The neat part about some of the services at the airport is that their fees are regulated, however, that does not always mean it will be a smooth ride! Since we had a larger group we took two van taxi’s to the boat.  Jake, Josh, Dad and I went in the first one and the remaining five took the second one.  Our taxi was a dented mini van with smoke bellowing out the back.  Unfortunately, there were no working seat belts in the van and at times we felt like we were in a roll cage at an amusement park as we whipped through the streets of downtown San Juan to avoid the traffic on the main highways.  We were tracking our movements on google maps, which was pretty funny to watch as we took a zigzag path through the city before arriving at the port.  Even though it was a rough ride we arrived at the port in record time.  We saw all kinds of interesting sights as we zoomed through the town.

We arrived at the port more than fifteen minutes before the our the party.  We were beginning to grow concerned about them since they only left moments behind us.  It was only then that we realized that our group was the ones that had all the walkie talkies and cell phones that were still on.  The rest of the group had already turned theirs off.  Within a few more minutes and what seemed like many mini vans later everyone arrived safely at the port.  We were able to check onto the Serenade of the Seas and start exploring!

A hint for those who have never traveled outside of the United States.  Bring plenty of $1 dollar bills.  You tip for almost everything you do.  Even with a wild taxi ride you are expected to tip (some people would pay big bucks to go on a ride like that at an amusement park)!  Tipping $1 to $4 each time adds up quickly when you are doing it every day and sometimes multiple times a day.   Also, you have to pay for things you get for free in the US, for example, on a tour we stopped at a restaurant and in order to use their restroom you had to buy a drink (a can of Coke was $4.50), purchase a souvenir,  or  pay $1 per person.

A Vacation To Remember series is a reflection on our recent trip and ways we relaxed.  Life is short and we were thrilled to have the opportunity to build memories with family and explore of of the most amazing places during our time away.  Go with a good attitude and looking for fun and it will be an awesome trip jammed packed with positive memories.  It is refreshing having some time away from the regular routine.  Make it a once in a lifetime opportunity to meet new people and learn.  You just might see or try something new that takes your breath away!