What a Trip

Five of my closest girlfriends and I were about to share in the bachelorette party I never had and always wanted. After all, I was preparing to celebrate my twentieth wedding anniversary. The first time around my husband and I were young and poor, so I settled for getting drunk at my sister’s apartment with her and a couple of casual friends. Being with friends of fifteen to twenty years and all the memories we share has so much more meaning. Little did we know this trip would leave us with a lasting impression on the value of life and the true meaning of friendship.

We arrived in Cabo San Lucuas after an exciting flight of gut wrenching laughter and embarked on the next leg of our journey, in a black sleek limousine. After a luxurious ride that included champagne, we finally arrived at our condo and what a condo it turned out to be.

As we entered our suite the beauty overwhelmed us, the floor was golden brown marble with traces of black to tie in the colors of the lovely décor. It was elegant, just the way any woman would love. Out on the veranda the concierge had set up a welcoming bar with the most thirst- quenching Passion Mango drinks. We toasted all around as we unpacked our belongings and headed down to the beach. The minute our toes touch the sand and our gaze met the water, we felt like we were in paradise. We were all in a state of euphoria as we headed back to our condo to discuss our plans for the next day.

The following morning, still in a deep sleep I heard one of the girls yell, “Breakfast is at eleven, you have thirty minutes to rise and shine.” One by one we crawled out of bed feeling the post party trauma from the passion mango drinks; nonetheless, it was worth every drop. I said, “Let’s hurry; champagne brunch is awaiting our arrival.” Laughing and joking all the way to the restaurant one of the girls said, “I have this foggy memory of doing the cha cha on one of the poolside tables.” We all confirmed her memory was correct. The brunch was absolutely scrumptious. It consisted of caviar, roast beef that melted in your mouth, and anything your appetite desired. We started with a bottle of Dom Perignon and headed to the buffet. Within the hour we were back in the party spirit of the previous night’s reveling. We spent the rest of the day walking around to all of the stores and available entertainment the resort had to offer.

On the morning of the third day I woke up feeling refreshed from a good night’s sleep. I got up and asked the girls if they wanted to go relax on the beach and work on our tans?”

They all said, “Absolutely!” We got on our bathing suits and gathered our bags loaded with goodies, yet little did we know it would be one of the most frightening experiences that would bring us even closer together. The sun was radiant sending instant warmth to our faces, with the breeze that felt refreshing. You could smell the ocean and the exotic sunscreen, on all the many vacationers, along with the sound of happy voices and wild waves alive and full of joy. We dropped our bags and proceeded to the water. Cautiously, three of us waded up to our ankles about three feet from shore, letting the water crash up on our warm skin feeling the coolness. As the waves receded back into the ocean, the pull was so strong we could barely hold ourselves up. Not realizing, I was now about two feet closer to the ocean then the rest of my friends. I was consumed in the enjoyment when one of the girls screamed, “Run!” I looked behind me and there was a huge, frightening, black wave that once looked calming and vivid blue. I only had seconds to feel the horrifying fear before the wave completely swallowed me up. Inside the mouth of my now enemy, I was frantically thrashing around trying to survive as it sucked me in further and further down.

After what seemed like hours, the dark wave spit me out with vengeance. I was now about thirty more feet toward the ocean and the pull of the water was so extreme that I did not that the strength to get back on my feet. I looked around and saw my sister who was back on shore as I screamed, “Kelly save me!” She immediately with no hesitation of the danger she was putting herself into, ran to me and grabbed my hand. At that moment the black wave raged over us, ripping our hands apart and taking us out once again. This horrible ordea proceeded three more times. We were both in an unbelievable nightmare, dying in an ocean that once seemed so harmless. All I could think of was holding my breath and trying to stay alive.

Our friends on shore were in a panic of fear, crying and screaming for help as they watched us fighting for our lives. Somewhere in the midst of drowning someone grabbed me, pulled me out, and carried me to shore. I sat there in shock, uncontrollably shaking, with my suit on backwards undoubtedly from the force of the waves; nevertheless, I watched as our rescuer who was very handsome and physically capable to take on the dark waves went back into the ocean to rescue my sister. Within minute, we were both safe and sound sitting side by side. I reached over and took my sister’s hand and said, “I love you, thank you for almost dying with me.”

With a mixture of fear and love in her voice, my sister responded, “Anytime little girl. I love you too.” That night we all went out to dinner and everyone shared their experience of that frightening nightmare; needless to say, we were all in tears. From that moment on, things seemed so unreal. We all realized just how quickly our lives could be over, and how helpless we all can be at times. To think we were in paradise and in seconds we were in hell. What a trip indeed.