For a few years I worked at a job that, well, let’s just say the stress level could get pretty high.  However, the perks helped to keep me from quitting.  Yes, there were regular free lunches, quarterly profit sharing, and the “you’ve been working hard” free pedicure rewards, but, even better, there were the trips.  Anytime we met a major goal, we took a company trip.

I joined the company just after their trip to Vegas so my first company trip was in September of 2012.  We went to New York City.  We flew up on Saturday, October 20. That was my first time in New York. We stayed at the Radisson at 34th and Broadway. The weather was great for the entire weekend. We went to a few nice restaurants, walked down 5th avenue (where I got to spend a Tiffany & Co gift card at the actual Tiffany & Co), and stopped at Battery Park for a bit. The highlight of the trip was definitely seeing Wicked on Broadway. What a great show!

Oh, did I mention I fell flat on my face in a crosswalk in the middle of Times Square? …yeah… fun times. Our boss decided to cross the street as the sign was flashing the “warning, time is running out” hand.  I was trying to put something back in my wristlet but needed to stick with the group so I started rushing across the street.  That is when my shoe slipped off of my heel and, well, you can guess the rest.  I reached for my friend as I fell in slow motion, my skirt went up over my head, and I gave all the drivers a good laugh as their light turned green.  Yes, I did check YouTube occasionally after that to see if any videos were marked “idiot falls in crosswalk”.  Thankfully, I never found any.

I will say I was disappointed in one thing, the fashion. I thought New York City was this high fashion area. I packed nice clothes and heels, ready to look my best, only to find that nobody was dressed up! And while our itinerary said we would be taking taxis and subways everywhere, my boss decided that by foot was a much better idea. Except for 5th Avenue, the sidewalks were not made for heels. My poor shoes got a workout on Sunday. We walked all the way down 5th Avenue and then walked from the subway to the 9/11 Memorial, to Battery Park, to Wall Street. I admit though, it would not have been the same from a taxi window. I am glad that we walked it.

The following summer (2013), we made our way to Maui! I was so excited. I had never been to a beach before. We stayed at the Hyatt. That may have been at my suggestion. I mean, they have penguins in the lobby, how could I not stay there?! What I didn’t know was that they also have swans in this beautiful little pond just outside a restaurant. It was the most serene setting. I could have sat there all day.

Our first full day there, I woke up before sunset. About a week before the trip, I suddenly had the idea to do a photoshoot out there. I wanted to capture my first trip to a beach. Somehow it all fell together in time. I found an amazing photographer (Natalie Brown Photography) and she put me in touch with a great make-up artist. I got to watch the sunrise over the ocean on the way to get my make-up done. Natalie picked out a beach (Baldwin Bay Beach) for the shoot and it was absolutely perfect. I can’t say enough about her.

I met back up with the office team and we went to Hard Rock Cafe for lunch. It felt so relaxed compared to the other Hard Rock Cafes I have been to. Light pouring in from windows all around the building. You can watch the ocean from your table. Also, the food was amazing, as usual. I always have to get the mac and cheese (delish!). We then walked along a street of boutiques and I met a salesgirl that was a little too good. I walked out with two dresses and a shirt. That evening we went for a sunset, mountain horse ride. Maui was just a bunch of firsts for me, first time to a beach and first time on a horse. I really had fun. However, my horse liked to tailgate. lol. At one point, he got so close to the horse in front of him that she got aggravated and kicked him. That, of course, made my horse go up on its back legs and had me hanging on for dear life. Thankfully, I stayed on.

The next day, we didn’t have anything planned until the evening. My boss and his wife went for massages and the rest of us went snorkeling. I absolutely love the beach! Listening to the waves is so calming. As we were waiting to get our snorkles, I noticed the “Do NOT Pet the Sea Turtles” signs. Could I really see a sea turtle? Yep! I saw two! One of them started swimming straight toward me! He turned away before he reached me. Good thing, because I would have been tempted to pet him if he came to say hi. I forgot to put on sunscreen until we were down at the beach. I figured, “Oh well, we are going to be in the water snorkeling anyway.” Mmhmm…totally didn’t think about the fact that when you snorkel, your back is out of the water. Hahaha! My back was red for days! I wouldn’t have traded it, though. Relaxing by the beach and then by the outdoor bar at the hotel was my favorite part of the trip. Reality no longer existed. That night, we met back up with our boss to go on a champagne cruise at sunset. Again, the beauty of everything is difficult to describe. It is definitely a must-do if you are in Maui.

On the last full day, we drove up to a crater, not sure what it is called. Tropical Storm Fanny was blowing in. We weren’t sure if we were going to be allowed up to the top. As we drove, we could see the bands of the storm blowing in. It was truly fascinating to watch. The farther up we went, the thicker the clouds started getting around us. We were able to drive to the top. We couldn’t see a bit of the crater because the clouds were all around us. There was such an eerie feeling about the fog surrounding us. It made for some fun photography. I love a picture that I took of a bench. It is so simple but I feel like there is so much that the picture could symbolize. By the time we were heading back down the mountain, they had closed the roads leading up due to weather conditions. Phew, glad we made it in time. We finished out the day with a magic show at a dinner theatre.

The last day was just spent driving around the mountains before having to head back to the airport. I wish I could have had another day at the beach. I know I definitely will have to return one day.

It wasn’t long after our return from Maui that the boss hired a new employee.  Unfortunately, she had something against me from the start and ultimately lied to the boss about me and got me fired. I do not miss the stress of the office but I do definitely miss the perks.