I saw this poster online the other day, and it grabbed my interest. I love the design. More so, I love the message.
this isn’t happiness™ (Foreign lands), Peteski.
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Send to KindleThe Business of Pleasure Reading on a Plane
I immediately take out something to read as soon as I’m in my seat on an airplane. Knowing I have a few hours of quiet reading time makes me very happy, and because of this, I rarely talk to the people sitting next to me. For the most part, when they see me pull out a book, they don’t bother chit-chatting with me.
Today, though, on a flight to Las Vegas, a gentleman started to talk to me as I was reading. He was pleasant, and asked an easy intro question: business or pleasure? If you’re going to Vegas, that’s a reasonable question. I told him business, he followed up with other questions about what kind of business I was in, where I was staying, etc. I didn’t want to be rude, so I asked him the same type of questions. The conversation came to its natural conclusion, and I went back to reading.
During the entire trip, however, I could see him out of the corner of my eye acting very antsy, looking around the airplane’s cabin, trying to catch anyone’s eye that would talk with him. I felt bad that I wanted to read instead of conversing with this man. Then I began to wonder why I don’t like to chit-chat like that. Why do I become shy or hesitant to meet new people? Or was it the situation? Would I had been more apt to speak at length with him if we were at a party? Probably so. I think it was the location.
Getting on a plane for a trip to me is like those times when you have the toilet to yourself. It’s your alone time. You have your assigned seat with your assigned overhead light and air nozzle. Sometimes you even get your own window. I know you’re not really alone and that there will be times you have to (or want to) talk to the other passengers. But for me, it’s a time to create an imaginary bubble where I’m all alone, enjoying a good book, and the lull of an engine roaring across the sky.
(Image via Flickr: Phillip Kalantzis-Cope / Creative Commons)
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My naked feet rarely feel the sun. I have nothing against going barefoot; I just rather wear shoes or socks whenever possible. Because of this, my feet are two extra pale parts on an already pale body. So when I’m out in the sun for an extended time, and I’m wearing very little, I make sure to wear sunscreen. A lot of sunscreen.
In Cancun, Mexico, though, I forgot to put protection on the tops of my feet. There I was on the beach, relaxing in a chair, under a wide umbrella, taking slow drinks from a mimosa, and reading Jitney. I stretched my legs, letting my feet linger in the sun just outside the umbrella’s protective shade. By mid-afternoon, my feet felt like fire ants were under the skin biting through to escape.
This happened the first full day of my vacation and visit to Live Aqua, an adults-only all-inclusive on the northern end of Cancun’s hotel zone. Live (pronounced with a short “i”) Aqua is very contemporary, almost Vegas in aesthetics, that prides itself on appealing to the senses. When I walked in to the lobby, peppermint scents overwhelmed me. At the registration desk, I was offered some tea, which is some of the best tea I’ve ever had in my life. After check in, I was offered a hand massage. If you don’t want to hear about the resort’s time-share program, I suggest you leave for your room after your hands are properly rubbed and relaxed.
The hotel offers 371 guest rooms, and it’s worth the extra money to get an ocean-view room. It was comforting going to sleep with the sound of waves and nice waking up and seeing the ocean from my bed every morning.
For those that enjoy laying by the pool or beach, Live Aqua is your place, because there’s not much more to do than that. The resort features three restaurants, three bars and little much in nightlife entertainment. One night, I took part in a turtle release activity. Another night, I had dinner on the beach. The other nights, well, there was TV in the room.
The three restaurants were all good, with Azur offering the biggest portions and MB offering the best presentations. Siete is the largest restaurant and the only one that offers a daily breakfast. Every meal I had was well prepared (well, except for my steak at MB that I almost needed a hacksaw to cut through) and fresh. It felt like I was eating healthy while there.
You can definitely tell that Live Aqua is going for an upscale feel in everything they offer. Whether it’s their pristine pools or soft sand beach, the place exudes extraordinary. But much like the scents that greet you upon arrival, the extraordinary evaporates with a lack of nightlife entertainment.
Maybe I’m being too hard about that point. I’m sure there are people who just want to do nothing but sunbathe, eat, and drink. For them, this place is perfect. For others seeking a little more, the resort could up its game.
It’s just that one element, the lack of nightlight activity, that Live Aqua suffers from the most. Kind of like how I only got sunburned on only one area; the rest of my body perfectly fine.
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