Last Day - Ciudad del Carmen to Progreso, Yucatan

 WOOHOO I did it!!

After 8 days of driving, 3 very long ones in the states, I made it to the Yucatan.  Approximately 6300kms.  The attached pic is starting from Yakima so add another 450kms.

My helpful assistant was up early today, I guess he was also looking forward to getting home, even thou he was enjoying the trip, taking tons of pictures and happy to be along for the ride.  We got the Jeep loaded, and headed out.  Traffic was a little heavy leaving Ciudad del Carmen but we persevered.  Once we got out of the city it was clear sailing the rest of the way.

We were stopped at 2 more checkpoints and they just checked documents and let us go.  After we passed thru Isla Aguada we were cruising the coast.  The ocean was literally right beside me and just beautiful to see the waves rolling in.  It is a very pretty area but quite remote to live and a fair distance to go for any major shopping, either back to CdC or into Campeche.

Ismael was messaging with the lawyer that was handling my rental and we were told before 2 or after 430.  Well looking at the Nav system it was stating arrival time of 230, of course it didn't know how fast I could drive like a Mexican and make time.  Originally we said 430 but as we got closer I had made up over 45 minutes and traffic was fairly light thru Merida.  We were in Progreso just after 1:30.  He messaged again and there became a confusion in times between 3 and 4:30 so we went to his house (the old rental) and just kicked back for the wait.  It was 5pm by the time we got in to see the lawyer and finally an hour later had the keys.

We whipped over to the house and emptied the Jeep, then back to his house to get his family.  Then the grocer so I could pick up some basics and items to make dinner for everyone.  We then came back to my house and the kids and Ismael went swimming and I made dinner for them.  I made Jambalaya and we were laughing as they said it was to hot for them but I was eating it no problem.  I thought they liked spice down here...all the sauces are "caliente".  We sat around for a while and then they took and Uber home as Ismael had a few beers.  He said he would be back today to help out with anything I needed and to cut the grass that was not done before getting here.

I puttered around, trying to find all the light switches and took just my travel bag and toiletry bag to my room and figured I would deal with the rest today.  Kahlua and I hunkered down in our room, I figured out the tv but couldn't get my firestick to start but found a way to turn on a movie on Netflix.  I think I only watched half then turned it off and went to sleep.  King size bed and the Diva has 3\4's of it as usual.

We got up this morning around 6 as my back was aching and still is, hours later but it is loosening up slowly.  I made some coffee and sat outside.  I opened up the doors and windows to air things out and get a cross breeze going.  There is AC in the rooms but fans downstairs, so the cross breeze is a bonus.  I took my time and emptied one bag and sat down, then another and sat.  I have mostly everything moved to where it is going but there is still more organizing to do.

Kahlua has been making her rounds.  She goes out front and barks with the neighbourhood dogs then comes out back and has a barking conversation with other dogs, then back to the couch to be a potato...and its not even hot yet.  I wonder if the dogs are understanding each other or if she is barking in English and they are barking in Spanish??  She saw her first little lizard this morning and tried to give chase but it was pretty quick and she didn't really put any effort into it.  I can't wait til she comes face to face with a big iguana!!!

So as I finish this up, I'm just waiting for Ismael to arrive and help out, then I'm going to make a quick trip to the store and then come back and relax and do nothing.

I have been told by a few that the daily installment has become part of their life and they are going to miss my daily ramblings.  So I will try and keep things up at least once or twice a week, while I am Lost in Mexico!!

My first visitors will be here on the 27th for a week and Dana will finally arrive on December 2nd for the duration and the drive back to Canada.  I think at this time at least 2 weeks in February will be full with all of my family coming.  Mom and Pops, at least my brother, if not his whole family and I'm going to try and get Krystal here as well.  It is not often that we are all together so this will be a treat.  Anyone else that is interested, just let me know and I can give you the details....flight, very cheap rent and share in the groceries and buy your own booze.

Anyways, I'm safe, in familiar territory and WARM!  Ya, had to throw that in.

Bromas y Deseos from Kahlua and I (that would be Spanish for the tagline Wags and Wishes)

IT'S ALL ISMAEL'S FAULT!! Mexican Day 5 - Cordoba to Ciudad del Carmen Campeche

 ONE MORE DAY TO GO!  Not that I'm sick of driving and road tripping, I'm having a blast and getting to see so much of the country and how much it differs in each area, but happy to be at my winter home and just relax and enjoy.  It's been a balmy 28 degrees all day and still in low 20's now.  We are on the coast finally but not the area that I have gone to, we are 1 state over and have wanted to come over this way to check it out.

Anyways the morning for me started off okay, I got up and got ready, packed the car and the dog and was waiting for Ismael.  I had told him we would leave at 8am as it was going to be a full day driving.  Well, I sat in the car waiting, calling, texting, waiting, calling, texting, until he finally answered at 9am.  He quickly got ready and came out to the Jeep.  We headed out and stopped at the Oxxo, so he could get a coffee and I wanted to reload my toll pass transponder.  Got that out of the way and started heading to the highway.  We had 2 motorcycle officers in front of us and they pulled to the side and waved us by, then darted to the left like they were going to make a uturn.  Next they end up beside and behind us.  The one beside us waved to pull over, so I did.  Ismael jumped out to talk to them.  He checked all my papers and everything was in order but he talked to Ismael for about 10 minutes.  When we were cleared to leave, Ismael said that we were stopped due to there being 2 cartels active in that state and the jeep looked suspicious, big tires, winch and being black(not a common colour in Mexico)  All was fine thou, but now we are about 1.5 hours behind schedule.

The rest of the day was relatively uneventful, beautiful scenery and we were heading for the coast now.  We were chatting and laughing and he had told me his father is a retired police officer in the state we were in and where he was from.  I had asked him why he chose to move to the coast away from all of his family and he told me that it was due to job prospects and safety/security.  In other words the state of Tabasco is not a very safe one and has minimal job prospects.  No sooner did we have this conversation and we came across a checkpoint.  Sure enough they waved me over.

I wasn't too concerned as the other 4 that I was stopped at, 2 let me go when I said English only, the other 2 just joked and were friendly.  Well not this time, these guys were looking for a bribe or something.  Anyways one officer came to my window and greeted me, then started speaking with Ismael. (I think I will gag him for now on)  I presented my license, resident card and Car import permit(they don't care about the insurance)  That was all fine and dandy but then he decided he wanted to do a car inspection.  I warned him about the attack dog in the back seat and Ismael came around and put her leash on and got her out while I collected my purse and things.

So away he goes and starts digging thru the car.  First he finds my vape juice and brings it out and gives it to another officer.  Well this guy is a shit and starts trying to tell me that it is marijuana, because it said nicotine and mint/menthol.  As he was trying to tell Ismael this and Ismael is responding with it is for an e cigarette then another female officer comes over with first one then another of my green propane bottles.  He looks at it and is pointing to the flammable symbol and is saying that it is not allowed.  Ismael explains that it is for cooking and points to the BBQ on the roof.  He doesn't seem to care.  He has my resident card and is telling Ismael that he will be handing us over to the police.  I tried to ask what the problem was, since I was let into the country with these items and the car was inspected then (a small fib but WTF)  He told me that he is the authority here and they don't do their jobs at the border.  Then for some reason he handed back my residency card and walked away, leaving the friendly polite officer to finish searching EVERYTHING in the car.  He opened both suitcases, the cooler, my toiletry bag with all my meds, my day bag with travel clothes, my cricut machine bag, checked the totes with craft supplies, the dogs bag, etc, everything and I mean everything.  I was watching thou to make sure he didn't take anything.  And this is also where I was smart and was wearing a money belt with my Canadian, USA and excess Pesos in it and only had minimal in my actual wallet.  The only thing he didn't go thru was my purse which was on my person the whole time.

Meanwhile, Ismael is on the phone to his dad or uncle or both who are both retired police.  He said after we left that they called and told them to let us go.  He sent them a picture of what they were bitching about and his Uncle said it was BS.  Ismael did give the friendly guard 200 pesos to speed things up and I told him to take a couple handfuls of Halloween candy that I brought for the kids and he did repack the back of the Jeep as I instructed as he was not very good at playing Tetris and packing the way I did.  All of this transpired about 45 minutes from our destination for the night and due to the other delays in the morning we ended up driving into town to find our Airbnb in the dark.

Even thou they were threatening to arrest us, for some reason I was overly calm and I had no idea what they were saying or what Ismael was up to.  My only though was where my car would be going and what would be stolen out of it and what about Kahlua, she is no street dog she is a Diva, what would happen to her, she needs her Momma!  She was well behaved thru the whole situation and I think she was just happy to be out of the car and walk around for a bit.  You would think I would be shitting my pants with the prospect of being arrested for nothing.

Anyways, we got on the road for the last stretch and were laughing and joking about it.  Ismael said that neither of us will ever forget this trip, which I'm sure we won't.  We finally found our way to our house and again had to fight with the BBQ to get in the garage, its just a little too tall for spaces down here.  I let everyone know we were stopped and took Kahlua for a short walk around the neighbourhood to do her business.  I came back and Ismael had ordered pizza for dinner and I sat down to start this edition of Lost in Mexico!

So all in all, if Ismael had not of slept in, then we may have had a whole days worth of different experiences!  One more short day tomorrow and I will be in Progreso and can start relaxing.  It should only be about 5 hours to get here, here's knocking on wood that no more shit will happen on the road tomorrow.  When we get there, we have to stop for the keys, then stop by the house and maybe unload while I have some extra muscle and then take Ismael home to his family and I will have to make a quick trip to the grocer for a few essentials.  Then I will be kicking back and doing not to much for a day or 2.  I look forward to Dana arriving on December 2nd and my fugly cousin and niece on November 27th.

I'm still not sure how I drove the whole damn country and about a dozen states and only having this one issue on the second to last day.  I am presently in the second safest state and heading to the safest so I'm not overly worried.

Attached is a pic of the coast as we reached it just at nightfall.

Wags, Wishes and a big FU to the federales for ruining what has been a great trip so far.

Mexican Day 4 - Queretaro to Cordoba, Veracruz

 The morning started of quite leisurely, me sitting outside relaxing and waiting for my friends to wake up.  They got up around 8am and came down to start making coffee and breakfast.  Lyle prepared a big scrambled egg hash with onions, zucchini, mushrooms, tomatoes and I'm not sure what else.  And we added the rest of the mini cheese croissants I brought from Canada as well as fruit.  I was just happy with the coffee, this morning it was a nice strong Cuban coffee and I loved it.

We said around and talked and joked some more, then I had to get things together to leave for the hour drive to the airport.  Yes this city is that big.  I made my way in okay but getting out was another story.  Somehow, I missed an exit and had to go up and circle and turn around to get back on the right track.  As I was heading deeper into the city it dawned on me that this was not the route that Lyle had shown me and explained about some weird uturns you had to make to get there and instead I was going south, then north to the airport.  I was doing well and almost to the cut off when again I missed an exit and had to go 3 kms out of my way to uturn and come back.  By the time that I got there, Ismael was walking his way towards the highway to meet me.  I pulled to the side and reorganized the dog into the backseat so Ismael could be in the front and off we went.

We instantly started talking, he with his translator app and me butchering Spanish, as of course, I couldn't operate my phone while driving and surely not in this chaos called traffic.  We made good time towards the arco Norte around Mexico City but that highway is a nightmare and especially in the Jeep.  The potholes, dips, heaves had us bouncing up, down left and right and it was an exhausting stretch, especially when you are also trying to keep it in the lane and not crash into a semi beside you.  There is so much truck traffic down here it is unbelievable.

We finally got off the Arco Norte and heading towards Puebla.  We stopped in a small town for gas and give the dog a potty break.  She was being so good today curled up asleep in the back seat.  After we passed thru Puebla we entered into Veracruz and we had to go up and over some mountains.  Well speed was dropped from 120 down to 80 as it was all hills and valleys and switchbacks with tunnels thrown in for good measure.  The best part about it was the scenery, it was stunning, lush green, trees and fields...breathtaking.  Ismael was videoing almost the whole stretch of road as he was amazed.

We finished up in Cordoba tonight and got a couple of rooms at what they call an autohotel (or love hotel) you can rent overnight or by the hour, but the bonus part of it, is that you have a garage that you pull into and it closes and you are tucked away and you and your belongings are safe.  We decided to walk up the road to find dinner and give Kahlua a chance to burn off some energy.  Well it was a bit longer walk then expected and we were all worn out by the time we got there.  We had a couple of burgers and mozza sticks for dinner.  It was damn good but I couldn't eat it all.  Kahlua was much better behaved tonight then she was yesterday in the restaurant.  When we were done, Ismael went in the store to pick up some deodorant and hair gel as opps I guess I forgot to tell him about sizes with carryon bags and they took his away from him.  We decided to take a taxi back as we were all tired including Kahlua and it had started to rain a bit.

We got back and he had bought a six pack of beer which we share, while I talked to Dana and he chatted with home.  He finally said that he was going to go to bed as He was on his way to the airport at 4am this morning.  I have to check distances on the map, but we may stop to see his family along the way tomorrow.  Otherwise, we will have one more night and then be in our destination on Tuesday.  My journey is almost done, approximately 5000kms and 6 days driving so far.  I got this!

Mexican Day 3 - Relax and enjoy day.

 Relax and enjoy is exactly what I did.  After I blogged last night, I went promptly to sleep.  Woke once thru the night but right back to sleep and woke and dozed around 6am.  Think it was more to do with the sun coming through the blinds.  I rolled around until 7ish and got up as I thought I heard voices so thought coffee would be happening.

I was the first one up, so just sat outside (jaja bet you all can't say that early in the morning unless your bundled up!) (FYI jaja is Mexislang for haha) doom scrolling and actually catching up on things I have missed.  Was just a nice relaxing morning.  Lilia was the first to get up and she instantly got coffee going for me.  I have to say it was the best cup of coffee I have had in a long while.  Hard to believe that I only had a shitty half cup the first morning, otherwise I have gone without this whole trip and better yet I haven't killed anyone!  Lyle eventually got up and joined us and we sat and talked over coffee.   Then Lilia started pulling things out for breakfast.  Fresh fruit and they enjoyed some cheese croissants and pizza buns I brought from Canada.  While we were talking their son Danny came home and I got to meet him.  Very polite young man and nice to meet him also.  He was going away with his girlfriend to another state for the festivities today.

Lilia was amazed with all my craft making and says she wants one of everything.  I told her we could figure it out and I can courier it to her, or just bring it next trip.  She reminds me of a Spanish version of the Italian grandmother/mother who is always trying to get you to eat.  Italian - Spanish close enough I guess.  She is a super nice lady, very friendly, little bossy and I'm so happy that Lyle found such a wonderful person to be in his life.  She was telling me today that she had been to Progreso 35 years ago and that she's sure so much has changed since.  I told her to figure out some time and come for a visit to the beach.  She said really, of course, you are more then welcome to come for a visit, you welcomed me into your home, I can welcome you also.  She looked at Lyle and I have a feeling they may talk about it after I leave.

I got ready, and we headed off to a popular town an hour away, San Miguel de Allende.  We knew it was going to be busy due to the festivities but we didn't realize how busy.  The drive over was easy enough but once you approached the old part of town it was super narrow cobblestone lanes that you were just squeezing 2 vehicles thru.  The parkade was out of a nightmare (it could have had to do with the capacity of cars that they were pushing in.)  When you came up the ramp (which was very steep) you had to crank hard to the left, back up, and crank again to get around the turn to the next level.  Now along this straightaway, they had cars parked to the side, if they weren't there you may have been able to do it in one very sharp turn.  This we did 4 times to get to the top where there was available space.  We parked, walked down 4 flights and then off we went to wander the town.  

It was very congested, the sidewalks super narrow also.  Kahlua started off okay but being on a short lead and not being able to run amok and all of the stimuli she became stressed quite quickly.  I wasn't going to bother with getting my face painted but Lilia said I should and well  I figured when in Rome.....  So I sat down to get it done and Kahlua would not settle.  The girls in the shop, took turns taking her off for walks down the street and back but of course she wanted to be near me.  Due to her restlessness, I decided on just a simple design, instead of doing a full skeletal design or sugar skull to get it finished as quick as possible.  We wandered some more and went by the church that was built in the 1600's, very reminiscent of the gothic churches in Europe and Lyle said the only one of its style in Mexico.  We wandered thru a couple of galleries with all different styles of art.  Saw a couple of beautiful paintings but 1) they were far too much money and 2) I keep telling myself to stop buying anything large, and take it home when I'm just going to bring it back down here eventually.  So I walked away from anything I may have liked.  I did as requested and got Krystal a prize from the day of the dead, she just has to wait 6 months for it or come for a visit.

We wandered some more and then went for lunch.  Kahlua was not settling at all even thou we were in a small quiet courtyard with few other people, so needless to say I ate one handed while holding on to her doing circles under my feet.  Lunch was great, I had chicken enchiladas in verde sauce.  They were good but mine are better, simply because they don't add sauce to the filling so the chicken is dry.  We left lunch and worked our way back to the parkade.  Kahlua and I waited at the bottom instead of climbing up 4 stories.  As soon as we got in the car she started to settle.

It was a bit of an adventure on the narrow streets to get out on to the main road to head home.  One corner was so narrow I though for sure Lilia was going to scrape the rear quarter panel but she pulled it off with an inch or 2 to spare.  We got back and Lilia had a nap before making Mexican elote (street corn) as I made the mistake about talking about my version of it that has been nicknamed porn corn cause it is that good.  Lilia was first going to stop somewhere in the neighbourhood so that I could try some but we had just eaten, so she decided to make it at home.  It was good but the porn corn is better!  Lyle and I have spend the evening talking away again and they have finally headed off to bed so that I could finish this and do the same.

I pick up Ismael from the airport in the morning and we will start our journey to Progreso.  It should take us 3 days and we will be there on Tuesday.  So it has been wonderful catching up and meeting Lilia and Danny but looking forward to the rest of the trip and finally getting settled in Progreso.

Mexican Day 2 - Matehuala to Queretaro

 Today was a super easy day.  I thought I was going to catch up on lots of sleep, as I shut down early last night and by that I mean lights off, eyes closed.  Multiple reasons why, to start with the dog was going mental.  Completely freaked out, would not settle down and rest or sleep, I finally straddled the little monster and gave her some gravol to get her to sleep. Next it was like a damn kennel around the motel in the morning.  The people to my right rolled in around 9 and had a couple yappy little shits with them, took them a long time to settle and they started again at 6am.  The neighbour to the left were up and out with their dog at 6am and same with the other folks 2 doors over from BC.  I did take my time getting moving and took Kahlua for a big walk around the motel grounds.

We got on the road just after 9 and it was an easy drive except for a couple construction back ups.  I got into Queretaro and was all good until turning off the highway, then I really had to drive like a Mexican!  I had to get across 4 lanes of traffic as they were screaming down the road, well being a polite Canadian wasn't going to work so I had to kick it in gear and just give 'er like a Mexican.  Made it thru unscathed.  Then I came to a roundabout.  Well I have never seen such disorganized chaos.  They did not follow lanes or go in a continual circle, it was more like a 4 way stop and I had to fight my way across it.  Once I got on the right road the chaos calmed own and found my way to my long lost friends place.

It was great to see Lyle again after 20 years, and meet his wife.  They have a lovely house in a small complex.  We sat and talked for a while, then took Kahlua for a walk before dinner.  He made pulled pork tacos and salad.  We spent the whole evening talking, reminiscing and filling each other in on our lives.  For the life of either of us, we can't quite remember how we actually met.  Guess that is what age does to a person.

Tomorrow they are going to take me to another town that is very beautiful.  I look forward to seeing it.  A lot of expats live there so it is driving up the prices in the area but still worth seeing.

So a very relaxing day for me finally and again tomorrow.

Entering Mexico - Laredo to Matehuala, San Lois Potosi

 So we left the hotel, gassed up and headed for the border crossing that opened at 8am.  We got there just before it opened and not to many cars in line.  It was single file to pay the bridge toll, then proceed to customs and immigration.  I drove up and one agent asking something, told him that I was a resident and he waved me thru instead of having to go in the self declare area.  Proceeded and 2 more agents stopped me and just wanted to look in the windows, then told me to park in the parking area and go inside for my stamp and TIP (temporary import permit) for the car.  I went inside and the worker there was helping some Quebecers and came to help me with my tourist visa.  I told him no, resident and he said come stand here, next to go in and get my stamp.   Then to the next area for the TIP.  Only 2 agents so it took a bit to get thru the other people in the line.  With that in hand, I was good to go, or so I thought.  I went back to the car and started putting things away, then took the dog for a quit walk.  When I came back, I couldn't find my damn phone.  I must have spent 45 minutes digging around in the Jeep, retracing my steps, back to the counter asking and nothing.  I was pretty sure it was in the car as I heard it vibrate with a message while I was digging.  Finally a Texan came out and asked if I had found it and then called me.  Low and behold I found it behind the cooler.  I was starting to have a minor meltdown not being able to find it.

So off I went, the first stretch  was pretty boring.  I was doing 120km but was getting passed like I was standing still.  On this highway and many others it is also common practice to drive on the wide shoulders so that people can pass at anytime.  The highway was a new bypass to get to the toll highway, it was fast relatively smooth and clear sailing.

I finally got on the toll highway and it was pretty good.  I came to the first checkpoint and when he realized "no habla espanol" he just waved me thru pointing to a lane, so I followed it and then realized it was not the lane I should be in as it was only for transponders.  Meanwhile I have a semi pushing me thru the toll, except there is a remote arm that lifts once the transponder is registered.  Now I'm stuck between the truck and the arm.  He starts honking, I don't know what to do but think there is enough room to squeeze around it so I do.  Not positive but I think I heard an alarm but I had already pulled to the side with hazards on so the damn truck could leave.  Then I see a guy come running, he stands in front of the truck, yelling at him, truck is honking at him, they are having it out and I'm just waiting  patiently.  Finally the guy lets the truck go and comes over to me.  I explain what happened and that I have no problem paying, it was just a mix-up.  So he took my money gave me my receipt and off I went.  Now I knew stay clear of the right lane.  

I went thru 4 check stops in total, each pulled me over, 2 just told me to go due to not speaking Spanish, the other 2 were good.  The first joked around with where I came from and with Kahlua.  Hey had a gator on his face so of course she started to growl at him.  I told her to be a good girl and he said the same thing to her and she was.  Hey let me go without any questions.  The other one, I ended up with a guard on each side.  The one on the passenger side was trying to get me to roll down the window, and I was trying to get hold of her first or she would have been in his face.  When I told him where I was from he started making jokes about Columbia, I kept telling him no, Canada, British Columbia.  He just laughed and then waved me on.

The scenery was incredible, great views all along the way.  Well worth doing the drive to see the country instead of just flying in.

The motel that I chose is amazing.  They are like rows of townhouses with garages for each room and lots of green space behind them.  This was really nice for Kahlua, so she could finally run loose and burn off some energy with arriving early in the day.  I think I strung her out after as she is having a meltdown now, after I came back from dinner.  I bought her a hotdog from Oxxo and she ate that finally and brought her back some Filet Mignon from my dinner which she ate also.  She has been eating as poorly as me since we have been on the road, so it was nice that she finally had something.

So tomorrow will be a short day, heading to see a friend who moved here 22 years ago and has made his life here.  His wife and himself are going to take me on a tour the next day to a well known town that I look forward to seeing.  Then come Sunday, I will pick up our friend from Progreso at the airport and he will be driving the rest of the way with me.  So one more short journey on my own and then I will have company the rest of the way.

Thats all for the first day in Mexico.  Time to lay down and have a rest.

Day 4 Vaughn NM to Laredo TX - WHAT A WINNER!!!

 Well the day started off well enough.  We weren't abducted and I think the red lights may have been from windmills and what I thought was choppers might have been trains.  Hey my mind got the best of me at night when you can't see shit!

So we made our way thru Roswell and I guess I was unimpressed.  For some reason I was anticipating something along the lines of Coombs, with aliens but it was a pretty normal town with an occasional alien statue here and there and of course businesses with an alien theme.  So pretty glad I didn't make a point to stop.  Carried on to Carlsbad, where the caverns are.  Cute town but still uneventful and that is where todays excitement starts.

We left there and headed along our route to find mass construction. 2 very narrow lanes that were still waiting for repair for miles and miles.  Think it was over 20 miles they were working on.  Well thru this area, the texture of the road surfaces made a hell of a noise and vibration in the jeep, plus the bumps and heaves in the road had it bouncing around, not to mention being so close to the oncoming lane when a semi blew by and the noise from the gust of wind terrified Kahlua.  She was so panicked, that she started climbing back and forth from front to back and was trying to get in the trunk.  I was getting a little fed up with the road and her so when we stopped in Ft Stockton, I remembered I had packed an anxiety collar in her bag, so I put it on her.  Damn thing worked like a charm and she ended up crawling into the back seat and going to sleep for the next shit show.

So we left Ft Stockton and started working our way towards Laredo.  Well the first part of this next section was all thru and and along the mesas.  Again the road surface was shit.  I think it was some form of gravel tar seal but not like we have at home.  The noise was horrendous (thank god she slept) not to mention heaves and bumps all well your navigating hills and valleys and curves and doing 60 to 70 mph.  I was worn the hell out from it.  Now somewhere along this stretch, I think I saw a Chupacabra, okay maybe it was a wild pig/boar but didn't look like any I've ever seen.  This is also where I drove all along the side of the border just live 0 Ave in Vancouver.  Only difference is it is extremely well patrolled.  They also have a roadway of a white rock/sand surface that they rake with 3 tractor tires behind their trucks.  I wasn't sure exactly what they were doing.

I was so glad to be done with those 2 stretches when I hit Del Rio.  Finally so semi normal road and was able to motor along and try to make up some time.  I got to Eagle Pass and that's when some idiot wasn't paying attention and just about rear-ended the guy in front of him.  Instead he hard cranked to the left towards me.  Thankfully I was watching everything and saw it coming so I in turn did the same thing into the middle lane and evaded being taken out 2 hours from my destination.  As I sat there cursing him out, puppy stood up on the console and started kissing my cheek, telling me its all okay mommy, I got you!  She's such a good girl.

We kept moving trying to cover as much ground before dark.  Along the next stretch between Eagle Pass and Carrizo Springs the border patrol has a checkpoint.  So talked to the guy for a few before traffic caught up to me.  As I pulled up he was staring at my plate trying to figure it out.  He was amazed when I told him 3 days and it was my first time doing it.  I asked him about the white sand and tires.  He said that basically it is to track illegals.  When they swim the river and climb the mesa(that part amazes me as they are not small) then they cross this substance and 1 leave prints and 2 carry it on their shoes which allows them to be tracked.  Makes sense.

The last eastbound leg was after dark and was 100kms.  I was not amused.  It was a 2 lane road at 75mph...not fkn likely!!  I was having a hard time seeing with oncoming lights and just wanted to get here.  The end part of the road was a bit better as they finally put a bit of a extra lane which helped some of the lights but it took longer then it should have.

Then don't know if it was expedia or me and the nav system but it sent me to a different address for the motel.  So I had to call and find them.  Then when I got here, there was nobody here to check me in, so I had to call again and get them to send someone, all to give me my key.

So all in we are now here and will cross the border in the morning.

Viva Mexico, we made it!!