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Date:         Wed, 31 Mar 2010 17:40:10 EDT
Reply-To:     RAlanen@AOL.COM
Sender:       Vanagon Mailing List <vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com>
From:         Frank Condelli <RAlanen@AOL.COM>
Subject:      Travel problems in Mexico - Important - please read and pass on
Comments: To: limbolist@egroups.com, SyncroDoubleCabs@yahoogroups.com,
          ev_update@yahoogroups.com, Syncro@yahoogroups.com,
          vanagon@egroups.com, The_Bug_Pack@yahoogroups.com,
          Diesel-Vanagon@yahoogroups.com
Content-Type: text/plain; charset="US-ASCII"

Folks, I am sending the three messages copied below because you all need to know about this. Jack & Michele are friends we met in Mexico last year. They are from Portland, Ontario, near Almonte. We saw them in La Manzanilla this year when they stopped by our camp to say hello. This situation could have been us as we traveled the same road just a week in front of them. OK, things in Mexico are starting to look bad. We are now on the Natchez Trace about and hour south of Tupelo in one of the free camping spots along the Trace. See our blog at _www.westfaliatravels.com_ (http://www.westfaliatravels.com) for more details. I had previously forwarded these messagges to many folks including the List Servers some of which did not accept the Forwarded messages. Since then I have received numerous messages asking me to send the messages directly to the Lists as I am doing now. Thanks for your patience and understaning.

-----Original Message----- From: jm vanderbyl <mjvanderbyl@hotmail.com> Subject: HIJACKED!!!! Date: Sat, 27 Mar 2010 11:14:02 -0400

BAD NEWS We have been hijacked & have nothing left but the clothes on our back! THIS IS NOT A JOKE!!! We were leaving Rosies in Cd. Victoria and were about 1 hour away near the km 57 where the road splits & separates for about 1 mile or 2---near the lake. -The road was blocked and bandidos with guns and machine guns threw us out of our vehicles. We were travelling with Dave & Joyce. They took off with our trucks and campers. Left us in the ditch. 5-6 truckers went by but refused to stop. The Federales 3 cars just happened to come by 5 minutes later. Spent the day at their office. We figured the bandidos cased us out at Rosies and let their gang know we were coming. It was too well planned to be randomly done at 9:40 a.m.......... We were not physically hurt but emotionally....... When you travel out of here, we recommend you travel behind a big truck or doble remolque so they don.t have a chane to block the road. Or else use another exit into US. And now the paper work has started.....not a very fast or easy business.

We are still in Victoria. trying to get to Monterrey for passports, etc. and flight out of MX. with 2 dogs.

safe travels. We thank God we are ok.

Michelle & Jack Dave & Joyce

ps send this to all travelling in MX friends.

-----Original Message----- From: jm vanderbyl <mjvanderbyl@hotmail.com> Subject: news from us Date: Mon, 29 Mar 2010 10:48:56 -0400

well, the federal police came yesterday and told us they had found our trucks and trailers. Still hooked up! So we have to go with them & check them over. !!! We have no idea if there was damage done but we expect it won t be a pretty scene! We will still have to go Monterrey to get new passports.

Will keep you up to date as soon as we know more.

Thank you everyone for your messages, your prayers and your encouragement.

ps. There was another Canadian couple who got hijacked yesterday 15 kms. south of Victoria. Brian & Connie from Ontario. The police contacted us so we had supper with them & offered advice & support. There are now 6 Canadians stranded in Victoria!!!

safe travels!

Michelle & Jack Dave & Joyce

-----Original Message----- From: jm vanderbyl <mjvanderbyl@hotmail.com> To: us <mjvanderbyl@hotmail.com> Subject: todays news Date: Tue, 30 Mar 2010 23:42:34 -0400

We went to see our truck & trailer at noon today at the army base compound. The damage to the trailer is minimal--after all the bandidos lived in it for only 1 day..the arrest was made at 3-4 p.m. Sat. 6 bandidios are in custody.

The truck has damge to the front bumper and grill from the chains of the tow truck that the army and police used to tow the truck with the trailer attached from the bandido camp to the army base. How far we dont know. They did not have any keys for the truck so they must have towed it in Park......If they did not have dolly wheels, I imagine the transmission and rear end are toast.....in which case the truck is toast!!!!!!!!!!! All the papers, books, wallets are gone except for 1 copy of ownerships which we think the army found after they brought it back. A copy of the ownership is very good. All the good stuff is gone..computer, camera, 2 GPS, generator , maps ...all of Michelles clothes! Jewellery, medication..etc! All of Jacks tools are gone. Safe & all its contents. Unbelievably the new TV & SAT receiver are still there!!! tHE FRIDGE IS STILL WORKING ON PROPANE BUT THE BATTERIES ARE GETTING LOW. and it will not be released for another 5 working days. Everything shuts down in MX on Thursday until MOnday! WHAT A MESS!!!!!!!

So we will be lucky if we leave MX by the end of next week!

We are going by bus to Monterrey tomorrow a.m. to get new temporary passports.

Michelle & Jack

Please note that I will be away from my business travelling in the USA and Mexico from November 18, 2009 until April 30, 2010. Parts orders will be processed although not as quickly as usual. I will always be available by E-mail. If you phone, your call will be addressed by Greg T. Brown here and he will either call you back or advise you to contact me directly by E-mail. See my _www.frankcondelli.com_ (http://www.frankcondelli.com/) website for complete details. Travel Blog at _www.westfaliatravels.com_ (http://www.westfaliatravels.com/)

Cheers,

Frank Condelli

Almonte, Ontario, Canada '87 Westy & Lionel Trains (_Collection for sale_ (http://frankcondelli.com/trainsal.htm) ) _Frank Condelli & Associates_ (http://frankcondelli.com/busindex.html) - Vanagon/Vanagon Westfalia Service in the Ottawa Valley _Vanagon Stainless Steel Exhaust Systems_ (http://frankcondelli.com/exhaust.htm) _BusFusion_ (http://www.busfusion.com/) a VW Camper camping event, Almonte, ON, June 10 ~ 13, 2010


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