Desert Bloom

Driving back to the US, we stopped for breakfast at a place called Catavina where I shot these towering cacti.

Tragedy on the Highway

After leaving La Paz on New Year's Day, we came across a truck that had just went off the highway, rolling many times and ejecting the driver through the passenger window. The poor guy landed on a cactus. I discreetly snapped a couple photos with my Blackberry, so the quality isn't very good.

We raced over and kept him alert for a half hour before the ambulance finally arrived. By then it was too late. He had head injuries that were pretty severe. Moral of the story: Don't get hurt in Mexico.

New Year's Eve in La Paz

Our group gathered together at the Yaneka for a "few" drinks before heading out for the night.

While I'm not a drinker, I did appreciate the pretty colors provided by tequila, absinthe, and beer.

Arno and I ready for a night on the town.

Todos Santos to La Paz

Todos Santos is an artsy community known mainly for the Eagle's Hotel California. I wouldn't have felt bad if we skipped it. Outside of a few well kept blocks, it's pretty much your basic 3rd world hole.

Christmas display, Mexican style

I liked this lonely chimney

I stayed at the Hotel Yaneka in La Paz, home of this mischievous monkey, both when he was alive and now that he's dead.

Ponto Lobos

We stayed the night at a place called Ponto Lobos. It's kind of a shiz hole, but if photographed from the right angle, it doesn't look so bad. I was kind of obsessed with the penguins that loiter around, waiting for scraps from the fishermen.

Laurel & Hardy

Nadine

Cabo Pulmo

We stayed 2 days on the beach in Cabo Pulmo. As beautiful as it is windy. Much of the group camped out in tents, with some homesteading in this abandoned building.

Andy above, Janice below

Nearby shack

Robin & Skye

North view

South view

Robin

Life on the Bus

It seems like life on the Green Tortoise often revolves around food: Packing, unpacking, cooking, eating, and cleaning. Meals are generally quite good--cleanliness standards, not so much.

Cooler filled with food located beneath the benches in the front of the bus

A bin of condiments from trips of yore.

Lunch prep

Breakfast

Tasha & Janice doing dishes

Some other scenes in and around the bus:

French lovers Kim & Nadine

Marty & I

Sully taking a pit stop

The 4 English rugby gals

Marty, Drew, and Jay

Playa Escondida

The next morning brought us to this scenic view of The Sea of Cortez. From here we hiked in 6 miles (I ran) to Playa Escondida where we would spend the next 5 days.

We unloaded our packs and reloaded them onto the little school bus to be transported to camp.

The road to our new home. Goodbye bus life, hello beach life!

Successfully put up my tent. And yeah, that rock entryway was all me. Kept pesky neighbors from raising their tents in my front yard. (which sounds dirtier than I meant it to)

Morning sunrise from my tent

Ensenada

A lookout point we stopped at on our way.

Unbeknown to Robert, he became my model.

This girl was selling treats to visitors.

Candied yams with bees

Ensenada wasn't my favorite city, but I did find a few picture opportunities.

Tres Cabecas

Minha Cabeca

Pelicans waiting patiently outside the fish market...

...for the fish guts to be thrown into this truck bed. Then the feeding frenzy begins.

A creative candy salesman