Dela Frijoles Reboot: Travel after “You Know What”

It’s been almost a year since we last wrote a post for this blog. It’s been just over 2 years since we published a post from outside of Canada. It’s been 1.5 years since I was on an airplane last. If I’m completely honest, I genuinely wondered if my travel days were over. Yes, I realize I was partly affected and choose to be controlled by circumstances, but if it comes right down to it, I wondered if I even had the right or deserved to be taking up travel again (but that could be a whole other post for another time!). Luckily, I have a husband who tells me I’m talking bullshit (sometimes he’s right) and threatened to take off somewhere without me. So with his vacation time in April, we decided it was finally time to navigate the world of travel after “that which shall not be named!”

Not yet quite ready to navigate around other airline systems, we decided to keep it easy and stick with the one B-Rod works for and choose Huatulco, Mexico as our intended destination. B-Rod’s never been and it has ben many, many years since I was last there. Being the end of the warm destination season, we had no problems securing seats, and just like that we were outside of Canada together for the first time in 2 years.

Huatulco has grown significantly since I was here last, but it still has a smaller, easy to navigate feel. The focus ended up being beach time, walking our asses off and food. Ahhhhh travel, I missed you! I started to notice that this became a theme for me (how you do one thing is how you do most things). . . . focusing on the things I had missed. Yet, there’s a subtle energy around words that I’ve been becoming more aware of and missing something feels like coming from an energy of lack, So instead I chose to focus on the gratitude of what I was experiencing because abundance abounds when you choose to see it that way.

Now having said that, on this trip so far I am grateful

• to swim in the ocean.
• for the salty air.
• for the full moon reflected on the rolling waves washing into shore.
• for the smells of another place (both the ones that appeal to me and even the ones that don’t).
• for the different tastes and textures.
• for MANGO SEASON!!!
• for the blaring sounds that vary from harsh rock or rap, loud speakers blaring unknown announcements, to tubas and clarinets.
• for the bright bold colours.
• for the blaring sun and the sweat induced walks.
• for the sounds of birds and sweeping that greet said sun.
• for the uneven walking areas (if they even exist) that can trigger frustration in one moment and riotous laughter in another.
• for the patience people show when I attempt (very badly) to communicate in their language.
• for the connection (no matter how short) I intend to forge with the people, culture and land that I step on and the reverence I have for being permitted to do so.
• for the experiences I have both intended and magically unexpected.

I could go on and on, but instead . . . . some pics from Huatulco!

Happy the moment I set foot in the plane . . . . . I genuinely do love even the process of flying and being in the air!

A major highlight for me . . . . . the beach and the ocean!

Around town

And of course, the food!

I love the laid back atmosphere of Huatulco and though a bit redder than I was when I first got here, I am grateful for every moment I spent on the beach and in the ocean. Next up we’re heading to Oaxaca city which involves a 7 hour van ride over the mountains. This ride online was described as “the vomit comet,” so . . . . . . . an adventure is ahead?!