Crescit Eundo is New Mexico’s state motto – meaning, “It grows as it goes.” I think the statement is very fitting considering the nexus of past, present and future timelines I find my Self navigating. A space of being so grounded in the present – a moment I worked incredibly hard for – but knowing that the distant past contributed to the now, and is a reminder of why it is important to keep moving forward; to keep unlocking the coded doors.
New Mexico has buzzed around my travel radar for quite some time now – as I’ve been interested in the state for several reasons. My bucket list includes the Albuquerque International Balloon Fiesta and the White Sands National Park, which I will still have to get to! As I’ve researched the area here and there, over the years, I noticed the state has a rich and palpable Native American culture; though, I do not want to romanticize the historical awe that can be found here, because there is still, visibly, structural and institutional inequities that impact the livelihood and well-being of these communities. There are plenty in the state – 19 pueblos to be exact.
Despite the need for about a week to see most of what this southwestern state has to offer, my reason for going this time was to visit a dear friend of mine. We’d tossed around some travel dates for about eight months, and I was always keeping my eye on Google Flights; and, as divine timing goes, it happened when it was meant to happen. I bought my tickets about 3 months in advance, and paid $473.96 for roundtrip tickets on Southwest. May seemed like a lovely time to go, as the weather was in the low-mid-80s during my trip. I wanted to budget for $400-$450 for airline tickets, but I could only go when I could go, and what was available was available, so I was just thankful I could still make it work! For this trip, I gave myself 4 full days – leaving home Thursday evening and arriving in Albuquerque at 11:30pm, with a plan to depart from NM at 5pm on Monday and get home in the wee hours of Tuesday morning.
Within the past twelve months, I’ve been moseying into this beautiful foyer of a new era of my existence. The fruits of my loving labor are tangible, and I remain open and willing to receive. Every morning I have immense gratitude for where I’m at in my life, who is around me, and I am excited for what is to come; but, I’m in no rush. As the new beginnings embraced me, wholly, I needed to rest from my journey within the journey! I also needed some sunshine; for, the place I reside can be painfully gloomy. My main intentions for this trip were to relax and live my best life with my best friend!
THURSDAY
As the date of travel approached, I found it hilarious that the week prior, I had a very chill work-week, but in the days leading up to my departure, my to-do list “significantly” increased. I hit every checkbox, though, without much stress, because I had the time, I just required the focus. I worked until about 1:30 in the afternoon because I didn’t want anything lingering, went home to grab some lunch and my bags, and was on the road to the airport. Comfy-Chic is how I dress when traveling, so I opted for this cozy 3-piece set, in a size Small, from Fashion Nova, which retails at $69.99, but you can oftentimes find it on sale for 40-something or less. I have both the burgundy and beige colors.
I was happy I left my home when I did because halfway to the airport, I ran into major traffic because of an accident with a big rig that pushed everyone onto the shoulder to pass, and my GPS’s estimated arrival time was pushed back by about an hour. At some point, I could’ve been consumed by frustration from sitting in stopped traffic, but I literally couldn’t go anywhere or do anything about it, so I kept a positive mind that everything would work out fine, and I opted to spend the time jamming out to Maroon 5 and RHCP, dancing in my seat to keep from getting too stiff. My biggest concern getting to my gate on-time was the fact that I was trying something new and parking/leaving my car, which required me to take a shuttle to the terminal. The website said the shuttle comes around about every 15 minutes.
It was smooth sailing after passing the accident, and the designated place to park was easy to find. I had prepaid for the days I would need – $50; $10 per day in the extended airport lot – and received a QR code that would easily let me in and out of the gate. Surprisingly, I didn’t spend much time at all looking for a parking spot, and found one within a couple rows from the shuttle bus stop. This was important because I was traveling alone and would be getting back around 1am. Self-reminder to buy mace, because I’ve really been stalked by a stranger out in these streets before, smh. Driving myself was the cheaper option because at the time of night I was returning, it has been proven to me that Uber/Lyft has very limited availability at this airport, and I’ve paid about $100 one-way from the airport before, so I chose not to take that risk again.
I could see the shuttle bus driving around the lot – it had pulled off from the stop closest to me just as I was closing my trunk, so I hobbled over and pressed the button incessantly for the driver to be alerted and come back for me – which he did. I’ve never found the Pittsburgh airport security to be difficult to get through, and there were only two people in front of me as I arrived to the lines, and maybe one or two folks behind me, with two lines open. As I’m politely making my way through the checkpoint, I was told to wait to go through the little machine (where you stand with your feet apart and put your hands up) because they had to “recalibrate it,” since I was wearing a medical shoe – I sprained my pinky toe a few weeks before, haha. There was one man in front of me who complimented me – we’ll get back to him in a second, and most staff was friendly, as I was making small talk and laughing with them as I waited, except for one woman (Woman 1), who wasn’t even working in my line. As I asked where she would like me to wait she said, aggravatedly, “By the door.” Though I see no door (I later realized she was speaking of a 3 foot tall door that the staff was using to get in between the stations), so I thought she may have been talking about the “doorway” she was letting some folks walk through, and as I started walking over to that line, she barked and pointed, “No, here!” So, I stop near where she is pointing. As I continue to wait for them to get the machine ready, another woman (let’s call her Woman 2) who was preparing to check me, begins to talk to me, but I couldn’t hear her well, so I shift my weight on one leg, and tried to lean farther in her direction, and here goes Woman 1 pointing and yelling commands at me like a dog, “Stay! I said stay! Stay!”
However, I wasn’t even disturbed. If that’s how she needed to talk to feel as if she had some kind of power… or, if that’s what made her feel good in that moment… live your life, honey. I kept my attention on the joy of seeing my best friend in a few hours. Just as she finished trying to train me to her comfort, I was told by the other staff to come through anyway; and so, I smiled and continued on my way. Woman 2, who was checking my hands and hair, was very respectful and reassuring me through the process. As we finished, she made some comment about my beauty, and it was echoed by the male passenger that had been in front of me – he was currently gathering his belongings. But then, he took his first step too far, in my opinion. (I won’t share all of his comments throughout this story, btw.) “I ain’t never seen an outfit like that. You’re all cute and coordinating. That looks good on you.” Again, I said, “Thank you,” without making much eye contact. Alas, he continued, “Are you traveling with friends? You look like you could use a new friend.” “I’m not looking for any new friends.” “Where are you headed to?” “Nowhere.” I said as we both had to walk to the same area and wait for the train that takes us to the gates. I went and stood by a group of people and got on. I was so busy lowkey trying to evade this guy once stepping off the train, that I read my ticket wrong and walked to B31, which was actually my boarding position. I limped for 10 minutes all the way to the wrong terminal – and waited for about 5 minutes at a completely empty gate, no signs on or anything – before I checked my boarding pass again and tottered to A24. Tired from carrying my injured foot around, which started to swell and throb a bit, I sat down and propped my leg up in the seat next to me. Close to boarding time, a random woman/passenger came up to me and said, “Excuse me, miss. Did you know you can get an accommodation and board first.” “I did not…” I said, surprised. “Yeah, my mom gets it when we travel. That way you can get a seat you want and extend your leg more if you want. You can just go talk to the gate attendant.” “Well, thank you very much!” I smiled. I wobbled over to the attendant and said, “Hi, is it possible to get an accommodation for my foot?” “Yes, I saw you walking down the hallway and was wondering if you had it, too. I’m going to go ahead and change all your flights to priority boarding,” she said as she printed out new boarding passes for me and explained where I should line up.
Fast forward to me sitting comfortably in my row 3 aisle seat, reading my book, minding my business. Another passenger had already claimed the window seat in my row, and it was announced it wasn’t a full flight, so keep in mind there are options for people to sit comfortably and have some personal space. Here I am, head down, eyes gliding along the text, immersed in my reading and a man’s hand kind of scrambles across my page and I feel a touch on my shoulder. Y’all know who it is.
“Is this fate that we’re on the same flight?!” Sir- What?! He starts to put his bag away and I reluctantly get up as he asks to take the middle seat – a grown man forcing his way into the middle seat! For why?!? Now that I look back, it’s just not in my nature to have quickly come up with a lie, like I was waiting for someone, smh, whatever. “You never really know what you have in front of you, you know. Don’t let a good thing pass you by,” he referred to himself as he sat down. I put my AirPods in. At various points, I tried to doze off some, but this man felt the need to spread and was invading my seat/bubble and the armrest as he, too, decided to rest some. The overall flight was pretty good though, until we started coming into Denver, where the layover was. We hit major turbulence, and I took out my headphones to hear the pilot’s consistent announcements. Now, ol’ clown wants to keep talking. “You are so beautiful. Man, it’s going to take days to get the image of you out of my head. Make me have to readjust myself.” Ew.
There was so much wind that it took us three tries before we were able to land – we’d be descending, get close, and have to pull up and circle around. As the plane shook a bit, the my menacing neighbor decided he wanted to try to touch my leg. “I’m sorry, I got scared there- almost grabbed your leg for comfort!” “I noticed. Please don’t touch me.” For the record, he had tried it several times before his advances were commented on. Beforehand, I was just mindful to move. “Do you work out,” he continued. “No.” “Wow, so you just look like that. I work out about…” I don’t care. I don’t care. I really don’t care. I just wanted to touch down safely. When we finally landed, he couldn’t just let me go. “Well Denver’s home for me; are you getting off here?” “Nope.” “If you come back through this way, you should come through.” Hm— I always check my bags when traveling, so I grabbed my purse from beneath the seat in front of me and hobbled and wobbled as fast as I could to my next gate without looking back. The flight from Denver to Albuquerque is a little less than an hour. It was quick; quiet. Albuquerque International Sunport wasn’t a huge airport, and fairly easy to navigate.
As I came out of baggage claim, my friends {my girl friend (*Andi), her husband (*Ron), and his friend (*Dez)} pulled up and I squealed with excitement as she and I embraced. Dez put my suitcase in the trunk, and we were off! It felt so good to see her and finally be in New Mexico! Andi and I hadn’t seen one another, in-person, in almost a year; and, I was more than ecstatic to be invited to and welcomed into her and her husband’s new space. I was grateful to be in her presence again, as it adds to my joy. It is a relationship of ease and support. As much as I can focus on the “self,” community and companionship is just as important, and should be treasured as well. So much continuously changes in our lives and this trip was a lovely opportunity to catch up and celebrate one another.
We pulled onto a street lined with pretty, adobe, one-story homes, and came to the end of a cul-de-sac to their property. Dez put my bags in my room as Andi gave me a quick tour. One thing I forgot to take into account with this trip was the 2-hour time difference, which isn’t bad, but bad enough where I struggled to settle into a good sleep cycle during this whirlwind of a vacation. The home was so gorgeous, with lots of large windows, open floor plan, brick floors, innumerable books, and tons of art – mostly from local artists and from travels in Africa.
FRIDAY
I was already awake when I heard a rooster nearby, celebrating the start of a new day. I start my mornings with a little reflection and personal affirmation… Then, I threw in a little stretching, and made my way out to the living space. Andi was awake and beginning to cook. I took a moment to gift her a token of my appreciation for hosting. “I didn’t have time to wrap it!” I apologized. I explained to her the meanings of the home items that I had brought along in a paper bag.
Andi and Ron prepared health-conscious pancakes (I forgot what she used lol) and assorted fruit for breakfast. Andi mentioned that she thought we could start our trip off with a visit to one of the Ojo Spa Resort locations. I saw this place during my own research so I was excited that she was in alignment with the vibe. After breakfast, I dressed for a day at the pools. I was a little nervous to wear this new suit because the back of the bottoms were, uh, a little small – the smallest bikini I’ve ever worn, to be honest; it was, essentially, a thong on me. At the time I’m the heaviest weight I’ve been in a while, this is when I chose to show it all off! The confidence comes from within because at this point in my life, I feel absolutely gorgeous every single day, so there was nothing I felt shame about while wearing such a “revealing” swimsuit. Anyway, the color is what sold me on it because of how it would look against my complexion. I give it a two thumbs up!
Ojo Santa Fe is 77 lucious acres of heaven. The property has rooms for stay (that start around low-3’s per night), a full spa, and farm-fresh restaurant; however, you can also get a day pass for $65 Friday-Sunday (it’s less expensive during the week) which allows access to all of the pools, steam room, changing areas and showers. There are also private pools that start at $75 for 2 people, and private soaking tubs that are $30 for 25 minutes, and up.
If you are aware of my likes and beliefs, you would recognize that I am a proponent for balneotherapy and hydrotherapy, and the healing power of water. Some benefits of working with water can include:
- Healing: Immersion in hot water increases blood circulation. More blood flow means more nutrients are available to help cells regenerate and speed the healing process.
- Muscle pain relief: The increase in blood circulation helps remove pain-causing chemicals that build up in tissues. As a result, muscle pain goes away faster.
- Joint pain relief: The buoyancy of water acts as a buffer against the effects of gravity on an injured joint.
- Lower blood pressure: Most people see their blood pressure go down when they are immersed in hot water.
- Healthier heart: When a person is immersed in warm water, the heart is working harder and more efficiently, similar to how it benefits from exercise.
- Stress relief: Warm water immersion provides a safe, relaxing way to unwind, reduce anxiety, and cope more effectively with the challenges of daily life.
- Improved mental health: Scientific evidence shows that immersion in water helps us reduce the effects of stress and contribute to improved mental health.
*Via https://www.crystalpoolsinc.com/blog/7-surprising-benefits-of-soaking-in-hot-water/
On the stunning Ojo Santa Fe property, there are 3 thermal tubs (and one cool-temperature tub), a thermal pool, a junior-Olympic size saltwater pool, and a jacuzzi. Upon arrival, a little after 11am, we were told that there was a waitlist for the day passes (you can make reservations, or take your chances; but there is only a certain number of people allowed to use the pools at a time). We were informed that the wait would be 30 minutes – 2 hours. Our group decided it was worth it to wait and made our way to a patio table at the on-site restaurant, Blue Heron. We, uh, missed the sign that said wait to be seated, but there weren’t a lot of people outside at the time. For the first 30 minutes, we were playfully attentive to who was leaving and turning in a pass, and who was just taking a break from the water; trying to assess when we’d be allowed access. After a while, we just settled into the wait.
We ordered a cocktail (to-go) from the restaurant and picked up some sandwiches and chips from the gift shop, which were from a renown local bakery named Chocolate Maven. The kettle chips were so yummy!
As we waited, we laughed and enjoyed the scenery, especially the turtle in a lake that was near our seats. Our wait ended up being closer to the 2 hours, but it was definitely not in vain. Plus, once you get in, there’s no time limit or anything. Upon receiving our guest passes, we went into the luxurious, white tiled changing rooms, put our belongings into the provided lockers and made our way down to the thermal pools.
We spent about 4 hours making our way through the gardens and spent some time lounging in every single one of the bodies of water – I even did a couple laps in the saltwater pool. Each area had lounge chairs, hammocks, and jugs of cold water to keep us hydrated. Many people were enjoying a book as they relaxed. Any time something work-related came up during small talk, we vowed not to discuss that topic. The afternoon was filled with ease, as tension literally released itself from our bodies. Tucked away in the mountains of the desert, surrounded by cottonwood trees and the ambience of trickling water, we escaped from the worries of day-to-day life and simply existed for the afternoon, giving ourselves well-deserved mental breaks. I am grateful for the culture of my workplace, because they, too, encouraged me to not check my emails, nor try to squeeze in any meetings, or worry about coming to the weekly team meeting, etc. I was truly able to be completely present in one thing, and one thing only – my joy and rejuvenation. To move from bustling days into moments of pure tranquility was exactly what I desired and was experiencing.
About a month before the trip, Andi and I discussed getting a massage – but Ojo’s spa was booked about 5 weeks out. A massage and then time in those pools sounds like a day of pure decadence!
As the air began to cool, and our bellies showed the first signs of hunger, we wrapped up and headed back to the changing rooms. As Andi and I chatted, we took a shower and got ourselves together. As I dressed, I realized I didn’t think to bring a change of undergarments – I had worn my bikini underneath my clothes – so, I went freely underneath my maxi dress. This dress, which retails for $49.99 on Fashion Nova, got a lot of compliments as I perused the premises, so we had to take pics and let it have its moment, haha. I was giddy as the wind blew and I twirled around the parking lot, carefree.
The gentlemen tried to ask us what or where we wanted to eat, but that was, of course, not a simple answer. We ended up venturing towards downtown Santa Fe for dinner, and decided on Rowley Farmhouse Ales. It was a cute, rustic yet modern restaurant tucked away on a side street… but it had an outdoor patio – that was one of our only requirements! Rowley’s is an independently-owned brewery and farm-to-table gastropub. In line with the familial vibes the group shared, we all always sampled one another’s food and drinks. Everything looked too good to not try! One thing I learned about New Mexico is that they put green chile on everything. Everything? Everything! Definitely added that to our roasted brussel sprouts, as well as my sirloin burger. Rowley also had a nice selection of wine and beer. Andi and I could not say “no” to dessert, but since it was made-to-order, they ended up letting us take the ingredients home – something they started doing during the start of COVID. We were provided the cake and toppings, and given the instructions on how to heat and prepare the pineapple upside-down cake. I think we spent about $40 per person on our meal.
The drive home was about an hour, but it was absolutely gorgeous. Wide open plains that appeared never-ending, mountains in the distance, and the sun – the sun was so magnificently large and bright as it tucked itself away behind the hillside. It was quite the sight! I immersed myself in the quiet and simply admired this wondrous part of the world.
My eyes were bigger than my stomach, and though I had all intentions of eating the cake once we got home, I decided it was time for bed. We hoped to go hiking the next day and wanted to get out there in the morning before the sun became too hot. If tomorrow is anything like the success of the first day, I could rest assured that it would continue to be just the thing I needed.