exploringstopnever

[exploringstopnever]

Lake Perris, CA ,

 I know Lake Perris has had a bad reputation but it is now surprisingly clean. I’m honestly not a lake person but I have been going to Lake Perris at least once a week to go paddle boarding. It’s very clean and if you can avoid the weekend crowds and look past the screaming children playing at the shore and occasionally some loud music it is very relaxing! 

Paddle-boarding has become such a soothing activity for me. I bought an inflatable board so I can easily store it and put it in my car. It takes about 5 minutes to inflate and can hold about 300 lbs. (About 2 people to be able to properly glide through the water). I love it because it can take me away from the loudness of the shore and into the more serene parts of the lake (its also a COVID-safe activity since it allows you to keep away from the people at the shore).

One thing I learned is that if you go straight against the current you actually gain faster speed and control versus going in the direction of the current or cutting through sideways. Being in nature for me is almost spiritual, I feel like I learn more about myself and about those things weighing heavy on my mind in order to move through them. Not only should you face the current physically but  metaphorically you should face your problems head on in order to get to a solution faster and move on. It’s a little hard at first, breaking through the first waves is pretty shaky but if hold your ground and keep going you start to glide right over the waves and it feels so much easier and you really start to enjoy it. Just like when paddle boarding, you should face your problems or difficulties head on so you can heal and find peace or happiness again. It takes physical strength to paddle through waves and it takes mental strength to face your problems. Hold your ground and push through until it gets easier.  

[exploringstopnever]

Costa Rica over Quinceañera

I’ve taken national and international vacations since I was about 3 years old but I wanted to start my blog journey with a trip that made me realize I love traveling and exploring new places even if the places are only an hour away.

As a 15-year-old with a Mexican mother, it’s tradition that you have a big party to celebrate turning 15 and becoming a woman. However, the thought of wearing a big dress, having to gather people to perform a dance with you, finding a venue and deciding on what to feed the guests just did not seem like something I would enjoy doing. I should also add that these celebrations are not cheap!

This led me to think that with the money my mother was planning on spending on a single day, we could instead take a nice trip somewhere. My mother liked the idea of a trip instead of a party and so we decided on Costa Rica!

Let me tell you it was amazing and I have never regretted my decision to forfeit my Quinceañera.

We stayed in Guanacaste at a beach front resort, and it was amazing. I do have to add that I was expecting the water to be a little lighter, more of that Cancun and Tulum look. The sand was dark (since we were on the pacific side) which made the water look darker but it was so warm and the waves were so gentle you could be out there for hours.

The best part of Costa Rica was exploring the mountains. We took an excursion to a natural hot spring in the green lushes mountains. We went there during June so it’s considered their wet season which meant everything was so green and picturesque. We horsed-backed up to a natural pool and then zip-lined down the mountain to the hot springs where we got to relax and try some of their traditional foods. While zip-lining near the canopies you can see and hear small monkeys jumping around and it was so beautiful to be so close to nature like that. Costa Rica is known for being eco-friendly (which can be seen by the use of leafs as plates) and conserving their wildlife. Costa Rica has so much to explore from jungles, beaches, volcanoes and I did hear from several people that the city of San Jose is worth checking out.

It was such a great experience that I got to share with my mother. I hope to go back to Costa Rica to explore other parts! Any recommendations?