Yolo Solo

One of the more interesting things about traveling alone, on purpose and not for work, is how other people react to it.

Is everything okay with WC?

No one could go with you?

You  must be very independent...

Yes, I DO mean table for one. You can bring me two waters, but no one else is going to sit down... I'm just not that friendly.

It's weird how someone saying you're independent sounds like pity, or an insult. Oh, you must be hard to be around.

(Note: I did ask one person to go with me, but I kind of knew she'd have a hard time going and I didn't invite anyone else because I didn't want to. WC and I are fine. He's doing stuff he needed to do, too. And I'm awesome to travel with. Seriously.)

At (nearly) 37, I have to stop waiting for other people to want to do what I want to do. I can't wait to buy a house until I find a husband. I can't wait to go on vacation until it's the right time for someone else. I can't wait to open this bottle of wine until... wait.. Why would I wait to open wine?

Besides, what I learned from my numerous solo business trips is that I am super fun, I'm not afraid to be alone, going to touristy things alone is usually better than with someone else who enjoys things toooo much or not enough, and my smartphone knows everything I need to know (and I did London pre-smartphone and still didn't die/get lost forever).

I've told a few people I've encountered here that I'm meeting someone later. It feels safer... like they're less likely to murder me because someone will miss me soon.

Otherwise, I've...

Reading....

• Eaten crab cakes (2) and had Coronas (2)
• Purchased a bottle of wine and a single can of beer
• Wandered endlessly up and down Atlantic
• Eaten a shrimp quesadilla and had another beer
• Read by the pool
• Gone to bed at 8:30
• Wandered endlessly up and down Atlantic
• Awkwardly and alone tried to make sure I was adequately covered in sunscreen on all exposed bits (not as successfully as I'd like to believe)
• Gone to the beach
• Read on the beach
• Played in the water
• Walked on the beach
• Taken a shuttle
• Eaten amazing tacos and had sangria and chips and salsa
• Wandered endlessly up and down Las Olas
• Purchased more cheese than a grown woman should have...to be consumed with my wine and my book by the pool
• Sat outside my hotel room writing a list of things I did in the last 36 hours

What I haven't done...

cheesing...

• Been lonely
• Gone hungry
• Gone sober... I mean thirsty
• Not done something because I was alone
• Wished you were here (except maybe a little because we'd totally be laughing at these old dudes right now...)

Tomorrow I plan to do other things.

I'm not fiercely independent, refusing to allow other people to direct and participate in my life. I'm just single and reaffirming for myself and the world that if I want to do something I can and should.

Maybe you already knew that, but sometimes I forget.
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P.S. The title of this post makes me angry and happy all at once. I feel like it's super clever and annoying.