Monday 22 September 2008

September 13th to 18th, 2008 EL CHEPE TRAIN TRIP TO COPPER CANYON (SEE SEPARATE POSTS FOR EL FORTE & CHAHUAHUA)

Van, Trains, Buses, and Taxis. The title of a new comedy staring Barrie and Sandra Letts.


Day1: Our trip started with the Marina Real van to San Carlos, the kamikaze local bus to Guaymas (talk about white knuckles), two intercity buses to Los Mochis, arrived at 5 pm, taxi to train station to pick up tickets; station closed at 12:30 pm as it was Saturday; train station in middle of NOWWHERE; taxi back to Los Mochis; took intercity bus to El Forte.


Day 2: Taxi to train station (again in the middle of NOWHERE); wait 1.5 hours for train; wonderful, but slow due to washouts from TS Lowell, train trip to Chihuahua; taxi to hotel (driver rips us off for an extra $20 US).


The return trip was slightly better, but the first taxi in Los Mochis dropped us off at the wrong bus station, requiring another taxi ride at an extra cost of $5 US. The bus on the way back from Los Mochis to Guaymas was stopped by 3 (yes three) road blocks, two for army searches for drugs and one for controlled agricultural products.

Local travel in Mexico is an adventure. We later read our guide book and found that we could have avoided the extra taxi rides by reading it first. Go figure. We always, always read our Marine Cruising Guides before going. I guess we will start reading the land ones before we go as well.







The route and train.



Sandra and Barrie on the way to Chihuahua. Sandra and her mom Loretta on the return trip.





A few of the spectacular views.


Local natives selling their crafts. We bought two baskets from this woman, for the asking price of $2.50 US each.




The Canyon views at the summit.


Full moon rising as on the way to Chihuahua.

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