A Trip in Tulum

Trippin’ in Tulum

A guy from Berlin. A girl from Singapore. Me from the States. We met in our hostel in Tulum. They ask if I want to go and have some dinner and drinks tonight. Yes. He also has some acid we can take. Why not. This is Mexico, I feel at home here.

We take the acid and leave. We get to dinner, sitting on the back patio of a cute outdoor restaurant. White string lights hanging up, soft music playing in the background. She looks at me. It hasn’t hit me yet, she says. When will it hit? I say, it is not something that hits you. You just feel it. How will I know? You will just know.

It is her first time. I can tell she is still waiting for it to hit. Don’t worry, you will feel it. Maybe I should take some more. Okay.

We continue eating. I smiled at a guy as he was passing our table. When he comes back, he sits down to talk to us. He lives in Tulum. In an instant, it starts pouring down rain. We head back inside of the bar for cover. He walks up to us, now with his friend. There is a mojito bar across the road. He is pointing. Let’s go there. The five of us head that way. We all order mojitos, cheers, and the vibe has changed. We are laughing, dancing, taking turns spinning the big metal wheel that squeezes the juice out of the sugar cane. We are all enjoying the moment, just happy to be there. We take group selfies, videos, all of us laughing. These are the moments that replay in my head. I still don’t feel anything, she says. You will.

He says, let’s go back to my place and make some drinks and smoke a joint. My car is parked right over there. We nod, still smiling. All lost in the moment, not wanting it to end. We walk down the dark road, get in his car, and he starts driving. There is one minute where we are heading down a pitch black gravel road surrounded by only trees. The type of trees that arch over the road and sort of turn the road into a tunnel. No houses in sight. She and I look at each other. As we exchange glances it is clear we are thinking the same thing. Were we too trusting? Uhh excuse me, are we almost there? My heart is all of the sudden racing. This is how it ends. Easily this could happen and it makes sense. We don’t know him. At all.

Also, I am on acid. Senses are heightened. I was lost in the mood, craving more connection. This feeling can change in an instant. When you are on acid, your walls are nonexistent. Which is why it is so easy to have a bad trip sometimes. You have nothing to protect you. But on the other side, it shows you how life could be like if we all let our walls down. It is a truly beautiful thing.

We turn the corner. A neighborhood. Here we are. We pull in the driveway. Waves of relief and a smile on our faces. Silly us.

We get out of the car and walk inside. There is a Christmas tree on the front porch. We walk inside. There, we find a small white dog with a black circle dot on the top of his head. All moods are good now. We sit around the island bar in the kitchen. Make cocktails. Light up a joint, pass it around while listening to Paloma del Cerro. Some of us sit on the floor, talking about music, art, and life. Two of the guys are dancing around the living room. I sit with the dog. Just watching and taking it all in.

I head over to my friend who is sitting at the bar in the kitchen. Everything okay? I love how we are all here right now. We went out and had no idea this is where the night would take us. And we are all connecting so deeply. Growing up in Singapore, I have always been taught to stay reserved. I have never experienced anything like this. I am happy being able to connect with you guys. She is crying. Now I am crying. Girl, NOW you are feeling it. We laugh. What a beautiful moment. One I will never forget. 

The acid may have been in us, but the feelings are real. The acid just removes your blockages to feeling them. You are so aware of your surroundings and the energy of the people around you. Human connection at its finest.

Two more dogs come. They are hairless Mexican dogs. I don’t know if you have ever seen one. But if not, they have almost human skin, black and white, moles and all. Their bodies are almost reptilian. They are absolutely beautiful and their energy is intense. In the past, they have been used as healers. When someone is sick, they lay on their body providing warmth and healing. But also I instantly feel as if they can see straight into my soul. One comes over to me, sits down, and stares directly in my eyes.

All 8 of us hang out there in that room for hours. Five people, three dogs, all just enjoying each other’s company. We didn’t know each other five hours ago. We all walked into each other’s lives at different times that day and ended up here in this room, together sharing this amazing evening.

I have been lucky enough to experience these types of moments sporadically throughout my life. Drugs or no drugs. To have these moments, you simply must remain open to them. Say yes more often. Go where your heart leads you. It is these moments that will change your life and leave you always craving more. There is something so wonderful about just being present and really connecting with people. Seeing who they are without a mask. Letting your walls down and being comfortable to be your truest, most authentic self. These are the moments I travel for. These are the moments I live for. Nothing else is better.

NOTE: Drugs are illegal in Mexico. And so are strangers. Be careful with both. Always trust your intuition.