Mexico – Campfires & Coconuts

So long for now, Canada!

Amy Kay — Mon, 12 Nov 2018 06:42:40 +0000

September 26th, 2 days later than I had planned to begin my drive back to Mexico.

I have been mired in a long and far too drawn-out court case with an ex-employer and after the trial, I had to wait until the 26th for the verdict, which I was granted attendance by phone, thankfully.

Prepping for court! My parents are so wonderfully supportive <3

I won and did so without question. And with that, I was gleefully on the first leg of my journey.

It was an absolutely gorgeous day at the lake. The lake where I spent my summer living in a small trailer on my parent’s property. The lake which I call “home”, no matter where I am.

Top shelf vino!

Mom had gone into town early that day, and when I left, Dad gifted me a bottle of wine from the top-shelf Winiski Collection. I was sad to leave, especially on a perfect day, but the most grand adventure was ahead of me.

As expected, I did leave a bit later than I had planned, but still had enough time to take the cats to get their vet exam and health certificates, as well as a quick visit with a friend.

Good thing I only planned to get as far as the border at Osoyoos!! The vet’s office was quite busy that day, and my visit went a bit late because I miscalculated the coffee shop’s location. Haha!

Feelin like a million bucks, I rolled into Osoyoos around 10pm, found a rather quaint motel that cost WAY more than I expected, drank some wine, then went to sleep.

Wait – that last part is a lie. There was no such thing as “‘sleep”. Nope. Both cats paced and meowed

ALL

NIGHT

LONG!

Bubba was even so kind as to walk over my pillow a few times, stomping on my hair and dragging his primordial pouch across my face. The bed was uncomfortable anyway. Early start the next day.

Cats & gear back in the car and I was off to get Canadian cash (for what reason, I don’t know), a Lottomax ticket, and a Tim Horton’s coffee.

For those who know me, are thinking “But coffee gives you B.O.!” – Yes, it did, but I have reason to believe that might not be an issue anymore (read: I stink no matter what – LOL!). Still a tea-girl, just had to try a Timmy’s after all this time before leaving Canada for an extended absence.

At the USA border, I had the most pleasant and chipper border guard! She scanned my passport and asked if she could take a quick look as she waited to find out if I needed to pull ahead for a full search.

SURE!

Now let me tell you – Milton was packed to the TITS! And I have become quite good at maximizing space! The lovely lady opened one door at a time and placed her hand on a box or bag and inquired as to what was inside.

We were on a roll! I felt like I was on a gameshow and was about to win a prize!

When she got to the roofrack, she asked about the big plastic covered roll to which I gleefully informed her it was a lime-green shag rug!!

She kind of fumbled with that. Not sure if it was judgement or envy – probably envy. LOL!

No further inspection required and I was off to Montana!!

Made it over the border! WOO HOO!!

Now let me start now by warning you – doing this route in fall is quite possibly one of the most spectacular trips I have ever done. So be prepared for a lot of exuberant descriptions of it!

My first stop was in Heron, MT. I was invited to stay with some friends I met on a flight to Mexico a few years ago. We had such a great time on that flight that we stayed in touch and it was so exciting to get to see them and their beautiful log home!

Once over the border and through Tonasket, I had the first of many “OH HOLY SHIT” moments. Maybe it was the thrill of being on my way since the area is really not all that different than what I’m used to.

I was unable to connect my Mexican phone to any USA networks, so when I stopped in Republic for a nap, I had no way to get ahold of my hosts to inform them of the delay.

Ok – again, the drive was just amazing! Not a lot of traffic, lots of weird little towns that seem so entirely unlike the ones in Canada. Driving in the USA really does feel like driving in a Hollywood movie.

Once I reached Sandpoint, Idaho I was about 45 minutes from my friend’s house. I somehow had cell service there, which was more of a treat than the chicken McNuggets I also had, so I was able to call my hosts for directions. Super!

I should have asked for an address for Google Maps. While the directions were good, I failed to notice, and therefore mention, that I had already driven through Sandpoint, so I got back on the highway and started driving in what I thought was the right direction.

Would you believe I drove 45 minutes in the WRONG DIRECTION???

I had ablsolutely no clue I was heading straight North until I saw a sign for the Canadian border. Haha! I had no cell service, but had thankfully already loaded google maps for Heron (no, I wasn’t using it because I didn’t think I could possibly get lost) but I had no way of contacting my friends to tell them I fucked up and would be over an hour later than planned.

It felt so good to have arrived, FINALLY, and was greeted with hugs, cold beers and a lovely backyard fire with the most stunning background of nature and sky.

So awesome to be here!!

After a wonderful visit, a comfy sleep, and a hearty breakfast, I was back on the road for the 7 hour drive to the Yellowstone border, with a small detour along the way.

Gardiner, MT is a really nifty little town – it’s very rustic and rich with historical charm. Still no damn cell service, though!! I had hoped that being such a major destination, there would be cell service near the park.

Nope!

Good thing I planned for this and took screenshots of directions to some free campsites near there.

Now THAT’S something you don’t see in BC – free campsites that are easy to access, right outside of town AND that have plenty of spots right at the gates of a National Park!!!?!?? WOW!

It was late, it was dark and I was beside myself with excitement being so close to actaully finally seeing Yellowstone Park. I needed to find of these spots to settle in for the night.

Unfortunately, after driving up the hill to investigate these little gems of campgrounds – I found both too be just too dark and creepy for my comfort. Great little spots, but in bear country and without other campers, I decided to pass. I went back down to a little pullout near the town. There were 2 RV’s there so I opted to camp there in the car.

Once again – Tetris becomes reality. LOL!

Car camping isn’t exactly new for me, but camping in a car that is crammed full plus 2 cats is whole other kinda challenge – especially trying to arrange things without a cat escaping into the night!

I got all figured out, settled in, cats fed, wine-in-hand and a tiny movie on my phone to watch.

I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again – car camping is all fun & games until someone craps in the litter box. Yeah – that does make things a bit more challenging, especially with Bubba Chunks and his OCD about scratching in the litterbox for 5 minutes after and somehow in that time, never actually covering his shit!

I woke up to sub-zero temperatures after a surprisingly long sleep – possibly due to early onset starvation because planning or food isn’t my strong suit,. Another challenge – it’s a lot harder to discreetly get changed on the side of the road in the daylight. And peeing just ain’t gonna happen!

A quick stop at a gas station for a quick snack and I was off to check Yellowstone off my bucket-list, and this is just the beginning!

I could have stayed in a campground but opted for the roadside. wtf!

The Eagle Has Landed

Amy Kay — Sun, 14 Oct 2018 04:39:36 +0000

I have arrived! It’s all still very surreal, so at the moment I am just going through the motions.

Maybe it’s the extra baggage of hurt feelings past, present & future I arrived with.

Maybe it’s because I failed to eat today. I’m not a breakfast eater unless someone makes me bacon. Otherwise, late lunch, several small snacks and with any luck, a dinner that counts!

All of this fit into Milton – Plus a big suitcase, a small suitcase, a backpack, a full beach bag, a king-size blanket, 3 pillows, the cushion for my chair, the covered litter box, the cat crate, the hibachi, the dish rack & my printer! Holy shit, eh? And I could still see out the back window!

Mexico does have several familiar drive-thru’s but there is rarely much on the menu I want to eat (other than the hand-breaded chicken strips @ Carls Jr…Holy socks, those are good! Unhealthy, but amazing!), so I rely on store-bought snacks mostly.

Today I was wonderfully focused on driving and didn’t pick up food until after Mazatlan – so about 5 hours into the 10 hour drive and only bought a small bag of chips and some cashews that mostly ended up on the floor

The drive was a bit tense at times, though – I TOTALLY smoked a huge piece of concrete on the highway, and then almost running out of gas in Mazatlan…AGAIN! Same place as last time – but I never did post about that. But that is a story for a different day. Oh – I also bumped a dog. I ALMOST hit it, but we both stopped – then when I went to go again, it ran in front and got bumped. It went to the side of the road and barked ferociously. It was fine, but I still felt like a jerk.

Shit happens – and Mexico actually feels like home now, so when things don’t go according to plan, you do exactly what you do at home: Assume the fetal position and cry until someone brings tacos! (DUH)

Upon arriving in Jaltemba Bay, I first had to stop by my parent’s place to retrieve my fans. It’s fucking hot here!! Well, only 32c but with humidity, it OWNS you!

It was weird seeing their house all closed up. Similar to the eerie feeling when I would visit the cabin during its wintery slumber.

I was pretty excited to see my little potted cactus garden was thriving, which I will take as a good sign since that little garden is where I got the name for my business

But all my plants I left in hopes they would survive summer in their yard, had been planted!!! Where my mother’s most hated gardenia once (barely) lived, was my most beloved palm. UGH!!! I’m verklempt. I need a minute. Talk amongst yourselves…..

Once retrieving my fans, Juice cat had joined me in the front seat, much to the delight of the attendants at the local Pemex station. The young woman there was absolutely smitten with Juice and had everyone come to meet him.

Juice didn’t give a single fuck. He was hot & just wanted OUT!

Fair enough.

I bought some water, got some pesos from the ATM and went on with getting home.

I live in the jungle WAYYYY up a steep hill in a gated community. I had left my keys back in April and it hadn’t occurred to me that the way the gate worked would be different upon my return.

Well….it WAS!

Was

LOCKED!

I hopped out of my car and ran up to look, and when I confirmed it was, in fact, locked I yelled out FUUUUCK!!!

And there was a literal truckload of young Mexican fellows who pulled up and said not to worry. I was let in. *REJOICE!**

I wasn’t sure if Milton was going to like the hill very much being so fully loaded, and he didn’t – bottoming out a couple of times in protest. I kept a close eye on my fuel gauge to see if I had sprung a leak. All good.

Once at home, I left the cats in the car and went inside to inspect. A few changes…I pretty much stuff I knew already, though. I have a BRAND NEW GAS STOVE!!!! Holy crap – you’ve gotta see this thing!! SO HAPPY to be “home”

I figured I would unload a few things, get the cats settled, then go back to town to see about some food.

I took out the the cat’s food & litter box while Bubba observed from the passenger seat, perched just so his butt-hole was starfish-kissing my pillow. I grabbed the can of chicken I had planned to stop & eat at some point but did not, and the can opener – because..well…duh!

I scurried back and forth in the dark a few times, giving Bubba a scritch & a pep talk each time when I suddenly realized…wait…where’s Juice?

It’s very dark, and the brush is dense, jungley & full of scorpions! I hurriedly grabbed my phone for the flashlight and started calling him. But – it’s not the first time he’s’ escaped here, so he will be around for dinner. I try to just think positive and carry on.

I brought another armful of stuff into the house when my stomach suddenly dropped with the realization that Juice had most likely jumped out at the gate…waayy down at the bottom of the hill, in the jungle, in total darkness.

I grabbed Bubba and pretty much hurled him into the house, slammed the door and raced down the hill – car still full and damn near ripping the undercarriage out from it.

I got to the gate and stumbled from the car, shaking. I screamed “JUUIICE!!!!”

I saw all sorts of weird lights I thought were his eyes, but they were many and twinkly. I screamed again.

Juice screamed back. We just yelled at each other, both in complete and utter fear until he jumped into my arms. A taxi had pulled away just as I got there and there was a Mexican fellow standing at the gate watching the whole thing. Once I collected my kitty he piped up “Uhh……llave?” making a turning motion with his hand.

I couldn’t do it – I was shaking so bad! With a bit of teamwork, we got it and got the gate locked up again.

On the way back up the hill, Juice Cat just howled at me. I was in tears. I can only hope the fear he felt will keep him from trying to escape again.

He’s a cat, so probably not, but one can dream.

So back to the house where a puzzled-looking Bubba was waiting at the door. Brothers were reunited with a series of “merp merrp” sounds and some face-licking. Then dinner was had!

…..for them.

The only thing I had to eat was in a can, and I lost the can opener when I realized Juice was missing.

Later on, after what feels like an eternity of unpacking, I am sitting on the terrace with a wine, loving the lack of biting bugs (SO MANY since Mesa!) and looking at the incredible display of stars, I notice the jungle around me is glittering, like down at the gate when I thought I saw Juice’s eyes.

Glitter in the sky, glitter on the ground it was strangely reminiscent of the first time I tried LSD while wearing glitter mascara.

Lightening bugs!!! Until a friend told me about them last year, I actually thought they were only in stories!

They’re real! And really cool!

So long story short (long story coming up); I have felt a bit against the odds this last week or so. But a few people have truly, whole-heartedly been cheering me on, without doubt – and those messages echoing in my head have pushed me through the rough spots. As weird as it sounds to some, and I’m not hippy-dippy nor religious of any sort, but there is something about the power of positivity. Even if things don’t work out how you will them to, if you are doing it right, you are still on the right path, and will win.

Just give it time, and breathe!!

Introduction To Solo Adventures

Amy Kay — Fri, 05 Oct 2018 06:03:36 +0000

Welcome to my latest adventure: Taking the scenic route from BC to Los Ayala!

I have already driven almost 4000kms, and have 2000 more ahead of me, and what an adventure it has been!

I will do my best to describe my journey to you, but really, it needs to be experienced.

Let me start by saying I am well aware I experience life differently than most. I have no kids, no partner, and I work online so ‘home’ is wherever I am.

I’m not special, extraordinary, nor brave. I just made different choices, though not always because I wanted to, and here I am later on in life – just rolling with the punches, and flying by the seat of my pants.

Most women choose a family. They find a partner, have kids, go to Little League and occasionally sneak away for a few drinks with other moms. This was what I wanted when I was younger – well, it was what I thought I wanted because I was really just afraid of being alone. That ship has sailed and I am glad it did. I still choose family, but not in the sense of creating one. I’m wonderfully blessed with the one I came from and my current lifestyle caters to that. I also have a network of incredible friends (you know who you are) so being lonely isn’t something that scares me anymore.

But that doesn’t mean I don’t have a void in my soul that needs filling. I still need something rewarding to add substance to my life, and for me that is adventure! I’m pretty sure it’s in my DNA, but I was never really aware of it until 2014 when I started camping alone in order to escape the soul-sucking monotony of the ol’ big-city daily grind, as well as needing time away from the most twisted relationship I’ve ever been in.

In only these times, just chillin’ with my tent & journals, was I truly at peace.

It was in these times I was able to find relief from the absurdity of the relationship I was in.

It was in these times I was able to talk myself through the bizarre co-dependent relationship I had with my job.

It was in these times I was able to give myself the courage to be more than just belong to someone.

For the first time in my life, I became truly independent.

While moms are getting handmade crafts from their kindergarteners, having princess or superhero-themed birthday parties, and tucking their loved ones in at night, I am on a constant search for the next experience that will offer some sort of fulfillment. The uncertainty is daunting, but also thrilling.

So now we have arrived at my point, though I am sure I can talk right past it into the “actual” point. Haha! **EDIT: I totally do!**

I am a single, independent, 40-year-old woman. In the last 3 years, I have truly been able to experience my own life without being under the thumb of someone else, nor feeling like I needed to be.

I have street smarts.

I make mistakes, but I am not dumb.

I am strong.

I am resourceful.

I work well under pressure.

Stress for me is normal and manageable.

I am happy.

I am whole.

Don’t get me wrong – it’s wonderful to be loved and cared about, but being doubted on these hard-earned traits makes these adventures difficult to share. I like to update those who are following my story, but it’s not so much fun to have my most incredible life experiences met with fear, disappointment, doubt, and virtual finger-wags.

Just because YOU wouldn’t do it, doesn’t mean it’s wrong or necessarily dangerous. Yes, the world can seem like a scary place, but take a step back from your TV and you will see it’s also very beautiful. I do my research and I follow my gut.

I invite you to consider these questions:

If I was with my boyfriend or husband (LOL!), would you be saying “WOW…looks like fun, you two” or.. “Ohhh…that’s just too scary. I’m SO worried about you BOTH”

If I was with a female friend, would you be thrilled to follow our adventure? Or terrified we’d be Thelma & Louise-ing our way across the country?

What if I was a man?

What if I was 50 instead of 40?

Does the fact I don’t have a partner and children make me seem “too young”? Or somehow devoid of responsible behaviour?

Is there really safety in numbers, or is it safety with a man?

It shouldn’t matter.

We are all human. Not all humans are good people, and not all are cut out for adventure, but those who are shouldn’t hold back because of the projected fears of those who made different choices.

Sure, I’m far from my hometown – but does that make the places I travel to any more dangerous?

This past winter, in a bizarre mystery, a young man literally vanished without a trace from a busy but isolated ski village near my hometown.

If it could happen to a young man there, it could happen to anyone anywhere.

The point is, you just never know. We don’t get to know what will happen next.

When we become accustomed to our surroundings, we tend to become complacent and let our guard down. It is just so familiar, and nothing bad ever happens (or at least not to us or anyone we know), so we forget that anything is possible.

When travelling, hiking, or camping, I am well aware of my unfamiliar surroundings, well aware that I am out in the wild, or in a city where I know very little about the local happenings so I am, therefore, prepared.

When in my most familiar places, I am generally not prepared for wildlife, chainsaw-wielding psychopaths, muggers or kidnappers, so to me that is where the greater risk lies. I also still do nothing about it other than keeping my keys handy, having a location on the nearest fire-poker, and ensuring none of my limbs hang over the edge of my bed at night.

So please join me here, and follow along with my journey, not just to Mexico, but in life. I welcome and appreciate your comments and shared stories, but please refrain from projecting your own fears onto me. If I stop enjoying life to the fullest because of other people’s unfounded concerns, then that would be the realization of my own greatest fear.

Well….other than spiders.

Annnnnnd here is where I talk past my point! Haha!

If I commented on every one of your fun Facebook posts about which species of spiders were in that area, how many and how dangerous, and how risky I *think* it is with zero experience of my own, it wouldn’t sound very supportive of your strength, life-skills, and planning, and would probably make me seem like a Debbie-Downer just raining all over your parade. If there were dangerous critters in the area you chose to visit, perhaps being experienced, you already know.

Does the projection of my fear make you feel any better, or any more fearful about spiders? Are you grateful for my inability to accept spiders? Is it valuable to you? Probably not, but at least I can say “I told you so” when one finally kills you

So at 40, I’m really just getting started! It only gets better from here. But like the skilled mountaineers on Everest, there are no guarantees, and my soul is thriving.

Moving forward, I would encourage everyone to take a step back from the media. Don’t let the TV or the internet tell you how to feel. Follow your heart. Follow your soul. Wherever it takes you is where you’re meant to be <3

Either take the risk or accept the mundane.

You might still get bitten, but you also might not…

That Time I Drove To Mexico

Amy Kay — Thu, 28 Dec 2017 16:20:04 +0000

Mostly rested, and ready to hit the road again…this time, crossing into Mexico!!

Thankfully, Cathy & Richard took really good care of me. I needed not just the sleep, but the time to take a step back from everything and just really enjoy the company of friends. I’d been on autopilot for weeks, it seemed, and this was some much needed down-time. The cats were also really enjoying a break from the road. With a beautiful yard, safely fenced to keep cats in and other critters out, I think they were quite happy there. I did feel a shred of guilt taking them away from this kitty-cat utopia, but they had accepted their fate days before and continued to travel well.

My hosts were not only absolutely amazing whilst I was in their home, but they also packed me a little care package for the drive…..homemade muffins, some dates, and a nice big apple! Screw you, Wendy’s!! I don’t need your stupid salads anymore!!!

I quickly returned to autopilot mode as I sped past fields of saguaros, heading for the Mexican border!

What to expect at the border: Contrary to bringing pets into the USA, Mexico requires the animal be vaccinated against rabies a minimum of 30 days prior to crossing, and a vet-issued Certificate Of Health which is valid for 10 days before crossing. I was well prepared and ready to show ‘em my pair of kitties!

Through internet research and forums, I was well aware that it was often recommended to cross at Nogales using the Mariposa truck crossing. Seemed a bit odd to cross at a truck crossing in a small SUV, but I know better than to argue with the internet. HA!

The truck crossing is nowhere NEAR the regular crossing….like a few kilometres away so it felt totally wrong, but I followed the signs and finally, another car.

There are a bunch of lanes with transport trucks all lined up, waiting for the green light so they can inch ahead through the border. I followed the other car through the far left lane where the booth was closed, so I just breezed right on through.

“That was weird” I said to no-one.

Next up was a stop sign and a big sign stating that “all vehicle are to stop here and wait for an officer”. I stopped. There was no one there, but I’m in a foreign country, so Imma gonna go ahead and obey the rules.

A couple of cars blow past me giving me side-eye.

Huh…..maybe there is just no one here. So off I go.

So….That was it? I passed? No one wanted to look at my cats or take away the apple I had in my lunch? I was a bit disappointed that I had everything in order, but didn’t see a single border guard or customs officer or anyone!

A giddy feeling swept over me as I saw the speed limits change from miles to kilometres and the little shacks lining the highway, fresh laundry on lines from house to house…

HOLY SHIT! I JUST DROVE TO MEXICO!

A few kms up, there is a fenced-in area with people re-packing their cars. I get funnelled into a single lane behind some other cars. There is a detector of some sort that you drive through and wouldn’t you know it, I get the red light of doom! Complete with screaming alarms!

AWESOME!

But I’m SUPER PREPARED! So I proudly get my papers all ready and pull up to the officer waiting for me. She asks if she can open the rear door. I said “Yes, but everything might fall out” She gives me permission to get out and assist. She starts with the rear passenger door. The litter box is in the back seat and the cats are sleeping on the floor, but she doesn’t seem to notice.

She opens the rear door and 6 tins of cat food tumble out and start rolling away. We both go racing after them. She helps me gather them but STILL doesn’t ask to see my cats. WTF? BUT THEY’RE SO CUTE! And this paperwork cost me a lot! Oh well, her loss.

After a brief lesson about the cosmetic uses of coconut oil, I am back on the road. Next stop is KM 21 where I have to stop to get my tourist visa and Temporary Import Permit for my car. She assured me I couldn’t miss it. It’s at km 21 down the road. Duh! OK!

For anyone needing a reminder of how cute they are…..

Barely even out of first gear and I’m funnelled again through a booth. It’s a toll booth!! Right there! Jeepers! And the only papers they wanted to see were pesos!

OK….NOW I’m on the road.

So I check my odometer and am ready for KM 21. Can’t miss it, right? Even the road has a small sign for each KM as you go. This is idiot proof!

Sooooo……. I totally missed KM 21!

SHIT!

I wasn’t really sure what it was I had passed…it only had a sign indicating a parking lot for getting vehicle permits. No lanes, or anything. Very informal looking!

I didn’t want to appear clueless to anyone who might have been watching, so I calmly pulled into the OXXO and got out, hoping to get a better look at what the parking lot was all about. I wet into the OXXO, there was no one really in there….clerk seemed busy stocking so I had a quick look around and left.

2 u-turns later, I was in the right spot! Really strange that you have to park and go INTO a building to do official crossing-the-border stuff. No lineups (thankfully!) so a quick stop at the immigration desk and then to the Copias booth for..well….copies of car registration, driver’s licence and passport, the then to the Banjercito for payments and permits and more permits and more payments.

Almost 3pm and Google Maps figures I should arrive around 5:30pm. Later than I planned, yes, but not by much.

The highway is under construction so speed limit is 60km/h. Not wanting to break any rules, I set the cruise control and puttered my way through wearing a big stupid grin, eating a nice juicy apple, while everyone else zipped by.

Highway construction here makes no sense. A couple hundred KM’s is under construction and is all dug up, but no one working on it because there are only so many workers….and a couple hundred KMS is a LONG stretch. So the speed limit the entire way is 60 kms/h….except the spots that go to 40km/h for no apparent reason….and a few spots it’s 80km/h for about half a KM and then it’s 60 again. Speed limits here are exhausting!

Flaggers have actual flags instead of signs. Some of them aren’t even flags, it’s a plastic bag or some other random orange/pink/red thing on a stick. I have NO idea what they mean!!! I’m gently rolling through these areas and am being frantically flagged at….I have no clue what I’m supposed to do, but no one yelled at me, so I guess I did ok? Haha!

The first city I drove through was Santa Ana. My first real experience of driving normally while everyone around me just did whatever. I felt like a bad driver for being a good driver. My paranoia of being pulled over prevailed and I politely puttered on.

The highway really opens up after Santa Ana. A few of the legendary “where the hell did THAT come from” potholes and then smooooooooth sailing to Hermosillo.

There. Is. NOTHING out there in the Mexican desert. I had to wonder what happens if you have car trouble or run out of gas out there. I heard there are “Green Angels” on the toll roads, which is a free service to help you in such cases, but how do you get them to come out and get you? Naturally, this is the time when one begins to wonder “what is that sound? Has my car AWAYS made that sound? THAT IS NOT A GOOD SOUND!!!!”

The military and Federali’s had a MASSIVE roadblock set up in the opposite direction, in the middle of nowhere. It looked like they were doing some thorough searches. Not sure if that’s more, or less comforting. Don’t stare….keep driving!

Around 5pm, the sun is getting ready to retire to it’s place below the horizon and I still have a loooooong way to go. I should be in Hermosillo by 6:20pm and it can’t be completely dark by then….right? Well….yes. Yes it can be! So here I am about to break the #1 Golden Rule of driving in Mexico: Do NOT drive after dark!! Well….shit! Having been aware of the reasons for this rule for years (potholes, cows, topes, banditos), this seemed it should be a lot more terrifying than it was.

It was almost dark when I arrived at the toll booth just outside of the city. There was a steady flow of traffic being processed through and the lady taking my payment also had a cat with her. Juice had made an appearance to see what was happening and the lady was SO excited to see another kitty. She picked up her cat and was waving it at me as if to introduce it to Juice. She totally made my day! Haha!

The toll booth is about 15 minutes from the city and was a very busy area, so I decided that it counted as having arrived at my destination……before it was [completely] dark. Not everyone (*cough*my parents*cough*)agrees with this, but I felt safe.

I had Google Maps guide me along the outskirts of the city to where the recommended hotels are. The IBIS comes highly recommended as a pet-friendly accommodation but it is NOT wallet friendly! It was $850 for me and $500 for the cats……AND THEY DON’T EVEN GET THEIR OWN ROOM FOR THAT! Back to the old drawing board. I ended up at the Hotel Suites Kino which did NOT come recommended but their website claimed no fee for pets. SOLD!

It is a very old classic Mexican hotel. I can see why it is low on the list for many travellers because it is OLD! No, it has not been updated. No, it is not a Best Western or anything more “modern”. It has only one access through a small door at the front and the parking is across the street so you have to Frogger your stuff in (no crosswalks here!) All part of the adventure!! WHEE!

Beer tortilla chips and salsa

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The Mexican Welcome Pack.

The price was about $650 and had everything I needed.

Upon bringing the cats up in their crate, I let them out to check out the room. Bubba tends to go straight to checking out the underside of the bed. Not this time. The bedspread goes all the way to the floor, covering the wooden block the bed sits on. *BONK*

cat hiding under blanket

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Juice saw Bubba learn the hard way, so he opted for a less painful way to hide.

I felt bad for laughing, but his face was priceless. Good thing it’s already a bit flat! Hehe!

So that’s how I got Hermosillo (*cough*beforedark*cough*) safely.

Apparently, I need a lozenge.

The rest of the trip to Guayabitos was fairly uneventful, so I will skip most of it, except the part about the Twinkies…..you will want to read about the Twinkies. Haha!

Sorry there aren’t many pics….solo driving and in a hurry = no pics.

Cat faking death because he wants wet food

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Bubba faking dying because I haven’t given them their wet food yet. Daily occurrence in this household.

Nevada, Arizona, More Aliens

Amy Kay — Sat, 16 Dec 2017 16:08:17 +0000

Still with me? I know I’m slow with the updates but am on Mexican time now, so is the internet! Not to mention I was on the wrong time entirely for a good while…not sure for how long! More on that later..

So I roll into Ely, NV just after 10pm after surviving the encounter at the Mystery Motel of Doom and Axe Murderers which my parents might never forgive me for…(oops…hehe). First things first…WINE! I have been spotting it at gas stations everywhere super cheap, but decided to just wait until I had arrived. The Shell station has a HUGE store attached, so I was surprised to find they only had 3 wines, and they were all Barefoot Vineyards. I guess after all of this driving, I was desperate because I paid $12USD for one where they were $6USD everywhere before that. EFF!!! I bought one anyway. The cashier asked if I would like a paper bag. I politely declined and turned to leave. She informed me there is an “open alcohol law here”.

Wut?

“You can’t walk around with open alcohol…..I mean, not that you are, but if you……were….” I guess this is common here? Haha!

Wine, wine glass, Barefoot, Laptop, Acer, Wine Time, cheap motel

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Ahh…wine time! This is the wine glass that survived backpacking in SEA. Very resilient!

At the Motel 6 I had reserved, the woman at the front desk was not in a cute blue Motel 6 golf shirt like the one in Pendleton. Nope, this lady was in a food-stained grey tracksuit and was only about 3 cigarettes away from certain death. She gave me some speech about how it was *supposed* to be her one day off, but no one else could take responsibility for their shifts….”damn kids….blah blah”. I laughed awkwardly and muttered something about how you just can’t find good help these days….amiright? LOL!

She had a dog with her. I greet the doggo and he starts wagging his tail. Poor doggo got in trouble and yelled at. Sorry, dog. I thought you were cute

The lady hands me my room key and my receipt, which has a map of the Motel 6 on it. There is a pool, laundry room, snack room, morning coffee area…SWANKY! With all the effort she can muster to push air over her nicotine coated vocal cords, she apologizes that there are no units available on the bottom floor, therefore, I will need to haul everything up to the second floor, in the freezing and powerful wind. “Well, that’s what happens when you reserve late, I guess” I said as I accepted my key. When I went outside, I noticed…..there are only 4 cars here…including mine. HOW MANY PEOPLE FIT IN THOSE CARS?!?!?!

She never mentioned a Guest Kitchen Area….

Once settled in, wine opened, wine consumed, it was shower time. No bathtub AGAIN, but I didn’t really expect one either. Just would have been nice after all the driving; and at 6500 feet of elevation, I was COLD! The shower here wasn’t the Nipple-Blaster 5000 like the last one. This one was mounted at a “normal” height but had an S shape to it which put it directly in my face. There was no escaping it. The shower curtain was stuck to me like I was heading to a toga party. The pool of water left on the floor was a clear explanation of the rotting soft spot over by the door; this was NOT the first time someone has had a near drowning experience in this shower! I’m glad it wasn’t my time.

The cats had taken to fighting (probably of the play variety) on the bed as I “sleep”…whatever that even is anymore! And there is no real blanket, which is annoying when it’s this cold. So all of that, plus Bubba’s nightly repetition of scratching in the litter box for no reason whatsoever, I did not sleep well. Only a 9 hour drive ahead. No big deal!

At 9am, I am about ready to go. I have taken in, and photographed my exotic surroundings and prepared myself mentally for the boring drive through the Nevada desert. There is even a place called “Nothing”. I had hoped to get a picture of it but…well, you know.

Here is the only photo I could get of Nothing.

Sitting on the bed, plotting my route, I look up to see a face in the motel room window. There is an old Native fellow wearing a pom-pom touque, peering in at me. He spooked me which sort of spooked him, and then he yells “HOUSEKEEPING!”. Not sure if he really was housekeeping or not since it was 2 hours before check-out. I was reminded of why I had to use a chair as an extra security measure: the bonus lock on the door was missing….possibly not replaced after the door was kicked in or pried open (hard to tell).

Of all the lovely scenery Ely has to offer, here is my view from the Motel 6. I guess this is what you get for booking last minute. LOL!

On the road!!

The area where Ely is located is actually quite scenic. Just a bit outside of the town is the Humboldt National Forest which was odd because there are no trees there. Just shrubs. It was a massive forest of shrubbery! So many shrubs!

I was enamoured with the scenery……and this was only the beginning!

After driving on a long straight highway for an eternity, with no turns or hills, I had the line from Sarah in Labyrinth looping through my head: “There aren’t any turns or corners or anything! It just goes on and on!”

I got out of the car to take a pic on this unbelievably straight highway. I saw cars coming, so I waited…..but it took a good minute or so before they passed me. Seriously….it just goes on and ON!!

This is the road that never ends, it just goes on & on, my friends. Some people started driving it not knowing what it was, and they’ll continue driving it forever just because……

The wind was unreal! And cold! Having only visited Nevada once before to attend Burning Man, this is not what I expected at all; but at this point, I was around 7500ft and it’s winter, so I guess that makes sense.

As straight as the highway was, it was just spectacular! Some find long straight drives boring, but had the drive of my life! If you were to ask 100 completely random people to each build a mountain, and then lined them all up along a lonely highway, THAT is what you’d get. It was beautifully diverse; and being the sole driver, I was able to really take in my surroundings and enjoy all of the wonderful details without crashing! As someone so fascinated by the geological wonders of this planet, I was in my element, for sure.

I had skipped breakfast with the idea that I would stop off the interstate in Vegas for a nice lunch, hopefully get an oil change and DEFINITELY get a carwash. I hadn’t washed Milton since the last few runs on the lake road and felt terrible about it. Every stop earned me more dirt on my clothes and belongings.

Not exactly “caliente”, but a nice 20 degrees C.

Well, as if I hadn’t learned by now, there is no such thing as “stopping just off the interstate”. Google maps carefully navigated me through the chaos to the point where I concluded I was NOT going to be stopping in, or anywhere near Vegas. I was hangry and disappointed I had no time to rubberneck my way through Las Vegas. When I realized how low on gas I was, I started looking for a U-turn when I *thankfully* rolled into Boulder City.

Price of gas at an all-time high for this trip and no sign of anything to eat other than a Burger King and a sushi joint. I wanted a Wendy’s. Why is there never a frigging Wendy’s? They have salads….SALADS, America! S-A-L-A-D-S!! They’re real, I swear!

I fuel up and carry on…..still a hangry beast, but that’s the joy of travelling alone. No one to get offended by my bitchiness! Whoopee!!!

Next up: Kingsman! Still not a salad to be found. I’m going to starve to death, I am sure, so instead of eating a cactus, I brave the Carl’s Jr drive through. Not sure exactly what happened during the ordering process, but everyone there was pretty excited to see cats at the window. Perhaps this was all in an effort to distract me from the fact that they did not give me the “real” chicken tenders I had ordered, but some sort of star-shaped processed nuggets. ARGH!!!! I should have eaten a cactus!

Slightly less hangry and more mildly irritated, I pressed onward to Mesa, AZ. The road is not very exciting, but easy to navigate, so that’s nice I think Nothing was supposed to be around here. Maybe I found it, maybe not. The full moon was about to make an appearance so I pulled over into what appeared to be someone’s driveway (?) and let the kitties have a little food/pee break while I watched the moon come up over the hill.

Well, the cats never moved and I don’t know how long I was out for, but the moon was WAY overhead and my neck was sore.

ALIENS!!! I’m telling ya! Haha!

After cruising through a place called “Surprise” (as in you thought you reached Phoenix but SURPRISE!…you still have another 30 miles to go and SURPRISE….still no damn Wendy’s), I was greeted by a closed highway in Phoenix which Google Maps refused to re-route me around, only to arrive at my friend’s community unable to open the gate with the code given, and no cell service. I drive down the road a bit and try again. I’m pretty done with everything at this point.

My friend texts “stay where you are…..I’m coming to get you. Where are you?”

“I don’t know! I’m by a fucking cactus!”….ahem, *deep breath* “I’m down the street by a cactus…lol!”

She rescued me, got me ‘home’ and had a chilled beer in my hand before I could even say “hello”. BLISS!!

I slept for the first time in weeks. It was comfy, it was quiet, it was GLORIOUS! And with no plans to be on the road the next day, I shut my alarm off. *BLISS*

I woke up to the smell of coffee and fresh baked muffins. The backyard and scenery are so perfectly Arizona. The cats had plenty of space to roam about and were clearly thrilled to be out of the damn car! I was really looking forward to coming here and was not disappointed (except by Wal-mart…but that’s different). I joined my hosts poolside for a lovely REAL breakfast and planned my day.

Wal-mart & and oil change. Simple!

NOT!

Juice Cat having a nice poolside roam-about.

While Cathy was very kind to drive me there, American Wal-mart was disappointing compared to my memories of border-hopping back in the day. It was expensive and the selection was shitty. I did get most of what I needed, but the magic was gone. Walgreen’s would have been sufficient, and far more convenient, but now I know.

The oil change was a good deal, but the guy was reluctant to let me leave with only 2mm left on my front brakes and 2000kms still to go on my trip with a full car. $300 USD and the problem would be taken care of. In a panic, I messaged my dad. I can’t afford that!! He assured me I could wait until Mexico, so I took a breath, and waited!

Being the type that meticulously makes lists, but still manages to do most things last minute, I was late getting on the road the next day due to thinking getting Mexican car insurance would be easy. Everyone says it’s easy but my paranoia of doing it wrong made it entirely more time consuming than it should have been. That and mailing off some last minute taxes, I was a good hour behind my goal. I promised my parents if the border was busy, I would stay somewhere near there so I wasn’t stuck on a highway at night, which is the Golden Rule of driving in Mexico. My goal was to reach Hermosillo, Sonora for the night and I am aware there is road construction and possible line-ups at the border.

Did I get my stubborn ass to Hermosillo before dark? Well……depends on who you ask. Ha!

BC to Ely, NV: Aliens, Fog & Cat Fights!

Amy Kay — Tue, 05 Dec 2017 18:36:23 +0000

Things are getting coconutty up in here! I have successfully arrived in Mexico!

This has been an absolute whirlwind adventure so far. I’ve pushed myself mentally and physically far beyond my comfort zone and have been riding on an adrenaline high for what feels like weeks!

As I frantically scrambled to tie up loose ends on my way out of the country, I found there were some I couldn’t take care of right away; so as I was making my way to the Osoyoos border, I had to make several pit-stops. 2 post office stops, and one at a courthouse (long story…not coconut related, but VERY important!),one at the craft supply store (more on that in the future), and one to pick up the phone charger Mom & Dad left in the truck in Kelowna.

It was already getting dark and I was fighting my way through Kelowna rush hour traffic (WHEE!) and it was starting to rain. My friend in West Kelowna, Olivia, had promised me a long overdue hug should I stop in on my way. I was SO late, so it was really just that…a hug, but oh-so worth it!

All charged up from my little dose of Livi-love, I was off like a CRV rocket to get to the US border ASAP so they could go through my over-packed car and confiscate the cat’s food (they are apparently quite uptight about pet-food).

On the way through Oliver, the cats started to get quite antsy. I didn’t want them to be acting like jerks whilst crossing the border, so I pulled over in case they needed a snack, water or litter box break. None of the above. No sooner did I stop the car and Bubba had Juice in a head-lock in the passenger seat. Screeching and hissing ensued. I looked at them and said “SERIOUSLY?” and they both stopped, & pretended to be innocent. KIDS! Am I right??

Friday Night Fights

Once at the border, I had crated the kids just to be on the safe side (which is frowned upon with human kids, BTW). One officer took my passport while another popped the back window to have a poke around. Right where the bags of cat food were hiding under a blanket. As the officer asking the usual questions asked me “any drugs or firearms?” I choked on my words because there were SO MANY JOKES!! Like….”Firearms!? Sorry, no…..is that a prerequisite to enter the US?” Or “No drugs for ME, and I’m no narc, so I won’t tell you the cats are packing catnip””

Thankfully, before I tried to make a funny, I realized that these guys might not take it so well. Also, they had COMPLETELY missed the fact I had 2 cats and 2 bags of cat food…one opened, which is supposedly a no-no. Just drive, Amy. DRIVE!!

So drive away, I did.

I felt a bit cheated, to be honest. I got away with only about 2 minutes of my time spent there; but I felt like I had been studying super hard for a test, only to have the teacher say “The test is cancelled!! You all get an A!”

But……but….I was PREPARED!!

*sigh*

So onward! Through Washington to Pendleton, Oregon for the night. It was dark. It was foggy. Sorry…I meant FOGGY! Quite possibly the WORST fog I have ever driven in. It was insane!

**Side note: Little known fact about me: In 22 years of driving, I have had about 6 car stereos. Every single one of them has slowly fallen behind in time about 10-15 minutes and just stays there. Every time! WTF? My latest deck is supposed to sync to my phone, which it did when I first set it up, but then fell behind by 13 minutes, only to randomly right itself about a week before I left.**

As I was driving through this incredibly dense fog, I was reflecting on all of the Stephen King movies I’ve seen and wondered…”What sort of evil is lurking in this fog? Monsters?…….Aliens?……..*gasp*…Trump supporters???”

I glanced back at my clock and it was an hour and 5 minutes ahead! Heart rate goes up…..”SHIT…it was aliens!”

I scramble for my phone to confirm I was missing 65 minutes of my life, but no….just another weird thing with my clock. *whew* Well, at least it wasn’t Trump enthusiasts! Haha!

I arrive at the Motel 6 in Pendleton at 1:15am. The cats were restless having had another scrap in Walla Walla. Maybe it was because Walla Walla smelled like the broccoli you forgot about in your crisper last year and has since partially liquefied; or maybe they were sensing that I was so hungry, I ate at ARBY’S!! *cries*

As I’m unpacking the car into my little ground-floor room, I noticed a kitty in the parking lot. “AWW….A kitty!!” was my first thought, but then I realized it was MY kitty! And the other one is just making a run for it! So at 1:30am, in freezing wet weather….I am herding cats in a Motel 6 parking lot. You can’t make this shit up…..really! The folks at the Super 8 next door were surely entertained.

The room was ok. Not sure what I expected for a Motel 6, so I guess it was fine. I was hoping for a bathtub for a faux-spa experience (LOL! “faux-spa”?….damn, I’m funny!) but there was only a wedge-shaped shower. Not a big deal, but the shower head was installed at about the 5ft mark. My boobs have never been so clean! *ouch*

First morning of this adventure. I have already cleared an entire state into Oregon….or should I say “Boregon”?! I realize this is only one part of it, but I had such great visons of what it was like! The fog acted as a blank canvas for my imagination! Well…..this part of Oregon, and the corner of Idaho I drove through…well…

Meh….

I had to pee. I stopped at a Rest Stop outside of Twin Falls. So far, Rest Stops in the USA have been very nice. This one seemed just as good as any. I went in, did my thing, and proceeded to wash my hands. The mirrors looked strange. Maybe it was the lighting? Were they made of some sort of polished stainless steel? I pushed on one to see…..stared at it for a bit. Went to the car to get my phone.

Well….I’m not sure, but that very well could have been mirrored glass! Seems unusually inappropriate for a nice bathroom on the interstate, but Google suggests it just might be so! So there I am, phone in hand, pressing on the mirror, trying to decide if there is a “gap” between my finger and my reflection. Haha! Clearly, I am bored at this point! *shakes head*…ONWARD!!!!

It was dark. I was tired and hungry. The interstate highways don’t allow the option to preview what you might find at an upcoming exit so I was reluctant to take random exits to find out. I was surviving on Kashi bars, carbonated water and Cherry Coke Zero (yeah…go ahead and judge. I know it’s terrible). I knew Jackpot, NV had several hotels and casinos, so I figured it would be a suitable place for a food stop. Maybe a Wendy’s salad…or Subway?

WRONG! Jackpot is a LIE! There is only a handful of big hotels and casinos…in the middle of nowhere. Unless you are there to gamble, you might as well keep on driving. That is until you get 10 minutes out of town and realize that is ALL for who knows how long, so you turn around to get gas. Because it’s cold, snowy, and lonely out here. Would be a terrible shame to get stranded!

More Kashi bars….

After a quick stop in Wells, NV, I have acquired food, messaged the ‘rents, and am back on the road for my final 2 hour stretch. Getting pretty tired, not much sleep these days. The interstate is blissfully straight and the moon is full, so I can almost enjoy the scenery…..but there is NOTHING around. I’m hoping to find a spot to pull over and run a few laps around the car, but there are no pull-outs and at 120kms/hr, one generally doesn’t see wide spots in the road until it’s too late.

About an hour away from Wells, and 2 hours to Ely, NV, I spot a sign for a Rest Area ahead. Other than the creepy mirror thing, these have always been great stops. I see a transport truck stopped, so I pull off the road into a parking lot, of sorts.

I’ve seen The Hills Have Eyes. I did NOT go in.

Turns out, this wasn’t the rest stop, it was a creepy old abandoned motel! Not only was it creepy because the doors were all open, and the Venetian blinds all mangled and moving in the wind…..it was creepy because the furniture was all still there and it hadn’t been vandalized with graffiti and such. It was like someone just left it and forgot about it. Or maybe they were taken…by ALIENS!!!!! Haha! Well, I did get out and do my laps. Yes, I did try to see the rooms a bit closer, and yes, it *did* make me run a bit faster.

An hour later, I was safe and sound at the Motel 6 in Ely, which was a whole other experience. Shower and all!

More on that later. Gotta hit the road early tomorrow!

Up next: Mexico!!

Amy Kay — Thu, 30 Nov 2017 18:25:46 +0000

November 30, 2017

Welcome back to Campfires & Coconuts! As you are about to read, there have not exactly been any documented campfires, but there is going to be. And hold on to your hats, ladies and gents, because there is about to be a LOT more coconuts!!

For those who have inquired about the final leg of my SEA adventure, I do still have the notes and I do still plan to finish it; but right now…..MEXICO! Yep. Tacos & sunshine are up next except this time, it isn’t a whirlwind adventure. This time it’s more of a slow-burn family affair, or perhaps I should say “fur-mily” affair as it involves my 2 cats!

A quick update for those who may not know how I ended up packing my life in my beloved hometown and moving to Mexico…..

My retired parents have been snowbirds for several years now. They have a little casa in Rincon de Guayabitos, Nay. Mexico. I’ve visited them on my annual vacation for 4 years, now. This last visit was in January this year (2017) and I was just a few months in at my job managing a restaurant. I thought I liked my job. I was SUPPOSED to like my job because I had finally reached “career status” and had a salary with benefits. I loathed it. I felt like there was a bus parked on me Every.Single.Day. On my last day, after another fun-filled vacation with the ‘rents, I was enjoying the sunset on the beach with my dad and a sense of panic washed over me.

I said “Dad, I don’t want to go back. I want to live here!”

Dad: raises an eyebrow (if he had one to raise)

“Really!” I said, “People do it all the time. They just work online and travel the world. I just need to figure out what it is they do so I can learn it!”

Dad: “Whelp, I guess you’d better get figurin’”

I know what you’re thinking, “Your dad isn’t much of a conversationalist, is he?” Well, I don’t think he knew how else to respond. Maybe it seemed a ridiculous idea.

. Maybe he thought it was the best idea ever. Whatever he “thought” of it, the first words he offered, though somewhat bland, were of encouragement. It wasn’t the longest chat we’ve ever had, but it was the beginning of something much bigger than I thought at the time.

After the sunset, back at the casita, I packed my suitcase, crawled into bed with my tablet and got Googling!

While I wouldn’t say my online business has been “successful” as of yet, but I’m well on my way to making ends meet. Therefore, I pulled the plug on my conventional life and took a swan-dive into an epic adventure while I build my business.

With two senior cats in tow, flying simply isn’t an option. One day, I will return to SEA, but with these two fuzzbutts, it will be only places I can drive to, and Mexico is just perfect!

So that’s the gap between coconut stories.

Here is Juice Cat in a Mexican hat

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Juice Cat in a sombrero!