Neysa and I have best friends for as long as I can remember. We met in swim lessons when we were six and have been in the same class from first grade through high school. We both have a deep-rooted passion for traveling, adventure, and are always determined to have fun- no matter what. We have been exploring the world together since the 8th grade. Our first trip was to the east coast, where we spent 10 days soaking up the sights, sounds, and history of five different states. In high school we flew to London and marched the “True Millennium Parade” together then toured around England for 2 weeks. This summer we’re packing up yet again and are planning a 2-week trip to Lima, Peru. We’ve been all over California, from theme parks and national parks to sandy beaches and frosty mountaintops. We always try to pack as much fun as we can handle into the day and only sleep between adventures. One of my favorite memories with Neysa was when she came to visit me for a weekend in San Diego. I got out of class early and, since it was a three-day weekend, we decided that the best way to spend it would be to venture in to Mexico. Since it was the first time both of us had been to Mexico, we weren’t sure where to go or what there was to see but we were determined, as always, to have a great time. After crossing the boarder we headed off into the sunset. After a couple of hours of driving through open desert and getting lost in the natural beauty, we came to the startling realization that somewhere along the way we had made a few too many turns and had ended up literally lost! Well, we weren’t going to let a little hiccup like “being lost” slow us down. We would have fun no matter what was thrown at us! We mingled with the locals, grabbed some grub, and enjoyed the breathtaking and untamed shoreline. After asking for directions several times and several more hours of driving around, we finally found the boarder again at around 4am the next morning. After a brief catnap back at my dorm, we were up and ready to explore more of San Diego. We have never let a little thing like “lack of sleep” get in the way of our adventures, and weren’t going to start now- especially when there was so much to see and do!