by January in Colorado means short days, freezing temperatures, and treacherous roads. My birthday falls in the coldest stretch, and Iâve always envied summer celebrations in warm weather. For my 50th, I had a doctorâs appointmentâhardly a celebration. But as I sat in the waiting room to be called by a nurse, my husband whispered, âLetâs do something spontaneous, like go to Mexico.â At first, I laughed, but as the nurse took my blood pressure, I thought, âWhy not?â
That night, we searched for last-minute deals and found an affordable getaway to Puerto Vallarta. While researching, we found out Puerto Vallarta is broken down into 3 zones. A direct flight and an ocean-view room at Hotel Mio in the Hotel Zone https://hotelmiovallarta.com.mx/en/ sealed the deal. The hotel wasnât directly on the beach, but it had beach access and thatâs all I needed. I kept the trip short and affordable, one day for beach relaxation, one for exploringâ I craved a little warmth, sun & this fit the bill while staying within a tight budget. But I kept fretting about whether we should spend the extra money we hadnât budgeted for.
The night we arrived, I got devastating newsâmy uncle had passed unexpectedly at 66, just after retiring. As I processed my grief, I realized: this is exactly why we took the dam trip. Life is unpredictable and we must seize lifeâs opportunities. The next day, I sat on the beach, mourning my uncles passing. I thought about the ripples he left in my life–his kindness and love for adventure. It was then I knew taking this trip wasn’t frivolous. It was part of my own ripples and a way to carry his legacy forward. That evening, we watched the sunset from our hotelâs rooftop pool. As the sky changed colors, whales surfaced, spouting mist and flapping their tails in a mesmerizing dance, sending ripples in every direction. I wanted to believe it was my uncle waving goodbye, reassuring me he was moving on to his next journey.
For dinner, we ventured off the tourist path and found a family-owned taco stand, Tacos Arturo https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100070448126076&sk=about. Ten bucks got us incredible street tacos, and the cook playfully tried to convince me to try âtacos de lenguaâ (tongue). We shared a good laugh over my broken Spanish telling her “no tongue for me!”
The next day, we explored Puerto Vallartaâs Romantic Zone, visiting Galleria Dante http://www.galleriadante.com/ and chatting with local artists. When I shared my whale story, one artist gently explained the truthâhumpbacks migrate to Banderas Bay to mate and nurse their young. It wasnât a sign from my uncle, but the moment was still magical as I recalled precious memories with him. We then wandered through the stunning mosaic-filled Lazaro Cardenas Park before savoring shrimp tostadas at Las Brazzas Grill https://www.tripadvisor.com/Restaurant_Review-g150793-d3846244-Reviews-Las_Brazzas_Grill-Puerto_Vallarta.html. For $30, we had an amazing meal for 2 while supporting local businesses.
This spontaneous trip was exactly what we needed. Though my theory about my uncleâs farewell was dis proven, Iâll always treasure that sunset and my memories of life with my uncle. Every journey we take, every experience we embrace, creates a ripple that extends beyond us. Life is fleeting, inspire others, grow and connect. Tomorrow isnât promised. Take the dam trip! Live for the ones whose journeys were cut too short and spread ripples for someone you love.
