Getting Out Alive

With a gentle awakening, "hey man, how are you feeling?"

"Better," I said.

"Do you think you can make it to the airport?"

"Yeah... I think so."

"Alright go hop in the shower, you have thirty minutes to pack."

It was roughly 5:45am that Tuesday morning when I hopped in the shower. Pulling off my clothes that smelt strongly of sweat infused with garlic, I felt like Hercules compared to the day before.

During the previous night I came down with some sort of sickness. Possibly a bad case of Montezuma's Revenge or even Salmonella. Perfect timing for my flight leaving the next morning. I laid in bed that day too sick to stand. Too weak to talk. It was the sickest I'd ever been in my life.

I wasn't the only one however. The entire town seemed to be getting sick at varying degrees. Many of the surfers in the Mexi Log Fest were getting sick too; some even had to go home early. So when I was well enough to shower that morning I felt like I was somehow escaping the zombie apocalypse.

Still feeling weak, I carried my bags down the dimly lit street to the bus station at the edge of town. Setting my backpack in the dirt, I paid the thirty-five pesos to take the bus to Puerto Vallarta then shuffled into my seat. Looking around the interior of the bus, the faded teal paint was slightly pealing off. At the front of the bus was a stencil of Jesus' face and two stars.

The diesel Mercedes engine lurched to a start. The bus rocked gently between shifting gears. Noticing speed bumps ahead in the dim halogen headlights and trying to process the current speed of the bus, I concluded that we weren't slowing down. Hitting the speed bump the bus jumped and the shocks squeaked. The bus was getting air. No one seemed to be phased and we continued to hit speed bumps in the same manner. Leaning back in my seat, I looked out the window and watched the sunrise as I made my way to Puerto Vallarta thankful that I was feeling good again.

Sayulita Mexico and the Mexi Log Fest

Walking in the street as if it were a sidewalk, we weave around the cars, trucks, motorcycles, and quads as they chatter along the cobblestone road. Colorful buildings in different shades of bright colors, masked in a thin layer of dust, creates what probably used to be a small fishing village into a small town that has broadened it's horizons to tourism.

Mid day surf excursion

Mornings with a view

I've come to Sayulita Mexico for several reasons. One is that one of my cousin's got married here, I'm also meeting my friends Chet and Karen (my friends I will be traveling with now) here who came for a wedding, and my other cousin Robin who has been living here for the past four years. I've been to Sayulita Mexico a couple times before, but have little memories of it since I was so young. Robin said that it probably has changed so much that I wouldn't recognize much of it anyways.

My cousin Robin who was excited upon my arrival wanted to go camping at a surf spot down south after our cousin's wedding. However, we decided to stay because the first Mexi Log Surf Contest, along with a film festival and concert headlined by the Dirty Heads was happening. The brainchild of a local surfer decided that it would be awesome to have a contest that hosted some of the best longboarders from around the world. 

Prior to the contest, the water was tense with the competitors practicing for the upcoming contest. It's extremely rare to have a a lineup of thirty talented surfers trying to get into position for the same wave. 

While there was a competitive vibe in the air, it was awesome, humbling, and inspiring to see some of the best surfers in the world compete. Not to mention Robin also competed and surfed with the style and grace that many surfers desire to have. She surfed extremely well but in her first heat got paired with some of the best surfers including world champion Lindsey Steinriede. Even though she didn't advance too far ahead we enjoyed relaxing and watching the contest over the next three days. 

Over the sound of the the announcers from the judges stand, it was awesome making new friends and watching the longboarders slide and dance across the water. Not to mention Chet and Karen are here! 

To get an idea of what longboarding is about, here is a great video of Alex Knost surfing.

Lines from a Poem - Alex Knost