Advertisement
Published: January 30th 2008
Our dear faithful bloggers....here is a recap of the last 2 days. WE are well and will get pictures up soon. Having a little trouble configuring the wireless w/ our neighbor but it will come in time.......We are well, the weather a little cool......
We got up and left the hotel at 6.45 am and began our trek to the border in Nogales. It was raining but not cool. We ended up going through the city of Nogales, Mexico. Pretty typical border town but a lot bigger than Tecate where we crossed last year. As we got to the edge of the city, vendors were preparing their goods for “market” day. Since we are on a tight schedule today, we couldn’t stop. Boo hoo.
At KM 21 just a few miles outside of Nogales is where we had to stop to get a permit for our vehicle and tourist permit. Of course, we need to put all ideas of logic aside. Or maybe they just want to employ more people? I am glad I understand Spanish b/c there was this older couple trying to get all their papers in order and make copies of everything. I think that they went back to the copy booth at least 4 times! Maybe they just did not understand but I have a feeling they got to the first booth to register their vehicle and then were told to go get a copy of the registration. So they got that and came back to pay for the registration but then they went back once more to get a copy of the tourist card. Now they are on the third attempt to get out of immigration but yes, one more trip to the copy machine. After our little fiasco last year at the ferry office, I know that they did not tell us to make extra copies of anything until we got back with the ONE they said they needed! Then back to get a copy for something else!!!! This year I made copies of everything in triplicate so we could just pull it all and not run back and forth. Life would be so much easier if you could take care of everything at one window, but , oh, no, not in Mexico. First get the tourist card, make a copy, got to the bank window, pay for that, then register you vehicle and pay for that in yet another transaction. Any way…….it was not crowded and we got through farly quickly.
The roads are OK, bumpy but paved. The so called “expressway” goes through every little town and village along the highway so that means that there are numerous TOPES or speed bumps which are often not marked so if you don’t see them….OUCH!
South of Nogales it looks pretty much like Southern AZ with the Saguaros and other flora. Then later it flattens out in and the land is scrubby. We are taking Mexican Highway 15 down to where we catch the ferry. Mike says that if he ever has to drive this again, he will need a morphine drip!! The first 50 miles were really rough ones. We still laugh about the tolls one has to pay but never see any road improvements. If a road washes out as we saw earlier, they just block that part off and make a little route around it. Now that is what I call PROGRESS. Then there are the semis that really are in no condition to be on the road. Remember that there are NO shoulders on the roads. We got behind this one semi that was hauling another semi trailer behind it. Clearly the hitch was not the right one and the trailer was swaying back and forth!! This vehicle would have been taken off the road in the US and ticketed!! We finally got around that one safely.
It was a long day and we ended up driving too long! How long? 12 hours!! We broke one of the most important rules and drove past dark and prayed a LOT!!! All we could think of is, “What if there is no room on the ferry for us and the truck?” Well, no problem. We got the truck measured and weighed, bought our tickets and got a cabin on the boat , had a couple of beers while we waited and then got in line to park the truck. That is what took forever. We are still both amazed at the number of semis that were loaded on that ferry! At least 200 “units” can fit on! We had been “set aside” so to speak and were wondering if we were perhaps “iffy” to get aboard. Not the case at all, they had a place just for us in the BOWELS of the ferry!!! Seriously. Then we had to climb about a million stairs to get to the “reception” area. Finally we got to our room, had our “inclusive meal” which really was quite good in my opinion--chicken mole ( a dark sauce consisting of chiles and dark chocolate powders--I know it sounds gross, but really, it is quite nice), rice and refried beans. I grabbed a couple of Tecates and limon to take to our room and then we retired for the night! Whew!!
WE HAVE VOWED THAT WE WILL NEVER, EVER, EVER!!!! EVER DRIVE TO LOS BARRILES AGAIN!!!!!
28 January La Paz to los Barriles
The ferry arrived in the port of La Paz at about 6.30 am today. We had to back the truck out of the entrails of the ferry! What a nightmare! Mike is really a great navigator! Once off the boat, we then had to get into YET another line to go through a military inspection. Another hour of waiting. As I watched people in front of us have the contents of their WHOLE vehicle emptied, I began to wonder if we would be in the same situation. The drug dog went on his rounds and , of course, jumped up on our truck!! Not once but twice! The officer stopped and chatted and I thought, “ Here it comes…..” but he looked us over and simply asked if we had some animals in the vehicle! Of course we did! That was the end of that dilemma! And so we continued to wait again. It was probably a good hour before it was our turn to be “inspected” ! I had a bag that we had filled w/ our overnight stuff that we had just laundered. It included some of my “unmentionables” and I was unable to close the zipper. I think that must have helped b/c the young military guy was a bit flustered when it all fell out when he opened the back door of the cab! That was the end of the inspection of the interior of the car. Mike had to open the back of the truck as well as the hood. They then waved us on to continue on our way.
It was another 2 hour trip before we arrived in los Barriles. That part of the drive is the most grueling and we wondered how in the HELL we managed it with a 36 foot RV in tow!!! I still am pondering that and thanking the good God(s) that look over us that we made it back from that adventure.
When we arrived at our little village of los Barriles, we put aside all of our fatigue and breathed a sigh of relief at seeing something familiar. We did notice that the bank plaza was complete and that the road into the village was complete and pretty smooth. But the curbs for the sidewalks are about 15 inches high!! Hey, nothing is perfect in Mexico. If it works, it is a good thing and don’t complain!!!
The weather has been cooler this year but you will get no complaints from me! It was windy but warm for me. We were the only ones in shorts! Even the gringos were feeling the cold!!
We unloaded the truck, put away as much as we could and got our bedding ready so we could sleep!! The RV was unlevel, but not much we could do about it today. What we didn’t get to is jammed in the back bedroom and we will get to it when we can………
After doing as much as we could, we went to eat at what the local gringos call the “stuffed potato place” b/c that is their specialty---chicken, fish or beef potato w/ cheese and butter and baked in a ceramic dish. The “real” name of the place is called Las Palmas. Cement floor, palm frond roof (palapa), tables covered w/ vinyl Xmas table cloths and a cooler full of beer. Lots of gringos enjoying a meal at the local food joint. I had a beer, some veggie quesadillas and the accompanying condiments of a yummy guacamole sauce, some hot sauce, cucumber slices, and onions and tortilla chips. Mike had the potato with chicken and a beer. Total--$11!!
One bad thing was that the refrigerator does not seem to be working…..Ah, well, we are camping, right???? Manana…..siempre manana……………..
Tuesday, January 29
Thanks to our GREAT neighbor, Brian, we were able to get the RV leveled! We also had to level the concrete step to the entrance to the trailer in order for the door to open once it was level. When Mike returned to the trailer w/ a sledge hammer, I about had a fit! There was NO way that he was going to chop away at the step!! Brian started to swing the sledge and I was a little worried about him too ! Next thing I see is Mike w/ 2 locals in tow!!! He apparently had conveyed to the two that he had a big hammer and would they help!!! The two young men had the step leveled in about twenty minutes. Well worth the $10 and a couple of cold cokes ! Mike and Brian finished leveling the RV and then we hoped that the refrigerator would kick in. We still are not sure if it is working properly.
I finally got the closet shelves cleaned lined and put away the extra bedding and towels. We unpacked our clothes and put them away in the VERY LIMITED space that we do have. Things are looking up.
We went to the grocery store and bought just enough to tide us over since we are not yet sure that the fridge is going to work correctly. However, it did appear that it was beginning to “cool” but NOT freeze. Maybe tomorrow???
I went down to the café and was able to get online and talked to Meghan and bro Bob and sis Sue! What a great thing to be in touch when so far away!!! We love Yahoo phone in and out. Great service for pennies, literally!
I had brought down a router and Brian hooked it up and had it ready to go so I was really happy about that. BUT…….there are a few more configurations that need to be made before it totally works……..I am very new to the routing business and Brian just is happy when he turns on his lt and it is working so, you get the drift!! Manana, siempre manana.
For some of you, I am sure this sounds like a nightmare!! No refrigerator???? Wait-- no water yet either!! ha ha!! But the microwave works. We have a very nice and CLEAN bathroom facility that is very close so not to worry. Hot water there and we are paying for it so why not use it ???? I just want the potty to work for those “moments when you need it most” arise!!! Like, every night at about 3 am!!!!
So, all in all, we are doing well and are pretty happy to be here. We slept like little babes last night and woke to the waves crashing onto the shore and the sun bright in the sky…..For what more could we ask???????
Advertisement
Tot: 0.06s; Tpl: 0.011s; cc: 11; qc: 25; dbt: 0.0412s; 1; m:domysql w:travelblog (10.17.0.13); sld: 1;
; mem: 1mb
Nita
non-member comment
LOL
I have literally laughed out loud at this latest entry. It all sounds SO MEXICAN!!! You sure work hard having a vacation! Keep the stories coming, I love them.