Mexico 2005

Friends with a motor home called to ask if we would interested in joining them on a trip to Mexico, traveling with a “caravan” on an RV tour......   We had never looked at Caravan camping before, but the fact that it was a chance to really see the interior of Mexico with a tour guide perked our interest.   Neither of us speak Spanish and since we would be going into some very out of the places and into the interior of the country, we decided a tour group trip would indeed be the best way to go.

The 45 day trip within the country of Mexico was extensive......

Feb. 6, 7,  8,

PHARR TX

DAY 2 CD VICTORIA

DAY 3 TAMPICO

DAY 4-6 COSTA DE ESMERALDA

DAY 7-8 VERACRUZ

DAY 9 VILLAHERMOSA

DAY 10-11 ISLA AGUADA

DAY 12-14 CAMPECHE

DAY 15 UXMAL

DAY 16-18 MERIDA

DAY 19-20 CHICHENITZA

DAY 21-23 CANCUN

DAY 24-28 PAAMUL

DAY 29 BACALAR

DAY 30-33 PALENQUE

DAY 33 VILLAHERMOSA

DAY 34 TEHUANTEPEC

DAY 35=37 OAXACA

DAY 38-39 PUEBLA

DAY 40-41 COSTA DE ESMERALDA

DAY 42 TAMPICO

DAY 43 CIUCAD VICTORIA

March 25

DAY 45 BORDER CROSSING

Pharr, TX

Due to the length of this trip I will try to skip a lot of the details from my journal  and try to be frugal with the pictures....I took over a thousand but promise to only give a sampling of the highlights.

We left our house January 22nd, and stopped at the scales to weigh the unit.  The pickup alone weighs 7,220 lbs.    Gross weight with the camper all loaded is 21,540 lbs.   leaving our camper weight at 14,320 lbs.   We planned for this trip for months and left home feeling like we had everything with us that we might need or wouldn't be able to purchase on the way.  Since I am a stickler for planning ahead we joined the group completely prepared and I would not change one thing if planning it again.    

We had left home two weeks early with plans to see some places on our way.  We spent some time in San Antonio, Houston, Galveston bay, South Padre Island, and arrived in Phar early enough to get all of our immigration papers  & vehicles cleared at the border a couple of days before our actual take off date.  We also met the leaders of the caravan there, exchanged our money for peso’s, attended the orientation meeting, and got acquainted with some of the others we would be traveling with.   

It took a couple of days to get to our first "tourist stop" in Houston but we had a nice campground and enjoyed touring the area.

The Alamo

Port of Galveston showing the "Ocean Star" off shore drilling museum 

 One of the highlights was touring  the

 platform of the "Ocean Star" drilling rig

looking straight up to the top of the derrick

Nasa

Leaving Houston we traveled on to South Padre Island where we met up with our friends and went on together to Phar TX to meet with the rest of the Caravan.  There were 20 campers in our caravan.  We traveled in groups of 10, each with it’s own “wagon master”, or leader who were employee’s of the company.  They also had a “tail gunner” who followed behind both groups making sure all campers made it from point to point and helped with any repairs that may be needed.   All employees of the company were fluent in Spanish and had made this trip before so they knew all of the in’s and out’s, the routes, and the places to stay away from.   

Our Campground in Phar TX

Having my passport checked

Ready for take off

Lined up and ready to pull out for the border crossing to Mexico.  

There were 6 "fifth wheels" in the group including ours.

The rest were large motor homes, except for one pickup camper and two mini vans.

A typical day when traveling like this, included starting the day with a group meeting.   We had been given a 2” ring binder notebook with maps, directions, road hazards, fuel stops, and daily schedules.   Every morning about 8:00 a.m. we met as a group with the wagon master and he went over each detail making sure everyone understood what was ahead of for the day.  Questions were asked and answered, and they made sure we all had the day’s destination foremost in our mind.    Of the many jobs the "Tail Gunner" had, he checked everyone’s tire pressures every morning usually before anyone else was out of bed.   He left no chance for over sleeping late as we were awakened every morning with a thump, thump on the side of our tires. Everyone in the caravan had a CB and each day the wagon master would appoint one of the group to travel behind him and relay messages back to the campers behind them.  Here I am taking notes at one of the morning meetings.

First stop at Tampico and Costa de Esmeralda to visit the ruins of El Tajin

Governor's temple at El Tajin

The Papantia Flyers.....Amazing
Near the El Tajin Ruins at Costa De Esmeralda

One of my favorite places was Isle Aguada.  A beautiful, and welcoming small town in the state of Compachee

our RV park in Isle Aguada

Jim boarding the  cart we drove around town all day

Beautiful flowers everywhere we looked

Spotted on the street I ask them to pose for a
Picture and they were more than happy to do so.

Goodnight Isle Aguada

Veracruz, a huge city and one I was not fond of.....  We toured the beach board walk, the zocolo, an old prison, and Cathedrals.   I was uncomfortable during the two nights we stayed there.  Very crowded and with a lot of Military presence. Driving into and out of the city was very difficult.

Standing in front of one of the government buildings in Veracruze

ok, so we're crazy.... 

On to Villahermosa

Jose's Hammock factory - operated out of his home
All netting was hand dyed and hand woven

Jose weaving our names on a hammock we purchased

A lake near Merida where we went to see the Flaminngo's

Coming in for a landing

Aren't I the pretty one!

Beause the RV parks in Mexico are not always up to standard to those in the United States, often times we were asked to park in some very difficult places for a night or two.  There were always problems with electric plug in’s, some sewer attachments, and extremely tight places we had to sometimes back into.   Certain rules were always enforced......  We were not allowed to “start our engine’s” until given orders to do so by the wagon master, and you parked where you were told without questioning, only when it was your turn.   Without being told, we were expected to take care of our own needs and watch out for our fellow travelers.

Sometimes with no hookup's

and when we did have hookup's they weren't all that great

Tight Parking at the lot in Chichen Itza

Impromptu wine party after a day of tours

From the top of one temple at Chichen Itza across the courtyard to another temple

Jim climbing up the temple steps

To put it in perspective.....Mary climbing up

Next stop Cancun and the Isle of Muieres near Paamul

Treasures, treasures and more treasures

  

Pool at our park near Paamul
and Cancun

Ferry to Isla Muieres a rock & shell lover's dream.   The piece I'm holding came home with me

The "Shell House" on Isla Murjueres

Our first attempt at snorkeling

On the Road Again

The Road to Palianique

Jim and Mary at the Palianique temples

Mayan Caalendar

 

Trees full of Blossoms

Paamul at xel-ha Water Park and gardens

We walked the paths, took our suits and snorkled in the clear waters  and 
 soaked in the beauty of the gardens
That evening we enjoyed a dinner show that told the history of Mexico through dance

Miso Ha

My favorite place in all of Mexico.......the day we visited "Miso Ha".   A waterfall deep in the jungle not far from Palianque.....  It's a little know tourist stop, out of the way and not easy to get to.  You can hear the falls before you can see them.   Hiking into them we seen nature at its best with flowering trees, foliage, surrounded by absolute beauty.

 

In front of the falls

Behind the falls

Another beautiful and unique place near Palinique were the Aguda Azul falls.....  very commercialized but worth visiting if you're ever in the area.  The falls travel down the mountains a long distance into the Azul river and you can hike for miles along them

Traveling to Villahermosa we visited the  museum where the Olmec heads are displayed.  They were discovered in 1925 the jungles around the LaVenta ruins but because the site is so hard to get to and for the purpose of preservation they moved the heads to where they could be better protected.  The Olmec civilization were at their peak from 300 to 800 b.c.  The heads are some of the oldest carvings ever discovered in Mexico.

Across the range of mountains to the Pacific side to Tehuanapec.....We parked at an old hacienda in a grove of mango trees where the family owners have opened the area for tours......It was a wonderful place and the people were very warm and inviting.  They served a dinner to us outside in front of the what's left standing of the haciennda.  The man who runs it is 5 generations removed and has kept it in the family.  They put on a show that evening with local girls parading many of the beautiful antique handmade dresses worn in that era.

Parked in the mango grove

In the afternoon one of the field workers came driving by
It is also a real working ranch

Dinner in front of the old hacienda ruins

Modeling festive party dress of early generations

Onward to the village of Oaxaca (pronounced Wohaca) where the local artisans showcase their talents with wood carvings, black pottery, and rug weavers. We also seen the world's larges Banyon tree near there.   It was a beautiful drive with flowering trees and bushes all along our route.

Jacaranda tree

   

The largest Cypress tree in the world

Once again God outdid himself.........

whimsical wood carvings

                                                                               

Rug weaver at work

Beautiful Black Pottery

Then on to the city of Puebla

We visited several catherdals, the Talavera tile factory, (and yes I did bring home some beautiful pieces) We had a nice dinner at a restaurant that evening, and later we all went to a bar and danced the night away to some wonderful mexican music

The Talavera Tile Company

The Longest Drive

Our drive today took us from almost 9,000 feet in elevation, over the mountains

down to 12 ft. above sea level......It was an exciting, scary and very beautiful drive

We went thru tiny villages, up and down steep inclines, around sharp curves 

and through beautiful scenery.  

We are nearing the end of our last leg of the trip

Our unit taken from one of the campers behind us

Returning to Cossta de Esmeralda that evening, everyone was tired from the long days 
drive.  After resting a party broke out with several dancing the Machirina, lots of wine 
and margarita's........   The next day we all contributed to a celebration breakfast.

Seista Time after a long day of driving

The Macharina line at a party
that evening in front of our camper

I cooked pancakes on the grill the next morning for 45 people and had every topping imaginable setting out 
from peanut butter to jams, lots of butter and hot maple syrup.  
Others brought egg casseroles, 

bacon & sausage, fruit, muffins & breakfast potatoes.

We drove as far as Tampico where we had our farewell dinner

and spent the night before going on back to cross the border and enter

 Pharr Texas where we started.   The dinner was wonderful and 

we all had a great time.  Five years later we still stay in touch with many

of those we traveled with in the Caravan.

Reflecting back on the trip I'm so glad we took it....we seen beautiful sights

met many wonderful people, learned a lot about our camper and made

memories that we'll have forever.   It was not an easy trip, traveling

in a caravan with 19 other campers, on a schedule is hard.  We were on the go from morning

until night every day for two months, sometimes under very difficult situations.

   It was a very unique experience and one that the average tourist who flies into

a resort would not have.   I felt like we really got to see more of the

"real" Mexico, it's beautiful Myan indian peoples, all it's good and some of it's bad.

Waiting in line to cross back into the United States


Adios Mexico

Thank you it was a wonderful trip

I hope to return some day