Writing — Travel & Photography
All My Bags Are Packed. I’m Ready to Go. But How to Say Goodbye?
This is the very definition of bittersweet, at least when it comes to travel
Hello Globetrotting friends! How are you? I’ve missed you! Sorry for my absence. Was a bit under the weather for a while… you can read about why here:
Yesterday I arrived back in Orlando, Florida after spending a year and a few months in Trinidad & Tobago.
It’s so great to be home after so long… I mean SO GREAT!! Feels more like I’ve been gone for a decade or something maybe.
Leaving Trinidad was pretty heartbreaking in a lot of ways. Feeling a bit guilty now for anything bad I ever said. I mean, a water shortage here, a power outage there — small stupid junk really.
Trinidad gave me it’s best. Have to say. The very best!
I bathed in the beautiful sun-kissed waters at Maracas Bay and Las Cuevas Beach and let salty drops from heaven wash away my sins. I had plenty to wash away at that time, too!
I scrubbed my skin clean with your rich sandy beach soil.
I drank from cool clear springs high up in the rainforest mountains… the same ones that have been providing solace to weak and weary people for thousands of years with fresh water, strong shady trees, a bounty of fresh fruit, fish and various wild game, and other sustenance — what more do you need in life really?
Ok, a little air conditioning here and there is nice. Call me spoiled. Don’t really care! No worries. Trinidad has plenty of that, too.
I dipped my hot feet into the cool waters of the Lopinot River and learned about evil spirits like the Soucouyant. I never failed to listen well to your many storytellers and secret holders when exploring such places as Cleaver Woods Park.
I enjoyed the beautiful savannah in downtown Port of Spain where I attended fairs, ate delicious food, checked out the botanical gardens and the assortment of animals at the small zoo.
I saw so many little towns and communities here and there… like the bustling Sangre Grande, Mayaro Beach and the strange and spooky Manzanilla Beach.
And the food… dang… I can’t even wrap my head around it… curries, doubles, roti, chicken pelau, hot cucumber, onion and pepper salads that made my mouth and eyes water, that weird oil-down stuff, so much fresh pineapple and coconut I often went a bit crazy there… the tartness of mango and pineapple chow… and more kinds of unique (to me, anyway) fruits and veggies that I can’t even recall all of the names now… eddoes and rambutan just begin to scratch the surface there.
I listened to your children play and many, many dogs barking.
You showed me what limin’ was. And I enjoyed every minute.
And all the beautiful flowers and trees… wow!
And most important of all, your people gave me refuge when I was sick and at my lowest point… your people gave me friendship and care and love.
… you gave me a lifeline… a bed to sleep in… lovely smelling soaps and incense sticks. Burning things that helped to cleanse the house of evil spirits… well, they did their best anyway.
And a super cute pair of sandals.
(My feeties and cute sandals from Trinidad, also proudly wearing the Trini colors via ankle bracelet from Maracas Beach)
Yes, cute sandals can be important too!!
It wasn’t all fun and games, but then whatever is… I laughed and I cried… and I mean CRIED!
One person in particular ended up ripping my heart out… but it’s ok… turns out it was all repairable. And I still love him and wish him the very best. Please take care of him now!
I am healing and feeling better… he still has a lot of healing to do.
Thank you so much Trinidad for all your wonderfulness and lovely people!
Still nothing like going home though… I walked so slowly through the airport after getting off the plane in Orlando. I wanted to absorb everything moment by moment. I didn’t want to miss a thing.
Even this small simple sign at Orlando International Airport’s newly built terminal C made me so happy!!
Friends embraced me. They are giving me lots of love, companionship and lovely food to eat… and a hot tub downstairs… a pool as well although it’s a little coolish in Florida right now… but the hot tub was so fantastic last night as I let so much stress melt away!
I wandered around the dollar store like I was in a trance… in the U.S. everything is at our fingertips, yet so many take it for granted and do not appreciate all they have been blessed with…
I mean really, what more could a person ever ask for?
Feeling so so SO blessed…
…oh, and I owe much of that to the rosary that was blessed by monks high up at Mount St Benedict Abbey in Trinidad. No kidding!
I swear to you… this humble rosary helped save my life! I’m not a religious person per se, and I don’t know exactly how this higher power stuff works exactly… been attempting to figure that out…
but then, not everything has to be known… it just has to be believed!
I’m a believer!
From where I’m standing, the future looks so beautiful.
Happy to be back and ready for new adventures! And looking forward to catching up with all you guys as well!
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