Date:         Thu, 18 Jul 1996 21:05:18 -0400
Sender:       Vanagon Mailing List <vanagon@vanagon.com>
From:         DavidAdair@aol.com
Subject:      On the road in Oaxaca, Mexico

I'm a former member of The List writing from Oaxaca, Mexico, after having
driven our '88 Westy 6,800 miles to get here from San Francisco.  I wrote a
couple of times early this year asking questions about what tools to bring,
preparing the car, etc.  The advice I got was intimidating but helpful
(ignorance is sometimes bliss), and I thought I'd write to give people a
status report on the trip.  We left in March and are planning on being gone
for about a year.  We're going at least as far as Costa Rica, then maybe
shipping the car to Florida, or to Alaska, or selling it, or, heaven forbid,
driving it back.

By the way, we're traveling with a blazing 386 laptop (and a smokin' 2400
baud modem) and connecting using America Online and their connection point in
Mexico City.  Although it's a challenge to explain to clerks in Spanish why
we want their phone line plugged into our computer, we're usually able to
find someone willing to let us.  It's about $.75 a minute to connect.  We've
been writing newsletters (four and counting), and our friend's posting them
to our Web site.  There's a link to it at the bottom of his site at:  

     http://backtalk.com   (look for the Mexican Odyssey link at the bottom)

Be forewarned:  it's not filled with VW minutiae, but some people think it's
interesting anyway. 

Our Westy has been an incredible car for a trip like this.  Although we were
camping a lot in Baja, we haven't been much on the mainland.  But as an
example of why the car is so practical, the other day we turned off the
highway and followed a sign to a microwave station up a cobblestone road,
climbing high above the highway.  We found a flat spot on the top of a hill
and camped for the night, sitting in front of a fire, baking a cake in the
dutch oven and watching a beautiful lightning storm in the distance.
 Although we expected someone to come by, the only people we saw were the
goatherders on the nearby hills.  

Here's some answers to those burning questions you may have:

1.  Finding unleaded gas hasn't been a problem at all, although some of the
distances between stations in Baja caused us to be very cautious in filling
up frequently.  Although we have an extra 5-gallon gas can, we haven't had to
use it.  Gas is about $1.30 a gallon.  Haven't used any gasoline treatment.
 There's also abundant oil, including familiar brands like Bardahl,  Mobil
and Shell.

2.  The only car problem we've had was shocks that blew up on a dirt road in
Baja.  Okay, I exaggerated; only one of them blew up - and I mean like a gun
going off, and splitting the shock into two pieces.  (They were a Japanese
brand, whose name escapes me.)  We replaced them with new Monroe shocks, and
after one of the original rubber bushings crapped out, and TWO of the
replacements did the same, we finally were able to get some nylon bushings
which are holding out just fine.

3.  We're spending about $45 a day for the two of us, including hotels for
usually $15 a night, good food, etc.  Nothing extravagant, but you could do
it for less if you were inclined, or double it with no problem at all.  We're
also only driving about 50 miles a day, on average.  The more you travel the
higher your expenses will be.

4.  There are LOTS of VW's rolling around down here, including new
water-cooled vans and tons of Bugs.  From what I have heard, you'd have
better luck smuggling cocaine across the border than getting one of the
Mexican VW's across.  I have this idea that a VW dealer could help us get
parts shipped to us from the States if they don't have them, but I haven't
had to test that, and I'm only 30% sure they'd do it anyway.

5.  Our limited experience, enhanced by many stories, is that Mexican
mechanics are incredibly resourceful, inexpensive, and surprisingly honest.
 When we were having our shock absorber traumas, twice we had mechanics spend
15 or 20 minutes on the car and not charge us for it.  Generally speaking,
I've been amazed how even street vendors don't try over-charging for things.

6.  Propane gas is pretty easy to get, and cheap.  We've only filled it once,
so don't ask me how much it was.  

7.  Road conditions are usually good, and I am actually enjoying driving
here.  Not too many potholes, but usually the only shoulders you'll see are
the ones of the cows and burros grazing by the side of the road.  Speed bumps
can be pretty brutal when you don't see them, and they're frequently poorly
marked.  We try to avoid driving at night, but we do sometimes, and when we
do I try to follow a truck to spot speed bumps and clear out any livestock.
 There are various toll roads which are dramatically wider and safer and
expensive.  They range from sort of expensive to brutally expensive.
 Apparently they set their price based on the actual cost of building the
highway, so they aren't all the same price.  We don't take too many, mostly
because we like seeing the small towns, but on long days they are so much
easier and faster they are worth it.

8.  The famous Mexican corruption hasn't been an issue, except for a rather
minor incident where we either had to pay a bribe ($13) or have our car
impounded.  It wasn't a real tough choice.  They didn't call it a bribe, of
course, but that's what it was.

I'm sure that there's information that people want to know that I'm
forgetting about.  If you still have questions after you've read the
newsletters, you can e-mail us, but just remember that my computer is slow
and connection time is expensive.

Adios,

Dave (& Whitney)
1988 Westy