First day of The End.

I was up and ready to go by 8:30. The owner of the apartment was supposed to come between 8:30 and 9:00 to get the keys and give me my deposit. He showed up at 10 til 10:00. I should have: 1) told him 7:30 2) realized that this is Mexico. Therefore, 9:00 does not mean 9:00. So, I got a late start. I back-tracked back to Guadalajara where I had a late lunch with Juan Carlos at La Nacional (just like old times). Then I went east and north a different route than I had taken to get to Guadalajara in February. The tolls are expensive, and sometimes the roads don't seem much better than the "libre" highways, but I figured for time's and safety's sake to just take the toll roads. I got to San Luis Potosi before dark and found a hotel for about 20 bucks. I thought it was strange that they asked for cash only and wanted it paid in advance. Hmmm. There was a nicer hotel a few miles away I stopped at but they wouldn't allow Leo unless he slept in the car. Yeah, right. The hotel doesn't have internet so I walked down to Burger King (blah) for dinner because they have it for free. As I was driving towards town, I kept seeing signs for SLP saying "17 km" then "20km" then "25 km." It was like the city was getting farther away than closer. I know I made it to San Luis Potosi but I didn't make it to it's downtown, which is probably why I'm stuck in the hotel I am in next to a mall with a Burger King.

The drive today was beautiful. I have said it before but I love driving through Mexico. The photos I took from the car don't do what I saw justice. I am really glad I decided to drive instead of fly. If I leave early tomorrow I should make it across the border around 3:30 (very rough estimate).

First of two pictures of the volcanic rock between Vallarta and Guadalajara.


Second picture.


Some of the landscape of central/eastern Jalisco state.


I saw this huge bull in the distance so when I got close enough I took a picture; in eastern Jalisco.


Driving near the Jalisco/Zacatecas/San Luis Potosi state lines.


Ditto.


Driving through San Luis Potosi.


Another photo, near sunset.

Vet Pt. 2

So even though he didn't get a thorough examination, Leo got all of his shots and is ready to go. Total cost: $60 give or take. Hope we don't have any problems at the border.

Vet

I took Leo to the veterinarian a few doors down and said I needed his papers to cross the border. All the receptionist did was fill out a standardized sheet, charge me 180 pesos, and weigh Leo. So much for making sure he is healthy enough to cross. That being said, she said that he needs to be up to date with his vaccinations, and he had them a little over a year ago, so we're going back at 4:00 to see the veterinarian for his shots.

Final Days

I took Kelly to the airport this afternoon. She made sure to make her last night here memorable by getting in the swimming pool at the bar we were at. Now that she's gone it is real to me that I am also leaving in a few days. I made an omelet for dinner with what I have left in the refrigerator: pineapple, onion, garlic, cheese and egg. It isn't wonderful but it will do. That means I can allow myself to eat out for dinner tomorrow and Monday, but I do have cereal for breakfasts and peanut butter and jelly for lunches.

Mayto

Kelly came on Sunday and we've been low key except for yesterday evening when we went out. Today, I suggested we go to Mayto. I found a website called hidden Puerto Vallarta beaches, and Mayto stuck out because it seemed so private as well as being a tortoise sanctuary. The drive to Mayto was beautiful if not interesting. It took over 1.5 hours to get there, because nearly 20 miles of the trip was a dirt road. We didn't get photos of the journey, but I took a lot of photos at the beach. We never got lost, but we had some pretty specific directions from the website. It could be very easy to get lost, and that may be why we were the only white people we saw once we got outside of Puerto Vallarta. How refreshing! This possibly was my favorite day in Mexico. When we arrived, we were THE. ONLY. PEOPLE. Other than two Mexican surfers with their three dogs (they did not stay long), we were literally the only two people on this beach all day long. It was amazing. We ate at a restaurant on the beach; seafood of course. It was really affordable. Then we explored the beach and I kept saying, "Kelly, look at this!" The water was so clear and the beach was really steep so the waves were violent, incredible and dramatic. What a great beach day. When people say they love the beach, I can finally identify, as long as it is a beach like the one at Mayto.

A view of the beach.


Ducks that the restaurant owner had to shoo when we arrived.


This is the turtle center. I read that during mating season they rescue eggs on the beach so that they survive until hatching. Apparently this isn't mating season.


View of the restaurant.


Where our food was prepared.


A view of a hill on the beach.


A view of Hotel/Restaurant Mayto (the other restaurant on the beach).


Literally miles of beach.


More of the beach.


View of Mayto Restaurant.


We walked to this outcrop of rock and explored the creatures who call it home.


This is a snapshot of the 20+ miles of dirt road we traveled. It was rough. This was one of the few stretches of straight, curveless "road."


Kelly at the restaurant on the beach.


Kelly the first night she was here in Vallarta.


Kelly again.


Kelly on the hill above my place in Vallarta.


Kelly and I.


Video of Mayto.

Next visitor

Leia came on Wednesday and left today, a day earlier since Landon was sick at home and not getting better. She and I went out while she was here and visited Sayulita as well. The big news was me spilling scalding hot olive oil on myself and melting the skin off of my finger. It hurt. I still have no skin but since Leia's a nurse she made sure I didn't do anything to further damage it. I've kept it covered and I hope it heals sooner than later.

Leia and I before burning my finger the next day.


Martin and Enrique at the bar.


The three of us in front of the sexy Jesus painting.


Leia and I.

Dentist

I got my haircut today and my teeth cleaned. Both were cheaper than they would have been in the states. The haircut was a success. The teeth.....

It was the most terrifying cleaning I have ever had. I bled so much. Then, he tells me, someone who has never had a cavity in his life, that I have ELEVEN cavities. The cost to repair them was waaaay beyond my budget. I talked to mom and she said he couldn't know for sure since he didn't even take x-rays. At least my teeth are clean, and still in my head.