One of the days during our time in Tulum, my girlfriends and I decided to go exploring. With only our bikinis, go-pros, and water we jumped in the car and started driving. Our goal… find the Cenotes. I had heard all about them, the oasis of insanely clear blue freshwater partially engulfed by the lush, wild jungle.

While my heart may have dropped when I saw how uneventful our “search for the cenotes” was… (literally imagine humungous billboards on the side of the road with CENOTE AZUL plastered across them) the empty gravel parking lot calmed my nerves that this may not be just another ridiculous tourist trap after all.

After paying 6 Mexican pesos we walked along a dirt trail, and gawked and gazed as we walked at the small beginning of the natural springs and sinkholes. When we finally hit the main cenote, I was in shock… There in the middle of the jungle was this amazing blue and green body of water just as beautiful and seemingly untouched as the photos I had seen.

I felt like I was instantly transported into the depths of Bali or Indonesia, it was so sensual, and exotic, all while radiating a sort of calm I’ve never experienced before. It felt miles away from the touristic Mexico I had grown to love and loathe over the years.

This natural freshwater oasis is actually a sinkhole that is created when the limestone bedrock collapses unearthing the groundwater below. Some of the cenotes found in the Yucatan were seen as sacred wells to the Maya, specifically Chichén Itzá. Mayans offered sacrifices, including precious objects such as gold, jade, pottery, and incense and in some cases humans, into the cenote to worship and communicate with the Mayan Gods and ancestors.

After visiting Cenote Azul, it came as no surprise that this would be a place of peace and spirituality. The water, environment, and energy wholesomely cleansed my stressed, tired body from head to toe as I mindlessly floated through the mineral-rich pool. This is absolutely a must visit, if not for a peaceful swim then for an exciting day of cliff jumping off the jungled rocks into the cool blue water below.

A few weeks ago, I stepped back in time. I traded in the luxuries of high-speed Internet and movies on-demand for a rural and romantic rendezvous in a treehouse in Northern Sweden.

On our way up from Malmo, after landing in Copenhagen we picked up fresh cheese, sausages, ingredients for a killer salad, and of course marshmallows. Armed with old gas lanterns, a deck of Uno cards older than me, lots of wine, and a trusty axe... we setup camp under the full moon in an incredible treehouse complete with an in-ground grill/fireplace and wood floors.

It's so important to digitally detox every once and a while to appreciate the simple things around you. The fresh air, fresh food, and great wine suddenly made the monotonous trials of our daily, chaotic lives fade to a silence.