Below is just a “teaser”, as I plan to put my detailed log of my Mexico trip and a lot more pictures once I get back to Prague. Most of my trip is on video film, so will try to extract pictures from that as well, and compile some clips and upload it to the net. Just very basic details and pictures below.
Fluffy snow for Christmas in Whistler BC with my family.
So, in short, it was hell bureaucracy to make this trip realisable, and I finally launched from Seattle, because I was told it would be much easier to sell a vehicle in LA (from where my flight was to depart back to Prague) if I purchased it in the US (as opposed to importing it from Canada, and insurance, and everything else).
Drove out to the most northwest point of the US – Cape Flattery – which is in an Indian reservation, and from there meandered my way southward, hugging the coast as much as possible, until I arrived at San Francisco about five days later, where I partied two days with friend-to-visit number one.
One of the dogs of the people I was staying at in Seattle where I bought the van.
(Plans for my next van here!)
One day’s drive to Sacramento via Santa Cruz, to visit friend number two – who was my housemate in Prague for almost a year. On his recommendation, spent a night in Yosemite, and then the next night to Lake Tahoe, to friend number three – who happened to live across the street from the ski lift and got me free gear and half off the lift ticket.
Partied there two days, one night in the desert, then through Death Valley to visit friend number four in Las Vegas. Two days drive through the Grand Canyon area, one more party night in Las Vegas, then next day to LA, where I partied with about five of my Prague friends for about four days (one of which was my birthday).
The official handing over of the key from the previous owner (the neighbour of the people I was staying at) during the signing of the transfer papers.
Keys in hand and ready to go!
Gotta test out the bed…
Partied one night with friend number 9(?) in Orange County, who camped out in the van with me to spend a night and introduce me to Tijuana – my first Mexican experience. Without his escort the rest of the trip was much nicer, and after about 5,500 miles after Seattle, finally made it down to my destination – La Ventana, my destination only by fluke of fate due to the people I met.
So here I am, in this Mexican village, in one of two RV campgrounds infested 90% by surfin Americans coming here every year to spend a part of the cold winter in the sun. The campground I arrived at costs 4$ a night, but has no electricity. Will try out the other campground tomorrow.
Gotta give the portable shower a test run too!
160 bucks and I haven’t even used it yet!
Pretending to be driving and rarin’ to go.
But if I get my electricity, I think I will stop driving for a while and just set up my computer with music blasting on the beach by the seaside, working casually in the sun. Exactly what I felt I needed after 11 hard years in winter-cold Prague. My flight is due to arrive in Prague on March the 25th, and hence I will have succeeded in circumventing the first cold winter in my entire life.
Old growth forest in Washington.
Same old growth forest.
It will just start to warm up in Prague when I arrive, and it will be back to camping in Cesky Raj for the weekends.
I am enclosing some pictures together with this short intro letter, but the main story will come out later once I am back in Prague (have to download video clips and finalise my trip diary).
Hope you don’t feel I’m rubbing my beach into your face or something, but I really feel I needed this, and I feel you all expressed an interest in what I was doing.
The next letter should be much more detailed, as a million things happened in between. Looking forward to seeing ya all in the summer!
Some lake in Washington where I checked my email through the satellite phone
(need a clear shot of the southern sky for that).
Just an example of what the coast looked like as I was driving southbound. This is probably somewhere in Oregon.
The entire coast the whole way down looked like this.
Zion park north of the Grand Canyon.
Zion park again.
Bryce park just down the road from Zion. 200 miles of scenery like this along highway 12. HIGHLY recommend it.
Bryce canyon again.
Entering the Mojave desert in California,
after Las Vegas on the way to LA.
Big cactus in Baja Mexico.
On the way to second last night before final destination,
past Santa Rosalia in Baja.
Now, for the European trip I want to live in for at least two years,
the new caravan truck!
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We are a family operation managing private custom boat tours in the beautiful Palawan area, and are happy to help travelers with their plans through the Philippines, having traveled a lot of it ourselves and planning to visit it all. These pages in this section cover my various solo travels through Europe before meeting my wife.