Already, 2015 is looking to be another great year. On Christmas I snagged two amazingly cheap airfares on Etihad Airlines, which will allow me to strike off some biggies on my bucket list. In February, I’ll be visiting Dubai with friends (my first foray into Asia and my 5th continent). In March, I’m headed back to South Africa, where I will volunteer for one month (while also taking in the country’s beautiful sights and the Cape Town Jazz Festival). Hopefully, while I’m there I’ll also go white water rafting for the first time. I don’t know yet what the rest of 2015 holds, but I plan to make the best of it. I hope you too have another year of beautiful moments, treasured memories, and all the blessings your heart desires. Cheers!

Where did you go in 2014 and what do you have planned for 2015? Share your comments below.

The post Happy New Year first appeared on The Travel Sista.

Since I had to wait six months until we set sail, in advance of the trip I read numerous articles and blog posts to try to learn what to expect. I didn’t see many people of color so I wondered how we’d be received. But I’m always one for an adventure so I wasn’t deterred. Good thing, because it was an incredible experience I’ll never forget.  (Click here to read all about my TYW adventure.)

But despite having read everything I could find about The Yacht Week, there were some things I was not prepared for. I share them below in what I call “The Good, The Bad, and The Ugly”. For those like me, who like to know everything good and bad, hopefully this post will give you a full picture of TYW (warning: “The Ugly” is real talk and may be TMI for some people). I mention any complaints in the interest of full disclosure (not to be a whiner) and any views expressed are mine alone.

The Good

Make no doubt about it, The Yacht Week was amazing and at times I felt like I was in a dream. I met diverse people from all over the world, repping their country’s flag and uniting in the pursuit of fun. I spent seven wonderful days sailing on beautiful, calm, blue waters and reveling in Croatia’s beauty. I partied for seven nights on land and at sea with new and old friends. I swam in the sea in a yacht-formed pool and rode a paddle boat inside the famous blue caves. I ate delicious Mediterranean cuisine and deserts (I highly recommend the lamb peka, Croatia’s national dish, and the gelato) and drank a lot of wine, liquor, and rakija (Croatian herbal brandy). Plus, I was treated to the warm hospitality of the Croatian people. The Yacht Week definitely lived up to its tagline “It’s Nothing Like the Real World”.

By the way, although we chose Croatia, there are a variety of locations and yachts at different price points, so just about everyone can find a deal they can afford. Our crew chose a 50-foot yacht (one of the largest boats) and paid approximately $1,300.00 per person, which included the yacht charter cost, yacht equipment, skipper, TYW wristbands, bank fees, taxes, and cleaning fees. We also paid additional costs of about $200.00 per person for port fees, fuel, water, groceries, skipper meals and tips (not including water taxis or restaurant meals, which we separately paid). Yeah, it was pricey, but overall it was a good value.

The Bad

The first “bad” occurred when we arrived at the Kastela marina in Croatia. We’d been told we’d have to sign paperwork during registration on our Saturday arrival day. What we weren’t told was that there would be several 20+ page contracts with waivers requiring you to absolve The Yacht Week, the skipper, and any related parties of nearly all liability. There was no mention of the waivers on the TYW website (at least not at the time of our booking or sailing). On top of that, there was a $2,000.00 deposit, which luckily was payable by cash or credit card. Personally, I think those contracts should be made available for TYW participants to review at the time of the initial reservation, so they can make a fully informed decision whether to participate. Although everything turned out fine, I was quite annoyed at the time because I felt like we were ambushed. The lawyer in me likes to thoroughly review such contracts before I obligate myself.

Another thing I didn’t like was the inconvenience and cost of the water taxis. On several islands we were unable to dock at the marinas and instead anchored at sea, necessitating the use of water taxis to transport us to and fro. Those costs were in addition to the yacht rental fee and quickly added up after several trips. Plus, there were not enough TYW-sanctioned water taxis to transport everyone at the same time and on several occasions we had long waits. It was frustrating because there were other water taxis available but they wouldn’t take us.

One more gripe was with the obvious discontent between the island of Hvar and TYW participants. Unfortunately, because prior Yacht Weekers misbehaved, the reputation of The Yacht Week has been soured in Hvar. Although it was not the case with everyone, several vendors looked at our TYW wristbands and showed obvious disgust at our presence. The bouncer at one nightclub told us “no Yacht Week” and refused us entry. It’s too bad because Hvar is a lovely place and the poor reception soured the experience. Hopefully, this relationship can be mended in the future.

My biggest gripe was with the music; only house/techno/electro music was played at TYW parties. Although I like electro, it got old after several days. With so many diverse countries represented at The Yacht Week, it would have been cool to hear genres from each country — like some reggae from Jamaica, axé from Brazil, and hip hop from the USA (hint, hint, hint).

The Ugly

After several days, the novelty of living on a boat wears off. Forget about long, hot showers; you must get in and out quickly to preserve the limited water in the on-board tanks, and the water may not always be warm. You’ll treasure the few times when we dock at marinas with on-site showers (though you will also wait in line for a real shower). There will be no flushing toilets on board for a week; toilet waste is emptied using a hand or foot pump. Used tissue and feminine products go into a nearby plastic bag for later disposal at dockside (tissue can’t be flushed due to the marine plumbing system). The cramped quarters and small beds will become uncomfortable (even though you won’t be sleeping much), and if your boat doesn’t have A/C, it may get hot below deck during the day.

By now, you get the point. There’s a trade off to living the good life. Make sure you have a cool group of people on board because you’ll be in close quarters for seven days and nights. But being on the water is wonderful and you’ll have so much fun that it will be all worth it. Anchors away!

Have you been on The Yacht Week? What did you like or dislike? Share your comments below.

The post The Yacht Week: The Good, The Bad and The Ugly first appeared on The Travel Sista.

Beach at Palmizana

I woke up in time to fraternize on the boat and get ready for the private, late afternoon TYW party at Carpe Diem beach. Nestled on a private island, Carpe Diem is a modern outdoor club with cushioned wood beach chairs, parasol umbrellas, and rocky coasts overlooking sparkling blue waters; it is the most beautiful nightclub setting I’ve ever seen. The DJs were cranking out techno music and the drinks were flowing from several bars. People danced and socialized on the island club as the sun set, marking the end of another magical day. As I glanced around at panoramic views at every turn, it almost felt unreal.

Carpe Diem beach

The Carpe Diem party ended around 8:00 p.m. and we returned to Palmizana by water taxi. Our skipper Sanjin, another male roomie, and I ate dinner with two American girls we met on the walk to the restaurant. We had a great conversation about places we’ve visited and our time at The Yacht Week (The talks confirmed that we had the best skipper; more on that later).

Thursday was another relaxing day on Palmizana. After a late breakfast, we hung out on the beach with other Yacht Weekers and tourists. It was a hot day and the cool water was refreshing. Later that afternoon, we took a water taxi to Hvar to attend yet another TYW day party. As we made our approach upon Hvar, it was clear this island was swankier than others we’d visited. There were luxury hillside homes, fancy fortresses, and huge yachts docked along the marina.

Hvar marina

We also saw the wild TYW day party happening right there on the waterfront at Carpe Diem bar (a different club owned by the same owners as Carpe Diem beach). The party was standing room only, with lots of dancing, drinking and other shenanigans; it continued on for several hours.

Party at Carpe Diem bar

After the party ended, a large group of us wandered the town in search of food and libations. We wanted something quick and ended up at Hello 2, a walk-up burger bar with outdoor seating. I had a grilled chicken breast sandwich with fries and beer, all of which was tasty and fresh. We left there and strolled the pier before ending up at the Nautica Bar. It was empty when we arrived, but our group got the party started and it quickly filled up. The DJ spinned hip hop, rock, and old school classics and everybody was dancing, singing and having a blast. We later returned to Palmizana by water taxi and continued the party on our boat.

Hello 2 burger bar

Friday was Regatta Day. Everyone dresses up in costumes and the yachts race back to Split. The first to make it back wins the regatta. The team with the best costumes also wins a prize. Unlike the rest of the week, to join the competition you must actually sail rather than use the motor.  As we learned, sailing is hard work.

We woke up early that morning and dressed up in our sexy lifeguard costumes. We were tired but determined to make a good showing in the regatta. Sanjin wasn’t particularly happy about sailing that day, but he was a good sport and obliged us. We started off well in the top 5 yachts, enjoying the sea views while getting our first glance at the other team costumes. Unfortunately, our good luck didn’t last long. About an hour in, as we were adjusting the sail, one of the ropes got stuck and the wind blew us off course. By the time we finally freed the rope and got back on track, nearly 20 boats had passed us and we lost our good standing. As it became more and more clear that we would not catch up, we decided to drop out of the race. Sanjin cranked on the motor and we cruised for the rest of our last day on the water.

We made it back to the Split marina by early evening, just as the sun was starting to go down. It was a beautiful end to a fun and hectic week. The TYW Closing Party was later that night and the winners were announced, but our team was too exhausted to go. Suffice it to say that a full week of partying and sleep deprivation had finally taken its toll.

I woke up early on Saturday morning for my 8:00 a.m. flight. To my surprise, Sanjin also got up to bid me farewell (then went back to bed, lol). A native Croatian, Sanjin was skilled, knowledgeable and fun, and we were blessed to get him as our skipper. We had a blast and he made The Yacht Week even more enjoyable for us. As I flew back to Rome on my way to the USA, I relived the week in my head and was happy I’d decided to expand my horizons. Although it had not been on my radar, Croatia was amazing and The Yacht Week opened my eyes to its natural beauty, its historical treasures, and its huge boating culture. I can’t wait to go back to see more. If you haven’t yet been, I’d definitely recommend a visit to Croatia.

Have you been to Croatia?  What did you like or dislike about it? Please share your comments below.

The post The Yacht Week Croatia 2014 (Part Two) first appeared on The Travel Sista.

Our yacht, the Perna

Our skipper, Sanjin

Around 5:00 p.m., we finally boarded the Perna. No sooner had we loaded on our luggage and groceries and raised our American flag, sure enough the skies opened up and it stormed like cats and dogs. We had to rush to close all the windows on the boat (which quickly became hot and stuffy) and wait for the storm to pass. To bide the time, we played cards, drank shots, and got to know Sanjin (who we nicknamed 007, both for his blue eyes like Daniel Craig and his ability to stealthy disappear unnoticed). The rain stopped about an hour later and we finally set sail around 7:00p.m. We sailed for a little more than two hours (one of which was in the dark) before arriving in Trogir, where we docked for the night. By then we were starving and ready for a real meal. We went to dinner at a restaurant on the marina that looked out onto the water. I ate a “shrimp” dish with rice and red sauce. Although they referred to these crustaceans as shrimp, thanks to my New Orleans roots I know them as crawfish. Either way, they were tasty. After dinner, we split up. Some went to the TYW Welcome Party. Others walked around town to see the historic buildings and search for gelato. I was in the latter group and it was a good end to a long day.

My “shrimp” dish

Me enjoying the views

On Sunday morning, we woke up to bright, sunny skies and were amazed by the beautiful blue waters and mountains at every turn. We sailed for several hours before arriving in Vis in late afternoon. We anchored at sea and started the party early. As is the TYW custom, we climbed from boat to boat to meet fellow Yacht Weekers, while others did the same. Along the way we shared shots, laughs, and a dance or too. One of the coolest aspects of TYW was seeing the diverse country flags flying on every boat. If you were smart enough, you could tell the nationality of everyone on each boat by looking at their flags. If not, it was one of your first questions. We met people from all over the globe, including Jamaica, Australia, Germany, and Ghana, among others. Later, that evening we took water taxis to the Vis marina. At Sanjin’s suggestion, we had dinner at Bocadero, a fancy restaurant in Vis. We were joined by two Australians (Aaron and Tim) from the boat next to us. We had a blast, eating good food, drinking red wine, and laughing and joking for several hours. I had the sea bass cooked in parchment paper with vegetables and olives; it was fresh and delish! After dinner, we went to the TYW White Party at the St. George Fort. The place was packed and the techno music was cranking all night. We partied for several hours before turning in for the evening. We spent the night anchored at sea in Vis.

Sea bass w/ veggies

TYW White Party

On Monday morning, we got up, ate breakfast at Dionis, and bought more food and supplies for the boat. We left Vis around 1:00 p.m. and set sail for the Green Caves. It was too windy to get close, so we briefly looked at the emerald green waters then headed on towards Komiza. We sailed for several hours and arrived in early evening, anchoring at sea just off the marina. Komiza had a lively marina, full of people and restaurants, pizzerias, gelato stands and vendors selling jewelry and souvenirs.

Gelato stand in Komiza

But while other tourists and Yacht Weekers were eating on the waterfront, we were lucky enough to have dinner at a neighborhood restaurant where Sanjin had made reservations for us and pre-ordered Croatia’s national dish, Peka. After a 20 minute ride up the mountain, we finally arrived at restaurant Glob and were warmly welcomed by the family owners. We started off with appetizers of tuna prosciutto, cheese, olives, tomatoes, and a house red wine. Everything was fresh and yummy. About an hour later, the Peka finally arrived at the table. Peka is made with octopus or lamb (we chose the lamb) and cooked in a special clay pot with vegetables, fresh herbs and spices for four hours. All I can say is OMG, it was delicious! The meat was so tender and everything was so perfectly seasoned that it melted in your mouth. It was a pricey meal, but worth every cent. We were quite full after dinner, but we headed to another TYW party.

Lamb peka

We left Komiza on Tuesday morning and sailed to the Blue Caves. We rowed a paddle boat from our yacht to the caves. Initially it was dark, but once we got further inside, a hole in the side of the cave allowed in a ray of sunlight. The water was a sparkling blue hue, which almost appeared fluorescent – it was stunning. Unfortunately, I forgot to bring my camera and missed the shot. We left the caves and sailed for several hours before meeting up with the rest of the Yacht Weekers in the middle of the sea. All of the yachts anchored in a circle formation to create a swimming pool.  We swam and relaxed on floats, having a big party at sea until late afternoon.  Later that evening, we lined the boats horizontally and spent the night out at sea moored to some large rocks. Everyone partied on their yachts, blasting music while singing, and dancing. All through the night, people climbed from boat to boat, greeting the occupants, and often sharing a drink or two. It was a noisy, fun and late evening.

“Swimming pool” at sea

Up next, Part 2 .  .  .  . when we arrive at Hvar, the St. Tropez of Croatia

The post The Yacht Week Croatia 2014 (Part One) first appeared on The Travel Sista.