Explore, Create, Inquire, Seek, Share, Learn

Let me begin with – this journey brought us to paradise.

Celeste mapped out the morning pick up route, at 15 minute intervals, in logical geographic order. All four of us and our travel bags fit easily into her car for the two hours to El Paso.

With just enough time for a quick bite we stopped at the Whataburger, where we met Mr. Camacho, our chatty cabby. He followed us to the El Paso airport where we deposited Celeste’s car, rather than risking the border crossing ourselves.

Mr. Camacho and Susannah talked in Spanish a bit, but he persisted, practicing English, telling stories, and singing. He described his brother’s 64th birthday in a grand garden with a full bar and Karaoke. Señor Camacho owns this space, and opens it only for private parties. He mentioned that if he declared it as a business, he’d have to pay certain members of unnamed organizations “fees”.

We now have an invitation to go to Juarez for a private party in Mr. Camacho’s garden karaoke bar. Susannah and Celeste have offered to host him at the hot springs if he transports us safely back and forth before and after our relaxing yoga retreat. This will help lower our Mexican-traffic induced Cortisol levels

Juarez looks a lot like Albuquerque, and every other run-down, desperate, urban locale. Colorful billboards, franchises, fast-food, electrical poles and razor wire, and trash.

The ride to Ciudád Juarez Aeropuerto Internacional was uneventful other than horrid Friday traffic. We had plenty of time to get through check in and security, and a short wait before boarding the first flight.

We landed in La Ciudád de Mexico with a couple hours to stretch, wander, eat lunch, and people-watch. Humans are amusing. Everyone was helpful and kind, and bilingual. Duolingo has been helpful for reviving the Spanish I studied for four years in high school. Speaking with locals in their language will surely help more.

Another flight, another arrival, and another cab to our Airbnb for a few hours rest. We awoke early enough to eat some fruit and wait an hour and a half outside on the corner for the local shuttle driver who could not find us, in spite of having ALLLLL the directions ahead of time.

Next, we spent a few hours, in the smallest shuttle, to the coast, then a slow ferry…

…to the peninsula and a bumpy ride for more hours to the remote lodge where we’ll spend this week. We are in the jungle in dwellings built of local woods among the flora and fauna of Cabuya.