Business Meeting.
Although still in Southampton, I was between assignments. However, my friend Bjorn's Consortium client was looking for someone to attend a meeting on their behalf in Dubrovnik; this time for five days.
Hanna or Suzi had arranged my hotel and travel from Gatwick, together with all the contract paperwork and authorisations.
An early start but I arrived there about lunch time; it was warm and sunny; Southampton was cold and wet. The hotel was the five stars Argentina Vila; my room wasn't ready but I checked in my luggage anyway. Then headed down to the walled city, about ten minutes' walk away; to do my tourist thing.
Had lunch and a local beer in one of the many open air cafes and a wander around the wall's and narrow streets and dock, with their little island ferries and a yellow and a red submarine. Truly amazing place.
Headed back up to my hotel, message waiting, my meeting was delayed by a day, it happens but, expenses tab still running.
My room was ready, luggage taken up, and what a room with panoramic french windows overlooking the blue Adriatic and the island of Otok Lokrum. Ok tomorrow I will visit this island; this was to be one of my more memorable decisions.
Next morning after an open air breakfast in the warm sun overlooking the island I set off. Dully dressed down in trainers, shorts and open shirt. Boarded the island ferry after getting a ticked from the booth.
Arrived at the island dock and I started off up one of the tourist trails following a sign for the Game of Thrones, where one of the nine thrones were, to get your picture taken on; for a fee.
Continued on, following a sign for the beach, as I was walking down to it, a young couple stepped out in front of me from behind the bushes. They were both completely naked; didn't expect that; they apologized for startling me.
Turned out I had wandered onto a naturalist beach area. We chatted; they both spoke good English, with a distinctive French accent. Turned out they were on honeymoon, explained the bushes, maybe; they invited me to join them for a picnic lunch. I said ok, we found a quite area where they invited me to strip off too, which I did, but kept my sunglasses on; what can I say Brits abroad.
As we chatted over a long slow lunch with a very nice wine. They explained that they lived just outside Brussels and worked for NATO, didn't say what they actually did. I told them what I did and why I was there. They were very impressed with the five star hotel arrangement, they were sharing a one room flat, out of town with a friend that they also shared a house with in Brussels, who worked for NATO too.
They explained that they were both gay and one of them was transgender and had undergone hormone treatment and operations. This was partially funded by NATO, a charity and themselves.
Paulina explained she was transgender, and what she had done to her. Being told this by someone in a personal basis is very erotic to listen to. Particularly, if you are both naked and she was using her well sculptured and tanned body to point out the details of the transition. I could not help but like them, particularly sharing this with me a foreign stranger.
I invited them back to my hotel that night for a honeymoon meal; they were very reluctant due to the cost. I assured them that I would get my company to cover these costs; I didn't I paid. They said yes but asked, could they bring their room share friend Pascal; yes of course. We would meet in the lobby about seven. I got dressed and left them to their second bottle of wine, possibly bushes again, and headed back. I did not expect the day to go as it did; enjoyed it though.