No Wrong Turns: Staying Fit on the Road

by Kelsey Mulyk on

Traveling often involves lugging around a heavy backpack and suffering from a variety of stomach illnesses. This combination usually keeps the ol’ waistline in check, even though it might not be the healthiest way.

I am a bit of a fitness nut…hold the eye-rolling for a sec, I have a valid reason. I studied Kinesiology in university and have seen firsthand the benefits of an active lifestyle and the effects of an unhealthy one. Plus, I really do like how I feel after a workout. OK now you can roll your eyes.

When we started to plan our driving adventure I began to wonder about how I could maintain my fitness level since I knew we would be spending a lot of time sitting in the car. I decided to pack some gear that would assist me in the quest for fit travel. My fitness bag includes:

  • running shoes
  • a set of workout clothes
  • a resistance band
  • a binder with a few workout routines I like in it
  • an exercise DVD

I whole-heartedly believe that you can be fit without having a gym membership; I think it is just a little harder. One can run pretty much anywhere, though at times you will get odd looks from the locals and you might have to out run a dog or two. If you have your computer, as I do, you can play a workout DVD anywhere, all you need is a little space. And if push comes to shove a few old-school exercises, like sit-ups and push-ups, will do the trick.

One of my cousins is a personal trainer and recommended mypypeline.com to me. It brings fitness to you, anywhere in the world. You can choose to focus on activities you prefer, like circuit training or yoga. There are personal trainers available to help motivate you and a slew of exercise videos available for download, for a small fee. Load these videos to your ipod and you can literally work out anywhere anytime. A large fitness community can be found here which provides support and assistance for those looking to start a fitness routine or those looking for new exercise ideas.

Though I just about upchucked my breakfast after my first workout in about a month. I have decided to shoot for cardio workouts three times a week and I will be attempting to surf soon, which should add up to about three weeks worth of exercise and two months worth of saltwater burps.

All in the name of a healthy lifestyle.

“No Wrong Turns” chronicles Kelsey and her husband’s road trip — in real time — from Canada to the southern tip of South America in their trusty red VW Golf named Marlin.

No Wrong Turns: Whale Watching in the Baja

by Kelsey Mulyk on

Who didn’t adore Whalerider? I loved that movie. Call me cheesy, but how cool would it be to ride a whale? OK, maybe not ride it, but what about touching one or giving one a big ‘ol hug?

After speaking to locals around the Baja Sur area I learned that one of the oldest mammals on earth, the gray whale, migrates yearly from Alaska all the way to Mexico. Their migration begins in October in the Bering and Chukchi seas and ends early January, in the Baja Peninsula. They travel over 12, 500 miles to give birth in the safer waters of Mexico and remain in the Baja until mid-March, and when the calves are strong enough, they make the journey back to the icy waters of Alaska for summer feeding.

Rumor has it that in the 1970’s a lone fisherman was out in the waters by San Ignacio and found himself, and his little boat, side by side with a large gray whale. Terrified that the whale might knock the boat over, he waited hoping that it would leave. The whale remained nearby and, after mustering up some courage and probably saying a prayer, he timidly reached out and touched the whale. And so, a tourist destination was born.

There are many whale-watching tour companies to choose from offering visitors the chance to see and touch the whales up close. Some of the more well-known places are Guerrero Negro, Loreto, and San Ignacio. The whales aren’t shy and, both the adults and babies, will swim right up to the boat allowing tourists the chance to see these huge, peaceful animals up close and personal. Whale-watching season officially begins December 15th and lasts until April 15th.

If the thought of getting in a tiny boat to pet a whale is unsettling, you can head out to the beaches near Todos Santos and spot these large creatures about 20 meters off the sand. We wandered down about a week ago and I was astonished at how close the whales actually are to the beach: you can see and hear them spray water from their blowholes. We even heard about a guy going out to swim with them. Hmmm…too bad I wasn’t more of a whaler rider…

“No Wrong Turns” chronicles Kelsey and her husband’s road trip — in real time — from Canada to the southern tip of South America in their trusty red VW Golf named Marlin.

No Wrong Turns: Proceed with Caution…A Mexican Border Crossing

by Kelsey Mulyk on

After finishing the drive down the coast we readied ourselves for the Tijuana border crossing. We were expecting Mexican immigration to do a complete shakedown of the car. Images of us stranded at customs while they ripped apart Marlin kept popping into my mind. Instead they asked us to open the trunk, lazily pushed on a couple bags and then shut the trunk. There were no official looking buildings nearby and when asked, “Where do we go now?” the customs officer looked blankly at us then flicked his hand for us to go.

If you didn’t know that permits and visas are required for yourself and your vehicle, you could get screwed when trying to leave Mexico. If you don’t have proper documentation you could end up in a Mexican prison. There are about 40 official US/Mexican border crossings, and only five — Tijuana, Ensenada, Tecate, Mexicali and La Paz — that have the necessary documentation to grant permits for foreign-plated cars.

We knew we needed a permiso de importacion temporal de vehiculos (a temporary vehicle import permit) but did not know where to get it. Luckily, after a few laps around a very disorganized traffic circle, we spotted a sign that looked promising and headed towards it. This brought us to the next sign and the next, eventually leading us to a rather puny immigration building. Travelers looking to cross the border in a foreign car should be aware that at the Tijuana crossing, these signs are small and easy to miss, but it’s imperative that the permit is received before straying too far from the border zone, or “Free Trade Zone,” where no permits are required. Once you leave this zone the permit is necessary.

At immigration, we managed to use a mixture of sign language and really bad Spanish to find the necessary person. Fortunately for us, he was in a jolly mood and spoke fluent English. The documentation that is required to bring your vehicle into Mexico is as follows:

  • A tourist card also known as a FMT (you need this before you get the car permit and if you plan to say in Mexico for awhile ask for the full 6 months allocated)
  • The original title and/or registration of the vehicle (we made sure both of our names were on it just in case)
  • A credit card to pay the $29 dollar importation fee (if you don’t have one you have to make a deposit equal to the amount of the car)
  • Passport
  • Driver’s License
  • Carta Promesa Retorno which states that you will return your car to the country of origin
  • Permiso de importacion temporal de vehiculos which states you are bringing your car in for personal use and will not leave it or sell it in Mexico. Make sure that this gets canceled once you leave the country.
  • If you want to save a few dollars, make three copies of everything that you can ahead of time, like your passport and car registration. The officials will make two copies of everything and charge an obscene amount for them.

There are two important things to note. The first being that the person whose name is on the car-importation permit must be in the car regardless of who is driving. Should you be stopped without this person the results could be impoundment, a fine, or even jail. The other important thing to consider is purchasing Mexican auto insurance. Even if your insurance company provides coverage in Mexico, it might not be recognized once you cross the border. Sanborn’s Mexican Insurance provides coverage, bail bonds and legal aid should it be required. Those involved in an accident without insurance might be…you guessed it, sent to jail.

We muddled our way through the paperwork and the back and forth between our official and Banjercito (the army bank where you are expected to pay the fees). Once it was all said and done, we received the permit with a huge sticker to post just beside the rearview mirror so everyone will know we are permitted to drive Marlin around Mexico. We thanked the official and on our way out Tom asked if he had any advice about traveling in Mexico, his words were, ” Don’t piss in the street, don’t drive drunk and eat lots of fish.” Right…I think we can handle that.

For more information about driving in Mexico, please check out the information here.

“No Wrong Turns” chronicles Kelsey and her husband’s road trip — in real time — from Canada to the southern tip of South America in their trusty red VW Golf named Marlin.

No Wrong Turns: How to Drive and Survive in Mexico

by Kelsey Mulyk on

Traveling with a car has its advantages: we are free to roam all over, stop when we please and we don’t have to share a seat with any livestock. But, the car also becomes a bit of a burden — another thing we have to worry about; it’s like one gigantic backpack. Worries range from “Do we have enough gas?” and “Does this car look like it’s worth breaking into?” to “Is that semi going to slow down?”

After 6000km, a bit of wear on the tires, one missing bumper, and a new appreciation for four wheel drive, I offer up some initial advice on driving in Mexico:

  1. DON’T drive at night. Most of the car violence we have heard of occurs at night on the highways…even the Mexicans will tell you to ‘park it’ once the sun sets.

  2. Never, under any circumstances, hand over your passport to anyone. Some scams include people pretending to be police officers. They pull you over, demand your passport then expect you to cough up a huge sum of money in return for your passport.
  3. If you are pulled over by police, be calm and polite. Don’t speak Spanish. Someone mentioned this to us early on and being a ‘dumb’ tourist has proved to be advantageous for us. If the officer presses you, ask for information on the law you supposedly broke or ask to speak to a supervisor. If you do receive a fine, pay it at the police station and get a receipt.
  4. Mexicans drive fast and, though posted speed limits are usually 60 to 80km/hr, the locals usually drive around 120km/hr. Stick to the posted limits to avoid giving the police any reason to pull you over. Or, at the very least, follow the flow of traffic but make sure you aren’t leading the pack.
  5. Fill up your car every time you see a gas station (and there is only one to choose from in Mexico called Pemex). There are stretches of highway that run for over 400km without a gas station in sight. No signs are posted to warn you that you have just driven by the last station for the next 600 km.
  6. Carry a jerrycan with extra gas. (see above)
  7. Trucks will put on their left-hand signal light to let you know that it is safe to pass them on the highway.
  8. Keep small bills, both American and Mexican, for the toll roads. Change is often hard to come by in Mexico.
  9. Go for the filthy, hippy, garbage-y car vibe and leave your car dirty both inside and out. Tom and I splattered dirt on our license plate to make it less visible. I chucked empty water bottles and food wrappers on the floor and the backseat. If looks junky it might prevent any sort of curiosity about what is inside.
  10. And the piece de resistance: Hang a rosary off your rearview or better yet put a sticker of the Virgen de Guadalupe on you car.

“No Wrong Turns” chronicles Kelsey and her husband’s road trip — in real time — from Canada to the southern tip of South America in their trusty red VW Golf named Marlin.

No Wrong Turns: Prep My Car

by Kelsey Mulyk on

Note: For the record I am no expert on cars so don’t hold it against me. Tom took care of most of the car maintenance before we left and this is my mechanically challenged interpretation.

Once we had decided that we were going to drive down to Tierra Del Fuego, looking for a reliable yet discreet car was the goal. Tom needed a new car anyway and after a bit of searching we found Marlin, our 1991 VW Golf. One of the reasons we picked this VW is it was made in Mexico and parts should be relatively easy to come by, though we hope to not need any.

To get a car ready for a serious road trip, find a reliable mechanic (shop around and make sure it is someone you trust) and explain exactly what your trip will entail. For us, we were referred to a VW specialist who had already assisted other road trips to the Baja. If you live in Calgary this is the guy.

Marlin’s check-up involved a thorough inspection that included looking at the:

  • Steering rack
  • Suspension
  • Brakes
  • Exhaust
  • As well as purchasing a new set of tires

Our amazingly helpful (and honest) mechanic gave the engine a tune up because the gas in Mexico is known for being dirty. He replaced the fuel filter and gave us an extra just in case. He also changed the fan belt and the alternator belt. We have spares of these as well. A tool kit carrying jumper cables, pliers, wrenches, screwdrivers, flares and, of course, a spare tire are other necessities for a road trip.

It is a wise idea to change the oil in your car, check with a mechanic about what will provide the best performance for your vehicle. Usually we use thinner oil since Calgary is so cold, but with extreme heat you need to use thicker oil, we are now using 20W-50.

Marlin’s oil was changed in Ensenada, a horribly touristy town that we had already planned to blow through. It was awful, like a cheesy piñata threw up all over the town. A Bridgestone Service Centre seemed like the best choice and, since we had our own oil and the filter, the oil change cost us $5 and took about 20 minutes.

Another tip is to wire a spare key to the chassis of your car. Beats me if there is a service in Mexico, like AMA, that will come unlock your car if you accidentally lock your keys inside but I am guessing even if there is they might not feel like making a trip out to some desolate highway.

A kill switch was installed in Marlin…we are very lucky to have a close friend who is also a mechanic who helped us out with this addition. The kill switch is just another way to try and discourage theft of the vehicle. Once the car is off, and the kill switch turned on, the car cannot be started by hot-wiring or using the key. Pretty sneaky, right?

Any other tips or suggestions for car reliability and safety? I’d love to hear them.

“No Wrong Turns” chronicles Kelsey and her husband’s road trip — in real time — from Canada to the southern tip of South America in their trusty red VW Golf named Marlin.