Subject: Trip South All
1/1/09
Hello Everyone
I am writing this Saturday morning at my hotel room in Zihuatanejo. No internet here. We have been making long hops every day to get farther south to the warm weather. Our stay in Guaymas was good although cold we had to get a space heater for the room and that made it better.
1/2/09
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It was a 5 hour flight from Guaymas to Zihuatanejo. We
had good weather with a few small cumulus clouds to go around but other than that smooth with just a little turbulence in places when the mountains came up to meet us. We mostly flew along the coast and had flight following most of the way down. Here in Ziwat We stayed at the Avila
Hotel a "fishermen's hangout" on the bay at the edge of town. The price was right but it was a busy location right off the main drag with a parade of boom box cars going up and the street til late night. Bruce and Tobey said their neighbors had an all night party right next door to them. Bruce and Tobey's friends, Jeff & Dorie, paddled over to the hotel from their sail boat which they sailed down from Ventura. It was nice to meet them. Joan and I went out to dinner and met up with a Baja Bush pilot couple, Dave & Betty, from San Diego and had a great time. We've seen another BBP couple we met in San Cantin who are going on the Central America BBP trip along with Darrel and Cliff, and Bruce and Tobey.
1/3/09
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Today, Sat., we got up early (5:30 am, had breakfast, took off from Zihuatanejo and flew about 3 hours to Puerto Escondido which is below Acapulco. Sorry about no spot tracking I think Jim Ayres has me straightened out on the procedure - we'll see. Tomorrow we are going to split off from our friends who are going on the Baja Bush Pilot Cen. Amer. tour that starts at Tikal. We are going on our own to Costa Rica. We are not sure if we will get all the way to Manuel Antonia to the language school or not. We will play it by ear.
That's it for now talk to you at the next wifi spot
Don & Joan
1/4/09
Sunday Jan. 4
Hello Everyone
We slept OK, got up, and met each other in the lobby about 8am for a late breakfast. Bruce Tobey, and us took one cab and Darrell and Cliff another. We got to the Escondido airport about 10 AM and now we're going to go our separate ways -us to Costa Rica, the others to Tikal for the Baja Bush Pilots tour. Since it is Sunday, the Immigrations guy said it cost $110. for overtime for us to leave Mexico. I questioned him about what I could do, and he said I was stuck in Mexico until Monday unless I wanted to pay the $110. I said I would file for Tapachula, Mexico, then stay overnight there, so we departed for Tapachula. When we arrived Joan stayed to have the airplane fueled and I asked about departing for Costa Rica. The officials said there is no charge. We filed and departed about 2:30 pm for Liberia. It seemed like a long 3 hours and was almost dark when we arrived at 5:25 pm. The wind was really blowing and
very gusty. On landing I broke off the tail tie down hook. Other than that everything else was ok. The people in Costa Rica were very friendly and helped us tie down the airplane and fill out the paper work. Later Joan told me that one of the guys helping tie down the airplane was the director of the airport. The airport guys called the Hilton Hotel close to the airport and they came and got us. It's a beautiful place and by far better than any of the hotels we've stayed in in Mexico for less money. It will be good to hit the hay early tonight. There is internet here but I can't get it to work so I'll send this when I get a chance.
Don & Joan
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1/5/09-1/11/09
Hello all,
We finished our Spanish class Friday after making Chevichi and walking over to the butterfly and crocodile wildlife exhibit while the Chevichi marinated for 3 hrs. We then had a salsa lesson and after dancing ate the food....muy bueno...This morning, Sat., Don gave 4 people a thrill by flying them around the coastal area..will add more about this later. We flew here to San Jose and had a van driver who was most helpful in getting us to a car rental place and a hotel in the center of town. Now we are going out for dinner.
More later, hasta luego.
Monday 1/12/09
Hello Everyone from Boca's del Toro, Panama
We made a short flight ( 1 hr ) from San Jose, Costa Rica to Boca's del Toro Island Panama.
We really liked Costa Rica very friendly people especial at the airports (extremely GA friendly) San Jose is a big
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hustling Bustling city we were going to rent a car and drive around the country but didn't think I could get out of San Jose without a wreck, crazy drivers here. We stayed in a nice hotel behind the Gran Hotel next the Gold Museum (which was fabulous). The wireless internet there was a little weak so impossible to email from there, tho we did get Skype. The flight over to Boca's was just barely VFR - I didn't want to file IFR here where I don't know the terrain very well. With the help of the friendly COCO Departure control from Pavas Airport. We finally got on top at 11500 and it was broken at Bocas.
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It was kinda a hastle at Boca's everyone had their hand out for fees (?)and the total fees came to $126. to land, visa, etc. No gas. And yes, we have to pay someone to watch our airplane overnight from 6 pm to 6 am when the airport opens $40 per night. I still need permission to fly into the country and the agency that gives permission was closed today - tomorrow I will see if I can get permission. If we don't, we are leaving anyway. We did get a very nice room with internet for $45. per night. Joan likes it very much. We looked around to and from town and ate at a wharf restaurant rec. by Fodor's lobster and shrimp yummy. It reminds us of the Turks & Caicos Islands.
We haven't figured where we are going from here but I think we will start heading north slowly.
Don
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1/14/09
Hello Everyone
San Salvador really surprised us. It has its own silicon valley type industry and also lots of other industries. Across from our hotel there was a large mall you could get lost in. Almost like the US except for the
signs mostly in Spanish
1/16/09
Joan and I arrived in Cozumal Mexico about 1:00pm Friday. We took off with a broken layer about 2000 ft. climbed to 9500 ft. and we were on top for a little while but that didn't last long and control said ok to 11,500 and then again to 13,500 but I could see that the cloud layer was higher than I could climb. With outside temps of 6 deg c. I didn't dare climb higher. We stayed in the soup for about 2 hrs. We kept looking for ice but never got any. It really rained hard at times and got Joan's suitcase wet. Joan didn't tell me when we were in the soup but she told me later she was really concerned.
When we landed at Cozumel Island we were greeted by a large crowd including the usual military staff, plus one
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with a drug sniffing dog, two MD's with health Q's, Police, immigration, other officials, and the news persons taking pictures. It seems we arrived during an exercise on conducting their security checks. After that we had to go inside through immigration and customs but it was easy and friendly. A large Canada Air discharged its passengers just as we went into the terminal, but as general aviation we were taken aside for visas with our own agent.
When exiting the airport we were trapped by some very friendly "tourist advisor" girl who spoke excellent English. She offered us an Avis car for 3 days, a Scuba diving trip, tickets to Chitcheniza ruins, and a ferry ride and all for $85. Also a buffet breakfast while we listened to a sales pitch about some resort on the mainland - thus the ferry tickets. We took her up on it. Don told her that he could turn off his hearing aide at which she laughed and gave him a high five. We hope the event (Sun. at 9 am) isn't too grueling.
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1/17/09
We went out on the dive boat this morning. Joan was going to snorkel and Don scuba dive. It looked stormy and was windy, but they didn't cancel. Except for the bouncing boat ride out and back the dive was really good. good visibility and lots of sea life. Don saw a large Barracuda, lots of turtles, and big grouper and millions of little colorful fish. There was an Irish kid, and 2 men from Denver, CO. plus the captain and the dive master and a 10 year old boy who was the captain's "helper".
The last time Don was here was in 1986 and things have changed so much he couldn't recognize anything. After exploring the town and having lunch we went back to our hotel to relax with a hot shower, a few beers and wine for Joan. It's been the first HOT water we've had since leaving home. Our family in Quepos, C.R., had NO hot water
More later
Don & Joan
1/18/09
Hello Everyone
Today was sheer torture. We went to the Tres Rios resort sales pitch by taking the ferry across to the mainland, Playa del Carmen, we were trapped) however we spent 5 hours from the time we boarded the ferry (9 am) until we got out to be driven to the ferry dock at 2 p.m. We would have been better off to rent our own car and pay for the scuba diving trip. It was a beautiful day today and we did enjoy the outing but expected what was promised, a mere 90 minute talk and tour of the resort. We did meet another couple from Indiana who didn't buy either and were asked to leave after giving their sales rep a hard time over the gourmet brunch. We shared our cozy brunch table alone with "our" salesrep. We liked the couple from Indiana and the woman will email us the article she intends to write about the way they were treated. Nice people - all, even the salesrep (from Quebec), his manager, Swedish), and the big boss, also Canadian (the last two sales pitches were a lower figure than the previous to invest in the "home" share project). But finally they believed us that we were not interested in buying. The resort is projected to add more buildings and facilities and increase terrifically in value, of course, and it was gorgeous. We were like Cinderella and the Prince after the clock struck midnight returning to reality as the horses turned into rats. But perhaps, Joan is getting carried away with the metaphor (it's late, so forgive me). The ferry docked it was about 4 p.m. so we had dinner and then back to the hotel to relax and get ready for our trip to Veracruz on the mainland tomorrow.
Don & Joan
1/19/09
Hola everyone:
Today was not one of our best. I think we both are starting get jet lag already. We wanted to get an early start to the airport but that didn't happen. When Joan picked up the laundry from the Lavanderia, and we went into the Farmacia to try to get eye drops (none), Don discovered he had locked the keys in the car. After about an hour and a half and $25. we found a locksmith to unlock the car and we were on our way to the airport. I started checking in with all the officials: immigration, DGAC, Customs, and the flight plan people. A new drug sniffing pero even got involved again with our luggage. It seems Don didn't close his flight plan from three days ago. He feels like they punished him by making him go through so many hoops. After about 2 hours he was finally finished. All it cost was $15. in fees and he thinks they forgot about the Visas. He is still suffering with the TJ two step (perhaps from the raw salsa (?) that he cannot resist). We finally took off about 12:30pm and headed for Veracruz. About half way there he had a gas attack that was almost crippling. He managed to relax and it finally subsided. Head winds turned our 3 hr flight into a 4 hr flight. We had a broken layer below and clear skies at our destination.
Joan wanted to stay in a nice hotel to make up for the crappy day so I agreed. we got a taxi to town and eventually to the Holiday Inn. It was going to cost more, but the bellhop got us a beautiful room for $70. We had a wonderful dinner in the hotel, and now are in our room
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relaxing. The plan is to fly to Manzanillo tomorrow then to Guaymas and then home.
Don & Joan
1/20/09
Hello
Well, we didn't go to Manzanillo today. The area was so nice we spent the day exploring and relaxing. We will leave for Manzanillo tomorrow. Hope to get an early start.
Don
1/21/09
Hola,
We enjoyed watching Katy Couric report on Obama's inauguration yesterday. We left Veracruz about 10:45 am and got to Manzanillo 3 hrs. and 10 min. later. Sorry to hear the SPOT keeps dropping off, will have to check it out on our return.
We flew at 10,500' until the mountain range necessitated going up to 12,500' - went near several volcano peaks, one snow covered, the other shrouded in clouds. Manzanillo is beautiful although a 45 min. taxi ride from the airport. Don is finally taking medications for his Montezuma's revenge bug, 2 Lomatil, and even took a Cipro,anti-biotic after only eating toast and a few bites of fruit for breakfast. We flew over a broken overcast but mostly clear skies until we got close to Manzanillo where there was more of a broken layer. We managed to get down VFR and land. It reminded us of Oxnard with farmland and the runway close to the ocean. There are many banana and coconut farms and
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export businesses here so close to the large port. Don took a rest before we walked several blocks to a restaurant for whole red snapper fried with garlic, rice and vegetables plus guacamole and tortillas. We don't know how long we will stay, but perhaps one more day. It continues to be warm and humid and we are right on the ocean with a nice breeze. It's hard to come home when we hear it is cold there. This is where the movie "10" was filmed starring Bo Derek so many years ago.
Hasta La Vista, Baby, as our governator would say.
Joan and Don
1/22/09
Hola Todos Amigos,
Today was a really nice day. Kinda a lazy day here in MANZANILLO. After the wonderful full breakfast included with the hotel room, Joan and I took a walk on the beach. When we reached the end of the breakwater at the harbor entrance we met a guy from British Columbia. Quickly we discovered we are both pilots. He built a Murphy Rebel and has been flying it for 10 years (same time for my RV6A). He has the Rebel on floats and flies it all over Canada and Alaska. Jerry and I talked for about an hour and a half and then had to go catch up with our wives. It was good to talk airplanes after such a long break. The rest of the day was spent poolside, ocean swimming and just lounging around. Around 5 pm Joan and I walked to look for a new restaurant. We ran into Jerry and his brother and their wives. They took us to an open house for a new, beautiful building with one completed condo. After meeting more Canadians, admiring the condo and imbibing the beer, wine, & chips and dip, we had dinner at small local joint and on back to La Posada. We had a good time and Don is feeling well again. The condos start at $319 K and go up. Had flautas & sopes + Beer for Don for about $7.
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It is tropical and warm here - many pelicans having a good day, too. Joan and I plan to depart for Guaymas tomorrow - on the internet we see rain at home with a break on Saturday when we plan to fly into Oxnard. Talk to you later.
Don & Joan
1/23/09
Happy Friday!
We flew 4 hours to Guaymas today, and gained one hour landing about 2:30 pm. We had a smooth flight with some broken clouds but lots of smog and haze over Puerto Vallarta and Acapulco, and sadly, up the coast. Manzanillo was clear and warm this am when we left. The cab driver in Guaymas said that it rained all night here, but it was quite pleasant and warm when we landed. We are here again at the Best Western in San Carlos Bay and can't believe that it was 22 days ago when we spent our first night in Mexico on Jan. 1, when we embarked on our adventure to fly to Panama through Costa Rica, and back to El Salvador, and on to Cozumel, Veracruz, Manzanillo, and now Guaymas. Tomorrow we will head home clearing to the U.S. through Calexico. We did not get a chance to write about our Spanish Class in Quepos, C.R., as we were too busy and not near an Internet cafe. We both enjoyed it tremendously and will write more about that experience later. We stayed in Liberia, C.R. on the way to Quepos, and then in San Jose for several days after Quepos. We got to watch the earthquake rescue events on the TV of the family where we stayed in Quepos. We left San Jose to fly to Boca del Toro, Panama. After 2 days there we flew to Ilopango, El Salvador and stayed for 2 days in San Salvador. We then stayed several days in Veracruz, and Manzanillo and now here for overnight. Don is at the store to spend our last pesos on beer. it's been such a wonderful experience and we've enjoyed every minute - but it will be nice to get home. We are determined to watch Spanish stations on TV, rent movies with subtitles, and get together with our friends who speak Spanish so that we can keep the facility we gained in the language. Perhaps Joan will have to volunteer to work with kids at the Boys and Girls Club in Oxnard in order to practice her Spanish! I Came back from the store.
Don Y Joan
1/24/09
Hello Everyone
Clearing out of Guaymas was pleasant and easy. The people there really treat you well and make it a pleasure to fly in and out. We stayed again at the Best Western - didn't need a space heater this time, the temps were very comfortable, though the taxi driver told us it rained all night Wednesday night.
We made it back to Oxnard, to the clouds, prediction of (more) rain, and cold weather. We love it here, everything appears so green after the dry parched tan of the border. We were pleasantly surprised when we found our hanger open and a welcoming committee to great us. Thanks Jim Ayers, Bob Each, and Mark Swaney. It was a pleasant trip back into the U.S. with clear skies over the border and up until the mountains. We flew on top at 10,500 ft. with a solid under cast until Oxnard. I was a little too tired to try an approach so with some big holes around Santa Paula I spiraled down to an open area and on to Oxnard VFR.
Our re-entry into the United States: easy at Calexico, even choosing from a new menu and eating lunch at Rose's Cafe, right next to customs. We guess that we just don't look like we are smuggling drugs because we never had our bags searched except at Boca del Toro, Panama, and that was to charge us the $30. fee. The new system of filing electronically is not a big deal although it took some time with both of us looking at the computer to figure it out, which was no easy task after a tiring flight of 4 hours from Manzanillo, and after a few beers.
Hasta la Vista, Joan and Don
Here is more about the Immersion Spanish school that Joan and I attended
1/5/09 Monday- we flew to Costa Rica Spanish Immersion school in Manuel Antonio and the best part of the whole trip.
We had to get special permission to go to La Managua airport in Quepos, CR. Upon arriving there we had to wait for 2 commercial transport airplanes to land before we could. No tower, just calls in the blind and they spoke Spanish. After we got all our baggage out of the airplane and put the cover on, a helpful man from the concession area called us a cab. We arrived at D'Amore language school around 12:30 pm and discovered that the 1:30 class was going to begin soon. So tired and dirty with all our baggage outside we started school. It was a pleasure as the teacher on the first day made fun out of learning. Both Joan and I were both screened and told we would compose the entire class with Wilmar a well-educated young man as our teacher. Wil taught in Spanish, no English spoken at all. We had a work book and homework every night. We kept very busy with so many things to do on our breaks, including getting money from the bank down the street for the tuition. The school prefers cash or Paypal as it takes so long for credit cards and checks to clear. It was $995. for 1 week for both of us including living with a local family and getting 2 meals a day with them. Dona Haydee, 74, was a good cook. We got the local diet, black beans and rice at every meal, some eggs and cheese and tortillas at breakfast. And fresh fruit, pineapple, papaya, and bananas.
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This first day the son of the family we stayed with, Arturo, came and picked us up in his cab. The rest of the time we rode the bus back to Quepos. The family's home was clean and well-kept. They had no hot water but in the hot, humid weather it hardly mattered at all. It was quite refreshing.
1/6/09 Tuesday
After school I was told by Arturo that my airplane might not be safe at the airport with no one watching it. He called a friend who has a plantation with a grass strip and let me talk to him. He spoke good English and said my airplane might be safer at his place. He had a grass strip, short and very narrow. He told me to come and look at it before I tried to land on it. Arturo drove us over to look at it, and the owner drove me to the end with his golf cart and it looked long enough to me, about 2000'. There were very tall trees at the approach end with an off set slot. My mistake was taking Arturo, who weighs about 250 lbs. with me. The first time I went around just to take a look. The second time I carried a little too much speed and the field was bumpier than it looked. I couldn't hit the breaks because the wheels wouldn't stay on the ground. I dumped the flaps and that did it. I hit the breaks and just barely came to a stop at the end of the field. We talked awhile, tied the plane down and went back to our family's house. The plantation had a guard at the locked gates so it did, indeed, appear safer.
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Every morning we would wake up to breakfast and then, at 7:40 am walk 2 miles to the bus terminal where we rode the 8 am bus to school. It was full of locals and many other students from other schools. If we were late getting to the bus terminal we would have to stand up all the way to the school which was about 10 miles. While we were gone the lady of the house, Dona Haydee would wash and iron (even underwear) all our clothes.
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After school we would ride the bus and walk back home. We would do different things every afternoon. The first evening Don Victor, 77, the father walked with us to town and showed us around, and that was fun.
The second day we explored and got some things in the supermercado.
1/7/09 Wednesday -About this time the big 6.7 earthquake occurred near Volcan Poas and the news of the disaster and the rescue efforts were on the family TV from then on. In the evening Dona Haydee walked with us to visit at her grown daughter's house and showed us the internet cafe as we needed to use the computer. One day we found the local Quepos library and read children's books.
1/8/09 Thursday -After school David D'Amore drove us to Manuel Antonio Park where the road ends and we paid admission and walked through the jungle to the beach. We saw monkeys cavorting in the trees, and a family of turtles that had just hatched climbing out of their nest to walk to the ocean. We rode the bus back to Quepos. David is from Wisconsin and started the language school here. He was very interested in Don's airplane building talents as his brother is a pilot. His questions and comments were in English, however, as he researched Don's website and wanted to know all about the RV6A and the trips we have made in it.
1/9/09 Friday
The last day of school we reviewed our homework for 2 hrs and then all the students and teachers got together and made Chevichi which is raw fish, Dorado, cooked in lemon and lime juice. Then our teacher walked with us to the Butterfly and cocodrillo farm. Our guide, a cute girl, showed and told us all about the creatures there in Spanish and it was interesting. After the park we went back to the school and ate Chevichi and learned how to dance the Salsa. What a surprise and lots of fun.
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We said our goodbyes and caught the bus back to Quepos. It was time to celebrate so I had my first Local beer in a week, and it sure tasted good.
1/10/09 On Saturday morning Arturo and his friend took us to the plantation to get my airplane. I had told a few people they could get an airplane ride. I took Arturo's friend with me (about 150 lbs) I asked him if he would like to do a roll and he said, " yes". I don't think he knew what a roll was because it scared the hell out of him so much that I thought he was going to have a heart attack.
I landed with him at La Managua airport and took Arturo, and Dona Haydee's grandson, and David D'Amore for a ride. They all told me they enjoyed flying very much. We took off for San Jose, the biggest city in Costa Rica and stayed there for 2 days. We enjoyed the contrast of the small town and the big city.
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