Tuesday 5th April 2011………Day 1

Had a great quiet sleep and I was up in plenty of time had breakfast and packed and walked across the street to the station to await the 9.30am train……so where is it???

I had taken most things into consideration and decided to take the 2nd class train and here she comes!!!

I was assigned a seat and it was on the right side of the train which is the right side going north to see all the sights!!

See these two heads in the above photo well that was my seat but I quickly learned the etiquette of train travel don’t leave your seat to go to the vestibule in between the cars to take photos because when you come back your seat will be taken even though my backpack was on the seat!!!  The old couple who were Mexican told me I think that they were cold where they were sat and this  seat was warmer I just smiled and said “De Nada”  ,,,you are welcome!!!

It wasn’t a huge problem as there were plenty of seats and lots of people got off at the first stop, so no worries!!!

At this point the train does a complete 360 degree turn…the scenery was amazing and the mind just boggles at the engineering and building of these railroad…over 80 bridges and tunnels!!

At one point the train pulled into a siding to allow the train going in the other direction to pass!!

This is the general attire of the Raramuri Indians..check out their sandals!!!

I just love this photo and I wonder what is going through her little mind!!!!

In the small town of Divisadero the train stops for 15 minutes and you can get off and check out the local food and gifts!!

Needles to say I passed this up.

At 6pm the train pulled into my stop the town of Creel

X marks the hotel!!

 

…..here many young boys were hanging around and trying to get you to go to “their” hotel….I took a fancy to one little guy and he spoke a little English and told me to follow him to Casa Margarita’s….200 pesos a night…so I followed him and he took me into the small courtyard and I asked to see a room so he ran behind the counter and picked up a room key and showed me the room

It was very clean, nice bathroom with hot water, small and no view but for 16 dollars a night a bargain, so I tipped him and away he went happy……

I settled in and had a good hot shower and happy I had brought my I pod and small speakers, so I had my own music…

There was a little kitchen with a lady cooking food I sweet talked her and also 50 pesos later and the food I had brought with me was in the freezer and fridge…fresh strawberries and yogurt for me tomorrow!!!

..so ends and incredible day!!!

Sunday 3rd April 2011…well I think this was the last beach day……maybe!!!!

The clocks went back one hour at 2am this morning so I have no idea what time zone I am in and I don’t really care!!!!

Had a great sleep and had a very leisurely morning with breakfast and reading….then took Bonita into the local town because I am going to take a different route out to the highway didn’t like the one yesterday so I found a good way to go……

I cannot say enough good things about Bonita for 5 months now I have used her everyday and not one single problem I have put over 2000 km on her and she has been a very good friend!!!!

Don’t think that today was all reading, eating, sleeping boogie board and swimming although I did copious amounts of all those things I also washed Ramona from roof to tires, laundry

I also cleaned inside and started to get everything ready for leaving in the morning….

So here is the plan I leave in the morning and drive to El Fuerte where I find a secure place to leave Ramona for about 6 days….on Tuesday morning I board the train with back pack and ride all day to Creel where I get off and find a hostel or B & B or somewhere cool to stay for two days whilst I take trips to the waterfalls, lost missions and explore the Canyon.

Next is a 5 hour ride on a small bus to the bottom of the canyon where I stay one night and again do some side trips and then take the bus back to Creel where I get back on the train and come back towards El Fuerte but get off at Divisadero where I get off and get a hostel room and spend two days here exploring ….they have a zip line some where over some of the canyon that I just have to try and also a cable car…all very exciting!!!!

Then back on the train to El Fuerte, spend the night and then drive north I think to a small coastal town of San Carlos where I have been before and have my final two days in Mexico and then head to the border….

So that is the plan but as you know plans with me can change!!!!!

A very sad night as I get my tea and start to watch a movie as this is the last of my secret supply of Malt Loaf brought home with me from England last summer and stored in my freezer……..looks yummy!!!!

So this may be the final post for a week I am not taking my laptop on my trip so wish you all a great week…take care blessings Les

Saturday 2nd April 2011……I am turning into a serial fibber!!!!

Changed my plans again and here I am…..

Well the day didn’t start out too well I noticed last night the new tire that was installed the other day was a bit flat and this morning it was very noticeably flat..I was lucky enough to find a very small and dinky repair shop really close by..

he didn’t have all the fancy equipment but he managed to get the tire off and check it and it was Ok but then he found the problem the air was leaking out of the large valve stem attachment.  This piece is a help to inflate the tires and he took it off and I will get it fixed in the USA….he then put the wheel back on and about 30 minutes later I was on the road, what a great job he did for me and at a cost of 50 pesos…..4 dollars he got a huge tip!!!!

The swelling in my knee moved down a bit to my upper calf which was quite swollen…a call last night to my personal Nurse Sara and she gave me some treatment advice and I think the driving is aggravating it but the first 90 minutes was hard driving on very twisty roads

I always think of my great friend Roy when I see a logging truck, boy I miss the times I spent with him!!!

I did go through one Army checkpoint!!!

This time one of the officers actually came inside I think he was just curious to see inside, very polite!!!

Soon it was easier on my leg as I was on toll roads and could use the cruise control

Listened to two live soccer games from England!!!

I again re-checked my itinerary and I realized that I was making good time and I could afford an extra day lay over so here I am

I have stayed here a few times before and it is very nice and no that is not a 100 dollars but a 100 pesos per night!!!

So I had a drive of 320 miles but I feel good after a shower and a nice supper…can you stand some more sunset photos??

About 75 yards from the ocean…

So the plan is to be here all day and spend tomorrow night so I will post tomorrow….

Yippee another beach day!!!!

My location!!!

Friday 1st April 2011…..I told an unintentional little fib yesterday!!!!!

WOW…April already where is the year going?

Well I revisited my schedule and realized that iI could slow down a little and take another afternoon to have a beach session…..I left Barra at 9.30am and drove straight for 5 hours on twisty and windy and slow roads and also through the chaos that is Puerto Vallarta

I decided that I could afford to stop and get some afternoon sun so turned into this little sleepy town of Lo De Marcos about one hour north of PV…..the town square

I found this lovely small RV park and I am the only guest, not a beach view but only 75 feet away….  immaculate facilities everything and all for 200 pesos!!!!…the Park!!!

The views out front!!!

This is how I spent the afternoon…

Enjoy the sunset I know I did!!!

Enjoyed another one of the meals I had made in SMA and froze…..I think tomorrow will be a Pemex rest stop…..so again I may be out of touch for a while take care and have a wonderful weekend…

My location!!!