Miles: 141km
Riding Time: approx. 1.5 hrs
Weather: Gorgeous (aka 70-80F/21-26C)
The hospitality of our friends in Mexico has completely
reshaped the feel of our travels.
Before we even crossed the border, Dawn and Steve invited us to stay
with them in San Carlos, putting to rest all of our fears about traveling in
the region. At the border, Louie
was an amazing companion who helped us navigate our way through Customs and
into a safe and comfortable hotel in Magdelena De Kino. Anita and Kalolo opened their home up
to us for the weekend, showing us the sites and introducing us to an even
broader group of friends. And, in
San Carlos, we met Cap on the beach, shared fresh squeezed orange juice, and
were given an open invitation to stay, should our plans fall through with Dawn
and Steve.
Such unparalleled kindness has truly opened my eyes to what
real hospitality is. Real
hospitality isn’t just about providing a place to stay or someone to go to the
movies with, real hospitality is the kind of generosity of spirit that turns a
desert into an oasis. It is that
magic je ne sais quoi that helps one
fall in love with the journey, and forget about the destination.
In all of my plans for riding around the world and providing
humanitarian service, I was more focused on the actual destination, and perhaps
the geographic experience, rather
than the actual journey—discovering new experiences through the lives of those
we meet.
My life has already changed because my paradigm has changed;
my paradigm has changed because of the hospitality of the people we know, or
have met. In truth, this “trip” is
anything but a trip because it has
become a journey in every sense of the word. A trip is merely about a destination, an adventure describes
the creativeness behind a trip, but a journey is about the full experience—all of
one’s senses, emotions, feelings, and engagements. And, the people we have met, even in this short while, have
transformed us.
1 comment:
Sounds like friends forever.
Cheers,
Peter
Post a Comment