Enough

Dear Reader,

"You make money...millions even. You lose it. You make it. You lose it. Spend it. And at the end of 50 or 60 years, you wake up one morning and wonder: What am I doing?"

Tom, who had this revelation about a year ago, has been living full-time in Nicaragua since last August. We met him one day last week at Norome, his new home.

Tom came to Nicaragua last summer because his son had bought a villa at Norome. Tom wanted to see for himself what this place was all about. His real agenda, he admits, was to find a way to set his son straight. Had the boy taken full leave of his senses? A house in Nicaragua? Who would buy such a thing?

Tom arrived early August last year...and hasn't left. Not one return trip to the States in the past 10 months. He hasn't felt the inclination. Life at Norome, he's discovered, is pretty good.

He wakes early every morning and walks from his son's house down the hill to the side of the lake, where he watches the sun rise over the still water. He hikes up and down the hill for exercise (Norome sits at the edge of Lake Apoyo, a crater lake...all around are the insides of the former volcano...it's like an upside-down cone). He can cook himself...or come down to the little waterside restaurant for his meals. He has Internet. Books. DVD's. Boats if he wants to play on the lake. And lots of company. During our three-day visit last week, we met one couple from the Netherlands...a woman from New York...another from Virginia Beach...and a family with 10 kids in tow, their children and their children's friends. Representatives from the Chinese Embassy visited for lunch one afternoon. And a couple from Ohio stopped by on their way to the coast to see Rancho Santana.

In fact, we drove with this couple from Norome south to Santana. They're in their 70's...and they read of Nicaragua in our International Living postcards for the first time but three weeks ago. Rancho Santana caught their attention. They planned a visit. And here they are, staying with us now at Santana...where they're considering becoming owners. Now that's a spirit of adventure.

On the drive from Norome to the ranch...they spoke of it, too. The sentiment Tom had voiced. They've worked hard...run their own business...raised a family. Now what?

Maybe enough is enough. Enough uncertain times and uncertain markets. Enough lives at the mercy of cell phones and e-mail...meetings and schedules. Enough making money...losing it...spending it...starting over to chase the millions one more time.

Here in Nicaragua, the living is good...and you don't need anything like millions to enjoy the best of it. A little can go a long way in these parts.

Kathleen Peddicord
Publisher, International Living

P.S. I'm writing from the patio of a house at Rancho Santana, Bill Bonner's house, with a view in both directions as far as you can see of the jagged, rocky coast and the crashing Pacific surf. Finally, this early morning, a soft rain is falling. It's the rainy season, but they haven't seen rain here at Santana in more than four days.

This is the low season in this part of the world...but the tourists are still coming. Even now, you need a reservation at the hotels in Granada, or you may not get a room. I guess all the press is doing its job. In the past couple of months, the International Herald Tribune, the Wall Street Journal, The New York Times, and Outside Traveler magazine have all published glowing reports of life and travel in this country. Yeah, sure, mention the word "Nicaragua" to most people...and you still get blank stares or eyebrows raised in disbelief. But this is changing. Soon these white-sand beaches won't be so gloriously empty.

In fact, they aren't now. As I write, the rain is stopping and I can see the half-dozen surfers in residence at Santana this week heading for the waves, surf boards in hand. I think I'll head down the hill now to watch...