SHIP IT!!!
Yesterday we started the long and arduous process of shipping the car to Ecaudor. We had the option to ship the car to either Columbia or Ecuador and after evaluating all the options we chose Ecuador. (saftey, mileage, time left on the trip, Columbia/Ecuador border were all looked at) also, we found a pair of young Danish guys that were going to Ecaudor on the same boat so we could share a container and split the cost.
For those of you not proficient in tran-oceanic shipping, it goes something like this. You need to have all your original documents inline to be validated by national police. Original title, passport, drivers liscense, insurance, registration, immigration information, etc. Once you find a company that will facilitate your shipping either by driving your car on the ship, loading it on a flat bed and hoisting it on the ship, or our option of using a container ship, you start the paperwork process. Vehicle permits, inspections, customs, immigration, the actual inpsection and loading of the car at the port all takes time. If you did this in Houston, you might be able to do it in one day, not so in Panama.
Our process looks to take about two or three days of various offices, paperwork, and nonsense. For example, yesterday we located shipping offices to find the best price and shipping schedule. This took most of the day as we had to use taxis to navigate the not so well planned city, we had to wait to speak to representatives, etc. Today we had to get our vehicle inspected at the national police office. It makes perfect sense that they will only accpet applications from 10-11 a.m. even though once there, the actual process took only 5 minutes and the paperwork was done. For most of the rest of the day we were hung out to dry waiting for stamps and signatures. The climax for the day was an hour and a half wait for a stamp that could have been administered by anyone, even a child, an hour and a half earlier when our papers were hot off the press. At any rate, as we were instructed this portion of the journey took the whole day and now we are ready to see customs tommorrow.
We were assured that the customs office is quick and painless, but we've all heard that before. Once we get the papers at the customs office we will be ready to load the car on Thursday morning before flying to Quito, Ecaudor on Friday.
Besides the excitement of Panamanian government officials, not too much new except a couple of fantastic Louis Lamour books and some good food. We'll have to see how the next few days go, not too big of deal, usually if you are willing to wait a little longer everything works out. The rumor around town is that the customs boys over in Ecuador really like to run you through the ringer. Once your ship arrives it takes 3-4 days just to get your car out of the port, so that should be really awesome! Stay tuned!
What YOU should learn: the DMV is a godsend compared to Panama national police redtape!
Tuesday, January 26, 2010
Monday, January 25, 2010
January 25th, 2010
January 25th, 2010Panama City, Panama, just over 5,000 miles from Minnesota. What a ride, more or less half way and we've seen it, done it, and driven it.
Here is the overview of what we did and where we went. From the smelly border crossing into Honduras, we quickly across the country and entered into Nicarauga making it to Managua, the capitol that evening. The next day we stopped at Volcan Mayasa (see picture). It was nice for everyone because it was an active, smoking volcano that we could drive to the crater to see. We did even do a little hiking around which for the others was plenty of excercise for the day. We were supposed to see lava, but couldn't see any to speak of.
Just another quick thirty minutes down the road we stopped in Granada, the historic city in Nicaraugua. We ate some lunch in the city center amongst the old churches and buildings. The city is located on the shores of lake Granada and a popular tour is to take a boat ride through the 365 islands that lay just off the shore and the city. As we were eating a young man came and offered us hand rolled Nicaraugan cigars and we all declined. Bob had woken up from his daily nap as we were finishing eating and he walked through the city center and happily told us he had organized a boat tour of the islands. Coincidentally, the guy he organized the boat tour with was the smooth talking cigar salesman. This guy had lived in California for five years and spoke perfect English so he accompanied us on our boat tour and gave us the schpeel. He was a younger man in his 30's and knew how to sell and talk. The whole time he cracked jokes about girls, spoke about the history of his country, tried to sell us land, cigars, tours, and the like all while keeping the beer glasses full. A very personable guy that you had to respect for his drive to succeed at his trade. That afternoon we drove down to San Juan del Sur where I got to hang out at the "Pier Bar."
The next morning Donn, Charlie, and I went zip lining on the mountainside right out of town, a first for both Charlie and Donn. It was quite good fun with 17 ziplines, the largest reaching just over 1300ft. long. That afternoon we headed south for the Costa Rica border which was pretty uneventful, but a little long, about three hours to get through. While crossing the border we bumped into two Danish guys who were driving south as well. We chatted for a bit and without much thought that was it. We didn't know, they would come in handy down the road!
Once in Costa Rica we bedded down at a pretty sweet Hilton Resort right on the the water called Playa Hermosa. The place had little bungalow type rooms and was really spread out (in the photo with red roofs).
The next day we drove hard driving all of Costa Rica in one day. That was always in the plans as Bob had spent a good couple months in the country and didn't want to spend any more time there. The drive was quite scenic though along the beach most of the way, through palm tree plantations (used for palm oil), and rainforesty type forest. We stopped for dinnner (noon) at a surfer's shack right on the coast. Peel and eat shrimp for $4, cold beer, and the waves crashing right at our feet! That night we stayed in a little town right near the border to get us in line to get across the border to Panama in the morning.
That next day we crossed into Panama at a small border crossing called Rio Sereno. This was a total hassle as we had to go to about six different offices to do all the paperwork instead of the typical one big building or area. Without really knowing it, we actually drove through the gated area into Panama without doing any customs or immigration. Technically they could have arrested us and conviscated the car, OOPS. Turns out they didn't care much and everything went fine, just a pain in the but.
After the border we toured around an vegetable/agricultural area around Volcano Baru. We met a real estate agent who's son went on a foreign exchange trip to Lake Crystal, MN the home of Bob. Another example of how small the world is. That night we stayed in a very small and quiet hotel right on the water in Las Lajas before heading to Panama City the next day.
Once in Panama we did a city tour and canal tour because Donn and Charlie were leaving the next day. Panama City looks alot like Miami from a distance with towering buildings right on the water. After closer examination, you notice that 50% of the buildings in downtown are under construction. According to our tour guide, there are 75 major construction projects in downtown alone. The Panama Canal was interesting to see but honestly a little bit of a let down. If you've been to the lock and damns on the Mississippi, you could just as well have seen the Panama Canal, smaller scale. I will admit it was impressive to see the BIG ships come through the locks. Totally an engineering feet in history for the time it was built and what it represented for world trade, but after the construction, pretty straight forward. See pictures of of Donn with Panama City in the background and the cranes, ships, containers at the Port of Panama.
Donn and Charlie flew home today to a major snowstorms accross the U.S. Flight delays, cancellations, and crappy roads for them and 95 degrees and sunny for Bob and I. Our day wasn't much easier though as we began our car shipping process which took most of the day just to find a company that would work well with our schedule and details.
Tommorrow we head to the police station for vehicle inspections, customs for more paperwork, and the office to wrap of the bill of lading, etc. We start about 9:00a.m. and should more or less be waiting around till late afternoon, AWESOME! Stay posted and I'll let you in on the secrets of putting a car on a massive ocean liner for international travel!
What I Learned: 22 Days to see all of Central America should be illegal, but it was still sweet!!!
Friday, January 22, 2010
January 21, 2010
Las Lajas, Panama. A nice beach in the middle of nowhere. Simple hotel rooms, simple food. This might not be the most culturally invasive option for our first night in Panama, but with 90 degree temps, it's not a bad idea! The sand is soft, the water is warm and life is good. We've made fast time through most of Nicarauga, Costa Rica, and potentially through Panama as we should be in Panama City tommorrow. Once we get to Panama City, we have the huge task of orgnaizing a ship to get the car around the Darien Gap. We'll have to see how it goes, but with some luck and some of my superb Spanish (?) it should be no problem.
Wednesday, January 20, 2010
January 20th, 2010
January 20th, 2010
So I didn't do very well this last week in keeping you all posted so here are a few stories that should get us back on track.
103 degrees in the shade, what a beautiful day. Where else would you rather be than on the border of El Salvador and Honduras in a landscape that resembles the best of southern Okalahoma. I had this vision of lush rainforests, green vegetation, and tripical creatures. Instead, the dust was blowing, the hawkers (beggers) were hawking, and the cahos was at it's best. Just a few minutes before we had passed through a small town leading to the border a swarm of young men saw our car and stared running! We knew what was going on, they were looking for "suckers." At every border, the moment you get close mobs of so called "guides" will proposition you with fake goverment ID's, cards of tourism, claiming they can make your border experience quick and painless. All this for a few of course.
As we passed the first mob we saw a guy sprint to his car then blow by us on the road, putting himself into position for the actual border. As we pulled up, he was right ther to be at our service. We had heard about Honduran border horror stories, so since he spoke good English, was only going to charge $5, and promised he could make our experience quick, we went along for the ride, (literally).
After the first hour had passed, we had all gotten our passports stamed and were ready to pass into Honduras, be we wstill needed to do all the steps for the car. Vehicle permit, insurance, more permits, more copies of permits, etc. As Don, Charlie, and I waited in the 100 degree shade, we got propositioned by hawkers of all kinds, got to use the bathroom right on the street (really, right on the street), and shot the shit with the locals and some motorcyclists from Canada.
The main custome building had offices for customs and immigration and a small bank where you could pay for permits and get cash. The building was more like a cement tunnel with offices lining both sides. This border station was unique in that not only was the building dilapidated and old, but it had an amazing aroma too. Along with the boiling heat, the stench of pee and poo drifted from all corners of the building. Luckily for us, the lines for all the offices where right at ground zero. Ironically, there were no bathrooms in the entire building, hence the peeing in the street, and yet the stench was unbearable. As I giggled to myself while gagging, I looked around and found it surprising that no one else seemed to notice, must just be us Americans complainging too much again!
As we rolled into hours number two and three, we finally hbad everything we needed. Our guide, Jose, who some in the group liked to call "Pedro," told us now, after paying the $45 for insurance, $25 for fumigation (never happened), we now had to pay an additional $30 per head (minus Bob). Something about a missing stamp on our original vehicle permit. As a group we decided that it was our time to "Rolled." We were so close to the end that we paid the suspect, $90 and got our asses out of that border with whatever dignity we had left.
After careful consideration, we found out that the $45 insurance was normal, the $25 fumigation was also normal although there really was no fumigation. The only question left was the $90 dollars we had give Jose/Pedro for the missing stamp. Since the $90 was still in his own pocket, we figured he probably had found his "suckers."
As of today in Costa Rica, Honduras was our longest, smelliest, and most questionable border crossing. All the rest have taken some time, but we have gotten smarter about "border guides." Honduras was one of those experiences where you knew you were getting screwed, but there wasn't much you could about it but laugh. If you are a glass half full guy like met, you just look at it as stimulating the local economy!
"The Pier Bar"
In San Jaun Del Sur, Nicaragua, all the elements for a perfect bar fell into place. A small little surf town on the Pacific Coast, San Juan is the epitamy of a young travelers town. Surfers from around the country/world come to base out of San Juan and it makes for a fantastic nightlife. Young and old alike, free lovers, happy people congregate at night for beers, beaches and music. "the Pier" was the perfect combination of sand, cheap beer, happy faces and live music. I was able to drag Charlie out until about 12:30a.m. to enjoy the night. With an open mic night with live music of Bob Marley, Bob Dylan, and the Old Crow Medicine Show, everything fell into place. As the Zach Brown Band says, we had our..."toes in the water, ass in the sand, not a worry in the world, a cold beer in my hand, life is good today, life is good today." Yes, life was good, that day.
More stories to come to catch you all up....
What I Learned: I will never like the smell of poop and pee, but happy faces and cold beer make for a perfect time!
So I didn't do very well this last week in keeping you all posted so here are a few stories that should get us back on track.
103 degrees in the shade, what a beautiful day. Where else would you rather be than on the border of El Salvador and Honduras in a landscape that resembles the best of southern Okalahoma. I had this vision of lush rainforests, green vegetation, and tripical creatures. Instead, the dust was blowing, the hawkers (beggers) were hawking, and the cahos was at it's best. Just a few minutes before we had passed through a small town leading to the border a swarm of young men saw our car and stared running! We knew what was going on, they were looking for "suckers." At every border, the moment you get close mobs of so called "guides" will proposition you with fake goverment ID's, cards of tourism, claiming they can make your border experience quick and painless. All this for a few of course.
As we passed the first mob we saw a guy sprint to his car then blow by us on the road, putting himself into position for the actual border. As we pulled up, he was right ther to be at our service. We had heard about Honduran border horror stories, so since he spoke good English, was only going to charge $5, and promised he could make our experience quick, we went along for the ride, (literally).
After the first hour had passed, we had all gotten our passports stamed and were ready to pass into Honduras, be we wstill needed to do all the steps for the car. Vehicle permit, insurance, more permits, more copies of permits, etc. As Don, Charlie, and I waited in the 100 degree shade, we got propositioned by hawkers of all kinds, got to use the bathroom right on the street (really, right on the street), and shot the shit with the locals and some motorcyclists from Canada.
The main custome building had offices for customs and immigration and a small bank where you could pay for permits and get cash. The building was more like a cement tunnel with offices lining both sides. This border station was unique in that not only was the building dilapidated and old, but it had an amazing aroma too. Along with the boiling heat, the stench of pee and poo drifted from all corners of the building. Luckily for us, the lines for all the offices where right at ground zero. Ironically, there were no bathrooms in the entire building, hence the peeing in the street, and yet the stench was unbearable. As I giggled to myself while gagging, I looked around and found it surprising that no one else seemed to notice, must just be us Americans complainging too much again!
As we rolled into hours number two and three, we finally hbad everything we needed. Our guide, Jose, who some in the group liked to call "Pedro," told us now, after paying the $45 for insurance, $25 for fumigation (never happened), we now had to pay an additional $30 per head (minus Bob). Something about a missing stamp on our original vehicle permit. As a group we decided that it was our time to "Rolled." We were so close to the end that we paid the suspect, $90 and got our asses out of that border with whatever dignity we had left.
After careful consideration, we found out that the $45 insurance was normal, the $25 fumigation was also normal although there really was no fumigation. The only question left was the $90 dollars we had give Jose/Pedro for the missing stamp. Since the $90 was still in his own pocket, we figured he probably had found his "suckers."
As of today in Costa Rica, Honduras was our longest, smelliest, and most questionable border crossing. All the rest have taken some time, but we have gotten smarter about "border guides." Honduras was one of those experiences where you knew you were getting screwed, but there wasn't much you could about it but laugh. If you are a glass half full guy like met, you just look at it as stimulating the local economy!
"The Pier Bar"
In San Jaun Del Sur, Nicaragua, all the elements for a perfect bar fell into place. A small little surf town on the Pacific Coast, San Juan is the epitamy of a young travelers town. Surfers from around the country/world come to base out of San Juan and it makes for a fantastic nightlife. Young and old alike, free lovers, happy people congregate at night for beers, beaches and music. "the Pier" was the perfect combination of sand, cheap beer, happy faces and live music. I was able to drag Charlie out until about 12:30a.m. to enjoy the night. With an open mic night with live music of Bob Marley, Bob Dylan, and the Old Crow Medicine Show, everything fell into place. As the Zach Brown Band says, we had our..."toes in the water, ass in the sand, not a worry in the world, a cold beer in my hand, life is good today, life is good today." Yes, life was good, that day.
More stories to come to catch you all up....
What I Learned: I will never like the smell of poop and pee, but happy faces and cold beer make for a perfect time!
Monday, January 18, 2010
January 18th, 2009
Back again! A whole week has passed without even a single word so I must apologize; however, there are numerous stories to get to. We are currently in Managua, Nicaragua, well on our way to Panama. So far we've hit our first five countries and have had a few adventures with sugar cane, hawkers, border crossings, and have enjoyed the very mountainous beauty of Central America.
(Photos : Flower with Volcanoe Atitlan, Lake Atitlan, Guatemala. Lake Atitlan, Guatemala. Two women in traditional dress in the Guatemalan highlands of Chichicastenango. Red flower near Joya de Ceren, El Salvador.)
We've, made our way from Tuxla Gut. in Mexico through, Lake Atitlan and Antigua, Guatemala, San Salvador and La Union, El Salvador, and finally today to Managua, Nicaragua.
A Few Highlights:
A Few Highlights:
1) Comparing Minnesota sugar beet production to Mexican sugar cane production.
2) Enjoying Charlie's antics with anyone and everyone. He can have full conversations with people and not speak a lick of spanish.
3) Enjoying the sight of the Oxen pulled cart.
4) Finding out that the 3-4 foot long Iguanas kids holding on the side of the road where for sale for only $10 and would make a very nice "consume" or soup if we were really interested - good for stamina if you know what I mean.
5) 12 Hour "Farm Talk" sessions can really happen day after day after day.
6) Sometimes "No Comprende!" works better than actually using your spanish. (Just Say NO! to Federales)
7) Donn and Bob won't admit it, but they have mastered the art of the nap.
8) Flat and straight roads are not somthing that Central America will advertise.
9) Cell phones and Ipods are way more important in third world countries than any type of Road Sign, especially in anyplace where you really need a road sign.
10) It's a long way from Minnesota to Panama!
In depth stories to come tommorrow!
Monday, January 11, 2010
January 11th, 2007
Here we are in Tuxtla Gutierrez, Mexico, on our way to Guatemala. Before we can get there, we need to take a tour of a small village/area called Pujiltic where the sugar cane grows. Tommorrow we meet a Cargill representative named Jorge and he will give a tour of the area, fields, and sugar cane factory. Not only will we get to see this first hand, but we (meaning Charlie and Donn) can drill Jorge for endless hours on questions of sugar, labor, costs, processing, processes, climate, and all other things sugar. For those of you who wonder why this might be on the list of priorities while on a such a journey, it's possible you don't know how farmers roll or maybe better yet, let's just say, "once a farmer always a farmer!!!" (Charlie, Donn, and Bob have all made a living farming, dealing with farmers, and working in the industry. I don't own or have ownership, but besides being a traveler, you can pretty much call me a farmer, so I guess it all fits!)
I am looking forward to the day tommorow and after a day in the city it is time to get back to some "Shunpiking." For those of you who have never heard this term, join my world. According to my uncle Bob, I might as well have grown up on Mars for not have knowing the term, as I told him in defense, "I'm sorry I recieved an illigitimate education." The term "Shunpiking" is described by Wikipedia to be"the term shunpiking comes from the word shun, meaning "to avoid", and pike, a term referring to turnpikes, were roads which required payment of a toll to travel on them. People who often avoid toll roads sometims call themselves shunpikers.
Shunpiking has also come to mean an avoidance of major highways (regardless of tolls) in preferance to bucolic and scenic interludes along lightly travled country roads."
My favorite description comes from a website dedicated to "Shunpikers," http://www.shunpikers.com/ where they say, "Life is about the Journey." A perfect description on what it is to be a Shunpiker, and also a traveler. A disregard for the faster more convienient routes for those routes that might offer a more intellectual, interpersonal, or simply more scenic drive (check it out, http://www.shunpikers.com/ ).
I was surprised to learn of this idea. I was surprised to learn of this term. It didn't take long to realize that I embrace the idea and the overall theme and I can't wait until tommorrow when the roads turn to gravel, the mph's slow, the trafic ceases to exist and again I become a "Shunpiker!" It is most certainly what a trip like this is all about.
What I Learned:
1: All of our "elders" are right, we (us young ones) don't know everything!
2: Four stubborn-ass dudes in one car can prove to be challenging, even the toughest of men.
3: Shunpiking is my newest and greatest phase! TAKE THE BACKROADS AND SPREAD THE LOVE!!!
Here we are in Tuxtla Gutierrez, Mexico, on our way to Guatemala. Before we can get there, we need to take a tour of a small village/area called Pujiltic where the sugar cane grows. Tommorrow we meet a Cargill representative named Jorge and he will give a tour of the area, fields, and sugar cane factory. Not only will we get to see this first hand, but we (meaning Charlie and Donn) can drill Jorge for endless hours on questions of sugar, labor, costs, processing, processes, climate, and all other things sugar. For those of you who wonder why this might be on the list of priorities while on a such a journey, it's possible you don't know how farmers roll or maybe better yet, let's just say, "once a farmer always a farmer!!!" (Charlie, Donn, and Bob have all made a living farming, dealing with farmers, and working in the industry. I don't own or have ownership, but besides being a traveler, you can pretty much call me a farmer, so I guess it all fits!)
I am looking forward to the day tommorow and after a day in the city it is time to get back to some "Shunpiking." For those of you who have never heard this term, join my world. According to my uncle Bob, I might as well have grown up on Mars for not have knowing the term, as I told him in defense, "I'm sorry I recieved an illigitimate education." The term "Shunpiking" is described by Wikipedia to be"the term shunpiking comes from the word shun, meaning "to avoid", and pike, a term referring to turnpikes, were roads which required payment of a toll to travel on them. People who often avoid toll roads sometims call themselves shunpikers.
Shunpiking has also come to mean an avoidance of major highways (regardless of tolls) in preferance to bucolic and scenic interludes along lightly travled country roads."
My favorite description comes from a website dedicated to "Shunpikers," http://www.shunpikers.com/ where they say, "Life is about the Journey." A perfect description on what it is to be a Shunpiker, and also a traveler. A disregard for the faster more convienient routes for those routes that might offer a more intellectual, interpersonal, or simply more scenic drive (check it out, http://www.shunpikers.com/ ).
I was surprised to learn of this idea. I was surprised to learn of this term. It didn't take long to realize that I embrace the idea and the overall theme and I can't wait until tommorrow when the roads turn to gravel, the mph's slow, the trafic ceases to exist and again I become a "Shunpiker!" It is most certainly what a trip like this is all about.
What I Learned:
1: All of our "elders" are right, we (us young ones) don't know everything!
2: Four stubborn-ass dudes in one car can prove to be challenging, even the toughest of men.
3: Shunpiking is my newest and greatest phase! TAKE THE BACKROADS AND SPREAD THE LOVE!!!
Friday, January 8, 2010
January 8th, 2010
(Here you can see our route through Mexico in blue on the east coast of Mexico. We havn't ventured too far off the beaten path as our plan has always been to blast through Mexico and then start some more tourist type action once into Central America. We are planning to hit Oaxaca, Mexico on Jan. 9 to pick up Charlie and Donn where we will really be able to start the "Road Trip!" Everything is going well and we ended up in Vera Cruz tonight without incident. (Click on map for larger view)
With luck on our side we have already bumped into a native Chilean named Rodrigo who is very interested in buying the Tahoe at then end of our journey. Funny enough, he grew up in, and has family in Punta Arenas, Chile the same place we are planning to end our journey and fly home. The salesman in Bob came through immediately and was fun to watch the interaction between the two with the thoughts of potentially being able to have the car sold before we had even driven the car to the end of the world! We'll see how it works out, but it might just work out perfectly!
What I Learned: Again proven, it's not what you know, it's WHO you know!
Thursday, January 7, 2010
January 7th, 2010
Tampico, Mexico - 2,000 Miles In
For some reason after I tell people about the adventure road trip, they ask "Why are you doing that?" I always find that a funny question because to me it seems like an obvious answer. Take your pick, to travel, to meet people, to see the world, to experience something new, at the very least, you decide, -20 in Minnesota or 75 and sunny on the beach? It seems like a simple thing.
Today we drove from Brownsville, TX, crossed the border into Mexico, and drove about 300 miles to Tampico where we would stay for the night before driving further south to pick up Donn and Charlie in Oaxaca, MX on the 9th. Today, although pretty straight forward, somewhat uninteresting, I had the perfect travel experience that explains exactly why I would want to do this drive.
If you've ever watched Anthony Bourdains "No Reservations," you understand what it means to interact with people while eating some simple, yet great food. About half way through the day today we stopped for gas and I needed a midday pigout. After we had gotten gas, there was a roadside "Carnitas" stand or basically a glorified taco stand. It wasn't the cleanest thing in the world nor eye catching, but when I walked up I could smell that the food would be good. No premade, mass produced food, but homeade, with love, Mexican food. An older woman was working and greeted me with a simple hello, probably thinking, "Where in the world did this Gringo come from?" We were not in a tourist area or even a tourist road, really just the middle of Mexico. I didn't know what to order so in my half good, half assed spanish I said "Quiseria algo bueno, algo normal y con salsa picante!! (I'd like something good!, something normal and spicy!!!) She smiled and then asked if I wanted corn or flour tortillas, while holding up one of each of the uncooked rolled doughs. I asked for flour as the corn tortillas I knew would resemble a good swine leather. She smiled again and proceeded to roll out the three flour tortillas, fill them with some type of beef, veggies, in a typical Mexican style sauce and then got me a little dish of salsa that looked like it might take the rust off a '58 Chevy pickup. Without hesistation I dumped the salsa on the tacos and started eating. Minutes later, with my entire body in a sweat, I had consumed the tacos at this road side stand, watching the cars and dust roll by. I told the woman her food was excellent and she smiled and said thank you. A small wave and "Adios" and I was walking to the car.
When I got in the car, Bob had woken from his nap and was talking on the phone, me with a big smile and thinking of all the other great food, people, and places on might see on the road to come.
If you can't understand this scenario or the potential smile you might get from the experience, you might not ever understand why I would want to head "South Bound and Down!" If that's the case, I can only urge you to try it, I am sure you will see what I am talking about.
We rolled into Tampico later that day, found a hotel on the not so beachy beach (lots of wind and ugly water) and that was about it. Tommorrow to Vera Cruz or somewhere south, so long as we make Oaxaca (pronounced wa-ha-ka) on the 9th.
What I Learned (or Re-Affirmed): Street stand food, pretty much anywhere in the world, is always a good idea!
Tampico, Mexico - 2,000 Miles In
For some reason after I tell people about the adventure road trip, they ask "Why are you doing that?" I always find that a funny question because to me it seems like an obvious answer. Take your pick, to travel, to meet people, to see the world, to experience something new, at the very least, you decide, -20 in Minnesota or 75 and sunny on the beach? It seems like a simple thing.
Today we drove from Brownsville, TX, crossed the border into Mexico, and drove about 300 miles to Tampico where we would stay for the night before driving further south to pick up Donn and Charlie in Oaxaca, MX on the 9th. Today, although pretty straight forward, somewhat uninteresting, I had the perfect travel experience that explains exactly why I would want to do this drive.
If you've ever watched Anthony Bourdains "No Reservations," you understand what it means to interact with people while eating some simple, yet great food. About half way through the day today we stopped for gas and I needed a midday pigout. After we had gotten gas, there was a roadside "Carnitas" stand or basically a glorified taco stand. It wasn't the cleanest thing in the world nor eye catching, but when I walked up I could smell that the food would be good. No premade, mass produced food, but homeade, with love, Mexican food. An older woman was working and greeted me with a simple hello, probably thinking, "Where in the world did this Gringo come from?" We were not in a tourist area or even a tourist road, really just the middle of Mexico. I didn't know what to order so in my half good, half assed spanish I said "Quiseria algo bueno, algo normal y con salsa picante!! (I'd like something good!, something normal and spicy!!!) She smiled and then asked if I wanted corn or flour tortillas, while holding up one of each of the uncooked rolled doughs. I asked for flour as the corn tortillas I knew would resemble a good swine leather. She smiled again and proceeded to roll out the three flour tortillas, fill them with some type of beef, veggies, in a typical Mexican style sauce and then got me a little dish of salsa that looked like it might take the rust off a '58 Chevy pickup. Without hesistation I dumped the salsa on the tacos and started eating. Minutes later, with my entire body in a sweat, I had consumed the tacos at this road side stand, watching the cars and dust roll by. I told the woman her food was excellent and she smiled and said thank you. A small wave and "Adios" and I was walking to the car.
When I got in the car, Bob had woken from his nap and was talking on the phone, me with a big smile and thinking of all the other great food, people, and places on might see on the road to come.
If you can't understand this scenario or the potential smile you might get from the experience, you might not ever understand why I would want to head "South Bound and Down!" If that's the case, I can only urge you to try it, I am sure you will see what I am talking about.
We rolled into Tampico later that day, found a hotel on the not so beachy beach (lots of wind and ugly water) and that was about it. Tommorrow to Vera Cruz or somewhere south, so long as we make Oaxaca (pronounced wa-ha-ka) on the 9th.
What I Learned (or Re-Affirmed): Street stand food, pretty much anywhere in the world, is always a good idea!
Wednesday, January 6, 2010
DAY 1 - January 6th, 2010
1998 Chevy Tahoe and Bob and I pictured in Lake Crystal, MN. The start of the journy, at least for me!!!
South Bound and Down!
"Hey! Want to go on a road trip?"
"Yeah! Where too? Vegas, Cali, skiing in Utah?"
"No, I was thinking more like the southern tip of South America!!!!!!!!!!!!"
January 6th, 2010 -- Brownsville, TX
That's pretty much how it started. A simple idea, a traveler's mind, and a mixture of young and old, venturous and not so venturous, but at the very least, a group of folks interested in seeing something different both behind the wheel and face to face. Just like that, we where South Bound and DOWN!!!!!!!!!!
My uncle, Bob Cunningham, had driven from Minnesota to the northern point in Alaska a few years back and had always had the idea of driving the other half of what is called the Pan-American Highway. At it's simplest, a set of highways that will get you from the "northest" of North America to the "southest" of South America. We had both talked about it for a few years and for whatever reason, this became the year to do it. Throughout it's discussion, we were able to coax into the trip my Father Donn Cunningham and both his and my good friend Charlie Melberg. It wasn't the first time for this A-Team to be assembled, we had all spent two weeks road tripping around South Africa and having a grand ole time. Likely a reason it was easy to talk them into coming for a portion of this trip.
The plan is/was for me to drive the car, a 1998 Chevy Tahoe (to be named later), to Brownsville, Texas where I would pick up my Uncle Bob and then we would both drive to Oaxaca, Mexico to pick up Donn and Charlie where they would join us to Panama until the end of January.
So other than being ready to enter Mexico tommorrow, my 1500 mile drive from Minnesota did have some high points. I left Minnesota on the 4th, with plans to be in Brownsville on the 6th. The first day I left MN at about 5:00p.m. and drove to Middle of Nowhere, Kansas. Then next day on the 5th I had plans to drive from Kansas to Corpus Cristi, Texas where I could do some shopping and then head down to Brownsville. Little did Iknow the day would prove to be very exicting.
After driving for six hours I had finally hit Oklahoma City, OK and was starting to feel hungry. Before leaving on this drive, I had just returned from Utah a few days earlier and was starting to dread McDonalds, Subway, Arby's, and any other food that might come in a bag. When I drive I get very goal oriented and for some reason like to drive 12-18 hours at a time only stopping at places I can get gas, food, and a bathroom all within about 20 minutes. My body had taken it's toll and it was finally time to slow down the pace and find some food with some substance. I decided I was going to hit up some type of cafe or truck stop restuarant and that's when I saw the sign for "Ruby's Inn." It hit me like a bullet, I knew that was the place for me. I was in Purcell, OK, just south of Oklahoma City. It was the same town you could find all over the rest of rural U.S.A., with one difference, they had Ruby's.
As soon as I stepped in the door, I could smell all those great cafe smells. Breakfast being cooked in the afternoon, homeade soups, I saw the old school salad bar, it was perfect. I didn't even have to see a menu to know that I wanted, a BLT, salad bar, and some good and hot Potato soup. A woman greeted me at the door with a big smile, attractive southern drawl, and silver hair. I immediately liked her happiness and glow. After I had given her my order, I was listening to the people around me and hearing waitresses ask customers, "Oh, so how is the Stewart family?" or "We didn't see you folks in church the other morning," and it really got me smiling, reminding me of home and what I love so much about small towns. What a great thing this cafe experience was. It blew any form of fast food right out of the water!
A moment later I heard someone say, "RUBY!!" Sure enough my waitresses name was Ruby. She infact, was the owner of the 30 room motel and restaurant and had been for 30 years. Before that her family had owned it and she had been waitressing in that same place for almost 40 years. It seems like a pretty basic story, nothing too exciting, except for meeting this nice, older, southern woman.
After thanking Ruby for an amazing meal in between fast food bags and candy bars, I stepped out the door and smiled because I knew that this was the first in a long line of interpersonal experiences and I was traveling for that exact reason. Another very small and seemingly normal interaction that we have with people that make us smile later when we think about them.
Shortly after I pulled into the gas station for gas and as I was paying, I saw a tin of Skoal and it really caught my eye. I don't normally use tobacco, but every now and then I will so I bought the tin and headed south down I-39. I little while later I put in a pinch of the "chaw" as the folks down here might call it and a few moments later I had to really laugh as I crossed the state line into Texas and the first thing I saw was a HUGE Texas flag, a sign welcoming me to Texas, and then another sign that said "Don't Mess with Texas! (petewwww!! spitting sound!!!)!! It was pretty halarious and as I drove I saw the signs mentioning cowboy this, comanche that, ranch this and cow that, all the while having this pinch of chewing tobacco in, I found this very comical and perfectly fitting!!!
Needless to say, I made it to Brownsville, mostly without incident. If the drive down was a precurser to the events and memories to be made with Bob, Donn, and Charlie while headed "South Bound and Down," I'm terribly excited and can't wait to share the stories!
(I decided for each post I would put a little blurb or joke about "what I learned" so here we go)
WHAT I LEARNED: Good things really can come from Oklahoma!!
"Yeah! Where too? Vegas, Cali, skiing in Utah?""No, I was thinking more like the southern tip of South America!!!!!!!!!!!!"
January 6th, 2010 -- Brownsville, TX
That's pretty much how it started. A simple idea, a traveler's mind, and a mixture of young and old, venturous and not so venturous, but at the very least, a group of folks interested in seeing something different both behind the wheel and face to face. Just like that, we where South Bound and DOWN!!!!!!!!!!
My uncle, Bob Cunningham, had driven from Minnesota to the northern point in Alaska a few years back and had always had the idea of driving the other half of what is called the Pan-American Highway. At it's simplest, a set of highways that will get you from the "northest" of North America to the "southest" of South America. We had both talked about it for a few years and for whatever reason, this became the year to do it. Throughout it's discussion, we were able to coax into the trip my Father Donn Cunningham and both his and my good friend Charlie Melberg. It wasn't the first time for this A-Team to be assembled, we had all spent two weeks road tripping around South Africa and having a grand ole time. Likely a reason it was easy to talk them into coming for a portion of this trip.
The plan is/was for me to drive the car, a 1998 Chevy Tahoe (to be named later), to Brownsville, Texas where I would pick up my Uncle Bob and then we would both drive to Oaxaca, Mexico to pick up Donn and Charlie where they would join us to Panama until the end of January.
So other than being ready to enter Mexico tommorrow, my 1500 mile drive from Minnesota did have some high points. I left Minnesota on the 4th, with plans to be in Brownsville on the 6th. The first day I left MN at about 5:00p.m. and drove to Middle of Nowhere, Kansas. Then next day on the 5th I had plans to drive from Kansas to Corpus Cristi, Texas where I could do some shopping and then head down to Brownsville. Little did Iknow the day would prove to be very exicting.
After driving for six hours I had finally hit Oklahoma City, OK and was starting to feel hungry. Before leaving on this drive, I had just returned from Utah a few days earlier and was starting to dread McDonalds, Subway, Arby's, and any other food that might come in a bag. When I drive I get very goal oriented and for some reason like to drive 12-18 hours at a time only stopping at places I can get gas, food, and a bathroom all within about 20 minutes. My body had taken it's toll and it was finally time to slow down the pace and find some food with some substance. I decided I was going to hit up some type of cafe or truck stop restuarant and that's when I saw the sign for "Ruby's Inn." It hit me like a bullet, I knew that was the place for me. I was in Purcell, OK, just south of Oklahoma City. It was the same town you could find all over the rest of rural U.S.A., with one difference, they had Ruby's.
As soon as I stepped in the door, I could smell all those great cafe smells. Breakfast being cooked in the afternoon, homeade soups, I saw the old school salad bar, it was perfect. I didn't even have to see a menu to know that I wanted, a BLT, salad bar, and some good and hot Potato soup. A woman greeted me at the door with a big smile, attractive southern drawl, and silver hair. I immediately liked her happiness and glow. After I had given her my order, I was listening to the people around me and hearing waitresses ask customers, "Oh, so how is the Stewart family?" or "We didn't see you folks in church the other morning," and it really got me smiling, reminding me of home and what I love so much about small towns. What a great thing this cafe experience was. It blew any form of fast food right out of the water!
A moment later I heard someone say, "RUBY!!" Sure enough my waitresses name was Ruby. She infact, was the owner of the 30 room motel and restaurant and had been for 30 years. Before that her family had owned it and she had been waitressing in that same place for almost 40 years. It seems like a pretty basic story, nothing too exciting, except for meeting this nice, older, southern woman.
After thanking Ruby for an amazing meal in between fast food bags and candy bars, I stepped out the door and smiled because I knew that this was the first in a long line of interpersonal experiences and I was traveling for that exact reason. Another very small and seemingly normal interaction that we have with people that make us smile later when we think about them.
Shortly after I pulled into the gas station for gas and as I was paying, I saw a tin of Skoal and it really caught my eye. I don't normally use tobacco, but every now and then I will so I bought the tin and headed south down I-39. I little while later I put in a pinch of the "chaw" as the folks down here might call it and a few moments later I had to really laugh as I crossed the state line into Texas and the first thing I saw was a HUGE Texas flag, a sign welcoming me to Texas, and then another sign that said "Don't Mess with Texas! (petewwww!! spitting sound!!!)!! It was pretty halarious and as I drove I saw the signs mentioning cowboy this, comanche that, ranch this and cow that, all the while having this pinch of chewing tobacco in, I found this very comical and perfectly fitting!!!
Needless to say, I made it to Brownsville, mostly without incident. If the drive down was a precurser to the events and memories to be made with Bob, Donn, and Charlie while headed "South Bound and Down," I'm terribly excited and can't wait to share the stories!
(I decided for each post I would put a little blurb or joke about "what I learned" so here we go)
WHAT I LEARNED: Good things really can come from Oklahoma!!
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