HUGE NEWS

HEY EVERYONE
I WROTE AN ARTICLE AND IT GOT PUBLISHED IN AN ONLINE WELLNESS JOURNAL!

Come click here and check it out! I hope you like it and if you do you can tell your friends so that someday I can become a super famous writer of some sort!

On Being a Physician 
http://www.elephantjournal.com/2016/04/on-being-a-physician-the-only-treatment-that-matters/

The BodyHoliday - Castries, St. Lucia

The BodyHoliday, Castries St. Lucia

(View of the building where my room was)

When: March of this year (2016)

With: My First Solo Expedition!

Endorsement: None. This blog is just the unpaid me here with my opinions (though if anyone ever wants to pay me to go somewhere and review I will take you up on it SO FAST your head will spin)


St. Lucia has always been on my bucket list as a tropical place way out of my reach/price range. I always thought either there or Turks and Caicos would be somewhere I'd like to go maybe on my honeymoon or something. But given that I'm 28 and not engaged this shit was taking too long, so instead I used the epic stress that is Carms (aka: the Sorting Hat) Residency Release Date as my excuse to spend way too much money on a solo luxury vacation.
I'm a very cautious person when it comes to travel (believe it or not), and so I have never traveled anywhere outside the country on my own with the exception of one rebellious trip to Detroit when I was 15.
After much searching online about which locations and resorts were best for a solo female traveler who was interested in peace and tranquility while also having the option of staying active and eating properly (I'm lacto-ovo vegetarian), and wasn't looking for partying/late nights/getting hit on I determined that BodyHoliday in St. Lucia was the best resort for me. (note: BodyHoliday is an "all-inclusive" resort with options you can buy in addition once you get there).
I think it was an amazing resort to do just that. Basically never did I feel that people were wondering 'oh what's this weird girl doing here alone like a loser'. It's pretty common for them to get solo visitors. I met a whole bunch of them while I was there! The BodyGuard (staff) even facilitate people hanging out and being friends by having get togethers and dinners etc together if that's something you want to do to change things up. And no, it doesn't feel like a night of icebreakers and AA or anything "Hi my name is Angie and I'm a big loser" *Hi Angie*. Its a truly welcoming environment that at the very least is a great opportunity for people watching.

The Location:

It's a long-ass journey from Newfoundland to Castries, St. Lucia. NL -3 1/2hrs-> Toronto -5 1/2hrs->St. Lucia -(12min helicopter or 90min drive)->Castries/BodyHoliday.

The helicopter is extra but after a full day of airports, I really couldn't handle the drive. The roads are very narrow and windy and depending on the time of day traffic can be insane. There's an external company that does helicopters back and forth as long as at least 4 people are registered to be on it, and i strongly recommend it even at least one way so that you can get a mini tour of the island which is something like 95% protected rainforest. The pilots are charming and happy to volunteer information throughout the ride.

The resort itself is breathtaking and just as picturesque in real life as it is in the pictures you'll see on their website Very colonial build and, indeed, the majority of people visiting were from the UK. I was close to alone in my butchering-english accent that comes with living in eastern Canada. The british accents made it all the more charming - who doesn't love that accent??

The age demographic of visitors was surprisingly high... probably an average of 60 years old. The resort apparently has different months for different groups (Solo September for example), and so I'm not sure if this was part of the reason. Regardless, I was happy enough to see that because it meant less people gawking at me on parade in bathing suits, and less insecurities with respect to trying to not party all night with people my own age.
Though there is a Piano Bar open late at night and regardless of what age you think 'old' is, these people can keep you up all hours if you let them! haha

The Spa: 

BodyHoliday has been rated one of the top luxury/spa resorts in the world, and their spa definitely lives up to the expectations. You have one free 50 minute spa trip per day included in your prices, and there are a million others to choose from. I think everyone should do the Deluxe Coconut & Spice Combo... like every day for the rest of their lives. Oh. My God. Better than any of the ones that I paid for. I'm serious. I would live at this spa if I was allowed.

The spa is up a hike of ~75 steps which is engulfed in greenery and passes one of the gyms as well as portions of the Wellfit trail (which, when done with one of the trainers aka BodyGuards is WAY more intense than you expect it will be I don't care how fit you are). There are many steps at this resort so If you are physically unable to do stairs I would be pretty hesitant to recommend this resort.

The staff is marvelous! The women at the front desk of the spa ... well by the end of my week stay I actually hugged one goodbye because she was just the best. She remembered every little thing I said (she even asked me about my residency results when they came out days after I mentioned that was the reason I was there in the first place)!

Indeed, virtually all the staff that work directly with clients (eg., BodyGuards - oh my god I love them all) were the nicest most enthusiastic people that seemed to genuinely love what they did. A lot of them when you ask if theyve ever traveled anywhere they answer "No because why leave paradise when I'm already there?".

The (pretty much unlimited) Activities:

During my week at BodyHoliday I went scuba diving (including my first night dive!), waterfall abseiling,  yoga, taichi, pool volleyball, swimming, Wellfit trail, personal training, as well as lead-and-solo-singing at the piano bar. I by no means even made a dent in the activities available.
Every morning someone writes up a list of all the options for you to do (all-included in your stay). It's almost intimidating how many things there are to keep busy if that's your thing.

Tai Chi!

Before I went, I figured oh it's an all inclusive all these workouts will be niche semi-workouts for hungover people. Wrong. So wrong. These people train olympians. No really.  Don't believe me? Go do the wellfit trail with one of the "bodyguards" (fitness trainers). I have never, since mountain climbing in Peru, felt SO AWARE that I have exercise asthma (and didn't bring my inhaler because I'm an idiot who thinks she's invincible until the moment she's not) after about 2 minutes of this 35-45min workout around the entire grounds where you climb walls made of rope, burpees, balancing acts and high rise tightropes (to name a few of the many things you do). Holy sweet sweaty expletive deleted. And the BodyGuard was SO supportive the whole time. I have never had someone push me and believe in me like that (even if she was probably thinking oh my god why is this unfit lazy girl doing this what is her life). That woman was truly born to be a personal trainer.

At the same time nobody is forcing you or pushing you to do anything. If you want to laze on the beach go for it. Nobody's judging. Though to be honest if that's all you wanted to do on your vacation I don't think I would recommend BodyHoliday. It's easily doable but sort of feels as though it defeats the purpose of attending this particular resort.

Waterfall Rappel/Abseil

Waterfall Rappel/Abseil

The Food:

Deli sample menu
(you can stray all you want from the ingredients, just ask!)

BodyHoliday is known to be a 5-star resort and the food lives up to the name 100%.
Particularly in the buffet for breakfast and lunch, there are SO many vegetarian options and all food is kept indoors in an air conditioned place so I had no discomfort or concerns about getting the dreaded travellers' diarrhea. Indeed this (and Maldives) is the only time I have just eaten whatever I wanted without absolute paranoia. If anyone's going to get sick, it'll be me. And I DIDNT GET SICK!

If you're the super healthy type there is a beachside deli/smoothie/latte bar that custom makes salads, smoothies, juices, wraps, and other amazing delectables pretty much all morning and afternoon. I'm pretty sure the best wrap I've ever had in my life was there. They also have more or less a wall full of freshly baked desserts like cookies, fudge, etc. Ridiculous. And the absolute best part? If you're on the beach or by the pool and you're just that comfortable you can't be bothered to get up, you put up your little red flag and a lovely individual comes and takes your order then delivers it to you. You are seriously treated like royalty. And keep in mind all of that is included in the price of your stay. I'm salivating just thinking about it I'm not even kidding. If I had to pick one thing to go back to St Lucia for it would be for the Beach Side Deli in combination with the beach bed thingy I lid on all damn day like a queen.

Beach Bed Thing.
Heads up - ants are waiting to take your food if you let them.

If that doesn't make you happy then right next to the deli is a guy who custom makes you pizza in a pizza oven. What.

OR if you want a little of a million things you go to the buffet. When I say buffet its not like a buffet at some random mass resort where everyones pushing and shoving like pigs to troughs to get the next deep fried whatever basking in salmonella. The buffets were beautiful in their own presentation. There were chefs available right in front of you to make you whatever you wanted more or less. Personalized omelettes, pancakes and waffles for example.

oh god the breakfast buffet get in me

There is a lot of hype about one particular restaurant at the resort (TAO) and to be honest I wasn't blown away by it. Yes, the food was amazing and tastefully delivered just as you'd expect in a 5-star restaurant (tiny portions, healthy, amazingly delicious, artfully presented, wonderful wine pairing) but it's selection was limited for non-flesh eaters. It did, however have the most wonderful music soundtrack... by that which I mean the sound of the ocean just below. Amazing.

Tao custom made vegetarian meal

Similarly with Cariblou windows. A lovely young gentleman and I visited the second-most fancy a la carte restaurant for my last supper there, and while the food was again beautiful in every way, it really wasn't like... OH MY GOD MY LIFE DEPENDS ON EATING THERE AGAIN.
Give me a series of cold cheeses to choose from on the other hand and I'll be there with bells on (as I was with buffet).

I'm by no means a fancy-food connoisseur so take my opinion with a grain of salt.

The Accommodations (Grand Luxury Ocean Front Room)

(Is that a banana on your bench or are you just happy to see me?

I'll be the first to admit I probably over-splurged with my room. The one that I choice was a very recently renovated, expansive and beautiful room overlooking the ocean (just one story up) with a MASSIVE bathroom big enough for at least two people where you could look out and watch the sunset in your own sea of bubbles if you so desired.
The bed was SO comfortable and (get this) they have a menu for pillows. Do you like foam pillows? Done! Feather? sure! Lying in a sea of puppies? Maybe not... but then again, I didn't ask and the resort was always very quick to politely accommodate any requests.
Since I went alone, I really didn't need all the room! I actually requested stepping down to the next level in order to save some money and use that money to buy more days there, but that unfortunately isn't a thing you can do in the real world. Womp womp.
But the view and the balcony were huge and amazing. Seriously. I used to sit out on my balcony with a glass of cold white wine and watch the sailboats in the mid afternoon when it was too hot for me to want to do anything other than be a beluga whale basking in the world of Castries.

Big enough for two
(if that's what youre into, no judging!)

I did, however, visit the Garden View room (the 'base room', if you will) which was also nice (I personally think the bathroom in Garden View is better than the one that I had). The garden views are more mahogany-based and small-ish but I didn't feel cramped like I was going to get claustrophobic or something. The bathroom is huge. Everything is tastefully decorated throughout. I spent a fair amount of time in my room (relatively speaking) because I enjoy the solitude and the view. But if you plan on spending not that much time in your room really there is nothing wrong with the Garden view. It's not like you're staying in doors to watch tv (there are no tv's in any of the rooms - what are you doing going to st. lucia trying to watch tv, come on man) so who cares? The bed is super comfy, the bathroom is marble-y and everything is kept immaculate by the room cleaning staff. Yolo. One note though is there is no room service in any of the rooms on the resort. So, if that's your thing... it aint gonna happen. Trust me, I asked lol.






Alright, well that's surely long enough to put anyone on the internet to sleep or onward to 9gag, so I'll stop here. But hopefully some of this was of help if you're considering going to BodyHoliday! I think its a wonderful once-in-a-lifetime trip if you like to mix healthy living with cheesecake, and beachside lazing with adventure training all enraptured with a daily free massage.

It would be beautiful to go on solo or with friends or as a couple, but it's definitely NOT the place you go to get wasted and dance to techno.

It's what I would call a 'mature-feeling' resort that appeals to both younger and older individuals who like to appreciate life for what it is, and strive to push yourself to do more and be better.

So I suppose in a weird summary, If you're looking for a potential husband/wife/companion - this is a great place to theoretically find one. But if you're looking for a series of random flings and mornings of "oh god what did I even do last night" than no, this is not the best choice for you.
Different strokes for different folks!

Have you ever been? What did you think? Yay Holidays! I can't wait until my next one :)

The Rise and Fall of Relationships (as told by Breaking Bad)

Explaining the Rise and Fall of Relationships

(with a little help from my good buddies at...)

***Before we even do this.... can I just say that I love Hank and I'm rewatching the whole thing and I'm on season 4 and I'm like.... like my heart is breaking for poor ole Hank. God love him. OK lets do this!*

Everyone starts the single life a little emo (once it hits them that they're single). Maybe you're just getting out of some kind of thing... or maybe you've just lived your entire life as an asshole. Whooo knows!

So you busy yourself with trivial things. Maybe you binge watch a series of something on netflix... maybe you waste your $$$ on weird and unnecessary thingamajigs to distract yourself from being you know.. alone or whatever.

All the while you're just like.. Hey man, what's wrong with me? I'm pretty friggen awesome. Coeds should be linin' up fer a bitta dis awesomeness!

And then, out of no where... some super cool but awkward and smart and funny and all things good in the world shows up and ur like.. HAYYYYYYY ;) 

And they're like... HOLY SHAT WHERE U BEEN ALL MY LYFE

And for a while things are just the bees knees, u know? You guys are all...expanding each others horizons and whatever... becoming better people etc etc etc. Shit's just THSUPERR!

And I mean, sure they have their little quirks, like eating kale salads or something nasty like that.. but those differences just makes them even more interesting!

But then simple things start turning into bigger deals... and suddenly all those weird things that were quirky and adorable are just reeeeeal friggen annoying.

NO SHIT THANKS FOR TELLING ME

And then they start keeping shit from you...

And criticizing your everything

And just being an all around *expletive deleted*

At some point the lines of communication break down

And there might come a time when you resort to name calling

So instead you try to find solace in other things

And then... you know.... surprise surprise things don't work out and that once super romantic and adorable relationship you had going for you ceases to exist.

So you spend some time catching up on your "you" time. Doing all the "you" things that you need to do to get back to some kind of normality.

And when that doesn't work you turn to your girl friends. And you whine and whine and be annoying etc etc etc.

But your friends, because they're your friends, don't let you get on with that shit; they tell you all the things you already know. THAT BOY WAS A WASTE OF TIME GURL YOU CAN DO BETTER MMMHMMM

preach it, girl!

So you do what anyone should do post-break up and get rid of all the things that remind you of said person who wasted your time

And you say goodbye to all them memories you thought you were gonna make with your imaginary kids and imaginary house with your imaginary sunny weather every day

And then before you know it, you get up, dust yourself off... and get back into the world better and wiser than before.

But then, you know... if that doesn't work there's always the nearest Home Depot

Jk :)

Fin.

That Time My Dog Got Sick

Prior to 3rd year medicine, after class every day I would come home and play with Indie forever until I eventually had to study. Indie was totally cool with our arrangement until I started clerkship when all of a sudden it was no longer possible for me to skip off classes to instead chill with my dog. As the weeks went by she got more and more squirrely. I'd come home and it seemed like she was less happy than she used to be back in the days that I dutch ovened her for fun on the couch.

So the decision was made to get a second dog so that Indie could have a friend. If there is one lesson that having a puppy teaches you it's that looks are deceiving.


New dog gnawed on the table, on the stair case, on Indie's tail...and on me. And what's worse was he had the most never-ending bag of energy that no matter what you did he just COULDNT CHILL THE FUCK OUT. After a 17hr day in the hospital you can imagine how less than relaxing that was.

Not only that, but APPARENTLY puppies don't come automatically potty trained. And they are disease bags. And they hump everything. I was quickly reminded that puppies are more or less the spawn of satan. Never the less I was convinced that I am some kind of czar of dogs and therefore am totally capable of handling the hardest year of the MD program + a new puppy + a barely-trained 1yr old dog without the bat of an eyelash.

As I write this I am reminded that I wrote basically the same exact thing on here when I first got Indie.

I SHOULD GET A DOG HOW HARD COULD IT BE

I SHOULD GET A SECOND DOG HOW HARD COULD IT BE

About a week after I got Ezra, Indie fell super ill and ended up in doggy ICU (yes that's a thing).

OH GOD CAN'T HANDLE THE FEELS :( :( :( :(

 I convinced the vets that I could take care of Indie overnight, even if that meant changing her IV fluids and whatnot all night long. Whatever I had to do as long as she could sleep in bed with me so I could make sure she wasn't alone.


Turns out dogs hate having IVs in their arm and they REALLY want to have them out by any means necessary. Dogs also have legit zero memory and so then they get SUPER surprised and upset when their arm hurts after they gnaw an IV needle half out of themselves.

You know that thing Louis CK says when he's like "When I have a child I will answer ALL his questions and broaden his mind to let him grow "WHY WHY WHY "BECAUSE SOME THINGS ARE AND SOME THINGS ARE NOT"? That is my life with two dogs.

Controlling two small creatures that are 5X faster than me on my best day is close to impossible. Hoping a 11week old puppy who is a walking chew/bite/bark/pee/poop/fart/energy factory will behave long enough for me to sterilize an area, inject a 2-3min infusion into Indie every 30mins (plus clean up any profuse vomiting and diarrhea that came out of whatever orifice it wanted to) proved to be less than simple.

-J. dropped by that night Indie was home with an IV in her arm for moral support ...but not even he was immune to my stress-wrath.

Perhaps the real "straw that broke the camels back" occurred after Indie got better and I was back to having two energizer bunnies living with me. Ezra is smaller than Indie (for now) so his only real defence is "Bark forever and hopefully annoy everyone until I win whatever war I think I'm in with everybody else in this house".

Unfortunately for me, 'barking' is up there with 'the smell of diarrhea in the morning' for things I just do not want in my life. No matter what I did Ezra was just BARK BARK BARK and jumping and running away and being an all around dick. In the process of jumping on and off the couch while barking for all eternity both him and Indie knocked my laptop off the couch. I'm out in the kitchen just hoping he will STFU when out of no where I hear this huge CLANK BANG... then silence.
When I walked out into the living room and all the dogs were standing around like "shit Mom is gonna be PISSED" and the laptop is in a heap on the floor. It was a rough night.

After that event, I had a long hard think on what is my life and Ezra was banned forever from the couch.


But then... he got sleepy and everybody knows that sleepy puppies are the cuddliest puppies. So about an hour after being banned from the couch forever, the three of us took a nap where Ezra offered to be my pillow. The trio nap was so cute the owners of all 1980s Disney movies would have giardia-vomited with adorable-overload.

Anyway, long story short after all that... I'm sitting here on the couch writing this blog while sweating like a greasy pan of bacon on a family sunday breakfast cookout because all the dogs are asleep on my legs. And until they wake up... my life is totally perfect (as long as I ignore the fact that I smell like pee/sleep deprivation/am unshowered and still in pjs at 2pm because I haven't trusted the dogs alone long enough to go upstairs to get dressed).

LIKE A BOSS.