Leaving Baja for the mainland

. Click here for photos of Baja!

Hello! So we finally made it out of Baja - the first stretch of our journey is done; it really seems as if now we are just beginning now. We had a great time in Baja, but now it is nice to have a change of scenery. We had to rush to La Paz for a dentist for Swen, stayed there for a few days for his recovery and went on a 4 day kayak trip around Isla Espiritu Santo with a German biker we met several times before. It was great, we saw lots of fish, some dolphins, snorkled, saw bat rays jumping out of the water, tons of birds and pelicans...
In La Paz we met with a cycling enthusiast named Eber and stayed on the floor of his barber shop - another first, and another volume of stories from that whole experience that is too much to write! We made a short trip across to the Pacific coast to Todos Santos, staying along the way in a small town with hot springs at a nice Canadian lady´s winter home. Then to get to Todos Santos we took another dirt road even though I swore that I would never take another dirt road, I did and although it was very scenic and pretty it was a killer. So now, for real, I won´t take another dirt road again! Todos Santos was nice, very powerful waves crashing on the beach. We only stayed one night and then rushed back to La Paz to take the ferry to Mazatlan. It was a cargo ferry, mostly big semi trucks and their drivers on the 18 hour ride. We made friends with some guys from a metal band from Mazatlan, and slept on the deck in our sleeping bags, waking up as we neared the Mazatlan harbor. We disembarked and rode around forever looking for a place to stay for 4 people: my Mom and sister Anna drove 2 days down from New Mexico to spend a week with us on the beach. We found a perfect little aparment right on the beach with 2 bedrooms and a kitchen. It was perfect, Mom and Anna brought us little goodies and forgotten items; we had such a wonderful time waking up and running into the water, cooking our own food and relaxing. We bought a week´s worth of groceries - fresh fruits and veggies and fresh caught fish - at the local market for less than $100 for the 4 of us. We even went out to the movies! But we knew it was time to go when the annoying Canadian family moved into the apartment next door and disturbed our peace. So we left, Mom and Anna drove us down about 150km south and they left towards Guadalajara on their own Mexican tour. And so the rest of the trip continues!!