Hang Out Type: Get Away Hang (Immediate Friends)

CJ jokes, "That time you were in Portland it was like you were in a black hole. It must have been hard for you to not be in contact with me". It was hard and it was true. I had spent years dipped out of the circle of my oldest friends. On some self induced loner quest through the west coast in search of something that I am not sure of. In these last few years I have been trying to be more balanced in maintaining ties and continuing on my own personal venture. One way to do it is to plan a getaway with your nearest and dearest. Combining the perks of road trip (stop at random country spot,ROBERT IS HERE ), site seeing and lounging, the get away allows the space for you to relax and the space for random chat and intimate moment. This past weekend I spent getting some of that keeping-ties time in, having a get-away weekend in the Florida Keys with said old friends. It pays to make that intentional time with your closest friends, with the folks who know you best. Giving yourself a chance to mend and regroup from the world/community that you normally inhabit that may not know you as intimately or well. You renew your bonds to one another and then at the end huddle up and say "go team" with renewed energy to continue on your own personal journeys. Personal Side Note: If you have never been to Florida I am sure you want to know, "What's up with Florida?!" I am a fan of the state and while difficult for me to slow down a little bit after the whirlwind that was moving through Latin America and difficult not to be home with the whirlwind that is Sandy, I enjoyed the peace of mind my time here allowed me. For me Florida is real subtle breezes and sun, salt water and springs, tropical fruit and lizards, cruisers and one-story sandy colored buildings. I spent most my time doing yard work in random yards, seeking out fruit and laying in the sun. This was my first time in the keys. We stayed at a woman's land called Sugar Loaf Woman's Village on Upper Sugar Loaf Key, that provided us a totally tranquilo and private space to chill with one another. Among it's variable adorable structures and flora, my favorite spot on the land of course was the outdoor shower with hecka warm water. We spent a day at a dug out quarry full of coral and tropical fish. I didn't move much from my sunning spot but my friends took frequent dips and gave themselves full body masks from a muddy spot on the shore. Plenty of things to do here and if you are ever headed down this way please feel free to hit me up so I can give you the insider Floridian tips on how to enjoy the real Florida.

VOLVER

Playing with these coffee farm dogs was perhaps the happiest that I have been in a decade. I have just returned from approximately 52 days of travel through Central America and nibbled on South America a bit spending a good chunk of time in Colombia (with two travel team mates). Now just three weeks away from returning to New York, folks keep saying "it's a good thing you're not there right now" but I am a bit sad I am not. I have affinity for the city now and it seems wrong not to be there helping in some way but rather spending my hours for the most part lounging in Florida. Currently I am hanging out in Lake Worth, Florida, where you get to see random weird things at sea level. Much to discuss on hanging out through the epic journey and will get to it little by little. While staying at a hostel at previosuly mentioned coffee farm in Salento,Quindío,Colombia, I griped once again about staying at backpacker hostels to an 18 yr old Mexican girl whose post-high school graduation involved traveling for a few months through Latin America. She says, "I like it because you get to meet like minded people". And perhaps this was the source of my disgruntledness, I was not with like minded people. Meeting world travelers I at first would be slightly intimidated by what they had seen and the multiple languages they could speak. And in general they were fairly impressive and kind people. But after awhile what I saw in them mostly were folks getting away from something and instead of an empowered wander lust I just saw wafting lonliness. My interpersonal solace came mostly from my team mates and from interacting with local folks at every level who seemed stable, clear eyed and generous. My fellow hostel bunking travelers were driftwood and I was looking for a rock. Picture courtesy of Denise H.