What I got out of St. Lucia

This was the first trip my husband and I have taken in 9 years that did not involve a trip to our hometown. It was long overdue and in celebration of being married ten years. (If you can do any type of math you will realize that the above does not add up. We took our honeymoon a year after we were married).

A lot has changed in my life in the past year and I anticipate more changes to come. But, if we stick to the past & present...Just in becoming vegetarian I have expanded my horizons. Now, I:

• eat vegetables
• try new things, like eggplant, chickpeas, tahini, etc
• weigh a little bit less
• and (vow to) exercise a little more

St Lucia continued some of these trends. In my first two days, I ate very well. I avoided all things dairy for the most part. I had been unintentionally consuming dairy in a beverage because I failed to read the ingredients properly (and was thus very confused as to why I was experiencing dairy-related headaches).

Cream of Leek Soup

Banana BBQ Sauce

I tried new foods which included Banana BBQ sauce, breadfruit, cream of leek soup (which I now plan to veganize and this is especially noteworthy because I'm not a soup person) and a variety of fruit that I either didn't like or don't remember. Unfortunately, my commitment to being dairy-free wavered as the vacation progressed (mostly at dessert time).

Our resort was pretty health-conscious so I hoped to exercise a little bit. However, after participating in a bike ride into town, I experienced heat rash and kept things low-key to lessen my suffering. I did manage to visit the gym, by which I mean I had it pointed out to me on a guided tour of the resort. And I think I saw it another time when we went hunting for the gift shop.

I wasn't totally lazy though. I walked around the resort (primarily to get from point A to B) and had a bunch of hills to climb on a day tour we took. And I caved and went tubing with somewhat disastrous results which left me with a bruised ego and some very sore arms.

The rest of the trip was spent relaxing, reading, and socializing. I have returned home mostly refreshed. I feel more likely to tackle some creative projects. Back in February I sought out knitted Christmas gift requests, which I haven't actually started. I'm feeling the knitting vibe again so (hopefully) this means I won't be rushing to complete everything days before Christmas. And I'm feeling more incentive to get scrapbooking (for the trip and for my niece).

It's not just about feeling refreshed though. Some time away from technology was a good thing. Yes, I did check my email daily but I was otherwise disconnected. I think sometimes we spend so much time trying to fill our days with entertainment that we miss out on truly enjoying the little things. I hope to break some bad habits with our return home.

And the other thing....Everyone we met in St Lucia was so friendly. As an introverted person, this was a bit overwhelming sometimes. However, it was also very nice. It serves as a nice lesson to be less guarded and more social/adventurous.

Whether I am successful or unsuccessful and implementing these themes into my life, it is a win-win situation. If I keep my commitment to these changes, my life will be more balanced and fulfilling. And if I'm unsuccessful, it must mean that I will need to go back to St. Lucia for a refresher course.