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We Grew Up to Live in a Van, Southern Baja Part I

It’s interesting when we consider where we are and how it has come to be. The majority of our lives were spent trying to achieve some sort of comfort, a way to spend our dying days without worry. We focused so intently it resulted in living under constant concern and losing so much life. End of day plans at the cost of all immediate.

Hindsight is powerful if we learn and don’t dwell. All that has passed has led us to where we are today. Trying to conceive whether we’d be traveling right now if we'd lived a different way would be absurd. We are who we were and who we will be tomorrow, each day a little is learned and a little is shed away.

The beaches of Baja have a way of hearkening one to reflect. Maybe it’s the slower pace or the time spent huddled from the wind. Either case, we sit and wonder about all that has been. We are not disgusted with time already spent, more enthused with how it is unfolding. Deciding to live each day instead of planning to live some decades away. We could be entirely wrong, that is unequivocally OK.

No one knows what the future may bring, yet everyone seems to be hedging on a certain way. A safety from the unknown, the possibility of endless possibilities. The most comfortable of comfort zones, there once lived a hobbit.

Quite possibly, when our Pan-American journey has concluded, we’ll be right back where we left off. Long working days full of weekend lust and desires to enjoy what little time we have for ourselves. Right now it’s unfathomable, a fleeting thought that comes less frequently than the time before. We are futureless, momentarily absorbed.

Southern Baja Highlights

San Ignacio

We finally made it to a quaint Mexican town complete with historic mission and central square. Walking around San Ignacio was a real treat. The camping options are quite limited so we drove back out of town to the edge of an oasis and spent the night at Camping Petates right on a lagoon. It was fairly primitive but for $7 US it was a really relaxing place to be.

Playa El Coyote (Bahia de Concepcion)
One out of the many campgrounds along the Bahia de Concepcion coastline. We stayed 5 nights but were charged for only 4 and we shared a palapa with Joe and Josee to save a little coin. Our camping fee totaled just over $26 US. We ended up staying in the day use section because snow birds were dug in for the duration in the main camping area. The diesel exhaust brakes from the passing trucks were really loud, we were very close to the highway, but the spot is magical.

Our first morning there we were woken up around 6:00 by a couple Mexican men who were talking right next to our rigs. Turns out they were food and non-potable water vendors, 6AM became the ritual. Jose, our go to guy, had fantastic fresh shrimp and produce. We also purchased a 55 gallon drum of non-potable water, chicken tamales and pineapple empanadas from him. The former becoming our daily breakfast.

Besides Jose, what made El Coyote spectacular was meeting James and Kamala then catching the bioluminescence spectacle a couple of nights. James and Kamala were on a big loop through Baja then planning to jump to mainland Mexico before heading to the states for a wedding. They are a great couple and huge sports for letting me con them into cooking us traditional curry chicken. Luckily we had all of the necessary spices, thanks again Kamala! The bioluminescene is almost indescribable. Stars sparking in the sand, electric splashes from jumping fish, trails following everything that moves, oh how wonderful.

Punta San Basilio
A great free beach on a protected cove about 17KM from the main road. It took us an hour and fifteen minutes to traverse the 17 kilometers, more than well worth it. We wanted a remote area to hide from any Christmas shenanigans, a few others did the same so none of the usual parking spots were available. We engaged 4wd and drove out on the beach until we were satisfied with our location. A couple days after we arrived a cool older Dodge Sportsmobile showed up along with Mario and Michele. She asked if we wanted to go for a walk the next morning which resulted in us helping her collect Chaparral. Turns out they own a handmade soap company based in Baja, they gave us some for our less than hard work. What an awesome couple whom we hope to run into again someday.

Honorable Mentions

While we don't list every place and thing we do there are some that stick in our minds. Weeks later we catch ourselves mentioning them to others or just savoring the memory of the exquisite cuisine we consumed. Here are a couple standouts from the beginning of our southern Baja route.

Malarrimo, Guerrero Negro

A row of campsites behind a restaurant and hotel with exceptionally hot showers. We walked to town for great street food and groceries. The birria stand when heading west down the main road was fantastic. Our first Spanish lesson from local children at the lavanderia was priceless. A real surprise considering we were really just living behind a hotel.

El Mana, Loreto
We fumbled around town looking for a place to eat after a day of driving, happening upon El Mana. The quesadillas and tacos El Dorado are fabulous. Instead of searching for a different place to eat at we ate there twice, a common theme for us when the food is great. No need to mess with a good thing. We later learned it sits just across from El Rey, a famous fish taco place we never tried.