The Art of Making Friends

I don't know if I have mentioned this before but there are pluses and minuses when traveling alone. On one hand, you have the freedom to do whatever whenever. There is no one who will say "well, that's not what I want to do." You don't have to worry about time, and the schedule is controlled and changed by you and only you! But...it can also get very lonely. Sometimes you feel as though you have nothing to do and you have no one to talk to.

But that's not the point. What I am trying to get at is that when you travel alone you're more open to meeting new people and that's what I did today. 

I had just woken up and went to the salon to get my first pedicure ever! The ladies were so nice! Faith and (this is what I heard her tell me and I repeated it back to her so I think this is name) Candy. They were aunt and niece. And very sweet! We talked about where they were originally from (northern Kenya) and just about life. 

Then after that, I went to the bar to get coffee. As I was sitting there minding my own business this guy comes and sits beside me. I had seen him before and he was in a group. I could tell from how they were speaking that they were Russian. He brings his friend with him to sit by me to tell me that he will be the translator because the guy sitting beside me is not very good with English. But then the "translator" leaves and I guess the other guy got frustrated with not being able to communicate that he leaves too. 

So there I am sitting minding my own business again, and an old man comes to sit with me. He tells me that he over heard my English and he could tell that I wasn't like the rest of the tourists there who were all European. He starts to tell me that he is Welsh (he had a thick accent) and he seemed nice enough so we start chatting. 

He tells me that his wife passed 5 years ago and that he has no family of his own. He really loved her and it's obvious by the way he talked about her. He tells me just about himself and talks about how he has decided that because he has money left over and no one to give it to he is going to spend the rest of his days traveling to all the places he has always dreamed of. 

Then he and I just discuss politics. Don't worry, there was no cursing or hatred. He was simply curious about my point of view and so I told him what I thought. We spent maybe an hour talking and as we were talking I noticed the Russian back with his friends. But this man, Gary, was so sweet and kind that I just stayed talking to him. 

After a while he told me he was going for lunch. He grasped both my hands and told me he wished me all the best and a safe journey around the world. It touched me that someone I had just met was so kind. I hope to see him again before I leave this place just to say thank you for his company and his stories. 

After he left the Russians approached me again. This time there were three. And two of them could manage English. We started talking and they were very nice. They told me their names; Dmitry, Sergey and Sergey. The one who was interested in me was one of the Sergey's. We just were chatting and then they invited me to lunch with them. 

Eventually, we just spend the whole day together. I learn that there is a big group of them here for business (I jokingly told them I was a spy) and this was just a vacation-y business trip. They told me that they had seen me around the resort and Sergey was to shy to approach me because he isn't good with English and they also thought I was Spanish! Haha! But they have been very nice and very welcoming. We even took pictures together! 

Okay so I don't know the first guy or the girls name...they told me but I can't remember. Then beside me is the Sergey who can't speak English and then beside him is the other Sergey. (Pronounced Ser-gay). 

Then I took a picture of them being super "Russian". 

The guy in between the two Sergey's is Dmitry. He is the one who can speak the most English. 

They have already invited me to Moscow (I don't know if I'll go...but it could be a possiblity!) and they are very funny. Constantly making jokes about every thing! 

I think they might have felt bad that I was alone also, but who cares! They are super cool and now I can say I have friends from Russia! It's amazing the people you meet when you're traveling alone. 

Also, there are a bunch of monkeys running around. They try to steal food and the bar has to hide sugar because they know what the sugar packets look like. There are guards here specifically for getting rid of the monkeys! 

And here is a view of the sea. 

Just another day in paradise!