When my wife and I decided to escape the winter chill and soak up some sun in Trinidad, we envisioned lazy days on the beach and evenings filled with local music and food. When we got off the plane, the Island greeted us with warm smiles
The island greeted us with its lively culture and warm smiles, and we felt at ease exploring. But our perfect vacation took an unexpected turn that reminded us how quickly paradise can reveal a darker side.
It all began during a visit to the Fort George Overlook. The panoramic views were breathtaking, and we lost track of time taking photos and taking in the scenery. In the midst of all the tourists, I noticed a man who seemed to appear wherever we went. At first, I dismissed it as a coincidence, after all, we were all there for the same views. But somewhere deep down a nagging feeling told me there was more to it.
I mentioned it to my wife, and she laughed it off, suggesting I was letting my imagination run wild.
That evening, we decided to check out a local mall to pick up some souvenirs. As we exited, we each had a couple of bags, and I caught sight of a different man paying a little too much attention to us. He pretended to be looking at a storefront but kept glancing in our direction. This time, my wife noticed too. We quickly made our way back to the hotel, both a little shaken up by the encounter but unsure if we were overreacting.
The next morning over breakfast, we talked about what happened. “Maybe we’re just being paranoid,” my wife said while drinking her coffee. Still, we agreed to stay alert, just in case. We spent the day close to the hotel, enjoying the amenities and trying to shake off the unease.
As the sun began to set, we felt the urge to stretch our legs and decided to take a walk around the hotel grounds. The tropical breeze was great, and the sounds of distant music were in the air. We wandered a bit farther than we thought and found ourselves near the perimeter of the property.
Parked across the street was an older model Toyota. It seemed out of place, but we were in unfamiliar territory and so did not pay it much attention.
All of a sudden, the car’s headlights flickered on, and the engine roared to life. Without warning, it sped towards us, tires screeching against the pavement. “Run!” I shouted to my wife, grabbing her hand. We sprinted back towards the hotel and boy was the adrenaline pumping. The car couldn’t follow us onto the lawns without a lot of people taking notice, and we just zigzagged through the gardens until we reached the safety of the lobby.
Out of breath, we alerted the front desk and asked them to call the police. The staff reacted quickly, escorting us into a back office while we waited. When the officers arrived, the Toyota was long gone. We explained the events, and they seemed concerned by the look on their faces. “It’s possible you were being targeted for a kidnapping,” one officer explained gently. “Tourists can be seen as easy marks.”
The reality of the situation hit us hard. We spent the next hour packing, very eager to leave the island that suddenly felt so foreign. The next day, we caught the earliest flight home, our suitcases a little heavier with souvenirs, and our minds troubled with what might have been.
Back home, the experience hung around like a shadow. We found ourselves looking over our shoulders, even in the most familiar surroundings. At that point, I felt like we needed to do something to take some level of control back into our lives and so, we enrolled in self-defense classes and spent some time educating ourselves on personal safety.
Our trip to Trinidad was a serious reminder that while the world is full of beauty, it’s essential to remain alert. We still cherish the good memories from our vacation, but we’ve learned that awareness is a crucial skill set wherever we go.
