I’ve been back from the trip now for several weeks and yet it seems like it was just over yesterday. It was back in January that Samantha G and I bucked up each other’s courage and signed up for this year’s Southern Comfort Conference (SCC- a TG/CD conference) in Ft. Lauderdale. We each had trepidation as this would be the first extended time spent as Cyn and Samantha for each of us. For Sam, it was her first time EVER outside her apartment and to top it off the conference was in her hometown! For me, even though I had been out as Cyn a few times for a day or evening and interacted a little bit with others, this would be an entire week spent in close quarters with both other TG/CD folks as well as hotel staff and guests and even folks out in the other parts of Lauderdale as we went to some 'off campus' events.
We got a chance to meet first in 'guy mode' in Orlando for a day at Disney World and were also fortunate enough to be able to have dinner with Cap’n Sally afterwards. Both Disney World and the dinner were fabulous experiences. I had never been to Disney but plan to return when I have more time in the future and Cap’n Sally rocked her pirate boots!
Next it was time to drive down to Lauderdale on Tuesday. We stopped to eat lunch at McDonalds and as I finished using the facilities I reached into my pocket for my debit card and realized with a fair amount of panic that I did not have my car keys! Fearing the worst, that I had locked them in the car and would have to find a locksmith, or Dodge dealer, 700 miles away from home to unlock my car loaded with Cyn’s things, I walked back to the car. To my tremendous relief, I discovered that thankfully my car will not allow the doors to be locked with the key fob still inside the car. Anyway we ate and then continued our drive through a typical South Florida afternoon thunderstorm.
Arriving at the hotel, I checked in, though Sam’s reservations weren’t ‘until Thursday evening. The hotel is a resort type setup with a main building and then apartment style buildings for the rooms. It was a fair little walk from the room to the main building in a sauna-like atmosphere, one we would 'enjoy' often in full femme mode that week, sweating through our wigs and makeup! We parted ways that evening as Sam needed to finish her packing at her apartment.
Wednesday morning was Princess Day, which I described in detail in my forum post, and we thoroughly enjoyed our visit to the nail salon, an experience I plan to repeat ASAP! After lunch with the girls, we (Sam and me and three other girls we made friends with) returned to the hotel and then went to the largest mall in the city and walked nearly the entire mall, including a stop in Victoria’s Secret where we took advantage of a great sale on lotions and scents!
The rest of the week was fabulous as well but for details you'll have to visit the forums:
"https://www.crossdresserheaven.com/forums/topic/samanthas-big-day-scc-2016/ "
and
"https://www.crossdresserheaven.com/forums/topic/on-the-road-with-cyn/"
(cut and paste and remove the quotation marks)
I want to thank Samantha for being there as support for me. She will tell you she didn’t do anything but that is not true! Her encouragement and willingness to try things she had never done before were an inspiration to me, as were the many speakers and other attendees. We made several new friends, some of whom have joined our site, and are looking forward to next year’s conference.
For those who wonder if it is worth the time, money and travel, I can say yes, it is! Especially for those of you who live in 'less enlightened' and less tolerant places than others who are more fortunate. We had attendees from all over the US as well as the UK and even India!
So whether you are at the very beginning of your CD/TG experience or a seasoned vet, whether CD or TS, shy or outgoing, you can have a fabtastic time. I guarantee if you make the effort, you will have the time of your life. Below is a link to a poem I wrote, as is my nature, with some of my thoughts. I hope you enjoyed reading about our trip and that we will see you in 2017 at next year’s conference if not before then.
"https://www.crossdresserheaven.com/forums/topic/emerging-from-the-chrysalis/"
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Thank you ladies for the wonderful love and support you have all provided me. No matter what my path, I know I do not walk it alone!
Luv,
Cyn
