Date: Mon, 14 Jan 2008 16:21:06 -0500
Reply-To: Benny boy <huotb@VIDEOTRON.CA>
Sender: Vanagon Mailing List <vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com>
From: Benny boy <huotb@VIDEOTRON.CA>
Subject: Re: Fw: MSNBC.com Article: Tourists shun crime-hit Mexico beaches
"However, this guy is a pin head!" mmm... translate?
You probably are new here.
I have been robed, well, not me but my van (twice) and 2 time in my tent in
Canada and US. My Camera was stolen in Zagreb (Europe)and i had to kick the
poor guys butt to get is back. I have been few time in Western Europe and
eastern Europe. The fact that stuff may happen in Baja doesn't scare me at
all. I have seen "strange stuff" here also in smaller town. Most people
don't have money here and when you show up with a 300,000 Rv, it can piss
them off and i can of understand. How do i know, i had discussion with some
Indian-Mexican. To the other guys who ask if i have been in baja, well yes,
and no i'm no specialist.
http://www.benplace.com/baja_intro.htm
As to group travel, well, group or not i was comming here this year, and i
will be back next year on the east coast and visit the chiapas. If i had
more time and money, i would be there right now (it was a hard decision to
come back up when i was in La Ticla (El Faro, Maruata) i was ready to do the
route south and come back on the east coast, but i had not enough fuel/money
(no bank around) to cross Michoacan. I also want to see Guatemala. But i'm
scared of something! Tanrantula, Scorpion, Snake and Croc and a lot of stuff
that i still don't know nothing about :-)
Now, if Baja is dangerous lately, i may will see myself because i'm now
trying to change my plan and i may cross in Mazatlan and go up in Baja,
sadly if i do so i will have to do it fast because time his missing! But
yes, i won't ever drive at night, not in Main land and not in Baja! And if i
meet Bandidos, well, they better have a gun or be a gang, because other wise
he/they have no chance. I met quite a few NICE (including a super nice
couple that was going back to Brazil!!)people in that trip that just came
out of Baja and are going south. We had a talk about those stories, everyone
know here about those stories, (including a Kite Surfer that has been to
Baja for the past 15 years). And they are saying the same thing as i said
yesterday! Another thing, I just walk around the RV park here and on about
30 rigs, only one American plate, i don't know why but it's a fact.
I i'm now trying to gather the e-mail i have receive about those telling me
to NOT come to Mexico. I thing i will put them on my site, so you can judge!
When a warning is issued on a 1000 member list, it should be done with
caution, this information was already said here a few months ago, no need to
tell it twice! Now, if you count the 1000' of people crossing in Baja i
would say it's a few isolated cases! Yes, Tijuana is not a nice place to
have a problem! i know, my van had problem just after the first big hill
after the town! And everyone will tell you to NOT drive at night and do a
big day the fist day to pass that 200-300 miles zone. Border town are border
town, same for Laredo and Nuevo Laredo. There is nothing very nice on both
side. That police men was driving at night! I wonder about the others.
People like me are trying HARD to show the nice side of this country (and
many other places in our great continent), i work on my tavel page almost
each day. 2 hours per day so other feel more secure to come here (and some
have ALREADY LEFT!!!), other find some beauty in my pictures and feel the
need to have one of those ultimate westy trip south. I know many Westy owner
that told me that they where kind of afraid of crossing the border, even the
US border! It's NOT by scaring people that you gonna help that! Before i
left, i did some research and found another GREAT site about Mexico, yea, 2
young guys from Quebec traveling in an older Westy, they have ton's of
info, good pictures and great stories:
http://www.roadtrip-online.com/ (just search for English, he is even doing
his live trip/website this year)
I even met one of the guy with is dad in La Manzanilla! Yea, this year, at
20, he was showing dad how to "Raodtrip". So cool and funny.
As for me, do a bit of reseach, i have posted zillion time on that list
since about 8 years, what about you!!!!!!!
Enough of that for me...
Best regards, Ben
http://www.benplace.com/
On Mon, 14 Jan 2008 10:10:15 -0500, John Dillon <johndillon@BELLNET.CA> wrote:
>I love French Canadians .. I've worked as a tree planter on the west coast
>on planting crews where I was the only English speaking person in a crew of
>10 to 15 French Canadians. What I like about French Canadians is the fact
>that they can be so blunt, honest, and intrepid ..
>
>However, this guy is a pin head! How he thinks he can paint all American's
>as afraid of their own shadows reveals that he is every bit as narrow minded
>as the people he is rallying against. He is complaining about narrow
>mindedness by revealing his own narrow mindedness ... hmmmm.
>
>I've been to Mexico many times .. on one occasion I was there traveling for
>4 months. I traveled all over Southern Mexico from PV to Guanajuato, Mexico
>City, Vera Cruz .. all over the Yucatan etc.. I've also traveled around
>Europe, Turkey, the Greek Islands etc.. To say that you aren't more secure
>in Canada is plain stupid. I took a train once in the former Yugoslavia from
>Zagreb to Thessalonika (Greece). I was traveling with my girlfriend at the
>time and a 2 year old. At Belgrade the train stopped at 2:00 a.m. These
>people got on who were referred to as 'Gypsies'. They went from car to car
>coachette to coachette (sp?) trying doors and if they could get in they
>robbed the occupants. The authorities knew what was going on and looked the
>other way. Often they occupants of the coachettes would be gased prior to
>being robbed. Fortunately, I stayed awake and stood my ground so we were not
>robbed .. but many others were not so lucky. Has he ever been to Pakistan
>... or Morocco ..
>
>God save us from the self-righteous ... and I think I'll keep my buses and
>vanagon too.
>
>jdd
>----- Original Message -----
>From: "Bernie" <berniej@GMAIL.COM>
>To: <vanagon@GERRY.VANAGON.COM>
>Sent: Monday, January 14, 2008 1:28 AM
>Subject: Re: Fw: MSNBC.com Article: Tourists shun crime-hit Mexico beaches
>
>
>> You seem to think some of us love the country any less than you do because
>> we are aware that have been some major problems in the first 200 miles
>> south
>> of Tijuana.
>> To pretend this is not happening is foolish.
>> It is happening!
>> Many more incidents this past year than any other year that I know of.
>> I have been to the Baja 7 times and love it.
>> People that LIVE there say there have been major issues in this past year.
>> When racers connected with the Baja 1000 who have been going down for
>> decades
>> are being robbed at gunpoint and having trucks stolen we have a problem.
>> When people who have been going down for 25 years say there not returning
>> ..we have a problem.
>> If you want to pretend there is no problem go ahead.
>> The Baja knows it has a big problem and have sent hundreds of troops to
>> the
>> Baja.
>> I wouldn't knock people for sharing accurate information about travel in a
>> area that we love very much.
>> One fact seems to be very accurate and that is for the area about 200
>> miles
>> south of Tijuana things have changed
>> Sharing this information is important for us to make an informed decision
>> regarding our personal well being and that
>> of our loved ones.
>> We have been to the Baja the last 5 years but we didn't go this year.
>> We like stability.
>> If that makes me scared of my own shadow so be it.
>> At sixty-one I love adventure but the kind of adventure I have been
>> reading
>> about taking place
>> on west side of Baja I can do without.
>> We are not talking about crime where you are at the moment, we are talking
>> about a specific
>> area on the Baja, not on the mainland, that seems somewhat out of
>> control.
>> How many time have you been to the Baja been?
>> I don't think you have ...have you?
>> I think it could be a little early to declare you a expert on the area.
>> Secondly, most of us travel on our own not in a group of several vehicles
>> as
>> you are doing and
>> therefore I think we are more conscious of personal safety.
>> Thirdly, thanks for your advice "to get rid of my bus" but I think I will
>> keep it and continue to make
>> decisions on where to go on the most accurate information available.
>> Fourthly, as lot of us have significant others and we have to consider the
>> situation we are putting them in.
>> The wife of the Baja 1000 mechanic had here face and her children's face
>> pushed in dirt and
>> guns place to heads she thought they were all going to be executed. They
>> were terrified.
>> The other fellow who's wife was sexually assaulted at a campground after
>> bullets where shot
>> into camper to get them out has been going to Baja for 25 years and has
>> forgotten more about
>> Baja then you and I will never know. No more Mexico for them!
>> This are just a few.
>> We aren't making this stuff up Ben, that part of the Baja has changed.
>> Have a good trip,
>>
>>
>> Bernie
>> Vancouver
>>
>>
>> --
>> No virus found in this incoming message.
>> Checked by AVG Free Edition.
>> Version: 7.5.516 / Virus Database: 269.19.2/1223 - Release Date: 1/13/2008
>> 8:23 PM
>>
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