We are sitting still in Pátzcuaro now that Carnival is over and the firecrackers have ceased. Rusty is enjoying the peace and quiet as are we. There are some day trips we have planned before we move on to Morelia the state capital a city by all accounts stunningly beautiful. I am as curious as you undoubtedly are also. So today fewer words and more pictures for your pleasure and my memories!
This Rancho campground is also a working farm!
The German couple stopped by to chat and they have lots of travel stories in their four wheel drive Sprinter but we have a language barrier. She has no English and he speaks better English than my most basic tourist German but it is a strain for him. He told us they leave the Sprinter in Mexico on a ten year permit (because it’s a motor home) and spend winters here on six month tourist permits and fly back to Germany in summer. They know Mexico really well. I hope we see them later as we have similar traveling styles.
In the city:
Seeking directions.
Our travel plans are in flux for this summer. Original plans to drive to Alaska have been dropped because if we wanted to reach Fairbanks in June with people to see on the way we’d have to leave now at our rate of travel. Neither of us is keen to drive that far and that hard. We were going to budget five grand to cover the extra expense but gas prices are rising as the Ukraine War takes its toll. And living in Mexico versus driving 15,000 miles extra seems a bit of a no brainer for us tropical slow pokes. We’ll meander across the Lower 48 this spring and summer back to Key West.
After Key West we aren’t sure if we will return to Mexico and drive Central America, easily my preferred choice that I am pushing for but one that is coming into question among travelers. It seems the cost of shipping from Panama 400 miles to Colombia may be greater than shipping from Jacksonville. We have a Florida to Colombia quote for the van of $5300 from IVSS (International Vehicle Shipping Services). The rumor mill from Panama is two thousand dollars more for the Central American hop! That plus the cost of driving to get to Panama! It’s hard to make that choice over shipping direct from Florida.
All that and the economic uncertainty emanating from the Ukraine War. In all this we know we are lucky to be able to make choices and not to have to commute or move if gas prices go out of reach. I was not encouraged to read of Florida Senator Rick Scott’s proposal to abolish Medicare and Social Security but I hope calmer heads will prevail. That would kill our journey!
Best of luck to all in these uncertain times.
It took a note from Webb to remind me Rusty has just celebrated his 6th year improving our lives. I hope he is having as much fun as I am.
4 comments:
I was just wondering what your summer travel plans may be. Sounds like you have the right idea in these uncertain times.
I'd love to hear a local's interpretation of that mural (#11 photo). Depends a lot on reading up or reading down, but all those skulls in the orange orchard speaks loudly.
Your decision to tootle back to Key West to regroup and replan sounds smart given the events unfolding in the world theater at the moment. Ever give a thought to see if you can retrofit the Gannett 2 as a BEV?
Happy Adoption Day to Rusty! ❤ Give him a hug and pat from all us who so enjoy his adventures and photos in your blog.
Thank you.Mexico is so serene for those of us traveling through you would be amazed. Rusty is figuring it out and is overcoming his fears of street dogs and noise. He is getting gray now so I suppose wisdom comes with age.
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