This is the first in JoJo’s vlog series about traveling to Greece and going on the “MerMaiden” voyage of Virgin Voyages’ ship Resilient Lady. The cruise is for seven nights and is called the “Greek Island Glow” cruise.
In this video, JoJo flies to Athens, Greece. He documents his flight, and upon arriving at Athens and traveling to the port of Piraeus, does a little exploring of the area near the port.
He starts the vlog at his apartment, telling viewers, “This is my first time traveling alone internationally. I’m going to Greece, seven-day cruise on Virgin.” Of course, we know from his last video that at some point he is meeting up with Jete, and they’ll be doing the trip together.
After taking an Uber to the airport, JoJo brags how smoothly he gets through Security. “I am like a professional at this point. I get through that stuff so quick. Anyone who’s behind me, I’m blessing them with my efficiency.” (He believes that.) He also says that the price of his $1,148 one-way ticket to Athens “isn’t that bad”, indicating he’s got money, so that’s something to be aware of for anyone considering giving him money on top of what he already earns from YouTube.
The first leg of the journey is a flight to Atlanta, and JoJo is mindful of the experience he had running through that airport to catch his flight to Tokyo. He’s concerned that if there are any delays with his flight to Atlanta, he might miss his flight to Athens and then miss being able to board the cruise. He booked a flight with only a 55-minute layover in Atlanta, so the concern is justified.
Arriving at Atlanta, it appears he’s cutting it close. He walks at a fast clip through the airport, but at least he doesn’t have to run like he did on his Tokyo trip. He makes it on to the flight with no problem.
Not Better Off Alone:
“I think it’s harder when you’re by yourself, because if you mess up, you have no one else to blame. If you do have any questions, you got to figure out on your own, so I definitely recommend you guys go on some other trips that aren’t international before you travel by yourself. I’ve traveled by myself before, but just not internationally.”
~ JoJo
During the flight to Athens, JoJo tells viewers about his experiences with the in-flight meals, being seated near the restroom, having a bulkhead/exit row seat, and his attempts to adjust to the time difference. “I know 100% that my sleep schedule is gonna be so messed up,” he says.
Upon landing, JoJo is excited to be in Europe. “Greece! First Steps in Europe, you just saw it,” he exclaims, taking in the unfamiliar sights and sounds of the Greek airport. “A language I can’t read!” he remarks, seeing some of the signage. He then navigates through customs, collects his luggage, and takes a taxi to the port of Piraeus.
A Whole New World:
“I hope everyone gets the opportunity in their lives to go somewhere foreign to them, because this whole time, I’ve just been looking out and just seeing all the architecture. I mean, even the cars are different. There’s a lot of like more minivans, you got some motorcycles driving by you. Everything is in a different language. It’s so cool, like I love it. I’m just sitting here in awe. Like, it’s like, again, it’s just a whole new world, and I’m just a guest. It’s so cool.”
~ JoJo
Once he is in Piraeus, JoJo meets up with J. They go to a nearby bakery where Jete is waiting. JoJo gets a sandwich and a drink, calling the sandwich “delicious” and the drink “amazing”. J concurs, saying the food is better in Europe than in the U.S.
After eating, J leads them around the area near the port. JoJo sees Holy Trinity Cathedral and says, “Wait, this is beautiful. What is this?” J replies, “It’s a church.” JoJo responds, “Wow, this is sick. Already seen something dope.”
JoJo also admires the Municipal Theater building and the the Church of Saint Constantine & Saint Eleni. Next to the church is a park, and JoJo says he can’t remember the last time he has seen a playground park with both adults and kids. Jete makes the point, “Over here, they enjoy life.”
The vlog ends, with JoJo telling viewers, “We’ll see you on our new home, the ship.”
[5/5] It looks like it will be great vlog series, like with Japan, doing something completely new. This shows the experience of taking a flight to Europe in economy, solo, and arriving in Greece and taking transportation from the airport. It also captures the feeling of wonder of being in a new country for the first time. JoJo probably should have advised viewers not to do as he did and arrive on the same day as a cruise begins.
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