Phil S
Super Nomad
Posts: 1205
Registered: 10-28-2003
Member Is Offline
Mood: After 34 years. Still in love w/ my wife
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Trip back from Cabo & "getting in the line at Tecate" to cross back into the states
Well. Roads were find from Cabo North. Stayed overnight at Loreto Bay Inn. $60. a night + tax. Hardly anyone there. A 40 person group did come in that
afternoon. Roads in Nopolo/Loreto Bay construction area still torn up, but they are working on them. Were doing curbs day we were there. Next evening
we were at Colonet. Just south of town, on the east side of the road, a new hotel (6 months) on the side of the hill called Paraiso of Colonet
Hotel. Great king bed. Also restaurant & bar. Posted rates, $600 pesos for single. $700 pesos for two???
We negotiated for $500 pesos saying we belonged to a internet travel group called Baja Nomads Forums. He jumped right at it.
Beware of the freight truck noise here. Though it is up & off the road a ways. Next day we came to Tecate around a.m.. Came up to the "end of
the line". We were following a freight truck cab only, and didn't realize that we had just past three cars who were "in line" I noticed they were
buying something from the vendors, and there was about a 3 car space, so I pulled into it.!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Wrong move there!!!!! Vehicle we pulling
in front of was Mexican pickup. When we had negotiated maybe half way there, I noticed a police car going east slowly on the other side of the
barrier, AND, the pickup driver pointing to my car and saying something to the policeman!!!!!!!!!
Later, as the line continued to move closer to the 'gate' a cruiser pulled up on the other side of the barrier, and a lady officer got out and walked
over to my car. She said a bunch of stuff in Spanish. I replied I did know what she was saying!!!!! (the line continues to move slowly ?? She tried
it again, and again I said, I don't know what you are saying. Now the passenger in the pickup gets out and comes up to the car and talks with her for
a minute, and then says in perfect English, 'someone reported you jumped the line.' I said, there were three cars parked on the right side, and
buying from the vendors. I saw three car spaces between the moving car & the pickup that was stopped. So I just pulled into the line!!!! He
says, she says you have to go back to the end of the line. Now we are talking maybe 40 cars behind me by now. I stupidly said, (brain in neutral,
mouth in gear) "I don't think so" and kept on moving slowly with the line. By now the gate is maybe 15 cars away from me, so the passenger gets back
into his pickup, and the police officer is now maybe 25 car lengths away from her vehicle. Next thing I know, another police car come up on the other
side of the barricades with lights flashing, parks the car, and gets out, and walks up to me and says, in spanish, "something"???????? I said, do you
speak any English, and he says, 'a little'. So I told him what happened, and in the meantime the line keeps on moving slowly. He speaks to me again
in Spanish something????? and I respond, I didn't do anything wrong. The line wasn't moving and spaces were widening, so I just pulled into it?? He
is beginning to look exasperated, and looking around notices that his car is probably NOW 15 car lengths away from him. About that time, I'm at the
gate, and he looks at me, looks again back to his car, turns around and starts walking back to it. And at the same time, I'm turning into the gate. I
don't think I had breathed one breath since the female police officer approached me. As I pulled up to the custom officer, I let out my first breath.
Whewwwwwww.
and thought, 'how stupid can I get' ??????? During all this 'episode' wife is saying, 'go back to the end of the line'. I'm saying, shhhhhhhh, let
me deal with this!!!!! And it ended o.k. for us. Though possibly, my license number is now on record, and I don't dare go back through Tecate
anymore?????? Actual time in the line was about 30 minutes to when they waived us through. No secondary. Regarding the northbound military stops.
They were quick and only maybe two minutes of looking, touching a little and waiving us on. Of course we did wish them Felize Navidad as they
approached the car each time. AND we place a large Vagabundo del Mar round sticker on the dash. Sometimes they ask about it, other times they
glance and don't say anything. This was a great three week trip down & back. Already we are looking forward to next November again. Merry
Christmas to all Nomaders!!!!!!!! And Happy New Year also. May it be sane, safe & memorable!!!
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mcfez
Elite Nomad
Posts: 8678
Registered: 12-2-2009
Location: aka BN yankeeirishman
Member Is Offline
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Great story!
I remember pulling into line down in Mexicali.....from some side street off the Avenue of the Americans. Geeze...all the horn blowing and middle
fingers went into action instantly! I had't a clue what I did.
...my license number is now on record.." No.....
Old people are like the old cars, made of some tough stuff. May show a little rust, but good as gold on the inside.
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Fred
Senior Nomad
Posts: 500
Registered: 3-15-2007
Location: Las Vegas
Member Is Offline
Mood: Laid Back
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Just crossed at Tecate last Monday at 9:15 am with only 6 cars in front of me. Of course secondary was a 15 search.
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Bajahowodd
Elite Nomad
Posts: 9274
Registered: 12-15-2008
Location: Disneyland Adjacent and anywhere in Baja
Member Is Offline
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I actually think you may be the first Nomad to have reported staying at the Colonet property. When I drove by, it basically appeared empty. Unusual
location, at least until and if they actually build a huge container harbor at Punta Colonet. Just curious. How many other guests, and how was the
restaurant?
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wilderone
Ultra Nomad
Posts: 3894
Registered: 2-9-2004
Member Is Offline
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"We negotiated for $500 pesos saying we belonged to a internet travel group called Baja Nomads Forums. He jumped right at it."
Have to try this!!! Thanks
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DENNIS
Platinum Nomad
Posts: 29510
Registered: 9-2-2006
Location: Punta Banda
Member Is Offline
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Glad it all went well, Phil. That line at Tecate is pretty well managed by the travelers...usually. Most often it works in everybody's favor. They
won't tolerate line cutters. You just got caught up in something unusual.
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Phil S
Super Nomad
Posts: 1205
Registered: 10-28-2003
Member Is Offline
Mood: After 34 years. Still in love w/ my wife
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Bajahowodd.
There were only three units occupied that night. It's a 40 unit motel. Partially completed, though outwardly looks done. Office/restaurant/bar are
the central building. Two wings north & south from that building facing west.. Ernesto Martinez is the Gerente. Speaks very good English.
Tel. (616)165 73 87
ventas@hotelparaisocolonet.com
www.hotelparaisocolonet.com
We didn't eat or drink there. Very clean looking interior. I believe I saw a conference room also. there were people eating in the restaurant.
Couple guys said they were from portland Oregon. Reminder that it's off from the highway and up, so you'll get some truck noise. But I have taken
care of that problem, as an extensive traveler. I wear ear plugs!!!!! I didn't ask about pets. But hopefully Vagabundo del Mar and Baja Nomad Forum
travelers should give it a try.Be sure to mention "you'd like the Baja Nomads Forum RATE!!!!!! $500 peso's. He had written down both names of the
clubs, so hopefully it'll work. We'll stay there again and again and again. Loved it, and Senior Martinez was very helpful & cordial. He said
the motel was built with the idea of the port being built.?????? HAPPY HOLIDAYS EVERYONE, AND safe travels.
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absinvestor
Senior Nomad
Posts: 725
Registered: 11-28-2009
Member Is Offline
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Last year, I had an accidental experience with "line cutting" at the Tecate border. In the past I had always entered and left Mexico at the Tijuana
border. However, last year we entered in Tecate and decided to leave the same way. We had never exited in Tecate and wasn't familar with exactly where
the border exit was. We were in the right lane of the road where all the vendors in the street were selling their goods. After I politely declined two
of the vendors one said that if I didn't want to buy anything that I could bypass all the traffic by squeezing over into the left lane. Of course,
there wasn't any traffic in the left lane and I easily squeezed over only to see that about 400 yards ahead was the border exit that of course exited
to the right!!! Luckily there was a car that honked his horn and motioned that he would allow me to get in front of him. Traffic was basically stopped
and my wife jumped out of the motorhome and walked back to thank him and apologize for us being in the wrong lane. The driver said the same thing had
happened to him the preceeding year. Some vendors think that getting a motorhome in the wrong lane is funny and a way of getting back at tourists
that don't buy goods when leaving Mexico.
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