A SINGLETON claims dating in London became “so bad” she felt compelled to “go international” – forking out £250 to fly to Spain and try out one of his guys.
Celeste Hartley admits she was so fed up with the ‘bleak’ London dating scene that she spontaneously decided to fly to Malaga, Spain, on Friday, April 19, to meet a man she matched with on Hinge.
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The 28-year-old had a ‘surreal’ weekend of romance for a first date with a 28-year-old from Malaga, and swears it gave her ‘hope for humanity’ in the dating world.
Taking to TikTok to document her crazy experience, Celeste shared a video of herself at the airport with the caption: ‘when dating in London is so bad, you have to go international’, which has already garnered 235,000 views.
In the clip you can hear Celeste telling her followers ‘regardless of what happens between me and this man, it’s worth it for how emotional this has all been so far’.
A follow-up post reveals a compilation of photos from the short break, including a trip to a tattoo parlor so they could both get tattoos, sightseeing and lots of food.
Many users praised Celeste in the comments as ‘life is adventure’ and said they were ‘invested’ in her decision.
Other users criticized Celeste for spending ‘too much money’ on the first date.
The marketing and consultancy company owner revealed that after matching with the Spaniard, the pair immediately hit it off with a ‘really good conversation’ and Celeste quickly agreed to fly out to visit him during a phone call.
Celeste, who lives in Brixton, said: “I saw it on my explore page but I didn’t like it. He sent me a funny message and we quickly started a really good conversation.
“He was asking me a lot of questions. I’m terrible at responding, which kind of fuels the problem.
“We decided to meet in Malaga, which is close to where he lives, but we wanted neutral ground.
“I was happy to do it for the adventure and because I’m fed up with London. I’m always looking for a reason to go out.
“I thought ‘even if this doesn’t go well, it’s worth it, given how exciting the construction has been’.
“There was no point where I thought he was going to be someone he wasn’t. But I had people on standby if things went wrong. I told a lot of people about it and they said ‘that’s so you’.”
The 28-year-old admits that flying to Spain for a first date was “not the most normal situation”, but says her impulsive decision “is the meaning of life” and justified the £250 plane ticket.
Five Red Flags – You’re Dating a Narcissist
Narcissistic behavior can be difficult to detect, especially during dating, because you naturally want to see the best in your potential life partner. However, there are narcissistic traits that are key indicators to consider when meeting someone new. Here are five warning signs to watch out for:
- Strong sense of entitlement
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After speaking regularly on the phone before the trip, the singleton, who admits she has a “tendency to over-romanticize everything,” was thrilled to discover that sparks flew during the 48-hour date.
Celeste said: “I was very nervous, but also excited. I tend to romanticize everything too much.
“I met him at the airport and it was the most surreal experience ever. We spent the weekend together just hanging out and talking. It was definitely not the most normal situation.
“It was a long time to be with one person, but he did everything he could to make me feel very, very comfortable. He paid for where we stayed and was very generous.
“That’s what life seemed like: doing exciting things and taking risks. Luckily for me, everything went well.”
Single for almost six years, Celeste admitted she is “tired” of London’s “throwaway” romantic culture and has become frustrated with the “superficial” nature of dating apps, which has prevented her from finding a partner.
Celeste said: “I was tired of it. I was always sitting on edge and waiting for someone to disappoint me.
“I went through stages of wanting to put myself out there and then I got exhausted and took a six-month break. I was struggling to find someone who aligned with my values.
“Because dating apps are one thing, now there are always so many other options out there, so people are just chasing this dream of perfection.
“When they don’t, they just keep jumping from person to person instead of actually taking the time to get to know someone.
“In London specifically, everyone is so caught up in the rat race and focused on overcoming all the obstacles, like finding a partner, settling down, etc., that no one really knows what they want or what their values are.
“Dating ends up becoming very transactional instead of really getting to know the other person.
“Dating in London is a process of validation rather than true connection. It’s so disposable and it’s hard to trust people’s motives.
Celeste Hartley
‘I think dating in London specifically is so bad. So anywhere outside of London, I guess, go for it. There is hope for humanity.
The Bachelorette revealed that her getaway to Spain went so well that she deleted Hinge and he recently returned the favor and visited her in London for a weekend.
Celeste said, “We decided to make the whole ‘nationwide’ situation work.”
Many users praised Celeste for her adventurous way of dating.
One user said: “Have fun. Life is adventure.”
Another user said: “I flew to Turkey last week and did the same and it was the best decision.”
A third user said: “Good for you.”
A fourth user said: “Invested.”
However, some users criticized Celeste for the effort she made for a first date.
One user said: “Too much money to spend on the first date.”
Another user said: “It’s a warning sign if he doesn’t come to you first.”
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This story originally appeared on The-sun.com read the full story
