Time is certainly flying by during my time off. To recap, after a solid week of studying I went to California to visit friends on a ski trip for a few days. I cut that trip short to return to Florida in time for Ian’s wedding, which was Saturday February 5th. Then I spent another week studying for the PE exam before finally taking it this past Monday.
I came out of the test feeling pretty good about it. The results will be posted by early next week so I’ll know how I did for sure soon enough. But I think I did ok. It didn’t seem as hard as the practice books I meticulously worked through. I probably got a few questions wrong but it seemed like I reached accurate solutions for a greater majority.
The next day following the PE exam, I went to the airport and flew to Guadalajara, Mexico. After landing in Guadalajara, I walked around the historic center of Tlaquepaque for a few hours. I drank some beers, unsuccessfully attempted to exchange money, had dinner on a rooftop next to a cathedral, and then took an Uber to the bus station. Around midnight, I boarded a bus for the 5-hour trip to Puerto Vallarta.
When I arrived in Puerto Vallarta it was still dark out. The city was dead asleep. I took an Uber to the Malecon which is a concrete pathway that runs along the beach and is populated with restaurants and shops. I was very tired when I got there and nothing was open, so I found a bench and dozed off for a few minutes. By the time I woke up, the sun was up and the city was coming to life around me. After a big breakfast, I walked the entire beach path of Puerta Vallarta before getting on a public bus heading to Sayulita. The 50-minute trip from Puerto Vallarta to Sayulita cost 50 pesos (~$2.50 USD).
Sayulita is a beautiful and lively beach town. It’s filled with young, attractive surfer types from all over. Even though I was tired from the prior near sleepless night, I managed to party late into the evening after my arrival. Each block has several small but bustling bars and restaurants. It was not difficult to make new friends and hop around socializing with others.
Today I slept in, switched hotels since the first one I had was only available for one night, ate al pastor tacos for a second time, and then spent a lazy afternoon at Playa de Los Muertos. This somewhat more secluded beach is a short walk away from town. Surprisingly, I actually haven’t surfed yet but I’ve been watching a fun-looking longboard wave right out front of the town. Tomorrow I’m going to rent a shortboard and hitch a ride to Punta de Mita to hopefully surf a larger, more aggressive break.