FrogLanding Blog: If It's Sunday....It Must Be Tijuana

Sunday, December 16, 2012

If It's Sunday....It Must Be Tijuana

Morning surfer line up!

Morning coffee with Pete and Nancy at Starbucks and it’s hitch up the Jeep and away we go!

The sun is out, the pavement is dry and the miles click away toward the U.S. – Mexico border and the new El Chapperell Crossing. As advertised, it’s easy to navigate and see where to go, but on this Sunday morning, a helpful (but not helpful) assistant points us over to “Something to Declare” and some parking near a big new building??? We make two rounds as nothing appears to be over there for RV’s and he keeps directing us back. Finally Steve parks and holds, and I get out and go and find the official he is pointing toward. He says he speaks very little English….and I say I speak very little Spanish, but “Vamos a Baja con RV y mi esposo y dos peros!” He says, ok, wait here for me. He is gone 10 minutes or more. By the time he comes back I realize I am at the new office for acquiring tourist permits and paying for them and getting them stamped. (already did that in Algodones!) He returns and I show him our permits. OH! He says, in perfect English….”You are all set for 180 days! You’re good to go!” I smile, yes, I am. Then he says, “Well, over there (pointing to a group of four very young folks in uniform) are Customs agents and they might want to see you.”

So, I go over and ask if they are Customs. Yes. A young woman and a young man come over to the RV. First they look in the Jeep. The new brake contraption hooked up to the brake pedal (Steve calls it “the hoof”) is a curiosity. She taps it. I wonder if she’s thinking…something is hidden inside this box? I explain, sort of, it’s an extra brake. What is the word for brake again?

Soon they go to the door of the RV where Skipper and Sparky greet them. The young girl melts. Ohhhhh! Lassies! Now I know we’re good. They pet and pat both dogs, ask their names, ask their ages….I muddle through. Ok then, have a good trip! As they leave the young man suddenly realizes he needs to ask for the Jeep registration. He comes back, I get my notebook, both dogs break out of the RV, I’m grabbing them, dogs on the run, leashes trailing...the notebook goes in the air, I try to show him the page and he just laughs and says….Adios!

So, that 45 minutes put us back in the original line we were headed for, and right on through. The route to Mex 1 Toll is easy to find, and we are so sure we’ve got it all now that we miss the turn for Rosirito Beach Mex 1 Cuota and wind up headed off the toll road to Playas Tijuana. Good thing it’s a Sunday and a turn around with whole rig in a little shopping area is possible.

Good travelers....most of the time....

The tolls to Ensenada add up to $21.00, but the road makes it well worth it. In Ensenada our new GPS tries to get us to go the shortest route, which is down the too narrow shopping street….and we have to keep turning away. Word to the wise. Use your past experience and follow the regular route past the malacon. A little longer….but easy wide street and definitely the best route.

The usual one hour from entering Ensenada to leaving the southern outskirts of town. On to San Quentin arriving at El Pabellon beach park at 4:45 p.m. Almost dark!! Later than planned….but then those little unexpected detours came our way today. We know not to camp alone, but it’s dark and we won’t drive more today. We have been here many times, so it’s just a quiet night by the sand dunes, open Pacific reaching out to the west.