We’ve all had lovers who just didn’t love
us back as we wanted. David Kindopp describes his love affair with Mazatlan,
Mexico in “Mañana Doesn't Mean Tomorrow, An
unbelievably, ridiculously, painfully, delightfully true adventure in Mexico.” David gave up his real estate career in San Diego, settled up
with his two ex-wives and sailed to Mexico on a 50-foot ketch. All he wanted to do was start a charter
business, taking tourists for sunset sails at $35 apiece. He would provide the cervezas and food in a
first-class manner and tourists would fall in love with the city as he had.
David is 40 and loves sailing and is good
at his job. He isn’t afraid of hard
work and his mind overflows with the music of Jimmy Buffet. Working with
tourists can pay well, but the ups and downs of the economy and the seasons can
savage your endurance. I’ve seen
“Davids” in Mexico and Hawaii. Sharing
living quarters with other “Davids” enjoying the life in paradise. David is
good with people and the lady tourists, looking for adventure, find it on the
sea and in David’s bed, all in vivid detail.
Mexico is another story. He loves the culture. He feels alive. Here he is not an American sheep with predictable futures, always
paying for the new house, new car, education, healthcare. However, the
corruption and inefficiency just beats him down. He needs to get a permit to take tourists sailing, but is told by
his business partners that the permit will be here Mañana! Those expats
who live in Mexico know the most maddening part of living there is the lack of
concern about time. If it doesn’t get
down today at 11:00am, there will be another 11:00am tomorrow or next week. He
doesn’t understand why officials make it so hard to be an entrepreneur
promoting tourism.
