We have been our own tour guides here. Every day, we utilize the internet to find our next adventure. Every place/beach/hike has at least two names here, so it requires some digging to piece it all together, but we always find something to do. I think that is my favorite thing about this place. I hate going to gyms and exercising without intention. Throw some adventure in, and I am all about it. The wonderful climate and the diversity in the ecosystem give way to plenty of outdoor activities here.
One of our adventures this past week was a hike through the jungle to get to a secluded beach. It was described on a blog as a 2.5 mile hike. If you are like me, that didn’t sound like a big deal. But let me tell you something, it was closer to 3 miles and it took over an hour to get through the jungle. That may not sound bad either, but it was dark and muddy and every time a coconut fell off in the distance, I had a hard time convincing myself that we weren’t going to have to run for our lives. We also spotted fresh tracks in the mud that looked like a cat’s paw print (then I couldn’t convince myself that something wasn’t watching us from above in the trees). It was all a little scary, but when we made it to the clearing, it was magical. An incredibly large sea turtle was banked on the beach (one of many that we later discovered). We were all alone with them. One of them swam up to us and around us as if he were glad to see us and the others laid out on the rocks soaking up the sun. I am not sure that I understand their ability to swim underwater while holding their breath for such long periods of time (I will definitely need to do some research about them). There is something so calming and peaceful about these creatures. I am in love with them. But I am not going to lie, I dreaded the long hike back to our car.
I am also enjoying bedside nursing (my first love). I took a role here as a charge nurse so that I could work shift work instead of Monday-Friday and being on call 24/7 as a director. I am scheduled for 3 days/week and have 4 off, which gives us plenty of time to enjoy this mystical place (and more freedom than I have had in years). What I didn’t expect was to fall in love with direct patient care all over again. So much so that I am re-evaluating what is next in my career.
Of note: 1. chickens run free here. They are on the roads and in the ditches, they even visit the hospital and run around the lawn. 2. Police utilize their personal vehicles while on duty. It brings a whole new meaning to “unmarked” cars. 3. Hamsters, snakes, and hummingbirds are banned here.
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