6-14 Dec 2002, WWW Winter Trip
This was my 10th visit to the Hedo's (7th to H2, 3 at H3); my first with a group and the WWW's. Overall impression still very favorable (very impressed by the construction at the resort), with a few comments for singles and couples below.
Administrivia:
The trip down was a nightmare of Air Jammit's poor performance complicated by the snowfall the day before. It was made bearable by the friendliness of other WWWers waiting for the flight. We took off 12 hours late, and arrived near midnight.
The arrival in MoBay was uneventful, luggage and customs no big deal. The resort had held a bus for the late arrivals and we made it home in record time (my watch said 58 minutes). The road is much smoother, and in the dark at Warp 3 the trip is a truly mind expanding experience! Cattle do cross the road in the dark by the way.
Food and drink were more than adequate all week, including the lobster dinner on Tuesday. Pastafaris was excellent, of course. Munahana (on Wednesday) was not as good as the one at H3.
Activities:
Diving, diving andPiano Bar (thank you all for tolerating my voice), were a blast as always. The catamaran trip was a lot of fun even though I didn't jump off the cliff. Daily afternoon volleyball (when my knees were working). Didn't get around to much else. The new water slide is more of a trip than the one at H3, seems to last a few seconds longer.
I go to sleep when I'm tired so I only checked in on the hot tub once after the piano bar. Didn't see much that would be considered shocking. For that matter, I don't recall much by way of PDA's all week, and nothing that could be called PDP. Maybe I just wasn't looking, or maybe I just hit the sack too early.
In fact, I've commented earlier in a message that what I did see was couples enriching their relationships and becoming closer to each other. You could tell in their actions and mannerisms, and sometimes their conversations. Y'all are lucky. Who would have thought Hedo could become known as a site for Marriage Encounters!
The WWW Experience:
Okay, please don't take any of this the wrong way. I met many wonderful folks on this trip and would likely do it again; but I have to say I concur with some of Ontario Joe's remarks from last summer.
Group dynamics being what they are, as a single male I was surprised to be as accepted as I was. Even though by the third day I was getting a less than welcoming message. Perhaps my tendency to stay in the shade and read turned people off (or maybe they never noticed me), but when they walk away from you in the pool after you say Hi, there must be something up.
This resulted in some feelings of loneliness a couple of evenings, but you get used to that.
I do not think there is a comfortable role for a single male in a group of couples, particularly not a long-established group of old buddies for whom the trip is a "Class Reunion". I did feel more accepted as a single than on my earlier trips, but the barrier is still there.
To the friendly folks, I appreciated your courtesy. Diane, Jake, Denny and Lana, Jim and Jane, Steve and Sabrina, Mario and Deb, Phyllis and Dean, you were all great and added a lot to the trip.
Comment for Couples:
Travel with a group like this is clearly the way to go. Lots of friends, old and new and plenty to do together.
Comment for Singles:
The exact opposite; unless you are an extrovert, or have armor-plated self-esteem. Furthermore, as the number of couples fills the resort the likelihood of single ladies being present drops, leaving you even more alone.