On vacation aye... I can just see some of you rolling your eyes as after all am I not already on a permanent vacation. Yes and no, what it is for us is a way of life. Because along with all the good stuff like seeing whales, meeting great new friends, going to fabulous beaches with no one else on them, we also have bad stuff like weather to be careful of, heat that can melt the skin off of your bones if your not careful, things that need fixing despite the fact it's over a hundred degrees inside the boat. So from the good and bad of our cruising life I am on vacation.
I had always planned to come home at some point in the first year to visit family and friends. Now seemed as good as any time to do it.
Here is a rundown of the vacation so far. I took the bus from Santa Rosalia to Tijuana - a mere 15 hour bus ride. We had 3 army checkpoints along the way 2 of which you had to get off the bus and go through your luggage with a guard. The third stop an army guy just wandered on the bus with a flashlight. The bus was the dirtiest one I've ever seen the toilet was AWFUL!! My arm rest was missing so it made the seat wider but not as comfortable. (This bus in no way represents the buses in Mexico. Most of the ones I've ridden have been very clean).
I managed to doze off and on throughout the night. Anyhow woke up around 8:30 am as we were arriving in what I thought was Tijuana. Turns out it was Ensenada and the bus stopped there and the driver got off an never said a word. About half an hour later he got back on and told us we had to change to a different bus as that bus only went as far as Ensenada!! I wasn't the only confused looking person aboard. Anyhow on to the other bus and another 2 hours to Tijuana. By the time I got there I was feeling quite tired of bus travel. The driver let us all off where you could either get into the mile long line up for the boarder, or get into a cab/van with 14 others and go into a 'faster' lane to the boarder. I chose the latter and just as I was getting into the van, I realized I didn't have my backpack!! I jumped out and the guy loading my duffel was such a saint. He grabbed my bag and me and we ran across the street and jumped into a cab. We went about 3 blocks to the bus station and the bus was there. My backpack was in the lost and found. I was in tears I was so relieved because my computer was in it. Anyhow then me and my saviour walked back to the place we started from with him carrying my duffel bag - which I'm finding really heavy by the way. So when we get to another van/cab I pulled out a couple of hundred pesos and gave it to him I was so happy to have my pack and computer back. He eyebrows went way up and a big smile on his face.
Once through the boarder my friends Penny and Fred from the boat Tapatai (met in Mexico) were there to pick me up. We went to their beautiful home in Point Loma and they made me feel right at home. We had a great couple of days together. One afternoon we played Mexican Train Dominoes with 8 other cruisers and then went to Sue and Bill's boat Sun Baby who had also just returned from Mexico as well as the other two couples aboard, Darryl and Sarah and Sally and Whity. So it was just like we were all still cruising. For me it was a great transition from cruising to north american culture.
Then my 2 days were up and the next destination was Toronto. Penny and Fred dropped me at the airport and I flew non stop to Toronto which was about a 6 hour flight. I'm visiting my sister Linda here and we have been out exploring various parts of the city. It's a big, noisy place and I don't know if I can get used to this. Maybe I've become more sensitive to noise being out at sea. Anyhow it's good to see her and that's why I came. This afternoon we are off to explore the harbourfront and see what's happening down there. Tomorrow I fly of to Winnipeg to see my dad and sister and brother and friends.
Had a quick skype with Ian who is back on board Kasasa in Santa Rosalia. Sounds like things are going well there. It's cooled down to bearable now and he is able to get some work done on the boat as well as explore the town some more.