All Dusty Roads in the Baja Lead To…

Surprisingly sweet things!

I took a chance on a place I had only heard of, Baja del Sur, or the Californian Baja. A part of Mexico that feels, to me, much more like California: chic, understated, and stylish, with the rugged beauty you expect Mexico to have. In some ways, it feels like I’ve gone back in time. Some people leave their keys in their parked cars, everyone you pass on the cobblestone streets says hello, and there’s a warmth that’s hard to describe.

I arrived three days ago without luggage, just what I carried onto a plane already delayed by a day. Me, a small backpack with my laptop, a book, snacks, and of course my pup, Bodhi, tucked into his carrier.

I’ve heard stories of luggage being delayed or lost, sometimes for a long time. Perhaps after so many years of travel, I had grown a little overly confident. That won’t happen to me, I thought. But I got caught in the crosshairs of last week’s snowstorm in Toronto, and it turns out I’m not immune to misplaced luggage after all. And so here I am, on the outskirts of a charming town called Todos Santos, in my Airbnb, waiting patiently.

Here is what I have learned from the last four days:

Travel is amazing when it goes right, but pretty awful when it doesn’t.
We can only control a few things in life, so it behooves us to let go of the illusion that we have it all together and that we can control things that, well, sometimes we can’t.

I would do lots differently, but there is no point in beating myself up.

Even when things are annoying and not going your way, there are always things to be grateful for.
When you get to a place where you can laugh, you are past the hard part. For me, that was last night. All I could do was laugh at the situation.

So while I wait for my belongings, I will enjoy the sunshine, the fresh breeze, the new scenery, and even new friends already. I am preparing to greet my retreaters on February 1 at El Campo, a stunning retreat space 30 minutes from where I am staying now.

It’s simply breathtaking. And if you are feeling adventurous, and I haven’t scared you away from traveling with my musings, hop on a flight to Cabo next week. Join me and our group for seven days of farm to table food, daily yoga, beach time, chic shopping, cooking and dance lessons, and utter relaxation. This place is special. Come find out for yourself.