I have given up all expectations of making more than 300 miles per day in Mexico/Central America. At least pulling a trailer, that is. Today is no exception. Our goal is to reach Tapachula which is only half an hour from the Guatemalan border by evening. We leave Acayucan around 7 am and drive south on Mexico 185. It's much smoother than the toll road yesterday and it's free. Of course every 2 to 3 miles there are topes, but all in all it is a good road.
About eight o'clock we pull into a Pemex station for a pit stop. All gas stations in Mexico are Pemex and are owned by the government. The price of gas is about the same all over Mexico. (see above link to an interesting history of Pemex). Most of the stations are very nice, very modern. Usually you have to pay 2 - 5 pesos to use the bathrooms, but they are very clean and have toilet seats. Some of the larger ones are like our truck stops, so of course we felt right at home.
I pull the van up beside a couple of trucks and we cook breakfast off the back bumper and tongue of the trailer. We have not used our tent yet this trip, but the camp stove and 12 volt Coleman cooler has come in very handy. This morning we have the choice of fried egg and ham sandwiches or cereal and toast.
As we approach La Ventosa, the road we are on drops down a mountain and into a dry, desert-like valley. As far as the eye can see to the left, the right and ahead are huge, 3 bladed wind turbines. They are relatively close together and must number in the thousands. I have seen wind farms before, but never like this. We soon find out why they are in this location. The wind begins to gust so hard from the left side of the vehicle that for the first (and only time) I am glad that we have so much weight in it. Even still, I am afraid that we may be overturned.
As we get closer to the border the Army and police presence is greater. Mostly it is for those going north (and this was true everywhere), but we are stopped twice in 20 miles and asked for papers. The trailer seems to be the attention getter. Everyone wants to know what's inside it. I usually play the "I don't speak much Spanish card". I don't have to pretend very hard!
We are now on Mexico 200. It is really a nice drive. Much of the road is tree shaded and is four lane divided highway. It's an old road and the lanes are narrow with absolutely no shoulder. Passing through Pijijiapan I wish we had had time to stop and explore. It looked like one of the nicest towns we had passed through yet and is not far from the Pacific Ocean.
It was dusk by the time we reached the outskirts of Tapachula. I did not want to drive all the way into town in search of a hotel as the road to the the border was on the north side and it was getting dark. What we did find was a motel. Motels, as compared to hotels, in Mexico are rented by the hour, usually with a 4 hour minimum. They can also be rented for the night. The better ones are quite nice and clean. They are very private. Most of them have garages between each room with a curtain that is pulled across the entrance to hide the vehicle I suppose. I know it all sounds like a lot of hanky panky, and I'm sure much of it is, but it is also a place for husbands and wives to get away for a few hours from the very crowded living conditions so many live in.
I rented our room for 12 hours for 290 pesos. The boys where a bit surprised by the room. You know mirrors on the ceiling and all. Oh, and this is the best part. It really is named Hotel California. There was no pink champagne on ice.
It was a place to sleep, and have a not so hot shower in the morning. Three of us piled into the king sized bed and two occupied the cots which we have brought with us. We pray that there are no bed bugs or any other kind of bugs and spend a somewhat restless night. I am anxious to cross the border tomorrow.
Note: It has been a few days since I last posted a blog. That is because we made it to Honduras and we have been very busy getting settled in. It is VERY good to be here.
About eight o'clock we pull into a Pemex station for a pit stop. All gas stations in Mexico are Pemex and are owned by the government. The price of gas is about the same all over Mexico. (see above link to an interesting history of Pemex). Most of the stations are very nice, very modern. Usually you have to pay 2 - 5 pesos to use the bathrooms, but they are very clean and have toilet seats. Some of the larger ones are like our truck stops, so of course we felt right at home.
I pull the van up beside a couple of trucks and we cook breakfast off the back bumper and tongue of the trailer. We have not used our tent yet this trip, but the camp stove and 12 volt Coleman cooler has come in very handy. This morning we have the choice of fried egg and ham sandwiches or cereal and toast.
 |
| Breakfast on the go |
As we approach La Ventosa, the road we are on drops down a mountain and into a dry, desert-like valley. As far as the eye can see to the left, the right and ahead are huge, 3 bladed wind turbines. They are relatively close together and must number in the thousands. I have seen wind farms before, but never like this. We soon find out why they are in this location. The wind begins to gust so hard from the left side of the vehicle that for the first (and only time) I am glad that we have so much weight in it. Even still, I am afraid that we may be overturned.
As we get closer to the border the Army and police presence is greater. Mostly it is for those going north (and this was true everywhere), but we are stopped twice in 20 miles and asked for papers. The trailer seems to be the attention getter. Everyone wants to know what's inside it. I usually play the "I don't speak much Spanish card". I don't have to pretend very hard!
We are now on Mexico 200. It is really a nice drive. Much of the road is tree shaded and is four lane divided highway. It's an old road and the lanes are narrow with absolutely no shoulder. Passing through Pijijiapan I wish we had had time to stop and explore. It looked like one of the nicest towns we had passed through yet and is not far from the Pacific Ocean.
 |
| Taken looking up at the mirror on the ceiling |
I rented our room for 12 hours for 290 pesos. The boys where a bit surprised by the room. You know mirrors on the ceiling and all. Oh, and this is the best part. It really is named Hotel California. There was no pink champagne on ice. It was a place to sleep, and have a not so hot shower in the morning. Three of us piled into the king sized bed and two occupied the cots which we have brought with us. We pray that there are no bed bugs or any other kind of bugs and spend a somewhat restless night. I am anxious to cross the border tomorrow.
Note: It has been a few days since I last posted a blog. That is because we made it to Honduras and we have been very busy getting settled in. It is VERY good to be here.
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