The question of the day: where would I drive to next? I was in San Juan del Sur, Nicaragua for the weekend because I had found a last minute inexpensive flight and some car deals.
I posed this to myself as I sipped refreshing mango margaritas poolside. In the midst of my welcoming dilemma, I struck up a conversation with an American man lounging nearby. He was visiting San Juan del Sur with friends, whom he was hoping would buy some property that he was selling. He told me that I needed to check out Playa Coco before I left. In fact his words were, “It has an epic beach with the best sunset in Nicaragua.“ Always a sucker for sunsets that leave me speechless, I was convinced this place was to not be missed.
Now, keep in mind that this man told me that it would take about 20 minutes to get there and that it was an easy drive. The sun was already beginning to set by the time that I got on the road. Thus, time was of the essence.
Within 10 minutes of the drive, the road brought me into a tropical rain forest and it was no longer paved, rather it contained copious amounts of potholes. I knew at this point that it was going to take a lot longer than 20 minutes to get there and it was not going to be an easy drive in my unpredictable, small car.
Also, there were no signs and I was having to stop and ask if I was going the right way every couple of miles. Normally, I would have just relaxed into the journey, but I was concerned with every minute passing, since I was chasing the fleeting sun. To make matters worse, the potholes and the hills became larger. I almost got stuck countless times (sans cell phone).
Over an hour later and about 5 years off of my life, I arrived to my final destination. I quickly ordered a margarita to calm my nerves and than began to wander around the beach. It was most certainly impressive and I had it all to myself. There is nothing quite like a deserted beach.
I then grabbed a seat and let nature work her magic in front of my eyes.
And while the man that told me about Playa Coco was wrong on pretty much every account, he certainly was not wrong about the sunset. Thank you, oh thank you Universe, for making our paths cross, so that I could find out about this unforgettable place!
As the sun disappeared over the horizon, I thought to myself that usually the most beautiful places in life are the ones that require the most work to get to. In that moment, I felt such peace and I hope that I can return to that place in my mind when I get stressed in the future.
Sometimes you just have to let go, especially when traveling. If you do, it can lead you to some pretty spectacular places. I have always loved the quote, “Tell life your plans and watch her laugh.“ I think that sentiment is so true, because this was definitely the perfect ending to my trip and it was not in my plans.
