Baja Beaches
Tijuana's traffic was as crazy as we had been warned and running short of time to reach our Spanish course we decided that the best cycling in Baja California would be in the south. The 16-hour bus journey from Tijuana to Santa Rosalia made us realize that Baja (and for that matter Mexico) is a big place. Santa Rosalia was a bustling town, and we arrived for the annual fiesta to celebrate the founding of the town, which included singing, traditional dancing - and curiously a beauty contest.

Cycling in Baja was tough but rewarding. At first the road followed the east coast, passing numerous beautiful turquoise bays and white sandy beaches. We stopped at one and paddled across the bay in sea kayaks, watching the pelicans diving for their fish suppers. Crossing the peninsular to the west led us through spectacular mountains - a little too spectacular for some drivers, judging by the roadside memorials to vehicles that had gone over the edge.

Back in the Desert
As we travelled south, the terrain changed gradually from mountains to flat sandy desert with cacti, vibrant flowers and scorpions. We camped among the 2 meter high organ pipe cacti and experienced the sea mist which dampens everything overnight, making this a very verdant desert. This section included an 80 km stretch of completely straight road. We made a side-trip to Bahia Magdalena, famous as a breeding-ground for various species of whale. Unfortunately we arrived off-season so saw none.

We spent a couple of days in La Paz, the largest city in Baja California Sur, and enjoyed the beautiful beaches and relaxing atmosphere. La Paz is famous for its sunsets, and we spent the evenings sitting on the waterfront watching the sun set as pelicans dived into the water to catch fish.

Mazatlan
From La Paz, we took a ferry to Mazatlan in mainland Mexico, crossing south of the Tropic of Cancer - a significant step in our journey. Our first night in Mazatlan did not go entirely to plan. Arriving back to our campsite at 11pm, we found the security to be excellent - the gates were locked and we could hear the security guard snoring loudly. Not having the heart to wake him, we climbed over the 2-meter-high gates and went to bed to the sound of the disco opposite in the 35-degree heat. It was not the best night's sleep!

Roads to Guadalajara
As in many places in Mexico, there are two roads between Mazatlan and Guadalajara. We opted for the toll highway and were glad we did - the perfect smooth concrete, wide shoulder and lack of traffic (as most people don't want or can't afford to pay the tolls) were much more like the USA than Mexico.

The first toll booth was somewhat nerve-wracking. We had decided that as no price was quoted for bicycles, that meant it was free and we could ride straight through. Being confronted by guards with rifles made us rethink that plan! The guards led us up some steps towards their offices, speaking to us in Spanish that we couldn't understand. Just as we thought we were in big trouble, the guards led us down some more steps to the highway beyond the toll booths, bypassing the security cameras at the booth! It seems they were going out of their way to ensure we didn't pay the toll!

Our 5-week stay in Guadalajara gave us the opportunity to greatly improve our Spanish - both through an intensive course at the University, and speaking the language every day. We also took part in a sailing regatta in Acapulco, glimpsing the rich side of Mexico in the Acapulco Club de Yates.

The last 10 days in Mexico were spent in the hectic, noisy capital - Mexico City. Here nearly all the taxis are green VW beetles and a red traffic light means pass through honking your horn! Highlights of the city and surrounding area included the Monarch butterfly sanctuary, where thousands of the creatures hang from tress, the ancient Mayan temples and the warm friendly Mexican hospitality.