Ferry from La Paz, BC Sur to Mazatlan, Sinaloa

Monday, January 21 we woke up at 6 am, making sure that we had enough time to drive to La Paz (estimated driving time was about 2 ½ to 3 hours) to catch the ferry over to Mazatlan. By the time we ate breakfast, got ready, paid for the room and filled up the car it was almost 8 am. The speedometer read 179867 when we left Cabo San Lucas.

The ferry ( www.bajaferries.com ) departs La Paz every Monday, Wednesday and Friday at 3:00 pm and they strongly advise that you purchase the tickets prior to noon if you have a vehicle to board. The duration of the ferry is estimated at 16 to 18 hours, depending on weather conditions. The ferry was actually located about 30 minutes drive out of La Paz in a town called Ysantana, I believe. We made it just before noon and barely in time to get our vehicle on board. Boy, did we luck out! There is usually no problem boarding the ferry as a passenger but making sure they have enough room for a vehicle is another story. The cost per Adult was 800 pesos, so about US$80 each ( http://www.bajaferries.com/modules/content/index.php?op=edit &id=12 .) We didn´t know the conditions of the ferry and since it was going to be an overnight passage we decided to pay for a cabin, cost was 400 pesos, so US$40. The vehicle cost is based on weight and size and we paid 2,150 pesos, so about US$215.00 ( http://www.bajaferries.com/modules/content/index.php?op=edit &id=13 .)

Since we had to board the vehicle Steve loaded the SUV onto the ferry and I had to stay on land and wait until boarding time. I think it was about 1 ½ hours later when we boarded it was past 2 pm. I took lots of pictures because I have never been on a ferry that big before and found it quite exiting. But then again, I am easily amused. I met an Italian couple who were also travelling through Mexico for a few months and we chatted while waiting to board. In spite of all the things we heard prior from other people, the ferry was very clean and pleasant. Our cabin was cute, with two bunk beds and a full private bathroom with a shower. We dropped our luggage off in the room and went off to see the rest of the ferry. Dinner and breakfast were included in the price we paid for the ferry, so we thought that was not a bad deal. Dinner was a simple Mexican meal of chicken, rice and beans and breakfast was eggs, beans and tortillas, it was quite a good portion. The cost did not include any beverages, they were extra. I thought it was pretty good, but then again, I was thankful food was included.

There are many seats on the ferry and a person does not require a cabin for the ride. If you want a comfortable sleep we advise you do get a cabin since the passage is quite long. We met a couple of Americans on board (one from Sacramento, CA and the other from Seattle, WA), as well as a couple from Penticton, BC. So we all hung out and had a few drinks chatting about life, politics, the American health system, being a few of the many topics we covered. The bar was closing at 11 pm and we all went to bed. We both had a great sleep even though we think that was the first time we slept apart since we met. The bunk beds reminded me of summer camp...it was fun!

Day 7 in Cabo San Lucas - Hanging Out

Saturday, January 19th we took it easy and tried to do a bit of work on the site uploading information. We treated ourselves that night by going out for dinner at what we thought would be a great Italian restaurant, at Trattoria De Los Cabos http://www.latrattoriacabo.com/ . But the meal was quite disappointing and really not worth the high price.

We parked downtown Cabo as we always have because we had to pick up a few items before leaving Cabo. So we returned to our car and drove off realizing we had a flat tire. We were really pissed off because at first we thought someone had punctured it on purpose but that was not the case as we found out later. It took us awhile to change the tire and it was the first time we used our new 'jack'. We were in a busy area and most everyone that walked by always tried to help us and they were really nice. So we have to say that the Mexicans in Cabo are really courteous people and very helpful.

We planned to go out on the town to a few clubs and bars but ended up falling asleep at about 7 pm and didn`t wake up until after 11 pm, at which time we didn't think it was worth our time to get ready and go party..so we didn`t bother and went back to bed. Boy, were we beat!!


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Day 6 in Cabo San Lucas - ATV/Off-Road Tour

Friday, January 18th we were picked up from our hotel to enjoy our third activity - the 3 hour ATV/Off-Road Tour with Amigos Cabos Moto Rent www.amigosactivities.com . The taxi was a bit late but we enjoyed the drive down to the ATV location. They are located about 15-20 minutes away from Cabo San Lucas on Highway 19 towards Todos Santos. We were geared up and ready for action! Steve was very excited because he loves racing of all sorts and I was really looking forward to driving the ATV.

We were guided for about 20 minutes, through some rough terrain, to join the rest of the people down at the beach. Upon arriving at the beach, we were given instructions to drive carefully and what to watch out for, etc... and then we were left on our own for about an hour or so to explore the area. The scenery was gorgeous and we loved being left on our own to drive like maniacs. We got our tires stuck once or twice but it was so much fun getting dirty on the trails!! It was really hot out too and we were having a blast! The unguided hour seemed to go by way too quick.

We joined the group once again, at which point we were taken through some more trails, then we stopped at an open style restaurant/ bar to have some drinks and food (not included in the price) so we bought a cerveza and it was really good!We took a break there for about 15 minutes and then back off-roading for another 40 minutes, guided this time, finally making our way back to the ATV location. We were dropped back at our hotel by about 4:30 pm. We jumped in the shower immediately. If you ever want to experience ATV/Off-Road we suggest you do not wear good clothes because you will get dirty. We would certainly recommend this tour as it consisted of most terrains that the other ATV companies use but also the beach tour was phenomenal! The staff was terrific and very helpful.

Day 5 in Cabo San Lucas - Parasailing Day

The following day, Thursday, January 17th we were scheduled to go Parasailing at about noon. We drove down to Cabo San Lucas' main beach - Playa El Médano (The Dune Beach). This is the most popular beach for swimming and watersports. We walked over to JT Watersports http://www.jtwatersports.com/ tour guides location and they immediately flagged down a water taxi to take us to the actual parasailing boat. Steve and I scheduled single rides (not tandem, 2 people) as we wanted to experience the parasailing on our own. We were both really excited because neither of us had ever been parasailing!

The company was professional and the guys were really great at helping us with getting the equipment set up. The boat was practically full, with 2 other couples and the two of us. The two couples went before us and they both decided to go tandem. They both really enjoyed the experience. I then got geared up and went next. The most exciting part for me was while they raised me up and when they brought me down - since I had asked them to dunk me in the water a bit (to my knees.) The ride was really spectacular as it was quite high and I was able to see the entire Cabo Marina and area as well as all the beaches. It was a very pleasant ride that lasted about 15 minutes. Steve went after me and he was kind of nervous because he does not like highs at all. However, he really loved the experience and he thought the view was amazing! His ride seemed longer than mine but he thinks it was sill about 15 minutes. The entire event took about 1 ½ hours after everyone on the boat took their turn and they dropped us back at Médano Beach at about 2 pm.

We spend the remainder of the day at the beach and hung out at the hotel resting for the remainder of the evening.

Day 4 in Cabo San Lucas - Snorkelling Tour

Wednesday, January 16th and we were ready to experience our first activity in Cabo San Lucas. We had booked a few activities the day prior and got an awesome deal on them. The first activity was the 4 hour Snorkelling Tour with Oceanus http://www.loscabosguide.com/oceanus/index.html . We arrived at the pier at about 10:20 am and it was a beautiful day. The boat was very clean and the staff was very professional and friendly. They had music on the entire time, so the atmosphere was fun! The boat was pretty full, with about 50 people. On the main floor of the boat the people were going on the MiniSub Tour and they were not allowed to drink alcohol (probably for safety reasons.) On the top level of the boat, where we were - most of the people were going on the Snorkelling Tour and some were simply just on the Sight Seeing Tour.

We were taken to the famous Lover's Beach (Playa Del Amor) - located on the Sea of Cortez side of Land's End at Cabo San Lucas. There was the famous stone arch, called El Arco, a magnificent natural rock formation at Land´s End. The rock formations were really cool!

Most people hire a water taxi at the Marina to actually get to Lover´s Beach or Divorce Beach. We were told that swimming can be quite dangerous because the currents are quite powerful and the waves of the Pacific are often really strong. Swimming and snorkelling should only be attempted on the Sea of Cortez side of Lover's Beach.

They also took us near Divorce Beach - stretch of clean white sand located on the Pacific coast a short walk from Lover's Beach. Divorce Beach is great for sunbathing and relaxing, but again it is very dangerous to swim on this beach. Stay out of the water along this beach, swimming is best at the bay side of Lover's Beach.
Other beaches we were taken to were: Playa Costa Azul (Blue Coast Beach) - half mile stretch before Palmilla Bay is the world famous surf break called Costa Azul; and Playa Acapulquito - Just west of Playa Costa Azul is a little stretch of beach called Playa Acapulquito, known as Old Man's Beach; and Playa Barco Varado (Shipwreck Beach.) I believe our final destination was Playa Chileno (Chilean Beach) - just southwest of the Hotel Cabo San Lucas, a great beach for swimming and snorkelling, located on the Sea of Cortez side of Land's End at Cabo San Lucas. I guess it is very popular with the locals on the weekends, but it´s not too congested on weekdays. With an amazing reef, Chileno is perfect for snorkelling and scuba diving.

The entire time we were served `all you can drink´ beverages and we decided to order some alcohol. Once we arrived at the snorkelling area we were given our equipment and were basically left on our own. This was not a guided tour and we really didn´t see any extraordinary water life other than a few schools of fish (pictures of the snorkelling will be uploaded when we develop the film from the water camera.) So in our opinion the snorkelling was not that great but lots of fun since we were left on our own for almost an hour to explore the waters. After the snorkelling trip we were provided a snack of tuna salad and nachos and of course, more beverages of our choice. The music was loud the entire time on the boat and we really had a great time! We arrived back at the Marina by about 3 pm and went back to the hotel for a late afternoon `siesta´.

We went out to eat that night since we were beat from being out all day but this time we picked a meal for under US $20. It was really great!

Day 3 in Cabo San Lucas - Enjoying Cabo

Once again on Tuesday, January 15th we walked around the town and learned as much as we could about the Tour companies and what they had to offer. We met with a few owners and booked a couple of meetings for the days following. We ate our first dinner in Cabo at what seemed to be a fairly inexpensive restaurant (La Langosta Desvelada) but it ended up costing us over US $40, and all we had was an entree each and a cerveza (beer.) We quickly realized that food was not much different in cost then going out for dinner back home, in Canada. For us being on a budget and travelling for the next 6 months this type of cost was way too much and we knew we could not eat like that every day.

Day 2 in Cabo San Lucas - Sightseeing Cabo

We drove and walked around Cabo San Lucas on Monday, January 14th. We walked around the Boulevard Marina and the water front (known as the Malecon) where all the boats and yachts are located. There are many restaurants, a few resorts and tons of vendors set up, selling you anything from candy, gum to clothing, jewellery, hand crafted ornaments, you name, it they had it! We found a somewhat busy patio (Restaurant Wamango De Baja) on the Malecon and decided to stop in for the special they were offering - 5 beers with nacho chips and salsa for only US $10. We watched the sunset and really enjoyed the day.

That evening we went to the local supermarket named Super Plaza Aramburo, because we needed to buy a few groceries. For people who do the all-inclusive and they think Mexico is really cheap, think again!! We found out that food in Cabo is not cheap at all and to give you a few examples: a green pepper is about US $2.38, that is for one pepper, most vegetables were very pricey because they are not grown in the Baha and are mostly imported from the US or mainland Mexico. Anything canned such as soups, vegetables were about US $2 to $3 per can...quite outrageous!! We bought a pasta sauce and it cost almost US $5. Bread was not bad, often at about US $1.50 to $2, but some may even think that is pricey. So it goes to show you that unless you are actually grocery shopping in Cabo you will never know how expensive food really is! We are not really sure how the locals can actually afford to grocery shop in Cabo.

Driving into Cabo San Lucas, BCS, Mexico

We were told that Cabo San Lucas, Baha California Sur, was about 2 ½ hours away. We were getting really excited because the drive would be a piece of cake in comparison to the drive we had driven the past 2 days. We were almost at our 1st adventure spot we planned to feature on the website www.adventurestodo.com
and we were happy that we made it.

On Sunday, January 13th we reached Cabo San Lucas at about 2:30pm and started looking for a hotel. We found Hotel Santa Fe http://www.hotelsantafeloscabos.com/cms/ and we are still there today. Upon arriving in Cabo the speedometer read 179725.

We drove around a bit that day and familiarized ourselves with the main strip in Cabo San Lucas and found it to be quite welcoming. We can see why Cabo is one of Mexico’s top destinations because it is so beautiful here! Cabo offers an endless list of activities, dining and entertainment for all tastes. The adventure activities and/or sports are discribed in detail in the next few days of the Blog.

Made it 2 La Paz, Baha California Sur, Mexico

The drive was 9 hours on Saturday, January 12, 2008 and we finally stopped in La Paz, Baha California Sur, and the capital of BCS. This was probably the most insane drive and Steve drove most of the way because I had a close call with a semi truck as he veered into my lane and I could not stop shaking for a few hours after that. Prior to arriving in La Paz, we had a close call with not being able to find a gas station, luckily we found an off-the-road station at Puerto Escondido, a huge port just past Loreto, BCS. By this time the speedometer read 179170.

We stayed at Club El Moro Hotel (
http://www.bajainsider.com/baja-california-travel/baja-desti nations/la-paz/hotels-la-paz-01.htm
) on the main strip in La Paz. This was a pleasant hotel and the service was very nice. The balconies were lovely as well. The wireless Internet did not work very well in the rooms and we had to sit out on the patio for full access. The room was a bit more than what we wanted to spend since we are on a budgeted trip but it turned out to be a great experience as we ended up driving the main strip and got to see a lot of what La Paz has to offer.

Filled up in Puerto Escondido, Baha California Sur

Prior to arriving in La Paz, we had a close call with not being able to find a gas station, luckily we found an off-the-road station at Puerto Escondido, a huge port just past Loreto, Baha California Sur. By this time the speedometer read 179170.

We also want to mention that while driving the Baha California the roads at the start were not too bad but as we kept driving the Baha, by mid-way we realized that this drive would be quite a tough one. The mountain roads are quite narrow, very steep and every few miles we saw a cross with flowers, showing that someone had died in that area. It is a very emotional drive and vey `white knuckled´ in some areas. There are many accidents on the Baha because people are either careless, or rush the drive, or maybe even drive at night. There are cattle on the road such as: cows, bulls, goats, horses and donkeys, and they seem to simply pop up in front of you as they are not fenced off and roam freely. We were not sure if they were owned by locals or simply wild cattle. We had a couple of close calls on the drive down. This is a huge reason not to drive at night in Mexico.

Stopped in Guerrero Negro, Baha California Sur

On Saturday, January 12th we crossed over into the Baha California Sur and in Guerrero Negro there was a stop that required us to pay 10 Pesos or US $1.00, for a mandatory ‘pesticide spray’. We are not sure if that is what it was or just a quick spray of water, but we thought this to be quite weird.

Overnight in San Ignacio, Baha California, Mexico

We drove about 9 hours and decided to pull into an off-the-road hotel in San Ignacio, Baha California, Mexico. We were trying to make it to Guerrero Negro but realized the sun was setting soon and we could not drive onwards any longer. The hotel was quite a large setting with a restaurant and bar, named Rice and Beans Oasis - http://www.ontheroadin.com/baja/bajarvparks/riceandbeansoasis.htm . The bartender was also the hotel check in guy and everything else that night. He was very pleasant and we really enjoyed the atmosphere there. The food was OK and reasonably priced. We met a retired couple from Hope, British Columbia that evening. There were quite a few Americans there as this is a well known RV Park location. This Hotel sponsors or is a pit stop for the Baha 1000 (off-road race) (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Baja_1000 ) Steve really enjoyed this as he is a huge race fan proven by the other sites we own, so we took some pictures of the signed car hoods in the restaurant lobby.

Leaving San Quintin, Baha California, Mexico

We arrived in San Quintin and ended up staying at a 4 star Hotel that night named Maria Celeste Hotel. It was really inexpensive and even had wireless Internet. The hotel staff was very polite and the accommodations were clean. We went out to eat at a local restaurant recommended to us by the hotel personnel. The restaurant was named Mision Santa Isabel. It was really good food, but we thought quite pricey for where we were located – in the middle of nowhere!Friday, January 11th and we are off to another full day of driving. We filled up in San Quintin and the speedometer read 178290. Since we left Calgary, Alberta, we drove 3,235 km. Friday the drive was very spectacular, however the mountainous highways were quite scary at times. The road was very well paved most of the time, but it became narrower and the steep drive through the mountains was quite adventurous. We drove about 9 hours and decided to pull into an off-the-road hotel in San Ignacio, Baha California.

Entering Tijuana, Baha California, Mexico

So the next morning, Thursday, January 10th, we woke up especially early to make sure we get through the Tijuana Boarder Crossing. We drove about 10 minutes and we seem to have driven into Tijuana!! There was no one there to stop up or ask us any information as to why we are going into Mexico , etc..; things one would expect when one crosses the Border into another country. So, after driving about 3 blocks we realize we are in f&*#$^ Tijuana!!!!!! We started freaking out because we had no clue what to do. So we stopped the car and decided to go back though to the US Boarder since we needed to get our Mexican Tourist Cards http://www.bajabound.com/before/permits/visa.php and Temporary Vehicle Pass http://www.bajabound.com/before/permits/vehicle.asp which we needed to enter Mexico mainland. So we asked for directions and ended up waiting to get back into the US (at the US Border) for just over an hour. Get this – then we get pulled over, because they randomly select cars to check for drugs, guns, etc... So we wait, while they check over our vehicle. We finally make it back into San Diego, California, by about 11am and filled up our car one last time and by the time we left San Diego, for the 2nd time, the speedometer read 177973.We get ready to cross the Mexican Border once again and this time we stopped prior to entering Tijuana. We would not advise anyone to enter Mexico through the Tijuana Border Crossing, that is if you plan to further onto Mexico mainland. The reason is that it is quite confusing since all the offices one requires to get the Mexican Tourist Cards and Temporary Vehicle Pass (which you have to have if you enter Mexico mainland) are not all in the same place. We were able to obtain the Tourist Cards there and even then we had to fill out the Cards , then go to a Bank they require us to pay at (the cost was 237 Pesos, so about US $24 each) and then go back to the Tourist Card Office to get them stamped.As for the Temporary Vehicle Pass, we had to fill out the forms in that area and drove into Tijuana about 4 blocks to another area, I think it was called Banjercito, a bank of sorts, to finalize payment and details and then we obtained the Temporary Vehicle Pass (cost was 328.19 Pesos or about US $33.) This Pass is required if you drive into Mexico as they do not like Canadians and/or Americans bringing cars to Mexico to sell them. You have to return this Temporary Vehicle Pass upon your return into the US as proof that you still have the vehicle you entered Mexico in.So finally we drive off into the sunset, sort of speak. The roads were not bad at all and the weather was really beautiful. We were exited that we got all the paperwork completed and that we were finally on the road to Mexico. Our only concern now was to get to a destination prior to sun down as we were advised not to drive at night in Mexico. We drove for about 5 ½ hours that day and made it to San Quintin, Baha California.When we entered Mexico we drove Highway 1 and there were 3 Toll Roads http://www.mexperience.com/guide/essentials/toll_road_charges.htm ; http://www.bajabound.com/before/driving/tollroads.asp , called CUOTA, we drove through on the way. There are the Toll Roads, which are better paved, much faster and probably safer, but you have to pay. We paid (at JSOA – 26 Pesos, or US $2.60, at JRANGEL - 26 Pesos, or US $2.60 and at JVAZQUEZ - 29 Pesos, or US $2.90.) There are also free Highways, called LIBRE, meaning free; but they are not well paved and much slower. We advise you take the Toll Roads.

Hangin' out in San Diego, California, USA.

The next morning, Wednesday, January 9th, we moved our luggage over to the Vagabond Inn (http://www.vagabondinn.com/SanDiegoMissionValleyPage/tabid/2 09/Default.aspx?hotel=302 ) This hotel was undergoing some renovations and we had to change our room, as the original room we were given, smelled of paint. The staff was very polite and the rooms were clean. We finally got settled in and decided to head out for the day. We shopped for a bit, bought most of what we needed for the trip, ate lunch at a place called Pei Wei (http://www.peiwei.com/), it seems to be a chain in the US. The food was all Asian cuisine, really great food and the price was surprisingly low.We spent our day driving and walking around San Diego, hung out at Old Town and Mission Bay, the La Jolla district and Beach, to name a few, as we can’t recall all we did that day...we did a lot. We saw some sea lions and really enjoyed the break in San Diego after driving for 2 full days.

Stopped in Las Vegas, Navada, USA for a bit

We drove through Las Vegas and thought about stopping in and maybe staying for the night but we decided to drive onwards to San Diego. We took a few pictures, stopped in to eat at Primms Valley Resort and Casino Cafe (http://www.lasvegas.net/Primm-Valley-resort-and-casino-info. htm ) and had a prime rib dinner for only US$7.99 + tax. It was delish!!

Still driving - Leaving Lehi, Utah, USA

The following day, Tuesday, January 8th, we left Lehi, Utah at about 8am and drove all the way to San Diego, California. Our speedometer read 176717 when we filled up that day in Scipio, Utah. Driving on Tuesday was fun because we drove through Nevada and the roads were narrow, twisty, lots of turns, thus exiting. It was a lot slower to drive but much fun. We also drove through Las Vegas and thought about stopping in and maybe staying for the night but we decided to drive onwards to San Diego. We took a few pictures, stopped in to eat at Primms Valley Resort and Casino Cafe (http://www.lasvegas.net/las-vegas-hotels-Primm-Valley-resort-and-casino.htm ) and had a prime rib dinner for only US$7.99 + tax. It was delish!! We drove almost 12 hours on Tuesday and made it to San Diego, California - our planned destination before entering the Mexican Border into Tijuana, Baha California. We settled for Motel 6, at Hotel Circle. The location was awesome since it was a few minutes’ drive to the inner city, to most beaches and attractions, but it was a bit overpriced, did not offer anything extra, even wireless Internet was at an extra cost. But we had to stop for the night and planned on staying in San Diego the following day so we hoped to find a better hotel rate the next day. While we stepped out for a bit that night, we found Vagabond Inn, another motel located within the Hotel Circle area.

On our way out of Calgary, Alberta, Canada

We left Calgary, Alberta, Canada at about 6:50am on Monday, January 7th with our speedometer reading 175055 and drove like maniacs. We drove Highway 2 all the way to Montana. Once in Montana, USA the highway turned into Interstate 15. We stopped in a few places for gas such as: Milk River, Alberta; Boulder and Dillon Montana, and Malad City, Idaho. That first day we drove through part of Alberta, the states: Montana, Idaho and partway through Utah. The drive overall was quite boring as it was very flat and uneventful. At times, I actually felt like falling asleep at the wheel. The most exciting part was at the Monida Pass as it started snowing and the highway was down to one-lane traffic. There were a few cars in the ditch so we drove cautiously for a while.We stopped at about 12am because we were getting very tired from driving and we ended up staying in Lehi, Utah for the night, at The Days Inn-Lehi ( http://www.daysinn.com/DaysInn/control/Booking/check_avail?p ropertyId=10979 ) The room was nothing special but it included a continental breakfast and the service was not bad. However they were located near a construction site or it seemed to be in the Industrial part of the city and was quite noisy at times.