deep pretty fast and had bigger pebbles, but the sand had underground hot spring pockets which was such a cool natural feature. Then we had to catch a ferry to Athens. Once we got to Athens we had dinner at ***.

Day 10 - Athens

Spent the morning walking around the Plaka neighborhood and around the Acropolis. We didn't enter the Acropolis since there was so much construction but went to a lookout with the view of the main columns in the back. We also walked around the outside of Hadrian's Library. Could definitely spend more time exploring the ruins of Athens and more neighborhoods. Then headed to the airport.

Tips:

You MUST stay on the Caldera side when visiting Satorini

Bring zofran or motion sickness medicine if choosing the ferry option between islands. Beware of rough seas and cancellations/delays, allow extra time in your itinerary for logistic changes and consider flying instead but know that all flights between islands stop in athens which is so inconvenient

In Santorini it would be fun to go to an outdoor movie at Volkan on the Rocks at night!

Definitely go to O! Hamos! in Milos, there will def be a wait in the summer months but it is worth it for sure

Day 1 - London

Dishoom for lunch! We went to the covent garden location though there are many and each has a slightly different decor/vibe. Then walked around Soho and Big Ben, etc. Then we did dinner at Kricket which was mid.

Lots of places we wanted to go but ran out of time: Columbia Road Flower Market, Spitalfields Market, Borough Market

We did have one dinner near the airport which was fantastic: Zayani Indian Restaurant

High tea locations I researched: the beaumont, sketch, Oblix at the Shard (great view), Petersham Nurseries (whimsical, but in richmond), The stage at the Londoner (moody bar interior), The Ritz (pianist), The orchid lounge, the bloomsbury, Fortnum & Mason, Harrods, The Savoy, Claridge’s, The Orangery at Kensington Palace

Other London food recs though so many more: Dishoom (indian), Da Maria (italian in kensington), Daphne’s italian- cool atmosphere, Villa Mammas - middle eastern, Fait Mason - middle eastern w/ cool interior, Chet’s (thai), The Tamil Prince (order the channa bhatura), Malaysia Deli, Lyaness (cocktail bar), Tayyab’s (punjabi food, lamb chops)

Day 2 - Oxford & Cotswolds

Stopped at Oxford on our drive to the Cotswolds and it was amazing - could've spent more time walking around campus. We had a quick lunch at the Vaults & Garden near the Radcliffe Camera. We didn't have enough time but I would've liked to go into the Bodleian Library and walk around Christ Church meadow. Lots of old buildings and you really feel the history here and can imagine all these brilliant minds sharing this space through time. Then we left Oxford and went to Burford for a quick cream tea before going to our Airbnb on a very cute lush estate with horses and chickens and walking paths through the rolling hills. Could have also stopped at Bibury if time allowed on this route but we didn't have enough. Had a nice dinner at The Willow in Bourton-on-the-Water.

Day 3 - Cotswolds

Went to lower slaughter, bourton-on-the-water, Upper slaughter, stow-on-the-wold. Walked through the villages and enjoyed the quaintness. The main things to do are walk around and take it in, there are some nice countryside walks to do as well. Overall, all about slow living and would be a nice weekend getaway from London. We also spent some time enjoying our accommodation and doing countryside walks near the horse paddocks as well. Overall, very bucolic but the countryside honestly looked like Bucks County Pennsylvania.

Day 4 - Drive to Cornwall

Drove to Cornwall, this day was cold and rainy and I was sick. Didn't do too much except drive. All the drives took longer than the GPS predicted. If more time would've stopped at Dartmoor park on the way and done a hike (Hound Tor hike 2-3 h, or wistman woods 1h, or saddle tor & Haytor Rocks). We stayed just outside St. Ives

Day 5 - Cornwall

Drive to Sennen cove→ Land's End-> porthcurno beach → pedn vounder beach (nearby and gorgeous but can't remember if we went or not) →Mullion cove→Kynance Cove (enjoy Lizard)

We did a lovely afternoon tea. at Polurrian on the Lizard and then cliff walk from the property. This was a highlight!

Walked around St. Ives at sunset - gorgeous!

Cornwall food places I researched: Porthminster kitchen (st Ives - had a great whole fish here), the sea room (st Ives), hub box (st Ives), the Cornish bakery, silco is a cute cafe w tapas in st Ives, harbour fish and chips, moomaid (ice cream st ives)

Day 6 - Cornwall

Went to the beach on the other side of St. Ives and walked along the path from Godrevy Point stopping at Fisherman's Cove. Phenomenal cliff walk - could've gone much farther and hiked more of the coast. Pretty much anywhere along the cornwall coast is gorgeous, could spend much more time exploring/enjoying this area.

Day 7 - Bath

Stayed at Brooks Guesthouse which was cute. Met up with Edith and walked around, saw the old Georgian style buildings around the Royal Crescent where they now film lots of period pieces. Then had drinks next to Bath Abbey (there is a tour/ticket you can get to go inside as well) and saw the dam & Pulteney Bridge. Other attractions there are the roman baths and the Jane Austen Centre. Went to dinner at Bandook which was pretty good but small portions. Tash and I had drinks at The Botanist which was an absolute highlight - live music, gorgeous interior, and amazing cocktail menu. Still thinking about this a year later.

Tips:

Could've spent some more time in Bath, London & Cornwall. Other cornwall plces I would like to go are: Perranporth, Porthtowan, TintagelNorth Devon, Dorset National Landscape. Would've also liked to do a Jurassic Coast road trip and seen the seven sisters and cliffs.

If more time in Bath I would've liked to do afternoon tea at the Pump House

Girls trip with my besties!

Day 1 - Buenos Aires

Arrived at EZE around 11AM, took an Uber to our Airbnb in Palermo. neighborhood (cost ~19USD for the uber) which took ~50-60 mins. Spent the afternoon walking around Palermo and stopping in cute stores. We had great ice cream at Rapa Nui. In the evening we went for drink at Cochinchina - the drinks were great and the decor/atmosphere were really cool. Then we went to Boticario, a cute old pharmacy themed cocktail bar.

Day 2 - Buenos Aires

Did a great walking tour of Recoleta & Rosario neighborhoods which was a great way to learn some of the history. This one took us to the fancier 'Paris of South America' parts of the city. These tours are free and fantastic (there are severa offered), tip based and the typical tip is ~10-20USD. We ended the tour near the famous Recoleta Cemetery and there was a very cute market (Recoleta Market in Plaza Francia) with craft stalls outside of it. There is a nice cultural center that is free to enter as well and supposedly has great coffee and dancing at night. We ate a nice italian meal at one of the fancy restaurants on the street next to the green space. There is also a really cool tree in the green space that is worth seeing. Then we went to the Recoleta Cemetery, the tickets were a little pricey ~18USD and we walked around on our own. The famous mausoleum to visit is Eva Perón ('Evita'), the famous singer and also wife of former president. Then we went back to our airbnb took a little rest, when to Tres Monos bar (a local favorite but I found it mid), and then went to a tango class at La Virtua Tango in Palermo (cost ~5USD). The class itself was separated by levels and then there is free dance with lots of locals who were absolutely incredible to watch. You can just show up, no reservation needed to take the class and there will be plenty of people to dance with so you don't need to come in a pair. Tango is amazing and sexy and it is incredible watching these people so in sync even though it is not choreographed and doesn't follow any obvious beat. They have several classes a few times a week including classic rock, salsa, tango and they have shows with live music and then open dance. I recommend messaging them on instagram to make a table reservation for the show portion after the lesson. This was a highlight of the trip!

Day 3 - Tigre (1/2 day trip from BA)

Took a day trip to Tigre which was an easy train ride from BA. However, once you get there it can be a little tricky to figure out which boat to take around the water ways. We waited in line and took a boat to a stop that we found on instagram, but it wasn't anything particularly worth stopping at so you could find other restaurants and go to those by boat. You have to wait on the pier and catch another boat to pick you up and bring you back, there isn't really a clear schedule coming back so allow enough time and make sure you know the time of the last boat. Then we walked along the water in town and had great ice cream at Heladeria Via Toscana. Then took the train back to BA.

There is a Palermo Market on Saturday & Sundays in Plaza Serrano in Palermo Soho 2-8PM and also Palermo Viejo market in Plaza Armenia 10AM-8PM in Palermo Viejo. Didn't make it to these but they seemed cute.

Day 4 - Buenos Aires

Woke up and did another walking tour with the same company of La Boca neighborhood (this one is not free, 14000 pesos). It was interesting to learn about the working class history of the city and see Boca Juniors stadium; only members can get tickets to these soccer games but someone always has a guy who will sell you tickets. Would definitely be fun to go to, but can be very pricey like probably 200-400 USD per ticket. Online there is lots of talk that this is a very dangerous neighborhood and you will get mugged if you are on your phone or anything, during the day it did not really feel like that to me. Felt very touristy and colorful. Had a great lunch I believe at El Burladero where we ordered the set lunch menu. We then went to El Ateneo Grand Splendid book store which is in an old opera house, definitely beautiful but not necessarily worth going out of the way for. Then we went to the airport to fly to Puerto Iguazu.

Day 5 - Iguazu Falls

Took the bus to the Argentinian side of Iguazu Falls on the first bus of the day at 715 (I believe this cost 7000 or 5000 pesos), entry cost was ~50USD. We did the upper circuit first and had such an emotional reaction the moment the first view of the falls opened up to us. It is so vast and powerful and felt like some movie/true exploration like finding something amazing in the wild. There were also beautiful butterflies flying all over which felt like a disney movie. There were also Coaties animals which are like raccoon/anteater, beware they bite so don't touch or approach. Then we did the lower circuit. Then we took the bus back to town and caught another bus to the Brazil side of the falls (I think this was cheaper at 2500 or 3500 pesos). The Brazil side only had like one walking trail but it had more incredible views of the falls in my opinion and it had one section that was built out onto a water ledge next to a fall and you get soaked and it felt so good and was so fun. Don't miss the last bus of the day to the argentinian side which leaves at 5:30PM though the park closes at 6PM. You stop at customs on the bus at the border in both directions. Then we had beer at Patagonia right near the bus depot which was fun for happy hour, then dinner at an italian restaurant that sounded promising but was so mid.

Day 6 - Iguazu Falls

Went back to the Argentinian side in the morning and did a 5km hike that I would not recommend, then redid the upper circuit which was amazing as always. Then took the bus to the airport. The airport has a really nice lounge that we got into with Priority Pass, had to fly to BA (AEP airport, also with a nice priority pass lounge) before catching a flight to Medoza.

Day 7 - Mendoza

Our first day in Mendoza was kind of cold and rainy which is so sad because Mendoza has like 320 sunny days a year and was beautiful weather right before we arrived and right after we left. We did an excursion with the morning spent at Potrerillos Valley which was beautiful and worth seeing then a nice lunch and then from 3-6pm we went to Cacheuta Thermal Baths Spa (~70USD). There was a full day option and the lunch is supposedly quite good at the spa but it would be too much time in the hot springs in my opinion. It is nestled in the mountains and the water was so blue and warm and was a perfect way to spend our cold day. Then we went to dinner and Anna Bistro which was ok but a very cute setting, there's a nice outdoor patio.

Day 8 - Mendoza

Full-day wine tour that we booked on Viator (170USD) to Lujan de Cuyo. They also have a Uco Valley option. We went to 4 wineries and had lunch at the third. We were drunk by the second place and had so much fun with the other people on the tour. However, I would simply book directly through the Trout & Wine tour website because I think it is the same tour at a slightly cheaper price. Had a great time but the price was kind of high especially since we couldn't drink at all the places since we were too drunk lol. It was also cloudy so we couldn't see the Andes surrounding the wineries which was so so sad for me.

Day 9 - Buenos Aires

Flew back to Buenos Aires, unfortunately, our flight was changed to EZE instead of AEP since AEP is right in the city and EZE is about 40 minutes away. We chose to stay in San Telmo which was a great choice to see another neighborhood with cool architecture compared to Palermo. We went to Museo de las Belas Artes (free!) and enjoyed some art. Then went to the famous Floreria Atlántico bar which was good. Then we went back to our apartment to get ready and then we went to Palermo and had more drinks at Rey de Copas which had such fun drinks and a very cool interior. Then we went dancing at La Mala Pub and we stayed out until like 4AM but the place was still going strong.

Day 10 - Buenos Aires

The famous Sunday San Telmo market was fun to walk around. We had good empanadas at El Hornero. Then we did another walking tour of the City Center (with our favorite guide Jenny) which took us around Congress and the pink presidential palace. Then we headed to a cafe for a quick bite before going to the airport for our night flight back to the states.

Tips:

I would spend less time in Buenos Aires and go to Bariloche or maybe the top point of Patagonia like Calafate or north like Salta instead

The food is bad so don't center your trip around eating, though the food in Mendoza was significantly better than anywhere else

It's a huge country!

To get the blue rate you can exchange $100 US dollar bills at western unions or brave Florida Ave where you can go to cambios and negotiate a rate with individuals. At the time of our trip we got 930 pesos for $1 USD when exchanging $100 bills when the official rate was 840-860 pesos per USD. This rate fluctuates and inflation and the exchange rates are changing constantly there.

Things start very late there, bars don't get fun until after midnight and will stay open past 4AM and things don't start or feel open until at least 10AM

You can fly with 6 bottles of wine in addition to your carry on that don't count towards your luggage weight limit on internal flights! This is amazing overall the security for internal flights is fast and not strict on liquids

Internal flights and security are very convenient and move fast but there were a lot of flight changes between airports in buenos aires and the timing of flights, but the security took a long time at EZE so budget lots of time there. None of our bags were weighed on internal flights even though they are budget airlines.

Don't miss Iguazu Falls, it's a little touristy and you don't need tons of time but it is worth the trip

Pay attention to the difference between blue and red rates because it was so close that for us many times it was fine to use card which is more convenient than carrying around loads of cash

Overall I felt very safe in Argentina though was surprised with how difficult it was to get around/communicate especially since everyone in our group took spanish in school. I would not recommend it to someone who has no or very poor spanish skills. Few people spoke english in Buenos Aires which I found surprising.

Resurrecting this account to start documenting my trip itineraries & tips

Our Itinerary:

Day 1 - Tangier

We arrived in the evening and took a taxi to our apartment that we rented in the medina (in 2024 this taxt cost 200 MAD which was $20 USD). Our accommodation had a fantastic view and we could see Spain across the water! The inside of the place was gorgeous with so many beautiful details. We walked around the medina and made sure to stop in petit socco, grand socco, walked around the Kasbah, had a fantastic dinner at Chez Hassan (loved the fish mixed grill, the fresh juices & the moroccan cakes for dessert). Overall the dates, walnuts, fruits that we found being sold in small shops along the street near Grand Socco were the best quality and price out of all the cities we visited. I found the people of Tangier to be very kind and honest, not aggressive or pushy at all compared to other cities. Things don't get going until later in the morning around 11 AM but stay open until about 12:30 at night.

Things to do in Tangier: walk around the medina making sure to go to petit socco and grand socco (can relax at cinema rif and watch the square, look at the grand mosque), Grand Socco market & Berber market, Phoenecian Tombs (between cafe Hafa and Old Kasbah), Old Kasbah, Kasbah museum, American Legation Museum looks very beautiful and I wish I had been there during open hours, if summer or warm months then definitely consider the beach

Places to eat in Tangier: Chez Hassan (a highlight!, not fancy but so fresh and amazing), Cafe Hafa (great view of the sea and supposed to have nice tea), Palais Zahia Hotel has dinner with live music in a nice space that was the first bank in Morocco and also a nice rooftop, Le Sauver du Poisson (fancy fish), The Morocco Club (fancy), Restaurant Bachir

Day 2 - Fez

We took the train from Tangier to Fez which was easy (and cost $17, we had a really nice host for our apartment who drove us to the train station for 80MAD or $8USD), clean with good infrastructure and the trip gave us a great view of the countryside. Make sure to take the fast train with 1 transfer. We left in the morning since things take a while to open in the morning in Tangier. We arranged a taxi ride from the train station and a porter met the taxi to take our bags to the hotel since cars cannot enter the Medina to our Fez hotel through our accommodation (taxi was 100 MAD or $10USD but can likely get for less if negotiating with a taxi driver yourself at the station). Our hotel Riad Jardin des Biehn was really beautiful and owned by a French family and thus was one of few places to serve alcohol in the Medina. The whole center courtyard was filled with plants. Overall, this hotel was a feast for the eyes - there were interesting focal points to enjoy everywhere you looked. It was definitely on the pricey side relative to other Riads in the area but we really enjoyed the property and ended up spending a lot of time enjoying, also great service. We then walked around the medina however most shops and stalls were closed since it was Friday afternoon which is traditionally reserved for prayer and family time in Islam. However, there were some stalls open. We had lunch at The Ruined Garden where we had good lamb tagine and orange blossom date milk that I still think about. We ended up having a late dinner at Cafe Clock - a chain of restaurants in all major cities in Morocco that is also a cultural hub where they have live music every night around 7:30, they also host cooking classes and arts programs. The famous dish there is the camel burger which was pretty good. If you go to this location ask for table 22 on the roof for the best view of the nearby minaret.

Where to eat in Fez based on my research: Dar Hatim (best home cooked dishes), Dar Roumana, Restaurant Ouliya, The Ruined Garden (best for tapas), Darori Resto, Cafe Clock (camel burger, lemon tea, date milkshake), Made in M cafe in medina (orange blossom drink, couscous, tomato salad)

Day 3 - Fez

We got a half day guide on Viator to take us around the Medina and show us the main sights: Funduq al-Najjarin, Zaouia of Moulay Idriss II, Chouara Tannery, Place R'cif, Place Seffarine. Hicham was amazing and spent 6 hours with us when the tour was only supposed to be 4hrs. He even offered to come back and take us around to finish the tour after our Hammam since we didn't get to finish everything. We then did a massage + Hammam at Palais Amani. There was a tea man there who kept serving us fresh mint tea in the beautiful courtyard it was so lovely. We enjoyed live music with dinner at our riad.

Overall, an extra day in Fez to explore some other Riads would have been nice and also to visit the ceramic cooperative outside the medina which is the ceramic capital of the country

Other things listed in the tour that we didn't get time to go to: Al-Attarine Madrasa, The Blue Gate Bab Boujloud (we went on our own the day before), Quaraouiyine Mosque (entry only for Muslims), Cherratine Madrasa,

Day 4 - Tour Day 1, drive to the Sahara

We had an early start out of Fez to the Sahar through a 3 day, 2 night tour. This day's itinerary was: Fes→Ifrane→Ziz Valley → Merzouga Desert with a camel ride at sunset to get to our desert camp. We stayed in the standard tent option which was fine for me, but my more high maintenance companions were not happy with it so I would say if you are over age 30 and want a private bathroom then book the luxury option however it is double the price when you are really only getting about 5-6 hours of sleep there since you have to wake up at 5:30 for breakfast the next day before the sunrise camel ride.

Day 5 - Tour Day 2, Sahara to Ourzazate

We started our day with a sunrise camel ride which was amazing. Then we went to Todra Canyon and Dades Gorge and then spent the night in Ouarzazate. We had a walking tour with a local guide through Todra Canyon and he took us through the townspeople's garden plots which was really cool to see; they were growing pomegranate, almonds, soy, corn, potatoes, This night everyone was in the same hotel no matter if you booked the standard or luxury option. We got lucky and there was a craft fair going on down the street and got lots of wholesale beauty products.

Day 6 - High Atlas Mountains to Marrakech

We woke up and hit the road, our group decided to skip Atlas Studios, but this is a film studio where lots of movies are shot including Gladiator. Then we went to Ait Ben Haddou, the oldest and largest Kasbah in Morocco and a UNESCO world heritage site. Beautiful views from the top and overall was really nice to walk through. Next, we went to the High Atlas Mountains, beware if you get carsick like me, bring some zofran or try to sleep through all the windy roads. There are stops along the way with beautiful vista points of the atlas and anti-atlas mountains. We were then dropped in Marrakech where we stayed at Riad Zeitoun Palace which was gorgeous and cute and even better than the pictures. We went for lunch at Naranj, a Lebanese restaurant close to our riad, which was great. Then we walked around the souks and the main square Jemaa El-Fna full of juice stands, meat grills, and even snake charmers.

Day 7 - Marrakech

We started our day by having a wonderful fresh breakfast at our riad and then we went shopping in the Souks with the owner of our riad - she really went above and beyond and we spent about 6 hours out with her. Then we went to Medersa Ben Youssef, an old quranic school that had an amazing courtyard and many side small center squares for clusters of dorms with nice plaster and tiling. They even developed a plumbing system using gravity and this place started in the 800s! Incredible! Then we went to The Secret Garden which was a really nice oasis right off a busy street, the restaurant across the alley Cafe Arabe has a nice rooftop as well. The Secret Garden had a really nice first garden with exotic plants and then a second one with a more french style garden. The entry fee was a bit high $10 USD per person to enter. Then we went back to our hotel to, rested on the roof and then had a late dinner at Mandala Society which was mid.

Day 8 - Marrakech

We woke up had a nice breakfast on our riad's roof, then went right around the corner to Palace Bahia which was so impressive. The details everywhere were gorgeous. Then we went to Jardin Marjorelle, the Berber Museum and the YSL Museum. The tickets were pretty pricey at $33USD per person but the Jardin Marjorelle was really lovely and impressive. Then we went back to the hotel, had to buy a suitcase and repack all of the things we bought at the souks. Then we went to dinner at FOLK MARRAKECH which was an absolute highlight of the whole trip. Tuesday through Sundays they have live music and performances starting at 8:30. We arrived at 8pm stayed until 12:30am and only left because we had to leave early for our flight the next morning but I wish we could've stayed for many more hours. There was traditional Berber music followed by a DJ set then a drummer and live band then belly dancers and there were many times that lots of the dinner crowd got up and danced. I had sore feet the next day from dancing so much. I definitely recommend making a reservation ahead of time for 8 or 8:30. There is also happy hour with some good cocktails until 9PM. The food was mid in my opinion but the vibes were immaculate.

I could've spent much more time in Marrakech as there was so much more to do. Here's a list of main Marrakech activities:

Medersa ben Youssef, Souk Semmarine, YSL museum & Jardin Majorelle, Bahia Palace, El Badi Palace (landmark/ruins), Maison de la Photographie - photo history museum of morocco with nice rooftop cafe, Hammam (some fancy options La Mamounia looks amazing, Tarabel, Es Saadi, Riad BE marrakech), Jemaa el-Fna square with lots of food stalls, snake charmers, Musée de confluences (attached to Bacha coffee so get coffee first then go through palace, get to Bacha coffee at 8:30/9AM to get in), The Mellah - jewish qunlarter, Le Jardin Secret, Street food tour

Where to eat in Marrakech:

Coffee at Bacha Coffee (arrive at 9:30AM, go straight to coffee and do the palace tour after), Les jardins du lotus, Pétanque Social Club - nice garden, fusion foods, cocktails, Maison Reine near Bab Doukkala mosque, Plus61 (in the new Gueliz area), Dar Yacout - fixed price menu in nice riad with terrace come very hungry $70pp but cool experience, rly great reviews, Naranj- Lebanese , Nomad - rooftop good for sunset in medina - make res, Amal Centre- very good home cooked, La Famille- vegetarian, Café Clock - camel burgers & date milkshake, Folk Marrakech in very gorgeous space with live music @8:30 (an absolute highlight, GO HERE)

Chefchaouen

Note: We were supposed to go to Chefchaouen but our hotel overbooked us and we ended up going to Fez early instead. However, here is my research for things to do in there. I would recommend going from Tangier since it is only 2 hours instead of 4 hours from Fez.

Things to do in Chefchaouen: The main thing is walking around and taking in the beauty of the blue city. If you have extra time you could do a cooking class at Cafe Clock.

Where to eat in Chefchaouen: Restaurant Bab Ssour (eat on balcony and catch sunset), Restaurant Al Wiam, Casa Hassan, Lala Mesouda, Cafe clock (camel burger), Sofia’s (good veggie tagine), El Kasbah (nice setting)

Tips:

streets with a rectangular border in Fez medina have an outlet to another street, but those with a circular or octagon/hexagon are dead ends

If taking the train between tangier and fez make sure to take the fast train which takes 3 hours and requires a transfer (but for us it was just walking from one side of the platform to the other), there is a slower train that does not require a transfer but takes about 6 hours and not worth it since the transfer is so easy to do

If you go to Cafe Clock in Tangier ask for table 22 on the roof for a great view of the adjacent minaret

Bargain for everything in markets (I would start by offering 30-50% of what they propose) except for dates and produce that have fixed prices labeled

Try to haggle for taxi prices and confirm the price before getting in the car, smaller taxis will cost less and they will be ~20% more at night after 7PM. If there is a taxi stand attendant or a restaurant host that helps you get a taxi then your taxi driver will have to pay them commission if they open the door for you so if you just go to the taxi driver yourself you could save some money

If you go to Fez book a hammam + massage or some sort of hammam experience at Riad Laaroussa.

Lots of places will call themselves a 'cooperative' which traditionally was started for widows to start selling handicrafts and make a living once their husbands died, now many things call themselves cooperatives to dupe everyone

Buying rugs and things at cooperatives and setting up shipping through them is much cheaper than trying to ship things yourself because they get discounts by being 'cooperatives'

You will always be served bread at meals, you don't have to ask for it and it will be free - moroccan custom

Traveling as a woman: you will get lots of stares wherever you walk from men but it felt very safe to me. No need to excessively cover up but you might feel a bit more comfortable if you cover shoulders. I would avoid low cut tops but I had no issues wearing dresses above the knee and short sleeved tops. It was definitely a bit colder than expected in some places, especially the desert so pack a sweatshirt/layers!

Overall Impression:

travelled with people i didn’t really know - intersting. 

enjoyed waking up early and exploring city by myself

brunch at higher ground, but best of all was when i woke up and explored fitzroy and had croissant at lune croissantery (best pastry ever!) and i got a fig danish to go but ofc was so good i ate it there.

drove for first time on opposite side of road along great ocean road:

stopped at dif lookout and beaches

12 apostles, loch ard gorge

london bridge

the grotto

the stairway to beach next to 12 apostles

our airbnb had an amazing location for stargazing 

stopped and saw kangaroos and also saw koalas in trees in the wild on the way back to melbs. koalas are cute but boring the literally dont do anything,roos are my fav

sunday walked around saw museums (ngv) and TONS of markets - love markets (queen victoria market and many more), went to an AFL game (mix of rugby, soccer, football?, bball) very physical and fun to watch

monday went to brighton bathing boxes and walked around a hipster street with good vintage shopping

also had the best gelato at pipa__something

such a great weekend learning to surf down at seven mile beach (2 hr south of sydney). 

star gazed friday night after we got there

morning session on saturday learned the basics

evening session on saturday saw amazing golden hour/ sky was pink and dolphins started swimming along shore 

went to local bar/restaurant at night and danced up a storm - so much fun!

sunday morning much rougher conditions honestly just wanted to lie on my board and enjoy floating. surfing is fun but i got tired of putting in all that work and energy to fall off right when i stood up (not catching may good waves)

the patience for surfing is rly something - i see how its a lifestyle but also don’t understand at all. threw lots of shakas and started saying stuff like “frothing”

such a fun chill vibe weekend

relaxed in hammock 

we spent 2 nights on the whitsunday adventurer and had a blast!

seas were rougher than expected, got thrown around a bit, but got quality time w friends saw great sunrises and sunsets

whitehaven beach was the most beautiful place i will probably ever lay eyes on - absolutely pristine and so good to see in person bc i’ve had a pic of it over my bed since last summer. good food on boat. really nice 3 girls from england, all doctors in their training (maybe 26/27 years old?). weird captain, crispy dave. watched the stars at night while lying on the top deck. there was a hottub on top deck that i go in for a little bit. went snorkeling twice, saw rly cool coral and huge fish but my fav was seeing a huge giant clam that was opening and closing its feeding hole. spent time just reading on deck. peaceful, relaxing, beautiful. such a cool experience

spent one night in arlie beach another great sunset and we had our own picnic in the park. went to a few bars/clubs and they were pretty hillarious (mama africa) and we were basically the only people in some places. 

day 1- coogee and gordons bay, newtown at night

day 2- coogee to bondi walk, drinks at opera bar 

day 3- i had class, went to luna park (it was closed, lame) but good views of opera house from other side, walked harbour bridge back to cbd (love the walk), walked around cdb to town hall then went to spice alley for dinner and had the best meal of my life! chicken katsu curry then berry cheesecake at koi dessert bar (AMAZING). then met up with yash and got drinks and caught up. super fun

day 4- grounds of alexandria with jj and becca. another amazing meal. i got moroccan bowl with warm rice, chickpeas, chicken, spices, i want to recreate it - so good. then we got donuts (AMAZING) loved the jam filled ones. went to opening of vivid and then argyle

day 5- palm beach

day 6- taste of manly! such a fun food festival with lots of good live music. then went to coogee pav and ended the night/evening at maccas

day 7- sky diving and formal dinner

day 8- i had exams so had to work all day, had a cake date at night at kurtosh

day 9- did the hermitage foreshore walk,  shopped around bondi jn, found the best coat ever at zara bc it was suede but had fuzzy fur inside but also inside the sleeves, went to dinner at a tavola

nervous the night before as i was filling out legal documents in case of death

not nervous the day of though, thought i’d get nervous in the plane up but i didn’t, was just excited

absolutely coolest most fun thing i have ever done

wanted to go again as soon as i landed

Planning mid-sem was stressful - people doing all dif things, didn’t know people super well yet, too many competing interests, overall people not having their act together

met Bryan early morning in dining hall through Gracie and we both were thinking of going to tasmania. met up with him the next week or 2 and decided to do it

plane ride to tassie saw an incredible sunrise while above the clouds

shocked by cold when we got off the plane

day 1: mt wellington, salamanca mkt, fish & chips for dinner

day 2: drove to freycinet, stopped at beaches along the way, very cool flat shells and lookouts. wineglass bay - climbed mt amos, so steep and very tough hike was more like a climb. summitted a mountain. nice view at top

day 3: port arthur. had a crazy drive along a rocky dirt road. our hyundai getz were not equipped. told not to drive on unpaved roads. got there and did a walk around tasman peninsula highlights: devils kitchen and a short hike. did a ghost tour at night at port arthur - old penitentiary

day 4: back to hobart. got great ice cream! went to bonarong conservation center and saw tasmanian devils and few kangaroos

day 5: mariah island - best day ever!! hiked, went swimming in cold but crystal clear water

day 6: bay of fires - watch sunrise at binalong bay (beautiful especally the orange glow over the orange rocks), hiked underwhelming mt (more unpaved roads), but then spent day at picnic rock and climbing rocks along the shore (cut my leg badly and was bleeding a lot)

day 7: tamar valley and arrived in launceston

day 8: cradle mountain - hiked to top but got too cold and rainy for me so i stopped 20 mins from summit

day 9: henty - went dune surfing, very fun until bryan lost his phone in the dunes on his last run. drove through super wild untamed wilderness heading back to hobart with the most amazing star visibility I’ve ever seen

day 10: last day in hobart. went to a rock for potential cliff jumping - i did not the boys almost did but water was cold. got ice cream again