Today we took it a little easy and drove from Guatemala City to Puerto Barrios after a good nights sleep in our hotel in Zone 10 of one of the largest and most confusing cities I have ever had the pleasure of visiting.
We were on the road at 8 a.m. and negotiated our way through the morning rush traffic, narrowly avoiding a number of motorcyclists who felt they were immortal weaving in and out of traffic to the sound of honking horns, and the odd finger gesture from frustrated motorists. Thank goodness we quickly found our route out of the city and were once again winding through the hills and mountain tops of rural Guatemala.
In both Mexico and Guatemala, Mic and I have both been astounded by the number of people from all walks of life who if not doing something, are glued to their phones, either chatting, texting or playing games. It was amazing today as we drove by a very large ranch and about 20' off the road, with no one else around for miles, there was a an older farm worker taking a break from tending the fields; texting on his smart phone. It is amazing the connectivity that has been achieved in these third world countries, yet in Canada there are many areas that still have yet to be connected. Just how does that happen?!? Get on it Canada.
After covering approximately 283 kilometres, we finally arrived at our destination in Puerto Barrios; the MarBrissa Hotel. It is an older resort type hotel which has a wonderful rustic charm, yet you can tell at one point the resort had been a rather posh and exclusive place to be.
Today's tip is about currency. Make sure that before you enter a country and get into its heartland, away from the borders where American or Canadian currency may be accepted, be sure to exchange your money so you are not left in a pinch. Although we did exchange our Mexican pesos at the border in Guatemala, we ended up being able to exchange a little more American money this morning at our hotel in the Guatemala City, but from what I understand, this is not common and the banks seem to be few and far between in Guatemala.
Tomorrow we will be heading into the final day of our journey as we head into Honduras. Last border crossing. Until tomorrow!
PS. Sorry, my internet connection is too slow to upload photos today. :)
Monday 29 February 2016
Sunday 28 February 2016
Now for Something Completely Different - Guatemala
We left Camitan De Dominguez by 7:30 a.m. in anticipation of crossing the Guatemalan border which lay 85 kilometres from our starting point. We arrived at the small border town in Mexico and were ready with paperwork to return our temporary vehicle permit slips and our Tourista cards. Check! Mexican paperwork done and we were again on our way to the Guatemalan border.
Gliding through an area of no man's land, we finally reached the official border crossing. Usually you expect to be greeted with row upon row of kiosks with officials in sharply pressed uniforms, gleaming with authority. Well, that is not exactly how it was crossing into Guatemala. We were asked to drive under a lift gate; a manually lifted one I might add, then asked to drive up to pylon. A nice gentleman asked us if we needed to exchange pesos into Guatemalan money, and we had received information from others that these people are legit and will help you through the extremely quirky immigration process. By the way, we checked on the exchange tonight and he was bang on the bank rates for the day. Wow, there are some good people out there still.
We were first escorted to a small office, the size of a closet with a young man in an official golf shirt, jeans and running shoes who gave the dogs their official inspection. I might add from the window, which was probably a good thing as the three amigos were readily protecting their truck from any passerby.
While we were paying for the canine's paperwork, another young man in coveralls and a white surgical mask and galoshes asked to spray the bottom of our truck with a disinfectant. I would imagine this was probably against the spread of invasive plants. Check! Dogs' paperwork done and vehicle will not share Mexican invasive species with Guatemala.
Next we were asked to report to the customs office. This second office was much larger than the first, and resembled more of a retiree's volunteer job. Three very nice gentlemen had a television on and were watching the old spaghetti western, Catbalou - in Spanish.
They finished our paperwork as the plot of the movie unfolded and we were passed on to the next office which was for our temporary vehicle import permit. Here, this gentlemen, dressed in a casual golf shirt and jeans completed our paperwork while Mic went to the bank to pay for the import fees. With three barking dogs in the truck, this brave soul also insisted on placing the sticker on the inside of the window of our vehicle. He placed the sticker and gave the dogs a friendly, "Adios, my friends". Personal customs and vehicle importation; check! Our entire immigration process took about 30 minutes.
Finally we crept our way through the bustling village were textile store after textile stores were readying their shelves for the day, despite it being Sunday. Finally we left the bustling little village and made our way into the most beautiful mountains and terrain we have ever seen. Like their textiles, the surroundings were vibrant. The spectacular drive took us through winding and twisting turns almost the entire way to Guatemala City where we stopped for the night.
We were surprised to see how so many people get around in Guatemala. First off, there are a series of pickup trucks which load as many people and belongings onto the truck that the bumper is almost dragging on the ground. Secondly, there are these crazy busses which are all tweaked out with chrome, special paint jobs and lots of "loco" horns. These buses stop wherever on the road, but when they are going, watch out, or they may run you over. I don't think anyone could pay me enough to ride one of those buses.
Something that really stood out to Mic and I today, was how nice it was to see so many of the residents of Guatemala still wear traditional clothing and the beautiful vibrant fabrics which we had seen on our way through the border. It wasn't just the older Guatemalans, but even the toddlers, children and young adults wearing the traditional garb. They have kept so much of their culture while embracing the changing world.
The Guatemalan's we met today were such helpful people too. We stopped a couple of times to ask some directions and although there was a language barrier, we still had a laugh and I was able to figure out what they were saying. I think you would have been proud of me today Sergia!
We have enjoyed our travels through this beautiful country so far and look ahead to tomorrow as we make our way east across the country towards Honduras.
Gliding through an area of no man's land, we finally reached the official border crossing. Usually you expect to be greeted with row upon row of kiosks with officials in sharply pressed uniforms, gleaming with authority. Well, that is not exactly how it was crossing into Guatemala. We were asked to drive under a lift gate; a manually lifted one I might add, then asked to drive up to pylon. A nice gentleman asked us if we needed to exchange pesos into Guatemalan money, and we had received information from others that these people are legit and will help you through the extremely quirky immigration process. By the way, we checked on the exchange tonight and he was bang on the bank rates for the day. Wow, there are some good people out there still.
We were first escorted to a small office, the size of a closet with a young man in an official golf shirt, jeans and running shoes who gave the dogs their official inspection. I might add from the window, which was probably a good thing as the three amigos were readily protecting their truck from any passerby.
While we were paying for the canine's paperwork, another young man in coveralls and a white surgical mask and galoshes asked to spray the bottom of our truck with a disinfectant. I would imagine this was probably against the spread of invasive plants. Check! Dogs' paperwork done and vehicle will not share Mexican invasive species with Guatemala.
Next we were asked to report to the customs office. This second office was much larger than the first, and resembled more of a retiree's volunteer job. Three very nice gentlemen had a television on and were watching the old spaghetti western, Catbalou - in Spanish.
They finished our paperwork as the plot of the movie unfolded and we were passed on to the next office which was for our temporary vehicle import permit. Here, this gentlemen, dressed in a casual golf shirt and jeans completed our paperwork while Mic went to the bank to pay for the import fees. With three barking dogs in the truck, this brave soul also insisted on placing the sticker on the inside of the window of our vehicle. He placed the sticker and gave the dogs a friendly, "Adios, my friends". Personal customs and vehicle importation; check! Our entire immigration process took about 30 minutes.
Finally we crept our way through the bustling village were textile store after textile stores were readying their shelves for the day, despite it being Sunday. Finally we left the bustling little village and made our way into the most beautiful mountains and terrain we have ever seen. Like their textiles, the surroundings were vibrant. The spectacular drive took us through winding and twisting turns almost the entire way to Guatemala City where we stopped for the night.
We were surprised to see how so many people get around in Guatemala. First off, there are a series of pickup trucks which load as many people and belongings onto the truck that the bumper is almost dragging on the ground. Secondly, there are these crazy busses which are all tweaked out with chrome, special paint jobs and lots of "loco" horns. These buses stop wherever on the road, but when they are going, watch out, or they may run you over. I don't think anyone could pay me enough to ride one of those buses.
Something that really stood out to Mic and I today, was how nice it was to see so many of the residents of Guatemala still wear traditional clothing and the beautiful vibrant fabrics which we had seen on our way through the border. It wasn't just the older Guatemalans, but even the toddlers, children and young adults wearing the traditional garb. They have kept so much of their culture while embracing the changing world.
The Guatemalan's we met today were such helpful people too. We stopped a couple of times to ask some directions and although there was a language barrier, we still had a laugh and I was able to figure out what they were saying. I think you would have been proud of me today Sergia!
We have enjoyed our travels through this beautiful country so far and look ahead to tomorrow as we make our way east across the country towards Honduras.
The Green Tunnel to The Path of 10,000 Topes
Our adventures into southern Mexico continued after a wonderful stay at the Hilton in Villahermosa. Thank you to the staff for their wonderful hospitality as it was truly appreciated after the previous day's experiences. Molly even has her own fan club at the hotel too. None of them believed us that she was still just a pup.
Once again we were travelling through another agricultural area filled with many farms and sugar cane operations. We were astounded by the multitude of colours are trees along the route as well. There were beautiful vibrant yellow blossoms on some while others were purple and some pink.
The meadows and farmlands gave way to an interesting area which was like driving through a green tunnel of trees before rising to some unbelievable mountain passes. Well, the secondary highways I was talking about in a previous post, I can truly say with first hand experience, that their reputation lives on. Although the scenery is unbelievable, it took both of our sets of eyes to make sure we did not drive into some of the potholes which could have swallowed a small European country.
And then the Topes (speed bumps)! At most of the Topes on this route there were young children and women trying to stop the cars to sell various fruits, tortillas, and other baked goods which are traditional Mayan foods. It was a little daunting when some of the children held vines across the road to force you to stop. It was very sad to see as it was obvious the area was extremely poor. I just hope those little ones are not hurt as a result of their aggressive behaviour. This is truly one of the saddest moments we have experienced so far on our travels.
We proceeded on the secondary highway and passed through a number of other small villages without any more incidents, yet the farther we went, the more Topes we passed over. Some of the Topes are legitimate ones, placed by the state to control speed, but others have been placed by residents who set up their stands of food and other items for sale beside them so there is a better chance you might buy something when slowing down for the speed bump.
After a long day of travel and what seemed to be 10,000 Topes according to Mic who did all the driving, we arrived at our next stopping point which was Camitan De Dominguez. We had booked a hotel which was advertised to be dog friendly. However, upon our arrival, we discovered it was on a central square in the town with no access from the road, or areas to walk the dogs. Which brings me to today's tip.
When travelling with dogs throughout Mexico and Central America, book your pet friendly hotels in advance, even if it is just the night before. There are not as many pet friendly facilities in Mexico and Central America as are available in North America, so it can be a bit of a challenge to find a suitable hotel as they book up quickly. We have been trying to find hotels on the outskirts of the bigger centres, and sometimes that works, but then other times there is nothing outside of the city centre.
After discovering the challenges with our hotel we had reserved, we immediately messaged them to cancel with no problem at all. With a little bit of searching we found a nice small hotel with a secured parking area and a beautiful little garden to walk Paige, Willy and Molly. Our host at Laurelis Hotel was Mario who was more than happy to see to our needs and even ordered some dinner for us since my Spanish is not quite good enough to order yet. He was also extremely excited as he had heard Canadians were nice and he had never met one before - two in one meeting.
We were settled in for the evening and Mario was back first thing in the morning to see us on our way. Anyone who says Mexicans are not hard working people, have not met the ones we have. Adios Mexico, it has been a slice!
Once again we were travelling through another agricultural area filled with many farms and sugar cane operations. We were astounded by the multitude of colours are trees along the route as well. There were beautiful vibrant yellow blossoms on some while others were purple and some pink.
The meadows and farmlands gave way to an interesting area which was like driving through a green tunnel of trees before rising to some unbelievable mountain passes. Well, the secondary highways I was talking about in a previous post, I can truly say with first hand experience, that their reputation lives on. Although the scenery is unbelievable, it took both of our sets of eyes to make sure we did not drive into some of the potholes which could have swallowed a small European country.
And then the Topes (speed bumps)! At most of the Topes on this route there were young children and women trying to stop the cars to sell various fruits, tortillas, and other baked goods which are traditional Mayan foods. It was a little daunting when some of the children held vines across the road to force you to stop. It was very sad to see as it was obvious the area was extremely poor. I just hope those little ones are not hurt as a result of their aggressive behaviour. This is truly one of the saddest moments we have experienced so far on our travels.
We proceeded on the secondary highway and passed through a number of other small villages without any more incidents, yet the farther we went, the more Topes we passed over. Some of the Topes are legitimate ones, placed by the state to control speed, but others have been placed by residents who set up their stands of food and other items for sale beside them so there is a better chance you might buy something when slowing down for the speed bump.
After a long day of travel and what seemed to be 10,000 Topes according to Mic who did all the driving, we arrived at our next stopping point which was Camitan De Dominguez. We had booked a hotel which was advertised to be dog friendly. However, upon our arrival, we discovered it was on a central square in the town with no access from the road, or areas to walk the dogs. Which brings me to today's tip.
When travelling with dogs throughout Mexico and Central America, book your pet friendly hotels in advance, even if it is just the night before. There are not as many pet friendly facilities in Mexico and Central America as are available in North America, so it can be a bit of a challenge to find a suitable hotel as they book up quickly. We have been trying to find hotels on the outskirts of the bigger centres, and sometimes that works, but then other times there is nothing outside of the city centre.
After discovering the challenges with our hotel we had reserved, we immediately messaged them to cancel with no problem at all. With a little bit of searching we found a nice small hotel with a secured parking area and a beautiful little garden to walk Paige, Willy and Molly. Our host at Laurelis Hotel was Mario who was more than happy to see to our needs and even ordered some dinner for us since my Spanish is not quite good enough to order yet. He was also extremely excited as he had heard Canadians were nice and he had never met one before - two in one meeting.
We were settled in for the evening and Mario was back first thing in the morning to see us on our way. Anyone who says Mexicans are not hard working people, have not met the ones we have. Adios Mexico, it has been a slice!
Friday 26 February 2016
Pretty Flowers and Honking Horns
After the eventful ending to yesterday's travels, we arose early and were on the road by 7:30 a.m. We wanted to relax a little after yesterday's long day and decided to set our course for Villahermosa through Vera Cruz.
The journey today was through much a more moist area with more rolling hills and beautiful views. We spent most of the day again on the "Cuota" highways (toll routes), which allow for much faster travel. Along these routes we saw more Colin than we have in other areas with trees in bloom in yellows, oranges, pinks and purples. The colours are so vivid and bring the green countryside to life with character.
We also drove by many fields of sugar cane which is a popular agricultural activity in this area. Many trucks were on the road taking their harvest to market while the farmers burned off the field which covered the area in a light smoke and haze.
Our drive today should have been approximately 5.5 hours, but as we reached Villahermosa city limits, we realised we were arriving during the paving festival. Parts of this highway are now seeing their age and rather than doing one section at a time so as to minimize the effect on the traffic flow, they have tackled it all at one time which has lead to serious traffic jams. So on our estimation of 5.5 hours, we ended up being closer to 6.5 hours. Oh well, at least they are dealing with the bumps in the road so to speak.
When travelling throughout Mexico, I highly recommend using the Cuota highways as they are the best maintained routes throughout the country. The Autopistas are also a fairly well maintained highway and are usually more of a scenic option.
While travelling on the Cuotas, be sure to have lots of pesos with you as they are not the cheapest way to travel the country, but are good thoroughfares. These routes usually bypass the small towns so you are not up and down the speedometer and we have felt extremely safe on them, even at dusk last night as we wrapped up our crazy day.
When not on the Cuota highways, we have been sticking to the Autopistas. They are not quite as well maintained as the Cuotas, but are still better than the secondary highways which frequently have no markings, major potholes and have some rather sketchy areas for tourists. These routes often travel through small towns which is great to see more of the true Mexican life and countryside, but makes for much slower travel as a result of the fluctuating speeds and the poorer level of road maintenance.
We checked in this evening at the Hilton Villahermosa as we felt we deserved a little treat for ourselves after yesterday's challenges. Tomorrow will be our last full day in Mexico as we move on to Guatemala on Sunday. Until tomorrow from All Paths Lead to Roatan.
The journey today was through much a more moist area with more rolling hills and beautiful views. We spent most of the day again on the "Cuota" highways (toll routes), which allow for much faster travel. Along these routes we saw more Colin than we have in other areas with trees in bloom in yellows, oranges, pinks and purples. The colours are so vivid and bring the green countryside to life with character.
We also drove by many fields of sugar cane which is a popular agricultural activity in this area. Many trucks were on the road taking their harvest to market while the farmers burned off the field which covered the area in a light smoke and haze.
Our drive today should have been approximately 5.5 hours, but as we reached Villahermosa city limits, we realised we were arriving during the paving festival. Parts of this highway are now seeing their age and rather than doing one section at a time so as to minimize the effect on the traffic flow, they have tackled it all at one time which has lead to serious traffic jams. So on our estimation of 5.5 hours, we ended up being closer to 6.5 hours. Oh well, at least they are dealing with the bumps in the road so to speak.
When travelling throughout Mexico, I highly recommend using the Cuota highways as they are the best maintained routes throughout the country. The Autopistas are also a fairly well maintained highway and are usually more of a scenic option.
While travelling on the Cuotas, be sure to have lots of pesos with you as they are not the cheapest way to travel the country, but are good thoroughfares. These routes usually bypass the small towns so you are not up and down the speedometer and we have felt extremely safe on them, even at dusk last night as we wrapped up our crazy day.
When not on the Cuota highways, we have been sticking to the Autopistas. They are not quite as well maintained as the Cuotas, but are still better than the secondary highways which frequently have no markings, major potholes and have some rather sketchy areas for tourists. These routes often travel through small towns which is great to see more of the true Mexican life and countryside, but makes for much slower travel as a result of the fluctuating speeds and the poorer level of road maintenance.
We checked in this evening at the Hilton Villahermosa as we felt we deserved a little treat for ourselves after yesterday's challenges. Tomorrow will be our last full day in Mexico as we move on to Guatemala on Sunday. Until tomorrow from All Paths Lead to Roatan.
Thursday 25 February 2016
Mountain Vistas and Crazy Cities!
Wow, today was a long day. We were on the road at 7:30 this morning and travelled over 1,000 kilometers on some really good highways. So far they have been much better than we were expecting and were able to make some good time on them too. There is a lot to be said about 110 kilometres. There was some beautiful scenery and much of it was in some mountain passes. From the mountains, we headed into some of the driest country we have ever seen and followed by some beautiful rolling hills with many trees and crops. It made us feel as though we had been transported to Tuscany based on the pictures I have seen of their countryside. Completely breathtaking!
On the road today, Mic and I discussed how surprised we were to see the amount of money Mexico is putting into education, infrastructure such as roads and utilities, and churches. Many of the schools we saw were either new, or very recently renovated. It really does say something about where Mexico is going; upwards. Bravo Mexico and keep up the great work.
We finally reached our destination we set for today of Puebla. What a crazy city! After getting lost, and learning you can not turn onto a one way, from a one way on a red, we decided to get out of town and head to the next town which wound up being, oh, about another two hours down the road.
Let me back up and tell you about the red light thing. Unfortunately there was a police car that saw us do this and pulled us over. We knew this was going to be a new experience for sure. They took Mic's licence and said he could pick it up in the morning at the police station to guarantee that he would pay, or we could pay them now. We opted for the pay now option, and $40 later we were on our way with no ticket and it was forgotten by the police and by us. Works for me! Now if only tickets I had received in Canada had been so cheap and no points. Go figure.
We have finally settled in for the evening in Xalapa for the night and it is definitely time for bed. Tomorrow we will be heading to Ver Cruz and onto Villahermosa. Until tomorro y'all!
On the road today, Mic and I discussed how surprised we were to see the amount of money Mexico is putting into education, infrastructure such as roads and utilities, and churches. Many of the schools we saw were either new, or very recently renovated. It really does say something about where Mexico is going; upwards. Bravo Mexico and keep up the great work.
We finally reached our destination we set for today of Puebla. What a crazy city! After getting lost, and learning you can not turn onto a one way, from a one way on a red, we decided to get out of town and head to the next town which wound up being, oh, about another two hours down the road.
Let me back up and tell you about the red light thing. Unfortunately there was a police car that saw us do this and pulled us over. We knew this was going to be a new experience for sure. They took Mic's licence and said he could pick it up in the morning at the police station to guarantee that he would pay, or we could pay them now. We opted for the pay now option, and $40 later we were on our way with no ticket and it was forgotten by the police and by us. Works for me! Now if only tickets I had received in Canada had been so cheap and no points. Go figure.
We have finally settled in for the evening in Xalapa for the night and it is definitely time for bed. Tomorrow we will be heading to Ver Cruz and onto Villahermosa. Until tomorro y'all!
Wednesday 24 February 2016
Mexico or Bust!
It was a long night last night at the Motel 6. They are good in the fact that they take dogs, but this one was not in the quietest part of town and their was some shenanigans going on. Some people's kids.
With rather drowsy eyes and foggy brains, Mic, the pups and I started the next phase of our journey; crossing into Mexico.We had coffee in hand as we made our way across the Rio Grande and what a sight. The bridge at Laredo is quite high. Greeting us on the other side were a number of different kiosks that you drive past. Unfortunately, the border guards from Mexico, neglected to inform us to keep to the left to make our way to the appropriate customs office. A kind hearted Mexican, for the low price of $1, helped us make our way to the immigration office where we filled out "tourista" cards and obtain the required temporary import vehicle paperwork.
For today's tip, we thought immigration would be a good topic. If you are planning on driving down, be sure to stop in at the immigration office and obtain your appropriate paperwork. The border guards who inspect your vehicle, are not necessarily the best on providing that detail. Thank goodness we stopped to ask or we would have been in deep doodoo. Also be sure to have your current passport, as well as all of Fido or Fluffy's vaccination records with you in the event they ask for them. No one actually asked for the canines' records and the dogs sailed through the border without a whimper or a pat...well, Molly snuck in a few barks at the officials though.
We were off into a terrain that again resembled New Mexico and Texas, and eventually turned into what people would expect of a typical Mexican landscape. We saw some magnificent views and wound our way through the Mexican countryside passing through the odd town and village along the way.
We arrived in Monterray around 12Noon and wow, our first experience of driving in a busy Mexican city was a little intimidating to say the least. The traffic moves at a phenomenal pace with extremely aggressive drivers. Toronto, you have nothing on Monterray.
Monterray is a sprawling city with older sections but seems to be a more modern and progressive city overall. It was pretty much everything you would expect in a major city; beautiful shopping malls, progressive architecture, designer brand name outlet malls and more.
As we cleared Monterray, Mic who drove admirably through the surrounding auto chaos of the big city, and we sighed a deep breath and started to relax a little after that foray. We happily drove through some more beautiful countryside which seemed to become more fertile and lush with our travels south. We finished our day in Ciudad de Victoria after driving over 560 kilometres.
Tomorrow we will be heading more inland and will be winding up our day near Mexico City. We are definitely going to be taking the bypasses there. Until tomorrow from All Paths Lead to Roatan!
With rather drowsy eyes and foggy brains, Mic, the pups and I started the next phase of our journey; crossing into Mexico.We had coffee in hand as we made our way across the Rio Grande and what a sight. The bridge at Laredo is quite high. Greeting us on the other side were a number of different kiosks that you drive past. Unfortunately, the border guards from Mexico, neglected to inform us to keep to the left to make our way to the appropriate customs office. A kind hearted Mexican, for the low price of $1, helped us make our way to the immigration office where we filled out "tourista" cards and obtain the required temporary import vehicle paperwork.
For today's tip, we thought immigration would be a good topic. If you are planning on driving down, be sure to stop in at the immigration office and obtain your appropriate paperwork. The border guards who inspect your vehicle, are not necessarily the best on providing that detail. Thank goodness we stopped to ask or we would have been in deep doodoo. Also be sure to have your current passport, as well as all of Fido or Fluffy's vaccination records with you in the event they ask for them. No one actually asked for the canines' records and the dogs sailed through the border without a whimper or a pat...well, Molly snuck in a few barks at the officials though.
We were off into a terrain that again resembled New Mexico and Texas, and eventually turned into what people would expect of a typical Mexican landscape. We saw some magnificent views and wound our way through the Mexican countryside passing through the odd town and village along the way.
We arrived in Monterray around 12Noon and wow, our first experience of driving in a busy Mexican city was a little intimidating to say the least. The traffic moves at a phenomenal pace with extremely aggressive drivers. Toronto, you have nothing on Monterray.
Monterray is a sprawling city with older sections but seems to be a more modern and progressive city overall. It was pretty much everything you would expect in a major city; beautiful shopping malls, progressive architecture, designer brand name outlet malls and more.
As we cleared Monterray, Mic who drove admirably through the surrounding auto chaos of the big city, and we sighed a deep breath and started to relax a little after that foray. We happily drove through some more beautiful countryside which seemed to become more fertile and lush with our travels south. We finished our day in Ciudad de Victoria after driving over 560 kilometres.
Tomorrow we will be heading more inland and will be winding up our day near Mexico City. We are definitely going to be taking the bypasses there. Until tomorrow from All Paths Lead to Roatan!
Tuesday 23 February 2016
From Sand Castles to Mud Puddles
Today's blog will start on a very funny note. Yesterday afternoon when Mic and I were picking up our Mexican vehicle insurance, we took the dogs and had opened the sunroof. I stayed in the truck with the dogs to make sure none of them were too adventurous about the sunroof and possible escape attempts.
We picked up the insurance papers and were headed back to the hotel for the evening. Mic thought he would spray some bug juice on the windshield as it was covered in bug fatalities from the states we have toured. Unfortunately, he neglected to close the sunroof before he sprayed the juice. Mental note; when in a moving vehicle with a sunroof, make sure it is closed before you spray. We were all splashed. The dogs even looked at him as if to say...what the heck! Pretty funny moment!
Well, today's blog post actually started before we left Uvalde, Texas. At midnight, I was awoken by flashes of light coming through the drawn drapes of our hotel room. The wind was howling and the rain pummelled the dry earth of the drought ridden plains. It was a low level tropical storm, not quite strong enough to be classified as a hurricane, but showing its ferocity with every gust of wind, clap of thunder and the sheets of rain. It was over almost as quickly as it appeared, but left a much needed abundance of water to soak into the parched ground.
We have gone from the wetness of Vancouver, Washington and California to the dryness of the Mojave Desert and back into some dampness. Crazy weather, even down south.
When we arose this morning, the day greeted us with sunshine and birds singing as we packed up the truck and headed back out on our path to Roatan. The route we were to be travelling today was closed as a result of construction and last night's downpour, so we quickly redirected with our GPS unit and found a beautiful two-lane highway which wove its way through farmland and ranches (they sure do have a lot of cattle in this part of the country) towards our final destination for today, Laredo, Texas. Tomorrow we will be crossing the border into Mexico.
As expected, the farther south we travel, the warmer it is getting. The thermometer on the truck reached 30C today. We are all feeling the change in the weather and the pups are already sleeping in their kennels for the night.
Today's tip is regarding vehicle (and personal) insurance when entering other countries. In the United States and Canada, it is usually pretty straight forward. Your vehicle insurance is respected north and south of the border. However, when entering countries such as Mexico, Guatemala, and Honduras, it is required to have federally approved insurance from the country you are entering. Be sure to order your paperwork well in advance as it may take up to 24 hours to receive the appropriate documents. Many insurance companies offer packages that are available for purchase online or in brick and mortar offices in border towns of the country you are entering. For example, Mic and I purchased our vehicle insurance policy (during our downtime while the truck was in the shop) in Uvalde, Texas. We purchased it over the phone and stopped by a local office of All-State Insurance to actually pick up the policy. Once you receive it, make sure you have a couple of copies with it in the event that the border asks you for copies of it, or if you just happen to misplace your original.
That is about all for today. Hope you all had a great day! Until tomorrow!
We picked up the insurance papers and were headed back to the hotel for the evening. Mic thought he would spray some bug juice on the windshield as it was covered in bug fatalities from the states we have toured. Unfortunately, he neglected to close the sunroof before he sprayed the juice. Mental note; when in a moving vehicle with a sunroof, make sure it is closed before you spray. We were all splashed. The dogs even looked at him as if to say...what the heck! Pretty funny moment!
Well, today's blog post actually started before we left Uvalde, Texas. At midnight, I was awoken by flashes of light coming through the drawn drapes of our hotel room. The wind was howling and the rain pummelled the dry earth of the drought ridden plains. It was a low level tropical storm, not quite strong enough to be classified as a hurricane, but showing its ferocity with every gust of wind, clap of thunder and the sheets of rain. It was over almost as quickly as it appeared, but left a much needed abundance of water to soak into the parched ground.
We have gone from the wetness of Vancouver, Washington and California to the dryness of the Mojave Desert and back into some dampness. Crazy weather, even down south.
When we arose this morning, the day greeted us with sunshine and birds singing as we packed up the truck and headed back out on our path to Roatan. The route we were to be travelling today was closed as a result of construction and last night's downpour, so we quickly redirected with our GPS unit and found a beautiful two-lane highway which wove its way through farmland and ranches (they sure do have a lot of cattle in this part of the country) towards our final destination for today, Laredo, Texas. Tomorrow we will be crossing the border into Mexico.
As expected, the farther south we travel, the warmer it is getting. The thermometer on the truck reached 30C today. We are all feeling the change in the weather and the pups are already sleeping in their kennels for the night.
Today's tip is regarding vehicle (and personal) insurance when entering other countries. In the United States and Canada, it is usually pretty straight forward. Your vehicle insurance is respected north and south of the border. However, when entering countries such as Mexico, Guatemala, and Honduras, it is required to have federally approved insurance from the country you are entering. Be sure to order your paperwork well in advance as it may take up to 24 hours to receive the appropriate documents. Many insurance companies offer packages that are available for purchase online or in brick and mortar offices in border towns of the country you are entering. For example, Mic and I purchased our vehicle insurance policy (during our downtime while the truck was in the shop) in Uvalde, Texas. We purchased it over the phone and stopped by a local office of All-State Insurance to actually pick up the policy. Once you receive it, make sure you have a couple of copies with it in the event that the border asks you for copies of it, or if you just happen to misplace your original.
That is about all for today. Hope you all had a great day! Until tomorrow!
Monday 22 February 2016
Sunday 21 February 2016
A Day of Rest on the Day of Rest
Well better it happened here than in the middle of the Mexican Desert. We were merrily on our way today on a beautiful two lane highway when our trusty Nissan had a bit of a hiccup. As we reached the small city of Uvalde, Texas, we heard the nasty screeching of metal on metal on the front end...a blown wheel bearing. Oh well, at least we are safe and sound and that this happened in an urban setting.
Being Sunday in Southern Texas, unfortunately nothing is open today, after all it is the day of rest. Luckily we were only 2 km from hotel row and we were able to stop at a Motel 6 who's staff were extremely accommodating by letting us check in early for no additional charges, and even suggested some locations as to where we would be able to get the truck repaired in the morning. Southern hospitality at its best!
Mic is making the most of it and is watching the Daytona 500. Apparently Molly is a NASCAR fan too as she is glued to the television watching the action. LOL.
So for now, some interesting trivial facts about Uvalde courtesy of my big sister. Uvalde is dubbed "The Honey Capitol of the World". It is also the birthplace of one of my favourite actors, A-lister Matthew McConahey. Go figure.
Have a great day all! We are hoping to be back on the road tomorrow.
Being Sunday in Southern Texas, unfortunately nothing is open today, after all it is the day of rest. Luckily we were only 2 km from hotel row and we were able to stop at a Motel 6 who's staff were extremely accommodating by letting us check in early for no additional charges, and even suggested some locations as to where we would be able to get the truck repaired in the morning. Southern hospitality at its best!
Mic is making the most of it and is watching the Daytona 500. Apparently Molly is a NASCAR fan too as she is glued to the television watching the action. LOL.
So for now, some interesting trivial facts about Uvalde courtesy of my big sister. Uvalde is dubbed "The Honey Capitol of the World". It is also the birthplace of one of my favourite actors, A-lister Matthew McConahey. Go figure.
Have a great day all! We are hoping to be back on the road tomorrow.
Saturday 20 February 2016
On the Texas Path!
We departed Lordsbourg at 8 a.m. Good thing Mic remembered the time change or otherwise we would have been an hour behind all day. LOL. The flat lands of New Mexico have even less vegetation than we saw yesterday. Can you say Area 51! Much of the area is a barren wasteland.
It was only about three hours before we entered the great state of Texas. And yesterday, I thought Arizona and New Mexico were generous with their speed limits. Not too far past El Paso, Texas, we were able to reach a cruising speed of 80 mph., and yes, still legally!
Some of the geographic features were extremely interesting today as you could see the formations and marks which were left on the land from the last ice age.
Texas truly is a huge state. We found ourselves driving for over 100 Miles between rest stops and gas stations. Mental note; when travelling the wonderful I-10, be sure to keep your tank full and if you find yourself guessing about whether you should fill up with gas; fill up. Certainly glad Mic and I are both paranoid about running out of gas. We saw numerous vehicles on the side of the road with gas tanks open. Hope their drivers and passengers are all safe.
The vast remote areas of Texas bring me to my tip for the day. When travelling by vehicle on a long journey, be sure to have an up-to-date Road Atlas of the areas where you will be travelling. Better yet, make an investment in a good GPS unit with the most recent downloads. We purchased a new Garmin in Vancouver for $169 fully loaded with maps of North America, Mexico, Central and South America and more. Given that Mic and I are not spring chickens, we purchased the larger screen which is easy to read at a quick glance. It has helped us find rest stops, hotels, and kept us on track even through the crazy LA traffic. By the way, avoid rush hour in LA; lesson learned.
The drive today was a little less remarkable when compared to other days, but it was still a beautiful and enjoyable experience with Mic, Paige, Willy and Molly as we sped down the highway in our trusty Nissan Frontier.
We drove almost 1,000 kilometres today and are stopping for the night in a tiny town called Junction, Texas. Until tomorrow when we will once again be on the path to Roatan.
It was only about three hours before we entered the great state of Texas. And yesterday, I thought Arizona and New Mexico were generous with their speed limits. Not too far past El Paso, Texas, we were able to reach a cruising speed of 80 mph., and yes, still legally!
Some of the geographic features were extremely interesting today as you could see the formations and marks which were left on the land from the last ice age.
Texas truly is a huge state. We found ourselves driving for over 100 Miles between rest stops and gas stations. Mental note; when travelling the wonderful I-10, be sure to keep your tank full and if you find yourself guessing about whether you should fill up with gas; fill up. Certainly glad Mic and I are both paranoid about running out of gas. We saw numerous vehicles on the side of the road with gas tanks open. Hope their drivers and passengers are all safe.
The vast remote areas of Texas bring me to my tip for the day. When travelling by vehicle on a long journey, be sure to have an up-to-date Road Atlas of the areas where you will be travelling. Better yet, make an investment in a good GPS unit with the most recent downloads. We purchased a new Garmin in Vancouver for $169 fully loaded with maps of North America, Mexico, Central and South America and more. Given that Mic and I are not spring chickens, we purchased the larger screen which is easy to read at a quick glance. It has helped us find rest stops, hotels, and kept us on track even through the crazy LA traffic. By the way, avoid rush hour in LA; lesson learned.
The drive today was a little less remarkable when compared to other days, but it was still a beautiful and enjoyable experience with Mic, Paige, Willy and Molly as we sped down the highway in our trusty Nissan Frontier.
We drove almost 1,000 kilometres today and are stopping for the night in a tiny town called Junction, Texas. Until tomorrow when we will once again be on the path to Roatan.
Note: I do have some pictures I will try to upload later but my connection is very slow in Junction, Texas!
Friday 19 February 2016
Who Needs Route 66?!
For many years, I have wanted to travel Route 66 throughout the United States. I have been fortunate enough to travel portions of it and it is extremely beautiful. However, today as we were leaving Banning, California on the I-10 and entered Arizona, we discovered a new highway, with a wonderful speed limit of 75 M.P.H. Before I got married and became a Burich, I always knew my initials were rather appropriate Michelle Pamela Hood (MPH). What a treat it was to press the accelerator to new limits (well at least legally). Who needs Route 66 when you have the I-10 in the Mojave Desert!
Our day started on the East side of California with a drive through some beautiful rolling hills which was home to another windmill farm. And we thought yesterday's windmill farm was large, but apparently it was more the size of a hobby farm in comparison to the orchard-like ranch we saw with row upon row of the amazing structures. The area we saw today had 1,000's of white gleaming turbines which seemed to go on forever. Suddenly there were no more windmills, and we entered the famous Mojave Desert.
The sand and sage brush took over the landscape which evolved many times with various types of vegetation. I don't think they need to worry about invasive species there Emily, as not too much of anything grows there.The cacti was extremely varied as we drove through parts of California, Arizona and into New Mexico. By the way, we drove another nine hours today and covered over 900 kilometres.
Arizona is a State that I have always wanted to see. Well, I have been here before, but only to do the OJ through the airport on a few occasions with Steve Millen while we were with ADT, but I don't think that really counts. The terrain is mostly desert, but varies in coarseness and turns to large boulders and changes colours as you travel throughout the vast region. The cacti were fabulous (about the only thing I can grow), and they take many shapes with various varieties as they dot the landscape.
Some of the geographic features that surround the desert seemed to be from out of this world in shape and size. It was also a bit strange to see to towering mountains with no snow. Things that make you go hmmm!
An interesting new aspect in engineering is also taking place across the desert. When you think of overpasses across the highway, you automatically think of the cement monstrosities we usually see. However, Arizona has started to make them into works of art; usually honouring the historic significance of the area you are passing through. They were very nice to see and we marvelled at the artistic design and dedication to detail taken with each new overpass. Sorry, we did not get any pictures of these marvels, but I was driving today.
Something that really stood out to us today was the smog that greeted us as we made our descent into the Phoenix area. The smog above the city was so thick, we thought we were back in LA.
As we continued on the I-10 just south of Phoenix, we noticed quite a few digital signs which read "879 deaths on Arizona Highways last year. Today, one death is too many." The irony however, is that many travel centres/gas stations along the highway serve beer on tap right in the convenience store. Gee, correlation with the number of deaths. It reminds me of a drive-through Daiquiri Bar I saw in New Orleans once, another area where drunk driving related deaths are high. Sometimes it just makes you wonder what people are thinking!
Along our entire journey so far, we have frequented many rest stops on the highways. The United States really know how to do this right. Today's tip is for those of you travelling with your four legged family members, or the rest of your family for that matter. Be sure to stop at these wonderfully designed rest stops and stretch your legs, and let Fido or Fluffy do their business which will make the trip more enjoyable for all; even with a flatulent Doberman...right Molly?!
The stops are kept well supplied with plastic bags to dispose of their business and the restrooms are kept very clean. Some of the new stops are including a fenced dog area where you can let the four legged family members stretch their legs and burn off some energy. You also have the opportunity to purchase water, soft drinks or snacks for the road ahead.
We have settled into our hotel room for the evening, and we are enjoying a glass of wine from the Napa Valley which seemed to find its way into our suitcases. Until tomorrow, we will return to the path to Roatan! Good night all.
Our day started on the East side of California with a drive through some beautiful rolling hills which was home to another windmill farm. And we thought yesterday's windmill farm was large, but apparently it was more the size of a hobby farm in comparison to the orchard-like ranch we saw with row upon row of the amazing structures. The area we saw today had 1,000's of white gleaming turbines which seemed to go on forever. Suddenly there were no more windmills, and we entered the famous Mojave Desert.
The sand and sage brush took over the landscape which evolved many times with various types of vegetation. I don't think they need to worry about invasive species there Emily, as not too much of anything grows there.The cacti was extremely varied as we drove through parts of California, Arizona and into New Mexico. By the way, we drove another nine hours today and covered over 900 kilometres.
Arizona is a State that I have always wanted to see. Well, I have been here before, but only to do the OJ through the airport on a few occasions with Steve Millen while we were with ADT, but I don't think that really counts. The terrain is mostly desert, but varies in coarseness and turns to large boulders and changes colours as you travel throughout the vast region. The cacti were fabulous (about the only thing I can grow), and they take many shapes with various varieties as they dot the landscape.
Some of the geographic features that surround the desert seemed to be from out of this world in shape and size. It was also a bit strange to see to towering mountains with no snow. Things that make you go hmmm!
An interesting new aspect in engineering is also taking place across the desert. When you think of overpasses across the highway, you automatically think of the cement monstrosities we usually see. However, Arizona has started to make them into works of art; usually honouring the historic significance of the area you are passing through. They were very nice to see and we marvelled at the artistic design and dedication to detail taken with each new overpass. Sorry, we did not get any pictures of these marvels, but I was driving today.
Something that really stood out to us today was the smog that greeted us as we made our descent into the Phoenix area. The smog above the city was so thick, we thought we were back in LA.
As we continued on the I-10 just south of Phoenix, we noticed quite a few digital signs which read "879 deaths on Arizona Highways last year. Today, one death is too many." The irony however, is that many travel centres/gas stations along the highway serve beer on tap right in the convenience store. Gee, correlation with the number of deaths. It reminds me of a drive-through Daiquiri Bar I saw in New Orleans once, another area where drunk driving related deaths are high. Sometimes it just makes you wonder what people are thinking!
Along our entire journey so far, we have frequented many rest stops on the highways. The United States really know how to do this right. Today's tip is for those of you travelling with your four legged family members, or the rest of your family for that matter. Be sure to stop at these wonderfully designed rest stops and stretch your legs, and let Fido or Fluffy do their business which will make the trip more enjoyable for all; even with a flatulent Doberman...right Molly?!
The stops are kept well supplied with plastic bags to dispose of their business and the restrooms are kept very clean. Some of the new stops are including a fenced dog area where you can let the four legged family members stretch their legs and burn off some energy. You also have the opportunity to purchase water, soft drinks or snacks for the road ahead.
We have settled into our hotel room for the evening, and we are enjoying a glass of wine from the Napa Valley which seemed to find its way into our suitcases. Until tomorrow, we will return to the path to Roatan! Good night all.
Thursday 18 February 2016
The Chicken and the Egg
I am still blown away by how comfortable those Tiny Houses can be. The one we stayed in last night in Petaluma was finished nicely with high open ceilings and a loft area for the kids (okay, the Jacks thought it was just for them). It was fun, but time to carry on, carrying on!
Once again we are on the road. We left Petaluma, California around 9 a.m., and travelled for nine hours which brought us to Banning, California which is a hop, skip and a jump from Palm Springs. Back into the regular hotels for the Burich clan.
Along the way today, again, we saw a variety of landscapes which all had something special about them. The flat lands and valleys were filled with Almond and Pistachio groves that went on as far as the eye could see. These beautiful trees were in full bloom and the air was magnificent with their beautiful bouquet (no wait, that is wine you use bouquet for - well you know where my brain was - back in Napa), I mean fragrance.
During our travels today, we also drove through an area with lush green hills and many windmills. It looked like a setting for a modern photography shoot. It really was a breathtaking site seeing the enormity of the large turbines on a landscape with virtually no trees, the odd cow, and the vibrant green fields. They must be getting some rain in that spot for sure!
The nut groves gave way to beautiful citrus fruit trees which were full of their delectable offerings and ready to harvest. There were many workers in the orchards tending to the trees with loving care and it made you think about what hard, back breaking work goes into each orange we eat, grapefruit we peel, or nut we shell. We have much to be thankful for!
We also could not help but notice all of the propaganda in support of the farmers using water to grow their fruits, nuts and vegetables which was counter balanced by the environmentalists who blame the politicians for supporting the agricultural activities which go on in this region despite droughts. It is sad but, it comes back to the chicken and the egg. You need water to grow food to sustain the populations, yet you need water to sustain the people who would not survive without the produce. I have my definite opinion on this one, but after working in government for the past 10 years, I know that I would not touch this one with a 10 foot pole!
As we were driving through the beautiful valleys, we were suddenly elevated into a small range of mountains with rugged terrain which was reminiscent of the Badlands of South Dakota; with just more height and dryer. Funny, more ICY signs too.
After a long, steep descent from the range, we found ourselves in the suburbs of Los Angeles (the City of Angels and more caffeine hyped drivers who seem to think the lines are merely suggestions. I guess they were not great at colouring as a child). Los Angeles is a beautiful yet long and sprawling area and unfortunately we hit it at rush hour. That was quite the adrenaline rush as a passenger! We continued through Los Angeles, past San Bernadino and have stopped for this evening in Banning, California. Tomorrow we will be making our way into Arizona. That is all for now from All Paths Lead to Roatan.
Oh wait, today's tip is an important one. When packing for a long road trip, be sure to pack for every type of weather you could possibly experience along the way. We got soaked yesterday in Napa. Go figure a drought-ridden state and we are there for the only rain they have seen in ages and did not bring rain coats with us.
Until tomorrow!
Once again we are on the road. We left Petaluma, California around 9 a.m., and travelled for nine hours which brought us to Banning, California which is a hop, skip and a jump from Palm Springs. Back into the regular hotels for the Burich clan.
Along the way today, again, we saw a variety of landscapes which all had something special about them. The flat lands and valleys were filled with Almond and Pistachio groves that went on as far as the eye could see. These beautiful trees were in full bloom and the air was magnificent with their beautiful bouquet (no wait, that is wine you use bouquet for - well you know where my brain was - back in Napa), I mean fragrance.
During our travels today, we also drove through an area with lush green hills and many windmills. It looked like a setting for a modern photography shoot. It really was a breathtaking site seeing the enormity of the large turbines on a landscape with virtually no trees, the odd cow, and the vibrant green fields. They must be getting some rain in that spot for sure!
The nut groves gave way to beautiful citrus fruit trees which were full of their delectable offerings and ready to harvest. There were many workers in the orchards tending to the trees with loving care and it made you think about what hard, back breaking work goes into each orange we eat, grapefruit we peel, or nut we shell. We have much to be thankful for!
We also could not help but notice all of the propaganda in support of the farmers using water to grow their fruits, nuts and vegetables which was counter balanced by the environmentalists who blame the politicians for supporting the agricultural activities which go on in this region despite droughts. It is sad but, it comes back to the chicken and the egg. You need water to grow food to sustain the populations, yet you need water to sustain the people who would not survive without the produce. I have my definite opinion on this one, but after working in government for the past 10 years, I know that I would not touch this one with a 10 foot pole!
As we were driving through the beautiful valleys, we were suddenly elevated into a small range of mountains with rugged terrain which was reminiscent of the Badlands of South Dakota; with just more height and dryer. Funny, more ICY signs too.
After a long, steep descent from the range, we found ourselves in the suburbs of Los Angeles (the City of Angels and more caffeine hyped drivers who seem to think the lines are merely suggestions. I guess they were not great at colouring as a child). Los Angeles is a beautiful yet long and sprawling area and unfortunately we hit it at rush hour. That was quite the adrenaline rush as a passenger! We continued through Los Angeles, past San Bernadino and have stopped for this evening in Banning, California. Tomorrow we will be making our way into Arizona. That is all for now from All Paths Lead to Roatan.
Oh wait, today's tip is an important one. When packing for a long road trip, be sure to pack for every type of weather you could possibly experience along the way. We got soaked yesterday in Napa. Go figure a drought-ridden state and we are there for the only rain they have seen in ages and did not bring rain coats with us.
Until tomorrow!
Wednesday 17 February 2016
Thanks for the Memories Rodney and Robert!
So today, Mic and the dogs and I took a little break from the path to Roatan with a layover in the Napa Valley of California's Wine Country. For all of you that know me, I was like a kid in a candy shop as I have learned to appreciate and enjoy fine wines.
Our day started lazily as we were so late last night getting into the town of Petaluma. We made our way to one our favourite wineries, Rodney Strong (I was thinking of you today Alice J.). We tried some exquisite wines including a 2010 Chardonnay, a Fume Blanc, Pinot Noir, a beautiful Meritage (had to get a bottle of that), and some limited edition wines. Once we finished there, we headed to Robert Mondavi. I certainly like my boys of the Napa Valley. We tried more wines at Robert's house and bought a couple more bottles there too!
We thoroughly enjoyed the wine tastings and made our way back to Petaluma to stay in our Tiny House. For the last little while, I have been watching HGTV's Tiny Houses and am fascinated that people actually live in them. Our house is a whopping 300 square feet and is as cute as can be. It was a miserable day so I don't have any pictures yet, but will try to take some in the morning. Coming from a 3,200 square foot home, I can now thoroughly understand how people are living in these homes that are gaining huge popularity; especially when it comes to the cleaning!
It was a lovely day and am enjoying a couple of glasses of Rodney's finest Riesling tonight with Mic. Thanks for the memories Rodney and Robert and the rest of the cast of characters of California's Wine Country.
After a good night's sleep, Mic and I and the dogs who are our loyal travelling companions will head out on our way to Arizona. Good night all!
So today, Mic and the dogs and I took a little break from the path to Roatan with a layover in the Napa Valley of California's Wine Country. For all of you that know me, I was like a kid in a candy shop as I have learned to appreciate and enjoy fine wines.
Our day started lazily as we were so late last night getting into the town of Petaluma. We made our way to one our favourite wineries, Rodney Strong (I was thinking of you today Alice J.). We tried some exquisite wines including a 2010 Chardonnay, a Fume Blanc, Pinot Noir, a beautiful Meritage (had to get a bottle of that), and some limited edition wines. Once we finished there, we headed to Robert Mondavi. I certainly like my boys of the Napa Valley. We tried more wines at Robert's house and bought a couple more bottles there too!
We thoroughly enjoyed the wine tastings and made our way back to Petaluma to stay in our Tiny House. For the last little while, I have been watching HGTV's Tiny Houses and am fascinated that people actually live in them. Our house is a whopping 300 square feet and is as cute as can be. It was a miserable day so I don't have any pictures yet, but will try to take some in the morning. Coming from a 3,200 square foot home, I can now thoroughly understand how people are living in these homes that are gaining huge popularity; especially when it comes to the cleaning!
It was a lovely day and am enjoying a couple of glasses of Rodney's finest Riesling tonight with Mic. Thanks for the memories Rodney and Robert and the rest of the cast of characters of California's Wine Country.
After a good night's sleep, Mic and I and the dogs who are our loyal travelling companions will head out on our way to Arizona. Good night all!
Hi all! We are back online. Sorry about not posting last night but we got into California's wine country rather late and after a few foibles, we realised we did not have a wifi connection. Mental note, when looking for a hotel late at night and you are supposed to be checking in with your big sister, be sure to get a hotel where the wifi is working. AArrgghh! Sorry big sister, but we are fine and taking a day off the road after two rather full days of travel.
Here is the update from yesterday. To make it up to you, I will be posting another blog tonight. Two in one day! Have to take advantage of the wifi when you have it.
Yesterday morning we left Woodburn, Oregon around 8:30 a.m. With coffee in hands we excitedly greeted the day of travel along the I-5 for the entire day.
I took the first shift of driving which took us into Northern Cali! I love California. You get such a variety of landscapes and altitudes. Throughout most of Oregon, we drove along beautiful flat lands and valleys. I almost felt like I was driving in Southern Ontario again minus the crazy, caffeine hyped drivers you find on the QEW or 401; sorry guys, but it is true!
As we started our elevation out of the valleys and into California, the road climbed to a number of different Passes with assorted elevations. It was quite entertaining to see the road signs that were posted to forewarn travellers about slippery conditions. In Canada, to signify that a road is slippery in colder temperatures or when wet, you see a figure driving a car that is slipping of the road, and the little man's hat is ajar. In California, the sign says one simple word of warning; ICY. When you think of California, you usually think of warm temperatures, the surf and surfboards. Then again, on the Siskiyou Pass, we were surprised to see the elevation of 4,310'. That is pretty high up there for flat landers and we felt the warmth which had been gradually climbing dissipate with our ascent.
We had a quick stop for lunch and then were on our way to wine country. The trip was an interesting one and the area has changed greatly since we were down here last in 2003. The route along I-5 was filled with those caffeine hyped types (after all we are now in the original Lotus Land), who allow their speedometers to climb under the watchful eye of the State Police who seem to be lurking in every crook, crevice and cranny, and behind billboards. Behind the billboards makes you this of some of those cheesy 70's Smokey and the Bandit movies. LOL.
Something that really stood out to me today, was how real the water shortage is in California. As we drove past Lake Shasta, which is the main water reservoir for Northern California, it was devastating see the extremely low levels, to the tune of approximately 30-40' below level. It is incredible to see first hand what we have been hearing about on the news for the past few years. There were also controlled burns taking place in order to help mitigate the possibility of wildfires again this year. Being someone who has spent many summers in the Cariboo Regional District's Emergency Operations Centre as the Information Officer, I know too well the devastation that can wreaked on an area as a result of these conditions. As many other parts of the world that are facing drought-like conditions, something needs to happen and it was good to see these preventative steps happening to help with wildfires. I fear that California and its residents are in for some tough times ahead in this regard.
On a lighter note, we arrived around 8:30 p.m., at the site we were to be staying at which is a KOA campground with really cute cabins. We stayed at this campsite back in 2003 in our RV for two weeks of wine tasting over Christmas, and knew they had cabins. Here is another tip for today; be sure to reach the campground to check into the cute cabins, before the office closes. Oh well, we found another local hotel for the night and will be staying in the "Tiny House" tonight. But more on that in tonight's post.
Once we checked into our motel, my mind was whirling with fun witty things to post on my new blog. I sat down with my fingers poised to type up a storm to find that the wifi at our motel was not working. Really?! Oh well, off to bed at 11 p.m. It was a long day, but another fun one! More on our adventures later. Can't wait to tell you about the Tiny Houses. All on the Path to Roatan!
Monday 15 February 2016
Welcome to our Blog and for joining Mic and I on our adventures as we travel to Roatan, Honduras. We will be journaling throughout our travels to share our experiences, the quirky characters we meet along the way, share some pictures and provide tips for others hoping to do the same thing one day!
Well, here we go. We left a very rainy Vancouver, BC this morning and were greeted with a three hour wait at the Peace Arch border crossing. Thank goodness the wonderful people at Jet Pet Resort who had our dogs playing for the last three days, as they all seemed quite content to sleep throughout the delay.
After spending some quality time with the border patrol who needed to check the dogs' paperwork, and search our vehicle, we were almost ready to make our way into Washington. However, before we left, and here is a good tip for anyone bringing dogs into the USA, they may confiscate your dog food if it is not in the original package. They were very nice though and gave us back the plastic container.
Finally, we were on our way and travelled along the I-5 through the state of Washington, through Portland, and have ended our day in the town of Woodburn, Oregon. With all three dogs in tow (including a flatulant Doberman who thinks it is funny), day one of our adventure has come to an end.
Warmest wishes to all of our families and friends for all of the support. Special thanks to Max and Deb and Steve and Margot for your hospitality over the past few days in the Vancouver area!
Check in tomorrow for day two of All Paths Lead to Roatan! Safe travels all!
Well, here we go. We left a very rainy Vancouver, BC this morning and were greeted with a three hour wait at the Peace Arch border crossing. Thank goodness the wonderful people at Jet Pet Resort who had our dogs playing for the last three days, as they all seemed quite content to sleep throughout the delay.
After spending some quality time with the border patrol who needed to check the dogs' paperwork, and search our vehicle, we were almost ready to make our way into Washington. However, before we left, and here is a good tip for anyone bringing dogs into the USA, they may confiscate your dog food if it is not in the original package. They were very nice though and gave us back the plastic container.
Finally, we were on our way and travelled along the I-5 through the state of Washington, through Portland, and have ended our day in the town of Woodburn, Oregon. With all three dogs in tow (including a flatulant Doberman who thinks it is funny), day one of our adventure has come to an end.
Warmest wishes to all of our families and friends for all of the support. Special thanks to Max and Deb and Steve and Margot for your hospitality over the past few days in the Vancouver area!
Check in tomorrow for day two of All Paths Lead to Roatan! Safe travels all!
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