6 Times I Was Reminded I Wasn't Alone During My Solo Trip
When I first posted about my trip on Facebook, my dear prophyte said to me “girl, what did you do alone?”
It was a valid question.
In fact, I was asking myself the same question just a few days earlier, and I quickly got the answer: everything and nothing.
I did everything by myself, but rarely was I alone.
Here are six times that I was reminded I was in a good company throughout my trip:
1) As I’ve shared before, the first night was surreal. I had made it to the island, I was at the resort, and it was time to celebrate twenty-eight. The only issue was that I had never, in the history of birthday trips, done it this way before. How would I do it?
I sat there that night, trying to enjoy the entertainment, as a ton of thoughts raced through my mind. Somewhere between one thought and anther, a member of the Verandah staff was standing there with a bouquet of freshly picked flowers just for me.
It may seem small, but to me, it was a big gesture and I appreciated it. In that moment, I felt special, I felt seen, and I was reassured that everything would work out fine.
2) The morning after I arrived, I went to have breakfast in dining commons buffet. When I was done, I walked out to the main area of the resort, just as the info session was beginning. Although I had no idea it would be happening or thus any intention on going, I was right on time.
I sat down, eager to hear what excursions would be offered and shortly after doing so, a friendly face turned around and said to me, “Good morning!” It was this little lady, who was vacationing there from the UK with her equally friendly husband.
It turns out, they had seen me at dinner the night before at dinner. I’m grateful for this connection, because they one hello helped me to relax a little and open my mind to making new friends beyond those I may or may not have imagined. It just so happens that I saw them every morning at breakfast, and somehow we were always seated right next to each other.
3) Friday night I was at the bar taking shots with a family I had earlier played beer pong and volleyball with. After we took the shot, Paul, a police officer in Jersey City, says to me, “let me ask you something. Did you come all the way here by yourself?”
The rehearsed answer was of course “no,” but I said to him, yeah I did.
He goes, can I hug you? We hugged and in so many words he praised me for doing what he considered a “big” thing. I appreciated that moment.
4) As a stop on the Pink Panther Tour, we took a break at Pigeon Point Beach to swim for an hour. I spent 55 minutes floating in that beautiful clear blue water, but I wasn’t not going to take a pic while I was there.
I stepped out to take me a few selfies, but couldn’t hit them angles right without my stick. I heard a rustling in the bushes and looked up to see Kamesha. She saw me struggling trying to take my own pics, so she came over to help me. The photoshoot that ensued was pure heat. <3
5) Saturday Morning at Breakfast, I trickled in to see that I was right behind Joanne, Mary, and crew(his name escapes me). I’d met them a few days earlier over at the Rasta beach on the resort. We said hi and caught each other up on anything we’d done since our last time seeing each other, while we waited to be seated. Then, Joanne said, “well come have breakfast with us!”
I was used to eating alone so I was slightly hesitant and maybe also a little anxious to join people, but I was pleased to be invited. I took them up on the offer and we had a wonderful conversation.
6) Saturday night at the dock in St Johns. Since I spent most of my time in the countryside, my friend arranged to have me picked up so that I could experience what it was like to be in town.
When the night was over, I asked if I needed to find a cab to get back to the resort. He looked at me and said, “You think I’ma send for you and then make you take a cab back? What kind of man do you think I am?”
I— knew I was right about this. lol