playa escondi-wha?

Okay, I know I’ve said this before, but I am going to say it again (and again); I am the luckiest girl in the WORLD.  I’m starting to think that it has to do with the possibility that I might have been the white-girl-foul-mouthed equivalent of Mother Theresa in a previous life. I mean, there is just NO other explanation.

Which brings me to today’s story.

So, you already know that I met some absolutely amazing people while on the Baja Ha-Ha. I mean people that I think I will know for life. One of these was this chick, Maria. She, her mom, and her cousin got this wild hair after they heard about the ha-ha and decided to find a ride for it. Now let me just tell you that Maria isn’t really a boater, just a bad-ass lady. So, she finds the one and only motor boat that is doing the rally and jumps on. As a story for another time, the boat turns out to be a disaster.

She joins up with our posse back in Cabo and then flies home to Boise to return to her life, running her own law firm specializing in immigration law (how freaking cool is that!!!). About a week later, I get an email from her, saying “oh yeah, I forgot I planned a vacation with some girlfriends at this sweet resort right by Sayulita and I’m going to be there in a few days. Are you going to be near? Would you like to join?” Are you freaking kidding me?!!?!? Umm…Yea please?

So we meet up in Puerta Vallarta (my boat has left that morning at 6 and I just kind of sit on the dock with all my worldly possessions for the day, waiting for Maria and her friends to come). A night of drinking super sized margaritas ensues as I get to know these hilarious ladies.

I heart mucho libre masks!

And then off to Playa Escondita!! We were planning on taking a taxi to the bus station and then a bus to Sayulita, but our taxi driver was so absolutely wonderful, he ended up driving all the way. We Kind of fell in love with him.

Well, anyway, Playa Escondita is absolutely like a dream. We are staying in our own two story palapa right on the beach.

All day long, we lay on the beach, let Jorge fill us with fruity drinks, go to the pool, go to the hot tub,

listen to music, hike into town, have the time of our lives.

One night, I hear “LAUREN! Your bag is getting attacked!”
I run down and this animal has used it’s creepy little hands to unzip my pack, find what little food I have in there and scarf some instant oatmeal and five coffee packets. Wondering what the hell that creature was we asked Jorge. He said that they call it a Tehon, a transplant from Brazil. Whatever it is was, Wendy described it best by saying, “it’s as if an anteater and a raccoon had a love child.” Well put.

A few days ago, I moved to a hostel in Sayulita (site of Leslie’s infamous Birthday Bash last year, this time). For some reason i decided that hiking over the MOUNTAIN with my pack would be better than taking a taxi.

I freaking LOVE this town. I mean don’t come here, it sucks. There isn’t beautiful beaches and jungle, and hot surfers, and the best fish tacos, all wrapped up in a cobblestone village. You’d hate it here, really.

Until next time!