"Wasting away in
Margarittaville" - Jimmy Buffett"Wasting away in
Margarittaville" - Jimmy Buffett
We decide that with all of the problems that we have had, that
it would be safest if we did not go on to Mazatlan after all, and
simply headed home. We actually had a very uneventful ride to La
Paz.
Ok, so whoever said history repeats itself wasn't lying. We
got lost in La Paz again. Eventually, we found the ferry
terminal, but could not get tickets for Abe and Russ, as they did
not have the proper documents, so we head on out to the airport
where imigracion is located, to "aquire" the necessary
doc. Russ has his passport, so it's no problem for him, but Rabbi
Cohen has none. Simple fix, Abe simply fills out the form, folds
it in half around a $5.00US bill and turns it in. The Imigracion
guy, laughs and asks "What am I supposed to do with this;
buy a Taco?"
Abe says he's got no more, we get no argument, and he issues the
travel permit. Don't you just love Mexico?
We head on back to the ferry, and get aboard. It looked like
it might be full up for a while, but we made it! Once on the
ferry, it was an overnighter to Topolobampo, we start scouting
for a place to crash. Crazo, thinking that the ship supplied
blankets, snakes one from some family or other, and gets chased
around the ship. After a fitful nights sleep, we eventualy land
in Sinaloa.
We blew out another tire. Well, that's what spares are for.
This road is so full of potholes, that it would have been better
off not paving it at all. At one point, we passed some massive flooding, but we eventually made it to
Guyamass, where the turn off to San Carlos lies. We bought about
150 lbs of prawns here because they were so cheap. We wanted to
stop in San Carlos for the night, at the trailer park wher
Commander Don Ferris, USN (Retired) spends his winters. Don is a
great old guy, Russ's family has known him for years. He has dove
with Jaques Costeau, and pioneered the US Navy Seal Team.
Don took us out in his panga (a type of outboard powered canoe)
and we went diving. Craig freaked out under the water, so Don
took good care of him whilst Russ and I swam through some caves.
The beach where we stopped was the one that Catch-22 was filmed
on, and now belongs to Club Med.
That night, being New Years eve, we trust should prove exciting,
however, we can't get into any bars, as they all are reservation
only for private parties!
We know that we have smooth sailing ahead of us as Ford Motor
Company has built a modern freeway from Guyamas to Nogales,
through Hermesillo. They did this because they have a big plant
in Hermesillo, and Guyamass is the nearest port where they can
ship goods into. They then take the finished cars, and truck them
north to the US border at Nogales. We end up with blow out
anyway. We already used our spare. It's New Years day. Want
chance do we have of finding a Llanteria open?
So, I'm back to hitch hiking again; this time to Don's, so that
he may take us to a place to get a new tire. As it turns out, I
don't have to hitch; a bus pulls up and for $MN10 It takes me
practicaly to Don's front door. Don takes me back to the motor
home, and he and russ speed away looking to buy a new tire, or
have the original one repaired.
It turns out that the EM50 uses a wierd tire size; and none are
to be found anywhere! Russ ends up getting a tube put in the
original tire and after thanking Don, we're off!
We pass through the smog filled depression known as Hermesillo,
and stop for gas. Some guy asks for a ride across the border.
What is he nuts??!
We finaly make it to the US border. Paved roads. Gas stations
that have gas. Water we can drink. Absence of mordita. And (sigh)
absence of Mexico. The border guards shine lights into the van
and ask "So, where did you hide the drugs?" Sigh.
Welcome home.
Tijuana,
Ensenada, and Points South! (Part I) |
