tonyha - 12-12-2006 at 09:01 PM
i have scanned & read this forum (ok, i haven't read ALL of it yet, but...) for info about driving from tijuana to cabo and, in summary, it seems
that i should drive only during the day, keep the fuel gauge above half, carry plenty of water, avoid camping in the middle of nowhere, and make left
turns the mexican way. have i missed anything important?
my wife and i have spent substantial amounts of time traveling independently (i.e. not with groups or at resorts) in brazil, jamaica, cambodia and
other countries that might be deemed "dangerous," and "frontier-like"...and we lived in a tent for 78 consecutive nights last year, so i suppose we're
not naive...but we also like to "go with the flow" when we travel - basically we only sketch out a plan and see what happens. is that a bad idea in
this case? how prepared / vigilant do we really need to be?
thanks.
Bruce R Leech - 12-12-2006 at 09:25 PM
it sounds to me like you have a good plan and have enough experience that you will do just fine. be careful and enjoy that trip.
Diver - 12-12-2006 at 09:41 PM
Get pesos for gas and other expenses. ATM's are best.
Make your first night as far south as La Bufadora or San Quinton.
Don't pull over for anyone if it doesn't look right.
Try to camp within site of other campers or totally out of sight of anyone.
Ask people coming the other way about fuel and road conditions going your way.
Ask people anything; water, fuel, ice, etc...you will usually learn more than you expected.
Plan one or two options for stopping before dark.
As I always say when asked;
When in Baja, we go where we want and we stay as long as it feels right.
.
tonyha - 12-13-2006 at 08:08 AM
thanks very much, i feel reassured now. i got a touch freaked after reading a violence against tourists thread on this forum, but now realize that
the folks here are just very alert and aware and that, while things may be getting shadier in baja, there's no epidemic of violence underway.
i guess i'm going to focus on how warmly to dress while down there.
Bajagypsy - 12-13-2006 at 08:24 AM
tonyha,
I'm very interested in your camping experience and driving experience in brazil, and cambodia. It is our dream to drive to south america one day, and
camp.
You will have no problems, just hanging out in Baja, my family and I do it all the time, just be smart. You have more than enough travel experience
to make this a very enjoyable trip.
Paula - 12-13-2006 at 09:05 AM
tonyha,
You didn't actually say you are camping in Baja, but we assume you are?
Either way, you'll want layers, because you'll have a wide range of weather, as it can be chilly, overcast and foggy along the northern pacific coast,
quite hot in the central dessert, cool and windy along the Sea of Cortez, and tropical as you go south of La Paz. Fleece jackets and maybe a
warerproof wind layer are good to have along. And of course bring your bathing suit.
Yep, bring your bathing suit and some electric socks, and you'll be cool for Baja.
wilderone - 12-13-2006 at 09:42 AM
I have awakened to ice on my tent at Erendira, Catavina and other locales. It can get very cold in winter months. Bring gloves, hats and a jacket for
those occasions. Also, extra long stakes and guy lines for when the wind blows. Check out "the list" for other suggestions. You'll have a great
time.
tomcooke - 12-13-2006 at 03:48 PM
Car travel and camping in Baja is great. The danger element is no more than you would have in many other locales. The hospitality element of
Mexicans, on the other hand, is quite high. Don't get freaked out by paranoid reports based on a few very unfortunate, but highly improbable
incidents. You will love Baja
tonyha------
Barry A. - 12-13-2006 at 04:04 PM
----all the advice received here is very good.
What is really important to we "Nomads" is your trip report when you get back-------we love trip reports!!!
So please let us know how it went, and have a wonderful time--------Baja is the best.
We encourage "reports" of incidents so that we are all aware of what is going on, but I really don't consider them "paranoid"------just informative.
Have fun. 
Skipjack Joe - 12-13-2006 at 04:58 PM
Tony,
Baja is a piece of cake compared to South America. You'll do fine. You're an experienced traveler. In fact, I'll bet you can teach us how to stay safe
and avoid trouble.
3 things to make the trip enjoyable:
1. a digital camera and tripod.
2. face mask, snorkel, and flippers
3. binoculars and peterson's guide to western birds.
tonyha - 12-13-2006 at 08:42 PM
Thanks for all the feedback! I've made two posts here and been quite impressed by the volume and quality of replies. I will file a report (although
our trip might end up being somewhat less adventurous because we'd originally planned a one-way, two-week car rental from tijuana to cabo, but the
drop fee is a bit exorbitant, that we're now considering focusing our drive and sticking to the Sur (after flying down to La Paz...we're from Toronto,
so it's a long enough journey as is). All the same, a report will be filed, exciting or not.
Bajagypsy, re our experiences in Cambodia and Brazil - actually neither involved us driving but both were long-term, aimless backpacking experiences.
A year in Brazil (mainly in the rural North - Bahia, etc.), with a fair amount of camping and no plan whatsoever, and two months in Cambodia (part of
an eight-month journey in Southeast Asia), where the ratio of amputees and child prostitutes to paved roads is about 10, 000 to 1. (I make Cambodia
sound grim, and it is, but still a rewarding place to visit.) The 78 nights camping took place in New Zealand, which is safe as safe gets, but we
did drive there. On the wrong side of the road and everything.
Diver - 12-13-2006 at 09:19 PM
If you want a good "get acclimated" stop from La Paz, head south 45 minutes to La Ventana. Nice beaches and lots of folks with lots of Baja sur
experience in the homey campground. You can head south towards Barilles and Cabo Pulmo or west towards Todos Santos from there.
Bajagypsy - 12-14-2006 at 06:57 AM
tonyha,
A fellow canadian!!! We drive down to Baja, twice a year, (from saskatooon, so we are a bit closer). We love it, get to find places all over that
people rarely get to see.
Thank you for the info on Cambodia and Brazil, much appreciated.