Sooo...How was Jamaica???

I enjoyed snorkling, sailing, kayaking... swimming up to pool bars and drinking fruity drinks. I enjoyed conversations with people from around the world.

But there was a lot of tension and stress revolving in the dynamics of myself and my friend, A. No amount of fun can blanket some of the things she said as she buckled under certain upsets.

Our hotel accomodations that she booked for us was a nightmare. Working toilets was not an option. We went through three different rooms in which two of the bathrooms did not work. I started having strong second thoughts when the housekeeping lady gave me a big wooden stick and began explaining how to secure the door whenever we left or slept.

Major alarm bells!

There were no other visible guests and no other girls walking about. A and I got stares that didn't make us comfortable. So we left for a walk to talk to see what our options were.

The surrounding area was a bit dodgey. Taxis were expensive and we were running out of cash fast. We walked to a resort. I talked to the manager and told her that we were interested in changing hotels. She made a deal with us which was more money than I felt comfortable spending but the hotel was a place we could feel safe at, it was all-inclusive; we would end up saving in food, drinks, and activities.

After three rooms at the nightmare hotel, you would think our troubles ended and we can party it up and relax.. NOOOOO....

The toilet at the 5 star resort broke on my friend AGAIN...She got so upset that she walked out on me. We were excited and happy for maybe 20 minutes! We had unpacked and thought our vacation had begun...

While A. went to drown her anger away at the bar, I went down to talk to the hotel manager AGAIN.. to resolve the issue. I moved EVERYTHING with the bellhop and set up things in the new room without A. She eventually came up with a drink for me.

A. finds that I forgot her hair conditioner in the shower of the former room. I tell her to call housekeeping and that she can use my hair conditioner. She gets in a huff and says that the vacation is a mess and that I am bad luck and that she doesn't want to ever travel with me and wishes something bad would happen to me. She locks herself in the bathroom and takes a shower (without her hair conditioner)..

I go down again. I'm shocked at my friend's anger and I don't know how to absorb it, wondering when the day will ever end. I decide that I NEED to find a piano, a quiet place and get my head together and end up bumping into the manager. I'm trying hard to not cry as I tell her that I need a piano and that my friend hates me and has lost her head. The hotel manager look into it and I go to the bar to grab a couple of drinks as a peace offering to A.

Back at the room:

A. tells me that I OWE her an apology. I give her the drink and tell her to calm down and that housekeeping is looking into it and that the room couldn't have been let out to anyone because they have to repair the bathroom. Since the air is thick with anger and frustration, I decide to take a long, long shower. When I get out, I tell A. that I'm going for a walk to find a piano. She gives me an apology and joins me. When we find the piano bar, the place is hopping and people are singing at the mic. A tells me that I OWE her a song since she's had a bad day. Since I hate being treated like a radio just because I'm a musician, I excuse myself to go somewhere else... I sit across the room instead waiting for a good time to chat with the pianist about having access to the piano.

I end up meeting the hotel's project manager who makes arrangements to accomodate my request.

I think by the third day, most the staff knew me. I don't know if they felt sorry for me or were irritated by me. But judging from the good conversations I had over the week at the resort and being treated well, I think I was on their good side.

Which is different from my travel companion and friend.

Despite apologies, pat conversation, and "don't take things too personally" talks, I'm not quite sure what to make of my "friend" who wished something bad would happen to me. I enjoyed doing things with her but learned that she is someone I don't feel comfortable keeping too close to me.

I never had to pay this much money and time to get disrespected in my leisure time. And I wrote a rent check that will bounce to the moon. Hopefully, my building manager won't cash it until Wednesday.

I wish we handled situations more gracefully together. I didn't get to relax like I hoped. Vacations are over-rated.

Sometimes a vacation is not about going away... but rather a time to meet with oneself.

I went away "to chill out with a good friend" and found that I missed my solitude.