Hot Mess is Going to El Salvador!

I’m going to El Salvador bisches! Why? Well, why the hell not? No seriously, I haven’t vacationed with my sons in almost 2 years and getting a severe itch to travel. I didn’t want to do the usual Florida or South Carolina, been there a million times. I’m far from rich but I want my sons to experience as many cultures as possible. And so, I did my research.

El Salvador has been plagued with gangs and violence for many years. It wasn’t until the current president, Nayib Bukele cleaned all of it up, reducing crime substantially to the point El Salvador is one of the safest countries in the Western hemisphere. I should also mention that the president is hot AF, but I digress.

So here were my goals when planning where to vacation:

• A place neither my sons or I have ever been, preferably outside of the U.S.
• Cheap round-trip tickets, around $300-$350 pp from the Midwest.
• Inexpensive, super nice Airbnb.
• A beach within walking distance. This was for my youngest, who insisted on this. I like the theory of a beach…as long as I’m on a balcony overlooking it with a glass of wine and can easily go back into the air-conditioned living room.
• Native tongue, Spanish (look peeps been studying Spanish for over a year, it’s about time I test it out).
• Low chance of being mugged, raped or murdered during our week there. I know, such high standards.

So I was on AirBnB perusing homes when I came across one in the little village of Surf City. ‘Sounds like a California town,’ I thought to myself. But then thought if it sounds somewhat American, it must be a good first step. Here are a few pics:

I got in touch with the owner who is just as wonderful as the location. Her name is Emma and she’s a little El Salvadorian angel. I negotiated the price and before you can say tacos and flip flops, this little piece of paradise is ours for a week in July! See those hammocks? Expect blog posts to come from those little beds of relaxation.

There will be more to come in the future about this trip, and during this trip. Believe it or not, this was cheaper than a 2-bedroom off the beach in South Carolina and includes a private pool. If you’re interested in this rental, let me know and I’ll send you her contact information. She’s already been an amazing hostess so far and we haven’t even gotten there!

P.S. As some of you know, I have a severe snake phobia. It didn’t help that I read all the 5 star reviews only to read one that said they found a snake by the pool. I immediately contacted Emma. She vowed to have the gardener take extra precautions. In addition, she has some sort of sonar situation that deters snakes. I told her I didn’t care if she had to spray cancer-causing chemicals on her property, I don’t want to see any snakes. Hopefully, she heard me loud and clear.