Until next time...


Yesterday was our last night with Nard in the group, our last week in Canoa and the first time the traveling foursome (Ehren, Jonas, Vern and myself) were surfing and sharing waves together. The sunset is my favorite time in Canoa and my favorite time to surf. Things seem quieter at this time. Like the waves this particular afternoon, the vibe in the water is playful and jovial.

The sun begins to make its descent towards the water, or rather the earth continues to glide on its axis in its natural rhythm much like the human breath. As the light reflects on the ocean, it looks like thousands of golden and orange fish swimming in unison beneath the water's surface. The sun is showcasing the last of its energy and prana on the earth and signifies the changing of day into night, light into dark. The smiling moon is already present and the clouds create a barrier between the sun and the moon. Below the cloud line, streaks of reds, oranges and yellows paint the sky with fire and above the cloud line, lay hues of sleepy blues and purples. Together, this creates the canvas of the ocean; turquoises so blue you understand the depth of the ocean and oranges so intense you feel the force of the waves.

As I watch this dance unfold, a sense of peace and gratitude come over me and I know that my time here is coming to an end. This realization makes me aware of the impermannce of life, the ever changing ebb and flow. In this short and quick month memories and relationships have formed that will forever be locked in time. This is a bittersweet aspect of traveling. The fact that travelers live a completely different lifestyle in it of itself brings fellow travelers together. After the initial "get to know you" dialogue, whichs takes no more than 10 minutes, relationships often progress forward with fewer "walls" and less judgement then in other situations. Spending two months with a travel friend can feel like lifetimes and living in a chosen location can feel like years. The concept of time is different, if exsistant at all, and each day is what you make of it. No plans, no restrictions, just an openess to explore and live in the present moment. Of course, it isn't always butterflies and rainbows but during this sunset it is exactly that...as I am coming in from catching my last wave, a group of butterflies fly over our heads and effortlessly float over the ocean. Ehren looks at me with a smile and tells me that change is on the way.

And indeed it is. I must prepare myself to move longer distances than to and from the ocean and to once again lug around my house on my back. There will be a reacclumation to high altitudes as we continue our pattern of going from the beach back to the mountains. But the hardest of them all will be to leave the town and friends here. The Surf Shak was our home in every sense of the word. Never in my life have I spent so many hours of the day sitting around the same table with the same people, laughing and chatting the day away. But as I have asked of this trip, when things get too comfortable, it is either time to go or perhaps times to stay. This time I will go. I learned some, lost some and lauged A LOT. Canoa gave me a place to return to and other places, like Sweden, that I must one day (hopefully sooner than later) visit. I learned to appreciate the beach life like never before, bagged some rays, brushed up on my surfing  and baked to my hearts content. Canoa showed me another style of traveling and instilled in me the many reasons of why I have chosen to embark on this journey.

Until next time, thank you Canoa for the friendship, fun and debauchery.

Now looking forward to getting away from the heat of the equator...back to the crisp air and mountain landscapes. And soon we will be five again, as Abbey (Ehren's girlfriend) will be joining the crew...new energy and scenery means new adventures.