i miss baja. i really do (and, yes, i know, typing in all lower case can be lame, but i have a long list of things to today, so this is my way of being productive). no, but really, in a couple of days, a few friends might be shooting down to baja, if a swell shows up in their window of opportunity. sooooooooo jealous! and you're probably thinking, "wow, this is interesting hearing this from a girl" because apparently girls don't like to rough it. a trek down to baja - the real baja - is, roughly, a 15 to 17 hour drive through dusty, bumpy, desolate roads-with no bathrooms in site. you get the picture...

but it's not about 'roughing it' really, at least not for me.  because once you get past the hustle and bustle of tijuana, and drive through the mecca touristy areas, like ensenada or rosarito, the hidden gems of the baja penisula are magically revealed (the photo is actually just on the outskirts of san jose del cabo near cabo san lucas, at the very tip of baja-it is easier to get there by booking a flight, and then driving to look for uncrowded surf).  as a tradition, at the end of the year, a group of us would leave the day after Christmas, December 26th, and head down to baja and stay to greet the new year. i miss, miss, MISS packing our car to the gills with camping gear and driving down to what is known as 'the seven sisters' (and beyond)...point break, after point break, after point break...endless surfing all morning, all day, everyday. oh, and good eating, too. and please don't ask me how to get there, because if i told ya, i'd have to kill ya. no offense. (and if i don't do it, you can count on the crazy, drug cartel, mafia to do it for you...a significant reason why we haven't done a baja trip in the last couple years).

"but who cares?" you ask. well, for me (and i may/may not speak for other surfers), spending time on a board in the salty ocean, is refreshing. cleansing. exhilarating. rejuvenating. revitalizing. invigorating. it's mandatory. period. and if you can share this with a minimal crowd, well that's just icing on the cake.  it's kind of like being able to drive the 101fwy or the 405 without anyone else but ten other drivers. but, obviously, it's a LOT more fun because you are in the ocean surfing, of course.  hence, less crowds=happier people. that's a generalization, of course.

so what's my point? what is it that helps you clear your mind? meditation? sketching? painting? (ahem) surfing? jogging? walking? writing? blogging? journaling? is there an activity that you cannot live without, one that makes you almost feel zen-like, and does this activity help in inspiring your creativity? i'd love to hear your thoughts in the comments!