Diglossos

Before the rains came

A funny thing happens in tropical places.  It rains.  It rains a lot.  Places in hurricane zones tend to get storms often during the peak season.  Unfortunately, those peaks also correspond with peak vacation times.  So, what do you do if you’re among those travelers who venture to a resort or an island getaway smack in the middle of a rainy period?

Well, for one you’re going to have to accept that you’re not playing tennis (outdoors anyway), getting that suntan or lounging by the pool unless it’s under the veranda.  You have to go, too, because you paid for a trip for which there is no refund of any kind.  (Remember to read the fine print next time.)  Never fear!  You are not out of options.  OK, plan A has been scrubbed, but you have or should have a Plan B.

You have options.

It’s a funny and poorly recognized fact that those Caribbean resorts and island getaways are inhabitated or surrounded by year-long residents.  That’s right.  People actually live in these vacation places.  (Where do you think they get all their employees?) To you, it’s a place to visit and have a holiday; for them, it’s home.  A lot of these people have fun and enjoy a rich cultural life.  Truly.  You’re not the only one who needs entertainment, you know.

A little research ahead of time will help you a lot once you get there, and there’s nothing wrong with reaching out and asking for tips. So, before you go see if you know anyone from your vacation destination.  Maybe you have a coworker or a neighbor who’s from there.  Also, check some travel books, research online and visit travel sites that can provide helpful advice.  The more you know before you go, the better prepared you’ll be to handle a change.

When you land, talk to your concierge or hotel front desk people.  They usually have information on local hotspots, and in some cases they can get you exclusive access to hard-to-reach or -book locations.  Don’t stop there, though.  Ask your bellman, the maid, waiter or bartender.  These people are locals.  They know about little-known local gems, insider-only information, tips for getting around town, places to avoid.  They are valuable fonts of information.  Moreover, most people are happy to help.  After all, they are in service industries.  For another thing, people are usually proud of their towns, and they are happy to talk about them or share information about nice places.

Now, let’s look at the worst-case scenario.  You are on a tiny, private island where there are no movie theaters, no museums, no non-outdoor attractions.  (I was.) It can be a bummer, but all is not lost. First off, let’s note that you are probably in an exclusive, elegant and luxurious place.  Chances are that there’s a spa, or other indoor amenities.  (There were.) You probably are staying in a mac-daddy suite, too.  This is a problem?

Nope.  Any seasoned traveler comes prepared!  For one, we bring reading material, or we know where to get it.  Either bring a couple of books and magazines or load up that Kindle.  Go to the local grocery/shop and stock up on reading material if you have to.  Maybe you can get some books about the place you’re visiting or about some local attraction.  Keep in mind that most resorts have a central computer for guests to use to check e-mail; so, you can still access and download books and magazines that way, too.

OK, you have reading materials.  What about other entertainment?  Well, if you have an iPad or other tablet, you should have downloaded some games and/or movies.  One friend used his Amazon account to download from the cloud.  (So, instead of cursing the clouds, he used them, he joked.)  Some hotels offer movies for rent or even as part of the amenities of the resort.  It all depends on how much you paid, really.  Check into it.

With the mind out of the way, we can turn to the body.  Most resorts and hotels have spas or have access to spas; so, take advantage.  The money you would have spent on a day cruise can be used instead to pamper yourself in some mud bath.  You can also sign up for yoga, Pilates or some other class, or you can take time to start that fitness program you always intended to do.  (No time like the present!)  Some places have been known to waive fees if your original itinerary was scratched due to the weather.  Look into it.  The worst that can happen is that they don’t have a fee waiver, but you planned on spending money anyway.  Right?  So what if your spending plans changed?

Another thing you can do is take a tour of the location.  Many hotels offer free or very inexpensive tours that are led by their own staff.  You can ride around in a van and get the lay of the land.  You can learn some of the history of the place and check out places for a visit on another day.  When the weather clears, you’ll have places already scoped out.

I speak from experience, my friends.  One time my holiday was visited by rain starting on the first full day I was there.  So, I slept late, went to the gym, and took a yoga class in the morning.  In the afternoon, I went on a tour of the island in a van with two other people, and we stopped at a cool lunch spot with amazing views.  When I returned, I got some DVDs and watched a couple of movies with my boyfriend who had arrived in the evening.  It rained for three days, but it was no big deal because we had enough things to do and to entertain us.

Bottom line: You will have a vacation.

You can find things to do, too. Just remember to be open to change and don’t sweat the small stuff.  Life is too short for that, and your vacation is way shorter.  There’s an old saying: Want to make God laugh? Tell him your plans.  Lesson: Adventure will happen because of you, with you or in spite of you.

Cool runnings, man!