Mexico - Muy Caliente

Our first taste of Mexico was flying into a deserty looking San Jose del Cabo at the Southern tip of Baja California. After getting the surf board successfully through customs, we hailed a local bus to the town with all of our gear. We had a rough idea of where we were going, but then we realised we were a bit lost and had no idea as to where the bus was heading. Luckily a fellow Austria was there to help as the only other non-local in the bus and told us we should try staying in Cabo San Lucas, so we got off at the last stop and found a small place just off a main road. It was a former brothel, so the walls were thick and the bedrooms small, the proprietor cheerfully told us.

The next day we checked out the surroundings and were keen to get into the warm waters of Mexico, so headed by bus to the beach. Good surf at the Costa Azul beach, quite crowded and rocky, so I put more holes in my feet, adding to the ones from California.















 Relaxing after a hard day's surfing

Met some local kids in this great little taco shop and asked them how we should be eating the local food and they told us aptly to just eat it.  First taste of real Mexican food and we loved it. How many types of chilli?

Next we were keen to meet up with Sarah and Kev, our mates from home, in a small town called Sayulita. We got on the plane and left Baja California heading towards Guadalajara. From there we caught a bus through the hilly lush countryside to the coast. Luckily for us Kev and Sarah had rented a car so when we got stranded late at night after our long bus journey, they came to pick us up. On our way to Sayulita we got pulled by a cop. We had heard about cops stopping rental cars containing tourists and were not too pleased when he made up some kind of traffic infringement and wanted to take Kev's driving license away. But we weren't going to argue with an armed cop late at night so fortunately Sarah used her best Spanish/Italian to persuade the cop to let us off with a cash fine without 'receipt'.

The following week was spent hanging out in Sayulita; surfing, swimming, eating, drinking, grilling  (Sarah and Kev had rented out a very cute house for the week) and generally catching up with freinds we hadn't seen for far too long.

Sarah and Kev relaxing in the house

The waves were mostly perfect for Kev, Leah and Sarah to learn on, except that Leah and Sarah kept getting pounded every time they went in.

The beautiful New Yorkers

The local kids were awesome surfers

 Marc catching a wave

A kiss from the wife

Looking relaxed and happy

Staggering home after numerous strawberry dacquiris and magaritas....

After a wicked week, and unbelievably getting stopped by a cop for the second time,  we said our goodbyes to Kev and Sarah as they headed back to New York and we headed by bus to Guardalajara. We arrived, found a decent place to stay right in the centre of town and headed out for possibly the best Mexican meal yet.

We counted nine chefs in the kitchen all working tirelessly to churn out the most delicious food. The locals were queuing to get a table all evening.

The next day we headed into the very pretty town, stopping to fuel up on a large breakfast before walking the sites which strongly resembled some Italian cities we've been to. The architecture was stunning and the town really clean.

If only we'd got married in Mexico.

Oh yes, and they sell giant beers

Next we head to Morelia and then back to the coast for some more surfing before we start the long journey South into Guatemala.