Mexico's Riviera

Most of the west's coastline is a narrow plain between the interior highlands and the sea. The terrain can be nearly desert-like to sub-tropical jungles and everything in between, including palm fringed beaches.

Our final leg was out west to reach the pacific, and for the first time there were other "whities" on the bus. Plus Danny Davito's double struggling down the central isle with a rather oversized esky. The media would probally tag him as "drug smuggler". After the 5 hour bus ride he pulls out his rods from the trunk, he's just off fishing for the weekend. No drugs required.

Following a bit of online research we've managed to sort a condo on the beach at Puerto Vallerta for a few days via "Jeff" in Minnesota. Recently the combination of constant moving on and sharing living space at hostels was taking its toll. . It was time "road trippin" kicked back a little and recharged.

As we edged west away from the city the highway passed through craggy mountains dotted with cactus of all shapes and sizes. Huge bulls roaming free through millions of agave shrubs all riping up nicely pre-harvest, a typical Mexican landscape. As we drove further west the sky became a more clear deep blue, something that was pretty rare back in the much over populated cities.

Finally the catus scattered Sierra de Vallejo mountains gave way to larger settlement villages which then lead us through towns where the roads were lined with swaying palm trees. Finally we could see and smell the coast.