OLA Baja!
A giant pelican swoops down from the sky and glides effortlessly along the water as I enjoy an unobstructed view of the Sea of Cortez.
The golden sun rises as fish dance above the surface of the water, clearly enjoying life in the deep blue sea! Ahh Baja!
Kim and I escape the wet landscape of the North Shore each November to so-called greener pastures where we can be outside in the wind and water kite surfing. The Mexican Baja allows easy access to untouched terrain with breathtaking views and endless wind and water. There are also many friends who spend their winters in the Baja and we love catching up over delicious salsa, guacamoleinfused foods and cervezas.
Our home is La Ventana, which is a short 40 minutes south of La Paz. This tiny fishing village has grown over the years. It now has a gas station and several great restaurants but you won't find anything commercial.
Sustenance living is a way of life here with fishing being the main staple. It is just the way we like it as it allows you to take in everything natural and enjoy the simple things.
La Ventana is also a windsport mecca with tons of B.C., Oregon and California residents travelling south to keep the summer alive for the entire year.
Each morning we awake and partake in a yoga class or head off down the beach for a morning run and a self-made CrossFit workout, which includes sit-ups, push-ups, squats, short swims and sand uphill runs. They are always finished off with a relaxing float in the water or a Qigong exercise routine - Kim's awesome idea!
By mid-morning the wind picks up and everyone excitedly scampers out on the beach to pump up kites and hit the water for the rest of the afternoon, coming in occasionally to refuel on totopos, guacamole and salsa and Coke; my favorite meal!
This is pretty much repeated everyday the entire trip except for the non-windy days where groceries are re-stocked and chores are done so they can be neglected during the next windy session!
We stay at Baja Joe's (www.bajajoe.com), which sits right in the main part of the best kiting. It is also the home of Elevation Kiteboarding (www.ElevationKiteboarding. com), the Baja's best Kite Surfing School led by Marie Leclerc and her awesome team. Here you can take lessons and learn to kite in one of the easiest and safest places on planet earth. The warm water is also a huge plus!
Many people call this a vacation but I learned long ago that working too hard without rewards leads to taking less time to enjoy life. That is why this ain't no vacation; this is LIFE! I hope it encourages you to drop everything, catch a flight somewhere warm and get back to a simple existence. I guarantee everything in your life will prosper because of it!
I have to cut this short as the whitecaps are appearing and the rolling swell is getting pretty big; time to grab my surf board and ride the Baja wind and waves!
Adventurer Dave Norona hopes you're not waiting for retirement to enjoy life; intermingle it with your life now! His escapades are supported by Airtime Board Sports, Columbia Sportswear and PowerBar!
