Three Months in Baja | Todo Bien EP.01
The start of a new series. We couldn’t be happier to be here!
As usual, these blog posts will serve as a bit of “Behind the Scenes” (BTS) for each episode. But if you’re looking for more information, tips and recommendations for traveling in Baja head to our Traveling in Baja: The Basics blog post. Without further a-do, here is the first episode of Todo Bien!
(Translation: All good)
Before we dive in to our journey, let me get this question out of the way:
Isn’t it dangerous to travel in Baja?!
I always joke that that question is a clear indicator of someone who’s never been. ‘Cause if you had, you’d never think to ask that question. Plain and simple, Baja is a safe and wonderful place to travel. But we will get into more of that later.
Previous Trips to Baja
Over the years Owen and I have made many trips to Baja. Our first foray south of the border was back in 2017. We crossed in a caravan of old Volkswagen vans. THough that first trip was only two weeks and we only made it a few hours south of the border, it changed us forever. There is something so alluring and wonderful about Baja. After years of hearing of its dangers, we found only the opposite. Quiet beaches, beautiful vistas, empty waves, kind locals, incredible food. Truly Baja is paradise for anyone who loves any combination of ocean, desert, camping and outdoor adventures. We were hooked almost immediately.
Owen after a day of spearfishing
MAK on during her surf retreat
Matt, Owen & Allie out on a walk as the wind ripped down the beach
I distinctly remember driving south on MEX 1, the windows were down, and a big grin was plastered on across my face. In that moment I was convinced that I was the happiest person alive. I loved the feeling of being outside of our comfort zone and into new terrain. The cool thing, is I feel that same feeling just about every time we’re in Mexico.
Our camp in between surf sessions
Matt doing a surf check
MAK on a women’s surf retreat to Baja
Since that first trip south, we have had the pleasure of going to Baja five more times. Each time, we seem to discover something new and wish we had more time.
MAK watching the sunset
Three Months in Baja
The concept behind this trip, and series, was to test the waters of full time international travel. It’s no secret that we have slowly but surly been working our way towards being international. Covid and a new build pushed our departure date out but finally, we feel like our life, work and financial preparedness will allow us to take the leap in the next year. As planners we were wanting to test the waters to see if if were in fact ready, mentally, to be outside of the US full-time. We felt like three months would be the perfect amount of time to settle in and get a feel for things.
We crossed the border in Mexicali just a few days after the new year and were so excited for what waited for us.
Once we get into Baja, we tend to like to take things slow. There is so much to see and do. We also were carrying a heavy work load for the first time during our time in Baja as we were still in the post production phase of our series A Long Time Coming. So we decided to stop for the day early just south of San Felipe on the Sea of Cortez. A lot of people like to cross the border and then shoot pretty far south, but we find Norte (North Baja) to be special in its own right.
Sunset from our first camp spot in Baja
The following day we pushed just a little bit further south to connect with MEX 1 to enjoy a few days of sitting still on a beach with surf on the Pacific Coast.
View of our little beach camp
MAK post surf session
We always stop in this area to surf for a few days. It is a lovely place to sit still, go for long walks and surf when the waves are cooperating. The waves at this beach are usually pretty small and serve as a great little warmup before larger breaks elsewhere in Baja.
Old roadside Cardon Cacti
Osprey flying over its nest
Though the waves and weather were less than cooperative at this stop due to a bomb cyclone. We still enjoyed ourself as I worked through writing the final two episodes of A Long Time Coming. Writing the story for these series is incredibly challenging, so it was nice to be able to balance my day when I needed a break by going for long walks or hopping in the water to surf.
Owen taking a picture of an Osprey flying overhead
In Baja, there are lots of places where you have to pay for camping on the beach. It’s common for there to be land managers that take care of the beach, tend to trash and generally look after the place. The fee is usually very affordable. They will take US dollars and pesos. They take USD because it’s a strong currency. We rarely only tend to carry pesos with us, as it feels like the respectful thing to do. At this spot I believe we pay about 20 Pesos or the equivalent of $5 USD a night.
Well worth it if you ask me.
Owen walking down the beach at sunset
There is a sense of calm that comes over us in Baja, and we always seem to take a few days to fall back into the slow pace of life in Mexico. Even though some people think everyday is a vacation for us, it rarely feels that way. However, in Baja there is something about the place that makes us feel like we’re taking a break and recharging. Personally, there is no place I’d rather do it.
MAK & Owen before going out for a surf
Thank you so much for stopping by for the first epsiode of Todo Bien! We hope that you enjoyed it as well as the Behind the Scenes of these first few days. It is a joy to be able to share this little corner of the world that we love so much with you all. Let us know what you thought of the first episode in the comments!
See you next week! - MAK
We’re immensely grateful to our sponsors for making our creative endeavors possible. Their unwavering support has played a crucial role in enabling us to bring captivating stories to life and share them with our audience. Without their generous contributions, we wouldn't have the necessary resources to embark on our journeys, capture breathtaking landscapes, and document compelling human experiences. Our sponsors' dedication to our vision and their commitment to promoting authentic storytelling in the digital age is truly commendable. Every step of the way, their belief in our work has fueled our passion and allowed us to continue creating meaningful stories. We owe our sponsors a profound debt of gratitude, as they’re essential partners in our mission to inspire.
Presenting Sponsors
We’ve now been living out of a flat-bed Four Wheel Camper for 5 years. FWC builds comfortable and durable campers that can fit on any truck. We can confidently say that our FWC is the most comfortable and livable rig we’ve had in all our years on the road! If you reach out to them, tell them MAK & Owen sent ya!
Power and power management are key to living and working full time from the road. Our mobile lives run on a Redarc Manager 30. It’s a state-of-the-art battery management system that charges and maintains auxiliary batteries by incorporating AC, DC and solar inputs. We’re not sure where we’d be without it!
Supporting Sponsors
When you go to travel through Mexico by car, you need Mexican car insurance. Baja Bound is our all time favorite car insurance. We’ve used Baja Bound for every single one of our trips south of the border. We’re proud to have them as a sponsor for Todo Bien!
If you’re looking to get into overland travel, inspiration, education, or gear Overland Expo is our favorite event series that happens all around the US every year. We love attending as there is always something new to learn, innovation to see, and incredible people to meet!
Our entire life is powered by Dakota Lithium. They make the best lithium batteries and are an essential part of our power system that enables us to work from the road! Dakota Lithium makes the biggest capacity batteries for the footprint which enables us to have twice the power in the same footprint.
Tires can be some of the best insurance when you are out in remote places. We love and trust our Toyo ATIII’s to get us in and out safely, no matter the terrain. They’re amazing in mud, moon dust, loose rocks, slick rock, you name it!
