Tapachula Chiapas

I left Minatitlan escorted by the police....yes, I was at the malecon checking the Canadian navy (see picture) and asked how to leave town to the police officers there. 

They offer to guide me outside in their bikes, I'm not sure if this was an act of "buddy bikers" or they want me out of there, in any case their help was welcome as the town was particularly a challenge with long and twisted roads.

For my surprise the map I carried with me was wrong, it indicates a higway between Mitatitlan and Tuxla Gutierrez, but is under construction and you have to go through small towns until you get to the cuota part (pay highway). Definitely when asking for directions you have to try more than once and cross check the references, people explain to you the way they travel and assumes you know some of the references on the way.

The scenery here is tropical, the rockies are not rockies, they are green and covered with trees and vegetation

Out of the 240 Km from Tuxla Gutierrez to Tapachula, during 150 Km it rained like this was the last day of the world for rain...I rode almost one and half hour under the heaviest rain I ever seen. There was no major risk,  but some deviations on the road become a concern as the mud start building up.

 I took the day off to check the bike, dry my clothe..... and rest a little bit. I organized my papers and planed ahead as much as I can, I have some directions (where to sleep, cross countries, etc) but my experience shows that you have to be prepared to change some of the plans.

The vegetation of Chiapas is exuberant, looks like a jungle with mountains, I can see from the Hotel the border with Guatemala, tomorrow I'll be crossing early in the morning through Talisman and will enter on Central America.

 Jorge