Goodbye Puerto!

View from the Puerto Escondido airport

Two months in paradise

After an extended 9 week stay in Puerto Escondido, it was finally time to say goodbye.

Staying in Puerto was an incredible experience, and it was hard to leave. I've had so much fun surfing and getting immersed in the community here. While my Spanish is still far from fluent, it has improved greatly, as have my surfing abilities. I became a 'regular' at more than one establishment in Riconada (the area where I lived), and I made so many great friends, with both locals and travelers alike.

Last week I had my 31st birthday, and was fortunate to share it with some great friends at Pinches Tacos (home away from home). They even surprised me with a cake! It ended up having nuts in the frosting (to which I am very allergic), so I had to cautiously only eat the cake part. It's the thought that counts, right?

While the surfing, scenery, and learning have all been great, it's always the people that share the experience with you, that really make the whole thing memorable. Here are some of the wonderful people I shared Puerto with:

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Flying from Puerto to Oaxaca with AeroTucan

When it came time to leave, I decided to book a flight, rather than take a bus. Due to the windy mountain roads, that are required for land travel to Oaxaca (my next stop), the bus can take anywhere from 6 to 10 hours! After doing some research online, I found two potential airlines that fly from Puerto to Oaxaca for around $100 USD. One is called Aero Vega, which is just one pilot who owns a plane or two and flies whenever he's free, and the other is AeroTucan, which has a desk at the airport, and a website.

Originally, I wanted to fly AeroVega, because I heard it was a bit cheaper, but I never could get in contact with the pilot. My email was unanswered, and he don't seem to have a webpage or official contact method. So instead, I flew with AeroTucan. I didn't know what to expect, but it turned out being a wonderful experience.

My flight was at 8am, and left right on time. The AeroTucan plane was a small single propeller airplane with room for about twelve passengers. The cabin was tiny, with no divider between the cockpit and the passengers, so you could see all the instruments on the dash. ​

I expected the flight to be like a roller coaster, with turbulence over the mountains, but it was actually very smooth. The views were amazing, and the total flight time was only about 30 minutes!

Beach just north of Zicatela

Crossing some misty mountains on the way to Oaxaca

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Oaxaca City

I'm now staying in an AirBnB apartment in central Oaxaca, and enjoying cooler weather and a more active city scene. Live music is constant, as street performers are out in the Zócalo (main square) every day. I'll also be meeting up with a friend, who I met last time I was here in early 2016. He's from Holland, but has been teaching English here in Oaxaca for the past three years or so.

It's hard to believe I'll be back in the states, and going back to work in a few weeks. Until then, I'll be soaking up as much Mexican food, culture, and nature as I can.