A tremendous amount of time and energy is spent on planning what to do when on Aruba for vacations. We read up on various activities and restaurants. We ask about car rental places and the best places to do everything at the best prices. Every once in a while someone sneaks in the anticipated question(s) about topless sunbathing - fun stuff to read but getting old (not me, the topic).

On the other hand, the question of what did you actually see while on Aruba during your vacation is an important one. Aside from shopping malls, restaurants, casinos and activities – what was that one important thing that you will always be able to go back to and pull out that special “Brain Photo” from your memory bank? That glistening day, or event or place or maybe person or better yet – that special feeling. That one! You know what I am talking about. That sparkling moment when things went “Just-Right”. Odds are it wasn’t in a mall or at a Show or in a crowded place where you were waiting on a waitress. Could be but – then again - I doubt it.

Those moments normally happen “off somewhere” and by implication that means you have to be “off somewhere”. Want to do something special? Try the following:

• Rent a car.
  • If you already have one -
  • Invite another couple or family member to join you for the day
• Go to a gas station and
  • Get gas
  • Cheap cooler
  • Some Soft drinks
    • diet” drinks don’t work - only people I see drinking it are fat
  • Some bread
  • Sandwich meats
    • Fruits
      • This can be tossed out of the window and you are contributing!
• Get enough to take care of 4 folks nicely and if the bill is more than Afl.100 ($55) then reconsider your buying skills.
• Get the crummiest and vaguest map available.
• Point your car towards the center of the island and go and do not look back!!

Stay away from paved roads as much as possible. The dirt ones offer more adventure and put a lovely “glow” on the car. I believe the color is called “Safari”. If you get lost, look for another human (can even be other tourists) and ask them if they have a clue as to where they or you are. Look around for children playing, or adults fixing things or sitting on the porch. Around mid-day most of the inner island houses will be dark and only a few windows or one door will be open. Look at how the early Cunucu” houses are all in the same direction with the kitchens on the same side or end of the homes. Did those old Cunucu houses have outside toilets or are those tool sheds.

Look around and let that wonderful “Grey” machine that resides in your skull take the millions of snapshots it is capable of doing. If the situation presents itself, talk to people. Don’t barge into their lives but if it is there, talk to them and do not ask questions – just let the arid roses that often swelter in the sun, open up to you all by themselves.

Park your car under a tree and make a sandwich. Talk to each other about what you saw and prepare in your mind how you will have this discussion with your children or grandchildren – because the chances are that they will someday come to this island as young adults .. and ..take the same tour and will have their cooler full of stuff and will think back on your words and ponder … HMMM We Didn’t See Any of That '' .... Why? It woun't be there any more.

This is not particular to our little island but to many other islands, reflect on Manhattan or “Lange Iland”. (I believe you call it Long Island.)

Get out of your car and walk around. Look at the bases of the trees, at the dirt and notice the tiny little screw-like shells that lie on the ground in the middle of an island, next to cacti – and ask how? Drive through the wild and bleak North Coast and look at the black sharp rocks that make up the cliff sides and ask:
How come those cliffs jut up into the air when the rest doesn't? Why are these rocks shiny and black? How come the coast line (and maybe the entire island) is set up in tiers that are very obvious yet they seem to go un-noticed. Look at that same dry, harsh, black rocky wilderness and wonder why it is that the one specific tree is always so wonderfully green. Go to it and smell the leaves.

If you want to smell an island, you do it during the hottest part of the day. It is during this time that the sun sweats every last drop of available moisture from the trees and the stones or anything alive. You will know where goats have been by the footprints. Take a hand full of soil and look at it and be amazed that (in one form or other) it is as old as the planet. There, on Aruba – in the sand. Do these things and you will be surprised at just how much you will enjoy it and it will guarantee you to never have to say We Didn’t See Any of That..

be well
charles

Charles!! You couldn't be more correct!! The spur of the moment, unplanned things that turn out so well are one of the main attractions of Aruba. We always talk about the wonderful Aruban people whom we've met, just 'by accident' in our travels around the island. It is really fun and exciting to 'get lost' on the island, knowing that someone, somewhere will not only be able to give directions, but in many cases will actually get into their own cars and have you follow them to either the 'main road' or to your actual destination (if you have one!) This has happened to us on quite a few occasions: Once, trying to remember how to get to El Gaucho, I got lost downtown. We asked a very nice lady who was getting into her own car for directions. She very explicitly told us how to go....I didn't pay proper attention (typical male!) and got lost at the next turn. Suddenly, we heard a car horn beeping; it was the same lady signalling to me to follow her...she led us right to the restaurant, smiled broadly and drove on! Another time, we were driving through Noord...weaving in and out of the streets trying to find the 'main thoroughfare'. We came across a young man and a young lady walking along. We asked for directions. Turns out they were Holiday Inn employees. In return for the directions, we drove them to work!
Being on the island is such a treat for us; it is difficult to explain that feeling of 'being home' while being so far away....but it's very true!!

Gail and Darryl