To the tip of the Southern below

While I am hardly a card carrying fan of border crossings, I am never really concerned about them. Until recently. You see, my recent crossing from San Diego into Mexican territory had me somewhat on edge. After all, it was 17 years ago (half my lifetime) that I was savagely deported from Mexico as a teenager. I thought it was safe to assume that in this new fangled information age, the border guard would see me coming a mile away, giving them plenty of time to prepare any implements of torture they reserve for the most special of fugitives.

Fortunately (or unfortunately depending on your perspective) there were no strip searches, invasive anal probes or American water-boarding of any kind. Instead I simply walked across the border without even seeing an immigration official. Apparently, any hooligan can enter unscathed, myself being exhibit #1. So, tragedy averted i headed to the bus station in Tijuana to find a way to La Paz. A beach resort on the south tip of Baja California (in the province of Baja California Sur). Luckily for me there was a bus leaving in only 25 minutes. Which gave me enough time to visit the immigration office in the bus station (that's right, in the bus station), before boarding the marathon 24 hour, US$110 bus ride south. While the trip was long, it could have been worse. I had my seat to my self for the greater majority of the ride. The scenery was pretty, at least during the day. Oddly enough the scenery was slight less impressive as night fell.

Arrival into La Paz didn't start off well. That that anything was wrong, but as the bus whizzed past the mega-marts complete with Sam's Club, Walmart and super-sized McDonald's, my heart kind of sank. I guess that after nearly 2 decades of living off the beaten track have given me an unrealistic expectation of the exotic. This had nothing to do with the tourist nature of the place, after all La Paz is one of the most popular destination in Baja. I was instead the way of life of locals. To top things off, the town was completely underwhelming. There was a bit of a party atmosphere, and it was kind of fun. But Baja was not laid out for someone who does not have a car. The beaches in town where small and dirty (although empty this time of year and i have seen worse) The "good" beaches were outside the centre, but i had no car. The cool desert surrounding were far from the centre, but i had no car. Even trying to get to the airport or ferry terminal weren't possible on foot or public transport, again I had no car.

There were a couple of somewhat aged churches and building scattered around, but nothing to write home about. And this time of year was special for whale calving. But at nearly $125 a tour, it was well outside my budget. Most disappointing was the lack of Mexican cantinas anywhere near the centre. Everything was overpriced and generally even lacking in Mexican food (although T.G.I. Fridays and Burger King seem to part of the new culture). I'm sure I'm just jaded. But my reintroduction to Mexico after a 17 year absence was not a good one.