Puerto Rico

While I recover from a week of traveling and a rather large and looming project that is due at the end of next week, my random thoughts from last week’s excursion will have to suffice. More to come…

First 24 hours in Puerto Rico:

1. It was not a fluke. I truly love a humid, hot climate and missed living in 80%+ humidity.

2. I met my new boss/director. She’s awesome and I already thought that before she bought us lattes and chocolate croissants.

3. I almost had to take off my earrings and back my Uber driver in a fight when he got out of the car to confront a rude tourist from South America who was in their car illegally blocking our way.

4. Being so close to the ocean again is healing but also scary, considering a hurricane came through here last week.

5. I’ve practiced a lot of Spanish and the consensus by most Boricuas (Puerto Ricans) is that my language level doesn’t suck. So happy!

6. Great food! Can’t wait to try a famous pina colada. If it’s like the mojito at dinner I’ll fall asleep at the table.

7. Grateful to be a solo traveler. I’ve never seen so many out of shape, overheated tourists, appearing so unhappy, trying to wrangle family members and kids throwing tantrums. Walking up and down the hills in Old San Juan is proving to be a bit like basic training for these folks and they’re trying to fan themselves with their own hands. Oh lawd! Deliver the turistas to an air conditioned ice cream shop. Amen.

8. Way too much air conditioning in every single building in San Juan. Porque? I have the contents of my whole suitcase over a bikini just to eat inside a restaurant tho.

Random thoughts from the rest of the week:

1. I still love not having a car. It’s been over a year and even though this cougar is wildly independent, it’s incredible not to have to drive myself.

2. I hate driving. Really. Just put me in your car, boat, shuttle, plane, chicken bus, and I’m good. Apparently the gas pedal and brake pedal are still in the usual spot, but I still don’t want to use either of them.

3. I still have an uncanny Karate Kid/Mr. Miyagi-like speed and precision to kill random mosquitoes, while aerial…them, not me.

4. Still love this humidity. Glorious glow and skin plumping effects. Unreal…shove it, L’Oréal.

5. Learned that I can paddle 3 miles in the dark through mangroves by myself (in a group) and everyone else went in pairs – and some of them STILL had to be towed back by the guides!

6. I also learned that if you look up at a red mangrove tree an iguana might pee in your eye. Jokes on him – my right contact lens needed moistening… Joke’s really on me, because it was actually my left lens that needed the hydration.

7. If you are a childless cat-less lady, stray cats send out a worldwide beacon to come find you…and enter your Airbnb uninvited.