0081 14th Aug - Playa Azul to Zihuatenejo

A day of beaches, beer, and iguanas !!  And even crocodiles !!   As often happens, a day turns out so different from what one originally imagines when you wake up !!  After I had packed up the car and showered (ah, bliss, even if it is cold !!) I went in to do my blog on the hotel’s wifi in their lobby, which took a couple of hours just to upload the photos and what I had written over the past couple of days.  And while I was on the internet, I had to check a couple of things about campsites.  It is turning out that camping is very difficult at this time of year because it is the dead season – So not only are a lot of camp sites closed until November, but also it is so sticky at night that you want to sleep with the van open to catch whatever breezes there are, but if you free camp in the bush, this is not such a good idea !!  So I find myself between a bit of a rock and a hard place at the moment.  But as usual, there are more ways to skin a cat…….

As most of you are aware, my windscreen has a 4 layer protective coating on it to prevent stone damage – A bit like motorcycle visor tear offs, except I don’t tear them off very often !  I used this on the Lotus, and decided to do it again for Troopie, and I am SO glad I did – Otherwise I would be on about my 3^rd windscreen by now ! On the Dalton and the Dempster highways to the Arctic, we had several stones hit the windscreen that cut right through all 4 layers of protective coating – Without the coating the windscreen would have been gone, no doubt at all.  I put little patches over them so moisture wouldn’t get through the holes and in between the layers, but for the last couple of weeks the top tear off has been getting harder and harder to clean, and then something sticky got on it in the last couple of days which I couldn’t remove with anything – WD 40, Wet Ones, Rain-X – It just got worse.  So yesterday I bit the bullet and tore off the top protective layer, now leaving just 3.  It may be slightly less protection, but I figure the worst of the stone throwing is over, and at least I can see out of it all again now – Just like a new windscreen again !!  So that was one of my jobs today – Probably about an hour’s work after I get it all done properly (I put tape around the edges to prevent rain getting in the edges.)

I have decided not to go up to Mexico City. What with the odd number plate rule, doubt about where the un-crossable line actually is which specifies your number plate, and the apparently increasing determination of the Mexico State and City police to ensure that few gringos get around the city without being stopped and fined, plus of course the fact that you can no longer drive or park anywhere in the city itself (unlike when I was here 40+ years ago) – So what is the point ?  If I am not going to stop, why go ?  Add these issues to the paucity of active camp areas at the moment, and the idea of wandering around lost when I have no one to help me read a map while on the move, and it is just not something that I would really enjoy, and if won’t enjoy, why do it ?  So today I did a short day on purpose, and can then get to a camp site in Acapulco tomorrow, before heading into the hills and Oaxaco where I know I can find places to stop.  I have to leave Mexico on the 27^th August, so depending on Oaxaca, I may go up to the Yucatan – Although that is hot and wet at the moment, which kind of defeats the purpose.  We’ll see.

But today I have a beautiful spot in Zihuatenejo, right on the Playa La Ropa.  It is an RV park linked to a restaurant, but they told me the RV park is closed until November.  But the manager Memo (Guillermo) relented and for one night charged me a nominal amount, and I was here by 3 pm !  So I am parked under a big tree for shade, I have been for a long walk up the beach and back, and I am now sitting in the restaurant drinking a few cervezas, watching some “pet” iguanas lazing in the sun at my feet (the chef feeds them tortillas !)  And I am about to have some fish tacos for my tea !!  And about a 5 foot crocodile has just swum past in the water !!!

Once I have finished my blog, I need to dig a little deeper into more detailed camping stuff for not on here but also Guatemala and the rest of central America. My first major screw up of the trip is that I didn’t get enough data on camp sites – Mainly because last time we were here, this wasn't a problem.  Maybe it is because I am out of season, I don’t know, but it is all just a little bit annoying at the moment. But as long as problems like these lead to days like this, then I can assure you I am not complaining THAT much !!

Photos here https://picasaweb.google.com/117739775480775657932/0082PlayaAzulToZihuatenejo?authkey=Gv1sRgCP3R9pmizavWZw#