I thought blog posts were dead, which is perhaps why I haven’t written one in about 2 years, but let’s try and give AI a run for its money shall we? (Be forewarned, this will be a long one)
I’m a photographer. More specifically these days, a brand photographer. However, this post will be less about that (although, you know I am going to include some amazing photographs) and more about my adventures as a middle aged adventure seeker.
I got a taste for travel in my youth. After high school, I embarked on various journeys, spending time in Australia, New Zealand, the Caribbean, and a few locations across the United States. Then, of course, I got married and started a family, which shifted my priorities. However, I never lost the spark of wanting to explore more of the world. Now that my kids are older, they can either travel with me (now that they don’t have a meltdown over the absence of their favourite snacks), or stay home and take care of the cats. I’m good with either. We’ll circle back to travel in a sec, but hear me out first.
Something specific happens when you hit middle age, it may happen sooner, but if it hasn’t happened yet, I assure you it will. You start to realize, literally, your life is half over. You begin to reflect upon what you have accomplished so far, and for many of us, what we have NOT yet accomplished. If you’re a woman, throw perimenopause into the mix and suddenly you are riding a rollercoaster, you don’t remember standing in line for!
All at once, you are rushing down the hill or I guess more appropriately ‘over the hill’ into the chasm of ‘where the hell is my life going?’
I’ve come to know from speaking to countless other women my age, that this is pretty much the norm and not the exception. I guess that in itself is some cold comfort, but our midlife experience, like any experience, is uniquely our own. Me? I suddenly have this innate desire to see the world. I am so small and the world is so big. All the pictures and videos in the world will never do justice to seeing it for yourself. I cannot live vicariously through the beauty of photos alone. It is my time. Time to live experiences near and far.
Here’s where we circle back to travel.
Recently I found myself pondering; How could I shift what I do with photography to incorporate more travel? Is there a way for me to finance my travel with my skills as a photographer? Surely there could be many different ways, but my brain somehow settled on hosting retreats. By hosting a retreat, I can give a welcoming, safe, and fun space for women who desire experiences over having ‘all the things’ and not bankrupt myself in the process.
I began by diving into research and attending a variety of retreats. Starting locally, I discovered a love for the connections I made and the inspiration I gathered for hosting my own retreats in the future. These local experiences are wonderful, but I dream of something grander: International retreats! Imagine stepping out of our comfort zones to explore the world, meeting new people, experiencing diverse cultures, and gaining independence.
One day, I connected online with Enicia, a retreat leader in Mexico. Initially, Mexico wasn’t on my radar, but after following her on social media and building a connection, I knew this was the right direction for my journey.
Like many residents of Canada and the US, I had all kinds of preconceived notions of what Mexico would be like. Mostly poor, swarming with Cartel activity, a potentially dangerous 3rd world country. If you did decide to go, people say you should book into your resort and never step foot off it for fear of being robbed or kidnapped or worse. Like many things you see or read in the media, all of these stereotypes are blown way out of proportion!
I ended up booking my retreat in a part of Mexico I had hardly heard of. When I would tell people where I was going, it turns out, many others never heard of it either. It was after all nestled away in the more mountainous area of Mexico and not on the coast. “What? You are not going to even be near the ocean?” some would say.
Nope, nowhere near the ocean, which prompted me to take a roundabout way to get to my destination, San Miguel de Allende. I ultimately decided I would take a stop over in Puerto Vallarta, so I could at least dip my toes in the sea. I don’t regret this stop over, but PV is not likely a place I would visit again. It’s humid and crowded and did not contain half the charm and beauty that San Miguel had. I felt safe enough there on my own, but was also bombarded with local men trying to sell me tours and trinkets. That being said, if you are looking for a beach vacation with lots of shopping, nightclubs and restaurants, it might be a great place to visit. It would be much more fun with a friend or significant other though rather than a solo vacay.
As it turned out, NOBODY else signed up for this particular retreat, but instead of it being cancelled, Enicia decided she would host me on a personal retreat (which she does occasionally).
This threw me for a loop because I thought I would be sharing space, moments and bonding with other women and have people to hang out with on excursions etc. Wouldn’t it be awkward to just be with the retreat leader the whole time? What if our personalities didn’t mesh at all? Wouldn’t it be uncomfortable? Luckily for me, all of my worries were put to rest soon as I stepped foot inside the gates of Sanadora Sanctuary. Enicia was nothing but warm, welcoming and gracious. We got along fantastically the whole time.
Here’s where we circle back to travel.
First off, I am the type of traveller who likes to stay active. I am not one to book into an all inclusive resort and just sit and drink on the beach for a week. I much prefer being able to get out and explore and see the people, places and nature around me. Good food and comfortable accommodations are a must also. The retreat at Sanadora Sanctuary offered all of the above.
A day in the life of my retreat went a little like this:
✔ 6:00-8:00 am wake up and enjoy some French press coffee (but fresh Mexican blends, obviously), out on my balcony overlooking the city.
✔ 8:00-9:00 am Yoga
✔ 10:00 am breakfast prepared by the in-house chef (which was incredible every-single-day!)
✔ 11:00 am until 1:00 pm there could be an excursion or outing
✔ 1:00 pm Lunch again prepared by the in-house chef
✔ 2:00 until dinner was siesta time or free time where I could go exploring on my own, journal, take a nap, get a massage or other spa treatment, whatever.
✔ 6:00 pm out on the town for rooftop dinner and or drinks.
✔ 9:00 pm ( I was usually back and getting ready for bed)
This of course varied from day to day, because after all, I was the only guest, so we could be quite flexible with our itinerary.
There was also a second reason I was attracted to this retreat; An assisted psilocybin journey.
Some people have asked me what psilocybin is. In layman’s terms, magic mushrooms. 🍄 In Mexico, these mushrooms are a sacred earth medicine used as important healing, divination and spiritual connecting tools. I have tried small doses in the past, but more on a recreational basis and found personally that they opened me up to more clarity, feeling closer to nature and feeling the energy of music much more deeply. There was a bit of that happy euphoria as well.
For the ceremony here however, it was a much more profound experience. Initially you will have to answer many health questions, what medications you are on etc to be sure it will be safe for you. Then you need to be clear of your intentions, why are you taking this? What healings are you looking for? My personal reasons were simply out of curiosity and to try and feel a closer connection with my own spirit guides.
To prepare, we did a fast for most of the day, participated in a cacao ceremony the day before (cacao is a natural heart opener) , a land offering before the ceremony began and then I was to set my intentions of what I was looking for. I was told that my intentions or questions may not always be answered as the mushrooms will often show you what you need to hear or see, and not always specifically answer the questions you are asking. The strain of mushroom I had was the golden teacher and ceremonially or traditionally, I could only nibble it with my front teeth as your back teeth are used for grinding meat and the two are not to mix. It took me about 40 minutes to chew my 2.25 gram dose and by the time I was done, I could slowly start to feel the effects.
Now my dose was not the blast into space, super hallucinogenic amount, but instead, what came to me was the voices. This I find difficult to explain. It was my voice or thoughts, but also not my thoughts. Maybe more like messages that were coming in for me, and boy oh boy there were a lot.
The first message was loud and clear and the overall message or theme of my mushroom journey. That message was one of love. Reminding me I was surrounded by love, it was all that mattered in this life really. The other message was to just be. I took that to mean live for the moment and not to feel any obligation to keep doing, or seeking, just be, just live life. I also had messages from people and animals that had passed on in my lifetime. This was most profound to me. Without going into more detail and every message I received, I have to say, it wasn’t the experience I expected to have, but one I was grateful to have. It was an emotional rollercoaster to say the least and if you have an open mind to try something like this, you should definitely explore it!
Let’s chat a little more about what it’s like to travel solo and about San Miguel de Allende shall we?
If you’ve never travelled alone before, it can seem daunting. I guess this will depend somewhat on your personality, but even if you’re the type of person who feels like they need a companion as a security blanket, I urge you to believe in yourself and be empowered by your own decisions.
Here’s why:
You only have to worry about yourself. You don’t have to worry if anyone else is having a good time, nobody is going to make you late or early, you can eat where you want and what you want, go where you want to go and see what you want to see without thinking about if anyone else is going to like it or not. The only downside, at least for me, is that when you do see or experience something amazing, you kind of wish those you love were there to experience it too. That being said you might not have had that same opportunity if they were there!
I think I chatted more to locals, people in line at the airport, the cab drivers, the hotel staff and of course my host more than I would have if I were with someone I knew. It’s been a very long time since I did things like that while travelling. Why is that a good thing? It gets you out of your comfort zone and reminds you that you still have great social skills and capacity to hold space for other people.
So what was San Miguel like?
For me, it was the most visually stunning town I had ever seen. My photographer’s brain was firing on all cylinders, I wanted to photograph everything. So many colours, so much charm.
Initially landing at the airport in Queretaro from Puerto Vallarta, I was a little nervous. “No habla Espanol” was my most memorized Spanish sentence. You are now IN the heart of Mexico, not a typical tourist town where so many people speak English. Luckily for me, my host as part of my retreat package included airport transfers with a trusted driver. It can be intimidating not knowing how things work in other countries. This is why planning ahead is important. Fun fact: Mexico has Uber, it’s super cheap and reliable and I used it often while there.
The journey from Queretaro to San Miguel was just over an hour. The houses and buildings you pass by, even in the city of Queretaro (population nearly 1.5 million) look quite different from what we are used to seeing in Canada. They do not seem to have many tall buildings, and the homes look very square. The landscape is also so different, but as the way you would imagine a desert to look, dry with lots of cactus.
When you arrive in San Miguel, one difference you really notice is the cobblestone streets. I was perplexed about how the cars even held themselves together having to constantly travel over this rocky terrain. Needless to say, there is no fast driving in San Miguel. The streets are narrow and the sidewalks even narrower, it’s all part of the charm.
The tallest building in SMA is the parroquia, the cathedral in the middle of town square. It is a beacon of beauty surrounded by equally charming homes and businesses of this colonial town. The colours are stunning. Everything is brightly coloured and the doors on nearly every building are an interesting work of art. SMA is also a UNESCO World heritage site and was named again as “The world’s best small city” by Travel and Leisure in 2024. https://www.travelandleisure.com/wba-2024-cities-world-8660857
It makes complete sense to me. I was literally stunned by its beauty, culture, food, art scene and shopping. Oh the shopping. Leave room in your suitcase if you decide to go. Compared to what we pay for things now here in Canada, it’s very affordable too. From the food and drinks, to artisan crafts and clothing, your dollar goes a little further. By Mexican standards, it can feel more pricey, but if you have a local connection or you have decided to move there (About 10 percent of the population are expats from Canada and the US and a few other countries), You can sniff out where all the bargains are.
Many of the residents speak English, but many also do not. I’d say you can get what you need there by speaking English only, but it was helpful having my host be completely bi-lingual. I would advise that you learn the very basics of how to say please, thank you etc. and make an effort whenever you can to use Spanish.
San Miguel de Allende is also surrounded by natural hot springs open to the public. These springs, rich in minerals like magnesium, sulfur, calcium, and sodium bicarbonate, offer facilities where visitors can soak in their healing waters. Known for their anti-inflammatory and skin-healing properties, the springs also provide a relaxing and therapeutic experience. I highly recommend checking them out while you are there.
There are so many things you can do there, horseback riding tours, foodie tours, private cooking classes, rooftop dining, visits to the vineyards, hot air balloon rides, visit the botanical gardens, walking tours, wine and tequila tastings, day trips to various other locales and sites and the list goes on!
I personally would love to go back there and do a few of the activities that I didn’t get a chance to do, I would also like to see more parts of this beautiful country! This leads me to the next part of this very long blog post:
I want to host a retreat and bring as many of my friends, acquaintances, family and like-minded women who want to get out and see the world and do something special for themselves. Planned retreats are all the rage for a reason. You get to explore new places, while being taken care of 100%, be with like-minded people, have a place to heal, grow and learn about yourself. There is a retreat for nearly anything you can imagine, but each one unique in experience.
I have been thinking about doing this for a while, but the reason I went on retreat alone was to take in the experience, learn how retreats were run and find a reputable retreat space and leader that I felt confident bringing people to. I want to offer something that I know is worth every penny people are asked to spend.
Here is my Thought:
Retreat at Sanadora Sanctuary, mid to late February 2025. A great time to escape the sub zero temperatures here at home in Canada. The weather that time of year is pleasant. Day time temps are in the low 20’s, but it does get significantly cooler in the night, through to early morning. You will still need a jacket, and some warmer clothes for these times of the day/night.
Theme of the retreat:
Mid life escape. Let’s get some women together who are looking to go a little deeper within, find personal empowerment, practice mindfulness and presence through activities like yoga, self-care, eating nourishing food, sitting in circle, meditation, journaling and connecting to self love via photography. (You didn’t think I was going to let that slide did you?) I envision getting you out of your comfort zone and in front of my lens where I can capture your bliss, your beauty and wonder of being in this amazing place! Perfect for a personalized photo session or even a branding session if you have a brand or business.
In the evenings we can dine out at rooftop patios, drink Mezcal margaritas (but not too many – this is about feeling good after all) or mocktails, visit hot springs, shop, and maybe even day trip to another fun activity nearby.
I am trying to gauge how much interest there would be before it’s something I will go ahead and promote. I would need at least 6 participants to make a go of it, but there would be room for more. Since I have been there myself, I can tell you exactly what to expect, what air planes to catch, how much currency you need, what to wear, what to bring for your photoshoot and how to plan financially. Ideal age group 35-65, but really anyone is welcome, who feels the need to travel solo and be with the company of other soul searching women.
The beauty of getting feedback now is that if there is something you would love to explore during a transformative retreat, let me know as there is a good chance it can be incorporated. Some examples are:
Sound healing
Massage
Cacao Ceremony
Vision Walk
Cultural ceremonies
Meditations
Photography sessions
And more!
Payment plans will be available. I would love to be your co-host, along with Enicia Fisher who is an experienced retreat leader of more than 12 years and very nurturing and in tune with our needs as women.
If this is something that sounds interesting to you and you want to learn more, please get in touch with me so we can make this happen! Also don’t be surprised if I reach out to some of you personally who I think would be a great fit for a retreat like this.
I’d love to hear what would make this the ultimate experience for you!
Here’s to claiming your sense of adventure, peace, healing and relaxation.
Peace.
UPDATE!
I have been invited back to Sanadora Sanctuary in November of 2024 to help facilitate a retreat for retreat leaders who are learning how to brand and sell their retreats! I will be taking branding images for the leaders to help promote their retreats, so my ambition of Feb, 2025 might be a bit much. I too will get a better grasp on how to market a successful retreat, so this is still an opportunity for anyone considering the same. If hosting a retreat internationally appeals to you, this might be the retreat for you! Contact me for more info, or check out Sanadora Sanctuary Retreat Leader Immersion!
