A BIT OF BAJA LIFE...

Originally published in Western Outdoor News the Week of Jan 26, 2009


One of the most common questions I get down here from friends and clients is, “Well, can I mail it to you?”

Now, I live in La Paz, Baja Mexico. It’s the capital city of the state of Southern Baja. With almost 250, 000 gente (people), this isn’t exactly a sleepy little pueblito. It’s a hub of business, agriculture, tourism, and fishing, not to mention the site of a university and the seat of government.

Therefore, it comes as somewhat of a surprise to folks when I respond, “No, you’d better not mail anything to me.”

I mean, for those of you who have visited or spent any time in the Baja, when was the last time you saw a mailbox? Think about that for a moment. Despite the rising cost of postage, Americans take mail for granted. Ergo, when you put a stamp on something and drop it in the red and blue box, you can generally count on it getting where it’s going in a timely manner.

I know we have a post office in La Paz (hidden behind two taco carts), but has anyone ever seen a mailman? Ever seen a postal truck? I know they sell stamps. I know sometimes people get mail!

Indeed, most of my friends don’t have an address to their homes. Instead an address is given as, “2.4 km a Carretera a Pichilingue” (2.4 kilometers on the Pichilingue Road) or “Colonia Revolucion Entre Altamirano y Iglesias” (Neighborhood of Revolution between Altamirano and Iglesias streets). You don’t get an address. You get directions.

Sure, mail gets delivered…sometimes. When I first moved to Baja, my folks would mail me things like magazines (Sports Illustrated, Time, Western Outdoors) and things like vegetable seeds and tools.

Three weeks later, I’d get a battered box that looked as if it has dragged behind a truck. As I found out later, mail from the states went to Mexico City first. There it was searched for “contraband and subversive materials.” Then it would get forwarded to me in Baja.

The flower and vegetable seeds would be confiscated. They left me a rubber mallet. My Sports Illustrated (What no swim suit issue?) was gone as was Western Outdoors, Time and others. But they left me National Geographic and Mad Magazine. (Western Outdoors is subversive?) This was almost 15 years ago and it hasn’t gotten much better.

That’s “if” the parcel was sent rush or special delivery or air mail. Regular mail rarely ever got to me. Once I got it 6 months later. Well, I got the envelope, but nothing was in it.

Local mail, if you can call it that is truly comedic. Again, have you ever seen a mailman?

If you ever see long lines outside the offices where you pay your electrical, phone or cable TV bill, that’s people standing in line, sometimes for hours. It’s because it’s easier and more reliable to just pay the bill personally.

My own bills get delivered by a guy on a bicycle. With a basket on the front like you had in 2nd grade. He is paid by the phone or electrical company. No uniform. No specific training other than knowing how to ride a bike is needed.

He rides by and throws the envelope at your front door or place of business. If it falls in the street. OK. If it lands on the steps, OK. If it flies into a tree. OK.

It’s NOT OK, when they shut off your electricity for not paying your bill because you never got a bill. There’s no notice. There’s no “please submit your late payment” letter. One day your phone, gas or electricity is just shut off.

Now you must go stand in line to pay the bill…and another fine to turn your service back on. If you didn’t get your bill, it’s not their problem. They gave the sack of bills to a guy on a bicycle!

Two weeks ago another guy on a bicycle came looking for me. He was from the Mexican IRS. He said he “lost” the notice telling me I had not paid $71 dollars in taxes on my last income tax. But, he had diligently been trying to find me ON HIS BICYCLE for two weeks.

But, he was sure happy to find me now. And, according to him, it was my lucky day that I had been found. If I didn’t pay my $71 by noon, I’d lose my business license!

Oh joy. Only in Mexico. I should be used to it by now! We can only laugh most times.

The Mexican postal service recently ran an ad asking people to “mail” in suggestions on how they could improve service. I’m sure folks ran right out to put pen to paper.




That’s my story. If you ever want to reach me, my e-mail is riplipboy@aol.com.

PHOTO 1: Volaris Airlines uses brand new airbus planes and is another alternative to traveling to Mexico. This new air carrier flies from Tijuana.

PHOTO 2: The planes fly from Tijuana, but they'll pick you up in modern shuttles from San Diego and scoot you right to the terminal.

VOLARIS AIRLINES TRIP FROM TIJUANA TURNS OUT TO BE A SURPRISE!

Originally published in Western Outdoor News week of Jan. 13, 2009

Over the many years, I’ve been hosting anglers down here in Baja, we’ve had our ups and downs with the airlines (no pun intended). I had often heard from many of our friends and clients living in Southern California and especially the San Diego area that they really loved taking the flights out of Tijuana to destinations south.

Whenever that rose in a discussion, it was usually met with a raised eyebrow and a polite smile. Why go through Tijuana? You mean THAT Tijuana as in “over-the-border-Tijuana?” Uh, no thanks.

I’ll admit it myself that there was a nagging perception that I was just asking for trouble going through Tijuana. I wasn’t worried about the airport, but I know many people do have misconceptions about Mexican airports.

Moreover, they are absolutely terrified however of driving through Tijuana, especially given some of the news reports emanating from the border cities. Not speaking Spanish or being able to read signs doesn’t help either.

Personally, I just didn’t want the hassle of navigating not only the border but indeed just wrangling my Gilligan-driving-skills through Tijuana.

I get crazy enough thinking I’m late for a plane at LAX let alone getting in line at a slow border crossing; going round-and-round some plaza in Tijuana with no stop lights; or getting lost and finding myself driving down some one-way street with no name.

This from a guy who is generally very comfortable driving in Mexico and speaks a modicum of Spanish. But why add more stress to a travel day?

Well, times have changed. During the holidays, I had to jet back and forth several times between our place in La Paz and visiting the family in S.California. Airline tickets being what they are, I had heard some good reports of a new airline flying out of Tijuana called Volaris.

I don’t want this to be an info-mercial for them, but the experience was incredible. They have done a lot to alleviate many of the concerns gringos have about flying from Tijuana and flying Mexican airlines.

For one, forget the border problems! Volaris had a special shuttle that picks you up from the San Diego train station. A special Volaris booth there in the station sells the ticket for 15 bucks. I quickly boarded a modern shuttle bus like the type they use to bring you to your parking structure at LAX.

Indeed half the people aboard were Americans. Many were repeat users and all said it was the best secret around. Several aboard had taken the train for 17 dollars from Los Angeles to San Diego and said they lounged happily along the way and watched traffic inch along the 405 freeway, next to the tracks. Neener! Neener!

In 30 minutes, we were there at the Tijuana Airport. We spent 5 minutes at the border while someone checked the bus. At the airport, numerous porters (speaking English) clamored to carry your bags and then stood in line with you to check-in at Volaris’ counter.

Because this is a domestic flight, it’s a little more lenient on the security check-in too.

The planes themselves were incredible. This is a brand-new airline using new giant air bus planes. I’m told that after only a few months, Volaris is already the third largest airline in Mexico.

Six seats across. Huge storage bins overhead. Leather seats with lots of legroom.
There were TV’s to watch and each seat had a plug-in connection for using your laptop or other electronic device. Cart service included snacks plus a full-array of beverages.

The flight back to the U.S. was just as smooth. As you exit the Tijuana terminal, again, there’s a shuttle waiting to take you back to the San Diego train station. The only glitch, if you will, is when crossing back into the U.S

When you hit the border there’s a security check. All passengers must disembark while the shuttle bus is checked. Additionally, all passengers go through the regular checking of documents and the X-ray machine.

It took 10 minutes. We then walked about 20 yards outside the building and re-boarded the bus. Twenty minutes later, I was dropped off back at the San Diego train station.

Other than the slight inconvenience at the border coming into the U.S. which is to be expected, this was seamless. All this took place during holiday rush as well. No worries about parking. No driving through the border. No getting lost in Tijuana.

And Volaris cost about half of what it would have cost to fly round trip from Los Angeles!


That's my story!

Jonathan