Dating S.O.S

Girls just want to have fun

My friend Ryan was in tears: he had booked an Italian cruise for him and his current boyfriend, when his boyfriend broke up with him, and that’s how I ended up going on my first gay friendly holiday. To be honest, I was unaware that gay friendly holidays even existed, but I wasn’t complaining because I knew that if it’s gay it must be glamorous!

Legend of the Seas

Our ocean liner was absolutely stunning. In-between all the bars and lounges there were pools, a rock-climbing wall and even an 18-hole mini-golf course. Of course every little detail, from the bottom to the top, was done with great style and formed part of an overall beautiful and grand look. The same could be said for our room which we were sharing. Ryan looked upset at first over the whole scenario, because of course he wanted his loved one to be here with him, but I assured him that we were going to have fun on this cruise, like we always do when we go on holiday together.

Our trip started in Italy moving along the coast towards Croatia and back towards Rome for our flight back home. Almost everyday we anchored for a day of exploring the local sites and cultures, sometimes travelling more inland to experience the big cities. It is astonishing when you start to notice how two cities in one country, speaking the same language, from the same culture, could differ so much. Venice compared to Sicily would be a good example although difficult to explain, it just has a different atmosphere, both good in their own way.

A little bit of vino please

Ryan is a chef, so of course he was beside himself every time we would walk through a city and find a local food market. Fresh, locally produced products that he savoured like only a passionate chef like he can. Since my cooking expertise goes as far as boiling an egg I was more interested in the architecture and history. In Florence, the birthplace of the Italian Renaissance, we had lunch at one of the local restaurants, and yes, it was by far the best bowl of spaghetti I’ve ever had. Ryan explained to me some of the history of spaghetti, how it’s prepared differently in the Southern and Northern parts of Italy and how he loves the simplicity of the Italian culinary arts. Our food was paired with a local Italian red wine, the taste of which perfectly complimented our meal.

We travelled between Florence and Pisa before we set sail again. I couldn’t wait to go to Sicily! This might be because of watching The Godfather one too many times, but my curiosity was getting the better of me. I wanted to see the place so commonly associated with the mafia, and I was not disappointed. Even though there weren’t any mafia lords driving around like I was hoping, the city proved to be more than entertaining. Sicilians are heart-warming people and you really do feel welcome when entering a shop or simply walking down the street.

Cruising along

After Sicily, we cruised towards Split, and for the whole day Ryan and I were on the deck, lying next to the pool and sipping on some cocktails. For the next six days we were cruising between Italy and Croatia. It is wonderful how easily you can travel between countries, so distinctly different, and both unique and great in their own way.

I loved Dubrovnik. My knowledge of Croatia before embarking on this cruise was limited, so when we first arrived at Dubrovnik I was all smiles. You could see this was a city filled with history. The architecture was stunning. Ryan, although agreeing with me that it was more beautiful than expected, was more impressed when we eventually got back to Rome.

Rome is known as the perfect destination for shopping and as a gay man, Ryan was again beside himself when he entered the Piazza di Spagna. This street, we were told, is the best place for shopping. With designer names like Gucci, Versace, Prada and Dolce and Gabbana, it made perfect sense. I was even more impressed when he offered to buy me a pair of Gucci shoes to thank me for coming with him. Now although I felt that it was totally unnecessary, I’m still a woman and a shoe fanatic, so I accepted this gift. They say the way to a man’s heart is through his stomach, well shoes are the way to a woman’s.

The trip really proved to me that in future, should I want to go on a glamorous holiday, to book myself a gay friendly holiday, because then you know you’ll experience a trip like no other, with all the bells and whistles a girl could want.

Author Bio:

CompuTravel specializes in providing gay friendly holidays for the South African market. CompuTravel serves as an online South African travel agent, boasting highly professional experts with years in the tourism and hospitality industries.