Lol, nice jeans dude. All the Coca-cola on the dinner table - seems even more popular in Mexico than the US.

Ojos Negros is in the area where the capital of Baja was a longgg time ago, and it's a dairy/cheese region now. Article on your missed cave.

https://www.sandiegoreader.com/news/...-cheese-cave/#

Driving on those dirt roads is probably lots more fun in your car than in a Honda. A lot of the customers those out-of-the-way hotels get is from both Baja 500/off-roading types & dirt-bikers. So many backroads and "iffy" bypass ways, throwback to a different era.

Latest blog post is up: http://ushuaiaorbust.com/2018/01/02/...as-shipwrecks/

I'm in La Paz now - managed to avoid the 4-hour hotel this time. I do understand now why they made me move my car to the lot across the street at night at the one in Ensenada. They needed their lot for all the transient traffic. I wish I had known I would have peeked out to see what kind of talent they were pulling in.

Lol, you almost ended up like that old couple in Eastern Oregon with the Google Maps. Good turnaround sense.

I'm definitely going to have to keep Google maps on a short leash in places like Mex city and Central America. No detours through the bad parts of town to save 30 seconds.

How do I get my mom and my dad to stop making comments - on my blog and on FB - like "We're proud of you son, but please stay safe!"? How can they not realize that I AM 48 YEARS OLD out here trying to have the adventure of my life and it's freaking demoralizing? And the direct approach will never work. They'd be crushed beyond recognition. Boomers man. It's always all about them.

I'm trying to picture Earnest Shackleton pushing on to Antarctica in the age of Facebook: "We're proud of you son but please stay safe!" I'm sure his men would get a big kick out of that.

Just don't worry about it, appreciate that's the inescapable nature of being a parent. They love you, they aren't ever going to stop worrying that you're keeping safe.

Yeah but they're wrecking my adventure blog (at least the idea I had of it in my head). I want the girls back in the states to be like "Wow, that's so exciting and dangerous" not "Awwww, your parents are so cute."

Don't let the parents mess up your bad boy game Suzzer. Just keep doing your thing and set the frame, as you choose to exist.

^ Brutal.

New blog post up - with lots of pics: http://ushuaiaorbust.com/2018/01/07/2-bahias-1-cove/

Btw the word blog just sounds so lame. Also I'm pretty sure FB buries any link that says 'blog' in the link or description - as they want to be your blog. So what's a better term? Travel log?

trip report, obv

awesome update btw, great pics and has a real adventurous feel to it

jealous

Any girl that thinks it's exciting to be driving for weeks on end through a variety of impoverished Latin American ****holes is probably not the kind of girl you want to be dating. Your parents are looking out for you kiddo.

Your first sentence is what I'm looking for on my vacations. That's the best.

Resort-type person: "OK, golddog, we've got you scheduled for activity X Tuesday at 10."
golddog: "Great! When is Tuesday?"

dont worry about what your parents say in the comments.

your blog/pics/writing are what matter and its one of the more enjoyable things i have been reading as of late.

New travel blog is up, lots of food in this one and some nice scenery: http://ushuaiaorbust.com/2018/01/12/best-things-life/



Also suzzer tries surfing.

Nice blog write-up Matt and amazing road(s) you found there South of La Paz. You're making some of us really want to go out and get a 4x4 for better Baja adventure capability.

Actually in Puerto Vallarta right now (lol) for the next few days. We did an overnight trip to Tequila, 4 hours away. Both PV & Tequila would be unique stops (the latter where you can easily get a cheap hotel room and do a tequila distillery tour, etc.).

And the highways on the way to Guadalajara were pretty good, just a lot of toll booths and more aggressive truck/bus driving (standard).

Pues, andale!!

Yeah I blew through all those highways a couple days ago. Spent one night in Puerto Vallarta on crazy Collin’s boat. Then drove about 10 hours (and about $100 in freaking tolls) to get to San Miguel de Allende - which is amazing btw. Check my FB for some pics.

The only problem is my heel Is still really sore, so walking around on cobblestones and rock sidewalks all day isn’t the best idea. I’m looking for some other stuff to see and do which don’t involve a lot of walking - between here and Puebla - where I start my Spanish immersion class on Monday. I’ve been to Mexico City, so I think I will skip it this time and go around. Although I am tempted to go back and see if I can find a place that had the best street tacos I’ve ever had. Hmmmm

There’s also some issue about the last number on your license plate and not being able to drive on certain days in Mexico City – and the cops pretty nail you as soon as you cross into the city boundaries and try to shake you down for 4000 pesos or something. But then you can talk your way down to 200 pesos apparently. Sounds like a lot of fun. I need to look up what days those are – maybe it doesn’t apply on the weekends.

Also, doing inversions (i.e. putting your feet above your head for a stretch to allow the blood & lymph to move) can help when you're doing all that sitting/standing/driving. That and even getting a sports massge in some of these larger cities where you can get good (legitimate) massage for ~$20 is likely a good investment in health.

Whatever works, trial-and-error, keep it going!

Brutal: https://www.angloinfo.com/how-to/mex...g-restrictions

So you have 14 days to get through Mexico City if you can get the exemption.

Sorry I didn't think of this before you left, but maybe it will help a little, especially post-Puebla. One strategy I've done what going to a place where I speak a little of the language is to try to reconstruct my thoughts when I'm in downtime in the local language.

So, if I'm driving, on public transport, flying in, whatever, try to think "how would I say that in Spanish", to try to force myself to get more into that.

And then, of course, make first attempts at conversation in the local language, having the "do you speak English" and "how do you say..." phrases locked up.

Sounds like except for the heel, trip's going very well so far. Maybe Puebla will also have some chance at resting too.

Thanks - yeah I've been doing that some. Hopefully this week of Spanish intensive in Puebla will really help jump start me.

I just found out when I got a parking ticket in San Miguel de Allende - the cops also took my front plate. Argh. I'm going to call tomorrow and see what I can do. I posted on the Pan American Travelers forum on Facebook as a shot in the dark - and as luck would have it one guy already responded that he's near San Miguel and headed to Puebla. So he might be able to help me out.

Wait, they took your front plate, as in removed it, or took down your license plate number?

I guess that's one way for them to try to encourage people not to just blow off the ticket.

Let us know how it goes. Be safe.

Yes, they took the front plate for a freaking 151 peso fine = $7.50. I didn't notice until I got to Puebla - a 5 hour drive.

Turns out the random dude did help me, printed copies of my documents that I sent him, went down to the police station in San Miguel de Allende (which is a big PITA to drive to as it's in the middle of the historic town square) and paid the fine for me. He's got my plate and is coming to Puebla soon. I'm gonna take him and his gf out for a big-ass dinner.

Just checked out this thread again for the first time in a long time--congrats on actually starting the trip; lots of people talk or plan on doing a trip like this "one day", bravo to you for actually doing it!

Checked out your blog as well...since it's considerably more detailed than here that's probably where I'll spend my time when I want to catch up on your travels & live vicariously live through you. I'm assuming keeping up w/ your blog, posting here & on FB eats up a fair amount of time?

With regards to your vehicle--did you spend a lot of time researching the best type of vehicle for a trip like this, or did you already own it? It'll be interesting to hear six months from now how happy you are w/ your choice...

Good luck & safe travels!

Thanks! Yeah the blog does take some time. Each blog post takes 8-10 hours I'd say - to write, upload pics + vids, arrange, etc. Not sure if I can keep up this pace. But if I do I'll have good base material for the Bill Bryson-esque travel memoir I hope to write when I get back to reality.

I already owned the FJ - I've had it since I bought it new in 2007 and am pretty attached to it. I do wish I'd shelled out for skid plates and maybe a custom front bumper with winch though, as those things are hard to come by down here. Although I really have no idea of other places will be as rural and safe as Baja to go 4x4ing - at least in Central America. I know there are lots of fun 4x4 routes in South America. Most of those seem like mud flats and stuff though, so maybe rocks puncturing my oil pan won't be as huge of a concern.

Other than that - I'm pretty happy with it so far. Any kind of camper van would be overkill for one person. I feel pretty nimble in that thing - and I think I can even rig it up to sleep inside with a small twin air mattress I found. The Tuffy locking drawer thing I bought for the back is the best purchase I've made in a long time. So happy with it.

New blog post is up btw. Some architecture, amazing fortune and a boat cameo in this one: http://ushuaiaorbust.com/2018/01/20/the-mainland/

Next one will be mostly about food as I'm in Puebla for two weeks studying Spanish. The food here is just insane.