Day 263: Las Salinas

It’s our last day in Ibiza and we are going to check out the beaches near Las Salinas.  We drive past the salt mines before arriving at the beach.

 

Laura shares Matte with the lifeguards from Argentina

We are walking along the beach and I notice a tower in the distance, maybe about 2 miles down the beach.

“Let’s go for a walk and check it out,” I say to Laura. 

“No, you go.  I stay here and wait for you,” she tells me.

“No,” I say.  “Come on, let’s check it out.  I don’t want to go by myself,”  I demand and she follows me begrudgingly.  We walk up and down the layered terrain for about 10 minutes before she begins to protest.

“Katie, I don’t wanna!” She says.

“Is this really so bad?” I beg.  “It’s a beautiful day.  That tower looks really cool.  I want to see it with you,” I say.

“No, no more.  I will stay here.  I want the sun in my face,” she responds.

I torture her for this comment.  “Walk like this,” I say as I tilt my head to the sun.  “Come on, lets go.” 

I have a flashback to Vegas, when Laura made a scene over the mirror that she couldn’t bring into the HardRock on her last day.  Perhaps the same thing is going on today.  She has serious anxiety at the end of our trips.

As we get closer to the tower, Laura’s attitude changes.  “Wow!” She exclaims.  I knew she would be happy that she came once we got here.  We sit on rock and take in the view before heading back.

We pack up the car and head to the airport.  I still have sand on my feet as we board the plane.  It’s a nice reminder of the day.  We sit.  I close my eyes and before I know it I am on the ground in Barcelona.

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Day 260: Blue Marlin

Today we are heading to Blue Marlin, a restaurant / lounge, on a secluded beach on the south side of the island.  Some new friends suggested we check it.  The drive is beautiful. As we emerge over a hill the ocean comes into view.  It reminds me of Sunset Beach on Shelter Island in the Hamptons.  Most people think of Ibiza only as a place to party, but it is a beautiful island. 

 

We sip mojitos on our lounge and take a dip in the cold water, which feels amazing in this heat.  People are friendly and invite us to join them.  Life is good :)

 New friends

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Day 259: Ibiza!

It’s my first day in Ibiza and I am on my own for a few hours before Laura lands around midnight.  It’s 7pm and I am walking down the beach.  No one is out and about at this hour.  As I continue walking, I notice a massive group of people in the distance so I decide to are what’s going on.  DJ is playing good tunes and everyone is dancing.  I put myself at a seat at the bar to observe.  I’m too jet lagged to participate and it’s not really my thing, but it’s certainly entertaining.  After a few minutes, I’ve had enough and decide to grab a bite to eat.  I find a little seafood restaurant on the water and order a fresh catch.  I check my emails as I wait for my food.  The start-up that I interviewed with last week would like me to come back to meet some more people on the team.  Good news to start this trip. 

I head back to the hotel and take a nap and wake up at one am.  Laura should be here by now.  I check her flight status.  She landed an hour ago and the airport is 15 minutes away.   I become anxious.  She doesn’t have a phone.  I email her and message her on Facebook in case she is able to find access to a computer somehow.  Where is she?  I don’t know what to do.  In the midst of my panic, I hear a knock on the door.

There she is!  “My sister!” she screams.  We are hugging, crying and overwhelmed by the number of things we have to talk about.  Where do we start?  She has been traveling all over Spain.  She spent weeks with her family in the Spanish countryside before heading to Madrid and now Ibiza. 

It’s late, but the night is young here on this Island and David Guetta is playing at Pacha tonight.  We’re going out!

Together again!

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Day 253: I'm back... and it's about time

It’s about time I get back to where I started this summer.  I was trying to find direction by thinking that it would come to me.  I got lost for a minute there, but now that the leaves are turning, the days are getting shorter and I am still here in New York, it’s about time I make my next move.

After my most recent conversation with S, I was convinced that I couldn’t work for anyone but myself.   I was trying to figure out how to make that happen but I got distracted, until recently.  Last week I started working on my business school applications, learning Spanish and exploring a new business venture.  I also applied for a job at a start-up in Chelsea. I have an interview on Wednesday morning, before my flight to Barcelona where I will meet Miss Laura Bufi.  

Stay tuned for Adventures of Katie & Laura, Part 3. 

Day 200: A New Ambition

S is in New York this week and I am catching up with him before he heads back to the west coast tomorrow.   We’ve been exchanging emails since our conversation on the flight to San Francisco and he has been helping me figure out my next move.  He advises me to put my resume away for now and “write 500 words of what your ideal role looks like and how everything you have done to date leads inevitably to this.  you need to find a way to be vulnerable and thoughtful but confident and strong at the same time.  this is what I look for at least in bringing in talent into my startups.”

S does not capitalize in any of his emails.  It’s his way of asserting that he is his own boss and doesn’t need to be formal with anyone. 

I spend the weekend writing.  I demonstrate through my experience that I am not afraid to leave my comfort zone to try something new or different and then explain how I would apply this attitude and outlook at a start-up.

I meet S for drinks and we catch up on our lives before I ask him if he had a chance to read what I wrote.  “Yes,” he says and then pauses.  “It’s good.  You are a good writer.  But I really wanted to hear more about the dog and Argentina.  There needs to be more wanderlust,” he explains. 

He thinks for a moment.  I wait, intently.  “I don’t see you working at a start-up,” he continues.  “Forget business development.  You need to have your own thing.  You shouldn’t be working for someone else,” he asserts.

I am a little taken aback by this feedback, but I trust his advice.  I listen.  “One of the hardest things to manage, but you have to, is being accountable to yourself.”

I don’t know where to start.  I need to figure it out. 

“Right now, just keep writing,” he advises.