#168: Kiss in the rain

There's something about kissing in the rain that's so romantic. Again, not something that I thought I'd do again.

Photo: bostankorkulugu / flickr

#167: Go on holiday with someone special

Now you may have been wondering who the 'we' is I occasionally have mentioned. Well, I have a little confession to make: I met someone speed dating (see number 20) and while we've been taking things relatively slowly, we have been officially seeing each other since the spring. I haven't wanted to mention it on the blog because a) I don't want to jinx it and b) the blog is about the list not necessarily about my love life.

There are a few things I put on my list, like 'go away on holiday with someone special', that I honestly thought would never ever happen, ever again ... let alone in 2013. I was convinced when I wrote the list that this was one I would never cross off. That I was a dried-up, has-been destined for a life alone with my cats, going on holiday by myself for the rest of my life.

Thankfully, I was wrong.

Bottom Photo: Alan Bailey / Shutterstock

#166: Go Tubing

For those of you not familiar with tubing, it's quite simple: Blow up an inflatable tube and drag it (and multiple other ones) behind a speed boat at full speed. It's like water skiing except with other people along side ping ponging into you. You have to hold on tight to keep from being bounced overboard, though I found it helps if your backside is large enough to wedge yourself securely into the tube (like mine!). I think it was the first time in my life that I was thankful for having a bigger bum because I was firmly wedged in and not as likely to go flying.

But I still had to hold on tight when we went around the curves. It was like Newton's Cradle, smashing into another tube and sending it flying out across the wake only to have it return to hit you back out across the wake yourself. 

So much fun!

#165: Go water skiing

Like sailing, I haven't been water skiing (or snow skiing for that matter) in some time. They say that once you've learned it's like riding a bike -- you get right up. I suppose it depends on what your definition of up is, as I face planted on my first attempt.

Ultimately I did get up on the skis and had so much fun I went again and again for the rest of the holiday.

#164: Go Sailing

I haven't sailed since I was around 16 years old, which was why I put this one on the list. The sea was warm and inviting with just enough wind to make sailing fun but not scary. A very peaceful afternoon spent adrift in the Caribbean. Lots of time to think about and appreciate how lucky I actually am.

#163: Have a reflexology treatment

While a full body message is a wonderful treat, I find reflexology even more relaxing and soothing. I'm on holiday and everyone here has been raving about them, so when in Rome...

Photo credit: Coka / Shutterstock

#162: Go Snorkeling

As I mentioned in my previous post on trying to SCUBA dive, while I'm not a fan of pure swimming, I really enjoy swimming with fish. I'm not a great swimmer and to be honest when I tried Scuba, I found that my tendency to panic when my head is under water didn't subside when I was hooked up to oxygen. The class was a lot of fun, but I realised I'm happier when I can raise my head and breathe actual air. I can go snorkelling and enjoy most of what I'd get from proper diving, just not is such exotic locations like deep shipwrecks/etc.  Keep me close to shore thanks! It works just fine with my tendency towards boat sickness as well.

So we spent a few hours bobbing on the surface with big and little fish. Certainly beats being behind a desk at the office.

#161: Take a Scuba lesson

I've long heard stories from friends who've gone diving in exotic places and thought that would be something I'd REALLY like to do. Trying SCUBA is thus not only on my Break Up List but it's also a lifetime Bucket List item as well.

Swimming with tropical fish (but not in a Godfather 'Luca Brasi swims with the fishes' kind of way) has always seemed so peaceful and calming, but I have never done anything other than snorkel before. Being on top of the water was one thing, but swimming at depth along side the fish seemed even more exciting. One of the big reasons we chose to stay where we did was because they had free 'Discover Scuba' classes, where they teach you the Scuba basics and then take you out on a supervised open water dive in the reefs near the hotel, all of which would count towards getting a PADI license, should you like it enough to get fully certified.  It was a perfect way to tick this hard to achieve item off this year's list.

#160: Read a mindless book for fun: Bridget Jones

I'm on holiday and my trip corresponded with the release of the new Bridget Jones book at the airport bookshop. I couldn't think of a better book to read to tick this one off the list. A good beach read. Mindless fun.

#31 & 38 x 2: Watch sunset into ocean/Watch tropical storm pass

On holiday and saw a lovely tropical storm at sunset

#159: Try a Hopi Ear Candle treatment

I like to occasionally try new/alternative treatments and, unlike Reiki -- I'm not going to pay to have someone hover their hands over me while I lay on a table, the ear candle idea intrigued me, especially because I have slight ear/hearing issues.

Originating from the Native American Indian tribe called the Hopis, this technique uses a cotton tube impregnated with a selection of herbs and is inserted in the ear and lit. It was created to draw out impurities and relieve pressure in the head and sinuses. It's suppose to also be good at relieving jet lag and ear problems.

It probably doesn't do anything at all, but it was a relaxing hour, which in itself was a pleasant relief.

Photo Credit: Kzenon / Shutterstock

#158: Ride in a helicopter

 

Wow! Now this is what I'm talking about! When I put my list together I had some easy things, some boring things and some exciting things. Ride in a helicopter was clearly one of the exciting things on the list, but I highly doubted I'd be able to actually do. But it stuck out as one of the things that would be a lot of fun to do, so when I was looking into what to do and where to go on holiday and found a place that offered a (relatively) cheap and quick Copter transfer from the airport, I bit that fishing line faster than a starving Marlin.

It was a quick 10 minute ride from the airport in St Lucia to the heliport in Castries, flying past the Pitons and over the rainforest and banana plantations. It was not only an amazing way to start our holiday but was also a great way to see the island as the sun was setting. If only we could afford to do it for the return journey as well! For our return we have a sick-inducing 2-3 hour bus ride in front of us, but that's what we need to do to allow us to do the 'copter ride.

I'm flying high (and very lucky)...What a way to start a holiday!

#157: Read a business book

Dull, dull, dull, dull, dull. I know. How boring? Well, that's precisely why this was on the list. It's a bit like eating vegetables when you're a kid: you know it's something that's good for you, but just don't want to do it RIGHT then. With my school days behind me, I know it'd be good for me to keep learning, or at least refresh the meagre skills I do have, by reading a 'business' book every now and then.

Ick. I know it was good for me. But I'm glad it's not something I'll do more often. But there. It's done.

PS: Apparently there's a book about business books. Wow. THAT must be thrilling reading. 

#156: Go to a book reading: Jennifer Saunders' Bonkers

When I started the year I put 'Go to a Book Reading' on my list because I thought it was something that I could do to get me out of the house and out in the world again by doing something cultural and intelligent. Fast forward 10 months and this has been a task that seems to be taunting me. I'm sure there have been some good books out there this year, but short of going to Hay festival in May (which I missed), I haven't been able to find any book readings for something intellectual but fun. So looking at Royal Festival Hall's programme, I bit the bullet and got tickets for some friends and I to go see Clare Balding interview Jennifer Saunders about her new book, Bonkers.

Book reading: done. Fun night out with friends: Complete.

#155: Ride in a Police car

I'm not sure exactly what I was thinking when I put this one on my list. I think I had in mind somehow being out late at night and chatting (flirting?) to a nice, cute, officer to get my lazy ass a ride home after dinner. What I didn't have in mind was getting into a police car to scour the neighbourhood searching for the thief who snatched my handbag off the table in front of me and ran. (Note: My handbag is nothing special; it was just a opportunist taking a chance.)

Luckily I got my handbag and all of it's contents back, minus £60 cash in my wallet. So looking at it positively, it cost me £60 not to have to get a new license, cancel my credit cards, get a new passport (it was in my bag!), etc.

AND I got that ride home with the cute officer after all.

Photo Credit: Pres Panayotov / Shutterstock.com