To the beach, to the beach, to the beach, beach, beach.

Saturday January 12, 2010, we are up early and ready for a day of driving and to warm weather. We start at 6600 ft. above sea level in a cool arid climate with rolling mountains and make our way down to the Pacific Ocean. We drive partway through Leon and we get lost again and end up off the thruway and into the countryside on a 2 lane highway. Mexicans have a strange sense of humor when it comes to pruning their trees...they carve them into some unique shapes and this one was worth stopping to shoot. It is a benjamina tree. We are going in the right direction and the scenery is wonderful - ranch country with cattle and cactus.

We finally get back on the thruway and towards Guadalajara. Guadalajara is a large city of over 5 million people, and they know how to move traffic, so we make it through without problemo.

We are entering the Sierra Madre mountains and the province of Tequila. In the foothills of the mountains are valleys and hillsides dotted with fields of Algave, the plant that makes tequila. As tempting as it is to stop and visit a distillery, we move on our quest for sand and sea!

In the distance are the larger Sierra Madre mountains, this is a beautiful part of Mexico. Then it hits us that we have to drive over this huge mountain range!

The mountains area covered in dense jungle vegetation that form a canopy over the highway. There are truly breathtaking visas. We turn towards Puerto Vallarta on a 2 lane highway with lots of hairpin turns, and wonderful mountain views. The problemo is that there are large trucks, buses and fast drivers who try and pass anywhere. This is truly Susan Smith’s nightmare. “Don’t look now!!!”

It's getting more tropical by the minute.

Finally we stop in the village of Sayulita just north of Puerto Vallarta and find a great place to stay. We have a bedroom, bathroom and covered outdoor living area with a small kitchen next to the pool. Our bungalow, as it is called, is right in the heart of the town. We are supposed to have Wi Fi but it does not work. After a fun dinner of lobster and shrimp in a surfers bar we are off to bed and tomorrow the beach.