Puerto Escondido, Mexico      November 24,2023

What a night!  I fell asleep well because no one was out yakking in the living area right outside my window.  Then, all of a sudden I was wet.  I thought, okay, I didn’t piss myself did I?  I haven’t even been into the tequila!  What’s going on?  I sat up and my kettle was knocked off the shelf -

How did that happen especially since I made sure the cords were tucked away?  Then, a tablet was laying on top of the wet bed.  Oh no, I thought, my IPad!  I picked it up but it didn’t have a purple case like mine and then I knew.  David from Paris who sleeps on top of me- ha, above me - it was his!  He didn’t secure it properly, like put it under his pillow so it fell off his bed, just in the perfect spot to knock my cords out and spill my kettle.  So, I found a couple towels and changed into my pants and sweater.  Luckily the right side of the bed was dry so I lay there trying to get back to sleep. However the music was rocking and didn’t quit until 2:30.  Frick!  Who stays up that late I wondered and no sooner had the music quit but the little Mexican who is also in my room came in.  Great I thought.  Now he will want to sleep all day so we will have to keep the lights off and be quiet even though he and his party kept me up all night.  Next thing I knew it was 7 am so I guess I did sleep a bit.

It was super hot again so I enjoyed the air conditioning, went to the grocery store for a few things and checked out the bus depot.  A bus doesn’t leave for La Crucecita until 2 so I went to the collectivo meeting spot and they go every 15 minutes or once the van is full.  So after breakfast tomorrow I will head out.

For lupper I had rotisserie pollo, la pechuga- chicken breast.  It’s always so juicy and delicious.  As it was cooling off I walked to Playa Manzanillo-

which was quite busy.  I should have known because there were about 8 coaches parked at the top near the 100 steps or so down to the beaches.  Charters come from inland for the day.  Anyone in the water was squealing and screaming as they were hit and demolished by the waves.  You had to be careful because it wasn’t all sandy bottom.  There were some lava chunks hiding below- smooth, slippery and dangerous.

It’s hard going to the playa alone.  What do you do with your stuff?  I could have rented a chaise but they wanted 500 pesos ($40).  Can you imagine?  I knew I wasn’t going to be there long or drinking.  Today was day 2 of not having a drink.  I have a belly that I don’t want anymore and I think alcohol is probably the culprit so will see what the next month brings.  

I put my bag on the sand and kept an eye on it while I was in the water but I knew I wouldn’t be able to chase the bandito if someone grabbed it and ran.  Then when I got out I realized I hadn’t even been watching my stuff.  Next I put it on some rocks and sat with my back to rocks but the waves were whipping over my head so I got out of there.  Then I asked a nice looking Mexican family if I could set it beside them but after about 5 minutes, I put my shoes on and headed for home.

Playa Manzanillo-

It’s neighbor, Puerto Angelita-

Looking back at Playa Manzanillo from Puerto Angelita-

Boats in the bay-

I walked home and straight into the shower.  The water pressure isn’t strong enough to get the sand out of my hair so I guess it will just have to fall out - the sand, not my hair I hope.

I came back to El Coyote and sat on the rooftop enjoying a nice breeze and the setting sun.  I’ve really enjoyed David’s company, the tablet dropper, but he is staying here for 2 more weeks. This is his 6 th hostel in Escondido.  He has been travelling for 15 years and is 52.  His father left him a building in Paris that he rents out.  It’s a pharmacy so he lives off the rent.  

Tomorrow I’m moving on!