MexConnect.com Forums: General: Traveling Mexico: Long Distance Bus Lines: Page 2

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sfmacaws

Dec 9, 2005, 10:04 PM

Post #26 of 38 (2178 views)

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Re: [sfmacaws] Places to see along the way

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I was just reading Ed's comment that your time estimate was conservative, he really knows this stuff. I realized that I've only driven it in a 27' RV towing a jeep and we drive slow compared to all of the traffic. We also stop a lot. So certainly I'd use Ed's timing over mine, I don't think I could hurry down the road if it were rolling up behind me :)

Jonna - Mérida, Yucatán

Bloviator

Dec 10, 2005, 4:45 AM

Post #27 of 38 (2175 views)

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Thanks. That's a lot to absorb. I wish the Auto Club took driving conditions into consideration when listing driving times on their maps. I'm quite certain that the Queretaro to Veracruz leg is way too much. I'll check out your suggestions carefully. Puebla seems like the logical stopping place.

I like the different stopping points that you suggest. Always wanted to see Cuernavaca - I have no idea why. However, neither "over the mountain" or anything having to do with DF sound like fun to me. I realize, though, that there is no way to get from Puebla to Toluca that doesn't entail one or the other. THERE ISN'T IS THERE?

Incidentally, I have no problem driving in Guadalajara as long as I am willing to get lost the first time I go anyplace, as long as I have my handy Guia Roja with me, and as long as the friendly Guad police refrain from stopping me for a pleasant discussion about money. Are the outskirts of DF worse?

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(This post was edited by dlyman6500 on Dec 10, 2005, 4:53 AM)

Bear

Dec 10, 2005, 7:39 AM

Post #28 of 38 (2165 views)

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Re: [dlyman6500] Places to see along the way

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Yes, much worse. I lived there (outskirts) a couple years, north and south. Avoid, if at all possible.
Cops have honed sucking money to a fine art. Bear

esperanza

Dec 10, 2005, 7:48 AM

Post #29 of 38 (2163 views)

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Re: [dlyman6500] Places to see along the way

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Mexico City's population of both people and cars is approximately four times that of Guadalajara. The traffic and other crowding is exponentially enormously greater than a simple 4X number.

http://www.mexicocooks.typepad.com

Ed and Fran

Dec 10, 2005, 8:12 AM

Post #30 of 38 (2154 views)

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I'm quite certain that the Queretaro to Veracruz leg is way too much. I'll check out your suggestions carefully. Puebla seems like the logical stopping place.

If you take the bypass route from Tepotzotlán to Pachuca to Apizaco and then Puebla, and if you just want to spend the night and not do any sightseeing, you might want to consider staying in Apizaco. As you come into town you'll come to a large glorieta with a big steam locomotive on display in the center island. Diagonally across the glorieta is the Hotel La Posada. Good rates, clean (not fancy), and a good restaurant. The advantage would be avoiding getting off the autopista and going into Puebla. Traffic in downtown Puebla in the evenings is the pits. Just a suggestion to consider when planning.

By the way, you don't want to take the "libre" road Apizaco-Tlaxcala-Puebla. It's full of traffic and topes. You want the "Cuota" autopista. This actually goes slightly backwards (west) towards Mexico City until it intersects the main Mexico City - Puebla - Veracruz autopista.

Regards

Ed & Fran

sfmacaws

Dec 10, 2005, 10:37 AM

Post #31 of 38 (2145 views)

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Quote

I realize, though, that there is no way to get from Puebla to Toluca that doesn't entail one or the other. THERE ISN'T IS THERE?

Not unless you go west to the ocean, so the answer to the question about going around DF is always "not easily".

Consider doing the DF section very, very early on a Sunday morning. Perhaps the transitos are all at mass? No? Con la cruda posible? It does seem less frenetic at that time.

Jonna - Mérida, Yucatán

Bloviator

Dec 13, 2005, 2:56 PM

Post #32 of 38 (2099 views)

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Thanks to those of you who have made excellent suggestions. For some reason I have been shut out of posting for severel days and could not thank you earlier. I have altered the itinerary to include suggestions from several of you. We are leaving on December 19th and returning January 1.

As of now, we are all set except for the night that we are in the Chetumal area. Lake Bacalar was suggested and sounds great, except there seem to be no rooms anywhere in Bacalar except those that require more than one night to make reservations.

Normally, we travel without reservations, but with the Christmas season and my pathetic Spanish, we want to have a set place for each night.

Any suggestions. Lake Bacalar sounds wonderful, but at this point I am open to anything that is reasonable in price and interesting.

sfmacaws

Dec 13, 2005, 5:11 PM

Post #33 of 38 (2083 views)

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There is a Holiday Inn in Chetumal, http://www.travelhero.com/...ervations/index.html

Or you could go to Yax Ha in Calderitas on Chetumal Bay. It's just north of Chetumal but you must go towards Chetumal on 307 and then turn left at the big interesection you first come to, the street is called Insurgentes. If you pass the big box stores, fast food and shopping centers you are on the right road. I found a web site about them and it has a phone number, as well as directions. We have stayed there in our RV and they have bungalows facing the water that are very nice. It used to be mainly an RV park but it looks to us like they have converted to mainly bungalows now and the RV part is not their only business. http://www.ontheroadin.com/...seonthecaribbean.htm
I'd call both of these places to see if they have vacancies or can recommend somewhere else, it is the busiest time of the year anywhere along the coast. I believe the owner of Yax Ha speaks english. I haven't met him but he is a retired Mexicana pilot and others have said he is bilingual. Whether he would be available when you call or not, I don't know. They are a little lax about customer service, as usual.

Other than that, I am sorry I don't know the hotels well. You could stay with us but we are leaving for Chiapas on the 20th and our condo is rented over the holidays. Plus, we are a little farther than you wanted to go.

Jonna - Mérida, Yucatán

Bloviator

Dec 13, 2005, 6:02 PM

Post #34 of 38 (2078 views)

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Again thanks for your help. I am in communication with a place in Lago Bacalar which requires three day reservations. They have offered to help me find something if I just show up at their place. Somehow, I don't think they will refuse to rent for one night if they have an empty room - after all it is the Christmas season and the precedent of "no room at the inn" has a long history. However, if they don't have room or want to keep the room empty for bureaucratic reasons that make no sense, We'll be looking desperately for something for the night. Your suggestions are helpful.

Lake Bacalar sounds like heaven on earth. Hope that we can find something there for the one night.

sfmacaws

Dec 13, 2005, 9:30 PM

Post #35 of 38 (2067 views)

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Yes, it is very beautiful and tranquil. It is called the lake of 7 colors because of the different colors that play across the very still waters.

I hope you have a wonderful trip, please tell us about it when you return.

Jonna - Mérida, Yucatán

Bloviator

Dec 14, 2005, 4:12 AM

Post #36 of 38 (2058 views)

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After several hours of internet searching and phone calls, I am still searching for lodging at Lago Bacalar. Although, I have reservations everywhere else along the way - Christmas season and I don't want to be relegated to mangers - I have none there and may just risk the manger in hope of finding something when I get there.

I even checked my Club Premium account with AeroMexico to see how long it will be before I will have enough points to fly there to stay for a week later. I guess I'm obsessed with a place I've never seen. What are the chances of it's living up to my dream - probably zero. Nothing ever does, though sweeping down the forrested mountains into Taos early on a summer morning and blasting up the Big Sur coast any time - even in the rain - on a motorcycle came close.

Judy in Ags

Dec 20, 2005, 7:20 AM

Post #37 of 38 (2016 views)

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Re: [zoeq1000] Long Distance Bus Lines

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One of our Mexican friends also told us that ETN is the best in luxury busses.

gpk

Dec 20, 2005, 2:53 PM

Post #38 of 38 (2001 views)

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Re: [Judy in Ags] Long Distance Bus Lines

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Onr Gringo friends (me) agrees.

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