We just returned from a 9-day trip to California in our beloved van, Nora. This marked the 3rd trip we have taken in the van to Encinitas, one of our favorite coastal spots. We happened upon this quaint town on a basketball trip to San Diego several years ago. Having newly acquired our van, we decided to check out options for staying in it for the trip, and our discovery of Encinitas was born.

For this trip, we decided to break up the drive by staying overnight in Yuma, AZ, since it was the halfway point. This meant we could leave a bit later in the day and have some beautiful night views of the desert.

As is customary on our trips to the coast, we settled our van into her new home for the next several nights and headed straight for the ocean. There is something about dipping your toes in the vast ocean that feels to me like coming home.

This time around, we stayed in a different part of town than we have in the past, and it was so nice to relive the excitement of discovering a new place while also visiting some of our old favorites. On our first night, we discovered a pizza shop with a great happy hour that we returned to more than once throughout the trip.

On our first full day, Pete had to do some work, so I headed to one of my favorite places, the Self-Realization Fellowship Meditation Gardens. We had been here before, but this was my first visit since beginning my daily meditation practice. The grounds there are so beautiful, and I found the most beautiful lookout for my daily practice.

We broke up our van stay with a few nights in a cheap motel so we could shower and have a short break from our smaller-than-standard bed. It was a nice break from the not-so-glamorous van life, but we were ready to get back to our little house on wheels. It’s funny how, over the years, Nora has come to feel like a second home to us. Cramped as she may be (Pete can’t even stand up straight), she is our haven on the road.

While we stayed in Encinitas most of our trip, we did take the train down to San Diego one day to visit the Art Museum and catch a Padres game with some friends who live in the area.

It’s always so inspiring to visit a new art museum, and this time was no different. Since I’ve been on my creative journey, I find that I see art in everything, but there is still nothing like the art museum to get the creative juices flowing. During our visit, a group of young children was touring, and the way they lit up with laughter when they saw one of Picasso’s Seated Women pieces is something I will never forget. The pure joy of childhood wonder is something I am trying to recapture as a major part of this journey.

After the Museum, we took a quick tour of the Botanical Building in Balboa Park. My love of plants is electrified on the West Coast, where plants of all kinds thrive and seem to be everywhere you look.

After a beautiful day in the city, we decided to follow it up with a hike in nature. We had not yet done the Torrey Pines hike and decided this was the trip to do it. It had been referred to us by multiple people, and it most definitely did not disappoint. Every turn had a view more breathtaking than the last. It ended with a walk up the beach. The day was overcast, and temperatures were perfect for a long hike.

We have been back home for a few days and are settling back into life with a newfound rejuvenation and inspiration. I am looking forward to our next trip as always, but grateful for our life at home and the freedom that allows us to go on adventures like these.

California getaway

A Weekend Trip to Tucson