Mahogany Misfit - Monday, November 23, 2009 at 04:17PM - 8 said something... - filed under Globe Trotting, Happiness!, Living Single! Email Article Turks & Caicos Trip Report!
Hey All. I'm back from Turks & Caicos and wanted to post some photos and share with you guys how much fun I had!
I decided to set up a photo gallery here to display the pictures I took.
I can't even express how beautiful this place is. The moment I set foot on that beach (which was 3 steps away from my hotel), my breath was completely taken away.
The waters of Grace Bay Beach- an eye-popping, shimmery sea of turquoise. The sand- a luminescent white that feels as soft as powdered sugar under your feet.
It is magnificent.
Granted, it was humid as hell (hello- I live in the desert, I am not used to humidity) and my hair wouldn't stay curled, but other than that, the weather was gorgeous.
Also, let me say that the men I encountered were VERY friendly. One told me that they are not used to seeing a lot of "young, single, Black women" on the island.
*Oh and we were in the water making out and "doing stuff" for about 3 hours straight so when I got back to my hotel room and looked in the mirror, I was like 5 shades darker! 55 SPF be damned, I got one HELL of a tan! Wowza. You should see my tan lines!
Sweeeeeet, cause I do not mind being a novelty!
I met a lot of guys, more than I was expecting to actually. Almost every single one of them was from Jamaica (and YEAH they are aggressive as my grandmother warned).
Most of them worked at the various restaurants and bars I frequented during my trip.
A few of them offered to take me on 'tours" around the island, but I honestly think getting into cars with strangers while in a foreign country is a completely idiotic thing to do when you're a single woman, so I declined.
I was not going to be the Black version of Natalee Holloway!
No siree.
Oh and yes, I did have my *vacation fling* with a Haitian guy I met on my second day there. I'll just say the following about that...
1.) It was on the beach in the water- SHHH, don't judge me- we were way far back into the water, the beach was damn near vacant, and we used a condom!
2.) We hooked up twice. The first experience was hot, but the second was decidedly NOT. (He must have given his all to wow me that first time and didn't have anything left after that. Boo. I hate when that happens)
3.) I didn't give him my room number (or anyone else for that matter) so every day afterward he was lurking around my hotel like a lost puppy.
Did I not predict that would happen? Why don't I learn from past experiences? Why do I think some guys will be "different" when it comes to pursuing me in ways that I find excessive?
So many WHY'S!
Ugh.
I ran into him at the hotel bar on two separate occasions after our hookup...once while I was flirting with the bartender.
Awkwaaaaaard.
For him, not me.
The second time he nearly caught me coming out of my room which pissed me off a little. I had to tell him to give me space and demanded that he stop hanging around my hotel. I believe my exact words were "I do not want to play honeymoon with you while I'm on my exotic, single girl vacation!"
Thankfully, he took the hint.
Other than that, everything was fab.
Here's the rundown:
*I had some excellent food (which initially I was a little worried about food options because I'm a vegetarian who eats no meat OR seafood). The best restaurants were Hemingway's (at The Sands Hotel) and Parallel 23 (at The Regent Palms Hotel). If you ever visit the island, do not miss these places!
*All of the establishments I visited were VERY generous with the liquor and nearly all of my bartenders gave me free drinks (Jamaicans are apparently generous like that when you're a wide eyed, flirty Black girl who is traveling alone) and they were NOT watered down. Whooo!
*I had dinner with a really nice guy I met on my way to go sailing one day...Jay from Jamaica.
*I discovered just how sexy Caribbean accents are- albeit a bit hard to understand all the slang they use.
*I had a night of drinking and joking with a group of gregarious Jamaicans (male and female) who work at the O'Soleil Restaurant inside The Somerset Hotel. The food was a bit lackluster and I paid $6 for a total of four french fries (I am NOT exaggerating- there were exactly FOUR of them) but the staff was hilarious and fun.
All in all, it was an outstanding trip and I am really happpy I went alone. In fact, I think I'd prefer to do ALL of my traveling alone now. People talk to you a lot when you're by yourself. I got to have an abundance of alone time on the beach, which was very calming. It was great to be on my own schedule. It was nice to meet men without worrying whether or not they have "a friend" we can hook up with MY friend. And lastly, it's very liberating to have flings and flirt audaciously without anyone there to judge you for being a Slutty McSlutterson on your vacation.
I don't know what next year holds but I'm considering Spain's Canary Islands, or maybe another trip to the Caribbean. Possibly Antigua, St. Lucia, Grenada, or some other interesting island...I really want to go to the less traveled destinations because I feel like everyone goes to either Jamaica, Mexico (which I will never set foot on, sorry), or The Bahamas.
Any interesting recommendations from the audience?
Mahogany Misfit - Monday, November 23, 2009 at 04:17PM - 8 said something... - filed under Globe Trotting, Happiness!, Living Single! Email Article 
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Reader Comments (8)
Wow...I'm absolutely thrilled on the update. It looks like you had such a fabulous time! you should do a travel guide, you made T&Caicos sound so amazing...like I wanna go there tomorrow!
Guess your Grandma was right about everything...lol. I'm glad you had so much fun and you were open to the possibilities of the vacation. Going to check out your pix right now.
xoxoxo
I had the best time girl...
Some of the pictures came out really well (some were from my digital camera, some were from my cell phone camera) but honestly none of them really capture the full beauty of the island. Photos don't do the place justice. You have to go there!!!
Great pics MM. Lucky you for having a fab vacation and a nice little fling!
Your pictures are beautiful and envy enducing, lol. You always wonder if the place is really as beautiful as the advertisements. I guess it is. It kind of makes me want to hop on the first flight there.
I have noticed that I have a better experience when I do things alone. I went to Southern Ohio for job training a while back. I begged people to go with me, so that I wouldn't be bored on my down time or on the weekend, but no one could go. I met tons of interesting people and I have even retained friends from that experience. If I had actually gotten someone to go with me, I don't think I would have tried to get acquainted with anyone new. I'm rather glad it worked out that way. Now I have a ton more places to go to visit, lol.
Wow......great pics and such a beautiful place! Will have to check it out soon. I am dying to travel somewhere and get out of this crappy state. LOL I'm so glad you had a great time! :)
i'm psyched you had a great time and you got everything out of the experience that you wanted!
The gf and i have been talking about traveling somewhere different. we love Vegas but some sandy beaches might be nice. although we'll probably try an Olivia cruise first to ease ourselves into Caribbean trips (especially considering they tend to kill my kind down there).
I hear the canary islands are a great destination!
Just got back myself, while I had a blast I have beach envy!!! Looks great. I'm glad to hear that everything worked out
Outstanding vacation! I'm inspired to try traveling alone. My mom would FREAK, but I guess its no different than being alone in NY (like I am everyday).
Anyway...this is about you, not me, lol. Glad you had a great time! And are SAFE!