Running Away with Doug and Nancy: April 2023

Home, sweet home. It really is true isn't it? As much as most of us like going away, coming home is the BEST!!

I have to admit, first off, that I said I would do the Mexico re-cap "after the dust has settled" but to be fair I haven't dusted yet so it's still there! Oh well....

There was only one tiny mechanical issue with Eurii. He did amazing. Turns out it was a brake light switch that cost $13 Cdn. Caused Doug a bit of concern and it was a bit annoying as it wouldn't allow the van to go properly into gear once you stopped and put it into Park (this is a highly non-technical description). We learned from our mechanic here at home that it probably meant that we had NO brake lights from when this first occured. YIKES! Luckily it happened the evening that we arrived in San Carlos on our way home. The only other "thing" that Doug had to attend to, along with his buddy Martin, was sorting out the fan in the fridge. We noticed that the fridge slowly stopped being as cold as it should have been. I think it was just overheated after several months of 25C heat. Anyway he figured out to run a bypass fan thingie in the motor and it worked like a champ during the heat. He is so smart, isn't he?

So, here's the breakdown:

Total distance driven: 11,727 kms (7287 miles)

Total campground fees: $2,382 Cdn

Total hotel stays (2 nights): $357 Cdn

Total tolls: $500 Cdn

Total gas: $2,600 Cdn

Total Mexico Insurance for Eurii: $854 Cdn

Total TIP (Vehicle permit for MX): $79 Cdn

Total Tourist Visas: $100 Cdn

Total Medical Coverage: $1,325 Cdn

Costs - We were slightly surpised at how much more expensive things have become since our last tour, which was in 2016. For example, lots of the campgrounds that were around $150 to $250 MXP in 2016 are now sitting at $400 MXP per day or more. One in La Penita was $650 MXP for a night....the ill-fated overnight stop that we had in the "strange vibe" place. Of course, none of the above costs included food, drink, excursions (which there really were no "excursions". Only one we can remember, which ended in Doug getting SEVERE food poisoning). We tend to stick pretty close to "home/van" enjoying our warm time together, hanging out at a beach or two.

Groceries/Food - Good grief this category has gotten expensive. I mean really noticeable but then that is the same as at home too. I suppose that maybe tequila, beer are cheaper but we don't drink much beer. We tried to just eat normally (whatever that means when you are traveling). Certainly took a few dinners out but nothing crazy that's for sure.

Well, that's the costs now let's talk about the rest. We had opportunity to visit 4 new spots. Puerto Penasco (Playa Bonita RV), La Placita (Rancho B), Santa Elena/Atotonilco de Alto (Charly's RV) and Patzcuaro (Patzcuaro Villas & RV). That was really enjoyable, seeing new places, new people. We were happy to see some of our old standbys well, still standing. We weren't sure after hurricanes, COVID, etc what would be there still.

One of our greatest joys was seeing Pedro and Pachita, the little senior couple who run the street-side taco stand in San Patricio (Melaque/Obregon). We had the pleasure of eating there a number of times. We were thrilled that they made it through COVID, that was for sure. Rosita's Loncheria run by the unflapable Rosa Naranjo. She works 7 days a week, employs some of her family (a lot of her family actually). It was always a delight to enjoy her hospitality and feel the family support surrounding her and her efforts.

The drive - It was long. I mean 12,000 kms seemed like a lot of driving, especially when you decide it's time to come home and you look at the map. Wow, we have a long way to go! Any police/military/drug enforcement checks we went through (and there were many) all personnel were professional, kind and courteous. We had the occasional language problem trying to tell them what we were up to but mostly it got many laughs from them. They were mostly interested in the van and how it worked. We went through a number of the fruit/veggie checkpoints where they will tell you what fruit and/or veggies can cross state lines. For us it seemed like EVERY time I bought anything fruit/veggie wise I lost it if we were on the road, the beautiful mango and potatoes especially hurt! I told Doug next time I would only do canned fruits and veggies....ha ha ha!

Cash or Credit - This was the first year that we used our credit card exclusively for gas and groceries wherever possible. In the past, we relied mostly on cash which meant more trips to the bank for withdrawals. There were a few small problems with our debit card not working at various bank machines so we would just use our credit card (we travel with two from different banks) and then the financial wizard would just transfer the money once we were back at the computer to avoid bank charges. We never carry too much cash in the van that's for sure. I would rather pay a few dollars more for ATM charges than have more than we are comfortable with onboard. You always need cash for the small markets, restaurants, etc. The exchange rate was about .073 so it wasn't as good as the last time we went down. Oh well, not much a person can do about that. The exchange rate going through the US is always horrendous for us Canadians so I guess that goes without saying.

The Mexican people - Just the best. Kindness, politeness and smiles everywhere we went. Our language skills are rather poor (Doug is better than I) but never once did anyone make us feel anything but comfortable. We were sad at times to miss out on genuine conversations due to lack of skill. Something to work on for the future.

Safety - The "elephant in the room" is always the question of safety and if we felt safe. Always. Always. Always. We do travel with our heads on a swivel everywhere but especially when we are out of our own country. We always felt good about where we were going, who we might be with. We normally know our next move and generally let someone know where we are going. We do not tend to go "off-road" nor do we boondock. Boondocking just isn't our style. We never complain about the costs of campgrounds. We acknowledge and understand it is just part of the gig for us. Travel safe and smart, that's our motto. However, I don't think you can convince (nor should you try) someone that they should go somewhere if they are uncomfortable. To each his own. Just be aware of where you are going, who you are with anywhere in the world you travel. I always try to remind myself that there are so many great people in the world and I like to think that we "nice" people outnumber the lousy ones.

I do believe that's a "wrap" friends. Not much else to add. If you think I missed something or you have a question, just let me know in the comments and I'll do my best to answer.

Peace out friends!!

Thought for the Day: Life is about using the whole box of crayons...Rupaul.

Super fun surprise for us when we got home. The kids had labeled EVERYTHING in our house with Post-It-Notes. If you have never seen this, let me tell you it is a hilarious surprise. It makes you realize how many "things" you have in our environment! Super funny!!