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motoged
Elite Nomad
Posts: 6481
Registered: 7-31-2006
Location: Kamloops, BC
Member Is Offline
Mood: Gettin' Better
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Nomads,
Careful not to get into a battle of wits with "BJ" (a good moniker for him :lol as it isn't fair to fight an unarmed individual...
Ged
Don't believe everything you think....
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capt. mike
Elite Nomad
Posts: 8085
Registered: 11-26-2002
Location: Bat Cave
Member Is Offline
Mood: Sling time!
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i had to take the bus from Hermosillo to Nogales in 1986 when my Mooney blew a jug on a Flying Sams trip and we had to force land and left it for a
month on repairs until i could hitch a plane ride south to fetch it.
it was 6 hours of pure hell.
they didn't have the nice ABC busses on that route back then.
i should have taken the train but that option required an extra nite in town, and not knowing the bus ride was GOING to be agonizing i went for the
cheaper bus ticket and a same day departure. BIG MISTAKE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
i had prior experience with the train from Nogo to Mazatlan in 1974 - which was a blast if you got the cheap sleeper car upgrade suites which we did.
never again i hope. It wasn't about the people - it was about the time,. number of stops and they filled it to SRO class not just for the amount of
seats available. No chickens like in South America, and the people didn't smell but they were crammed in like sardines, more than the total of seats.
those not seated stood for hours or until their stop came up like in the middle of no where and off they'd walk into the desert.......un real..
i don't care who you are - bus rides suck generally if you can do an alternative. next time if the train is an option i'll take it.
formerly Ordained in Rev. Ewing\'s Church by Mail - busted on tax fraud.......
Now joined L. Ron Hoover\'s church of Appliantology
\"Remember there is a big difference between kneeling down and bending over....\"
www.facebook.com/michael.l.goering |
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Bajajack
Banned
Posts: 370
Registered: 5-20-2007
Location: Arizona
Member Is Offline
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Pardon me
| Quote: | Originally posted by motoged
Nomads,
Careful not to get into a battle of wits with "BJ" (a good moniker for him:lol as it isn't fair to fight an unarmed individual...
Ged |
i didn't realize you were from canada, you should fit right in on any mexican bus.
\"take what you can, give nothing back!\"
We have room for but one language here, and that is the English language... and we have room for but one sole loyalty and that is a loyalty to the
American people.\'
Theodore Roosevelt 1907
We can have no \"50-50\" allegiance in this country. Either a man is an American and nothing else, or he is not an American at all.
Theodore Roosevelt
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BajaGringo
Ultra Nomad
Posts: 3922
Registered: 8-24-2006
Location: La Chorera
Member Is Offline
Mood: Let's have a BBQ!
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I have had the opportunity to travel by train and bus across many different parts of this planet including Mexico. Air travel is an obvious advantage
for long distances and little time. Some of my favorite trips have been on trains and buses and my advice would be to bring a couple of books, an ipod
and a small pillow. Make the effort to get to know some of your fellow passengers onboard and you will have a great time. I can't recall a single bad
experience traveling with any locals, whatever be their economic position or education. However I can recall a few flights with loud mouthed marooons
who everybody onboard wanted to kick off the plane with no parachute.
Kind of reminds me of a particular poster in this thread...
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Bajajack
Banned
Posts: 370
Registered: 5-20-2007
Location: Arizona
Member Is Offline
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Words of wisdom
| Quote: | Originally posted by BajaGringo
I have had the opportunity to travel by train and bus across many different parts of this planet including Mexico. Air travel is an obvious advantage
for long distances and little time. Some of my favorite trips have been on trains and buses and my advice would be to bring a couple of books, an ipod
and a small pillow. Make the effort to get to know some of your fellow passengers onboard and you will have a great time. I can't recall a single bad
experience traveling with any locals, whatever be their economic position or education. However I can recall a few flights with loud mouthed marooons
who everybody onboard wanted to kick off the plane with no parachute.
Kind of reminds me of a particular poster in this thread...
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someone living in the slums of rosarito.
\"take what you can, give nothing back!\"
We have room for but one language here, and that is the English language... and we have room for but one sole loyalty and that is a loyalty to the
American people.\'
Theodore Roosevelt 1907
We can have no \"50-50\" allegiance in this country. Either a man is an American and nothing else, or he is not an American at all.
Theodore Roosevelt
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BajaGringo
Ultra Nomad
Posts: 3922
Registered: 8-24-2006
Location: La Chorera
Member Is Offline
Mood: Let's have a BBQ!
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I'll take this "slum" living over a trailer in the middle of the Arizona desert. Finally get that swamp cooler working? Any word on indoor plumbing
soon???
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Bajajack
Banned
Posts: 370
Registered: 5-20-2007
Location: Arizona
Member Is Offline
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No trailers in Scottsdale
| Quote: | Originally posted by BajaGringo
I'll take this "slum" living over a trailer in the middle of the Arizona desert. Finally get that swamp cooler working? Any word on indoor plumbing
soon???
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in your stupor you must have me confused
with your neighbors.
\"take what you can, give nothing back!\"
We have room for but one language here, and that is the English language... and we have room for but one sole loyalty and that is a loyalty to the
American people.\'
Theodore Roosevelt 1907
We can have no \"50-50\" allegiance in this country. Either a man is an American and nothing else, or he is not an American at all.
Theodore Roosevelt
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Bajajack
Banned
Posts: 370
Registered: 5-20-2007
Location: Arizona
Member Is Offline
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Yessir
you are a real class act!
\"take what you can, give nothing back!\"
We have room for but one language here, and that is the English language... and we have room for but one sole loyalty and that is a loyalty to the
American people.\'
Theodore Roosevelt 1907
We can have no \"50-50\" allegiance in this country. Either a man is an American and nothing else, or he is not an American at all.
Theodore Roosevelt
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vandenberg
Elite Nomad
Posts: 5118
Registered: 6-21-2005
Location: Nopolo
Member Is Offline
Mood: mellow
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| Quote: | Originally posted by Bajajack
you are a real class act! |
Doubt that you would recognize one if it bit you in the a*s.
As for memorable bus trips: I recall one, many moons ago, where , on a excursion trip from La Paz to Cabo, we had an apprentice driver, who was only
allowed to drive on the out of town stretches. Coming back into La Paz, the "teaching" driver took over "on the fly". The apprentice kept his foot on
the gas, raised up, while the other guy slid under him, took over the gas, while the other left the seat, ( all this, while doing 70 mph ) and we
never missed a beat. At least 40 people on that bus, most applauded.
Teguila anyone.
And to get an idea how long ago this was:
Roundtrip bus La Paz-Cabo, with breakfast in El Triunfo, lunch in Cabo, and boat trip to the arch and Lovers beach for $11.00.
[Edited on 10-28-2008 by vandenberg]
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bajaguy
Elite Nomad
Posts: 9247
Registered: 9-16-2003
Location: Carson City, NV/Ensenada - Baja Country Club
Member Is Offline
Mood: must be 5 O'clock somewhere in Baja
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Speaking of busses and bus drivers................
Cocaine Seized on Passenger Bus in Sonora – 21 October 2008
In Agua Prieta, Sonora, Federal Police stopped a passenger bus from the Federal Public Transportation Service and seized:
• 10 packages of cocaine weighing a total of 10 kilos, 200 grams
• 30 packages of marijuana weighing a total of 8 kilos
The bus came from Mexico City and was destined for Tijuana, Baja California. Police arrested the drivers:
• Manuel Sanchez Fernandez, 40, from the Distrito Federal
• Jose Manuel Ortiz Chacon, 49, from the Distrito Federal
Spanish Source: http://www.eluniversal.com.mx/notas/548868.html
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Mango
Senior Nomad
Posts: 685
Registered: 4-11-2006
Location: Alta California &/or Mexicali
Member Is Offline
Mood: Bajatastic
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Pompano, great story. It reminds me of several of my bus trips. Each one always seems to work out to become a unique adventure in some way or
another.
Capt. Mike, Unfortunately almost all of the commercial train lines in Mexico are no longer running. My favorite line ran from Puebla to Oaxaca,
passenger service stopped around 10 years ago and the line was later abandoned in 2004. The Copper Canyon route is still active and a great trip.
Long distance buses have improved their services a great deal in Mexico over the last 30+ years. This also directly relates decline in train travel.
A few more words of advice that Pompano's story jogged from my memory.
- If the bus does not originate at your location, you will be catching it "del paso" (in passing). They are often late. This is not such a big deal
on the main routes.. but on obscure routes where there may be only one bus a day (or week) the waits can be much longer.
-The buses will stop at most major stations for at least 5 minutes to on/off-load passengers and luggage. Often times the wait will be 15 minutes..
or even 30 minutes if the bus driver likes the restaurant there. Usually, you will be ok just to "follow the crowd"; but, I recommend telling the bus
driver or another passenger that you will be right back. If the bus starts to leave without someone.. yell, "Falta uno!" and the driver will stop.
Usually they announce how long each stop will be if they will stay longer than a few minutes. Carry pesos/change to buy tacos, get into clean pay
bathrooms at the bus stations (which are much cleaner (2 pesos usually))
- Carry TP in your daypack just incase.. and take your daypack with you when getting off to get food, use the restroom, etc..
- I like to break my trips into no more than 6 - 8 hour chunks if I can help it. This may mean spending a night in a little town; but, will be a
welcomed break. The main advantage of this is if you get some snot nosed kid sitting behind you that kicks the seat and whines incessantly because
his mother never paid attention to him.. you can get off and try again. Or you could just try to ask Bajajack nicely to stop kicking the seat.. but
some people are just lost causes.
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Mango
Senior Nomad
Posts: 685
Registered: 4-11-2006
Location: Alta California &/or Mexicali
Member Is Offline
Mood: Bajatastic
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| Quote: | Originally posted by bajaguy
Speaking of busses and bus drivers................
Cocaine Seized on Passenger Bus in Sonora – 21 October 2008
In Agua Prieta, Sonora, Federal Police stopped a passenger bus from the Federal Public Transportation Service and seized:
• 10 packages of cocaine weighing a total of 10 kilos, 200 grams
• 30 packages of marijuana weighing a total of 8 kilos
The bus came from Mexico City and was destined for Tijuana, Baja California. Police arrested the drivers:
• Manuel Sanchez Fernandez, 40, from the Distrito Federal
• Jose Manuel Ortiz Chacon, 49, from the Distrito Federal
Spanish Source: http://www.eluniversal.com.mx/notas/548868.html |
Buses are regularly searched when headed northbound. This can be a hassle on a night bus to be roused from your sleep by a Federale. I have seen
them search with cordless screwdrivers and search behind body and roof panels.
It's all part of the fun. I was on one local bus in the mountains once when some guy got on wearing a bandanna on his face like a bandit. I thought
it was pretty funny when the bus was stopped at an army checkpoint and they found a small amount of Marijuana in his boot. I guess the disuse didn't
work.
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wilderone
Ultra Nomad
Posts: 3852
Registered: 2-9-2004
Member Is Offline
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Every Mexico bus trip I've been on has been a great time. Longest was from TJ to Merida. When I got to DF and was waiting to buy a ticket for my
next leg, a guy from Hertz came up to me and asked if I wanted to ride with him to Villahermosa - he was returning a rental car there and was taking
passengers. I said ok. It was a big convertible and we rode witht the top down. In the car were 2 school kids, me and my two kids who were about 8
and 9 at the time. We stopped for pineapple going through the pineapple plantations (sold on the side of the road - cut and trimmed with a machete -
5 cents - best, juiciest pineapple I've ever had. Then we stopped for dinner at a place in the jungle overlooking a lake - the driver paid for the
meal. He drove very fast on the dirt roads and when I looked back at the kids, they confirmed he drove like a crazy guy!! We got to Villaheromsa
around midnight, and the driver took us the bus station and helped get us on the right bus to Merida. He explained that we needed to get off at some
town and switch buses, but when the time came - at 3:00 a.m., I was just too sleepy and didn't get off. We ended up at Chetumal at 6:00 a.m., where I
got on another bus to Merida. Once there, I rented a VW for the week. On the way back home - bus from Merida to TJ, the bus stopped at a place for a
meal where many buses made the stop as well. There were long BBQ grills for chicken, tables and chairs - all outside, a festive atmosphere. A plate
with chicken, beans and tortillas was about $1.50. I've had many memorable good times on Mexican bus trips. I may take that TJ to Merida trip again
some time.
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Skipjack Joe
Elite Nomad
Posts: 8088
Registered: 7-12-2004
Location: Bahia Asuncion
Member Is Offline
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That was a fine account, for sure. I can see that although much has improved over the years in terms of speed and comfort the problem of unpleasant
bathroom experiences still exist.
I have always liked local transportation. It's probably the very best way to become acquainted with a country and it's people.
One of the most memorable was a train ride my young wife took from Mexico City to Merida. She told me that the bathrooms became filthy within the
first hour of the ride. Once they reached that state nobody would use them. Instead, the passengers would go to the connections of the train cars and
relieve themselves right on the tracks from a moving train. She said that that was why you often found human waste along the line. This was in the
late 70's. Strange as it may seem she wasn't particularly put off by all this and accepted it as an experience to remember. Can you imagine? You're
sitting enjoying a coke at some tienda when a train comes with a passenger mooning you.
As far as peasants are concerned, I don't doubt that this sort of thing happened in our country when the railroads lines were established to the west.
People just make do with what they've got.
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Pompano
Elite Nomad
Posts: 8194
Registered: 11-14-2004
Location: Bay of Conception and Up North
Member Is Offline
Mood: Optimistic
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Igor, that train story is pretty much true where I grew up, too.
As described in this old song-ditty...
"Please refrain from going to the bathroom...
..while the train is in the staaation.
If the train's not moving, Why should youuuuu...?"
I do what the voices in my tackle box tell me.
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