How a passing chat shaped a whole journey
Some trips begin with spreadsheets and a thousand tabs open.
This one started with a tent and a story.
Last year, in Bocas del Toro, Panama, I met a well-traveled scuba diver who was living out of a tent while building his own house. Across a shack of a beach bar, he casually said, “You’d love Curaçao.” That was it. I mentally flagged the idea and moved on. No research. No urgency. Just a spark.
A “90’s Summer” and a one-way ticket
Fast-forward to the summer of 2025. I set out to give my daughter Sage a carefree, 90’s-style summer—no over-planning, no rigid itinerary.
We flew to North Carolina in June with a one-way ticket and a rough idea of coming back before school was set to start in August.
Somewhere between lazy afternoon and ice cream sandwichess, that old conversation popped back into my mind. The Caribbean was calling, and the east coast flights made it too easy.
For a moment I considered Turks and Caicos. I even toyed with a quick snorkel weekend in Aruba. But Curaçao kept tugging at me.
When Sage’s dad scheduled time with her, the window opened: I booked a solo week in Curaçao, inviting my mom to join. Life happened, plans shifted, and I ended up going solo—part adventure, part deep breath.
Epic fails and first-world scrambles
I’d love to say I prepared like a pro.
Instead, I boarded the plane with a comically incomplete packing list:
❌ No prescription snorkel mask
❌ No rash guard
❌ No spare contacts (dry eyes wouldn’t tolerate them anyway)
I hadn’t brought any of that stuff from Nevada for the summer. And between back-to-back meetings and a last-minute four-hour drive to drop off Sage, I never placed that overnight Amazon order. Lesson learned: Prime shipping is not actually “next day” in coastal North Carolina.
Still, that imperfect packing became part of the adventure. There’s something freeing about shrugging and saying, I’ll figure it out.
Smooth skies, quick arrival
Bleary-eyed but excited, I landed in Curaçao by early afternoon after a 3am start to the day. At least I didn’t shift timezones. Immigration was a breeze—literally three minutes, thanks to the island’s mobile express pass (though I admit I missed the satisfying thump of a passport stamp).
My rental car handoff was equally casual: a Kia appeared at the curb, paperwork was signed on a street corner, and off we went.
🏝️ Mini Tip Box: First-Day Hacks
- Download the Mobile Passport app to skip the customs line.
- Don’t count on a passport stamp—souvenir seekers may need to request one. I’ll need to go back for mine!
- Expect relaxed logistics. “Rental desk” might mean the backseat of a Kia parked in front of a house under construction. Nothing official in sight.
Why spontaneous trips stick
I’ve traveled to plenty of places with careful spreadsheets and color-coded itineraries.
Yet there’s a special magic in letting a single offhand recommendation guide a journey. I’m no stranger to grabbing a quick ticket to an island a friend (or stranger) mentions in passing. Curaçao wasn’t on my vision board. It wasn’t even on my radar until a stranger mentioned how amazing it was.
That’s the beauty of traveling on instinct: it leaves space for serendipity. For the chance to arrive somewhere new and let the island tell you what matters.
Next up? I’ll share how I settled into the quiet rhythm of Westpunt—complete with turquoise coves, blue iguanas, and the world’s most satisfying tiny pool