Very First Solo Trip - Miami

In late spring of 1996, I was considering investing into out of state real estate ventures, and after some research I though Miami would be a good place to start.  (Actually I chose Miami for another reason but that really does not pertain to this narrative so I just won’t be telling you about it).  I decided if I was going to invest in a place I needed to see where I was putting my money, and since that is a big travel destination I might as well make the trip a vacation as well. 

 I asked friends if they would like to go but no one could travel with me at the time, so I decided what the heck, I’ll go by myself.  This was the first opportunity I had to travel completely solo.  I thought well this is a business trip and lots of people travel solo for business so how hard can it be.  The truth of the matter is I was kind of terrified, because this was me going somewhere alone, not knowing a soul and staying in a hotel by myself.  But I was also excited.

I was fine on the plane ride but once I got off the plane I was scared spitless but I composed myself and handled my business.

I made it to my hotel and ended up getting a sweet room because there was a brother working the front desk that looked at me, smiled and asked if I was traveling alone, I replied yes and told him it was my very first time, so he gave me a huge corner room.

The lobby of the hotel had a fifties décor going on and from what I remember it was nice.  I settled in and made plans.  Since I did not have a car I had to figure out the public transport system which I did, and I made my way around the area with no mishaps.  I looked at it as an adventure, which it was.  I went on tours of the city, went on a boat ride and just explored.  I also hung out at the beach and by the pool of course.   I ended up having a lot fun and being swept off my feet by a man I met by the pool,  (which lasted all of a month with a few phone calls  after the trip was over, but hell it was fun while it lasted and taught me to keep vacation “love” in perspective).

I was so proud of myself once I made it home; I just knew that this was something I could do again and again.  So hell if no one else could join me, then I could totally go it alone, or as I like to call it solo.

That was my first trip by myself but it definitely would not be the last.