Folks, we are now in Puerto Escondido staying in the second floor loft of our friends, Gord & Joanne’s, new house overlooking Playa Zicatella. We got here yesterday and we’re off now for a swim and to meet some others. Puerto Escondido Blues Festival is still on so looks like we will see Danny Marks Saturday night. More later – gotta run now.
Frank, Rita & Hunter
Folks, yes we are now camped out on the Beach for the the very first time in Zipolete with all the naked old folks ! We packed up all our stuff once again this morning and headed up the coast to explore Playa Angele, Zipolete, Mazunte, etc. So, finding a spot ON THE BEACH these day is not easy but we did it. Behind a Palapa and a bunch of cabanas up on stilts we are pretty much on the beach without getting wet. Set up a bit and went for a swim then watched our first sunset on the Pacific. That is the best, all the other spots cannot hold up to the west coast beach scene and all the other stuff we have seen was sure good BUT and I do mean BUT, The west coast of Mexico is by far our favorite, especially when we can get to camp ON THE BEACH ! So, now it’s 8:45 pm and we’re in a beach bar with Internet having coffee cognac, tea for Rita and a chocolate crepe with great music in the background or maybe it’s the foreground. Still no pics to offer as our camera is still kaput and we have not found a cheap new one. So what about Haultulco ? It was OK, nice campsite but too far from the beach for me. We met lots of nice folks including a couple from Switzerland and Germany who were back packing in Argentina and got fed up carrying all there stuff and bought a Brazilian Bay window bus, fixed it up as a camper and headed north. They are planing to go to Alaska then across Canada and may wind up in our back yard when we get home. Then there was Hymee & Barbara Jean from no where as they have been living in their 1982 aircooled Westy for the last ten years. We sort of knew about each other but have never met. They are good friends of Tony and are headed over to see him and camp in his back yard for awhile. Hymee was pround to show off his BusFusion T-Shirt when he saw us ! And so there were many others we met in Haultulco from Quebec and Ontario so also made many new friends and met old ones. BUT, after a week there it was time to move on. So, here we are in Zipolete and will stay until it’s time to go to Puerto Escondido and see what is going on there.
Adios,
Frank, Rita & Hunter
Folks, we are now in Hualtulco a few hours south of Puerto Escondido, just in case you don’t know where Hualtulco is. Since we left San Cristobal monday morning we have not had Internet so this will be a catch up story. Saturday we visited the Indian villages of Chumula and Zinacantan just outside of San Cristobal by taking a tour with a guide who was from this area and he knew his stuff which made it very interesting. Amazing how many indigenous descendants of the Mayans that are still living out in the Mexican countryside much as they did for centuries. Out of San Cristobal we descended the mountains into the clouds, literally, to the town of Chiapa de Corzo. That decent was absolutely, bar none, one of the most spectacular mountain descents we have ever done. New four lane pavement for over 60 km. At Chiapa we made our way through the village celebrations of Saint San Sebastion which were just getting under way to the Embarkadero, {warf), where we embarked on a boat ride up the Sumadero Cannon, for some three hours. This is a trip of a life time and we highly recommend you take this trip some time in your life. The cannon is huge and long, the water deep as it is backed up by a dam where we went to and made our turn-around. The river from there heads south into Guatemala then out to the gulf of Mexico. We saw Crocodiles and Monkeys along with numerous birds. Unfortunately we have NO pictures to share with you as our camera has broken as a result of getting wet in Palenque. So the best we can offer you is to look at this Internet site, Click here: Sumidero Canyon Mexico Sumidero Eco Park, about the Sumidero Cannon. We hope to purchase a new camera as soon as we can find a one ! Meanwhile we’re using the cell phone camera and hopefully some of those photos will be below. When we arrived in Chiapa it was the first day of a week long celebration of Saint San Sebastian and there was a party going on. Luckily we were able to boon dock camp at the Embarkadero so we got to spend the evening exploring the festivities in town and along the Malecon. Tuesday January 20 was to be the grand day of San Sebastion but we opted to keep on with our travels and off we went Monday morning to the nearby large city of Tuxtla Gutierrez to see their Zoo. Well, that was not to be as the Zoo is closed on Mondays as we were informed as we drove up to the gate. So after some pondering of to stay and spend more time at Chiapa and the festival then see the Zoo or keep on moving we decided to keep on with our journey to the Pacific coast and some warm beach weather. We drove on down the mountains to Tapanatepec where we got ourselves a nice motel room for the night with HOT water showers and got ourselves cleaned up for the first time in weeks ! Looking at our maps we see that Hualtuco is within a few hours reach, supposedly a good cheap campground there near the beach so we decide to head there. So that’s were we are now and low and behold it’s not too bad, a free WiFi connection coming from one of the many expensive resorts up the hill overlooking the camp and beach. The beach is a short walk through the bushes and has a very steep sand bank and big waves. We may go in for a swim today. There is one other Vanagon Westy camper here, folks from the Okanogen area of BC who we met last year. Their van has a thermostat problem and they were very happy to see me yesterday. So looks like I have another job lined up. A few other folks in bigger RVs from Ontario and Quebec, one couple from Smiths Falls just down the road from Almonte so that was a surprise. They hosted a happy hour at their site at 5 yesterday and that was a pleasant affair meeting our new neighbours. So, we’re here for a few days maybe more then up the coast to Puerto Escondido where we will stay for a bit and visit with our friends Gord & Joannne. We will stop along the way at Playa Angel, Mazunte, and Zipolite for a few days. The adventures continue.
This message is a little late in getting posted and much has transpired since I wrote it. But had two mechanic jobs to look after and then there was way too much action here so no time to edit and post. Later more details will come.
That’s a really long drive !!
After I let Frank and Rita in Palenaque I started the long ride home. It rained on and off all day but I still made good time , I stopped at a Pemex at the N end of 145 and settled down for the night. I made a couple of chicken sandwiches and all was good in the world until about 11:30 . I woke up in a cold sweat and shaking like crazy. BAD CHICKEN ………… thank god for a porta potti ……..back to sleep until 3:30 am when someone knocked on the door asking for money to watch the van. I opened the door and puked on his shoes. He wasn’t very happy, it cost me a few pesos to get him to calm down.
On the road the next day feeling really weak and shaky but I kept driving and managed to get right in the center of every town I tried to bypass. Dogs do not give great directions they just want you to follow all the good looking dogs. After numerous meetings with the local police I managed to find my way out. I figured out that you have to know the name of the nearest small town in the direction your going because that’s what all the signs point toward. I kept looking for signs to the next major city. Once I figured this out things were a little easier. I was still lost in the downtown of all the cities but it made getting directions easier.
To the border….. I decided to use Veterans bridge east of Brownsville the directions in the Churches book seemed pretty straightforward . I ended up in the middle of Metemoroso instead of the east side. I finally found a bridge and started looking for a place to turn the paperwork in. There was no easy way the soldiers at the check point just started laughing as I went though for the third or forth time. At long last I was through the border and at USA customs, 10 minutes at the most and on my way.
Three nights at Motel6 for me and the dogs and we were at The Canadian Customs where they sent me to be searched. Talk about type casting a old bearded hippie looking fellow in a VW van with surfboards inside……………They had to stop me !! no problems even with the search I was only a half an hour total. Into Windsor and then to Peterborough. I only ran into some snow one morning the rest of the time was clear dry roads.
After 14000 K in two months I’m home
I’ll post pictures in the next few days as I sort them out
Safe Travels
Jerry
I made it home to Peterborough todayI got here at 3:30 pm I’ll tell all about the trip in the next few days. Enjoy the heat in MX
Hello all,
Just got a call from Jerry, he is Brownsville Texas now! Safe and sound. It has been raining for 3 straight days, so he is heading for a Motel6 tonight. He said that he was ill till 4am two nights ago, so, the van, him, two wet dogs.. he needs a night in a hotel!
He said it took him over 2 hrs to find the little booth to return the car permit, it wasn’t easy to find, the local Mexican military kept stopping him, then they just laughed at him.. all was fine.
I am spending a wonderful weekend here in Ottawa with Paul & Linda, -20 degree weather, but, wonderful friends!
Jerry thinks he’ll be home by Tuesday(ish).
Hugs
Sof
Love
Sof
Folks, we are now in San Cristobal camped out in the very nice and QUIET campground behind the Bonampak Hotel with a bunch of other big rigs. We spent Wednesday exploring Palenque in the rain. Thursday morning Jerry said his goodbyes and headed for home we’re gonna miss him, Duke and Meeka. Rita, Hunter & I are now on our own. We slowly packed up all our wet things, went into Palenque Centro to do some Internet and shopping then set out for San Cristobal. Along the way we stopped at a giant waterfall, Cascacada Misol-Ha, see the photo below. Rain pretty much the whole way through the mountains. And speaking of mountains these ones are impressive with great vistas in a jungle forest setting and the numerous villages along the way are interesting nestled up there. AND, the number of Topes is, well, overwhelming. I don’t think we have EVER encounter this number of Topes on such a short stretch of road before. Nevertheless, by late that evening we found ourselves in San Cristobal, found this campsite with Internet, IN THE VAN. We spent the day today exploring the Mercado and bought many things including another Hammock, that’s the third one. One in Coba, one at the jail in Chetumal and one here ! YIKES ! Hammock testing at BusFusion ? So, now I’m uploading lots of photos here and on Picasa since we have such a good FREE Internet connection. So, you will all have something to do rather than worry about us in Mexico and you in the cold and snow.
Frank, Rita & Hunter
Jerry leaving
Volkswagen camper from Brazil
Palenque Mayan Ruins
Giant plant seen at Palenque
Rita at Palenque
Cascada Misol-Ha
Mercado in San Cristobal
More photos here:
Mahahual: http://picasaweb.google.ca/FCondelli/Mahahaul?authkey=jZiKp-Kv0Lc#
Coba: http://picasaweb.google.ca/FCondelli/Coba?authkey=Itm6adSQytA#
Palenque: http://picasaweb.google.ca/FCondelli/Palenque?authkey=ZHsMOMmk92E#
Cascada Misol-Ha: http://picasaweb.google.ca/FCondelli/CascadaMisolHa?authkey=DyY_qyV-ob0#
San Cristobal: http://picasaweb.google.ca/FCondelli/SanChristobal?authkey=OuNb8kEGT84#
HI! I can’t figure out how to upload pictures to the Blog nor on Jerry’s albums! So, I created this album on facebook, I hope it works!
http://www.facebook.com/p.php?i=685556462&k=62FX5VVY33XM5BLHYF62VR
My facebook ID is sofie@ylm.ca if you can’t see this link, I’ll add you as a friend!
Click on this link for my Mexico Facebook album!
Steps to Follow if you lose your passport & visitors permit:
1) Go to the closest police station and make out a report. It’s really ease, you need the police report incase they pull you over at a military check point so they know you’ve lost your stuff. Also, the Canadian Embassy will NOT give you a temporary Passport without a police report first.
2) Call the Canadian Embassy Emergency Number (It’s routed to Ottawa) and they’ll cancel your passport and send a fax to the local Embassy, it helps move things along.
3) Make sure you have 5 references’ from back home, who are NOT relatives and who know your hair colour, eye colour, where you where born, where you went to school, where you work and your marital status.
4) You need to get a passport photo done, they are usually not too far from the Embassy, they seem to do a number of these a day. That costs around $4.
5) For about $90 the Canadian Embassy will have you fill out 6 different forms and then start the process of checking you out. About 3 to 4 days later they will have a temporary passport ready for you.
6) Your temporary passport is good until you reach Canada, then it expires. You have to apply for a real one once home.
7) Finally, you go to the Airport Immigration (if you lost your travelers permit) and show them your Passport (or temporary Passport) and they reissue you a new travelers permit (they didn’t charge me, however it’s said that they do sometimes charge.).
That’s it! Happy travels!
Sof