Sitting in the PCL on a cold, dreary December day while
studying for finals, Winter Break seemed like the one light at the end of the
tunnel. After working endless nightsa five-week break filled with R&R is
much needed and deserved. For me, the anticipation to relax and soak in some
Vitamin-C was the only thing on my mind in midst of exam season.
With so much time away from school, break is an amazing way
to catch up with old high school friends, spend quality time with family, earn
some money working, and travel around the world. This year, while I was
fortunate enough to get to do all of that and more with my time off, the
highlight was the trip I took to Los Cabos, Mexico. 
My mom works as a Travel Agent and never cedes to plan
anything short of memorable for her clients, including my family. Knowing my
love for the beach and ocean, she planned a 4-day getaway to the Baja Sur for
herself, my dad, and me.
I can still feel the moment we stepped off the plane into
the 80-degree air; nothing could feel better after leaving a frigid 30-degree
Atlanta, GA. We were quickly escorted to our hotel and settled into our rooms.
The resort sat on the cliff of a surfer’s beach with picturesque views straight
out of National Geographic. By the time
we arrived, it was only 2 o’clock and the day was still young. To make the most
of it, my mom and I slipped on our bikinis and headed straight for the beach
while my dad made his way to the golf course. To me, there is nothing more
relaxing than listening to the ocean breeze in the sunshine while reading a
book. Needless to say, I recovered from the stress of exams pretty quickly in
doing so. Around 5 o’clock that day, we were excited to learn that the hotel
had baby turtles that had just hatched and were ready to be released into the
wild. Watching the little babies walk down the shore in order to get washed up
with the current was so adorable I cannot even put it into words. Sea turtles
are an endangered species, so it was great to learn that even the hotel was
working towards its conservation.
The next day was mostly spent laying by the pool while
drinking coconut water straight from a coconut! The pool had chairs that sat
directly in the water, which was super refreshing. That night, my family ate
dinner at another hotel nearby. There, I got to see fellow Zista Jill Levy, who
was also spending her vacation in Mexico. It is always a fun treat to see your
sisters outside of Austin.
On our final full day in Mexico, my mom and I went on a
memorable excursion to say the least: camel rides on the beach. Yes, you read
that right, a camel on the beach. As we learned, camels are actually endemic to
that region because the conditions are somewhat similar to that of the Sahara
Desert. On this adventure, we started off with a guided nature walk, which led
us to a 4x4 ride. Eventually, we made our way to the camels. First, we got to
take pictures with the animal and feed it carrots. The we got to ride on them
for around 45 minutes. The funniest part was that they draped white sheets over
the helmet, making us look like we were truly in the Sahara. My mom and my
camel’s name was Powder, and she was certainly very sweet and gentle. Lastly,
we learned how to make traditional Mexican tortillas and got to indulge in a
traditional meal. While I love to relax and soak up the sun on a beach
vacation, this camel trip was most definitely a once in a lifetime experience.
I am so thankful to have gotten to spend part of my break
with my parents in such an exotic location. Cabo itself was picture-perfect in
its scenery, and the trip was unforgettable.
ZLAM,
Whitney Weiss PC '16
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