Around The World In 80 Waves

Baja is split into two states. Baja California in the north and Baja California Sur in the south, of which La Paz is the state capital. The movement from one to the other is the reason for the time zone change too because you also move a great deal east as you head south down the peninsular.

There is a rally held throughout Baja every year and to be honest I am beginning to feel like I have entered it. I have driven about a thousand miles without the chance of a wave and Baja has been a blur on either side of me. However my car choice is limiting my access to the beaches, but the beach roads will be better on the mainland, so I am stopping here to catch a ferry across to Mazatlan.

I have picked up a replacement sump for the bug here (buying a reinforced one to boot) but have not had it replaced yet, because the bodged one is holding firm and catching the ferry is my first priority. I have two weeks left in Mexico and will be stopping in a couple of places for a few days so can get the work done then. I could probably do this myself but am not going to risk that if not entirely necessary. I have a habit of not knowing my own strength and making situations worse by breaking things whenever I open my tool box.

I have also sorted a 3G dongle for my laptop so I should now be able to keep you abreast of developments more easily too. The hotel wifi connections are so slow I have been wasting my holiday sitting inside waiting for pictures to upload, etc. so I am sure it is a worthwhile investment.

I really like La Paz. It is a small town alongside the Bay lined with a narrow sandy beach, but get here too late in the day for decent pictures. Once settled into my room, I go out for a few beers and discover it is Valentines Day. I have always loathed the day and the contrived sentiment so am glad to have unwittingly missed it. I am getting more confident with my Spanish (or perhaps just better with my phrasebook!) so go out with the locals to have a few beers in a bar decked with hearts and balloons and bump into the euro bikers again. The young lads are driving past with their music blaring far too loud, nicking ballons from the bar’s patio to give to their girlfriends. Ah the sweet taste of romance!