Wednesday 19 September 2012

Day 74: middle of the Gulf of California to Mazatlan, Mexico

Good evening

It is nine-o-clock on a steamy evening in Mazatlan and I am trying to chill out in a hotel room with an air conditioning unit that produces copious din, but not much chill. Nonetheless it is cooler than it is outside.

Today was a tough day in the office. I think we will look back on the last few days as having been pretty challenging. The heat, the humidity and perplexities of bureaucracy didn't help. The ferry reminds me a bit of how NZ ferries used to be in the 1960s - basically run for the convenience of the staff rather than the customers.

The three of us woke reasonably early in our little cabin and manoeuvred around each other as we had a wash and got dressed. There was not much to be seen outside - we seemed to be at sea with no land in sight. Was the captain lost? We hoped not. Breakfast began to be served at 8am. I'm not sure what it all was but I found that the sight of refried beans in the stifling cafeteria was a bit much. Coffee and fresh fruit was all I had. Hopefully the fresh fruit is not something that I will regret.

At about 930 the staff came round booting us out of our cabins. Why, when the ship didn't arrive until 1030? Simple really, they want to change the bed linen and towels. So we had to return our keys (my passport thank you very much), get dressed in our heavy trousers and boots and take all our jackets and bags to reception to wait for the call to go below; down into hades muggified. At about 1045 we got the call and began to negotiate the ladders again to the bikes. What a great sight to see all four bikes still upright and unmoved. Kewl!

I packed Ebony back up and we waited for the ramp to be cleared for the motorcycles. It didn't take long and we were back up that narrow ramp and into mainland Mexico. Woo hoo! Diana had been bussed off the ship and we weren't sure where she was so we spent some time in anxious circles. I stopped in a shady spot only to find it was a shady spot reserved for the army and I was moved along smartly. We then came to an army checkpoint where cars were being stopped and searched. They didn't stop us ... indeed we were given a racing start with the big red flag and it was practice vamos again.

We still hadn't found Diana so Chantal, Jean and I waited in the street while Dick went back for another circuit. Eventually they arrived and we were set to go. Lonely Planet had recommended the Hotel La Siesta and we were too hot and bothered to argue. Karen found the address and away we went, via what seemed to be a rather circuitous route.

We found the hotel ok and were directed up the wheelchair ramp and into the main entrance of the hotel. We discussed prices with the manager and he offered me a room with a sea view and a patio for 476pesos, about $NZD47. I took it. He also said we could ride the bikes into the inner courtyard and park them. So we did.




Here's the view from my room.







Not bad for a country boy aye.

I had a big repackmof my gear, had a swim and then a shower and washed my smalls. You can see them drying in the late afternoon sun if you like.



I went for a bit of a walk at around 530 - they go for sculptures here.







I then joined D&D for a drink and dinner along the boulevard



at the town square.

Cheers.



And that once again, is that.

Today's run: 6kms
Cumulative: 20,565kms
Tip overs: 2

Location:Mazatlan, Mexico

1 comment:

  1. thank goodness that saga is over - hope nothing else to match that! any amount of heat and humidity has to be easy, by comparison surely? Take care

    ReplyDelete