Single Girl Returns from Vacation

I've just returned from a relaxing single girl vacation in sunny Miami, Florida. The weather was warm, the boys cute, and the drinks.. well you know.

I had originally planned to spend two and a half weeks in India volunteering but with the recent shift in the economy and rescuing my little guy Bernard I had to re-evaluate my vacation choice.

I decided 5 days poolside would do me just fine. I canceled my India trip and quickly booked a direct flight to Ft. Lauderdale and car service to my hotel in Coconut Grove.

Here's the short lesson: Vacationing alone as a single girl is scary.

And here's the long one:

I checked into my hotel room in front of a gentleman who was visiting from El Salvador. At some point during my check in he figured out my room number and called me three nights in a row soliciting dinner and/or drinks. I declined only because he was sort of creepy and because you just never know what people are capable of. By day two I was dodging him in the hotel in my sunglasses and trench coat. Well OK, just sunglasses.

Two nights I went out for dinner alone. On my last night in the Grove I was sitting waiting for my server to bring me a menu. She walked up to my table and said, "Is it just you? Are you ok eating here all alone?" In my head I thought I was until you came up to my table and made such a big deal about it.

Within 20 minutes of all my "dining out" experiences, some random older gentleman would sit down at my table to not only pay for my dinner but spend an hour talking my ear off. It was awkward but very cost effective.

My vacation was 5 days and amazing. Long walks outside, runs at the gym, swims in the pool, watching movies, and reading books. The men were not so amazing.

Here are my top three rules for you single girls vacationing alone:

1) Make sure you stay safe. I won't get into too much detail but my hunch is that the guy from El Salvador had other intentions. Don't find yourself on the side of a milk carton.
2) If you dine alone choose to sit at the bar. There's a lower chance that a random man will sit next to you and talk your ear off. And the bar is the single person seat of choice. You can read a book, watch TV, and no one will notice.
3) Finally, do anything and everything that makes you happy on your single girl vacation. If it means taking a few days off and watching movies at home - do it. Your vacation is just that. Yours.

I'm back in the windy (and terribly muggy) city. Back to the life of the city girl.
The single girl pants are fitting snug again (bummer) but give me a few days and they'll be back in line.

So here's to you and your single girl vacation. Take at least one a year. Alone.
And do everything you've always wanted - except of course dining with random old men.