Anchored in Gratitude

A Chapter at Sea: 42 Nights on the Carnival Miracle

I’ve often told the naysayers that I’m not running from something, but rather to something.

Someone recently commented on Facebook that I must need a lot of therapy to have sold everything and chosen to live on a cruise ship. My reply? “Thanks—therapy did help. And yes, I chose this life… at least temporarily.”

I’m currently 45 nights into my time in Europe, with several more weeks to go. But changes are brewing, and the next stretch will be land-based.

The Carnival Miracle has been home. The staff have been nothing short of outstanding. Gary, the Cruise Director; MaKayKay, Shy, and Nadia from the Fun Squad; Taffy (dining room host); Jogi (truly the finest maître d’ I’ve encountered in over 50 cruises); Rose Ann and Trev at the coffee shop and bars; Andy and Dara in the Piano Bar; and Roman on instrumental piano—and last but certainly not least, Rashid and Jorge (my servers in the dining room for almost the entire voyage). All of them made this ship feel like a real home away from home.

The weather over the past several months has been mostly picture-perfect. The destinations—British Isles, Iceland, Northern Europe, the Baltics, and Scandinavia—have exceeded even my highest hopes, even as return visits to many of them.

And the people. The absolutely wonderful people I now get to call my cruising family. More than I hoped for… and more than I deserve.

Next up: a weekend in Liverpool to reconnect with Gary and Andrew (my January 2025 friends), before heading back to Germany for a few weeks in an Airbnb. I’m looking ahead with a mix of excitement and wonder at what the future might hold. One thing’s certain—it’s going to be bright for everyone involved, including me (iykyk).

This morning marked a powerful finale to this leg of the journey. I finally got to go inside the Anne Frank House—thanks to Larry for the tip to book a third-party ticket via Viator or ViaGoGo (yes, it was double the official website price, but totally worth it due to the constant sellouts). No regrets. Every euro was worth it.

Inside, it’s heavy. As it should be.

The dark annex remains largely empty, just as Otto Frank intended upon his return to Amsterdam. The sole surviving member of his family, we owe so much to him for ensuring the world would read his youngest daughter Anne’s words. It’s a story that must be told—and one I fear we are, globally, closer to repeating than we care to admit.

Of course, tears welled up as I walked through the Annex where Anne and her family hid. How could they not? I also felt frustrated with the visitors who couldn’t follow the simple request not to take photos. It’s disrespectful—and unnecessary.

Seeing pages from Anne’s original diary and other writings reminded me of why I started writing again. As the youngest surviving member of my branch of the Sjoholm family, I’m likely the one who will carry our story forward. And while mine is a more casual tale, this blog has always been more of a diary than a travel blog. Travel is just the backdrop to my own story of growth and discovery. The destinations have far exceeded what I ever thought I’d see or do—but it all started with a dream.

Which brings me back to Krystie, and the question that changed everything for me on December 31, 2022:

“Would you go?”

I am thankful beyond measure. I have witnessed more than I ever thought possible. And I will always be grateful for that one simple question that changed my life.

I’m not someone who figured life out at a young age. Hell, I still haven’t figured it all out. But I sleep well knowing I’ve done the work—self-reflection, growth, therapy, travel, writing—and that all of it, and all the people I’ve shared life with, have shaped who I am.

I don’t take any of it for granted.

And now, as I sit canal-side and sip a limoncello spritz—at 11 a.m. (because I can, and because I wanted to)—I feel like it’s the perfect conclusion to this chapter. 42 nights on one ship is enough to fill a chapter. And I’m ready (and not scared) to begin the next one.

Over and out,

Cole (from here)

Here are some of my favorite photos of the last 45 nights (3 in London + 42 onboard)