Heaven Is a Place on Earth
It's gonna be hard to top Thanksgiving 2014.
For those of you that haven't heard of the Maldives, it is a pristine, beautiful chain of islands in the middle of the Indian Ocean. This place is pure paradise - crystal clear turquoise waters, white sand beaches, coral reefs, brightly colored fish at our doorstep, and most importantly, a visit from good friends Charlie and Kelsey who traveled all the way from NYC. It was a lot to be thankful for! And yes, before you think it, we realize how ridiculously fortunate we are, to the point where it is hard expressing it enough times.
We've arrived.
Walking along the boardwalk to our very own overwater bungalow was a surreal experience. I'd always wanted to stay in one, and we finally made it happen! There is nothing like waking up and jumping off your back porch into the ocean to get your day started...
The view from our bungalow was postcard-worthy. We even had a small deserted island just a few yards away that we could swim to whenever we wanted!
Ahhhh...
Sunset from our bungalow.
As mentioned above, friends Charlie and Kelsey traveled halfway around the globe to join us in the Maldives. It was so amazing to relax with friends and have a piece of home during our favorite holiday!
Our resort had an amazing array of hookah types and flavors.
Getting some massages at a welcome ceremony on the island.
On one of the days, we swam from island to island snorkeling. It was incredible - until we saw a giant stingray and freaked out!! After that, we stuck to kayaks, drinking cocktails, smoking hookah, and eating delicious dinners together!
Kayaking!
Can't forget about happy hour.
My forever dinner date.
Some post-dinner fun.
When we weren't with Charlie and Kelsey, debating the Serial podcast outcome, or swimming behind our bungalow, we were basking in the beauty that is the Maldives.
Not a bad breakfast view.
We caught some memorable sunsets on the island.
We spent hours checking out the beach...
...the docks...
...this swing set...
...romantic loungers...
...stairs to nowhere...
...and my favorite - The Hammock.
Photo credit: Kelsey Weiss
Photo credit: Kelsey Weiss
Photo credit: Kelsey Weiss
Last but not least, since this is still technically our honeymoon, we got the royal treatment one night. What a way to top off an already perfect trip!
Again, we realize how ridiculously lucky we are. Reflecting back on our year (and trip so far), it would be an understatement to say that we feel incredibly fortunate for our families, our friends, the chance to travel the world, and of course, each other. Of all of the past 31 Thanksgivings that I've experienced, I felt the most thankful of all in 2014.
-Michelle