Greetings from sunny Loreto!

I know it has been quite some time since I sent a Travelogue, and since most of you have heard from me personally. My personal email inbox is overflowing, and I don't know where to start...I feel like I owe everyone an apology.

The reality is that I have been sucked back into the world of EMPLOYMENT! While I was working before in Loreto--doing tours, taking photos, website and Travelogues, this is something entirely different.

The Villages of Loreto Bay is a Canadian/American sustainable development located about 8 miles south of Loreto. They are building homes in Phases over 12-15 years, and placing more than half of their 8,000 acres into a Nature Reserve. They are taking an area which was slated for development by the Mexican government, and changing the concept completely--to villages with vehicle-free streets, use of electric vehicles, solar power, etc.

You might recall that I sent a Travelogue a while back with a photo of me in an electric car. This was one of the things I heard about through Loreto Bay, and frankly didn't believe. When I pulled up and saw 3 parked at our offices, I started to realize that this company's "ideas" would be turned into "realities". That is also when I went from being the company photographer to being, drum roll, please...

Loreto Sales Associate!

Yes, me, who has never bought or sold a home in my life. What I can tell you is that I'm enjoying experiencing it through others, and I have finally made my first sale! All of our other Sales Associates are located in our offices in Scottsdale, AZ, San Diego, CA, Victoria, BC and Mexico City. We sell during Sales Events which are held every few weeks, during which all of the company principals, architect, etc. fly in, but I am also assisting with all of the other salespeople's customers who come visit on their own outside of Sales Events.

Bottom line is that I've been very busy. I have thrown myself into this position and the recent flood of sales visitors, 110%. I realize that I have put many personal things aside, but I also appreciate the opportunity that this position provides. Loreto Bay is putting 1% of their sales proceeds into a Foundation, the proceeds of which will go to benefit the people of Loreto (through various grants, job-training, improvements, etc). Thanks to the success of our sales efforts to date, this Foundation will have over $1 Million!

For those of you who have been with my Travelogue for a while, you know that I've been searching for a balance between being a corporate attorney and bum traveller! I am hoping that this position will allow me find that balance and be part of something that will benefit this little town that I've grown to love.

We have run out of our Loreto Bay brochures, which is a shame because the photo on the cover is mine! I know the company is working on a new website, but if you visit it soon you'll see the current version--which has that same brochure photo on the main page (it's the one on the right on the beach with palm tree and palapa-thatched huts). Visit: www.loretobay.com. For more photos (mostly not mine!), including of our first nearly complete home, visit: www.flickr.com/photos/loretobay.

One very important note: if you (or anyone you know!) might be interested in The Villages of Loreto Bay, please contact me directly at: sirit@loretobay.com. Please DO NOT use this address for personal purposes, my personal address remains: findsiri@yahoo.com. If you enter your info in our website's exit pop-up, you will be assigned to another salesperson...but if you contact me, I'll enter you into the system, then you'll be directed to me. We are in the last stages of our Phase I Founder's Neighborhood, still plenty of time to get in early! Sorry, but I'm really get the hang of this!

Wish me luck and come visit...

Thanks to a marketing agreement with Loreto Bay, Alaska Air is now flying 2-hr non-stop from LAX to Loreto...you can fly down on Thursday and fly back Sunday. You've been reading my Travelogues from here for long enough, come check it out!

Still Siri:-)

PS Somewhat related to Loreto Bay, I was able to fly in a private plane and take aerial photos recently, am attaching one from of our property site from the flight. Not bad--right on the beach of the Sea of Cortez, with the Sierra de la Giganta mountains on the other side!