On 23 January, after some 28,015 miles touring the USA and Canada, it was time to head south towards Argentina.
We crossed the border at Tijuana and after completing the necessary paperwork, a six month visa for us, a 10 year pass for the van (!), and extracting some cash (but not my card) from the ATM, we headed south for La Ventana, stopping along the way at El Rosario, Guerro Negro, San Ignacio, Mulege, the Bay of Cortez and the Bahia de Conception, Loreto and La Paz. It was a great trip down. The roads were variable, lots of checkpoints along the way, but everyone really friendly and helpful and our language skills improving as the miles passed and the Berlitz language course played out.
In La Ventana we managed to secure a place for the three weeks we were there in Yoyo's Camping - a great spot, with lots of people in for the season (Nov-April). We managed a few trips out on some of the days we couldn't kite: Triunfo; Los Barriles; Todos Santos; Cabo San Lucas; San Jose del Cabo; Santiago; and the Rancho Ecologico Sol du Mayo.
In La Paz, we took a trip out to swim with the whale sharks, where we were able to get up close. We then headed off to see the Blue Footed Boobys and the seals, where we snorkelled and swam with these inquisitive creatures. The last stop for lunch was at a beautiful, remote beach in Balandria.
On one of our last evenings Charles, our Quebec neighbour and cribbage coach, showed us a great snorkelling spot not far from La Ventana - a great variety of fish swimming in the coral and rocks.
After almost 4 weeks, it was time to head to mainland Mexico, courtesy of a 12 hour ferry from La Paz. That in itself was an experience as drivers board separately from passengers and the van got a puncture driving onto the ferry. Fortunately Declan, being on his own, was assisted by a number of very friendly and helpful locals, also travelling to the mainland.
