Missing Mexico

I’ll edit this later but after crossing the border on Wed, we’re now near Knoxville, Tenn. We checked into a “resort” and it hit us when we were given the brochure that listed the “rules”. There are 20 something rules of behavior, every single one of which are common sense being a good citizen! How did we spend 60 days SOB and never received such a list? Oh, it’s personal responsibility!

Missing

• The beautiful scenery, people, and food.
• Temp…well, sort of…it was 100 in Catemaco and here it is 60!
• Someone pumping the gas!

Not Missing

• Toppes
• Double trailers

Run for the Border

Cartels put an RPG through the Jeep; Shot out the windows of the coach; Daniele kidnapped and held for ransom (Dinkus said he only had $700); Cops arrested me;  PEMEX pump jockeys robbed me blind; I and the dogs have pig flu but we barely got across the border at 1200.

PS: None of this happened…not 1 incident of any kind…nary a moment in 2 months where something did not just feel right.  Never a hinky feeling. 2466 miles in Mexico over 60 days. Every single person we encountered was as nice as could be.

This is a quickie update since so many of you thought that the stuff we wrote in the 1st para WOULD happen. I need to update the last few days, esp for RV’ers.

We left Cd Victoria at 0745 and arrived at Los Indios at 1200.  Daniele woke up by 2 very nice armed soldiers at the one check point. I forgot to tell them she was there…I was outside joking with the Lieutenant and Sergeants…sorry…it’s a soldier thing. I don’t know who was more surprised! :-)

Went in the Mex side to turn in Visas and hologram for the Jeep. No line at all! Took time to find the guy to come to the lot remove the hologram. Then went to the US side. 3 cars ahead of us. Very nice agent checked our passports and sent us to secondary (all RV’s go to secondary). Two very nice, yet thorough, agents walked through the coach and sent us on our way, after admiring the dogs. From the time that we arrived on the Mex side to the time we departed the US inspection: 36 minutes!!!

Now at Naval Air Station Kingsville TX restocking. Heading towards Richmond starting Fri.

Last Days at Catemaco (this trip!)

Awww…this fellow got invited to the cookout down at the beach

 

Well, we don’t know if he was the cookout, but he was at the cookout. And, it was only Friday.

We did another ride out to the beach but this time circled the entire route. Great and beautiful drive of 80 miles. The end was tiring because we were back on a main route and struggled to get past truck after truck climbing grades. Will do some pix in a slide show format for those that care.

 

We Really Should Move On (?)

Mañana (not really)

Yep, still at Catemaco. Here’s a LINK that has interesting info on the area. We decided to stay here and explore some more, plus it will be too hot to stay at the beach. Their electric is not strong so we could not run the AC there. We’ve met some nice folks in the park. We do drives out into the surrounding areas and explore. We remain really impressed with here and think that this could become the southern command post.

 

The beaches are about an hour away and the drive is beautiful. Very tropical here. We haven’t been able to get good lake pictures because of a haze that the camera doesn’t get through.

Plans: We’ll probably leave here on Sat 9 May and start working our way to the border to cross on the 13th.  From there we will  head to Richmond to help chase Eli while Chris recoups from his surgery.

Catemaco, Veracruz

We love it here! When we drove in and saw the beautiful lake and dense green tropical foliage, it reminded us of Daniele’s parent’s place in Lake Como. Wow! This could be come the southern command post. We have liked everywhere that we have been but this has it all…it seems. We’re extending our stay here to check it out more. Want to get this posted so Claire can send these to Daniele’s parents.

 

This website HERE has a lot of info on the area.  More later. Siesta time.

Swine Flu

I do have a craving for BBQ. Is that a symptom? Staff in stores, toll collectors, soldiers at check points, etc are wearing masks. No one seems panicked. Restaurants and shops sparsely attended.

RV in Mexico Stuff

This is for fellow RV’ers. We left Isla Aguada at about 0915. We took 180/180D the entire way until Minatitlan where we picked up 145D for a short distance to Acayucan where we got back on 180.  Roads were fairly good most of the way. We stayed on 180 through Villahermosa with no problem and we were towing a jeep. Several Transitos passed us with no second looks. Some Tope Minfields. Tolls totaled 602 pesos. Distance was 327 miles. We arrived at Catemaco at 1730.

Several military check points along the way…hardly any delay. In all but one we went through a thing with the trucks that was apparently a drug/explosives sniffer…you drive at a crawl. In one they didn’t have that thing so a soldier walked slowly along the sides and rear with a handheld sniffer.

We are staying at the Tepetepan RV park. Quite nice. We’re extending our planned stay.