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Dec 27th, 2011
Headed out at first light this morning. This year we have the trailer loaded up with my brother in laws stuff. He has moved to Puerto Vallarta so we have his stereo system up there plus his bike. I drew the line at his exercise equipment & weights. The transit of the border was no hassle and we drove through torrential rains in Washington & Oregon and camped overnight in the Eugene Wal Mart.
Dec 28th, 2011
Up early again for the transit of Siskiyou Pass, always a nerve wracking prospect. Last year we crossed it
after dark in a blizzard, partially due to the delay I caused when I left the dog behind at a gas station in Canyonville. I fueled up there again, but kept him in the truck this time.
The pass was warm & wet this year and we made it to Lodi, just south of Sacramento and camped in the Wal Mart there.
Dec 29th, 2011
Nice & sunny this morning and we are headed to Apple Valley, about 1.5 hours north of Palm Springs to Ed & Michelles place. We have never met them, they found us on Mexico Travel Buddies .We arrived around 5 PM, just in time for dinner.
Dec 30th, 2011
Arrived in Palm Springs with an empty fuel tank. After a frantic search for a station that sold diesel, we finally pulled into Cathedral Palms RV park. Ed & Michelle were a couple of hours behind us as they had last minute packing. Ray & Marcia arrived from San Jose around 5 PM. We traveled with them last year until they had to turn back because of Rays back issues. A couple of operations later he seems good to go this year. Everyone seems to get along well.
Its 80 F here. Nice.
Click on images to expand them
Dec 31st, 2012
We decided to walk to an Irish pub for New years. It turned out to be farther than we thought, but we had a rewal good time and took a cab back.
Jan 1st, 2012
Today we drove to organ Pipe national forest in Arizona, just north of the Lukeville Crossing. We left it too late to leave and arrived there after dark, never a good idea.
Jan 2nd, 2012
We arose fairly early for the border crossing but forgot about the time change so it was actually an hour later than normal. Still the state park guy had not shown up and we couldl have easily left without paying. However, being honest, we stopped in at the visitor center & paid up. We drove to the border and were held up a bit while they tore apart an RV ahead of us and then bought over the dogs, after which they hauled the driver inside. He was Mexican looking and we wondered if he was smuggling guns south. When we got to the vehicle permit station a few miles south behind a Canadian couple in a Snowbird camper, towing an ATV. They were being refused entry since the ATV was only in the wifes name. They wanted their original marriage certifcate. They ended up turning around & returning to the US. They will have to wait for someone to mail it to them. This is the first time I have seen this twist. Lukeville is far less busy and it seemed to me they are a lot stickier there than at Nogales. We also went through 3 customs check points & got searched at 2 of them. No way to make San Carlos before dark, so we camped at Fausto's campground in Hermosillo. 34 C here.
Jan 3rd, 2012
A bit of trouble getting through Hermisillo. There is construction of a new overpass, making the usual route through there really difficult, but we eventually arrived in San Carlos. Time to give the dog a bath which I am sure he will detest. Current fuel price here for diesel translates to $2.75 a gallon US or 72 cents a liter Canadian.
Jan 4th 5th, 2012
headed south to Hotel Mirador in Huatabmapito, one of my favorite campgrounds despite the fact it is often windy. The folks who own it make a diference & they have become family. Once again Tomas was the individual they really wanted to see. We stayed 2 nights here. Theri business is down again this year.
Jan 6th, 2012
A long drive to Celestino, north of Mazatlan. Noe's where we usually stay looked pretty deserted so we pulled in Chris's Park, Celestine Resort. His prices are good, so he has some RV's there, but complained his business is down this year as well. Merv & Doreen have reservations here so they are staying awhile. Maybe not so long as they figured, since the place no longer has Wi-Fi. Ray & Marcia & Ed & Michelle want to go to Mazatlan for a couple of nights. We do not want to go near the place, so we are headed to Teacapan for 4 nights & they can catch up with us there. We sat by the ocean tonight and observed something I have heard about, but never seen, phospherescence. The breakers were bright flourescent green and got brighter as night fell. It was quite an experience. Unfortunately, it did not photograph with my simple camera.
Jan 7th, 2012
We drove to Teacapan today, 100 km south of Mazatlan. Just south of Escuinalpa, both Terry & I did not notice a tope & hit one at 60 KMH. It was a small one & did no damage. What we did not notice was that it was next to technical college and the police pulled us over. I got out & it became very apparent he spoke no English, so i used the "no speak Spanish" tactic. Even though i understood 80% of what he said, I played dumb. He eventually got frustrated & waved us on. I have found this to be the most effective way to get out of a ticket. The RV park at Teacapan seems fairly full,(mainly Canadians) which is a switch. We are looking forward to chilling out for a few days and this beach has lots of crabs for Tomas to hunt.
Jan 8th-11th
Hung around relaxing. Ray & Marcia & Ed & Michelle showed up from Mazatlan.
Jan 12-14th
We drove to Koala Campground at Santa maria del Oro today. This campground is a fresh water lake in a volcanic crater. We have been here several times before and with only Truck Campers it is ideal since large rigs cannot get down into here. We spent 3 nights here. We went for dinner one night. managed to tip the scooter in the dark when I hit a hole, causing both Terry & I some scrapes. She is whining, but being British, of course, have no issues with a bit of pain.
Jan 15th
Left this morning. We are currently at Deliah's campground south of Tequila.
Terry found out today her aunt died yesterday. She was very close to her so she is not a happy camper.
Jan 16th
We all piled into Eds rig today to go for a Tequila factory tour. Terry stayed behind to watch the dogs. Everything went well except Ed decided he could make it under the low train bridge (a rounded stone one) on our way out instead of taking the longer roundabout route. We ended up getting jammed in the stone archway. It was only his roof racks, but we had to stand on the rear bumper to lower the truck a millimeter or 2 in order to back out. No damage, but we held up a lot of traffic. As we went to turn left into the campground later on, Ed learned the hard way that using your left turn signal in Mexico, tells the guy behind you to go ahead & pass. Fortunately there was a wide shoulder and no collision, but it shook him up. Not Ed's day.
Jan 17th
Drove to Villa Corona today and the RV/water park Chimulco. We have paid f or8 nights here. time to relax in their wonderful thermal pools. Ray & Marcia & Ed & Michellle are going over to Lake Chapala for a couple of days & then will drive to PV. We will probably meet up with them at Tachos around the time Terry flies home to pick up the granddaughter. Hopefully no snow then. Vancouver & seattle are supposd to hit big time tommorrow.
Jan 17th to Jan 24th
Not a lot to report. We stayed 8 nights at Chimulco Water Park. Ed & Michelle & Ray & Marcia headed off to north of PV for a few days, we will probably re-connect in PV. All the park car pooled on Sunday to a restaurant in a small town west of here where Mariachi originated. Very entertaining and the most professional sounding mariachi band I have heard. 2 pictures from there below (one a bit fuzzy) and a photo of us eating at a street Taco stand.
Jan 25th, 2012
We did the long drive to PV today. It's not far in distance , about 250 km, but it took 5 hours over Hwy 90. It crosses a pass with steep shear grades. First hour was in pea soup fog. Terry freaked out as usual, but we eventually arrived and headed for her brothers place in Bucerias where we unloaded all his stuff we have been carrying. He is renting a nice place. Once he sells his house in Vancouver, he is planning to buy some land & build. Maybe with 3 friends. We told him we may be intersted if he has enough land for 4 casitas. A permanent place here for winter would not be bad. He just got his permanent residency status. We are now in Tachos for 9 nights, basically waiting for Terry to fly home and pick up Abigail & her father to arrive as well. Her mothers unexpected operation threw a wrench in the works. We had her booked to fly down with her via the US (Cheaper). My stepson had to have a direct flight since he had a criminal offense when he was a teen and cannot land in the US. When Steph had to cancel, the problem was Abigail who cannot fly alone since she is only 3, so Terry has to fly back to Vancouver & come down on the same original flight. Fortunately return flights PV-Van-PV are quite cheap.
PV is hot & humid compared to Guadalajara. Tachos is 2/3 Quebeqois as usual. Numbers are down from last year.
Jan 26
Went to a rodeo today. Very entertaining. First one I have been to with police patrols with AK 47s. LOL. It also featured events like flipping bulls over by their tails while riding on a horse. One guy ended up with most of the tail in his hand.
Jan 31, 2012
We went to the airport today to see Terry off to Vancouver. She is going back for 3 days in order to pick up the granddaughter. It’s a long story but it has to do with the daughter in law not being able to come at the last minute, and the child being booked on a separate flight from her father. We arrived at the Airport early and all went well until they noticed she had entered Mexico by car. They then wanted the receipt for the payment of the tourist visa before they would give her a boarding pass. This was rather odd since they would not hand her a tourist visa to start with unless she had forked over the cash, but rules & paperwork in this country are the finest example of Latin non-logic. I told her to hang tight and I went back to the campground to get it, a process that took me about 40 minutes.
When I returned Terry was nowhere to be seen. I searched the Airport, tried having pages, all to no avail. I had no idea if they had changed their mind & given her the pass or she had been captured by white slavers. If the former, she was on the secure side and several fruitless attempts to find that out, led nowhere. After 2 hours of trying to track her down and the departure time passing, the white slaver possibility was looking the more appealing of the 2 possibilities. I never did find out for sure until she called from Vancouver several hours later. Mexican Airports & Terry have never mixed. I still remember years ago in her smoking days, walking out to board a plane sitting on a runway and she decided to light up under the engine, and was almost tackled to the ground. That was followed by a tearful scene in the cabin as they confiscated a giant Piñata off her.
For someone so ostensibly intelligent, she is sometimes as thick as a brick. I have actually found that appealing in the past, which of course brings my own sanity into question.
Feb 2, 2012
Both my stepson, Terry & Abbigial (almost 4 years old) arrived OK today
Feb 3rd, 2012
Drove to Melaque today. We stopped at the pre school we have enrolled Abbigail in. She did not want to leave so we left her there & went to set up at Laguna del Tule. D'Arcy went to pick her up later. Despite the fact she cannot speak Spanish (yet), she seemed to enjoy herself. She starts there regularly on Monday.
Feb 6th, 2012
Ray & Marcia arrived here last night & Ed & Micheelle shopwed up this morning so 3 of our original groupo of 4 are togetrher again. D'Arcy took Abby to school on the cooter sthis morning. She just trotted right in said Buenos Dias, and gave him an "Are you still here?" look. That kid is sure adaptable.
Feb 8th, 2012
D'Arcy & I went diving in Manzanillo today. Saw a huge moray and heard humpback whales under there. A bunch of peopel came around the campground this afternoon collecting money for a Canadian & American sponsored day during the 9 day St Patricks pandemonium. I guess all those fireworks cost money. I gave them 100 pesos'. Apparently we all get to participate on March 11th's parade. Abby's school is also fundraising. I suspect she will get to ride one of the floats in one of the parades. Maybe get her own Shamrock. It runs 3 blocks ending in the Catholic Church & square where there is a strange mixture of Catholicism & Indian rituals at the end. Oh well she is half aboriginal, so maybe she will fit right in.
Feb 9th, 2012
Today we decided to pick upo Abby after school & drive to Tenacatita. This is the town that was levelled by a wealth Mexican 2 years ago who plans ot build a huge resort there. It's probably one of the nicest beaches on the west coast. Unfortunately he destroyed an entire town in the process. The whole thing is tied up in the courts, and probably will be for years. The beach is still blocked by a gate with several private security guards armed to the teeth with AK47's or Uzi's, I did not care to examine which, too closely, but they will let you through. No cameras, but D'Arcy smuggled one in. As you can see, not much left there although a few of the nicer houses, they left standing.
Abby really enjoyed the beach.
Feb 12, 2012
Very rainy yesterday, Today was overcast but dry so I took D'Arcy & Abby to la manzanilla to see the crococodiles. That includes a walk over a very dubious suspension bridge. Sort of like Lynn Canyon in Vancouver, except rickety and crossing croc infested water.
D'Arcy has decided he wants to be the next Steve Irwin, as you can see in the video below. I am taking him diving with the sting rays next week as part of his ongoing training.
VIDEO
Mar 4th, 2012
Haven't updated in quite a while but nothing has really happened, we have been set into a routine here. Abby has been off to preschool 5 days a week apart from a few days when she had bronchitus, which Terry then caught. She manged to raise about 700 pesos (about $55) in the RV park for the school in the spring princess activity they do.
This RV park has started to empty out a bit this week as the people who come down in October start to head back north. The weather has been quite diferent this year with a bit cooler temps & more clouds. We have even had morning marine fog. Quite diferent from the previous 4 years we have been here. Still beats being back home in snow.
Not sure how much Spanish Abby is picking up, she won't speak it to us, but I suspect she undertands more of it than she lets on. She certainly seems engossed by the Spanish language kids DVD's we bought her in the market. Probably find out if we dump her at Camilo & Rosarios for a day. Either way, the cultural experience she is getting is fantastic.
Our friends Sue & Dave fly in next Saturday and Terry flies Abby back to Vancouver on the foillowing Wed. This weekend is the start of the big St Patricks day celebrations here & Sunday is the day all the gringos in town are asked to be in the parade. Should be fun.
Saturday Mar 10th
Our friends Sue & Dave arrived for 2 weeks at Manzanillo airport.
Sunday Mar 11th
Today we went & participated in the St Patricks Parade. There is one each day now for a week. Abby seemed to enjoy it, so did Sue & Dave. I have finally learned the words to the song they all sing during it.
Monday Mar 12th
Now most of the gringos are headed home, Laguna del Tule is filling up with bus tours mainly form Guadalajara. This means its a zoo around the pool area with kids. We would probably be headed out in a few days if not for our friends being here.
Tuesday Mar 13th
Terry headed out on the bus to PV today with Abbigail for her flight home tomorrow. Abbigail has been pretty cranky for the past week, we will be glad to see the back of here at this point.
Friday Mar 16th
Ed & Michelle who we travelled with at the start just pulled in, they are here for the St Patricks finale tomorrow. Terry arrived back by bus around 9:30 in a pretty foul mood. Apparently the trip back with Abby was hell. She threw several tantrums on the way back including at US immigration & 3 time son the plane.
Saturday Mar 17th
Some sort of ATV club has just pulled in, about a hundred of them. Affluent Mexican 20 somethings for the most part, in high end vehicles, towing trailers. They are all setting up tents in the RV park. Not much sleep tonight I am betting if my brothers record as an ATV’er is anything to go by.
At 5 PM we all piled into the truck to go watch the parade then came back. More strangeness, people dressed in Aztec costumes doing Irish dance. At 9 we then took a taxi back to the center for the fireworks which happen at 11. It was the usual craziness, Sue & Dave were impressed and Sue & Terry scared shitless as we were all trapped on a grassy knoll when the bulls came through laden with pyrotechnics. Anyone who has ever experience fireworks here will never look at the same. This year the flaming cross blew off the top of the tower at the end & went tumbling down into the crowd. It’s a miracle no-one was hurt as the crowd was huge. I never got hit this year, Terry got one ember hit her leg. I was smart & wore long pants & shoes.
Parade excerpt: http://youtu.be/uJfmAKUcSr0
Main Display: http://youtu.be/JsFcC01zvtE
Bull Running: http://youtu.be/G9i065oIT_8
Sunday Mar 18th
Noisy night with the ATV crowd, they had loud music (Hispanic rap) playing next to us at dawn. Terry went out to yell at them, but I doubt they heard her.
Fri Mar 23
Dave's Birthday today so where do you take a friend for his brithday? A transvestite bar, or course.
Video
Saturday March 24th
Saw Dave & Sue off thsi adfternoon. All packed upo to head back north tomorrow.
Sunday March 25th
Headed or PV and about 20 kmn south all the brake warning lights came on & stayed on. The brakes seem to work, fortunately there is a chev dealer in PV.
Monday March 26th
Well it looks like its the ABS system. They do not have the part. they say its safe to drive, just no ABS, so we are going to make a beeline for the border & have it done in Phoenix. It won't be cheap.
Tuesday Mar 27th
Well all the warning lights went out 30 km north of PV and stayed off, so we went back to our original plan and went to Teacapan for 6 days. Tomas's favorite crabbing beach.
Mon April 2nd
Drove a marathon 8 hours to Huatabampito today. This place is swarming with cops, they have all access to the beach manned. Apparently they expect 100,000 people on the beach by Thuirs for Seamana Santa. We are gettign oiut tomorrow.
Headed out at first light this morning. This year we have the trailer loaded up with my brother in laws stuff. He has moved to Puerto Vallarta so we have his stereo system up there plus his bike. I drew the line at his exercise equipment & weights. The transit of the border was no hassle and we drove through torrential rains in Washington & Oregon and camped overnight in the Eugene Wal Mart.
Dec 28th, 2011
Up early again for the transit of Siskiyou Pass, always a nerve wracking prospect. Last year we crossed it
after dark in a blizzard, partially due to the delay I caused when I left the dog behind at a gas station in Canyonville. I fueled up there again, but kept him in the truck this time.
The pass was warm & wet this year and we made it to Lodi, just south of Sacramento and camped in the Wal Mart there.
Dec 29th, 2011
Nice & sunny this morning and we are headed to Apple Valley, about 1.5 hours north of Palm Springs to Ed & Michelles place. We have never met them, they found us on Mexico Travel Buddies .We arrived around 5 PM, just in time for dinner.
Dec 30th, 2011
Arrived in Palm Springs with an empty fuel tank. After a frantic search for a station that sold diesel, we finally pulled into Cathedral Palms RV park. Ed & Michelle were a couple of hours behind us as they had last minute packing. Ray & Marcia arrived from San Jose around 5 PM. We traveled with them last year until they had to turn back because of Rays back issues. A couple of operations later he seems good to go this year. Everyone seems to get along well.
Its 80 F here. Nice.
Click on images to expand them
Dec 31st, 2012
We decided to walk to an Irish pub for New years. It turned out to be farther than we thought, but we had a rewal good time and took a cab back.
Jan 1st, 2012
Today we drove to organ Pipe national forest in Arizona, just north of the Lukeville Crossing. We left it too late to leave and arrived there after dark, never a good idea.
Jan 2nd, 2012
We arose fairly early for the border crossing but forgot about the time change so it was actually an hour later than normal. Still the state park guy had not shown up and we couldl have easily left without paying. However, being honest, we stopped in at the visitor center & paid up. We drove to the border and were held up a bit while they tore apart an RV ahead of us and then bought over the dogs, after which they hauled the driver inside. He was Mexican looking and we wondered if he was smuggling guns south. When we got to the vehicle permit station a few miles south behind a Canadian couple in a Snowbird camper, towing an ATV. They were being refused entry since the ATV was only in the wifes name. They wanted their original marriage certifcate. They ended up turning around & returning to the US. They will have to wait for someone to mail it to them. This is the first time I have seen this twist. Lukeville is far less busy and it seemed to me they are a lot stickier there than at Nogales. We also went through 3 customs check points & got searched at 2 of them. No way to make San Carlos before dark, so we camped at Fausto's campground in Hermosillo. 34 C here.
Jan 3rd, 2012
A bit of trouble getting through Hermisillo. There is construction of a new overpass, making the usual route through there really difficult, but we eventually arrived in San Carlos. Time to give the dog a bath which I am sure he will detest. Current fuel price here for diesel translates to $2.75 a gallon US or 72 cents a liter Canadian.
Jan 4th 5th, 2012
headed south to Hotel Mirador in Huatabmapito, one of my favorite campgrounds despite the fact it is often windy. The folks who own it make a diference & they have become family. Once again Tomas was the individual they really wanted to see. We stayed 2 nights here. Theri business is down again this year.
Jan 6th, 2012
A long drive to Celestino, north of Mazatlan. Noe's where we usually stay looked pretty deserted so we pulled in Chris's Park, Celestine Resort. His prices are good, so he has some RV's there, but complained his business is down this year as well. Merv & Doreen have reservations here so they are staying awhile. Maybe not so long as they figured, since the place no longer has Wi-Fi. Ray & Marcia & Ed & Michelle want to go to Mazatlan for a couple of nights. We do not want to go near the place, so we are headed to Teacapan for 4 nights & they can catch up with us there. We sat by the ocean tonight and observed something I have heard about, but never seen, phospherescence. The breakers were bright flourescent green and got brighter as night fell. It was quite an experience. Unfortunately, it did not photograph with my simple camera.
Jan 7th, 2012
We drove to Teacapan today, 100 km south of Mazatlan. Just south of Escuinalpa, both Terry & I did not notice a tope & hit one at 60 KMH. It was a small one & did no damage. What we did not notice was that it was next to technical college and the police pulled us over. I got out & it became very apparent he spoke no English, so i used the "no speak Spanish" tactic. Even though i understood 80% of what he said, I played dumb. He eventually got frustrated & waved us on. I have found this to be the most effective way to get out of a ticket. The RV park at Teacapan seems fairly full,(mainly Canadians) which is a switch. We are looking forward to chilling out for a few days and this beach has lots of crabs for Tomas to hunt.
Jan 8th-11th
Hung around relaxing. Ray & Marcia & Ed & Michelle showed up from Mazatlan.
Jan 12-14th
We drove to Koala Campground at Santa maria del Oro today. This campground is a fresh water lake in a volcanic crater. We have been here several times before and with only Truck Campers it is ideal since large rigs cannot get down into here. We spent 3 nights here. We went for dinner one night. managed to tip the scooter in the dark when I hit a hole, causing both Terry & I some scrapes. She is whining, but being British, of course, have no issues with a bit of pain.
Jan 15th
Left this morning. We are currently at Deliah's campground south of Tequila.
Terry found out today her aunt died yesterday. She was very close to her so she is not a happy camper.
Jan 16th
We all piled into Eds rig today to go for a Tequila factory tour. Terry stayed behind to watch the dogs. Everything went well except Ed decided he could make it under the low train bridge (a rounded stone one) on our way out instead of taking the longer roundabout route. We ended up getting jammed in the stone archway. It was only his roof racks, but we had to stand on the rear bumper to lower the truck a millimeter or 2 in order to back out. No damage, but we held up a lot of traffic. As we went to turn left into the campground later on, Ed learned the hard way that using your left turn signal in Mexico, tells the guy behind you to go ahead & pass. Fortunately there was a wide shoulder and no collision, but it shook him up. Not Ed's day.
Jan 17th
Drove to Villa Corona today and the RV/water park Chimulco. We have paid f or8 nights here. time to relax in their wonderful thermal pools. Ray & Marcia & Ed & Michellle are going over to Lake Chapala for a couple of days & then will drive to PV. We will probably meet up with them at Tachos around the time Terry flies home to pick up the granddaughter. Hopefully no snow then. Vancouver & seattle are supposd to hit big time tommorrow.
Jan 17th to Jan 24th
Not a lot to report. We stayed 8 nights at Chimulco Water Park. Ed & Michelle & Ray & Marcia headed off to north of PV for a few days, we will probably re-connect in PV. All the park car pooled on Sunday to a restaurant in a small town west of here where Mariachi originated. Very entertaining and the most professional sounding mariachi band I have heard. 2 pictures from there below (one a bit fuzzy) and a photo of us eating at a street Taco stand.
Jan 25th, 2012
We did the long drive to PV today. It's not far in distance , about 250 km, but it took 5 hours over Hwy 90. It crosses a pass with steep shear grades. First hour was in pea soup fog. Terry freaked out as usual, but we eventually arrived and headed for her brothers place in Bucerias where we unloaded all his stuff we have been carrying. He is renting a nice place. Once he sells his house in Vancouver, he is planning to buy some land & build. Maybe with 3 friends. We told him we may be intersted if he has enough land for 4 casitas. A permanent place here for winter would not be bad. He just got his permanent residency status. We are now in Tachos for 9 nights, basically waiting for Terry to fly home and pick up Abigail & her father to arrive as well. Her mothers unexpected operation threw a wrench in the works. We had her booked to fly down with her via the US (Cheaper). My stepson had to have a direct flight since he had a criminal offense when he was a teen and cannot land in the US. When Steph had to cancel, the problem was Abigail who cannot fly alone since she is only 3, so Terry has to fly back to Vancouver & come down on the same original flight. Fortunately return flights PV-Van-PV are quite cheap.
PV is hot & humid compared to Guadalajara. Tachos is 2/3 Quebeqois as usual. Numbers are down from last year.
Jan 26
Went to a rodeo today. Very entertaining. First one I have been to with police patrols with AK 47s. LOL. It also featured events like flipping bulls over by their tails while riding on a horse. One guy ended up with most of the tail in his hand.
Jan 31, 2012
We went to the airport today to see Terry off to Vancouver. She is going back for 3 days in order to pick up the granddaughter. It’s a long story but it has to do with the daughter in law not being able to come at the last minute, and the child being booked on a separate flight from her father. We arrived at the Airport early and all went well until they noticed she had entered Mexico by car. They then wanted the receipt for the payment of the tourist visa before they would give her a boarding pass. This was rather odd since they would not hand her a tourist visa to start with unless she had forked over the cash, but rules & paperwork in this country are the finest example of Latin non-logic. I told her to hang tight and I went back to the campground to get it, a process that took me about 40 minutes.
When I returned Terry was nowhere to be seen. I searched the Airport, tried having pages, all to no avail. I had no idea if they had changed their mind & given her the pass or she had been captured by white slavers. If the former, she was on the secure side and several fruitless attempts to find that out, led nowhere. After 2 hours of trying to track her down and the departure time passing, the white slaver possibility was looking the more appealing of the 2 possibilities. I never did find out for sure until she called from Vancouver several hours later. Mexican Airports & Terry have never mixed. I still remember years ago in her smoking days, walking out to board a plane sitting on a runway and she decided to light up under the engine, and was almost tackled to the ground. That was followed by a tearful scene in the cabin as they confiscated a giant Piñata off her.
For someone so ostensibly intelligent, she is sometimes as thick as a brick. I have actually found that appealing in the past, which of course brings my own sanity into question.
Feb 2, 2012
Both my stepson, Terry & Abbigial (almost 4 years old) arrived OK today
Feb 3rd, 2012
Drove to Melaque today. We stopped at the pre school we have enrolled Abbigail in. She did not want to leave so we left her there & went to set up at Laguna del Tule. D'Arcy went to pick her up later. Despite the fact she cannot speak Spanish (yet), she seemed to enjoy herself. She starts there regularly on Monday.
Feb 6th, 2012
Ray & Marcia arrived here last night & Ed & Micheelle shopwed up this morning so 3 of our original groupo of 4 are togetrher again. D'Arcy took Abby to school on the cooter sthis morning. She just trotted right in said Buenos Dias, and gave him an "Are you still here?" look. That kid is sure adaptable.
Feb 8th, 2012
D'Arcy & I went diving in Manzanillo today. Saw a huge moray and heard humpback whales under there. A bunch of peopel came around the campground this afternoon collecting money for a Canadian & American sponsored day during the 9 day St Patricks pandemonium. I guess all those fireworks cost money. I gave them 100 pesos'. Apparently we all get to participate on March 11th's parade. Abby's school is also fundraising. I suspect she will get to ride one of the floats in one of the parades. Maybe get her own Shamrock. It runs 3 blocks ending in the Catholic Church & square where there is a strange mixture of Catholicism & Indian rituals at the end. Oh well she is half aboriginal, so maybe she will fit right in.
Feb 9th, 2012
Today we decided to pick upo Abby after school & drive to Tenacatita. This is the town that was levelled by a wealth Mexican 2 years ago who plans ot build a huge resort there. It's probably one of the nicest beaches on the west coast. Unfortunately he destroyed an entire town in the process. The whole thing is tied up in the courts, and probably will be for years. The beach is still blocked by a gate with several private security guards armed to the teeth with AK47's or Uzi's, I did not care to examine which, too closely, but they will let you through. No cameras, but D'Arcy smuggled one in. As you can see, not much left there although a few of the nicer houses, they left standing.
Abby really enjoyed the beach.
Feb 12, 2012
Very rainy yesterday, Today was overcast but dry so I took D'Arcy & Abby to la manzanilla to see the crococodiles. That includes a walk over a very dubious suspension bridge. Sort of like Lynn Canyon in Vancouver, except rickety and crossing croc infested water.
D'Arcy has decided he wants to be the next Steve Irwin, as you can see in the video below. I am taking him diving with the sting rays next week as part of his ongoing training.
VIDEO
Mar 4th, 2012
Haven't updated in quite a while but nothing has really happened, we have been set into a routine here. Abby has been off to preschool 5 days a week apart from a few days when she had bronchitus, which Terry then caught. She manged to raise about 700 pesos (about $55) in the RV park for the school in the spring princess activity they do.
This RV park has started to empty out a bit this week as the people who come down in October start to head back north. The weather has been quite diferent this year with a bit cooler temps & more clouds. We have even had morning marine fog. Quite diferent from the previous 4 years we have been here. Still beats being back home in snow.
Not sure how much Spanish Abby is picking up, she won't speak it to us, but I suspect she undertands more of it than she lets on. She certainly seems engossed by the Spanish language kids DVD's we bought her in the market. Probably find out if we dump her at Camilo & Rosarios for a day. Either way, the cultural experience she is getting is fantastic.
Our friends Sue & Dave fly in next Saturday and Terry flies Abby back to Vancouver on the foillowing Wed. This weekend is the start of the big St Patricks day celebrations here & Sunday is the day all the gringos in town are asked to be in the parade. Should be fun.
Saturday Mar 10th
Our friends Sue & Dave arrived for 2 weeks at Manzanillo airport.
Sunday Mar 11th
Today we went & participated in the St Patricks Parade. There is one each day now for a week. Abby seemed to enjoy it, so did Sue & Dave. I have finally learned the words to the song they all sing during it.
Monday Mar 12th
Now most of the gringos are headed home, Laguna del Tule is filling up with bus tours mainly form Guadalajara. This means its a zoo around the pool area with kids. We would probably be headed out in a few days if not for our friends being here.
Tuesday Mar 13th
Terry headed out on the bus to PV today with Abbigail for her flight home tomorrow. Abbigail has been pretty cranky for the past week, we will be glad to see the back of here at this point.
Friday Mar 16th
Ed & Michelle who we travelled with at the start just pulled in, they are here for the St Patricks finale tomorrow. Terry arrived back by bus around 9:30 in a pretty foul mood. Apparently the trip back with Abby was hell. She threw several tantrums on the way back including at US immigration & 3 time son the plane.
Saturday Mar 17th
Some sort of ATV club has just pulled in, about a hundred of them. Affluent Mexican 20 somethings for the most part, in high end vehicles, towing trailers. They are all setting up tents in the RV park. Not much sleep tonight I am betting if my brothers record as an ATV’er is anything to go by.
At 5 PM we all piled into the truck to go watch the parade then came back. More strangeness, people dressed in Aztec costumes doing Irish dance. At 9 we then took a taxi back to the center for the fireworks which happen at 11. It was the usual craziness, Sue & Dave were impressed and Sue & Terry scared shitless as we were all trapped on a grassy knoll when the bulls came through laden with pyrotechnics. Anyone who has ever experience fireworks here will never look at the same. This year the flaming cross blew off the top of the tower at the end & went tumbling down into the crowd. It’s a miracle no-one was hurt as the crowd was huge. I never got hit this year, Terry got one ember hit her leg. I was smart & wore long pants & shoes.
Parade excerpt: http://youtu.be/uJfmAKUcSr0
Main Display: http://youtu.be/JsFcC01zvtE
Bull Running: http://youtu.be/G9i065oIT_8
Sunday Mar 18th
Noisy night with the ATV crowd, they had loud music (Hispanic rap) playing next to us at dawn. Terry went out to yell at them, but I doubt they heard her.
Fri Mar 23
Dave's Birthday today so where do you take a friend for his brithday? A transvestite bar, or course.
Video
Saturday March 24th
Saw Dave & Sue off thsi adfternoon. All packed upo to head back north tomorrow.
Sunday March 25th
Headed or PV and about 20 kmn south all the brake warning lights came on & stayed on. The brakes seem to work, fortunately there is a chev dealer in PV.
Monday March 26th
Well it looks like its the ABS system. They do not have the part. they say its safe to drive, just no ABS, so we are going to make a beeline for the border & have it done in Phoenix. It won't be cheap.
Tuesday Mar 27th
Well all the warning lights went out 30 km north of PV and stayed off, so we went back to our original plan and went to Teacapan for 6 days. Tomas's favorite crabbing beach.
Mon April 2nd
Drove a marathon 8 hours to Huatabampito today. This place is swarming with cops, they have all access to the beach manned. Apparently they expect 100,000 people on the beach by Thuirs for Seamana Santa. We are gettign oiut tomorrow.
