Beautiful.

I awoke the morning of my trip to the Caribbean at 6 a.m. after tossing and turning and twisting my blankets until 3 in the morning. My mind never lets me sleep when I want to. Instead I spent the night with too many thoughts roiling in my brain, too many choices to make. I showered and got in the car, arrived at the Detroit airport and stared longingly at muffins packed with calories, bacon egg and cheese sandwiches tempting my will. Instead I opted for the 12 animal crackers in my backpack knowing the exact caloric intake in each mammal shaped cookie.
I boarded, zone 5, seat 17D. I thanked my lucky stars for the aisle seat and resisted the urge to make jokes about Fight Club to the boy next to me as the flight attendant pointed to the cardboard foldout with the evacuation procedures on it. Besides, he was wearing a Carharrt jacket, I didn't think he would get it.
I had a connecting flight in North Carolina where I also got the opportunity to meet the worst person ever. Her name was Rachel. She was the devil reincarnate. This flight took me to San Juan where the trip officially began. The first stop from here was Curacao, a small island that has a mix of underdeveloped neighborhoods and tourist infested areas, beautiful old forts turned into outdoor strip malls. The houses all had red tiled roof the color of burned bricks and the air smelled like salt and coffee.
The next stop was Aruba. Beautiful beaches, white sand, soft and fine. Hot sun and slow turning ceiling fans in outdoor cafes. I drank a cocktail called a summer breeze and wore sunglasses that looked like Audrey Hepburn's in Breakfast at Tiffany's. The houses were the color of popsicles and the locals were all bored with their jobs. Everything was expensive, nine dollars for a beer, eleven dollars for a mixed drink.
After Aruba was Dominica, my favorite of all the islands. We took the bus past double rainbows sprouting from the mountainside and dark skinned vendors, weather worn with watery blue eyes looking out from under their Rastafarian hats. Selling ginger soda and island remedies. The twisting roads took us to the rain forest bordering the Emerald Pools. We hiked the slanted terrain until we were staring down at a breathtakingly beautiful waterfall that roared into a pool filled with lush green plants. We jumped from a high rock into the ice cold water, fresh as a new rainfall. I floated on my back staring at the blue sky dappled with tall green life, white clouds, cliffs rubbed smooth. It was the happiest moment of my whole life. I think I'll forever carry it with me, pull it out when I'm feeling lost.
It's amazing the things you miss when you live so many months in the snow and wind of Michigan. Wearing a t-shirt outside, the sun warming your face, bare feet in the grass, bronze skin glowing warm in the sunshine. I got a taste of all these things this week. I never wanted to come back.