Have you ever vacationed with friends?
I’ve never done it before last week. When you decide to take the plunge, you never know how it will turn out, what it will be like or if you’ll all get along. Vacationing with friends is a risk. You could all leave town the best of friends and return home never to see each other again. Is the risk worth loosing those whom you consider your dearest companions? Or …… might it strengthening those relationships?
Only you can decided.
Poo and I decided to take the risk. We have known all of these people for several years but, over the past five or so, have never spent more than an evening with them. At the most …….. six hours. We all decided to take a vacation together, sharing the same space for the duration of one week.
Everyone of them, besides us, have done this before. This group that we tagged along with this year has been vacationing together over the past 15 years. Some of them have gone every single year. Some have gone just a few times and some have gone almost every year. There have been as many as twelve and as few as four traveling together. This was our year to join this crazy bunch.
There were seven of us, consisting of two couples and three single women. One room. Three bedrooms. Two baths. Stuck together for the week.
Hold on to your britches!
We left on a Sunday and by the time we arrived at our destination, ate an early dinner at the Ocean Deck, grocery shopped and made it to our hotel, we were all tuckered out, but still had time to check out everything there was to enjoy at the resort.
The great thing about traveling with this group is that everyone did their own thing. We all had our own engaging interests during the day and came together in the evening for dinner and a little indulging amusement. Just a little ………….
Poo and I weren’t sure where we “fit in” to the group, but we quickly found out. We already had Cath for all the photo ops ……… she brought her fancy camera and took pictures of our every move. Mare and Will made the travel arrangements, as they do every year, and facilitate the outings. SusieQ led our water aerobics class several days. Lindy, I think, was there mainly for comic relief, and I was ecstatic to become better acquainted with her. She’s just a hoot! Poo’s calling appeared to be scoring large quantities of ice for our room. He “had a guy.” He also rode shotgun and helped Will navigate. Well ……… Siri might have actually helped Will.
I found out quickly what my function would be when we found our rental car and had to load seven people into a seven passenger van along with 10 suitcases, 3 carry on bags and 2 backpacks. My spatial sense took over, (I also got kind of bossy at that point), as I watched two grown men look at all the bags and then, at the space they were to be packed. Interestingly enough, I’m pretty sure that I barely passed high school geometry.
I was able to work in my exercise most days by hitting the weight room, walking the beach and doing some water aerobics led by SusieQ.
There was also time to relax at the pool and hot tub, with an adult beverage of course.
I am convinced that I had more fun on the water slide than the ten year-olds that I was in line with waiting for a turn!
(I know that Cath took a picture of me standing in line surrounded by kids!)
Hey ……….. I might be over 50 but that doesn’t mean that I have to act like it all of the time! Live it up whenever you get the chance. If you’re my age, you have probably noticed by now …….
Life. Is. Short.
We had some wonderful dinners and a few that were just, ok.
We laughed so much and so hard, some of us might have doodled in our panties!
We witnessed some incredible sunrises and spectacular sunsets.
I took pictures of the night-light show that you can only get from the view that a twenty-second floor can offer.
I was captivated by the view from the balcony, admiring the elongated beach in each direction, as I enjoyed a glass of red wine and fantasized of living on the beach for a few months out of each year.
We all took a “day trip.” First to the largest flea market I’ve ever seen and then to Ponce Inlet, home of the tallest lighthouse in Florida and the local turtle hospital. We finished the day with a fantastic dinner on the water.
We had cocktails on The Roof which featured a fire pit, unusual seating, a live band and spectacular views.
We finished off a wonderful week by attending Our Lady of Lourdes Catholic Church for Saturday evening mass. Although I don’t attend the Catholic Church anymore, it was somewhat comforting to return to a service which offered a real sense of familiarity. The priest , Father Phillip, is obviously popular with the congregation and engages with them throughout the homily.
As we were exiting the church, I noticed a small sign with an arrow that said, “Prayer Garden.” I walked around the corner to explore. Beautifully serene and apparently used, (as you can see by the lack of grass).
If you decide that the benefits of a “friends trip” could override the fault, and decide to assume the risk, keep a few of these things in mind.
- Choose friends with similar energy profiles.
- Remain flexible.
- Talk over expectations for the trip.
- Discuss the division of all expenses before signing up.
- Plan your own activities.
- Remember to be considerate.
As a group we followed all of these points pretty well. There were a few bumps in the road and a few melt-downs. Each one of us was guilty of being thoughtless at one point or another during our trip. None of us were perfect, and that’s where patience, forgiveness and understanding comes in to play. I think it worked.
I learned a lot about these friends, as a group and individually, by spending an entire week together. Poo and I had such a great time and, even with the challenges that occurred, I wouldn’t have changed a thing 🙂
Friends for life? Ask me after next years’ trip …………… that is …………….. if we get invited back! 🙂
“Best friends know how crazy you are and still choose to be seen with you in public.”
xoxo – Katy
