Driving down to Mexico

For our 10th winter vacation in Mexico, my wife Linda and I decided to drive there for the first time. We have sojourned on the island of Cozumel off the east coast of Mexico, stayed at resorts in Puerto Vallarta, Mazatlan and Playa del Carmen, and rented a house for a month in the colonial San Miguel de Allende.

In 2008, for the third consecutive year, we rented a condo on the Pacific coast, a half hour drive north of the port city of Manzanillo, less well known than other places with many all inclusive resorts. The reaction from friends when we said we were taking the car was, "What! You're going to drive to Mexico?"

Some folks were dubious, but we weren't. At the Vida del Mar condo development of 13 buildings near Santiago at the northern edge of Manzanillo on the west coast, we had many chats with folks who drove from Canada and the United States.

From British Columbia, Minnesota, Colorado, Wisconsin and Idaho, they were there to escape winter and spend part of "the season," Nov. 1 to April 30, in glorious sunshine.

Here's how to drive to Mexico: Get some American cash and Mexican pesos. Aim the car south. Follow your nose. Go. at Coutts. We were on good four lane highways all the way.

We allowed eight or nine days for the journey, spending nights en route with family and friends in Calgary, Salt Lake City and Phoenix. Two nights in Las Vegas provided a vacation within a vacation. and Mexico were booked in advance on the Internet.

Before you leave home, though, get your paperwork in order.

First, you need Mexican car insurance. Friends recommended American agents who deal with Mexican insurance policies. I talked on a toll free line to one company that came highly recommended, then filled out an online application form. The policy arrived via e mail minutes later. A printed copy in English and Spanish came by mail a few days later.

We crossed at Nogales, just south of Tucson, Ariz. At the end of the "free zone," 21 kilometres south of the Mexican border, we stopped to buy tourist visas for about $25 per person, payable with cash. A car permit costs about $32, payable by credit card only. A sticker goes on your windshield. It's important to keep the paperwork when returning, to show customs officials, who remove the sticker.

Save time at the border by reporting to immigration with two photocopies each of your passport, driver's licence and automobile registration. You will then need photocopies made of the tourist visa from the service available.

In Mexico, from the border to Manzanillo, we took the cuota, or toll roads. They are wider, faster and smoother than the libre (free) roads, and don't go through many small towns where topes, or speed bumps, will launch a car airborne if not approached slowly.

Toll fees for the cuota were about $145 each way, the trade off being that it is more direct and the traffic is lighter. The highways wind along volcanic mountains and valleys with plantations of coconut palms, bananas, mangoes, papayas and sugar cane, and through ranch country and meticulously groomed farms of fruits and vegetables.

Endless fields of corn provide for the ubiquitous tortillas with any meal.

Driving added more than two weeks more away from Edmonton's winter. When it was a gorgeous day of plus 28 in Mexico with clear skies, an ocean breeze with pelicans and frigate birds soaring by and ocean liners [url=http://www.pandoracharmsoutletstore.top/pandora-jewelry-c-2/pandora-earring... earrings mix and match and container ships passing on the horizon, we didn't miss the 32 C weather in Edmonton. The drive also provided the means to see country that was new to us, mainly in Utah, Arizona, Nevada and Mexico.

Compared with flying, then renting a vehicle, it cost less to drive, stay in hotels and have our own car. We spent several days driving each way, compared with the speed of flying, and put 12,000 km on the tires.

The difference between rental accommodation and an all inclusive trip is that we lived on the local economy, buying groceries at stores and supermarkets. Local shops such as our favourite bakery with hot bollitos fresh from the brick oven, and fresh fish at the seafood market add to the interest of shopping.

Of course, women all seem to know the best shop for those vital procedures getting their hair and nails done. I got a haircut, too. Another shop supplied Linda with a new pair of glasses at less than half the cost of lenses and frames at home.

One never gets tired of perfect weather or the million dollar view from the coast, or the brilliant tropical blossoms, flowering trees or kiskadees flitting among the palms. For me, each day included a vigorous walk and a good swim. Of special interest was a sunrise walk on the beach to watch fishermen bring in their daily catch.

We often walked to the lagoon about a kilometre and a half away for bird watching to see roseate spoonbills, ibises, snowy egrets, various herons, black vultures and a host of seabirds. Indigo buntings and citreoline trogans flitted among the jungle growth at roadside, and occasionally we would get a look at the noisy turkey like chachalacas in the treetops, probably named for their chatter. We were lucky to catch a glimpse of a coatimundi scurrying across the road and watched an armadillo digging for tasty grubs.

A visit to the Saturday market is a weekly ritual. There one can choose from endless displays of fresh produce, silver jewelry, handcrafts, clothing, tablecloths, ceramic products and a huge selection of bootleg music and movies on disc. Purchases always included awesome avocados and a kilo of perfect strawberries.

Roadside stands offer tacos, barbecued chicken, papayas, mangoes and pineapples and coconuts. A watermelon can be had for 10 pesos, about one Canadian dollar. In stores, a bottle of decent tequila is about a quarter of the price of the same product in Canada.

The all important blender is an absolute [url=http://www.pandoracharmsoutletstore.top/]Pandora Charms Outlet Store necessity to mix a batch of margaritas, pina coladas or limonada to enjoy while watching hummingbirds at the feeder, the whales spouting and breaching, or the manta rays leaping out of the water, sometimes several at a time apparently jumping for joy in the waters of the Pacific.

While most meals were at home, dining out for authentic Mexican cuisine in local restaurants was always a treat and not expensive. Lounging around the pool became a daily ritual, and for Linda there was the daily women's aquasize class. Working on a book project provided a good start to every day before I could no longer resist being outside.

Although most of our time was spent near "home" with its beautifully kept 26 acres, abundant with palms, lawns and tropical flowers, we did some local travelling. The drive to the centre of Manzanillo is only 30 minutes, for a walk around the shops and lunch of sopa de la tortilla, enchiladas and a cold beer at the Colonial Hotel.

About 35 km from there is the sleepy coastal town of Cuyutlan, where the "green wave" in giant breakers crash as they approach the shore before lapping at the great endless beach of black sand. Nearby, visitors are welcome at a turtle hatchery and ecological centre. Barra de Navidad, 60 km north, is off the beaten track, offering the charm of a Mexican coastal fishing town.

Inland 115 km on the cuota is the un touristy and charming city of Colima, capital of the state bearing the same name. Going there we pass endless coco plantations, and when approaching the city are roadside stands selling fresh fruit and bags of sea salt.

A fine day can be spent on the drive there, a walk around Colima's churches, colonial style buildings, galleries and public gardens, followed by lunch Pandora Outlet Store in the shade of a sidewalk cafe. Just 15 km farther is Comala, a traditional cobblestoned Mexican town, where mariachi bands may compete for your business at the restaurants. Comala is one of 30 towns designated Magical Towns of Mexico in recognition of efforts to preserve traditional culture and history.

Near Colima is the magnificent Volcan de Fuego, also known as the Volcan de Colima, Mexico's most active volcano. The drive to Mexico and back provided excellent views of it.

For someone wanting a shorter break from winter, ironically it can cost more for airfare alone to Manzanillo than some one week charters including flights, accommodation, meals and drinks in three or four star resorts. Air only might see you taking three flights in a very long day, compared with a non stop charter package from Edmonton or Calgary that gets you there in about five hours.