The Things I Lost in Mexico

By Robyn Goldblatt, Travel Designer

Sunshine, beaches, incredible food, spring break in Cabo, these are the generic images that come to mind for most when picturing Baja California Sur. With the peninsula resting just below San Diego, and a name that translates to “Lower California South,” I was unsure if what I would find there would be mostly Americanized and over-touristed. Now that I’ve just returned, I’m pleased to tell you: the Mexican culture and environments are rich, protected, thriving, and cherished there. Those who venture across the border stopping at more than Cabo know that the Mexicans have quite a gem on their hands and we are fortunate enough here in the States to have ease of accessibility to experience it for ourselves. I took advantage of the short flights and the excuse of a friend’s wedding to spend some time down south. But with a jam-packed, adventure-filled schedule, I unintentionally left a few things behind. Each has a story.

Lost Item #1: Camera Lens Cap

I found myself doing a lot of hurried jogging and fumbling in the Sierra de la Laguna Biosphere Reserve, a desert mountain range just outside of Todos Santos, and the home of the brand-new Camp Cecil de la Sierra glampsite. My senses were on overdrive as I chased my guide, Diego, toward a better view of a flaming pink sunset over the organic garden; and while capturing the laughter of Angela, a sweet old woman who lives down the road, as she patiently tolerated our group’s sorry tortilla making skills. The following day, our group was the only one to be seen on a friendly 4-mile hike from camp, stopping to sample native fruits along the way. Cresting the saddle, we had reached our goal. Our eyes feasted on sweeping views of the Pacific Ocean to the west and San Bernardo’s Valley to the east, while our stomachs feasted on chorizo burritos packed for a tasty trail lunch. On the ascent we had stopped to watch a Xantus’s Hummingbird, unfazed by our presence, happily chirping and buzzing about. I was too busy watching to take my camera out for a photo at that time, but later decided that if we saw him on the way down, I would be ready. Sure enough, as we passed through the same general area on the way back, he reappeared. Diego was the first to spot him, trying to be quiet as he frantically waved and pointed. When I finally noticed him, I sprang into action, realizing later that I must have flung my camera lens cap in the process. With a flash of color, the bird stopped, posing proudly for us for one special moment in time before darting off after a mate.

Lost Item #2: Sunglasses

Fresh from the mountains the next morning, I was whisked back down to sea level for a taste of the most delicious mole I’ve ever eaten and a surfing lesson. “You get to see all the different sides of Baja,” my guide Peter explained as we bumped down a dirt road at Cerritos Beach. At this point I had experienced the ranching culture in the Sierra de la Lagunas, but now I was getting a feel for the surfing culture as well. After a brief on-sand lesson, I followed my instructor into the waves. Before I knew it, he was slapping the board and telling me to “hop on!”. I was catching my first ride, standing up for a short time before losing my balance in the shallows. Before I had fully recovered from my first salt water drink, my instructor was clapping and waving me back his way to quickly try again. And away we went like this for the next hour. I knew surfing was a difficult sport, but by the way I was flailing and fighting a strong undercurrent in just knee-deep water on my way back out to catch another wave, I gained a whole new appreciation for those who manage to do this with grace and skill. Back on shore, both thrilled and exhausted after my crash course, I grabbed my pack and we hit the road, later to realize that in all my excitement I left my sunglasses on the beach. “An extra tip for the instructor,” I joked. But to my surprise, later that evening at a cooking class, Peter presented me with my glasses, securely retained the whole time.

Lost Item #3: Hairband

I could smell the ripe fish guts and hear their barks before I could see them. Our motorboat had just pulled up to an uninhabited rocky island off the coast of Isla Espiritu Santo. We were listening to a safety talk by our guides as we struggled to zip up our wetsuits and slip into our fins. This unique oasis has been commandeered by a thriving sea lion colony. With no predators here, they can be found lazily sunbathing in precarious positions along the rocks and darting to-and-fro playfully under the water. Even with the wetsuit, the cold took my breath away when I first slid off the boat into the deep blue. As I peered around with my goggles, I was suddenly among them. Never having had an up-close encounter quite like this with marine life, I let out a shriek when the first curious juvenile swam right toward me only to twist and dart past just as we were about to touch noses. Completely distracted by the hilarious underwater shenanigans of these pups, I was unaware that my hairband had been taken away by the rocking and rolling of the surface waves. Now, with my locks like Medusa, the sea lions became even more interested in me. I would swallow seawater coming to the surface to laugh about the show they were putting on. 

Lost Item #4: Preconceived Notions

Every day in Baja California Sur presented new surprises, too many to count. I watched in amazement as the Pacific horizon erupted with spouts of migrating humpback and grey whales. I walked down a dirt road from camp to be warmly welcomed into the home of a ranching family. I screeched in pure delight when a pod of at least 100 dolphins surrounded our small boat in the sparkling Sea of Cortez. I smiled as I listened to the joyous singing of the staff at Camp Cecil de la Isla to classic Mariachi as they prepared authentic Mexican dishes. The people and the experiences here impacted me on a much deeper level than I could have imagined. It’s truly a wonder I didn’t “lose” my flight ticket back home.  

Inspired by Robyn’s journey to Baja California Sur? Reach out and start planning your journey with Robyn today!