We recently returned from Hedo II (Aug 29-Sept 7) and I've been meaning to write this trip report since. Just COULDN'T find the words to describe our experience! Oh well, I'll give it a shot and hope those of you who love this place as much as we do will "get it", read between the lines, and relate. Here goes
Although I'm tempted to offer the daily rundown of our trip, all the details, all the terrific dirt, the thing I really want to get across is how this trip has changed us, how magical Hedo is. You know what I mean, don't you?
This trip was our honeymoon and Scott's 43rd birthday, and I have to say I was both hesitant and thrilled. Scott had been to Hedo once before (with his ex, who hated it) and to Grand Lido (her consolation trip). I was the virgin on this trip with a bit of the usual neurosis. We had no fear of being naked in public (exhibitionism is a favorite pass time), no fear about getting trapped in some situation we didn't want, none of the typical fears about body image, etc. We love our bodies; they've been good to us. But I was afraid I wouldnt have my new husband's full attention Now I'm not the jealous type and neither is Scott. But, it being our honeymoon and all, lots of sexy folks everywhere, I wondered about the distraction, ya know? This was my only hesitancy prior to the trip.. but everything Scott told me, and knowing him the way I do, and having read everything I could find about Hedo (read Chris Santilli's book, devoured DennyP's message boards & trip reports) something told me this was the absolute best way for us to kick off the start of our lives together. Naked and carefree, no watch, no schedule, no kids, free food and drinks, what more could anyone want?
Here's a bit of background. We (together and separately) had gone through some dreadful shit in the past few years (illness, injury, divorces, change of career, you know), the last three years being both the most stressful and the most wonderful at the same time.. AND both of us work at a homeless shelter.. as if our own lives haven't seen enough drama, we are surrounded by other folks in crisis. I'd go into it, but I'm sure you'd rather I didn't. So: we desperately needed some time off.
Both of us had lived 40+ years thinking there surely was no one else on the planet that would ever understand our strange and mysterious ways. Both of us look at the world from a slightly unique angle, and neither of us had ever met anyone who didn't tip their head sideways at us you know what I mean, the way a dog looks at you when you're trying to explain why its not ok to shit on the carpet? Maybe this "fish out of water" feeling had something to do with growing up in the Midwest, I dunno. BUT, just when we were old enough and wise enough to recognize what was right in front of us (well, Scott did. I was a skeptic when he found me. He got to me just in time)we finally find each other; soul mates of a unique kind, thank you, God! Long story, beautiful story, our story. Time to LIVE! My point is this: we had been waiting for each other and for this trip our whole lives. Waiting to find a place and people where the way we viewed life and love was appreciated and celebrated. We were so ready! Couldn't F___KING wait!
Now for some typical trip report stuff.. Well, we starting our trip off right with a blow job in first class on the flight from Chicago to Jamaica. Whew! Then, Scott rode in the right seat on the Tim Air flight a thrilling and sentimental thing for him, as he was a pilot his whole career, but had to give it up when he broke his back. (see paragraph above under "dreadful shit"). We arrived on a Sunday (I think), got checked in, stripped immediately, and headed to the nude pool. Couldn't wait. So, so ready to shed responsibilities, laugh, play, drink, and let the week unfold! After a couple of hours poolside I suddenly realized I had been smiling the whole time! In my life before Scott I had never been a big smiler, but check it out, I'm grinning ear to ear! It's like I had forgotten what it was like to feel so damn good! I felt instant peace, instant relaxation, total contentment, and an instant sense of being "home" - not just home at Hedo, but home within myself, home with Scott, spiritually home! There was no adjustment period, no nervousness, no vying for Scott's attention, NONE of that! Nada. I even forgot that I had ever been nervous in the first place. We were here together, enjoying the music and the sun and the people together, and I was EUPHORIC. And this feeling never let up. Oh yea, and I felt gorgeous.
The week was perfect. Utterly perfect. Good food, fantastic sex, new discoveries, new adventures, laughter, laughter, laughter, very little sleep, more fantastic sex, beautiful people, new friends, and more. Some of the highlights for us: The sex, of course. early mornings on the beach, afternoons in the pool, evenings on the stairwell outside our room, late nights in the hot tub, . you get the picture. Jesus! We loved all the free-spirited, playful, uninhibited, open, genuine people we met, the slutwear ( I do so love my get-ups!), the great Jamaican coffee, the day we spent all alone in the middle of the week, the mirrors on the ceiling, the grilled lobster, the drinks, the music, the whole damn thing!
By mid-week I was feeling completely overwhelmed with appreciation. Now get this: at one point, later in the week, we were doing our thing poolside when we suddenly just had the urge to be ALONE! It made me laugh! It's not that we felt uncomfortable, we didn't, but more that this trip was having this strange and wonderful effect. We felt so close to each other, so connected, so madly in love, so appreciative. The only thing I could compare it to was that overwhelming feeling new parents feel after the birth of a child.. a whole new level of love. You're totally surprised by the wonder of it, unable to put it into words. And you're so touched by it that you sit around and cry for two weeks! That's it exactly: I felt post-partum!
Hedo was like an endorsement or something. Like having someone (God? Delroy?) confirm for us, " Scott and Debra, you are not alone! There are other freaks out there, as well"! It's not about fitting in for us, as we really don't care about fitting in. We start fitting in too much and we get nervous; figure we must be doing something wrong. But it's about having a place to celebrate, a place to be totally free, a place to be ourselves without getting arrested!
It was time to go all too soon. But, I'm happy to report we squeezed every last minute out of our trip. Didn't leave to catch our cab until we absolutely had to. We ate a final cheeseburger from the grill, had our last dance in the pool, crawled out of the water, threw on a pair of shorts and a t-shirt, still wet, and headed out just in time for our 2 hour delay at the airport. Oh well, no problem, Mon.. the flight delay left plenty of time for margaritas in the airport bar (and a public hand job to go with it). Trips not over till we are all the way home! And even then.
Now, a final word of thanks to the staff. You are wonderful. Robert, you are the best! We think of you often. Delroy, thanks for the great birthday gift. I found it in our suitcase before Scott had the chance to surprise me! You're sexy, sexy. Ray Ray no one does the catwalk like you, honey! We tried to replicate it for our kids when we got back to the states but couldn't pull it off. We laughed, the kids rolled their eyes. All the staff highly impressive.
Thank you, Scott, for knowing me well enough to take me to Hedo. My man, my man! I love you, Baby! Can't wait to go back. Can't F___KING wait!
Debra and Scott Funlovers@netscape.com