A Beautiful Disaster: TBT: Mexico Edition

Spending the week at the Ecksteins' residence in Puerto Vallarta, Mexico was the trip of a lifetime to say the least.

Waking up every morning with fresh coffee and an endless menu of breakfast items awaiting,

lounging in the pool while platters of your drink of choice being brought to your side,

being serenaded by a mariachi band and having a real mexican fiesta in your own backyard...

ya, it was like a dream come true.

Except for one bright and sunny day....

It was the morning of March 16, 2011. The sun was shining, the sky was clear, and the waves were freaking tsunamis. Our sweet, surfer bra guy friends paddle out on their styrofoam surf boards in attempt to capture the 10 ft waves. Being the adventurers we are, Alix and I decided that we should probably join in with all the excitement. So we grabbed the ONLY boogie board we had… no string and all… and set sail on the ocean blue. It was all fun and games… until about 10 yards off shore. Then shit started to hit the fan. The next 10 minutes of our precious lives were spent under water… being plummeted by wave after wave after wave. Meanwhile, our boogie board was taken out from underneath us and was no where in sight. The next thing I knew, we were a mile off of the Mexican shore, no one near, and treading water as if we were on a bike being chased by a mountain lion. Alix was still having the time of her life (I’m convinced she chugged an espresso shot and shotgunned a Red Bull before we set sail). I, on the other hand, was quickly running out of energy.

What happens next… I will never forget. Alix continued to ramble on about whoever the HELL she could be talking about at a time like this when I looked at her, started crying and said “ALIX. WE CANNOT DO THIS ANY LONGER. I AM ABOUT TO DROWN” (at this point we had drifted another half mile off shore). Thank the Lord she finally took notice how serious our situation was. I mean.. think about that… a mile and a half off the shore being constantly rocked by huge waves with NOTHING to hold on to. Our poor legs felt like they belonged to Gumby.

The next 5 minutes are a blur… I balled my eyes out as Alix realized the end was near for us.

Then, all of the sudden, Clare Helow came floating up like an angel on a cloud, laughing, ON ALIX AND I’S LONG LOST BOOGIE BOARD.

The first thing she said to us?

“Erin, you look so ‘Blue Crush’ right now”

Ya. Imagine how funny that was to me. Anyways… I shared a few not-so-very-nice words with her as I continued to cry and the three of us made our way back to solid ground (on the leash-less boogie board).

After we finished kissing the mexican sand once we touched the surface, our feeble legs had to continue on the trek back to the house. Once we met our destination, I immediately ordered a cheeseburger with a side of fries and a cheese quesadilla for dessert. I mean, think about it… we probably burned at least 800 calories.

(WARNING: do not eat a 3 cheese quesadilla while "relaxing" in a hut tub. You will soon be face first in the toilet, throwing up what closely resembles a napkin for the next 30 minutes.)