The Weekend We Got Lost: My Adventure with Zara Zaynna

If there is one thing I have learned about Zara Zaynna, it is that she does not believe in straight lines. "Maps are just suggestions," she told me as she tossed my GPS into the backseat, turned up the radio, and hit the gas.

And that is exactly how we ended up here.

The 6 AM Wake-Up Call

The plan—if you could call it that—was simple. We were supposed to grab coffee, maybe head to the city center, and have a relaxing Saturday. But when Zara Zaynna shows up at your door at sunrise wearing oversized sunglasses and holding two iced lattes, you know the plans have changed.

"Get in," she said, flashing that signature grin. "We’re chasing the horizon today."

The Detour

Two hours later, we were nowhere near the city. We were driving down a coastal road that I’m pretty sure wasn’t on Google Maps, singing along to a playlist that swung wildly between 80s rock and modern indie pop.

The dynamic between us is always like this: I’m usually the one worrying about the fuel gauge, and Zara is the one pointing out the shapes of clouds.

"Look at that!" she shouted, pointing toward a narrow dirt path veiled by trees. Before I could protest, she swerved the car.

We bumped along the path for ten minutes, dust kicking up behind us, until the trees suddenly broke. We hadn't found a dead end. We had found a hidden cliffside overlooking an ocean so blue it looked like it had been painted on.

The Golden Hour

We spent the afternoon there, just the two of us and the sound of the waves. We didn't have a fancy lunch reservation; we ate snacks from a gas station sitting on the hood of the car.

Zara started taking photos—she has this way of seeing the world through a lens that makes everything look magical. She captured the light hitting the water, the wildflowers growing in the cracks of the road, and a few candid shots of me laughing so hard I almost spilled my drink.

It wasn't the day I had planned. It was infinitely better.

The Takeaway

As we drove back, watching the sky turn purple and orange in the rearview mirror, I realized that some of the best stories come from the moments you didn't script.

Here’s to the wrong turns, the loud music, and friends like Zara Zaynna who remind you that sometimes, getting lost is the only way to be found.


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