Sunday, March 21, 2010

Distraction in Mexico

I've written this post in my head a couple times since arriving in Puerto Vallarta 12 days ago, changing the subject matter with each new attempt. So now that I'm putting my fingers to the keyboard I'm interested to see what thoughts surface and make it on the screen. To put it shortly, I'm writing this for my own amusement. Then again, that's what has kept this whole blog idea going. Although, I did start it for a variety of other purposes.

Ok, so after spending a week in Kansas and realizing that there was little to no opportunity for me to work and Spring wasn't right around the corner, I grew uneasy and anxious about what to do with all the time I had on my hands. With the encouragement of two of the closest people in my life and the go-ahead from Brian and Teri, I bought a ticket to Mexico. Why not?

I've been here four times before, but those were all pre-obsession and focused on tanning and tequila. So, obsession is probably too strong; it is more like a strange interest that developed while living in Costa Rica and maybe a little bit while in Spain. During my year in Costa Rica, I grew to enjoy and even look forward to using local buses to get to my destination. I found it to be such a fascinating way to see a new country. I've spent countless hours on buses to mountains, volcanoes, beaches, lagoons, lakes, and border crossings. All the while, I've seen the landscape of a big portion of Central America, I've had short conversations with locals and long discussions with close friends, I've enjoyed the sights, sounds and smells of the unfamiliar and I've had some unforgettable experiences.

But this interest extends beyond just being a cheap, interesting way to see a strange land. I've always found that being in transit, whether it be by bus, train, plane, or car, is the easiest place to let my mind wander, and it almost always wanders to positive thoughts, creative energy, or what I'll refer to as the flow. The flow is a good place to be, where the sun is always shining and the glass is half full. In short, it's that state of mind that people try to reach through a variety of means (drugs, meditation, exercise, etc.). I just happen to find the flow on crowded, loud, uncomfortable buses.

So it follows that I decided to seek out some bus adventures here in Puerto Vallarta. Not only did I get my bus/flow/transit 'fix', I spent an afternoon surfing with a local, discovered a beautiful beach I've never seen before and found a hike that someone recommended me. Besides that I still had time to help Wyatt catch his first couple waves in Sayulita and sit back and enjoy life with Brian and Teri in their beach front second home.

One more full day here, then home on Tuesday.

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