40 Before 30 : Wave Crisis

Boarding the boat from La Ceiba to Roatan, I was ready to go with my big backpack on the back and the smaller bag on my front and all my groceries for the island. Roatan Island is an expensive Caribbean island so I made sure to stock up on tuna, beans, veggies, peanut butter, nuts, oatmeal, and chocolate-the important necessities of Priscilla's diet.

Mi amigo taxi driver helped me lug my stuff into the boat terminal after I insisted I was fine- special VIP service and discount on standard fare.

When you are good to people, they are also good in return.

Anyways, the boat was loading with its locals and gringos(term for white tourists given by locals). When choosing my seat, I avoided the gringos and sat next to a local Roatan kid(another young kid 19). He joined the army and he was going to visit his parents on the island. He was a kind, young boy wondering about the world. While he was teaching me about Roatan, I was teaching him about Chicago. Of course, he mentioned Chicago being a "violent city." This is a very common statement that comes from people. I have to respond with "Each city has it's good and it's bad, but Chicago leans towards the good... and here's why."

He agrees and we move to the front of the boat. I look forward to the passengers i.e. tourists and they are reading their books and taking pictures. I have no idea how someone can read a book on a moving boat.

There the three of us stood in the front of the boat like staring off into the water just like Titantic. It was a beautiful day with the wind blowing in my hair and I was having my spiritual moments. It was the 3pm ferry and the lady from my hostel in Roatan sent me an email the day before saying, "Whatever you do, don't take the afternoon ferry, the motion sickness is absolutely horrible."

Well, not being a morning person I did not listen to her advice and boy was I ready for a roller coaster ride...on a boat.

All these moments were so nice and then the boat began to speed up and the waves grew in intensity. It was becoming rocky and everyone was just sitting and looking fine. Of course, I had to comment that I never had any motion sickness and I was fine with all the turbulence.

Let me rephrase, I expressed myself over confidently gloating that I have no problems on boats. I quote "I am strong like a bull."

Instead of standing up, things got so bad that I had to sit down. Everyone was seated and couples were holding one another to get through it. Oh boy the times I wish I had a boyfriend on this trip #23. However, I did have my little friend who was checking on me and making sure I was okay.

It felt like Titantic where the boat was slanted and people started falling from one side to the other. People were holding on tightly trying to get to the bathroom and people had the paper bags. I just sat there repeating in my head, "Please make it stop, please make it stop." It did not stop and my stomach was officially upside down. My new statement was, " Please don't be sick." "Please don't be sick."

Just staring out at the sea and staring, I could not be strong anymore and I had to be sick. I couldn't even make it to the bathroom as I banged right into the pole and on the way out I fell on a guy's lap-unconscious acting out. I made it to my seat and then just ten short minutes later, I had to get up again. This time my little friend helped me walk to the bathroom. People were staring and I was thoroughly embarrassed. Am I really the person who gets sick on the boat? How did this happen? Strong bull-yeah right.

The seconds to minutes could not go by any slower.

My little friend asked, "Are you okay?"

"I'm horrible. Are we there yet?"

Nope another hour or so. "Ahhhhh."

While we were suppose to arrive at 4:30, it ended up being an extra hour with all the under the sea action. But their was sunshine at the of the storm. The sun was beautifully setting with bright orange and we were moving closer to the island.