Where I've Been, Where I'm At, & Where I'm Going

Las Ramblas is one of those Barcelona places that feels very energetic. One minute you’re admiring dozens of restaurant options, the next you’re deciding on souvenirs, and then suddenly a very persuasive man has placed elephant bracelets on your wrists and your wallet is lighter by €20. That last part is not a metaphor. It happened to my mom and me. We walked the street in the morning, starting near the Gothic Quarter side and making our way up toward Plaça de Catalunya, wher

My two or so months on Braftovi by itself wreaked havoc on my hair. It had initially got thicker with the treatments including Mektovi and changed texture from straight to curly, but I noticed mostly on my trip to Spain that I was in a heavy shed cycle. I was losing around 200 strands a day when brushing, which is why I cut my hair short above my collar bone. Sadly, the shedding didn't stop and now I'm left very thin on top with less than half the hair I had in April. It's no

Our upcoming trip to France was planned with help from Wingbuddy. We will fly into Nice from Paris and spend exactly a week in the South of France. Every second day involves trips to surrounding cities, each with it's own reputation and charm. And since Wingbuddy determined this part of the itinerary, there wasn't much left to plan for our own free days. This post gives an overview of what our entire week has in store. Wingbuddy's Paris and the French Riviera includes several

October 11th was the last full day of our trip to Italy with Globus. That day was hot and the plan was to take a ferry ride to Capri and tour the Gardens of Augustus. After this, we had at least 3 hours of free time to explore the island on our own. The day was the perfect blend of guided and independent. Can you experience the magic of Capri in just five hours? The short answer is yes. While a brief visit barely scratches the surface of this legendary Italian island, a caref

"In 79 A.D., Mount Vesuvius erupted, covering the city of Pompeii in meters of volcanic ash and preserving it for centuries. We often imagine that ruins are quiet, but today, Pompeii is bustling with tourists roaming the streets to learn how the Romans lived. The ancient streets felt hot, even in October, and I wore a leopard print dress as I followed our tour guide—the one with the red umbrella. When we visited, it was still quite busy for a shoulder season, and the stone st

I had severe hyperkeratosis caused by the medication Braftovi. It was really bad and you can read about it here. Or just see the before picture below. My mom took this photo while on Celebrity Equinox touring Spain. My feet were in agony for much of the trip and my walking was incredibly slow. It didn't take very long for those calluses to develop. Maybe 4 weeks. There was significant inflammation underneath the callus and back in late June, I believed I'd never be callus-fre

As part of an optional excursion on the Globus Italian Tapestry Tour, we had the opportunity to visit Monteriggioni and then go for dinner at a Tuscan Farmhouse. This part of the trip was our highlight of being in Siena and for that reason we were very happy we signed up to see it and its stunning Tuscan views. Monteriggioni makes a strong first impression before you even pass through the gate. A Comprehensive Short Stop Monteriggioni is small. That is the thing that makes it

We only have 3 days in Paris, and there's a lot to see. I'm trying to plan this part of the trip so we can see it all and have some unique experiences, while still leaving enough downtime that we can be relaxed and enjoy the city's vibes. Wingbuddy provides a hop-on, hop-off bus tour on the 2nd day we are there. They also provide a Seine River cruise on our last evening there. With these two activities in mind, I set off to book some other activities. Versailles We are arrivi

Last summer, Dean and I took his two teenage daughters on a 5-day trip to Vancouver Island—Sooke, BC to be specific. We stayed at a campground where we could hook up our 26-foot travel trailer to electricity and sewage. The location was a wide-open lot with a few trees, but it had a large field where we could walk the dogs and it had great showers. The first few days were spent exploring Victoria, doing tours like Butchart Gardens and Hatley Castle. But after those boxes were

Visiting Michelangelo’s David is a highlight for many travelers to Italy. This iconic statue, carved over 500 years ago, continues to captivate visitors with its incredible detail and artistic mastery. My early morning trip to see the original David was unforgettable, especially after the night before when I admired the statue’s copy at the Piazzale Michelangelo. The full moon lit the winding hill as I made my way down to a restaurant. The David is a big part of what Florence

In Venice, streets are replaced by winding canals and centuries-old buildings seem to float on water. There aren't many ways to explore this city except on foot, so a gondola ride stands out as the most iconic and unforgettable experience of my trip there. Perfect for anyone managing chronic illness, cancer recovery, or low stamina, this classic activity lets you sit back and soak in the views from a stable, comfortable seat. Imagine gliding smoothly through narrow waterways,

We are flying to Dublin on September 5th as a redirect from Wingbuddy. Because of this, it's our responsibility to plan our stay and itinerary for our time in the city. Knowing that I'm going to have to plan around pill schedules is a little daunting. It means days can't start too early. Having researched the city and the things you can do there, I already know that it's going to be 4 days where we explore medieval history within a vibrant, lively, and youthful culture. I won

Just a few days ago, my friend Dean agreed to still go with me on the France and Ireland trip, so having the travel companion portion of that trip settled, I'm ready to go deeper and get more detailed in planning. At the end of this post, I'll delve into Wingbuddy's cancellation policy and how they suggested I change arrangements if that was necessary. I'm so happy that it isn't going to be different and we can go forward as planned. Our Plans as They Stand We used Wingbuddy

Booking a cruise at the last minute can be the best way to get a rocking deal. I have free time this July after a dentist appointment on the 9th, so I've been stalking Cruise Insider since way back in June for deals knowing that I'd have this free time. At that point in time there were just over 300 cruises available to book if you selected Iceland & Greenland and Baltic & Scandinavia. If you are flexible with your schedule and ready to pack your bags, last minute cruises o

Kelowna is a great place to go for a long weekend vacation. You can ride a boat, visit a winery, spend all day at the beach or shop until you drop.

Cancer medications can cause a range of side effects, some more visible than others. For me, the pain in my feet was persistent and worsened over time. The soles developed thick, hard calluses that made walking uncomfortable. This condition not only affected my mobility but also my overall quality of life. Since stopping Braftovi, the calluses are mostly a cosmetic issue, but they also signal that my feet need special care. I realized that managing these side effects required

Taking medication can be a challenge. Even at home, we need our rituals to get the pills down. For me, it was cancer medication. I had to take 10 pills every morning on a trip to Italy and another trip to the Bahamas; further, even though the protocol and meds changed, my trip to Spain still saw me taking meds every morning and even at night. So I have some experience and it does involve some forethought. Here are my top 7 tips for handling your medication protocol while on a

Well, there is no treatment right now. Due to side-effects that were unbearable, I stopped taking everything. After a two week break, I tried to resume taking 300mg daily of the Braftovi therapeutic pill, but within 3 days I felt sick enough to go to the emergency room. I was unsteady on my feet and had a lot of pain in them again. The doctors suggested that I stop taking the drugs all together. Uncertainty and Waiting So now here I am, drug free for about a month excepting t

We wanted a relaxing trip, so I started by looking into all-inclusive deals, and we strongly considered going with an option on Paradise Island. However, we changed our minds because the island looked like we'd be trapped on it and we wanted to explore more of New Providence island and see what Nassau had to offer. This trip was unique because we ended up staying for 10 nights at a resort called Sandyport Beach Resort. It was a quiet resort with a kitchen inside. We rented a

In April 2026, I went on a cruise of Spain & Portugal with my mom from Barcelona. Ports included Cadiz, Lisbon, Porto, Malaga & Palma de Mallorca. We got a steal of a deal on Celebrity cruises back in December, so much so that we upgraded to an exterior balcony suite, 5 excursions (one per port), and prepaid gratuities and signed up for passes to the Persian Garden spa. We also opted for the drink and wifi packages onboard Celebrity Equinox, making the cruise all in about 450