When we first returned to the States and began living in an RV we had a general idea that this would last about three years. We thought that this would give time for the pandemic to be resolved one way or another, plus that’s when our car lease ran out. We didn’t last that long.
Back in December we made the nomad pilgramage to Mexico, across the border from Yuma, Arizona, to Los Algodones. You can walk across without a visa, just a quick view of your passport and you’re in. We were headed to an appointment with a dentist’s office for long-overdue cleanings, and Glenn needed x-rays, and some cavity repair. They did a very thorough x-ray and imaging and then gave us the news.
It wouldn’t cost much, just a *tiny* amount. And lucky me, if I paid right away I would get a discount! The total estimate for both of us, which came with a high-pressure sales pitch that would put a car dealership to shame, was a mere $30,000 USD.
We paid them an exorbitant fee for the cleaning and imaging just to be able to get out of that town as quickly as possible!
We discussed this situation with some of our friends. They gave us prices that they had paid for various procedures over the years. We soon realized that all of this work could be done for much cheaper back in Ajijic! And that set some things in motion.
First, the work needed would probably take several weeks (for Glenn, Bryn didn’t need any work to be honest). That meant finding a storage facility, prepping the RV (draining water, disconnecting batteries, etc.) and then driving thousands of miles in the car and paying hundreds of dollars in toll fees and a few hundred for Mexican car insurance. We would need to rent or stay in B&B’s. The costs just kept climbing, and we were going there to *save* money! Then we would return to the States and finish at least another year of RV travel.
That was one option. Another was to also store the car and just fly down and back, but the flight prices would offset the toll road fees. We might need to rent a car and still utilize a B&B.
Another option was to do all this and also secure a rental in Ajijic, then come back and sell the car and the RV, then return to Ajijic for good!
In the end, the option that made the most sense was to sell the car first, then put the RV up for sale at a consignment lot and fly to Mexico to stay. And that’s what we ended up doing!
First we broke off from our RV family after visiting Slab City in California.
After we got back to Yuma, Bryn became ill and developed a cough. We went to a drive-thru testing facility and the next day received confirmation - she tested positive for Covid. Glenn, on the other hand, tested negative and never developed any symptoms.
The next few weeks was a flurry of activity with a lot of unknowns, but things just seemed to work out. Eventually we were down to just luggage and boarding passes to our names, a very familiar place to be. After a couple of weeks on the ground here in Mexico we ended up in a nice 2-bed, 2.5 bath apartment in San Antonio Tlayacapan, just east of Ajijic. I have been walking to the dentist’s office and so far in three trips have had a cleaning, x-rays and four teeth repaired and reshaped. Each visit has cost less than $100 US. As a bonus, their anesthesia technique is top-notch — no pain!
We have resumed birding trips and hiking with two local groups. Glenn is also trying his hand at urban sketching with another local group. Pot lucks with the local vegans have resumed. Soon we will manage to connect with the Pickleball courts and resume that as well. We looked at a car that some friends were selling, but in the end we opted for some electric bicycles. Given the traffic around here, we often pass up dozens of cars on our errands.
Also, Glenn renewed his Temporale visa! We’re fully legal again.
It is May and the weather has been pretty warm, warmer than we remember, but soon the rainy season will begin and cool everything off. The nearby plaza has transformed into an amusement park for the upcoming celebrations for the patron saint of Tlayacapan, Saint Anthony. It promises to be loud, but also fun.
So we’re back ‘home’ in Mexico. Here’s some more pics from this year. Enjoy!
Wow, that's a whole lot of changes. Wish we could travel but not in our current lifestyle. Miss yall.