The Beach, Finally!

Today I went to the beach for the first time! Yes… I’ve been here a week and am just now getting to the beach.  I only went for an hour and a half (lots of work to do), but hopefully tomorrow or Sunday I’ll be able to spend a chunk of time getting some sun! 

The beach I went to was called Secret Beach, and it was just a short drive down the road.  It was a public beach, but a little more secluded than some of the beaches off the main highway, which runs right along the coast at points.  Once I parked, it was a long, steep hike to get to the actual sand!  There was a dirt trail that led down through the rainforest and came out at the back of the beach.  Here’s a picture looking back up the hill I’d just climbed down.  You can’t tell how steep the incline is, but trust me—it was steep!  I had to take my flip flops off because I kept sliding.  The hike back up was just as challenging, especially after laying out on a hot beach for an hour with nothing to drink (next time I’ll throw some bottled water in my bag and take periodic dips in the ocean!) 

 The beach was… beautiful, as I expected.  The water here is blue-green, crystal-clear.  The only beaches I’ve seen that even come close to rivaling Secret were in the Bahamas, but those were so commercial and touristy.  Secret was mostly deserted—a smattering of people here and there.  I only went in the water up to my hips… the waves were too big for me to want to swim alone (not huge… 4 feet, I’d say… guess I’m a wimp.)  The color in this photo hasn't been enhanced at all.  

All in all, it’s been a good first week.  I’m pretty lonely at times… but not in an unhappy/sad way… just in an achy sort of way that makes me choke up whenever I think about coming home next month. There are people here to talk to… the maid is a sweetheart (an older lady), and his other assistant (a few years older than me, I’d say) comes by once a week.  But they're not the friends whom I've known for years and can have comfortable silences with.  (Yes, I'm aware that I ended a sentence with a preposition; no, I don't care.)

Don’t be concerned—I’m happy.  How could I not be?  I’m living in paradise.  I’m living on once of the most beautiful islands in the world, in a gorgeous mansion with the best view on the island (says my employer, and I think he’s right), surrounded by quality people, getting paid good money, having time to write… I’m living in paradise.  My employer, though he is humble and down-to-earth, appreciates the good things in life.  Because he has the money, everything he owns or invests time in is of the utmost quality (vehicles, furniture, appliances, entertainment, food…), and I reap the benefits of his wealth, as well.  He’s been very gracious about making sure I’m as comfortable as I can be.  I’m living in paradise. 

But as comfortable as I am living in the luxury of paradise, nothing will ever compare to the utmost comfort of family, of friends, of home.