It was my second attempt in as many days to travel to Mexico. My Guatemalan visa was fast running out, and I was required to leave the country for three days -- and then re-enter -- in order to get a new 90 day visa.
The first attempt failed after the main Central American highway was blocked due to either construction or protests or new electrical transmission lines. It could have been all three. And, unfortunately, I didn't learn of the road closure until after I woke up at 4am, took a 6am boat across Lake Atitlan and hopped on the shuttle bus only to be told that we weren't going anywhere.
Take two was yesterday (Feb 25, 2011). Same routine: Up at 4. Boat across the lake. Hop onto shuttle bus. And we (I'm travelling with Steve, a fellow San Pedro ex-pat) were off!
The road up to the Mexican border was nice. Just two years ago re-construction of the PanAmerican highway was nearly completed. Most of the CA-1 from Guatemala City to the Mexican border at La Mesia is four-lane. Or, at least it was, until last year's heavy rains caused numerous landslides that wiped out much of the work. However, repairs are ongoing and they've made really good progress. Just in time for this year's rainy season.
The shuttle from Panajachel, Guatemala to Comitan, Mexico cost $25. For this you get squished in a tiny seat, stuck between a traveller who has forgotten her brains and one that has forgotten to bathe. Ah, travel! The drive to the border is quite beautiful. Lots of river valleys and mountains to gawk at.
At the border things got crazy. We had to switch from a Guatemalan shuttle to a Mexican one. First, though: Guatemalan immigration. There were a few dozen people trying to get stamped in or out of Guatemala -- and just three guys working behind the desk. Only one appeared to be doing anything.
That finally done, we walked into Mexico and boarded a new shuttle bus. The girl that had forgotten her brains still hadn't found them. She thought it a good idea to stand in the middle of the aisle on the shuttle so no one could get by. Duh.
Eventually we were headed up the road to Mexican immigration -- about 4 km from the border. The Mexican office was actually worse than the Guatemalan one: Just one guy was working. And before you could get an entry stamp you had to fill out a form that you had to get from that one immigration official who was busy examining passports and stamping them. Why they couldn't leave a pile of forms for people to grab is one of the great mysteries of the ages. T-I-M: This Is Mexico.
Back on the shuttle we continued our journey to Comitan. There were numerous military checkpoints and accidents to keep us entertained. Then it started to rain.
About an hour later we arrived in Comitan and tried to walk, in the rain, to the hotel. After getting soaked we gabbed a taxi (20 pesos/$1.66) to the hotel. We're staying at the Hotel Eugenia (on Calle. 1 Ne. Pte. 22 -- just a few blocks from the central park). For 220 pesos ($18) you get a clean, comfortable room with TV and wi-fi. The shower is amazing: Tons of pressure and super hot water.
After checking into the hotel we set off to find a bank machine and get even wetter. That done, we sloshed into a coffee shop on the central park and had some damn fine Joe. This was followed by a visit to a grocery store which, conveniently, had a restaurant inside. I dropped about $15 on food that doesn't need to be refrigerated, water and a bottle of wine. Steve had chicken for dinner ($2) and I had a couple of slices of mediocre pizza ($2).
It was then back to the hotel for a nice long sleep.
And today's adventure? Walmart.
More to come!
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