VACATIONING IN THE WARM PARTS OF THE WORLD
I’ve been back from the Maldives and Sri Lanka for a few weeks now, with a short trip to Eleuthera, Bahamas (which I talk about another time) thrown in for good measure almost immediately upon returning. The sun, the ocean and another adventure were too good to pass up especially since it decided to snow almost immediately upon our return. This weather is getting on my last nerve.
THE MALDVIES IS A FREAKING FANTASY
All I can say is that the place is completely ridiculous. Ridiculously good. Like it should be outlawed. Or you should have to pass some test or something to get in there. At least the island we stayed on and the resort we stayed in (Gili Lankanfushi) was like this. It’s a tropical fantasy of clear blue skies and water that is the perfect temperature and is at the same time teeming with wild colored fish - and there are thatched roofed huts (if you can call a 1600 sq ft villa in the middle of the ocean a hut- see, I told you it was ridiculous) built on top of said water so you can see the fishies swimming underneath you. For a place this gorgeous and remote, the food, except the fresh fish, should suck but it doesn’t. It’s awesome. That’s because they have their own organic garden – of course they do- because this place is a fantasy. And the service should be dreadful. But it’s not. The staff are a delight. The only thing that wasn’t perfect was when I was driving the little skiff they give you (another marvelous thing) to shuttle yourself between the villa and the mainland and vice versa that I made a crucial error while “parking”. I meant to turn left and decelerate but turned right and accelerated directly underneath the beams of the hut, thus almost causing my husband to literally lose his head. He took it all in stride. Said I was allowed to continue to drive the boat but not allowed to park it. This was not a wise decision on his part.
HOW ABOUT SRI LANKA?
Sri Lanka is a world and a people of its own. So much history and culture, in addition to a beautiful and rugged landscape and amazing people. The UNESCO World Heritage town of Galle is a little gem of a place with quaint streets and architecture, gorgeous sunsets, phenomenal food and the loveliest hotel with the most gracious staff, the Fort Galle. Prospero, the gentleman who looked after us, was so kind that when he learned Tiger and the Monkey were having a pop-up event at Wolf & Badger, he gifted me wooden palm tree cocktail stirrers to give in our goodie bags to guests. Too bad if you missed it. In any case, while there I also visited a tea plantation and learned more about tea in one hour than I had learned my whole life. I am now a tea cult convert and I’m expecting my drinking of white tea to reverse age me. They said it was true so it must be. Malabar Hill and its surroundings did not disappoint either. I swam in the 35 meter pool, took excursions with a naturist into the countryside, went bird watching and ate delicious food. What else do you want? If the answer is anything else, you’re banned for life. I’m not sure what you’re banned from, but you are.
WHAT CLOTHING DID I PACK FOR THIS TROPICAL ADVENTURE?
As I’ve said ad nauseum, I pack one roll-on suitcase and a small tote bag when I travel. Doesn’t matter how long or how far I’m going. That’s why they make washing machines and hotel sinks and resort boutiques. I managed to fit a capsule collection of Tiger and the Monkey in my suitcase as well as 7 (yes, 7) bathing suits and 2 pairs of sandals. I only had to send out one piece to be laundered, my Debbie in-law white gauze pants because I felt the need to spill part of a Negroni on them. When I arrived at Gii Lankanfushi I learned they encouraged “no shoes” at any time so I felt like karma was giving me the gold star for packing light.…. If you look at our Instagram, @tigerandthenmonkey you’ll see everything I packed as well as me looking like the person and force I am in Tiger and the Monkey.