Mexico

by

Well Rested in Nogales

The last two days have really helped me to recoup from my brutal dash across the entire length of the US in 3.5 days! I’ve been going to bed early and getting up without an alarm, which is what makes all the difference in how productive my day is going to be.

I still set an alarm though, just in case, and Siri is very reassuring about it:

IMG_0722

This morning’s complimentary breakfast included quesadillas and salsa, which is much more my speed than are pancakes, plus fresh fruit salad. Very yum! I can’t believe the quality of the breakfast we get!

I hadn’t planned to do any other work besides proofing this week, but ended up accepting two of the three requests from other clients.  That’s how things roll when you’re a business owner. Sometimes, the client’s needs precede your own.

Early afternoon, I headed out for linner after getting a recommendation from the front desk to go to El Canton, literally around the corner and in front of the Mexican consulate. It’s a Chinese restaurant that isn’t really showing up in the search results yet (it’s not even showing up on Google Maps or through a Siri search). The clerk said that it’s the most expensive Chinese food in Nogales, but it’d be obvious why when I got there…

I stepped outside and was promptly hit on the head by something that was, thankfully, not a coconut, but… a date! I’ve never seen a date palm before!

IMG_0723

El Canton is a rather swanky looking restaurant, but, thankfully, Americans don’t dress up. Meals were quite expensive, averaging about $14 each. But there was a small buffet for $10, more expensive than the other buffets in the city, but the first bite of my super fresh and delicious food explained why. I had chow mein, three different kinds of broccoli, and several kinds of meats. Everything was tasty and nothing was overly salty or sweet. What a gem, and tucked away out of sight!

BTW, I had a reader comment on how Chinese food and ‘Mexican’ don’t seem to go together, but there are tons of Chinese restaurants in the parts of Mexico I’ve been to, so I think it’s a popular cuisine with Mexicans. In fact, in the Duolingo app I’ve been using, nearly all the food-related exercises are some variation on “I ate Chinese food”!

I then went for a long walk to the border and back. As I mused on Facebook, it’s funny how walking to Mexico the first two times I did it felt so special and now there was nothing to it.

I stopped en route at a Goodwill store that was rather interesting. Everything is thrown onto huge tables, unsorted, and you have to dig through it for treasures, then pay by the pound. I had a bit of a poke around, but didn’t find anything.

There was a McDonald’s at the point of no return, so I paused to get a McFlurry (Oreo, please), and check my emails since I was waiting for something from a client. I had a decent view of Nogales, Sonora, from my seat.

Mexico is behind a fence:

IMG_0725

Coming back home, I saw this billboard advertisement for a casino resort (it says, “Amigos con beneficios”). As they say in Spanish, jajaja! I wonder if this phrase really has the same connotation in Spanish, or if it’s a joke for bi(multi)lingual folks!

IMG_0727

The weather was lovely today, not too hot, and perfect for a walk. I’m glad that I’m finally discovering a little bit of Nogales beyond the frantic pace of Mariposa Road.

by

My Route in Mexico

Reader Kim asked:

So I’m curious why you aren’t traveling through El Paso/Ciudad Juarez to Durango and then west to Mazatlán? There’s a new Durango/Mazatlán highway with the Baluarte Bridge which appears to be an engineering marvel, not to mention very beautiful.

Primarily because I have been strongly discouraged to do so.

While Juarez is safer now than it has been in a very, very long time, the stretch of the highway between the city and the Durango highway is apparently quite desolate and there is still lot a lot of bandito activity. A single woman with out of country plates, even with strong language skills, would be a target. The only people who have suggested that route are men who just don’t approach travel security with the same mindset as a woman. This advice to avoid that route comes from Mexicans I met last winter (when I was thinking of taking this route to go north).

The secondary reason is financial. While this route is shorter, there is more travel in Mexico at their crazy gas prices. Doing the longer route to Nogales actually saves me quite a bit in fuel.

A tertiary reason is that I like the drive down MX 15. The stopover in San Carlos is rather like stepping through the wardrobe into Narnia. Taking this route again will mean basically zero stress to Isla, but still some new adventures. For example, I intend to stop in Santa Ana to get my phone set up, instead of waiting to get to Guaymas!

Thanks for your question, Kim. I’ve been getting it a lot and keep forgetting to post an answer to it!  I had hoped to do the drive to Durango last winter, but ended up canceling. I am planning to do it this winter instead! So I will be doing the scenic part of the drive you mention.

 

by

A Lovely Send Off

Yesterday was my big packing and cleaning day starting at 2:00 p.m. I had quite the list to get through, but it came together very, very quickly. I couldn’t believe that I was doing the winterizing chores so late in October in a tee-shirt! It really was a blessing.

Around 4:30, I headed over to C&C’s to drop off keys and a letter for the bank in case Caroline needs to deposit cheques for me. One glass of wine turned into… well, I rather lost count, as well as an invitation to stay for supper! I had closed up the kitchen and was going to nibble on nuts, cheese, and fruit so I was very grateful! We had pork ribs, something I’ve never had outside of a restaurant, and dang were they good, so moist and flavourful! She also dressed up some tinned sweet corn with feta, something I will have to do one day. We also had rice and tomatoes fresh from the garden, in late October! Normally, we don’t do dessert, but she had made an almond extract flavoured pastry, something I go gaga for, so she wanted me to try it. Yum!

I got in around 8:30 and promptly went to bed. Unfortunately, I was wide awake at 2:30! I only managed to doze until about 5:45, a very disappointing night ahead of a full day.

It was very, very, very dark out for me to finalize some chores and I only had one of the world’s most expensive flashlights to help me (my iPhone!) as I took down the booster antenna, took a final power reading, and put away the power cord. Thankfully, it really wasn’t that cold. Again, what a blessing! I was ready to go around 6:50.

Charles was going hunting this morning, so Caroline told me to stop in on my way out to get coffee since there would be lots left from his early morning cup, a much appreciated gesture that meant I didn’t have to wait till I got to Coronach. It also meant that I could have a wash and clean my teeth with hot running water instead of the icy stuff I’d left myself in a bowl before shutting down the water! I thought Caroline was sound asleep, but she emailed later to say that she flashed her bedroom lights at me as I drove off!

I have to say I had a minor panic attack before I pulled away, wondering what the heck I had forgotten. This is what happens when you are too organized and everything happens so smoothly! 😀

It was still pitch dark as I drove out of the hamlet, so I didn’t get a final view of my beloved hills. The sun started to rise as I left Willow Bunch and it was light when I reached Coronach, the last stop before the border, around 7:45. I went in to get another coffee and it was free! How lovely! Then, I had to kill a few minutes until SaskTel opened at 8:00, so I switched out the currency in my wallet. I finally got through to SaskTel so I could ‘suspend’ my service for three months. All that means is that I get switched to their cheapest plan for that time, but it still saves me $150 over the winter.

It was finally time to go to the border. I had perhaps a one minute wait to get to speak to an officer. Then, I had a super easy interview:

Where do you live?

Did you come from there?

Do you own this truck?

Where are you going? Wow! Do you work there? Oh, good for you!

Where do you cross? Do you always cross there?

How long will it take you to get to Nogales?

What do you have in the back of your truck? (I don’t think they even opened it!)

Do you have any fruit?

Do you have any firearms for self-protection?

Do you have any medical marijuana?

Drive safe and good luck!

I always feel so welcome into the U.S. Nice work, Border Patrol!

It wasn’t even 8:30 by this point, so I told the GPS to take me to Devils Tower, Wyoming, and I was finally truly on my way!

by

T Minus 24ish Hours

I leave for Mexico about this time tomorrow!

Because the border doesn’t open till 8:00, there’s really no point heading out before 6:30 at the absolute earliest. That will give me time to grab a coffee in Coronach and do a final email check before I call SaskTel to suspend my service because I plan to pack away the coffee supplies and antenna tonight. I really don’t want to have anything more to do tomorrow than wrestle the mattress topper into its carrying case and get dressed.

The weather this month has truly been a blessing. I cannot believe that I’ll be winterizing the rig on October 22nd in tee-shirt weather!!! And we’ve only had a couple of nights just barely below freezing, and none recently. I’m sleeping in shorts, a tee-shirt, no socks, covered with just a duvet, and only running one electric heater! The weather all the way to Nogales looks clear, too.

Because I’ve been working with a firm departure deadline, good weather, and several lists, departure is going so frighteningly smoothly that I keep thinking I forgot something! But that’s impossible… I’ve been making lists since last year’s rather messy departure!

One of today’s big projects is thawing and cleaning the fridge. I did really well with food management this year compared to last year. All I have left are some mustard and relish that C&C might be interested in. Otherwise, everything else can either come to Mexico with me, or there’s so little left that there is no point in donating it. I’ve also managed to eat healthily all the way through the last week. I do have some cheese left, but I should be able to get through it.

Soon as work is done for the day, I’ll go out and start winterizing my water system. At some point, I need to get keys to  C&C. That’s another thing I did much better on this year. Last year, I didn’t realise until the last second that I only had one house key, so I had to take the big RV key with me to MX so I could come in through the cab this spring. I had a spare house key cut a couple of weeks ago and made a complete set of keys for C&C — outbuildings, RV house door, power box, and mail, then one for myself (minus the mail, of which I only have one) to have handy when I get home. The only keys going to Mexico with me are the two truck keys and the house key.

The truck is nearly all packed and that’s also a huge difference from last year. For one thing, I’m not bringing the cot, so I could really fill up the truck bed instead of the cab. I have also used a lot more bins and boxes, rather than bags, and I have almost no loose items. That will make the border crossing emptyings a lot easier.

My itinerary to Nogales isn’t firm. I just need to be there by Monday afternoon and, thanks to priceline.com, have secured there what promises to be excellent accommodation at a bargain price. My budget isn’t super tight, so having narrowed down that expense and knowing roughly what I’ll be paying for hotels in Mexico, I’m not going to stress out too much about finding super cheap accommodation Friday, Saturday, and Sunday. I’ll be happy if I can find for 70USD or less, but landing somewhere comfortable and secure after a very long day of driving will be a bigger priority.

Depending on how the border crossing goes tomorrow, I’d like to swing by Devil’s Tower. This isn’t how I had wanted to see it, just a quick drive-by very late in the day with no time for a hike, but the weather will be good, so it’s time. Then, on to Gillette for the night. Saturday, I have some shopping to do and the stores I need are south of Denver and in Colorado Springs. So it’ll be an early morning to get past Denver around lunchtime. Then, on to Walsenburg since I know there is a good and inexpensive motel there.

Sunday, I’m hoping John will be available for a late breakfast in Santa Fe, then I’d like to get to Deming(ish). That will give me four hours to Nogales on Monday, giving me time to do a final shop at the Walmart in Benson. I’ll be working very, very, very early while in Nogales, so it’s not a bad thing that I’ll land completely wiped and ready to drop on Monday afternoon!

Since I’ll be driving for the next four days and will have WiFi at the hotel in Nogales, I’ve decided not to buy a U.S. SIM card for my phone. So updates will be limited by the connectivity I find on the road. I’ll check in on Facebook when I can.

by

One-Month Countdown

I’m leaving for Mexico a month from tomorrow! Where did the summer go?!

Last year’s departure felt very scattered and rushed because I was waiting on a cheque that took ages to arrive. Packing was hard because I didn’t know what I’d need and if I’d need it again before I left. Outdoor things, like tarping Miranda, got left to the last minute. I ran out of food and turned my fridge off too early. And I almost left without my pillows.

This year, I really hope it’s going to be different. I had thought I’d get my October payment for September hours for the proofreading gig promptly at the beginning of October, but that client has made it clear that they pay at their convenience, not their staff’s, and that I can’t count on getting a payment by any particular date. So I’m scrambling to rearrange the budget to make sure that I can leave with what I have in the bank right now and what I can count on my other clients to pay me by October 23rd. It’ll be tighter than I’d like, but not so much to make leaving on October 23rd a risky move… except for the truck being a huge wildcard. I know that it’s fine mechanically, but I’m worried about rust on major components, like the suspension.

I’m going to get a safety inspection done on the truck  tomorrow afternoon (only $40!) and hopefully will get an okay to go. If not, departure will have to be delayed until the October payment comes in so I can buy a ‘new’ car. If that happens, I am not making a huge deal out of it. There is a guy in Assiniboia who has reliable cheap cars and I’m going to basically buy the cheapest thing on his lot. My branch here has said that based on what I’ve told them about my financial situation, they would loan me a small amount for a vehicle purchase, but I’d rather delay departure and pay cash rather than increase my debt. Anyway, I’ll cross that bridge if I get there.

I’m paying attention to the weather and scheduled tarping Miranda for this Friday. I haven’t had any more leaks, even in heavy rainfall, so perhaps my roof sealant has finally cured, but I’m not taking a chance with snowmelt. The tarp I have makes it undesirable to tarp ahead of time because it blocks windows and roof vents, as well as the front door, but I’m giving myself more time this year so that I can do a better job of it and some folding so that I can avoid those negatives. Caroline and Charles have tons of baling twine and told me to get some from them rather than buy any, so I’ll take them up on that offer. Other exterior chores, like winterizing the water system, can absolutely be left to the last minute as it only takes an hour or so. I’ll plan to do that the afternoon before I leave, unless the weather forecast for that day is dismal.

As for packing, I’ve been keeping a list since last winter, when I was still in Mexico. It basically boils down to bring more kitchen stuff and bring fewer clothes. I even plan on bringing my folding table so I have extra surface/storage space in the kitchen. It took me a full month last year to set up my kitchen properly and I don’t plan to wait that long this year. Caroline gave me a bunch of kitchen stuff that came with her new-to-her RV that will mean I don’t have to bring all my own ‘good’ stuff with me, thankfully. I just keep imagining things getting confiscated at a border or being destroyed in an accident. I had the same things in an RV, but it’s amazing how they look more suspicious packed up in a truck. This is why I keep waffling on whether or not to bring my good computer chair with me. I’m sure the crappy chair I bought last year will still be there, but, well, it was crappy. 🙂

I don’t intend to sleep in the truck at all this time around, so I’ll be able to better pack my vehicle so it’s easier for customs to get go through and I have less in the cab with me. Of course, this will change if I end up driving down in a subcompact… That will be determined tomorrow. I really hope the truck is fine to go since it is so comfortable to drive and I’m doing a marathon run that would leave me sore if I was in a car. Once I know, I’ll be able to buy packing containers. Packing last year was pretty much a disaster in that I used a few totes, some suitcases and the rest were bags, which didn’t keep things together well at all. This year, it’s all going to be nearly all totes! I am packing one small suitcase since I do plan to fly to Mérida and it’ll contain the clothes I need to get me to Nogales, at which point I will repack it with warm weather clothes.

There hasn’t been much going on socially this summer, so I’m a bit starved for flirting with cute waiters at beachside restaurants and going out in the evenings to listen to music. Unfortunately, my friend Dale is absolutely not returning to Maz, but perhaps I’ll find another single friend to hang out with. And, of course, there should still be horseback riding this winter, as long as my group can shift riding day to Mondays or Fridays.

I’m getting pretty excited about the thought of heading out!