Last updated on March 18, 2022
Eleven years ago, I left a little town in Sri Lanka with a lump in my throat and tears in my eyes. I’d been there two months and fallen in love with the place and its people. Multiply that feeling by a hundred and you have how I feel today, leaving San Pancho behind.
For the past few days, we’ve been going through our goodbyes, having dinners with different friends, getting our final fixes of favourite tacos, cakes and breakfasts. The weekend was one long party, ending with Steve singing karaoke in Spanish on the beach (it seems he has quite the talent!). Shopkeepers have bequeathed us gifts, friends hatched schemes to make us stay – even Leila, our favourite dog, looked sad to see us go. When I arrived in San Pancho six months ago, nervous at the start of my yoga teacher training and with the intention to stay just a month, I never thought it’d become such a home.
Despite the sadness, we both know it’s time to move on. The San Pancho season is coming to a close, the weather is warming and more people leave as the weeks go by. As we explained a few weeks ago, we have the itch to explore other places. Later today, we’ll be in Mexico City, the antithesis of our beachside town. We lived in London for ten years so city life was once our ‘normal’. It will be interesting to see how it fares us now.
Two days later, we’re off to Tulum where we’ll celebrate my birthday next to the Caribbean and have one last bout of beach time before heading back to England. It’s fourteen months since we left there and we return with a mixture of excitement and apprehension. We’re delighted to be seeing friends and family, and re-visiting our favourite things, but nervous about the habits we maintained there and how our new selves will fit in.
We’ll be in Europe for six weeks – four in the UK and two split between Italy and Spain – going to a friend’s wedding, spending time in Bristol and London, taking a family holiday in Tuscany and visiting friends in Barcelona.
And we are off to…
Our next move was something we deliberated for months. We need a place where Steve can go deep into the edit of Continuum, and where I can concentrate on yoga and writing. More time in Europe, a return to Central America, time in India or elsewhere in Asia were all options we considered – until finally our minds were made up.
What we’ve decided on feels ideal and involves monkeys, yoga, a plethora of vegetarian food, and a peaceful place to work. Can you guess? We’re going to Bali, and more specifically to Ubud. It’ll be our first time in Asia together, the first time I’ve been back in ten years, and the first time for both of us in Bali. We get there in early June and can’t wait to see how it goes.
So although today our hearts our heavy with goodbyes, we see a lot of light ahead.
As Heraciltus said “Everything flows”.
Lovely post! It’s so difficult leaving a place you love but it sounds like you are going to have some amazing adventures in the future.
Love being inspired by your posts and it makes it easier counting down the days until we head off for our own big travelling escapade!
Ta muchly!
Thanks Rob. Good luck on your adventure! How many days til you leave?
7 months, so quite a few days. But they are flying by and it’s great to get our weekly travel fix from your blog.
Ah, it will fly by when you have something so great to look forward to! Enjoy 🙂
Beautiful post (as usual) Victoria! I know how difficult it is to part with places and people that you love, but it sounds like you guys have made the right decision. Hope you have a great birthday next to the Caribbean and good luck on your next adventure!
Unfortunately I’ll probably just miss you in London but maybe we’ll be in the same place again sometime!
Ah, that’s a shame. Would have been lovely to see you. I’m sure our paths will cross again soon. much love x
Oh that’s nice!
it is nice! Especially seen as we get to see you in Barcelona! x
Aw, I love, love, love that collage you made at the top of the faces from San Pancho. That’s a photo I know will trigger some major nostalgia in a couple years time. I miss you guys terribly, but wise words — I have faith that our lives will flow back into each others again one day. xo 🙂
It’s already triggering nostalgia in me. we’re missing you guys so much. I can’t wait until our paths cross again. Come to Bali!
Safe travels, and I look forward to following the journey.
Thanks Patti!
I can’t imagine a better choice for what you guys are wanting than magical Ubud!
Ooooh I’d love to get some tips from you guys. Blaire said you were there for a while and loved it. We can’t wait!
Dear Steve and Victoria , I am joey ,I live in mass between Boston and cape cod and San pancho .i have no idea how I happened upon this site but I was intrigued .your love for sanpancho is so paliable for me as we have owed our home on the corner across from the panteon for 20 years .i am not sure if you know us but I wish you love and happiness in your new adventures and I will live my life with just a bit more excitment and understanding of the world from your eyes .peace joey
Lovely to hear from you Joey. I’m sorry we didn’t get to meet in San Pancho – but we’ll definitely be back at some point, so hopefully next time. Thanks for your kind words.
I love the message at the top! It so does! Hope you enjoyed Tulum and had a happy birthday, Bali, specifically Ubud is another of my favourite places and you are going at the perfect time weather wise! Take a scooter ride to Ganung Kawi temple some day, happy adventuring!
Ooooh, Were you blogging in Bali? I’ll be sure to look up your tips.
Fourteen months is a long enough time to be away from ‘home’ and you did get to know San Pancho very well. I think you made an excellent choice to go to Bali, good luck and enjoy it.
Thanks Virginia. We leave in four weeks. Can’t wait to finally see what Bali is like!
Goodbyes are the worst… but it sounds as though you have developed a bond with this place and these people that will bring you back eventually! Good luck in the next leg of your adventure and I can’t wait to read about it!
Thanks Britany! We do miss it very much, but are very excited about Bali. Who know what this next adventure will bring?!
Goodbyes are always bittersweet but everything changes to stay fresh and exciting. I think it’s best to live in and love a place just long enough that it doesn’t become mundane or routine. Besides, moving is kind of a leap of faith right? Staying in one place is easy and comfortable but you’ll never walk on water if you don’t get out of the boat!
Sarah & Ricky
Lovely and wise words — thank you! It definitely was a good decision to move on but that doesn’t mean we’re not missing San Pancho terribly. We’re in a sort of limbo right now in the UK, but who know what Bali will bring. We’re excited to see how it goes. I love your blog design. It’s very pretty.
Lovely and wise words — thank you! It definitely was a good decision to move on but that doesn’t mean we’re not missing San Pancho terribly. We’re in a sort of limbo right now in the UK, but who know what Bali will bring. We’re excited to see how it goes. I love your blog design. It’s so beautifully done.
Well I’m sure Sarah and I will be following your adventures. We were actually just talking about how awesome it is that you guys are able to travel so much in one of those “what’s their secret!?” kind of jealous moments. Thanks very much, and thank you for look at our page! Sarah is the creative behind the whole thing- I just try to take decent pictures when it’s my turn and help us network to other cool blogs. Haha
Happy Travels you two. Lots to see and do in this world and you are doing it! It is hard to break the mold again and again, but what a reward you might find inside!
Peace and Love and as always, Safe Travels,
Nicole
MERGE Magazine
Thanks Nicole. It is indeed difficult breaking the mould but the benefits are certainly worth it. Peace and love to you too.
Ahh…this resonates with me so much as I’m leaving Thailand in a couple weeks for…an undetermined amount of time. Good luck on your journey!
Ah, that’s a shame you’re leaving Thailand. We’ll be there at some point over the next few months. I heard you’re going to the Blog House. Have an awesome time. They are a lovely bunch of people. Wish I could be there again too!
I always seem to find myself having fits of heartache when I leave a place I love… and even when I think about the place/look at photos I get all emotional. But change is always good and your plans sounds amazing!
I’m not sure why this post is only just appearing on my RSS Feeder (even though it was written in April) but I saw you’re heading to Bali in June… me too! First time in Southeast Asia and pretty nervous/excited about it, but the promise of delicious food is reassuring 🙂
Happy travels!
Hi Kilee, Sorry about the RSS blunder. I recently changed my provider and messed up the tech transition. t should work properly from now on! That’s great you’ll be in Bali too. We’ll be in Ubud so so let us know when you’re there. It’d be great to meet for a drink. Happy travels 🙂
Oh you’re going to love Ubud. It was one of my favourite places in Asia and one of those places I expected to stay for a week and ended up staying a month. It’s great that you have something so exciting to look forward to 🙂
That’s great to know you loved Ubud too. I trust we have similar taste 🙂 We leave in less than 2 weeks so are getting pretty excited!