Last updated on June 27, 2022
There’s something I can’t get off my mind.
I return to my ‘blog post ideas’ list but nothing takes my fancy. How to couchsurf safely, why animo is such an awesome word, and an ever-growing list of why we love San Pancho. They’ll come one day, but it’s hard to focus on anything else when the mind is consumed.
Those of you who read our newsletter may be able to guess what it is – the mega idea that’s got me doing sums, scouring Pinterest and abseiling down jungle slopes.
I didn’t want to mention it until a decision had been made, but it turns out that could take a while, so in place of a looming silence or forced words, I’ll share our story with you.
For years, I have dreamed of opening a retreat centre somewhere around the world – a place where people can connect back to nature and themselves. I envision a beautiful house in stunning surrounds with little yurts or tipis in the garden – a place for meditation, yoga, delicious food and time away from everyday life.
The biggest obstacle to this dream was finding the right place for it – somewhere that both Steve and I loved, and wanted to spend more than a few months living in.
It didn’t seem as though that would happen anytime soon. Despite visiting hundreds of amazing places over the past year and on tons of trips before, nothing ever made us think: “Yes, we want to live here”. And that was okay. We weren’t in a rush, and we felt happy to travel on until the right place presented itself – if it ever did at all.
And then we found San Pancho. What began as the location for my yoga teacher training course, has become a place we call home. Each day the town unfolds a little further, and we fall a little deeper in love. After a while, we reached a point where the unexpected revealed itself: perhaps this is where we should buy land.
Two months and endless viewings and research later, we are edging closer towards the dream. We know the area we like, surrounded by jungle and with a view out to sea. Options are emerging, and we’ve found an architect and engineer who are so completely on the same page that it feels like a conspiracy of the universe that we ever found each other. All signs point to this being the right thing to do, but that’s not to say we haven’t had doubts. Is this a whim? Will we change our minds? Can we afford it? Is this what we want? Can we really do it?
And right now, we think we can. The plan isn’t to stay here year-round. We’d leave during the humid summer and travel elsewhere around the world. There are still so many other places we want to explore. Perhaps one day we’ll create a second base, somewhere closer to home, or always use it as a time to travel. Nothing is certain on that front, but we have thought long and hard, and for now, we know this feels right. We love this town, its vibrant community and the laid-back pace of life. It’s a place of healing and the perfect place to retreat. We are happier here and feel more at home than we ever have anywhere else.
So that is why I’m distracted right now and struggling to write about other things. I hope you’ll enjoy reading about this adventure amid stories of travel elsewhere – it’s set to be our biggest yet. And have a look at my Pinterest boards (Casa Capomo, Selva Azul and A place to call home) if you’re intrigued to see our vision.