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Published: February 5th 2009
We have never blogged before but thought we would share our experiences RVing in Mexico.
First let me introduce ourselves. We are Ray and Marcia from San Jose, California. For the purposes of this blog we are Raymondo , Marseea and our cat Furgie. We are in our early 60’s. We are traveling in a Dodge pick-up with a Host truck camper. Our truck is called Rambo. The camper is named LunaSea which explains our blog name. Our intention is to escape the dreary Bay Area winters. Our plan is to spend about three months traveling around the perimeter of Mexico sticking as close as possible to the coast and beaches.
Our previous experience with traveling in Mexico is limited to flights to Cancun and Puerto Vallarta and one RV trip down the Baja to Cabo San Lucas, one RV trip to Mazatlan and about half a dozen trips to border towns.
We are ashamed to admit that although we have lived in the southwest for almost thirty years, we only speak poquito (minimal) Spanish.
At this time we are getting about 14 pesos to the dollar. Diesel is selling for about $2.00 a gallon.
Day
one, we entered Mexico from Brownsville, Texas via Matamoros, Mexico in the state of Tamaulipas. Most of the roads are two-way. Some are excellent. Others are narrow, rough and riddled with pot holes and topes (speed bumps). We crossed the Tropic of Cancer and passed a lot of flat farm land and quite a few farm animals - some grazing in the barrow pits along the road. This leads to the two main instructions for driving in Mexico. Drive slowly and don’t drive at night. These critters like to bed down on the road and they don’t wear reflectors.
Day two, we failed to follow the other driving instruction. Obey all traffic rules even if nobody else is. We were ticketed for passing a stopped truck on the roadway in a no passing zone. Paid the officer 29 dollars mordita and we were on our way.
Day three, we are now in the state of Veracruz. The roads are worse but the scenery is much more beautiful. It is tropical, reminiscent of rural Hawaii and Tahiti. We passed many ranches, lemon and orange orchards. Orange harvest must be in season as there were numerous pickers with woven baskets
Furgie
They woke me up to take this picture.on their backs and trucks loaded with fruit. Road side stands were selling 15 -20 lb bags of oranges for 10 pesos. Other stands were selling large pineapples 3 for 20 or 4 for 25.
Day four, we toured the Totonac ruins at El Tahin and watched the Valadores perform. During the Valadores performance, five men dressed in red and white costumes climb a very tall pole. Four men wrap ropes around the pole and themselves while one Valadore stands untethered on a small platform, turning North, South, East and West while playing a flute to entreat the rain god Thaloc to water local crops. After a few minutes, four of the men swirl to the ground. (The flute player climbs down the way he went up.)
The road to Costa Esmeralda (the Emerald Coast) was excellent. Tropical vegetation even more lush than yesterday. We passed numerous orange and banana orchards. Mexico’s vanilla crop is grown in this area but we didn’t notice the trees.
We are camped on the shores of Golfo de Mexico at the Trailer Park De Alba. The staff is very friendly and some speak English. Unlimited WiFi is available for a few
pesos. There are full hookups at each camp site plus hot showers and a large swimming pool. We have not yet seen a sunrise. Mornings are overcast, so like a San Francisco sunset, you can’t see it but you know it is there. The surf is moderate but we can view and hear it from our camper. We are sharing the park with the Vagabundos RV caravan. Along the coast Canadians seem to outnumber Americans about three to one.
Two shrimp dinners at a nearby restaurant with appetizers and two cervezas and two margaritas with tip cost $400 pesos or $28.00 dollars.
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Candy
non-member comment
Keep blogging!
This is great! I'm thoroughly enjoying traveling vicariously through Mexico via blog much more so than visiting Alaska via e-mail! Keep writing, Marseea, and keep taking pictures, Raymondo!