JANUARY 09
USA-California-El Cajon
Thursday 1st with an early start we
arrived at the camp in Jamul by 0900. The camp in the sunshine
had several more RVs, there was a small New Year’s party. Friday another early start
to the Post Office to collect our mail, it had arrived. We
continued on to the Mexican border for an easy crossing and journeyed
south to camp just short of Ensenada, in time for lunch. We
were visited by a couple from Derbyshire, Sue and Ralph now living in
Canada and by another Sue, from Bishops Stortford now living in The USA
and married to an American. When the chat finished, Sue invited
us to her caravan for a drink and we met Royce, her husband. We
eventually returned to our caravan for dinner.
Saturday 3rd we set off south, stopping to shop on the way. The traffic on the road was slow moving and we decided to stop just south of San Quentin instead of
continuing to El Rosario as planned. Sue
and Ralph were in the camp and Howard went across for a chat while
Mervyn continued with his editing of the trip so far. Sunday an early start saw
us on the road on a fine sunny morning. We continued south and
entered a region of Cacti. The Sotol had beautiful yellow
flowers, new to us were the Hairbrush Cactus, the Fire Barrel and the
Boojum Tree. There was also Cholla, Ocatillio and Prickly Pear,
unfortunately when the Cacti were near the road, we couldn’t stop and
the best pictures were well off the road when we could stop. We
arrived at a pleasant camp at Catavina before lunch. Monday was another morning
of driving south through the Cactus forest, similar to yesterday.
It was fine and sunny. We arrived at Guerrero Negro in time for
lunch, and afterwards we booked to go Whale watching the next
day. Just before we entered Guerrero Negro Howard saw a pair of
Ospreys. Tuesday
so far we have been unable to sort out our return to the UK. We
cannot find a travel agent or indeed anyone to help us. We
cancelled the Whale watching and hurried south to camp just past Santa
Rosalia as we had had a late start. We made an early start
on Wednesday for
Loreto, hopefully to fly back to the 
UK, from there, to renew
our insurances, (24hrs in the UK required). Howard needed to sort out
his check up and driving licence medical. The journey was quite
pleasant through the cactus forest where Hairbrush Cactus and Palo
Verde predominated. During the drive along the coast we saw a
flock of over one hundred Pelicans diving for Sardines. We later
saw several smaller flocks feeding. In Loreto harbour there was
another large flock of Pelicans feeding. The problems started
again in Loreto, the local travel agent only dealt with Mexico
flights. We set off to the airport, “come back tomorrow,
maybe“. Phone calls to Santa Barbara sorted out the flight, but
they can’t accept payment by credit card from Mexico. Another
phone call to Santa Barbara “We can’t do it”. Thursday we departed from
Loreto for Ciudad Constitucion, as we passed the airport just after
0900 we called in on the off chance; it was shut!! We drove on to
Ciudad Constitucion where we arrived before 1200. A nice hot
sunny day. As the next camp was in La Paz we decided to stop
there. Friday
we went on to La Paz where we found a nice camp and the ladies in the
office found us a World Wide Travel Agent. We set off to the
travel agents where Mervyn spent an hour sorting out his return flights
to and from the UK. The flight out was the next day, we returned
to the camp to cancel our place and set off for Los Cabos and the
airport. We arrived about 1600 in San Jose Del Cabo we found the
first camp was closed, we continued to the second, we couldn’t find
it. It was another twenty five km to Cabo San Lucas, we entered
the first camp, found someone who said “pick a spot and put the money
under the office door“. As it was now dark we stopped there.
Saturday 10th we put the money under the office door, and drove to camp number two. The office was closed, next was camp number three where we were welcomed and we booked for two weeks, finding our site next to Ralph and Sue from Ensenada. Mervyn packed and took a taxi at 1145 for the airport. Sunday Howard received a phone call from Mervyn, he was put on an earlier plane and arrived in Mexico City with lots of time to find a hotel. Howard was helped to book his flight, on the net, by neighbouring caravaners, Graham and Dee. Monday there was another phone call from Mervyn he is now in the UK staying with friends. Tuesday & Wednesday Howard relaxed in the Caravan. There was a Major electrical problem in the afternoon, one of the staff spent two hours trying to sort it out. Ralph used his Volt Meter and found no contact on neutral in the camp socket. Howard was invited out to a fresh caught Tuna dinner by Ralph & Susan and Graham & Dee. Very pleasant. Thursday Howard went into San Lucas by bus, a piece of cake. When he returned the staff spent another two hours on the electrics. A new breaker and a new socket solved the problem. Friday was another fine sunny day in Baja California Sur. Howard packed and ordered a taxi for 0515 on Saturday.
Saturday 17th Howard left early and changed planes in Houston while Mervyn was changing planes in JFK, New York on his return journey. Sunday Mervyn returned to the Caravan.
Saturday 31st Howard returned at 2115.
Saturday 3rd we set off south, stopping to shop on the way. The traffic on the road was slow moving and we decided to stop just south of San Quentin instead of
continuing to El Rosario as planned. Sue
and Ralph were in the camp and Howard went across for a chat while
Mervyn continued with his editing of the trip so far. Sunday an early start saw
us on the road on a fine sunny morning. We continued south and
entered a region of Cacti. The Sotol had beautiful yellow
flowers, new to us were the Hairbrush Cactus, the Fire Barrel and the
Boojum Tree. There was also Cholla, Ocatillio and Prickly Pear,
unfortunately when the Cacti were near the road, we couldn’t stop and
the best pictures were well off the road when we could stop. We
arrived at a pleasant camp at Catavina before lunch. Monday was another morning
of driving south through the Cactus forest, similar to yesterday.
It was fine and sunny. We arrived at Guerrero Negro in time for
lunch, and afterwards we booked to go Whale watching the next
day. Just before we entered Guerrero Negro Howard saw a pair of
Ospreys. Tuesday
so far we have been unable to sort out our return to the UK. We
cannot find a travel agent or indeed anyone to help us. We
cancelled the Whale watching and hurried south to camp just past Santa
Rosalia as we had had a late start. We made an early start
on Wednesday for
Loreto, hopefully to fly back to the UK, from there, to renew
our insurances, (24hrs in the UK required). Howard needed to sort out
his check up and driving licence medical. The journey was quite
pleasant through the cactus forest where Hairbrush Cactus and Palo
Verde predominated. During the drive along the coast we saw a
flock of over one hundred Pelicans diving for Sardines. We later
saw several smaller flocks feeding. In Loreto harbour there was
another large flock of Pelicans feeding. The problems started
again in Loreto, the local travel agent only dealt with Mexico
flights. We set off to the airport, “come back tomorrow,
maybe“. Phone calls to Santa Barbara sorted out the flight, but
they can’t accept payment by credit card from Mexico. Another
phone call to Santa Barbara “We can’t do it”. Thursday we departed from
Loreto for Ciudad Constitucion, as we passed the airport just after
0900 we called in on the off chance; it was shut!! We drove on to
Ciudad Constitucion where we arrived before 1200. A nice hot
sunny day. As the next camp was in La Paz we decided to stop
there. Friday
we went on to La Paz where we found a nice camp and the ladies in the
office found us a World Wide Travel Agent. We set off to the
travel agents where Mervyn spent an hour sorting out his return flights
to and from the UK. The flight out was the next day, we returned
to the camp to cancel our place and set off for Los Cabos and the
airport. We arrived about 1600 in San Jose Del Cabo we found the
first camp was closed, we continued to the second, we couldn’t find
it. It was another twenty five km to Cabo San Lucas, we entered
the first camp, found someone who said “pick a spot and put the money
under the office door“. As it was now dark we stopped there.Saturday 10th we put the money under the office door, and drove to camp number two. The office was closed, next was camp number three where we were welcomed and we booked for two weeks, finding our site next to Ralph and Sue from Ensenada. Mervyn packed and took a taxi at 1145 for the airport. Sunday Howard received a phone call from Mervyn, he was put on an earlier plane and arrived in Mexico City with lots of time to find a hotel. Howard was helped to book his flight, on the net, by neighbouring caravaners, Graham and Dee. Monday there was another phone call from Mervyn he is now in the UK staying with friends. Tuesday & Wednesday Howard relaxed in the Caravan. There was a Major electrical problem in the afternoon, one of the staff spent two hours trying to sort it out. Ralph used his Volt Meter and found no contact on neutral in the camp socket. Howard was invited out to a fresh caught Tuna dinner by Ralph & Susan and Graham & Dee. Very pleasant. Thursday Howard went into San Lucas by bus, a piece of cake. When he returned the staff spent another two hours on the electrics. A new breaker and a new socket solved the problem. Friday was another fine sunny day in Baja California Sur. Howard packed and ordered a taxi for 0515 on Saturday.
Saturday 17th Howard left early and changed planes in Houston while Mervyn was changing planes in JFK, New York on his return journey. Sunday Mervyn returned to the Caravan.
Saturday 31st Howard returned at 2115.
MEXICO-Cabo San Lucas