[Arubalisa]

My story began very similar to Red Sox Girl. My first visit was in 1989 with my then husband (and now ex).

I was working part-time as a travel agent at the time and had of course thoroughly researched destinations. Hawaii was too far a flight and more than we could afford. My parents had been traveling to Aruba every February every year since 1986 and RAVED about it! So a cruise with a stop in Aruba to check out the place was perfect. Then husband could care less where we went as long as they served alcohol 24 hours a day.

1989 was pre-internet for me and did not realize that the third week in December would be "rainy season". It poured the entire day we were in Aruba. Not tropical showers, just pure grey clouds and very heavy rains. I could hardly see why people loved Aruba so much!

So went the rain, so went the marriage. I knew it was over after 6 months but stayed 9 months.

Fast forward to 1995 and boyfriend of 7 months. His parents offered us a week of their timeshare on a trade anywhere we wished. We requested the Caribbean and took what came up first- Playa Linda. I was willing to give it one more shot. Heaven , we fell in love more deeply with one another and Aruba as well.

He and I returned nearly every year afterward skipping 1996 as we were saving for our "Destination Wedding" on Paradise Island (prior to marriage in Aruba being legal) with an Aruba honeymoon.

We also skipped Aruba in 1995 to take our newly adopted dd to Disney World for the first time. It was not until the following year that she visited Aruba for the first time. She just completed her third trip and would take Aruba over Disney anyday!