DECEMBER 07
USA-Texas-Mission
Saturday 1st we breakfasted and then
decided to go shopping, Howard forgot to close his window and on the
way to the shops it flew off. After shopping we tried to find the
missing window and then to get the window replaced. No
luck. This took till lunchtime, after lunch Howard spent three
hours blocking the hole, using the camp power tools in the workshop and
borrowing a ladder from a permanent camper. Sunday morning Howard put
up a pocket for Mervyn’s maps and we were invited to a party in the
afternoon, as a long term resident was leaving. The ice cream was
superb and one piece of cake was enough. The remainder of the day
was spent relaxing. Monday
back to the garage where it was found that the airconn compressor was
leaking. This meant a new part from England!! We also
obtained the insurance for Mexico and then we returned to the
camp. Tuesday
an early start, we filled the Propane tank and then set off to the
Border. We handed in our American documents prior to
crossing the Rio Grande. We arrived at the Mexican Border Post at
0930, they had trouble with our vin (chassis) no. and then their
computer broke down and all the
information had to be reloaded, in another
computer. We left at 1130 and drove to San Fernando de Presas to
camp, with full hook up, in a motel garden. Wednesday the trip
continued south, a short day’s drive to Ciudad Victoria. As often
happens with a short day we missed the turn to the camp, we toured
round the city and ended up at the camp. The owner came to settle
us in, sold us a book for Mexican camp sites and chatted to us for 45
min. Thursday
we found a free internet café on the way to the supermarket,
then Mervyn set off to explore the town, bought a Mexican sim card and
strolled round the rest of the town. A lazy afternoon
followed. Friday
we carried on southwards to Tampico taking the “bypass” to avoid the
town’s narrow streets. The book’s description of a rough road was
not an exaggeration. We were stopped for an army inspection of
the vehicle 100m before the restaurant where the camp was.
Saturday 8th We left Tampico for Poza Rica where the Hotel had a nice camp, in its car park but with electricity and water. We dined in the hotel, a nice change. Sunday we drove back a little way into town to take the road to El Tajin, the ancient city of the classical Veracruz civilisation. It was excellent. We were stopped a few times by local students who wanted to practice their English. The town roads were dreadful, it was not helped by their sleeping policemen, close to 12in. tall and from 15in. wide. The average speed for us and the locals is 1-2 mph over the bumps. We viewed the Volodories, an ancient dance on top of a 20m pole. Monday a short drive south to the Emerald coast to stop at the Hotel Posada del Zorro, with full hook up. We met the two Canadians again, Art & Gerry from Poza Rica. The tropical sun was very hot. Tuesday & Wednesday we made into rest days, it was very pleasant just to relax. Thursday we continued on southeast to visit the walled plaza at Zemopala on our way to Veracruz, arriving at Veracruz just before 1500. Friday the day started with shopping at Wal Mart in Veracruz followed by the drive to Catemaco, where we camped.
Saturday 15th & Sunday we stayed in Catemaco
, we took a short trip
each day to the local internet café to check and send
e-mails. Mervyn took longer walks after the café. Monday we drove eastwards
to Villahermosa, to camp in a new camp. Tuesday we took a short
drive into town to the La Venta museum where the Olmec heads were on
display on a walkway through a sort of jungle with about twenty
Ringtails roaming loose. The artefacts were very good, the walk
also took us through their Zoo where we saw a Crocodile, several
Turtles, an Ocelot, a Jaguar, monkeys and several different water
fowl. After the museum we set off for Isla Aguada, we drove 75
miles to the Campeche border where the officers wanted to confiscate
our emergency frozen meat, about nine meals. We declined and
turned round to drive back 75 miles to the camp in Villahermosa. Wednesday we declared a
rest day. Thursday fully rested we set
off to drive south into the mountains, to Ocozocoautla, near Tuxtla
Gutierrez, after we had shopped at Wal Mart. The road was one of
the worst we have used but we made it. At 6000 ft the sun is much
hotter (we are that much closer to it). The camp was in a Mexican
Children’s Rescue Centre and we decided to stop two nights. Friday we discovered that
we did not have any water, so a short trip to Tuxtla Gutierez. In the
hotel camp, guess what, no water! We continued on into the
mountains to San Cristobal de las Pasas, a road that wound continually
up, we arrived before lunch to find a good site in the hotel grounds
and decided to stop for Christmas. We also met two German
couples, Manfred & Lotti and Juergen & Karin, they are also on
extended tours and they gave us some very useful information.
Saturday 22 nd as we are stopping here for Christmas, there is not going to be much to write about. We were introduced to Skype, a cheap phone system (17min to UK less than £1). Thursday after a good relaxation we set off again to travel north to Palenque, through the mountains seeing en route a family of four carrying firewood, the six year old having a small bundle, his elder sister a bigger bundle and the parents even larger bundles. The Indians were living in clapboard houses in ribbon development along the road. We also saw several hairy/furry pigs. Friday we took a taxi (same price as the bus) to see the archaeological site, it was very good.
Saturday 29th on the road again south and west to Bonampak where we camped, there was no hook up. In the afternoon we took a taxi along a dirt road to the site, the site was not as good as Palenque. Sunday we made an early start to go further west to Frontera Corozal where we took a boat down river to the site at Yaxchilan, seeing a crocodile on the way. To reach the Grand Plaza, we had to find our way through a two storey building (no lights), we made it. The site was surrounded by jungle, huge trees, creepers and vines (for Tarzan). The most interesting looking building was at the top of a 100m steep stairway, we didn’t make it. In the afternoon we drove back to Palenque, seeing a bright green Chameleon on the way. Monday a day of relaxation in the very humid atmosphere.
information had to be reloaded, in another
computer. We left at 1130 and drove to San Fernando de Presas to
camp, with full hook up, in a motel garden. Wednesday the trip
continued south, a short day’s drive to Ciudad Victoria. As often
happens with a short day we missed the turn to the camp, we toured
round the city and ended up at the camp. The owner came to settle
us in, sold us a book for Mexican camp sites and chatted to us for 45
min. Thursday
we found a free internet café on the way to the supermarket,
then Mervyn set off to explore the town, bought a Mexican sim card and
strolled round the rest of the town. A lazy afternoon
followed. Friday
we carried on southwards to Tampico taking the “bypass” to avoid the
town’s narrow streets. The book’s description of a rough road was
not an exaggeration. We were stopped for an army inspection of
the vehicle 100m before the restaurant where the camp was.Saturday 8th We left Tampico for Poza Rica where the Hotel had a nice camp, in its car park but with electricity and water. We dined in the hotel, a nice change. Sunday we drove back a little way into town to take the road to El Tajin, the ancient city of the classical Veracruz civilisation. It was excellent. We were stopped a few times by local students who wanted to practice their English. The town roads were dreadful, it was not helped by their sleeping policemen, close to 12in. tall and from 15in. wide. The average speed for us and the locals is 1-2 mph over the bumps. We viewed the Volodories, an ancient dance on top of a 20m pole. Monday a short drive south to the Emerald coast to stop at the Hotel Posada del Zorro, with full hook up. We met the two Canadians again, Art & Gerry from Poza Rica. The tropical sun was very hot. Tuesday & Wednesday we made into rest days, it was very pleasant just to relax. Thursday we continued on southeast to visit the walled plaza at Zemopala on our way to Veracruz, arriving at Veracruz just before 1500. Friday the day started with shopping at Wal Mart in Veracruz followed by the drive to Catemaco, where we camped.
Saturday 15th & Sunday we stayed in Catemaco
, we took a short trip
each day to the local internet café to check and send
e-mails. Mervyn took longer walks after the café. Monday we drove eastwards
to Villahermosa, to camp in a new camp. Tuesday we took a short
drive into town to the La Venta museum where the Olmec heads were on
display on a walkway through a sort of jungle with about twenty
Ringtails roaming loose. The artefacts were very good, the walk
also took us through their Zoo where we saw a Crocodile, several
Turtles, an Ocelot, a Jaguar, monkeys and several different water
fowl. After the museum we set off for Isla Aguada, we drove 75
miles to the Campeche border where the officers wanted to confiscate
our emergency frozen meat, about nine meals. We declined and
turned round to drive back 75 miles to the camp in Villahermosa. Wednesday we declared a
rest day. Thursday fully rested we set
off to drive south into the mountains, to Ocozocoautla, near Tuxtla
Gutierrez, after we had shopped at Wal Mart. The road was one of
the worst we have used but we made it. At 6000 ft the sun is much
hotter (we are that much closer to it). The camp was in a Mexican
Children’s Rescue Centre and we decided to stop two nights. Friday we discovered that
we did not have any water, so a short trip to Tuxtla Gutierez. In the
hotel camp, guess what, no water! We continued on into the
mountains to San Cristobal de las Pasas, a road that wound continually
up, we arrived before lunch to find a good site in the hotel grounds
and decided to stop for Christmas. We also met two German
couples, Manfred & Lotti and Juergen & Karin, they are also on
extended tours and they gave us some very useful information.Saturday 22 nd as we are stopping here for Christmas, there is not going to be much to write about. We were introduced to Skype, a cheap phone system (17min to UK less than £1). Thursday after a good relaxation we set off again to travel north to Palenque, through the mountains seeing en route a family of four carrying firewood, the six year old having a small bundle, his elder sister a bigger bundle and the parents even larger bundles. The Indians were living in clapboard houses in ribbon development along the road. We also saw several hairy/furry pigs. Friday we took a taxi (same price as the bus) to see the archaeological site, it was very good.
Saturday 29th on the road again south and west to Bonampak where we camped, there was no hook up. In the afternoon we took a taxi along a dirt road to the site, the site was not as good as Palenque. Sunday we made an early start to go further west to Frontera Corozal where we took a boat down river to the site at Yaxchilan, seeing a crocodile on the way. To reach the Grand Plaza, we had to find our way through a two storey building (no lights), we made it. The site was surrounded by jungle, huge trees, creepers and vines (for Tarzan). The most interesting looking building was at the top of a 100m steep stairway, we didn’t make it. In the afternoon we drove back to Palenque, seeing a bright green Chameleon on the way. Monday a day of relaxation in the very humid atmosphere.
MEXICO-Palenque