Burnt.

Everyone says that you should travel solo at least once in your life, that you'll "discover yourself!" and "meet new people!" and "learn to be alone!"

I think that is a bunch of baloney.

This week I traveled to Turks and Caicos, rated the second most beautiful beach in the world, for just such a solo vacation. I intended to read a lot of books, write, journal, collect sand dollars and starfish on my long, solitary beach walks, etc. It would be rejuvenating and refreshing and if the authorities on such matters were correct, I would meet lots of locals and not be alone for long anyway. After all, my trip to Ireland in 2014 was basically a solo vacation and I ended up meeting Paul and Eilish and having a blast!

Well, I am 3 days into my vacation and it is not fun solo vacating at all. For one thing, there are no seashells on this beach so I have found nary a sand dollar. And instead of a starfish, I spotted this stingray, of which I am terrified:

The only locals I have met are working at bars but don't seem all that keen to talk to someone who would pay $17 for a pina colada, which is understandable.

Then there is the problem of this:

...by which I mean, of course, that for most of the activities one does on a beautiful island, one needs a partner. I do not know how to canoe (is that a canoe?), but even if I did, I would want someone else in the canoe to help me drag it into and out of the water. Same thing for the sailboats.

And therein lies the problem. I already spend time by myself, lots of it, in fact. I've been alone and solitary most of my life, unwilling to be in relationships just to be in them. All that coming here has done is highlight for me the fact that most people come to beautiful islands either with their families or with their partners. The fact that my back is sunburnt is a sore testament to the fact that I have no one to put lotion on the places I can't reach, either girlfriends or boyfriend or sister.

I am glad I came on this trip because this is a beautiful place and trying a solo vacation was worth a shot. But all in all, it's just not for me. I need to get over myself and find some friends who will travel.