HOLA! It's finally here! After weeks of trying on swimsuits and working out with my awesome personal trainer (celebrity trainer Monte Sanders), I finally feel I'm ready to be a part of history as the Ravens cheerleaders shoot our first swimsuit calendar in Punta Cana, Dominican Republic!
This morning my alarm went off at 3:45am. Even though I didn't get much sleep last night, as I rolled out of bed, I couldn't wait to catch our 8:00am flight. Just getting to BWI airport was a challenge because of the rainy weather. After dealing with power outages, rain, and almost getting into a car accident, Sammi Jo, Dinah and I finally arrived at the airport in one piece with one minute to spare! As we rushed through security, we were greeted with warm, friendly smiles from Ravens fans and spectators. We were onboard our flight at 7:40am, anxious to leave the rainy 42 degree weather. By 8:20am we were off to paradise!
After a three-hour flight, we finally touched down. The passengers applauded when the pilot announced it was 82 degrees and sunny at 11:20am!
One of the coolest parts of my day happened after we landed and most passengers had gotten off the plane. The USA 3000 pilots allowed me and a few of the other girls sit in the cockpit. (One of the pilots even let me wear his airplane pilot hat!) After our photographers got a few shots of us sitting behind the controls, Lindi and I hung out the cockpit window. You can see the photo of that at the top of this blog page. Definitely some very memorable moments and we hadn't even left the plane yet!
We were greeted at the airport by our tour guides, as well as a very energetic Caribbean band playing some salsa music. Punta Cana is absolutely gorgeous!
Soon after, we arrived at the Barcelo Bavaro Palace Resort, where we checked in and were assigned roommates for the week.
Today was our day to relax and get acquainted with our surroundings. We ate lunch and many took advantage of the beach and pool. I chose to relax and take a nap in order to prepare for the scheduled evening activities. Well, so we thought.
Tonight, the hotel was supposed to welcome us with a reception and dinner, but a few schedules got changed around and the dinner was cancelled. Since all the girls had gotten dressed up and done our hair and makeup—thinking we were headed to a fancy dinner—we decided to take a team picture in front of the hotel.
For dinner, we were on our own to walk around the resort and eat at any one of the many restaurants. This ended up being a positive thing because it gave everyone an opportunity to bond with each other as we begin the week together.
We ended the evening with a team meeting to prepare for the first round of shoots tomorrow afternoon. I'm up first, so I want to make sure I get enough rest.
One thing is for sure, WE'RE IN PARADISE, and I plan on enjoying every moment. Thanks for reading and tune in tomorrow to get the scoop on our first photo shoot of the week! XOXO…ADIOS!
