Unable to leave

We have reached now November 29 and in the northern hemisphere this has brought winter time.

This can be clearly noticed at El Triple as well.
In the beginning of this retreat on October 9, the sun was rising at 7.25 am.
Now it comes above the horizon at 7.55 am.
During the day its orbit lower than weeks ago.

This makes the daily temperatures go down seriously.
Especially at night.
On October 10 at night it was 17.8º C. (64º F)
Needing one blanket only.
Last night it was a freezing 11.2º C. (52º F)
Sleeping in a T-shirt under a blanket and a duvet.

This is all not too dramatic because during the day in the sunshine temperatures go up reaching a nice 25º C (77º F).

But winter also brings wind to El Triple and this is a factor that is the most dominant.
The wind carries the temperature of the water of the Pacific Ocean that is very cool now.
And every day it blows more violently and aggressively.
Starting early in the morning and continuing long after sunset.
Daily the wind speeds are reaching now around 30 kilometers per hour (10 mph).

Any sensible person would easily come to the decision that to live in those circumstances is not pleasant and that it is time to go.
Time to move on to a situation that is more comfortable and meteorologically friendly.

This is easy to do.
The retreat at El Triple can be ended to pack everything in the Fuso Szulc and go.
To drive to the other side of the peninsula Baja California to stay with the Gonzales family along the Sea of Cortez.
Where it is warmer and more pleasant.

But being in the second period of the retreat, now in day 24, this is not as easy to do as it is written down in a blog.
It is like being under a spell.
Enchanted and mesmerized by the unique aspects of living in the current simplicity and purity.
Unable to give this up yet.
To wrestle free yet of the uplifted existence.

Besides, there is still food in the fridge enough for another week at least.
The water tank is at 50 % of capacity, the propane tank at 44 %.
There is still about 30 liters (8 gallons) of drinking water.

Hence, the violent wind and the cool temperatures are accepted: there is no other way.

Yesterday, while hiding for the strong wind down in the dry river bed reading a book, the sound of a car was heard.
Checking who had come, it was a rental car with a man from Paris, France and a woman from Montreal, Canada.
Living with two children in San Francisco and now on holidays in Mexico.
The man, called François, was into kite surfing.
They were staying on the east coast of Baja California but the wind there was from the south and not strong enough.
But at El Triple they found the ideal location for kite surfing.
A sandy beach, no rocks in the water and a strong northwest wind.
François happy and Hélène happy because François was happy he could kite surf.

For them the wind was fabulous and the water not cold.
Hélène was even bathing in the ocean.

It suddenly threw another light on the location of El Triple and the current conditions.
The wind and the temperature experienced as negatives and enemies were observed as able to be also friends.
Let’s stay some more days.





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