The Ties that Bind

We miss our people, our tribe. Especially now, during in what is low season in central Mexico (although why that is I am baffled), among empty campgrounds, we are missing those we love. With no new overlanders to connect with, our thoughts turn, even more, to friends back home.

Along with Jim’s parents, Jeanne, and Ed & Kate, during our time in Puerto Vallarta, we were blessed to have had Dave and Anne come and visit. Since they also popped down to San Diego during our repairs there, they now officially hold the title for friends we’ve seen the most these last eight months.

It is certainly not a new friendship. On the same day, back in September of 1997, Dave and I started at Grand European Tours. These last 19 years (wow… NINETEEN!) have brought endless memories of parties and dinners and camping. Memories of losses, of celebrations, of joy.

Our time in PV was…. HOT. We were fortunate enough that their arrival actually brought some relief to the humidity, but we were still a bit of a slow moving group. Luckily for us, one of our very favorite activities is eating and great food was in abundance.

Daily walks on the beach. Cocktails at sunset. Swims at the rooftop pool. Intensely contested games of Phase 10 and Mexican Train. Aspen, exhausted with more company, spent her afternoons carrying around Hedgehog to nap with.

One of the true joys of longtime friendships is that distance does not remove the ties that drew us all together in the first place.

We had heard of a make-your-own bloody mary bar at Casa Karma. Now, we KNEW we had to take them for this experience. Dave and I are bloody mary fiends from way back and a make-your-own bar… we were in! Casa Karma is set on a gorgeous hillside south of town, the scenery making the adventure all the better.

Once again, these great friends were our mules, bringing us our backpacking gear (!) that we had shipped home in January after the roofrack debacle, a van, new Chaco’s for me, and freshly roasted coffee beans (Thanks Ken & Wendy!) Lucky for us, they are carry-on travelers.

All too soon, our time was up, and we watched more loved ones head to the airport. Thankfully, these two are as travel crazy as we are so we’re sure we’ll see them again soon! Thanks for the great time guys. Until we meet again.