I did what the people said I would and extended my trip
Harmony was amazing about the roach situation. After a quick meeting with Amelia, the manager of the hotel, the team turned the room upside down with a deep clean, removed the headboard from the room, where I worried my enemies were living, and covered a few small holes in the door to the outdoor deck. They comp'ed me for my sleepless night, and I agreed to stay for the remaining 2 nights, hoping the swift work they did solved our problem. It did, and I write to you after a deep 8 hours of sleep!
I was supposed to do a sunrise surf with Sarah, but opted out, as I felt like a zombie after no sleep. I laid low for most of the day. Coffee, reading, pool, beach, sunset, solo dinner. Several of my new friends asked if I wanted to get together for various activities, but I respectfully declined. It is really nice to like hanging out with myself - especially Nosara Kiki, who is honestly one of the chillest people I know. This is something that didn't always feel so easy, but now I crave it.
I met Elyse at Rolling Waves. She is 34 and from Ottowa. There are many Canadians here! She just finished a week-long yoga retreat and is here solo for the rest of this week. After helping me decide between the black or white Rolling Waves hat, we sat and had coffee together. Of all of the people I have met, I felt the most innately drawn to her. She is bubbly, open, funny - a bright light that I believe has depth, though we haven't gone "there" yet. We exchanged numbers and have a dinner date tonight!
As I lounged in the shade by the pool, I watched 4-year old Talula take a swim lesson. Her dad, Humphrey, sat and watched, cool as can be. Much respect for Humphrey, as I felt the urge to jump into the pool and grab "TuTu" whenever her head was submerged for one moment beyond my comfort. Humphrey and his family are here from NYC, where they split time between an apartment on 13th and University (blocks from my apartment!) and East Hampton. They came here on January 1st and are staying at Harmony until April 1st. I asked what he and he wife do for work (so I could apply immediately) and he said that neither of them work, a somewhat unique situation. I waited a moment for him to elaborate on the "situation", but he didn't. As I walked away, I remembered that Harmony is owned by John Jonhson, a J&J heir and the co-founder of BuzzFeed, and his wife Susan Short. I assumed perhaps there is some relation.
Fueled by curiosity, I found this article.
“[Harmony] is really a reflection of our idea of luxury, which isn’t about lying on the beach while someone chases you around with a chilled eucalyptus towel,” said Short, noting specific decisions made in the hotel’s design to distance it from more traditional upscale resorts: Rooms with exposed beams and terra-cotta floors are accented by swooping hammocks but no TVs; supple bedding and private outdoor showers but no room service. “We wanted a place where you can surf till sunset, strip down naked, and take a shower under the stars.”
Short and Johnson met surfing in Nosara in 2002 and were married here a year later. Dreams! I would never tell them about my high-maintenance reaction to nature finding it's way into my bed, but am proud to share that I have yet to take a shower inside. They succeeded in maintaining Nosara's integrity and honing a more natural extravagance.
I love all of Nosara's eccentricities. The sweet molasses poured on parts of the dirt road to contain dust storms, the wavy lines created by sand fleas in the otherwise smooth sand, the daily, intermittent loss of power because the town has grown faster than the electrical infrastructure has matured. And, of course, the "narcotic trance" described in the article: "surfing at sunrise and sunset, catching yoga classes before ceviche lunches, having epiphanic conversations about our lives, and vowing to return as soon as possible." All reasons for extending my trip by 4 nights, which I finally executed in my sleepy state yesterday.
Yesterday's phases of the sunset were my favorite yet. After kicking around with a few strangers until it was too dark to see, I meandered to Sendero for a glass of chilled red, a crispy rice tuna roll, and some research on alternative medicine. I am interested in whether or not a one-stop-shop for learning about [the various types of and uses for] and accessing quality alternative medicine exists in the US. In my cursory research, it does not. I am also not yet sure how "quality" would be defined. More thinking to be done, as, the more I learn, I believe alternative and integrative medicine are powerful compliments to traditional medicine. Don't worry I have not gone full apothecary Monica, chamomile to treat an eye that needs antibiotics - yet, at least!
Last night I learned that David Whyte is currently in Nosara and I am low key freaking out. Aside from my kindle, one of the most iconic tech inventions that connects us to the vast literary world in the click of a button (I cannot believe Amazon still isn't paying me commission), I brought 1 physical book - DW's Consolations. As you now know, I revisit his words and poetic imagination often. I am in awe of how his writing touches and moves me in a different way every time I read. So, I just followed him on Instagram and plan on sending him an introduction and request to have coffee - "shoot my shot", if you will. I'll let you know how it goes.
XO,
Kelsey
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