SLOW TRAVEL | REFLECTION + INTROSPECTION IN THE DESERT
Our AirBNB came with an Airstream in the backyard. It was great for taking afternoon naps.
We love cooking at home + eating outdoors when we travel. We had dinner here every night.
Exploring the “backyard” of our rental | Wearing Oak + Fort Top + Levi’s Jeans
The soaker tub in the master bedroom was a dream.
View from the bed.
Loved all the textures.
A Joshua Tree.
We loved listening to old records on the record player, now we totally want one.
What a hunk.
Hiking at Joshua Tree National Park felt like The Land Before Time. We bought the week pass and spent 3 days hiking.
Wood stove in room. Perfect spot for reading.
I love these two. I feel like they’re soulmates.
When we hit the half way point. This hike was a trek.
Made it to the top.
My husband Jose has been wanting to go on a hiking trip to Joshua Tree, California for quite some time. We’ve always had reasons to go to other destinations so we kept JT on the back burner. When a recent opportunity to shoot a creative project presented itself, we decided the desert was the perfect backdrop. The project ended up falling through but we both had this intuitive feeling that was telling us to go regardless.
We flew to LAX, rented a Jeep and headed toward the desert. The closer we got to our destination, the more beautiful the scenery became.
It was my first time seeing such vast mountains so I was in awe. It felt almost too beautiful to be real. It’s hard to put into words, but the breathtaking views had an impact on me. Nature really does have a way of reminding you about what matters the most in life.
We arrived at our first AirBNB, the Rosy Boa – originally the “set” for our photoshoot. We immediate fell in love. It was literally in the middle of nowhere, which was exactly what we were looking for. The goal of the trip was to slow down, create beautiful images together, and recharge in nature.
The desert was such a big contrast to our everyday life in the city. When you spend time in silence you’re able to truly tune in and hear your inner voice. The Nature around us reminded me that true happiness and joy is found in the most ordinary moments of life and one of the biggest realizations I had was the art of doing less.
It’s easy to let work and other commitments take up most of our time and there’s this idea that being busy and exhausted is a sign of “success”. I think true success is feeling fulfilled, spending time with people who fill you up and being kind to others and to ourselves. At the end of our lives we’re not going to remember how many hours we worked or how much money we made. We’re going to look back at the precious moments we spent laughing and smiling with people who want to see the very best for us. These moments are gifts, we just have to be present enough to feel them.
I’m so grateful that Jose and I have set up our life in a way that allows us to travel often. With every new experience, we end up coming back better versions of ourselves and having learned more about what we want for our life together.
