Something about the water calls to me: a magnetic pull that soothes my soul and ignites my spirit. I LOVE being on the water, by the water, or in the water. I also LOVE to travel, and my travels often involve water locations. My recent trip to the Baja Peninsula in Mexico provided a river, a sea, an ocean, and a lifetime of memories.
I embarked on a journey with my dear friend Loretta and a good friend of hers, Nancy. I met new friends: Deb, Miguel, Randy, Rhonda, Pam, Marion, Tina, and Dawn. Deb of Timeless Journeys led the trip.
Trip highlights:
- Connections: Spending time with kindred spirits and meeting new ones, makes life more magical. Getting to know Nancy better and meeting new people was also memorable.
- Free Hugs in Loreto: While I gave hugs along the way, Loretta, Nancy, and I offered free hugs our last night in Loreto, and it was fantastic. The community was receptive, and we gave over 200 hugs.
- Leaving my comfort zone: While I don’t consider myself a high-maintenance person, I like indoor plumbing, good showers, and Internet/WiFi access. My time with the whales offered none of those conveniences, but I managed for three days. Why? WHALES!
- WHALES: To see these majestic creatures up close and personal is a soulful experience. We saw mommas and their babies, three adult whales together, and off in the distance, a whale that breached its entire body three times! It’s the first time I’ve witnessed a breech and it was magnifico. Along with the whales, we saw dolphins, sea lions, turtles, and lots of sea birds.
Day 1 (Mar. 13): I flew from Chicago to Phoenix and arrived around 11:30 pm PST. I decided to spend the night at the airport since my flight left the following day at 8:30 am. While there were very few people, the cleaning took place so that I might have gotten a cat nap in. Let the joyful adventure begin.
Day 2 (Mar. 14): Loretta is here! I’ve known Loretta since we met on a cruise in 2009. Since then, we have spent time together in Key West, New Orleans, and Croatia. She’s joined me for hugs when we are together and offers hugs for the Global Hugs weekend from wherever she is. We had a short flight to Loreto, Mexico, and a quick cab ride to our hotel – Hacienda Suites. We met with Nancy and, a few hours later, met with the group and had dinner together. During my travels, some people I meet along the way are to interact with during the trip, others I remain in contact with, and when I am fortunate, I meet kindred spirits to continue the adventures with.
Day 3 (Mar. 15): We went out on two pangas through Dolphin Dive Baja to Isla Danzante for snorkeling, which was terrific. I hadn’t snorkeled in a long time, so I was a bit apprehensive, but it didn’t take long to relax and enjoy swimming with the fish. We went alongside the island and saw sea lions, dolphins, and birds. We were free to explore in the evening, so we walked around Loreto.
Day 4 (Mar. 16): After breakfast, we packed our luggage into one van and started our journey to the whales. We made a couple of stops until we reached our destination for the evening—Ignacio Springs Bed & Breakfast. It was my first time staying in a yurt, and it was very nice. Bonnie and Paul own it, and Bonnie is a delight. The location was stunning on the shore of the Rio San Ignacio, and there were lots of birds and beauty.
That evening, we dined at Rancho Grande and had the best guacamole.
Returned back to the yurt, and the stars were breathtaking.
Day 5 (Mar. 17): After breakfast, we got in two vans and headed to Kuyima, where we’d stay for three nights. The cabins were small, had two beds, and had solar energy. The bathroom was composted, and the showers were using a bucket. It was rustic and beautiful. The hard part was that I had no Internet for three days; disconnecting was not fun. However, for the whales, I’ll disconnect and use composting facilities. 🙂 We arrived, met the staff, had lunch, and headed for our first whale-watching excursion. We saw a momma and a baby and a few other whales. They got very close, but not near enough for us to touch them.
The birds also put on a show for us in a sardine-feeding frenzy with hundreds of them!
Day 6 & 7 (Mar. 18 & 19): Whales, whales, and more whales. We went out four more times and saw more whales, and one whale breeched three times in a row! Full body out of the water!! It happened quickly and was too far away for pictures, but it was breathtaking.
On the 18th, we had the privilege of witnessing a celebration of life service for a woman, Patricia, whose husband passed in December, and Carlos’ parents. While they weren’t blood family, they were family and had been coming to Kuyima for 30 years. It was an honor to hold space while they spread their ashes in the bay. Loretta, Nancy, Patricia, and I became quick friends, and we look forward to reuniting again. On the evening of the 18th, we all saw something spectacular in the sky. At first, we had no idea what it was, but after a while, we found out it was the launch of a Starlink satellite.
On the 19th, we also went to the Salt Flats after whale watching. The road was dirty, and the ride was quite bouncy. I LOVED it, though. That evening, Carlos sang for us, and it was magical and fun.
Day 8 (Mar. 20): After breakfast, they kicked us out pretty quickly to prepare for the next group. We got back in the two vans and headed off. My van had a flat tire, and we all pulled over. As the staff changed the tire, the spare tire was also flat. A pickup truck stopped to help and had an air pump, so the tire was fixed; we were back on the road. We stopped a couple of times to see some sights and restroom stops and then went back to Loreto. For the next two nights, our home would be the Hotel Oasis. The location was great, and the room was fine, but some staff created challenges for some of my travel partners.
Day 9 (Mar. 21): Today was a free day. Loretta and Nancy went for massages while I walked around the shoreline and watched pelicans dive into the water. I had lunch with Tina and Dawn and explored more. Then, it was time for free hugs in the square!
Loretta, Nancy and I gave and received over 200 hugs in an hour. People were incredibly receptive to them. Two young teens who had just left a fencing class got hugs and later came back with candies for each of us and got pictures. Another young girl went and got her friends to come and get hugs. It was pure magic! Then we met our other travel mates for dinner and watched some dancing in the plaza and the beginning of a movie about blue whales. On our walk back to the hotel, we saw a few families playing music and dancing in the street, so we joined them for a few minutes.
Day 10 (Mar. 22): Breakfast and it was time to leave. Seven of the nine guests were on the same flight, so off to the airport we went. Then to Phoenix where I was able to spend another hour with Loretta and Nancy before their flights left. I then caught my flight to Chicago and a quick cab ride home by 11:30 pm.
Recap: The whales, the hugs, and spending time with Loretta and Nancy were tops. Meeting new people and seeing new destinations was beyond. I took home with me memories etched in my mind, hundreds of pictures, and new friends. I will be back to see those magnificent creatures. Oh, Mexico, while I left, I took part of you with me in my heart, and I will return.
