You are probably wondering ummm Jaime it has not been two years and also one month since you left. Well let me explain. Yes it has been exactly two years since I was arrested for drinking and driving and exactly one month since I left everything behind and hit the road. As I sit here on the balcony of the hostel I am staying at in Monteverde, Costa Rica I still can’t believe it. Its kind of crazy to think that in the past 2 years my life has changed completely.
Holding a real STAR FISH in the middle of... I have no clue!!!
Two years ago today I was arrested for drinking and driving. Yes I made a huge mistake I spent 17.5 hours in jail and paid the consequences. After all that a new me emerged and I love him. Looking back at my mistake I honestly would not change a thing. Yes it cost me a lot of $$$ and also a lot of heartache, but in the end if it wasn’t for that I wouldn’t be who or where I am today. It turned my world around and made me grow up and think about what I was doing with my life. I didn’t know at the time that 12 months of probation would give me a travel bug I am now curing. It’s kind of silly to say this, but I thank God for the DWI. I know for a fact I would still be wasting my days working to live paycheck to paycheck and then spend my free time getting drunk at the local bars.
Holding a baby snake while visiting Red-Frog Beach in Bocas Del Toro, Panama!
I let my thoughts and dreams consume me while I was on probation and while getting this trip together. I was scared as hell and even thought I was being selfish. Now I am living my dream! I am so happy with my life it is surreal. I have never been so happy. I love that I am seeing new cities/towns meeting new people just about every day. I am discovering things about myself that I never knew. I am also discovering things about our world that I would have never discovered other wise. I could say for a fact I sure as hell don’t regret changing my plans and leaving early. I can also say hands down doing this has been the best thing I have ever done in my life.
I am not trying to paint a picture that every day is amazing, because trust me it is not. I have had my ups & down. I have also had a few days (okay 3) where I do nothing. Sometimes I do feel guilty for not doing anything, but the way I see it is this is not a vacation where I am trying to cram everything in in 3-7 days. This is now my life, I have 2 years to see everything I want to see. I actually plan on writing a post about that so I will rant later.
Simon, Erin, Dani, Jessica & Me on spending the day on a catamaran in Bocas Del Toro, Panama!
Through out the month I have had so many moments where I just want to pinch my self because I just couldn’t believe it. My 1st 48 hours were amazing; yes I had a mini-melt down one week in. I also had a very nice welcome to Panama City (someone asked to see my penis…very crazy), spent 3 nights in David, Panama that I fell in love with. Also one month in my kiss count has gone through the roof. I have gone skinny-dipping twice and have also been scandalous in Manuel Antonio. I also had the chance to meet Simon & Erin from Never Ending Voyage and also spend 2 weeks traveling with Jessica & Dani from Globe Trotter Girls.
I cannot complain I am loving life. I am looking forward to many more months of travel ahead. For now I am trying to get my itinerary together for Central America and Mexico (so far I have just been winging it with no real plan). Since I now know I will be heading home on June 21 (from Cancun) I need figure out what I want to see. I promised my best friend Erika I would not miss her wedding for the world so I am going to be there. After the wedding I will then head off to Europe and the rest of my round the world trip as I had planned.
I know I said this before, but I am going to say it again. Let your dreams and thoughts consume you. They may seem crazy now, but when you are living it its going to seem even more fucking crazy!!! Go for it and “BREAKAWAY” from anything and everything you want to “BREAKAWAY” from!!!
Oh & before I leave my favorite moment so far of the whole trip is a less than 15 minute chat I had with indigenous kids in the mountains of Boquete, Panama. It was all worth it just for that.
Me talking with a few indigenous kids I met in the mountains near Boquete, Panama.
All pictures are courtesy of Dani & Jessica from Globe Trotter Girls!
And you promised THIS friend Erica that you would have a margarita with her.
Erica recently posted..Sydney Rocks
LOL yes I sure did and I mean it!!! Once I get into Guatemala I will be chatting with you to see where you are at and where we can meet up!!!
Just not Cancun… I know for sure I will be busy with all my family that will be there for the wedding!!!
PUES QUE HICISTE CON LOS NIÑOS, JAIME???? QUE FUE EL MEJOR MOMENTO???? LMFAO
I do like u better this way than the old Jaime… I mean it, amigo… Way to go!
I miss you and I expect to be joining you in Cancún 😀
QUE COCHINO… me la pase hablando con ellos y me esieron amar mi vida y la vida much mas. Son tan inosentes y tan feliz. Y la risa que tenian…
Thanks for like’ing the new Jaime better jajaja. I miss you too and fuck yes see you in Cancun!!! EEEeeee can’t wait it’s gonna be so much fun!!!
oh man Jaime I sit here reading this post I literally had tears streaming down my cheeks! I am so happy you are living your dream! Being truly happy in life is all that matters! Even though it took something like a DWI to open up your eyes you did! And that is fucken awesome! Breaking away is probably the BEST thing you have done! Have fun in Cancun and I will be seeing you in Vietnam! Mark my words!
Awww Mon don’t cry!!! Thanks for being so supportive of everything I have gone through and my choice to travel the dream. I love you and miss you & girl I am going to hold you to that. Keep saving your pennies you are coming!!!
You are amazing!
xoxo
QueenB
Thanks Boo~
Loved the post Jaime. Didn’t like the snake picture though….petrified of them. Oh well, just another fear I’ll have to tackle when I do my RTW. I sure hope I have as many friends out there as you do when I head out! I’m thinking next year. Just have to get this Europe trip under my belt, cash out the 401K and sell the boat! 🙂
Have a wonderful time!
Thanks Cheri… yeah I was scared at 1st of the snake but then once I had him/her a bit it was kinda cool. Well I know for sure you will have my support so tackle fear head on and go for it. Doing Europe will be fine your going to love it!!!
Jaime, I’m so proud of you for all that you’ve accomplished, and you still have so much more to come! Very inspirational post, gets me so excited to travel. Not that it takes much to get me excited about travel 🙂
Ali recently posted..Adventures in Flight Booking
Thanks Ali, I am glad I can inspire anyone to follow their dream. I can’t wait for you to hit the road & I aslo can’t wait for La Tomatina… Just thinking about it makes me go EEEeeee~
awesome man! can’t wait to write a post like this next year. That will be cool to head back to the States for a couple days, then head off to Europe in time for summer, will be great timing.
Scott recently posted..A Tale From Off the Menu at La Boqueria in Barcelona
Well Scott I hope you don’t have a DWI cus then it will be no fun… but I can’t wait for you to write a post about being on the road for a month. Damn thats crazy to think around that time I will have been on the road for over a year (if everything goes as planned & God willing). Yeah I am excited about going home for a few weeks then heading back on the road!
Just goes to show that good things CAN come out of bad things! You’ve turned your whole life around and that’s amazing!
No regrets!! 🙂
Lauren recently posted..4 Months Until My Round-The-World Trip
AMEN LAUREN… that is 100% TRUE!!!
NO REGRETS is the only way we should be living!!!
DREAM BIG!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
HELL YES!!!
Jaime I love how open you are with your past, it shows other people that you can learn and move on from mistakes.
ayngelina recently posted..A big burning ball of stress
Thanks Ayngelina I am open about it because it is really what changed my life (I know that sounds cliche but I mean it). We have the power to learn form our mistakes and move on to bigger and better things!!!
All because of a DWI. You’ve had a busy month, I’m jealous. I totally understand why you decided to leave early. The closer I get to my own departure date, the harder the daily grind becomes. Like you, I have a wedding to visit in June, then I can hit the road.
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Yup it all started thanks to a DWI… crazy when you think about it but I am so glad it happened!!!
Oh & yes the closer the departure date gets the WAYYYY harder it gets to stay focused on your current life…lol!!!
You never fail to prove what a wonderful friend you are… We (Ricardo and I) are blessed to you in our lives :)aunque sea de lejitos
Aww thanks Erika! Ugh your comment brought tears to my eyes… just because I miss you all like crazy!!! Y si aunque este lejos siempre serre tu amigo.
I am love, love, loving the photo of you with the kids 🙂
Your smile and joy not only shine through in the words you wrote but also in the photos.
Heather recently posted..Tasmania Eats
Aww thanks Heather… that is my favorite photo so far. I just absolutely love it!
Hey, I was arrested for DWI too!! When I was 19 years old in Lake Jackson, Texas. We have so much in common 🙂 🙂 My dad got me out of it, though – talked the District Attorney into lowering it to a weaving in traffic with only a $90 fine. I probably shouldn’t be writing this on a public website, but it was a long time ago, so I really don’t care!
Oh wow we do have a lot in common. You though are very lucky you were able to get it dropped down to something minor. Ugh me on there hand had to go through hell & back to take care of it, but I am so glad it happened and its part of my past now.
Late to the game here, just catching up on my RSS reader, but wanted to chime in on a few things..
One, its amazing how you look back at the good and the bad and realize that no matter what, it made you who you are today. I just had a conversation with a friend on that very topic. Those are the events that shape your life, embrace your past, don’t regret it.
Two, you make a comment that you have 2 years to see everything… why only 2 years? Why not a lifetime? Who says that sometime down the line you wont fall in love with a place and want to stay longer, maybe even picking up odd jobs to add to your travel fund? What you are doing is just the tip of the iceberg. Don’t limit yourself and put constraints on yourself. If anyone can do this long term, you can.
Third, keep having a blast, I know we are all loving following along.
Justin Hamlin recently posted..Epic Road Trip 2011- Uncharted Waters