Mexico Day 102: The pros and cons of sitting still

La Barrita, Guerrero //

Every place we stay at has its own unique characteristics that lend to its overall appeal.  Some are seen immediately upon arrival, like the proximity to our neighbors.  Some don’t reveal themselves until we hang around for a few days, like the fruit and vegetable delivery guy that drives down the road every afternoon.  We arrived at Casa Rayo del Sol with the intent to stay for a night, maybe two.  But each day we find another reason to stay.  

Mark D., the owner here at the campground, and his girlfriend Lisa, could not be more kind or welcoming.  When Lisa came by in the morning and informed us that if we stay for six nights, the seventh night will be free, we were easily persuaded to continue to call Casa Rayo del Sol for a few more days.  When we stay somewhere longer than a day or two, we’re rewarded with more depth to the overall experience.  We get more comfortable striking up conversations with the strangers that are our neighbors.  There’s time to admire the sunset every evening at the patio overlooking the ocean.  Whales come out to play one evening, offering a showing of breaches that evoke oohs and aahs from everyone on the patio.  And as I walk around the property, looking at details more closely, I begin discovering painted rocks tucked into various nooks and crannies.  Lisa tells me that many of Casa Rayo del Sol’s visitors enjoy painting as a pastime.  These Easter eggs make me smile and are a perfect example of how it takes time to really see a place.

Sitting still also has its cons.  After four days here, an army of ants established a route into our camper.  Luckily, we caught on to them pretty quickly, but mitigation and a deep clean-out of the camper were still in order.  Mark determined that they’d made their way inside via palm fronds that were pressed up against the side of the camper.  He trimmed them back, vacuumed every crevice of the interior, and successfully killed the trespassers with diluted white vinegar.  

We spend the majority of our days outside until 7:30 p.m. when the first mosquito bites are felt.  At this point in the day, the camper is just starting to cool down enough to be inside.  Meanwhile, our friends are camping in a snowstorm in Arizona.  When a video clip of the powdery scene comes through on my phone, I feel a renewed sense of love for where we are.  It might be hot, it might be humid, but it’s paradise nonetheless, and I couldn’t be more glad to be here.

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