Musings of an Englishman who literally quit his life in Devon in mid-2012 to move to Tijuana to love a girl.
They ended up in San Diego where he became a TV anchorman (yes really...), they got married, and now they're living in England together.
Simple as that really.
Follow your heart, who knows where it will lead.

Crazy. Beautiful. Madness.

Monday 18 June 2012

New beginnings and the search for the holy kettle


WOW, what a difference a week makes.
No job, no car, no phone, no direct debits, no rain, oh and no kettle (we’ll get to the latter later).
But you know what? I couldn’t be happier. Seriously.
It’s true, sooner or later your possessions start owning you.
So I can’t tell you how incredibly liberating it feels to shed yourself of all the things you’ve become so dependent on.
I’m now living in Mexico. Tijuana, Mexico, to be exact, as a legal alien.
And I have THE most beautiful Latin girlfriend – which is what inspired this move after all.
I’m in that delirious mental place where nothing else matters but the love of another.
Am I dreaming? If I’m not then this is as close to perfection right now as I could ever close my eyes and wish for.
I can’t pretend that it’s easy being an English guy living in a predominantly non-English speaking country.
But it’s a challenge and sink or swim right?
In the space of a few days my Spanish has improved dramatically.
It’s amazing how much you can remember from GCSE Spanish lessons like 20 years (eek!) ago.
And it’s fun just making up your own phrases. I figure that if you can, at the very least, make people smile with your quirky language then you’re half way there.
Jacky is working full-time so I have no choice but to learn to speak Spanish to her mum – who for the record hardly speaks a word of English – and her dad, who only speaks a little.
This is a new beginning for Jacky and I, and we always said that as long as we were together we could make a plan. And that’s all that matters right now.
Anyway kettles, that’s what I really want to talk about today.
Now I’m pretty sure that no-one has ever asked you this question before in your lives but, have you got any freaking idea how difficult it is to buy a ‘kettle’ in Mexico.
I mean seriously?!
I’m actually laughing out-loud writing this.
Re-locating to a different continent you need some home comforts right?
Sure, I packed some Golden Virginia tobacco, menthol filter tips and Trebor extra strong mints.
I also packed my coffee bean grinder because, no matter what day it is in any part of the world, you need a good coffee to start the day right?
So having packed the grinder, and purchased some lovely looking Mexican coffee beans over here, I was all set.
But then I noticed that Jacky’s mum and dad don’t seem to own a kettle. Well, a ‘kettle’ in our sense of the word.
What they have got is a coffee percolator which they use to heat water but it’s not quite the same right?!
So anyway, I said I’d buy a kettle as a sort of mini gift for mi nuevo casa.
No sweat I thought... wrong!
Seriously, it’s turned into an epic pursuit which rivals the search for the holy grail!
There are no Dixons or Currys here. Sure I could order one online but hey, Jacky’s still waiting for a card I posted nine WEEKS ago from the UK.
So we checked out Walmart, the cornerstone of America’s domestic eating arrangements.
You know you can buy a MOTORBIKE and tyres in Walmart in Mexico?! I sh*t you not.
Sadly no kettles. I was walking round and round the aisles trying to explain to Jacky what the hell I was on about, and to no avail.
I’m determined though, so watch this space.
Hey so last night I shared one of my other home comforts with Jacky – a cup of Tetley tea!
You see, the last time I was out here Jacks mentioned she had never had ‘tea con leche’ (tea with milk).
She offered to make me a cup of tea and asked what type I’d prefer.
“Tetley?” I asked.
“Que?” was the reply.
“Er... PG Tips?”
“Que?!”
“... English... Breakfast... tea?!”
Cue another confused look.
We settled on cafe con leche.
So one of the last things I packed before I left the UK was a small packet of Tetley tea bags.
And I’m pleased to say that we have some new Tetley fans. In fact a whole family of Tetley fans.

I’m seriously thinking of becoming a Tetley ambassador over here.
So there you go, this is just a short (well, not really) update on my new life in Mexico.
Oh and for the record mum – I’m eating and sleeping well, I’m not talking to strangers, and I remembered to pack my ‘Ps and Qs’.

1 comment:

  1. Dear lovely Tristan,

    I have just read your last 3 posts and feel strongly compelled to reply ... What beautiful words and I am in almost the same situation!!

    I met Andy end of July/beginning of August last year in Bath of all places (having sort of known him for 10 years on and off) and when he said he was going to Thailand to start up his bar again and DJ career ... I thought why not join him! (True love + definite back-lash to the annoying married + kids contingent around us in the UK... ;-)) By October we'd booked our flights and have had a blissful 6 months here living in paradise and couldn't be happier ...

    He said he came and found me and I said I had been waiting for him ... snap !!

    Living in Thailand and burning my bridges does have the same frustrations though .. I have just moved into a flat in the old town of Chiang Mai with my first mini travel kettle (yey) before that it was a Thai rice-heater ... or a 20 baht coffee from 'Kung on the corner' as you're right ... Nothing beats that first cup of fresh coffee in the morning ... Nescafe granules ? Ner I don't think so ...

    I have had to get rid of my car (finance contract), rent my flat out for a year, cancel my phone contract ... and 6 months on these things still haven't totally gone away ... The usual answer is .. just call us on 0845 ... I'm like "Yeh right, that'll be my entire 'Happy mobile' top up card gone in the time the automated message kicks in..."

    I have started to learn a few Thai words and phrases, although the notations and 'vowels' make it fairly tricky ... 'Mai sai tuuuung' (Not put in plastic bag ;-)) rather than Mai sai tung' ... We have a well-used phrase now - "TIT" ... "This is Thailand..." And it usually comes with a shrug and followed by "Mai pen rai" ... the Thai equivelent to Hakuna Mattata ... Or as we say in Polzeath ... no worries!

    Best of luck on your adventure, Trist .. I will be following your blogs and glad a fellow Tavi/Plymothian is experiencing a similar rip from our familiar reality but loving every minute of it!!

    Keep in touch babe and when you get a chance, check out the magazine I work for now ... www.southeastasiabackpacker.com ... (This whole reply was not a blatant plug for my mag honestly!!) We've got an interesting and apt article in the next issue entitled 'Love on the road' you might find interesting ...

    Take it easy mate and enjoy every minute! Zo xxx

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