Barb Voyage!

FEBRUARY 9, 2015

ADVICE:  Do NOT believe the taxi drivers at the airport.  They quote you 120,000 pesos ($120), referring to an official-looking chart, telling you that all taxi drivers in the city have the same rates, but they will give you a deal and take you to Sayulita for $65.  WALK ACROSS THE BRIDGE.  Sayulita for $40.  No questions asked.

Once I settled into the front seat of the taxi, next to a handsome young man I had correctly assumed was from Acapulco, Eddy, I was able to take a deep breath.  Lugging my large 61-pound suitcase and small 40-pound carry-on up the steep bridge incline, then down the same on the other side, had stolen my breath and  parched my throat.

“Una cerveza primero?”  I asked Eddy.  Happily, he obliged by pulling into a little “tienda” (store) on the road.  But I chose a can of Finlandia and Tonic instead of a beer.  Ahhh, refreshment.  Off to the jungle!

I remembered the way to Debi and Pancho’s gorgeous large bungalow by the river. It had always reminded me of a fancy Flintstones’ house.  Pancho built it himself!  Greeted by her four dogs, I used Eddy’s phone to call Debi, who quickly arrived on her ATV.  These three-wheelers are the modus operandi on the rutted dirt backroads of Sayulita.

Debi and Pancho own the amazing AllyCat Sailing - named after their daughter, Ally, whom I met ten years ago when she was just three.  Their son, son, Noah, is the certified Captain (unlike other so-called Captains in Mexico) of the Ally Cat, a totally family run business. A must do for families and friends in Sayulita!  Especially NOW - whale time!   http://allycatsailing.com

Debi treated me, to my objection, to Truffles pasta and a wonderful wine and cheese salad at La Rustica, a once minuscule three-seat bar, now an expanded and thriving Italian delight.  Back on the rear of her ATV, my legs spread in an un-ladylike manner, we hustled off down the bumpy terrain to home.  My thighs are already sore!

After a hot and cold night’s sleep in the spacious air-conditioned loft, I awoke to utter peace.  No one there, except sleeping dogs.  I poured myself a cup of hot coffee and walked onto the palm tree shaded patio, admiring Pancho’s handiwork in the large garden and pool area.

I gulped, resisting the urge to cry, without really knowing why. The silence was actually beautifully overwhelming.  A different kind of silence than I am accustomed too, wrapped in the fresh green scent of morning jungle and warm penetrating sunshine.  Only an occasional call from an exotic-sounding parrot, or a bark from a wary dog, would break the stillness.  It was serene.

“Perhaps,” I thought, “I SHOULD check out the tranquil pueblo of Chacala, Nayarit.”

Today, it’s off to the main streets to find a Mexican sim card for my old i-phone 4, or just add minutes to my old Mexican Samsung flip phone.  Then to Debi’s Ally Cat Sailing to use internet there, as her home internet is down.  There is a population waiting to hear from me back in the states!