All Good Things

“Why do you go away? So that you can come back. So that you can see the place you came from with new eyes and extra colors. And the people there see you differently, too. Coming back to where you started is not the same as never leaving.” ~ Terry Pratchett, A Hat Full of Sky

And so this wonderful journey has come to its end and tomorrow we fly home to beautiful Washington state.

It's been quite some time since I had the luxury of an adventure such as this one. There are a couple folks (and you know who you are!) whose generosity and thoughtfulness made this trip even possible, and to you, I send my virtual "thank yous" via blip. My face-to-face thank yous are forthcoming.

Tonight, as I pack up my belongings, my mind replays the mental images that include faces, sights, smells, sounds, flavors, and emotions that comprise the memories of this vacation. I won't soon forget the intensity of the thick, hot air that envelopes you as you open the door to head out, the heat quickly wrapping itself tightly around you, leaving its slick, sticky residue on your skin.

How can I forget the buses? The marvelous buses that took us everywhere we needed to go, and for a mere 6.5 pesos? Each ride was an adventure in itself as we jostled and clanked about inside, while weaving through narrow, congested, cobblestone streets at breakneck speeds.

How can I forget all the friendly folks who so patiently deciphered my halting Spanish, only to provide their reply in fluent English? To all the hundreds of street vendors who offered jewelry, and baskets, and leather goods, and pottery, and colorful skirts, and hats --- if I could, I would have purchased one of everything, it was all so beautiful and so tempting.

It was all good, and like all good things, it has come to its conclusion. There's a feeling I often get when driving away from people, waving, and watching them get smaller and smaller until they recede entirely from view. How can I put that into words? It's a combination of the world and life vaulting us off onto our next adventure, and it's also 'good bye', for the moment. When the figures are completely out of our view, we turn, and lean forward into the moment and onto the next chapter.

Adios, Puerto Vallarta!