Puebla Minatitlan

I'm in Minatitlan, I rode from Puebla trying to avoid Mexico city and the traffic mess around, it took more than expected as the majority of the roads were “free” or without tall, consequently with lot's of traffic, people, bumps (to reduce speed), repairs, etc. I passed very close to Veracruz and was tempted to go up to Tamsa, but the rain on the road changed my mind.

I drove all the way with a volcano in my left, I will try to get the name (I just search in Google maps but couldn't find it).

Let me share some experience/advise relating to the driving so far. The first is that the riding on the rigth of the street is a risk, don't do that !!!! riding a bike in Canada you have to use the right as you should consider yourself a car, in here the sooner you realize you are not a car ….the better.....everybody assumes that you will drive far left (I'll try to put some pictures here but my Internet connection is weak, I'll see ) even on the sides, do not expect people stooping as you were another car.

The other interesting things is when asking for directions, first, everybody talks about hours, not kilometers, this place is about two hours, or three hours.....when you ask about distance there is not a clear answer and the hours depend in how this particular guy drives (free or paid road, fast or slow); everybody agrees in one thing, if you are in a bike you should take less than a car.........the reason is that you will never be stopped by lines as you drive on the sides (I learn that already....) .

The other problem with directions is that usually they are loose and different among different people, the references used to indicate you the road are very unique like : white building, small house, and other very difficult stuff to find. Don't get me wrong , people is very friendly and try to help, but they explain you the way they see it....at the beginning I felt upset when trying to find a place to stay in cities, you are tired, is hot, traffic is a mess and you feel stress loaded like a mule.....now I know is part of the ritual, at the end you'll get there.

Today I'm planing to arrive to Tapachula, last of the Mexican cities, and I'll decide whether I'll cross to Guatemala on Sunday or wait till Monday morning.

A new stage of the trip is coming, Guatemala is the Country for the fund raising and very special for me because of that; I want to be able to show as much as I can of the place to give a flavor of what we are trying to do with the money.

Jorge