Happycampers on Tour

[Happycamper]

We then used up a bit of timeshare at a resort on the Playa del Carmen for a week. It was super luxury at a price, and we only had a motel room, that is with no cooking facilities or fridge. So we bought a stove and made multiple trips to the car and managed a comfortable week with much self catering keeping the costs down.

While there I used one day to complete the electrical installation of the solar panel and some Led lights in the camper. Both jobs were successful, I reckon on three+ days fridge/house battery range, if the sun shines. I still had not waterproofed the holes drilled into the roof to mount the solar panel in the Reno snowfall, and later in the week it became clear that this is a priority! We had rain overnight and a leak from one of the screw holes left a book and cushion soaked. This waterproofing has now been done, but we need rain to prove its success.

We saw some sights like the Tulum Mayan ruins which were super being located right on the coast, and went to a theme park. This is called Xcaret and has a great many animals and birds on site, along with marine animals too, horse shows “Flying men” from an 18 metre tall post, musical show at night. A wonderful day as long as you realize that you are in a totally artificial environment.

One day we went snorkeling in an underground cave. This was quite an experience. There are many caves here along a 65 km long river underground, and enterprising operators will take you down for a swim amongst the stalactites and stalagmites in the most crystal clear water. Water is not cold and the sights are wonderful – to be recommended.

 

[BrookyTom]

Catch Up

Just caught up on your couple of moths of travel. Sounds great (and interesting). Hope things continue to go well (and interesting) and we can get to feel some of the vibe in discussions when home. You know I love deserts - so those photos are very attractive to someone in rain-sodden Brooky! Progress on Pavilion very slow - need a couple of helpers and drinks on sunset - floods keep taking away the grass seeding and limit rock collection and placement activity but we'll get there. Have to wade through spillway lately to get to work!!!! Keep up the good travels and pics.

 

[Happycamper]

More ruins this time Chichen Itza

Headed for Chichen Itza and stopped at a tequila factory on the way. This was a purpose built one for the rubber necks, so we loved it!. Very basic but it does produce three types of beverage which were sampled and enjoyed. Some take away was purchased for later enjoyment. Our camp was in front of a motel which once again was almost deserted, certainly we had the only camp.

We were knocking on the door of the Mayan ruins at opening time the next day and spent an enjoyable three hours exploring the ruins. We were amazed that souvenir stalls are along all the main footpaths between the various sections of the park and you are constantly under attack from the zealous vendors. Prices are good, "almost free" or "one dollar" until you stop and things of greater value are offered. Jenny made a couple of sellers happy with their first sales of the day and she got some bargains too, we hope.

Had lunch in the camper, in the carpark and then headed off to Merida for a date with the Hotel Dolores Alba so as to be near the action of the shops and street fairs on Saturday and Sunday. This is a grand colonial hotel and only twice the price of a night camping in an RV park, with breakfast included, so we were happy. This is the place to buy hammocks, so we did, along with some other bits and pieces for the folks back home. saw the street dancing and cultural displays.

Monday was a highlight of the trip with a visit to Celestun and a boat tour to see flamingos in their natural habitat. Truly this is an awesome experience with many thousands of the pink/orange birds wading around in the shallow inlet.

 

[BrookyTom]

hi.. first time.. all looking good from my angle.. it's been entertaining catching up.. please can I see some butterfly pics.. more plants?? and don't touch the hamburgers! jan xx

 

[Happycamper]

Police incidents

On departure from the flamingos we travelled for an hour or so and then crossed into Campeche State. This crossing was little more than an inspection point for plants or dirt. The inbound lane, for us, on the road ended in cones and the other lane did not seem to be the place to be, so I left the road and proceeded through the truck area. This was off to the side with lanes marked and a roof over the top. The State policeman spoke to us there after I’d stopped and said I was in the wrong place and I should reverse and go in the outbound lane through the other part of the checkpoint. When I got there he had walked over, 15 metres, and said that we had committed an “infraction” and intimated there would be a fine to pay!

There was a bit of to and fro with Jenny coming to the aid saying we would not pay, “take us to the police station”, “what is your name/number” and so on as standard defenses to these blatant money grabs.

The elder man at this checkpoint, a civilian, then came to have a few words to the policeman and ultimately our “infraction” was overlooked and we were away. All this took five minutes or so and we were the only people there.


Club Nautic just south of Campeche hosted us that night to the tune of 350 pesos, but for very nice location and facilities, the most costly of all the places we have stayed, and once again we were the sole occupants.


On the road again and on entering Compoton we were stopped at a checkpoint, singled out and waved to the side. I did not know what for so undid my seatbelt and got out of the car. The officer, another Campeche State policeman wanted to see my license and said I was not wearing my seatbelt. This was a total untruth.

Once again the argy bargy occurred, this time in front of many other cars and police and a few soldiers. Two of them came to our rescue with one being an English speaker. They found out the truth and convinced the policeman to let us go. I am sure that Jenny’s requests for the officer’s name and number had an influence. This policeman did not want to give the ID number saying, “I am police” and pointing to his badge. Well, this time he did not add to his, or the state’s income and we are thankful for that.

There are many of these incidents documented and we have been through many checkpoints with excellent, respectful, professional officers getting their jobs done. It is hard not to generalize about Compeche’s finest, I would just say be careful there.

 

[Happycamper]

In Villahermosa we wanted to see the Olmec statues and after a drive through some other suburbs and a few “U” turns we found ourselves at the place. They are wonderful reminders of an earlier civilization some 3000 years ago and were removed to this place from 100 km away when oil exploration got serious there. A very pleasant couple of hours were spent, also observing animals, birds and reptiles in this park. Then it was off to our camp at the swimming pool which seemed to have had a price rise of 100 pesos since we were here a fortnight ago!

 

[Happycamper]

Onwards to Cholula and camping again at Las Americas for a couple of nights. For once we were not alone and met Yves and Madeline from Quebec. We spent the next day touring the church on the pyramid, and walking through the pyramid itself. Took advantage of nearby laundry and had everything washed for a very reasonable price. We also took a taxi to a nearby Talavera pottery factory and gallery. This work is amazing and of course we do have a piece to bring home. Just a short walk from Las Americas is a shopping mall with movie theatre and we shouted ourselves a night at the movies. Les Miserables was showing, in English, and this was a great way to spend a few hours that evening.








A blast up the autopiste was on the cards for Friday and we reached Guanajuato in good time, then wasted an hour getting lost and found, eventually setting up at Morrill in a great spot with a view of the valley. This view meant we were exposed to the noise of the valley too and there was at least one dog per household, and they took it in turns to bark at shadows and sometimes all chimed in at once. Another disappointment for us was that the hot water had failed and would be a day or so to be fixed. It is warming up but a cold shower is not what we call fun. We did see some of the vehicles in rally of Mexico passing by on a transport stage.





We wandered down to the town the next day and searched for a few items, postage stamps, a nut for the inverter, and then took a walking tour for a couple of hours around the main part of the historical centre of town. This was great value and we learned a bit more Mexican history.






The north was calling and we headed out to Zacatecas next morning. Camping here was once again above the city, this time in the carpark of hotel. This was Ok and we felt very safe here as there were about 40 Federal police staying here and they had guards posted around the clock looking after their vehicles (about 20 of them) and by default our vehicle as well. Checked the city that afternoon and it was relatively quiet, compared with Merida the same day a week earlier.



There is a cable car which starts next to the hotel and goes to a peak across the city. We did the return trip and came back to do the mine tour which is also next to the hotel but ends down in the city. Very good for us gringos. There are many museums in this place but many were closed because it was Monday. Luckily the shops were open and some more souvenirs were purchased. We would leave Mexico in two days.

 

[Happycamper]

Zacatecas saw us again Tuesday morning in an attempt to see another museum but this effort was thwarted also because it was closed on Tuesdays! We shopped a little and then it was time to hit the road north to Santillo. We managed to get ourselves slightly geographically embarrassed but were guided by a lady who told us to follow her to the road we wanted. We were close, just a few miles away! Thankyou m’am.

The camping place we had chosen here proved to be 460 pesos, approx $40, to stay in the back of an hotel, in a construction zone, but there was an option of taking a hotel room for just a few dollars more, which is what we did. Walmart is a short walk away and we enjoyed a nice meal at a nearby steak house. They do good fish too..

We were now within striking distance of the border at Columbia, just downstream of Laredo, Nuevo Laredo and bridge 3. True to our form of late we did a lap of the carpark at crossing 3 before being straightened out by the Federale who put us on the track to Columbia 20 miles away. Once in the right place the crossing was easy, give back the car sticker at a drive through facility and then cancel the tourist permit just up the road. We had a bit of to and fro here when we found that we did not have both receipts for the permits. The lady in the banjercito was able to print a copy of the missing one thus saving us from paying twice for it. Another lesson learned.

We answered a few questions of the USA customs service and we were once again in the land of the free. After a few more hours we stopped just short of Del Rio at a good RV park.

The next days were spent moving slowly towards Carson City and the end of this leg of our trip. Highlights were Carlsbad Caverns, Roswell and large radio telescope in New Mexico and just about everything in Arizona . We stopped back in at Phoenix to have the suspension checked over and then drove up to Prescott and dropped in on Overland Journal headquarters at the invitation of Ray Hyland who made us welcome and showed us around. We were given the current edition of the magazine and a bit of advertising gear to dress up the truck with and hit the road west.

London Bridge has a home in Lake Havasu City and we went there to see it. This place was full of students on their Spring Break and they were partying hard. The weather was warm here and it seems the dress code was swim suits only during daylight hours, slightly more at night.

 

[Happycamper]

Underground beauty

Hardware in the OJ carpark

Overland Journal office

Clean rig, ready for storage

Aliens at Roswell

Mini lighthouses at Lake Havasu

Arizona cactus - needs support

Spring breakers

London Bridge

Ray from OJ with some Huskys under test

 

[Happycamper]

Our last couple of days were spent getting back to Carson City and preparing the car and camper for storage again, washing, sorting, tidying, packing, discarding, changing fluids and cleaning. Of course we had to drive 650 miles as well. we got to Beatty first day and then had avery cold day for our last day on the road. The heater was on all day and temps stayed down around 10 C for the duration. We were back in the north and at some elevation. Hope and Colin at VC Highlands made us welcome again with a sensational Mexican meal and the best bed of the trip. Thankyou.

We got the truck in the shed again on Friday and did a little last minute window shopping before grabbing our flight out in the evening to LAX. Two hour changeover and we were on QANTAS to Brisbane.

Journey over ...... for now.

The next leg will be to Ushuaia with a start date to be advised, but probably July 2014.

 

[Happycamper]

Camino de Santiago France and Spain

In the time before our next adventure into the Americas I took a couple of weeks to walk part of the Camino de Santiago, Way of St James across southern Spain in May. The start is in France at St Jean Port a Pied. The weather was colder than it should have been, everyone told me, with 0 degree mornings and up to 12C most days with a cloud cover. When we got a sunny day we had 15C/59F, quite cool for spring. Rain was an issue on at least 4 days of my 15 with constant drizzle or showers and threat of showers.

If you have seen the movie "The Way" you will know of this journey. That film is quite typical of what one will experience on the journey. The whole of this Camino is 800 km/500 miles, but I only had 15 days, so my Camino was to be 350 km/220 miles. I accompanied my brother in law, Rick, for this part and he went on and got to Santiago two weeks later.

It was still quite an experience and left me wanting to do more and complete it sometime. Everyone has their own reason to start the Camino and there are some interesting stories out there, fascinating people to meet and good times to be had. Of course the scenery is wonderful as well with generally rolling farmland covered in green wheat and yellow canola crops. The spring flowers were a treat too. Small villages are picturesque and ancient buildings and bridges a curiosity for an Aussie where the oldest of our built environment is less than 225 years old

In my efforts to cut weight, be an authentic pilgrim and shun technology I decided to take only a mobile phone and it doubled as my camera, hence the poor quality of the images.





Sacked out for an afternoon siesta in a typical Albergue, this one had 18 people in one small room!


Wine fountain, on the wall of a winery. Unfortunately it was 0800 so we just took a taste as we had a long walk ahead



Typical scenery, country road with very little traffic and a village in the distance, we are already imagining the coffee and snack for lunch

 

[Happycamper]

Another group of shots showing the progress throught Spain


Don't take the wrong ones!

Just water this time

Beautiful countryside

The long road ahead

 

[Happycamper]

Churches, cathederal and wine

In every village the road for the pilgrim goes to the church, which of course is on top of the hill, just what a walker needs! Sometimes our overnight stays were in a building adjacent to the church. We took in a few services and had a pilgrim's blessing bestowed on us several times.



First sunny afternoon required a celbration with fellow pilgrims.

 

[Happycamper]

Our favourite was at San Bol, and it was the only thing for miles. There were just 12 pilgrims and our meal was cooked for us at a small extra charge.

 

[Happycamper]

This the last of the bushwalking posts. The country is inspiring. Walking with and talking to strangers can be cathartic and whole pilgrimage is to be recomended. I thought my Spanish would have a boost too but it was too easy to speak to English speakers. I still have much to learn. Next we go touring through the Australian desert country.












Symbol of Camino and the arrow we followed for weeks. The way is well marked.

250 km/hr train to Madrid on completion in Fromista