Looking For Info Re; La Paz And/Or Cabo San Lucas Mexico Thank You

[tropicalescape]

Originally Posted by elskede

one more two part question for those who 'know.' how long does it take to get from san diego to la paz at 55mph for me and my boat following the route straight down the coast and is this the safest...if not there is the alternate route where i go down then cross with a ferry......part two.....at 55mph and NO MORE BECAUSE I'll be towing and have a heavy load etc....which way is the best to go...safest to go and most prudent to go and if i get pulled over and i have the insurance, the visa, the registrations etc....do i offer local law enforcement a 'bribe.' type gesture when i hand them my documents? i've heard in the past for over 25years that friends of mine often settle there 'ticket's' right then and there and it's over???? and are the BANDITO'S often law enforcement or are you talking about people who may abduct people for a ransom because we are not affluent and it would be futile for us and them?? thanks again for your time. i appreciate any input that is given. can i make it in one full daylight day from san diego to la paz? if not where do i stop and can it be done in two safe days? w/ fuel etc...i can always bring my own extra fuel.....thx

If it were me I would go as far south as I could during the day and plan on 3 days getting there...At the border with Baja Sur there is a place called Malloremo(sp?) and it is a stopping point where you will see lots of trucks pulling campers like yourself,its interesting and cheap...make sure you get fuel when you can ,even if your not empty,you dont want to be along side the road with night time approching...when the cops pull you over they will say things like "follow me to the station" this is the time to have a 20 dollar bill in your hand(but dont offer it to him let him take it out of your hand,and he will!)if he trys to force more tell him you want to talk to the captain,this will most likely be enough to head on your way...if all else fails have another smaller bill in a pocket and pull it out and say that is all you have and that you are about out of gas and money because you have been paying out money for things that you didnt expect to have to pay such as bribes and more bribes...If you are told to pull over a oil pit and they go under your car make sure you pull over down the road and check your oil pan drain plug ,they will loosen it and maybe put a thread or two in it so as to have it fall out and loose all your oil,then they put on a mask and drive thru the desert looking for you!!(happened to me twice)Have a few packs of cigs and bulk bags of candy for them to take or for you to offer them as they are looking thru your car and things go better ...good luck

[tropicalescape]

Originally Posted by elskede

one more two part question for those who 'know.' how long does it take to get from san diego to la paz at 55mph for me and my boat following the route straight down the coast and is this the safest...if not there is the alternate route where i go down then cross with a ferry......part two.....at 55mph and NO MORE BECAUSE I'll be towing and have a heavy load etc....which way is the best to go...safest to go and most prudent to go and if i get pulled over and i have the insurance, the visa, the registrations etc....do i offer local law enforcement a 'bribe.' type gesture when i hand them my documents? i've heard in the past for over 25years that friends of mine often settle there 'ticket's' right then and there and it's over???? and are the BANDITO'S often law enforcement or are you talking about people who may abduct people for a ransom because we are not affluent and it would be futile for us and them?? thanks again for your time. i appreciate any input that is given. can i make it in one full daylight day from san diego to la paz? if not where do i stop and can it be done in two safe days? w/ fuel etc...i can always bring my own extra fuel.....thx

Not advocating you speed,but the only thing I have ever seen on that hwy going 55 was a 1947 dodge truck with no engine being pulled by a donkey!! Be careful for sure but, you will be doing more than 55 ...you will see trucks being pulled by donkeys,I have more than once!..

[Cheechako]

Last I heard, you can take a shotgun into Mexico with a permit for hunting. You may have to pay for the fees, licensing etc to do so. Or maybe they have done away with it , not sure. As mentioned, stay off the road at night... may not be safe and there are a whole new set of driving rules!
I was on a bus traveling in Mexico. One night coming down a curvy windy road from the mountains to sea level, the bus driver was driving by moonlight with his headlights off. I eventually ferretted out that the reason was so "he could see if someone was coming", as he was moving at a good clip and taking most the road up on the curves...!
Have you considered just trucking the boat to the North end of the Sea via Arizona? I think it's called Puerto Penasco... something like that?

[scorpio49]

i moved out of la paz about 12 years ago.it's much larger now.lots of traffic.provisions are easy to come by lots of good restaurants .walmart soriana,home depot.the problem you will have is that as a gringo you cannot hold title to property and will need to get a fe de comiso which is a type of trust with a bank not sure of current rates but i've heard at least $4000 us/year.the better solution is what i did.i rented for a while,met a mexican i could trust.leased a piece of beach front on san lucas cove and built a house.the land:$1500/yr the house less than $35k.2 story and on the beach.santa rosalia which is 20 km away has a nice harbor and i'm sure is less money than la paz.

[Pacificcatalyst]

You are asking a lot of good questions that have complicated answers, or differing opinions, that will take a lot of back and forth to communicate. We drove down as far as Loreto last winter, taking 2 weeks to go down and back.
We crossed in Tecate, about 30 miles east of San Diego, and a far less stressful port of entry. You will need to stop at the border and buy visas for you and your kids (if the kids are minors you will need proof that you're not kidnapping them, a formal letter from their other parent and perhaps notarized (?). Better check that out.)
We have crossed at both the San Ysidro (on I-5) and Tecate gates, and prefer Tecate. We go into Mexico with food in the back seat and a full tank of gas so we can get to at least San Quintin without stopping. Once you get that far, you're golden.
Drive with the average flow, not too fast, not too slow. One local driving custom not mentioned so far is that when on-coming drivers flash their lights at you (during the day) there is danger ahead. It may be a cop, a crash or just a cow grazing along the road, but when you see flashing lights, slow down and pay attention. It is good to do the same when you see something dangerous to warn other drivers.
There is a lot of road construction going on all the way down the penninsula now, which will be great when it's all done, but some of the detours are pretty rough and can be hard on your boat and trailer. Slower is faster.
The marina in Cabo is very expensive and airless on hot days. It can be blowing in the (terrible) anchorage, and as stuffy as grandmas closet in the marina.
San Jose del Cabo has a shiney new marina, and I know some folks with boats in there, but I imagine it's on the expensive side as well.
La Paz is a great spot, as has been mentioned, with all the stuff you need to live and raise a family. (don't forget to get the correct visa if you decide to stay, a tourist visa isn't going to get er done).
There are some excellent and active web forums focused on Baja, with updates on road conditions and weather. Just google for "baja web forum" and see what you get. Check the classifieds on the forums for real estate.
Good luck, and enjoy the adventure.

[elskede]

Thank you for your reply rer; visas being different for living there vs tourist, and about bringing kids. ill bring my court papers showing full custody since '04 and the 'death' certificate of their mom showing she's dead my kid's birth certificates showing me and her as the kids parent's and go from there....also one question. when you say it took two weeks...is that from seattle? and also...which hwy are you taking when you go down in your story about your trip down? i see two routes when i google it. thanks again.

[elskede]

ok great just read all the replys re: bribes, candy, oil drain plug and also the one where i truck to az and sail....good ideas and great info..all of them. thank you guys a ton...also the 'renting' is a great idea!! cause you really aren't holding title anyways..i read where the trust was $350 to $500/yr...but why not just rent a lot on the beach and build or throw a pull out camper there or whatever.,...great idea for having a home down there..thx to everyone who replyed...i just still don't know which hwy you are all talking about...an what hwy get's me to the az sea entrance? what town is it in?

[Pacificcatalyst]

We spent 2 weeks in Baja, 4 weeks total from Seattle and return. We used Hwy 3 from Tecate to Ensenada, and Hwy 1 from there to Loreto and returned by the same route. We visited several small fishing villages on the West coast, La Bocanna, Bahia Asuncion and Punta Abreojos. These are all off of Hwy 1, some of them a few hours off!
One thing, when crossing the border you need to stop and buy your visas. The visa offices are sometimes awkward to find and to park around. If you cross in Tecate, I suggest parking your rig north of the border and walking across. The visa office is right next to the immigration check point, but parking for a truck and trailer would be impossible. Walk over, get your visas, walk back and get the truck and then cross with the rig.
DO NOT plan on using dollars to buy food and fuel south of the border, change your money before you go across at a money exchange house, or at your bank. Pay cash for fuel and food, that way you don't get lost in the exchange rate.
There are very few banditio reports from Baja, especially between Ensenada and Todos Santos. TJ and Cabo are a bit more risky, but even then I'd rather be there than in any city in the US.

[scorpio49]

if you need to change us currency you can do it at a mexican bank with a good exchange rate.if you need mexican cash before entering there is an exchange kiosk in the chula vista costco.

[elskede]

wow...this is a great resource!! thank you guys...great info re:changing money because i can see how some things may get confused and 'lost in translation' and the exchange rate and people just accept much more $ than is what it really is....now when i do get stopped do i want a $20 in my hand in USD? or do i want pesos?
that being said...all you guys are really helping me and today i did OFFICIALLY RETIRED!! (SEMI_..., I'll always work...in fact I was gonna bring a pressure washer and see if I can get sidejob work at the marina pressure washing, doing bottom paint etc...on boats down there...IS THIS POSSIBLE?
CONGRATULATIONS TO ME!! IT'S OFFICIAL!!! RETIREMENT AS OF TODAY!!! SEMI-THOUGH~!~
So anyways I did talk with my kids and I gave them a countdown....3 month's and were gone. We have done this before in a close fashion...I once decided to move from BELLINGHAM. WA. to Florida..I sold our house and bought a place all over the internet, sight unseen in Florida and had a boat waiting in the driveway for me. It wound up being a great vacation basically...it was 2005 and the beginning of the bubble burst.... I have a BUSINESS DEGREE at honor's level, however, down there I couldn't get a job whatsoever...so I just enjoyed the surrounding and the pool and the weather...that being said....We moved home to Seattle eventually and it was a great experience.
Then I decided to move to Vegas and we did it.
Loved it. Sailed in Lk Meade....which was a pond...but it beat goin to work that day
Okay, so also...YES, I'VE NEVER BEEN TO MEXICO....so any input would be appreciated.
I've been all over the world.
RUSSIA, BERING SEA, INSIDE PASSAGE, NORWAY, COPENHAGEN, PACIFIC, ATLANTIC OCEANS....I'm not afraid of anything to do with new adventures...just wanna be prudent and safe.
So someone mentions a town called 'SANTA ROSARIO' or something like that near LA PAZ. does anyone have input on my choice of area? The reason I'm into LA PAZ is from a dr/dentist I talked to 10 years ago that told me he lived a block off the beach, his sailboat was anchored in the harbor and he had a live-in maid and he did it all on $3k a month...I'll be lucky to have $1600.00 on my budget...
WHAT WOULD YOU DO???? ANYONE.......that has been to Mexico to Live or stay long term.....I want sand, sun, Good schools and security for my kids and me on $15oo.oo/month...
I really want to goto baja...is it cold in winter?
Thx everyone...I got 3 MONTHS..THE CLOCK IS TICKING AS OF TODAY and there is a lot to organize and figure out...but I'll do it and this is my STARTING POINT.
THX THX THX.
GNIGHT.
STEPHEN.K.R
Oh Yeah...How come I don't buy me and my kids OUR VISAS up here before we go and what kind of VISA am I looking for to live there? (instead of a vacation visa) this was stated by someone and it was good info....that i'd need a better or more appropriate visa than a 'vacation' visa....my goal is to MOVE. come back here to visit and my son will probably come back for college etc...and i won't renounce my citizenship...let me know.

[elskede]

If I sail down..which it's 50/50 weather I sail or drive....if i SAIL...from seattle...any recommendations on ports to stop at for provisions....and if I drive then I'm going to change all my hoses and belts on my truck. that way I'll have the old ones for back up's...*know on wood.....in case I need them and that also mean's i'd just done the maintenance...MYSELF within a couple month's so if im in the desert and it happens that i need to i can quickly change them because it will still be in my head/mind/hands of what i did before i left.
okay. thank you.
stephen k r

[elskede]

one more thing...im sure a lot of you have more money than me...when i crab fished in the bering sea...i made a lot of $$...i owned 2 houses paid for cash in Seattle when i was 25...im now 44 and those are long gone because of bad planning and i don't look back...since then i've owned 6 houses and the bubble burst and we all know that story...that being said THE REASON im moving to Mexico is for a BETTER QUALITY of life for me....now im at the HUMP in life...a tad bit over the hill and in Seattle it's a climate that is great! i love it...4 season...spring summer fall and winter...however, it rains from usually september till late april....then SUMMER IN SEATTLE IS THE BEST!! i do sail year round...but i have a left ankle that has DEGENERATIVE ARTHRITIS and it kills me when it rains...i can feel rain coming a mile away..and since im gonna take an early (semi-partial) retirement and live on $1600/month i wanna be somewhere nice, safe,, warm and pleasant that my money will go farther. i don't use drugs, and i don't beg, borrow or steal. i own everything i have and will pay cash for what i get. so im thinking. LA PAZ. move down there. with my KIDS. who are doing great in school.... and THEY KNOW DAMN WELL, WHOLEHEARTEDLY THAT they are going to college. Right nowthey are 10 and 13.......QUESTION FOR THE GROUP: 'is this a practical move?'
I THINK SO. im very level headed. im a founding member of homeland security. a college graduate...but when the kid's mom and me split 10 years ago and i kept the kids and she died in a car wreck my home's left with her....a good deal...i'd rather have kept the kids than the home's and that was our deal...im glad i did.....that being said...in this economic climate i don't see me buying a home anytime in the near future and im tired of being rained on for 9 months a year...but i also have to think of my kids and not myself. is moving to la paz for a stable family of 3/single father with his head on straight and a meager income a month prudent?
IM NOT SECOND GUESSING MYSELF....JUST curious to hear other people input. please think for a few minutes if you would and make a short comment.
i WILL NOT renounce my citizenship.
just want a comfortable place where my money go's farther...and i believe i can still get sidework.......
Thank you So Much to this GROUP OF PEOPLE.
Stephen. K. R
I APOLOGIZE for my chaotic up n down writing of my posts....im tired and lazy right now and half not following any sort of pattern with puncuation and grammar etc etc...

[scorpio49]

steven,first off do not try to bribe a mexican cop or military.if they want a "mordida"they will tell you.it's best not to go to a mexican jail for bribery.second,if your kids are of school age you might consider home schooling.as far as i know ,unless they speak fluent spanish they will not be going to school.also the secondary schools are not up to american standards.as far as your visa goes:get a tourist visa at the border.don't wait until you get farther south because it gets more expensive.in santa rosalia it will run you over $100.with your tourist visa in hand you can apply for an fm-2 or fm-3 visa.which allow you permanent residence.be aware that the immigration laws are changing as we speak.after about 4 years you can apply for inmigrante status which means you can hold real property in fee simple.(no more fedecomisos)you definately do not need to lose your us citizenship.( don't know where that idea came from)

[tropicalescape]

I always have one pocket with about 60 US in it and keep my (real)money and papers in a money belt...from my experiance no one wants a lot of worthless paper(pesos)...It is a lot cheaper to live away from the coast in Mexico...In Zacateces Mex. a person can build a new house with 3 br and all the appliances needed for approx. 15,000 to 20,000 US if you have friends and do some of the work yourself...If a village has more than one money exchange business things seem to cost more...The only work I have seen there for americans is teaching english to the wealthy folks kids,a girlfriend of mine worked for a guy teaching his children english and she had to be picked up in a limo. and there were guards around the house with machine guns! After staying in a place for about 2 months I was approched by a few of the local business owners and asked why I was staying there so long and that I must have seen everthing by now and when would I be leaving!! Turned out the Local doctors wife had gotten sweet on me and it was causing a problem!!When I told the doctors son I had no interest in her it got worse!Seems I insulted him!Very Macho bunch of fellows,thought they would challenge me to a dual!After that day everything changed ,If I bought something in a store I made sure it never lost my site because they started doing the bait and switch,if I bought tomatoes for instance they would smash them up and put them in a bag ...One fellow(canadian) told me he had bought a radio and when it would not work he opened it up and the inside had been damaged by the seller and he wouldnt give him his money back! these things may not happen too you !! just be careful and dont wear out your welcome..They sure are friendly folks....Good luck...Some think the peso is about to become "real" money with the rising price of labor in China and the fact that Mexico is a lot closer to the US,which means less shipping and storage...

[scorpio49]

i will have to admit that i know very little about mainland mexico.baja sur is very safe,i believe it's a lot safer than just about anyplace in the us.my friends who do go to mexico,as they say down here tell me that costs are lower but that the increase in violence and police corruption does not make it anywhere i'd consider.