I am sweating like a prostitute in confession. Tucked into a small minivan, or as the locals call it-“Collectivo”- minivan transport was the choice of getting from Playa Del Carmen to Tulum Mexico. As caged chickens nibble at my toes, my wingman Cherokee looks at me with a psychotic stare and offers me a swig from his bottle of whiskey he has brought along for the trip. “I told you we would be saving money bro. Plus, we get to see how the locals go about their normal days!” As I stare back with a look of disgust  , he boldly throws his head back and begins to laugh maniacally as if he were possessed by the devil himself. You could butter the hips of an infant and he or she would have serious issues with finding room in this vehicle. Granted, it was only 8 USD but the ADO bus-which I had taken from Cancun to Playa was only 3 USD more, had air conditioning so cold you could hang meat in it, and actually showed movies!!!! Not today.
                As we approach our destination, I feel a blast of heat penetrate as the door

opens to let us out. I had been forewarned about the heat index in Tulum, and I had also

been warned that after 2 days I would be begging to go back to Playa. Well, the first

prediction was right on target, but my fear lied in the latter. What if the place I’ve been

dreaming about visiting falls short of my expectations? Is this one big waste of time?

With that I quickly grab the bottle of whiskey from Cherokee’s grip and take a mighty swig,

hail a taxi, and shout “Let’s roll”!

                As the cab makes its way down Carretera a Boca Paila, I am taken aback at how quiet it is here. Nature introduces herself rather quickly and an immediate physical and mental downshift seems to take place as I am now being led to the beach house. With each step the breeze coming off of the ocean gets stronger, and the sound of the waves hitting the shore is like thunder. I am given a key and when I open the door I find myself completely speechless. The wind howls in my bedroom and provides a cool, crisp air that awakens my senses. I stare at the blue water in front of me and simply shake my head in disbelief. NEVER in all of my travels have I felt so peaceful and yet so alive. So alone yet so content. I had a list of at least 13 places that I                                  had to visit while I was here, yet as the days progressed, I did not visit one of them. From                                the famous ruins, the many cenotes, and the Sian Ka’an Biosphere Reserve, I did not                                      even make an attempt to see any of these “must see” historic sites. Not once! I was                                        completely satisfied with waking up to ththe sound of the ocean, drinking coconut water,                                eating fish tacos, and body surfing all day every day. Without a TV,  internet, phone                                          service, and minimal electricity, I found myself. I found the ME that I have never                                              introduced myself to. I found a person that was more introspective than I ever knew. My mind was at ease and my body followed. Things that seemed so very important and vital in my everyday back home were completely irrelevant here. I was under the spell of my surroundings and was comfortable in that state of mind. There was no pressure to do anything but to sit back and enjoy what was all around me.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

                As I have stated many times, “You plan and God laughs”, this trip was proof positive of that statement. The places I thought were necessary to see and visit were not necessary at all. Sometimes the car can be in neutral, but you are still moving in the right direction. Sometimes the path you have designed is just another unnecessary map that will never be used. And sometimes you find your soul when you weren’t even aware that somehow it became lost.