Crossing the Border

May 27

Day Four ... made it through the border. I had Rocky in tow, cage and all, he went through the whole process with me because it was too hot to leave him in the car and the ordeal went on for over an hour.

Despite my best efforts, we didn't get out of the hotel nearly early enough and it was still another hour to the border from the hotel so it was pushing noon by the time we parked at the place where I had to get my Temporary Import Permit for the car and the 30 day Visa to allow me time to activate my Residente Temporal Visa when I arrive in Chapala. There was a line coming out the door and only one dude helping people at the counter. No one was happy but I overheard a tall Gringo guy say that we all either wait our turn or go back home. Since he had a valid point, everyone settled right down to be patient.

After observing the situation, I ended up losing my place in line when I went back to the car to get Rocky. His cage sat on the floor next to my legs and I just scooted him along as the line moved. Little kids would squat down and talk to him and when I checked on him, he seemed interested, not worried. What a trooper. After getting the Visa for me, I had to get into another line outside and around the corner to get the TIP for the car. After waiting for 20 minutes, I got up to the window and found that I don't have the vehicle registration with me, I had to go back to the car and retrieve it from the glove box! Rocky and his cage stayed there where people watched him for me and then I had to get back in line and wait some more. But in the end, I  got my sticker and instructions on where to place it on my windshield and after loading up again and taking a deep breath, off we went to try to find the town where our first hotel was booked and already paid for. Hotel Ibis in Hermosillo, here we come!

After that, we buzzed along and I couldn't believe I was driving in Mexico! The scenery changed dramatically as we headed south and it was obvious that we were driving through an extreme poverty zone. The dwellings lining the hillsides stacked next to and on top of each other were so bleak and pathetic, it hurt to think of humans living there. I had a twinge of guilt for leaving my perfectly fine home in my clean city of Boise, ID where there is no bad part of town, where I had an acceptable life and good friends. That was the only moment where I questioned what I was doing but it passed without a trace and the thought never returned. Those first few hours of driving in Mexico felt weird and foreign but mile after mile, I got more comfortable and I just kept on going. That must be the biggest secret of Life with a capital L .... Just keep on going and you find that you can get used to anything.

I stopped at an Oxxo store (Mexican Mini-mart) about 2:30 and bought a sandwich and chips, then sat in the car in the shade and ate. I let Rocky out of his cage for a few minutes and he looked around, crawled all over looking out the windows and then came back to get into his cage, almost as if he said, thanks for letting me look. A few minutes after hitting the road again, suddenly I was too tired to keep my eyes open! This was a serious bad thing and I ended up pulling off the highway into a shady spot to rest my eyes for a few minutes. Then I had to back up quite a ways to find a level place where I thought my car could get back up onto the road. Another car pulled off and suddenly I had the thought that I was vulnerable sitting there on a nearly deserted road with sparse traffic and I berated myself for not thinking of that. But the other car was a family switching drivers and watching them get back onto the road showed me how to do it so I ended up feeling grateful. That was the one and only time I felt vulnerable.  

I made it through and later stopped for gas at half a tank, as instructed. Except no one speaks English. I thought people might speak some, especially on the main highway leading into Mexico from the US, but no, not a bit! I'm learning a lot just stumbling around and being sorry (lo siento). Then I got totally lost in Hermosillo trying to find my hotel, stopped for help at an Oxxo and even though I didn't know how to ask, a nice man drew me a map. I was still lost after that but somehow found my way. Turns out that if you keep on going and keep your eyes open, you can eventually get to where you need to be, despite the strangeness of everything. Rocky and I are on the top floor of the Ibis Hotel in a tiny room with only huge bath towels in the bathroom, no wash cloths or hand towels. But we have each other, the car is parked safely and the bed is clean and comfy. 

Tomorrow we head for Navajoa and a Best Western and I like to think I'll be able to find it easily. I added an extra night to this part of the trip to allow for confusion and lostedness and I'm so glad I did! Rocky is all stretched out on the bed and the room is finally cooling off a bit ... it was over 30° when we arrived an hour ago --- that's 86° in this tiny room! It's down to 23° now and dropping. I have to begin studying the metric system right away, don't know why that never occurred to me before. Between liters and kilometers and celsius on top of no Spanish, I'm getting my ass whipped left and right so far.

But hey! I'm in Mexico! The sun just set out our 7th floor window and Rocky likes the view. Finally, something about this trip is interesting to him.

BTW, no updates on the road. The cell phone went dark at the border and I have no access to wifi as I drive. So the next update will be tomorrow night. I don't have time to stop and update while driving anyway.

On the road, first three days

May 24

Day One of the journey to Mexico is over and other then an accident in the cage, all went well. After all the preparations, it almost felt like fleeing the state when we finally got up on the freeway heading east. Rocky and I are sad that we had to leave Milo behind but it's for the best and life goes on. We tried for months to talk him into coming with us but his stubborn fearfulness wouldn't lift and he ended up staying with our dear friend, Pam, in the old neighborhood. He will live a good life with her so we leave them and all of our friends in Boise with love and good wishes.

We got our first fill-up in Mountain Home and then had our tires checked one last time at Costco in Twin Falls, since we were driving right by. I spent a small fortune on my old car, whose name is Sybil, but she's as good as new now and fully ready for one last big-ass road trip ... the biggest EVER! She has just under 260K miles, we'll roll over before we hit the border. It's 2200 miles to our destination at Lake Chapala, 45 miles south of Guadalajara. The border is only halfway, we'll have 1100 miles to get used to driving in another country and I'm really not looking forward to it. But every mile we go gets us just that much closer to that which I fear the most and so on we go. I'm as prepared as I can possibly be and I have everything I need and a few things I love (Sybil the car and Rocky the cat).

 We're settled in at a crummy motel in Ely, NV but there were few options as this town is pretty bleak. I bought a Subway sandwich on the road and ate in the car. I hadn't counted on how I would get my meals but it turns out I can't leave Rocky in the car alone for more than a few minutes, I worry about him too much. We picked up an hour at the state line and we'll make good use of it for sleep tonight. Tomorrow we head for Kingman, AZ and hopefully a better motel.

All is well and we're on our way! Yaaaay!

May 25

Rocky loved the soft beds in Kingman!

Day Two is complete. We have a motel in Kingman, AZ, an upgrade from last night and the beds are very comfy. I haven't eaten all day and went looking for dinner a bit ago but I'm not hungry for some reason, nothing sounds good. I must be tired. Rocky has had a snack, a big drink of water and he took a pee in the box --- no accident in the cage today. I stopped and let him out onto my lap a few times today and that seems to calm him, he traveled great all afternoon. The last time we stopped, I had taken a wrong turn out of Las Vegas so I found the shady side of Kohl's so I could look at the map and when I opened the car door, a 20 dollar bill rolled by. I figure that makes me a winner in 
Las Vegas! 

 
Terrible windy all day. I hope it's better tomorrow. I've ended up getting a delicious salad to go at Denny's next door and brought it back to eat in our room so I don't have to leave Rocky alone. This room has two beds and is very nice if a little shabby in spots. The beds are a dream! So soft and comfy, what a treat after last night. We're making good time and beginning to settle into the routine of this trip. Rocky is not excited but he's doing OK. Tomorrow we head to Green Valley, AZ but not until Rocky pees. He's a little off his schedule so I have to figure out how to help. I have a shot glass and dropper that he likes to drink out of, I'll try getting enough water into him that way so I can keep him healthy while we travel.

May 26

Two nights getting salads to go at Denny'.

Day Three and we're holed up in Green Valley, AZ, preparing for the big adventure tomorrow at the border. We got in here around 4:30 this afternoon and Rocky still hasn't peed despite my best efforts to get water into him. This is not good. Also, I just called to tell my credit card people that I'll be using my card in Mexico for hotels for a while. Somehow I forgot to call before tonight. I have no idea how long it will take us to get going in the morning or how long it will take at the border and if I'll be able to find shade for Rocky while we go through the hoops. 

I have spent over an hour on the Internet getting reservations for each stop in Mexico. Finding pet-friendly places is hard and I have no idea what I'm heading into, so I decided to make three stops instead of two, not push us too hard. After all, it's our trip, we can do it however we want, right? So the first night will be in Hermosillo, the first city we come to after crossing the border. I've heard there are delays and construction and lots of pot holes and "topas", speed bumps, that can tear you up if you hit them too hard, so I'll have to be vigilant and ready for anything. The second night will be at Navajoa at a well-recommended place, the Del Rio, and the third night will be in Mazatlan at a fancy hotel right on the water. I just hope I can find all these places now that I've booked them!

Another salad to go from Denny's in the room with Rocky tonight and he's doing fine. I'm fussing over him a bit but he seems to need it and maybe so do I ... Amazing how comforting it is to have him with me, it feels like I'm not doing this alone, Rocky and I are in it together. I talk to him and let him out a few times a day to look around and then he willingly crawls right back into his cage and off we go again. 

So I'm sitting here at the gateway to the unknown after three full days on the road and almost 1100 miles. I'm as ready as I can be but I must admit that I'm a little terrified right now and I'm going to do it anyway. Just as soon as Rocky pees.

24 May 2017

Same car, different trip, 12 years apart. In June 2005, I stored my stuff in Boise, ID and took off for parts unknown at the time. I had intentions of driving around the country, meeting people, inspiring happiness practices, visiting friends and living light for two years.

 At the last minute, Stephen Sandknop hopped into the car with me and we had fun visiting along the way. We spent time in Baker City and then a week in Hermiston with my parents and I'm so glad we did that! Then we headed to Portland and Stephen wanted to stay there so I helped him get set up and then I drove away. It was one of the hardest things I've ever done and now I wonder what I was thinking. At some point I'll write about that trip in more detail, but for now, it's time to go again.

My hair is white now and Stephen is ashes but I still have the same car and the time and energy for another adventure. I leave tomorrow, the car is almost packed and everything is as ready as it's going to be. Mexico, here we come! Twelve year old Rocky the cat will be in the passenger seat this time and it remains to be seen how he handles a 2200 mile road trip. I'll be posting from the road daily so watch for the updates --- I may or may not have photos to share.

Thanks for taking this adventure with me!

No matter where you go ...

I heard a story many years ago and it keeps coming to mind so I'm going to share it with you:

At the gates of a great city sat an old man. He was poor and ragged but he loved to greet people as they entered and left the city. One day a family stopped to talk to him and they asked him what sort of

city this was. The old man was delighted to be asked but instead of answering, he asked them a question instead. What kind of place had they come from?

Immediately they began describing a place that was too big, too noisy, too filled with crime and bad people, never enough to eat and no longer safe. The old man listened to the long list of flaws and when the people were finally finished, he shook his head sadly and told them to keep traveling for the city they were about to enter was just like that. Discouraged and disheartened, the family continued their journey and bypassed the great city.

The old man went back to enjoying his day and greeting people and soon another family stopped to ask what sort of city this was. The old man was delighted to be asked but instead of answering, he asked them a question instead. What kind of place had they come from? 

Joyfully, the people began describing the beauty and goodness of the place they had come from, how welcome they had felt and what a sweet life they had enjoyed. But these people were adventurers and were seeking new experiences and wanted to meet new people and eat new food and so they had set out to find the next lovely place to live for a while.

Clapping with joy as the story unfolded, the old man welcomed them because this place, he said, was just like that. 

At first glance, it appears that the old man was trying to trick people when in fact, he was lovingly teaching an age-old truth: No matter where we go, there we are. We manifest and feel our lives by what we focus on and talk about and the stories we tell ourselves and others is a great way to discover our focus. No matter where we go, we take with us our beliefs and perceptions, our stories, and create in the new place the same as we had in the old. It can be no other way.

I arrived in Boise ten years ago and created a sweet home and a good life with lots of wonderful friends. I've also experienced some heartbreak and have felt nurtured and cared for here. What a blessing Boise has been for me! Soon I'll be leaving, looking for a new adventure, new friends, new foods, new experiences, but I'll keep my house in Boise because I'll be back. I don't know how long I'll be gone. The last time I did this, I was gone for two years but the time before that I was only gone for four months. The times before that, I left and never went back. So you see, this is not new for me, this uprooting and risk-taking. But I've never lived in another country before and I'd like to try that. I have time in my life for one more big-ass adventure and so I'll go to Mexico and see what life is like in that place. I plan to take my highest self with me and see if I can expand my life even further.

My plan is to rent a big enough house to have guests come and stay ... a vacation accommodation, a B&B of sorts but unofficial, a word-of-mouth sort of thing. Friends and friends of friends. To me, this sounds like a perfect way to live in another country alone but not really alone all the time. If a vacation in Mexico interests you, keep an eye on this blog and I'll post as I go and announce when I'm ready to start booking.

You may wonder what this post has to do with stuff, since that's the title of this blog. To me, stuff is everything. It's what we collect, what we dust and launder and it's also what we pack around inside whether we are aware of it or not. Years ago I had an art business, I created hand-stenciled calligraphy pictures, framed and matted and I sold them in gift shops all over the country. A popular one was, "Home is Where Your Stuff Is." I created it in 1986, pretty sure I did it before George Carlin. As I mentioned before, I was a big mover all my life and that little saying made me feel better about it. New home, same stuff. I can do this. But oh! What about the inner stuff? Yes, I was taking that with me as well and it took a long time before I started sorting and organizing that baggage.

So here in my blog, I'll be sharing stories of all kinds of stuff and photos too, when I have them. It's good to get some clarity so I can get started for real. So much work to do when moving. So much work to do when staying put. But after ten years I'm glad to get going again! Can't wait to get to Mexico and tell that cheerful old man how great Boise was.

Moving ... Again

No one likes to move. At least, I've never met anyone who liked to move. It's stressful and confusing and just hard work. Uprooting a life and all the stuff that goes with it is a major undertaking even if there's not much stuff and the move isn't far away. 

      My first major move was when my family went from Garden Grove, California (near LA) to Baker, Oregon, a small ranch community in Eastern Oregon not far from the Idaho border. I was 11 years old and it was 1964. The Beatles were hot on the music scene; that was a pivotal year for music, the year that Elvis was challenged for the throne and was toppled shortly thereafter. I had a small transistor radio that I had gotten for my birthday the year before and it was never turned off. It would take a whole book to describe in detail how that move affected me, the culture shock that I experienced upon arriving in the wilderness with only one radio station that at that time played nothing current, because there was nothing current about Baker. I never did adjust to life in that town but I did come to love some aspects of it and it did help me to be more flexible in my character then I might have been otherwise. 

      But that wasn't my first move. From age 5, when I moved to LA area to live with my mother and her new husband, to age 11 when we packed up and left the state, we had moved four times. Before age 5, there's no way for me to guess at how many places we lived, how many times we moved or even how many people, mostly relatives, that my brother and I lived with. After moving to Baker, the family moved five times, each one an upgrade, before I left home for good at age 18. 

      Not long ago I created a comprehensive list of the addresses I've had in my life and the count is well over 50 from age 5 to age 54, when I moved into the house where I've lived for the past 9+ years. I'm glad I've gotten to experience a feeling of stability here in Boise, Idaho; this is by far the longest I've lived in one house or even one town in my entire life. And as much as I've loved it and benefited from the extended stay, I feel it's time to move again. This time to another country, which will be a first for me. Mexico is looming as a place of interest and a recent vacation has convinced me that there is a new life to be had in the area just south of Guadalajara on the shores of Lake Chapala. 

     The effort and focus it's going to take to get there is rather daunting and I will only be taking what I can fit into my old car, a 1994 Pontiac Grand Am that I've had since she was brand new. At this stage of her life, it turns out that she's the perfect vehicle to take to Mexico, older but in good repair, nothing new or fancy to worry about. Her name is Sybil and she and my old cat, Rocky, will be perfect companions for this, what could very well be my last, adventure. 

I've created this blog as a place to post photos and stories as I sort, pack and purge my stuff in preparation for this huge move. My estimated time of departure so far is June 1st but it's just a date to shoot for, I have no solid plans or commitments at this time and anything could happen. This will be the ride of a lifetime, a rare move for a single woman over 60 with no friends or relatives in the area I'm heading for. As we go along I'll tell you about some of my other risky moves, all stories worth telling and some of them quite hair-raising! Since the stories I have to tell are contained in so many of the items I've kept throughout the years, that's how I'll let them unfold ... as the sweet stories of my stuff and also the wild and crazy moves I've made in my life. It's been a nice, interesting, relatively long life so far but armed with terrific health, plenty of income and a great attitude, I expect lots of opportunities for personal growth in my future and I can't wait to get started.