I‘m starting to think that we should rename this blog to “Stories I Never told My Mom” OR “Blackmail on Sarah”. We’ve barely scratched the surface of our travel adventures and so far you have heard about:
- “The Great Doughnut Meltdown of Chicago” (here),
- “The Sicilian Parking Lot Prostitute Scandal of 2017” (here), and
- “The Cave Glutton of the Mediterranean” (here)
I haven’t even written titles to some of my best incidents like being stranded on the side of the road in Tunisia (where my beginner level French is better than my nonexistent Arabic), backpacking in a dress suit across the US/Mexico border, or being lost in the French train system. Let’s just say I have my fair share of moments. So many, in fact, that I tend to forget about them until a trigger reminds me of it years later.
Triggered
Fast forward to this week. I’m sitting at my desk and working on a customized trip to Puerto Vallarta for a client. I start thinking about how lovely it was and how much fun I had with my friends. I started going through my photos on my phone to remember everything that we did. We went to the Botanical Garden, we took an excursion to see a live show native to the Puerto Vallarta, and we ate until our hearts were content.
Honestly, I remember being happy. So much so, that my initial reaction to this photo was “aww, look how cute we were.”
Once I started looking closer I realized how much make up I was wearing. Why the heck was I wearing so much? Were we a couple at this point? Was I laying my game on as thick as my makeup? I don’t remember any of this…wait…why am I so red?
Ah, and there it was. The Trigger. I ALMOST DIED.
I’ve always been slightly terrified of suffocating to death. Ask my mom and she will tell you that I had a panic attack trying a CPAP machine (something that is supposed to help you breath). To me: drowning is just a form of that.
So needless to say, maybe I initially repressed this memory until it all came flooding (pun intended) back to me this week. I was suddenly haunted with this memory of my head hitting the ocean floor. I was tumbling in the waves with water in my lungs. Confused and disoriented.
Yes, I got pulled under in the undertow on my “relaxing” beach day.
Lived to see the dinner show
I was sharing this memory with Dylan and he suggested that I write some “ocean safety tips”. However, Surfer Today states that undertows are “only dangerous for small children”. So, I decided that I was unqualified and should leave the safety tips to the professionals (here).
Instead, I will recommend my favorite excursion in Puerto Vallarta – Rhythms of the Night. The excursion starts by taking a sunset cruise to a secluded bay equipped with a natural outdoor amphitheater. The second you arrive, the show starts.
There are dancers, drummers, and acrobats dressed in full costume as you are ushered through the jungle to the amphitheater. Once there, you witness an incredible Cirque du Soleil performance filled with everything from acrobats to fire dancers. The night is complete with a massive buffet dinner on the beach under tiki torches and a cruise back to port.
Acrobats during the show
After dinner relaxation spot
The excursion was an incredible evening experience that I would highly recommend to anyone visiting the area. Honestly, it completely overshadowed my near death experience the day before. If you are interested, you can find more information on ticketing and pricing here.
Lastly, I hope I didn’t discourage you from swimming in the ocean. As long as you are not a “small child”, like myself apparently, then you shouldn’t have to display more caution then normal.
Don’t forget to subscribe and as always, Happy Travelling!
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