Can’t believe it has already been a month since my last report card! August was quite the whirlwind of lessons. September has been a month of starting to feel settled into this journey. Baja California has been great to me so far, and I look forward to finishing the month off here. Here is My September ’19 Report Card.
September started off by leaving San Diego and heading to the border. A seemingly stressful time in the beginning, but it worked out just as I had hoped it would. This border crossing was not a big deal at all in hindsight. I can hope the rest of them go as smoothly, but only time will tell!
First Stop: Ensenada
Ensenada was a great place to start this journey through Mexico. I’m not into the party scene anymore, and figured Tijuana would be a little more than I am used to at this point in life. Ensenada, on the other hand, was very chill! Just the place I needed to be, especially while getting used to the food here.
Montezuma’s Revenge was definitely no joke, but because of this, I have become accustomed to the food (for the most part). There are still things I am nervous to eat. I obviously stay away from raw fish and eggs, but even things like lettuce I will ask for the restaurants to leave out.
From couchsurfing to hostels, Ensenada had very welcoming people. Strangers on the street are happy to answer questions and recommend places. My hostel-mates were from all over the world, and the owners made us feel like we were at home. Roselba would even make us dinner at times! Such a homey place. After feeling better and exploring a good amount of Ensenada, it was time to move on. Six days felt great to be in one space. To be honest, though, I was starting to miss riding the motorcycle!
San Quintin
Thanks to my host, San Quintin was full of experiences! Couchsurfing with locals is always a treat. They know the best places to eat and explore. There is TONS of open space in this town. Fields of seemingly dead plants for acres all over! My host, Rodrigo, told me these fields come to bright life for a month in the summer.
The other thing my host, Rodrigo, introduced me to? Surfing!
Having never surfed before, this was very exciting. I have tried boogie boarding a couple times, and have been told surfing and boogie boarding can be totally different animals.
Rodrigo brought me to a really quiet beach, with a few locals, and some great waves. Getting accustomed to the waves on a boogie board was really enjoyable. At least I could get some speed on some kind of board before falling a bunch! A couple good waves on the surfboard, and my excitement for the next time I will surf is overwhelming. From San Quintin Bahia de LA was nice, albeit a little nerve-wracking.
Bahia de Los Angeles
Nerve-wracking is knowing there are no gas stations between San Quintin and Bahia de Los Angeles, which means probably not much civilization. To top this off? The desert here was almost as hot as Blythe, California. Not something that is enjoyable ever, especially on a motorcycle! I made it to Bahia, thanks to my spare gas can (an orange juice bottle), and arrived at a place totally disconnected from technology.
My September ’19 Report Card allows me to reflect on the progress I’ve made both as a person and on this journey. One of the things I have made progress on? Being more prepared on the motorcycle in terms of water consumption. Sweat evaporates pretty quickly in the desert. Drinking water frequently is a must, sometimes with electrolytes.
Without Wi-Fi or service at this campsite, it felt truly amazing to unplug and just observe the nature around me. Pelicans gliding over the ocean, looking as if they are about fall in. Coastline leading up to a really cool lighthouse. The sun setting behind the mountains to top off the night. A hot night to camp led me to splurging for an extra 5 dollars at my next spot.
Guerrero Negro
The next day was even hotter than the one in Bahia. For $12, I had a motel room to myself. My host in Park City, Annie, gave me this book. A book that helped me find a cheap motel, and many more things along the road through Baja.
Guerrero Negro is a pretty industrial town, but there were still things to appreciate here. The military base at the entrance of town has this motorcycle statue that was pretty cool to see! It’s like they knew I was coming through on my bike.
Loreto
From Guerrero Negro, I made my way to Loreto. This place has such a rich history! The mission here is absolutely beautiful, and learning about the early Spanish settlements was fascinating.
One of the highlights was visiting Mision de San Javier with some fellow travelers. This ancient olive tree at the mission has been there for centuries – it’s incredible to think about all the history it has witnessed. Standing under its branches, you can almost feel the weight of time.
The camaraderie among travelers continues to be one of my favorite parts of this journey. These guys were great company for exploring the historic sites around Loreto.
La Paz
La Paz was such a welcome change of pace. The name literally means “peace,” and that’s exactly what I found there. The malecon (waterfront) is beautiful, especially at sunset.
I stayed at Casa Esterito, and the people I met there became instant friends. There’s something special about hostel connections – you’re all in the same mindset of adventure and openness to new experiences. The welcomes were always warm, and we’d spend hours sharing travel stories and planning the next legs of our journeys.
The “Bienvenidos” sign on the wall really captured the spirit of the place. Everyone was welcomed with open arms, and you could feel that sense of community immediately.
Todos Santos
Todos Santos is this charming little artist town that feels like it’s from another era. The dirt roads, palm trees, and colorful houses create such a peaceful atmosphere. It’s the kind of place where you can wander for hours and discover something new around every corner.
The pace of life here is completely different from the bigger cities. People take time to chat, artists work on their crafts in the open air, and everything feels more connected to the natural rhythm of the day.
Los Cabos
I have finished the month of September circling through Los Cabos. Definitely a lot more touristy here, although it is still a sight to see! The hostel I stayed at, Mayan Monkey, was my first TWELVE person dorm. I didn’t even see those in college! It’s actually a really nice place, with curtains on all the beds for extra privacy.
To be honest, I’m not a huge fan of the real touristy places, but this is a nice change from what I have been experiencing most of this trip. As always, meeting people from different places is very special. My friend, Steve, told me about an orphanage outside of town where he goes to volunteer. Anything from playing with the kids to doing things around the place to help out. We had a group of four of us go play soccer with the kids, something I haven’t done since I was a kid in Greece!
Once the kids were getting ready to go to school, we worked on the compost pile. Our friend Memo had done some volunteering up in Canada with composting, and taught us all the most effective way to create one! Learning knew things, meeting new people, and playing with kids? I thought I was out of the classroom!
One of the hostel volunteers, Ricardo, took us to a sunset hike a couple times during my stay here. To date, this is definitely one of my favorite beaches I have been to. Very few people, if any, and the group just connected that much more on the hike!
Final Thoughts
A big thanks to this amazing peninsula. The hostel owners who make their places feel like home. The hostel-mates have become friends I will certainly see in other parts of the world. From top to bottom, Ensenada to Cabo San Lucas, there is such a diversity of things to see here. One would think it is all just beaches that look the same, and similar people who would visit them. Deserts in some spots, beaches in others, oases within it all! Thank you Baja for having all these wonderful things. I can only hope to visit again!
‘Til next time,
Pete – A Traveling Teacher