“Travels to a Different Time” : 7September1983: Puerto Vallarta and Yelapa Beach, Mexico: Vomiting Californians and Texans!

After drifting off to the sounds of a pseudo-Santana band up at 07:30 for the trip to the exotic Yelapa Beach. Mango juice and some strange sugared pastry for breakfast. Took a taxi to Pier Maritima where in Mexican fashion the boat was an hour late. The taxi driver “claimed” he could not change a 1,000 peso note so I had to hunt down a shop that would change a 1,000 peso note. I have the feeling I am being scammed as the driver gave me change for a 500 peso note and he had a wad of pesos under his floor mat. In Mexico one is left with the impression locals are hellbent on ripping off the “rich gringos”. Taxis are plentiful and used by gringos whereas the locals will take a communal taxi, usually VW buses, for a fraction of what they would pay for a private taxi. The passengers on this rough crossing were Texans and Californians. Canadians are rare here. Well 40 or so of the gringos were puking up a storm. The beach is beautiful and sparsely populated and surrounded by tropically vegetated hills with clouds lazily rolling over their summits. The muddy river nearby full of bark clouds up the water on what could be a spectacular beach. There are many shacks with no roof just a hammock. Beach vendors thankfully are few just a couple of children selling coconuts and bananas. The Yankees loved the parasailing. At the boat for the return trip children were charging for photos with parrots or iguanas and the Yankees loved it! Thank goodness the return trip was smooth and was accompanied for part of the trip by jumping dolphins.