"We made this mistake before" I said, "and ended up leaving after a day!"
Could you not remember the fiasco that was the 'No Children' resort? We had decided we needed a break when our children were still young. It did not say 'Over 60's only' or 'wheelchair archery every afternoon' but it really should have!
Now you have booked us a long weekend at an Adults Only resort, and I was pretty pissed. I could think of far better things to do with a few days away.
You replied that "This is not the same thing at all. Just trust me and don't book anything else for that weekend."
Unconvinced, but prepared to give you the benefit of the doubt, I changed the subject and got dinner ready. Then it was the usual weekday routine -- catch up on the computer, shower, and chill to the latest TV series we had been watching. It is a good way to wind down at the end of a busy day but it's a shame we are both always so tired in the week. Once again, I can think better things to be doing, if only we could keep our eyes open.
That was a few weeks ago and now it's here. We both finished work on Thursday, packed simply for the weekend, and settled in for that same routine.
... Friday ...
We set off early on Friday, while the roads are still quiet, and head for the coast. We don't even like beach holidays, but you promised that there's plenty to do in the area, once we have had enough of people watching by the sea. Again, I trust you but am not totally convinced by the idea.
A few stops later, to take pictures and walk around a bit, and I see it is already late afternoon. "Nearly there" you say, as we stop a few hours later at a small general store by the side of the road. We buy some essentials including milk and bread (is it going to snow?) and the bare necessities. With these and what we brought with us, we have the basics to survive and, you say, we'll probably eat out more than in.
As we approach the "resort" there is a sign directing down a track that is not even a well-made road. I hope this isn't going to be a run-down dump, or that you think you're getting me camping! Going over a hill, though, I see some individual beach "houses". They're too large to be called huts, but it's obvious they are little more than the simplest accommodation. Following signs, you take us to "Chalet 6" and park at the back. Taking our bags and groceries in, we find a surprisingly well-appointed bedroom with great views of the beach and ocean. There is a bathroom attached to it with a shower, a separate loo, and a door to outside. Exploring further, the door is to an outdoor shower. This seems a good idea, to not get sand in the main bathroom, coming back from the beach.
The living room contains two comfortable looking sofas, a small TV, some bookshelves with a few books and games, and a fireplace ready for a real log fire. To one side there is a functional kitchen area, but we won't be able to do much more than very basic cooking as it is small and has only two electric rings and a microwave. Everything is clean and tidy though. The view from the living room and bedroom are of the beach maybe fifty feet away, and then the ocean. Sunrise should be impressive here! With floor-to-ceiling windows in both these rooms, that open right up too, this is starting to look like somewhere we can relax at least.
We unpack and I make a cup of tea. It's a good thing we brought our own! A couple of brochures are on the counter in the kitchen. You grab one and I look at the other. "Resort Amenities" it says, sounding slightly too enthusiastic about itself. I assume you're reading the same things so I just glance through it. "Onsite restaurant, Private beach, convenience store, beach-side bar, ...". Also, some warnings about there being no lifeguards and that the site is "off the beaten track".
You walk through to the bedroom still reading the other brochure, saying you're going to shower after all the driving. I sit and watch the ocean and almost fall asleep.
When you come back, you're dressed in light trousers and a loose shirt, with a lot of buttons undone. "What do you fancy to eat tonight?" you ask. "The bar will be closed but there's a restaurant. Fancy trying that?"
I am more tired than hungry but would be game to try it. You look at me and suggest getting something as take-out. I pick something from the menu, and you collect it. By the time we have eaten, and I have showered, I'm ready to sleep, so we get an early night. It isn't long before your touch wakes me up, and then makes me even more tired. A good start to the weekend! I go to the bathroom and come back to bed. I am asleep before you get back in bed and I'm pretty sure we both slept right through. Either way, we wake up to find the sun streaming into the bedroom from across the ocean and over the beach. It's a beautiful morning!
... Saturday morning ...
"Did you know we slept with the curtains open?" I ask. "It's a good job nobody was passing last night while we were at it."
"I doubt anyone would be, but we wouldn't have known if they had." you reply, with a dirty grin and wink. "Maybe tonight we'll get lucky." With an even bigger grin. "So, do you fancy a little relaxation on the beach this morning?"
We agree on breakfast first, so I make tea and you make toast. We sit and eat looking out across the beach. Although it is close, some low dunes and shrubs narrow the view, so we really don't see much of the sand. That makes it even more unexpected when I see the first other person since we arrived, strolling past. She is wearing a broad-brimmed straw hat, presumably to keep the sun out of her eyes, and sunglasses, but that is all she is wearing!
I look at you and ask if you saw what I did. Teasing again you reply that you could hardly miss it. "Do you want to go sit on the beach now" you ask. I wonder why!
You put cups and plates in the sink, grab a blanket and our sunglasses, take my hand, and lead me outside. It's a good job I put on a long shirt, or I'd be naked apart from panties. I am surprised you go out with only your light trousers again. When you said to pack light, I did not think you meant only one set of clothes.
Walking past the shrubs, we see that all the chalets are similarly placed. Set only a short way back from the beach, with small dunes and some shrubs, as the sand slopes quite steeply down to the ocean. A sign says, "Private Beach -- for residents only." Another underneath says, "Clothing is optional -- respect is not."
Stopping in my tracks I ask, "Where have you brought me?!"
"Exactly where I told you. An Adults Only resort by the beach, with on-site amenities and a laid-back atmosphere." Yes, that is how you described it, but I should have known you were holding some details back. If it had not taken my mind back to a previous occasion, I would probably have thought about it some more and asked questions. With hindsight, I think you did that deliberately.
Pulling me by the hand, you bring us to the edge of the dunes. From here I can see the beach in either direction, where a few of the other residents are already enjoying the sun. Some are laying or sitting with skimpy costumes on. Others are taking the "optional" option. Everyone seems totally relaxed about it. I guess that's the "laid-back atmosphere" then.
I tell you that I am not going out on the beach like that. You put the blanket down and lay down yourself, patting the space next to you. "You are wearing much more than anyone else is so, if you don't want to stand out, I suggest you sit down. We can just sit and enjoy a bit of a rest before we go exploring."
I can't argue with the logic, not that logic has much to do with this. I see the couple from two chalets over are looking our way so sitting down seems the best option. It is a warm morning but not too hot, and the gentle breeze off the ocean feels great. I lay down on my front, to be less conspicuous, and start people watching.
There are couples and people on their own, of varying ages but mostly I would guess in their forties plus. It can be very difficult to judge ages at the best of times, and current circumstances don't help. There are people chatting, or seemingly sleeping, or sitting with a book, or sipping a drink which I hope is water given the early hour. Nobody staring at me. Or at anyone else for that matter. Apparently, everyone is quite used to this, and just enjoying the freedom and rest. The warm sun, breeze, and the sound of the ocean waves IS very relaxing.
"You need to be careful not to burn." you say. I think you may just have woken me up, or maybe I had just drifted off in my own thoughts. You pull some sunblock from your pocket -- obviously prepared -- and offer to put some on me. My legs are uncovered so you start there. Once done, though, you lift the back of my shirt and start working upwards. "You'll still burn through that." When you reach my butt, you carry on up my back but, when the shirt stops you, you start to pull it down off my shoulder and down my arm. In response to a mild objection, you explain that you have no other way to put the cream on without ruining the shirt. I assist, keeping myself firmly on the blanket, and let you put cream on my back, neck, and arms. Then you put some on yourself and sit back down.
"What about your back?" I tease, before thinking it fully through. I would have to do that for you.
"I would love you to put some on my back, but I can just stay sat with my back away from the sun, so you don't have to move." I had not expected you to be so reasonable until I saw that you were alternately looking at me stretched out for your pleasure, and out across the beach. To be fair, you were mostly looking at me and I could hardly blame you for looking around. This is not something we are used to. A short while later you ask, "If you feel like your back is getting too hot, roll over and I'll put some on your front?"
I say nothing and you don't say any more either, just letting the idea run through my mind for a while. With my chin on my arms, I'm looking around the beach. I suppose it's because nobody else is making a fuss, but I gradually get used to being like this. If I'm totally honest with myself, this really is more comfortable than wearing too much in the sun. It's easy to relax. After a while I lift myself up on my elbows to get a better view and see if anyone takes any notice. Apart from our nearest neighbors, still the couple from two chalets down, nobody moves. The wife, I assume, nudges her husband, and they both wave then go back to chatting with each other. I wave back but am not sure they notice as I took too long to respond. I hope they don't think I was ignoring them -- I don't want to be rude.
