Mexico Day 30: Feliz Navidad

Rancho San Dionisio //

It’s a little after 7am when we all sit down in our little makeshift courtyard.  Hannah has been up since 5 eagerly awaiting this moment.  It’s Christmas morning and it’s finally time to open presents.  Hannah alternates between handing one of us a gift and so patiently waiting for the receiver to open it before she returns to the gifts and asks if she can open one that’s for her.  I sit back and admire how well Hannah, at four years old, seems to really enjoy opening each gift before moving on.  Between the friends we are with and the paradise we are in, it is a very sweet Christmas morning.

Around noon we set out for a hike with all seven of us plus all three dogs.  San Dioniso is situated in the Sierra de la Laguna biosphere reserve with a beautiful hiking trail leading straight from the property.  We always make a point to hike while we’re here.  It’s hot, the sun is blazing, there’s a variety of paces between us all, and our destination isn’t clear, but we progress into the mountains in an accordion-style fashion nonetheless.  The idea is to reach one of the natural pools where we can swim but the reserve is facing a severe drought and the pools we’ve seen in the past have either been reduced to puddles or are entirely nonexistent.  For this reason we persist further up the trail until finally finding a spot with enough water for a respite; though the swim we’d hoped for is not in the cards.  We concede to the reality of the drought and call this our turn around point.

By the time we arrive back at the ranch the sun has dipped behind the mountains.  We hiked five miles in five hours and had not planned to be gone for quite that long.  We’re tired and hungry but I don’t think anyone is quite as tired as Duke.  He was the hardest-working of us all today with his little four inch Corgi legs putting in an exponential number of paces more than us tall bipeds.  He’s asleep beneath a camp chair in a matter of seconds and I feel like the rest of us aren’t far behind.  Instead, hunger wins over fatigue and the guys go on to cook up a Christmas feast. 

It’s not easy to cook a huge meal in a tiny home but when you have three tiny homes all working together the bar is raised.  Josh cooks elk steaks accompanied by a delicious broccoli salad, Mark makes rice and sautéed veggies, and Adam makes a piping hot and flavorful stew.  It’s a decadent meal made even better by the appetites acquired on our hike.  We feast and simultaneously express our appreciation for the fact that we’re all here, together again, in Mexico for Christmas.


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About

We’re Mark & Michele, modern-day nomads perfecting the art of slow, full-time travel.  Our tiny home on wheels and slow-paced travel style allows us to minimize our expenses while maximizing our freedom.  May our unconventional way of life inspire you to design a life that you love.

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We're spending the winter of 2025 exploring all that mainland Mexico has to offer. To follow along on the adventure subscribe to receive a daily photo and story directly to your inbox.

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