It feels fitting that the first post on a website about my adventures should begin with how I came to love this kind of life. No one is born with a passion for travel or exploration; somewhere along the way, those desires are nurtured and cultivated. For me, it all started at our family cabin in Baja California, about thirty minutes south of Rosarito.
The cabin was the vision of my maternal grandfather, Myron Claxton, back in the 1980s. Campo Lopez is a small beachside community of expats, and as far back as I can remember, my family has been making trips down to this seaside oasis—mostly in the summers—to enjoy the sun, surf, tide pools, beach games, board games, and plenty of reading and solitude. We would also venture out to Rosarito and Ensenada for shopping and dining, exploring different restaurants and local curiosities.
It was those moments—being exposed to unfamiliar places and people—that taught me how to feel at ease outside my comfort zone. Ultimately, I believe that is what cultivated in me a true sense of wonder and exploration: seeking out new places and people, and learning to be comfortable and adaptable in unfamiliar environments. Over the years, I began to understand just how different the world and its people can be from what I knew—and that those differences, and even surprises, are not just okay, but something to be embraced. There’s no room for judgment or unease—only acceptance of what is.
I am incredibly grateful and fortunate to have been exposed to these environments early in life. They helped shape who I am today, and even now, this special place continues to hold deep meaning for me and my family—both in how it shaped us and how it continues to do so.
