Eternity (4 page)

Grabbing my oversized sunglasses off the side on the way out I step out into the sun. Noticing briefly that last night’s trolley has been discreetly removed, the service here is fantastic!

There is a sweeping stone stair case the leads from the door of my room on the first floor, down to street level. It is immaculately clean, not so much as a leaf on it, and beautifully decorated with flowers carved into the stone wall that runs down the length of the stairs.

Taking the last step your path then opens out into stunning gardens, all perfectly symmetrical and housing an array of bright flowers, some of which I’ve never seen before. Lizards, anything from tiny cute ones to huge slightly scary looking ones, laze about soaking in the sun; lying there as if it’s completely normal, mundane even, so sidestep a lizard on your way to breakfast.

The breakfast bar is located near to the beach; the building is not as grand as the main foyer, but still pristine none-the-less. Inside there is a hot buffet which spreads the entire length of the room containing every cooked breakfast item from around the globe, as well as two further islands which hold masses of fresh exotic fruits, cereals, sweet breads, croissants, cheeses, really everything you could possibly imagine eating first thing in the morning.

Loading up, I get cornflakes with a low fat cherry yogurt and a plate of fresh fruits, every one more juicy and sweet than the last. Once I’ve finished that I know I should be done, that alone was twice the amount I would normally have had at home, but the smell of bacon is so enticing, and it is all-inclusive after all. I am acutely aware that I am persuading myself into another plate, but I’m on holiday, so screw it. Getting up I walk across the room, subtly looking around to make sure no one has noticed my greedy faux-pas, luckily it looks as though everyone in there is too busy being equally as gluttonous to notice.

So with a smile on my face I scoop up generous spoonfuls of scrambled egg, sausages, bacon, beans, grilled tomatoes, seriously anything they have on offer then return to my seat. As I’m walking over I see the table I thought I was at is laid out perfectly. For a minute I stop, I’m pretty sure my table was here but there is no sign of my empty bowl, plate and yogurt pot? Glancing over my shoulder I scan the other tables, in fairness they all look identical, looking back I spot my sunglasses on the table I had been heading to. It is my table; seriously they have cleared and re-laid it already? I’ve only been gone a minute, they are good, real good.

I’ve well and truly polished off breakfast number two, now to figure out what I’m going to do with my time. On the wall next to the doors there is a large chart which runs down all the daily activities as well as the standard one available at all times. Amongst the options, they do varying dance classes, cookery classes in a range of cuisines and most exciting of all, you can learn how to make the towel animals! Awesome!

I think something not overly strenuous, but that might go a little way to reduce the stone I must have put on just since last night; kayaking, sounds fun. According to the instructions, you pick up what you need on the beach front, so stepping through the doors, gracefully held open for me and out into the now roasting sunshine, I don my sunglasses and head round towards the beach.

I had envisaged having to run through a pep talk, or sign my life away in a health and safety waiver, but to the contrary; I was briefly stripped of my sundress (luckily I had thought ahead to have my bikini on underneath) and strapped into a life jacket by a clearly practiced young man, given a paddle and pointed to a row of sea kayaks to take my pick and be on my way.

Huh, I’ve never done this before; gingerly I stick my foot out and poke the closest one person kayak. It moves with little resistance so it must be light. Lifting the end nearest the water, yes it is light, I proceed to drag it two metres across the white sand to the waters edge. Now what? The sea is mostly calm, small waves breaking just off the shore. Do I get in here in the shallows then try and push out through the breaking waves, or do I walk in past the breaks into what is probably at least knee deep water and then try to mount the unstable Kayak?

I’m starting to feel like a fool just standing here dumfounded, so I make a rash decision and march into the water, dragging my new toy behind me. Sadly the water here is deeper than I expected lapping at the tops of my thighs, and utterly freezing!

I don’t know what I expected, but in this heat the sea’s turquoise shimmer plays tricks on your mind telling you, “come on in, I’m so inviting, this is Mexico, not England, the water here’s just right”.

On the plus side I am intensely more determined to get into the damn boat, now bobbing precariously up and down next to me. Depositing the paddle inside, that’s one down, one more to go; turning my back to it, I place my hands on the side on either side of my hips and majestically jump up while pushing down with my hands. In one swift movement, just as I’m grinning that my bottom has landed on plastic, the other side flies up hits my shoulders (thankfully padded with the life jacket) and knock me straight back into the sea, face first, whilst simultaneously capsizing itself. 

Spluttering salty water out of my mouth and wiping it out of my eyes, scanning the shore quickly, checking to see how many people have witnessed my clumsy feat, the life jacket man has his back to me securing the straps on a small child, but a couple of perfectly toned and tanned blonde bombshells are giggling behind their magazines, suspiciously averting their eyes and looking anywhere but at me, a sure sign that they were looking, but I think that’s about it.

Not too damaging to my reputation as a cool, savvy, solo traveler.

Righting the damn thing and retrieving the escaping paddle I’ve got to psyche myself up for round two. My plan of attack is to secure one leg into the kayak, hopefully ensuring its equilibrium, then with a hand on either side I should be able to hop my bum in then retrieve the remaining leg once I’ve stabilised. It’s not going to be pretty that’s for sure, but as long as it achieves the end result, that’s all I’m bothered about.

OK here goes, yes…no…ahh!...Yes! I’m in! Sweet Jesus that was a mission. Picking up the paddle, which is now wedged in beside me, I start rowing out, tentative at first, but then I find my rhythm. Before long I’m quite far out so I rest the paddle on my legs and have a look over the side. Even this deep the water is as clear as glass and you can see right to the bottom. Tiny fish of all different colours are darting around beneath me, they seem almost luminous as they shimmer under the rays of sun that pierce the waves, captivating; just going about their business, seemingly unaware of me watching them. I sit like this until I start to feel the burn on my shoulders. I’ve drifted back towards the shore a little, so decide to paddle along the length of the beach.

I’m used to the Kayak now, I feel like a seasoned pro, putting some effort in I pick up speed, working my biceps against the resistance of the water, feeling the cool breeze against my cheeks. I’m just rounding the first corner, when suddenly, for a split second as I fly by, the water changed to black, what was that?

Jabbing the oar into the water on one side I begin to slow and turn at the same time, then, more cautiously this time I head back to the anomaly. As I approach I can see the water bubbling and pushing up in one large circular area, contrasting to the calm of the water around it; directly below there is a black hole in the sea floor about a meter or so across. I’m dumfounded, I have no idea what this is, but it certainly looks ominous; I’m balancing carefully on the edge so I can take a good look but not actually travel over the space again. Thankfully the force from the upstream coming from the hole does a good job of keeping me pushed to the side.

Something starts to materialise from the darkness so I lean in a little closer for a better look, its moving fast whatever it is. Almost before my eyes can relay to my brain, the inanimate blob below the surface transforms into a thick piece of driftwood that then bursts through the surface with immense force, narrowly missing my head. “Shit, what the….” Instinctively I throw myself back away from it, inadvertently tipping the Kayak to within an inch of it’s life, “EEEK!” a girly high screech escapes my lips, I DO NOT want to capsize anywhere near that thing. Swinging back down I’m glad to see all this rocking has pushed me away from the black hole of doom, and I relax slightly, letting the rocking steady itself again. Taking a deep breath I start to paddle back towards the Kayak station, much slower on the return on account of my arms shaking and turning to the consistency of jelly. I can safely say Kayaking is not my thing, far too hazardous.

After returning my equipment and collecting my sundress and sandals, I ask the Kayak man what the thing in the water was; he explains it’s a Cenota, an underground river that comes out in the sea, depositing sticks and debris it picks up on the way. He makes it sound harmless, but I know better!

I grab a towel from the passing hotel worker handing them out, then straight to the pool bar for a drink. Ordering a gin and tonic I take a welcome glug as soon as the glass is passed to me. Surveying the pool side sun loungers I can see about five in a row left vacant on the far side, evidently as they are facing the wrong way for optimum tanning, but right now I just want to close my eyes and relax, so the middle one will do perfectly.

As I lay down, leaving my dress on, but kicking off my sandals, my stomach instantaneously starts to rumble. The four-sided clock mounted on top of the pool bar tells me is 10.40am, is that all? Apparently if having fun make’s time fly, then a near death experience stops it all together.

Well just relax here for a bit, finish your drink, then you can get something to eat, I bargain with myself. How I can be hungry again is beyond me, but a rumbling tummy does not lie, it must be the heat or something. I have had no appetite since Jake left, barely stomaching a cup of coffee a day, but one day in Mexico and I feel like I’ve eaten the whole eight weeks worth of food in one hit. Maybe I’ve got worms? Maybe I’m pregnant!? For a second I’m startled by the revelation, but on second thoughts I haven’t even seen Jake in two months, and it was many more months before then that we last had sex; I say ‘had sex’ because post-breakup bitterness prevents me from admitting to myself that we ever made love, the cheating bastard.

So anyway, definitely not pregnant, if I was I would be practically ready to drop by now and somehow I think there would be some more telling symptoms other than being super hungry for twenty four hours.

Giving myself a congratulatory swig of G&T I lay back down and day dream of days to come. After this mornings shenanigans I think I will take it easy for the rest of today and just chill by the pool. There are some classes that I am excited about getting in on a bit later in the week mind, Salsa lessons spring to mind. Fancy leaving the UK a pale, pasty, mess and returning a toned, tanned, Salsa expert; that would really rub Jake's nose in it, cheat on me will you? Well while you’re stuck with frumpy home-breaking Stacy, I’m a world famous, widely sort after, Sexy Salsa Goddess, just dating beautiful rich men and loving every second of my life without you.

If only three weeks were long enough for an entire body and mind transformation, but hey, a girl can dream…..

I wake once the sun has crept up my body and reached my eyes. Peering up at the clock its 12.30 and right on queue my stomach starts off complaining again. Reluctantly sitting up I drain what’s left of my drink, now sadly more melted ice than gin and head leisurely towards the breakfast bar, I wonder what buffet delights they have lined up for lunch?

After another humungous meal I head back to my room. I really should check my email and let everyone back home know how things are going. The route back follows a similar dance with the Lizards as I experienced this morning, only this time when sidestepping one, I inadvertently come too close to another one camouflaged against the grass and send it scurrying, at surprising speeds, in the opposite direction. It’s unexpected sprint making my heart leap into my mouth and I quicken my pace just a little. Lizards still freak me out.

My room is gloriously cool with the air-con on full whack. Digging through my suitcase, still unpacked, I retrieve my laptop and settle down at the vanity table to fire it up. Three emails greet me from all the usual suspects, Caz, Dad and Mick, I go for Mick’s first just in case there has been some sort of emergency at work.

From: Michael Jacobs

To: Kaitlin Mavers

Subject: Holiday!

Hi Kate,

Just wanted to send you a quick message, hope you got there safe, we are just about coping without you! See you in three weeks, can’t wait to hear all about it.

Mick

I don’t bother replying, clearly everything is fine and like he says I can catch him up when I get back.

The next I go for is Dads.

From: Peter Wall

To: Kaitlin Mavers

Subject: Missing you

Hi sweetheart,

We have just got back from the airport and your mum is insisting we send you a message for when you arrive. We are both missing you already, hope you have an amazing time there. We love you.