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Ustlach

Nov 17, 2009, 7:44 AM

Post #1 of 8 (3516 views)

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Any tricks or important things to know about GDL?

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We are making a very unplanned and sudden trip to Jiquilpan de Juarez, Michoacan, flying into and out of Guadalajara Airport tomorrow, Wednesday, with an evening (7pm) appointment in Jiquilpan.

Are there any important things to know about renting a car at the GDL airport and then getting out of there, to the south, to our destination? Neither of us are comfortable in horrendous traffic, but we can do it.

We will have Thursday-Sunday to look around and, out of curiosity, I would like to drive to Ajijic to see what that is all about.

Any other words of wisdom regarding nice things to see in that general area would be appreciated. We are content to just explore, but sometimes that is not the most effecient thing to do, with a very short schedule.

Would not want to be there and miss anything important that would have been easy to do, had we only known.

Thanks to you all for your input.

esperanza

Nov 17, 2009, 9:35 AM

Post #2 of 8 (3485 views)

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Re: [Ustlach] Any tricks or important things to know about GDL?

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You'll be pleasantly surprised to find very little traffic near the Guadalajara airport, which is located far south of the metropolitan area. You will never actually see Guadalajara; the airport is halfway between the city and Lake Chapala.

It's not terribly far from the airport to Jiquilpan, but there is really no direct route which takes you there. The fastest route might be to head south on the Guadalajara/Chapala highway (just turn right as you come out of the airport), take the El Salto/La Barca exit (a LEFT SIDE exit from the southbound highway), and follow the signs for Jiquilpan. This route will easily take two hours or so. You didn't mention your arrival time, but you mentioned that your appointment time in Jiquilpan is 7PM. It's possible that you will be driving at least part of the way in the dark. Are you familiar with the route? Signage isn't wonderful...

The other option, which will take much, much longer, is to go south all the way to Chapala, turn right at the Ajijic bypass, go through Ajijic, go through Jocotepec, then follow the signs for Jiquilpan. This route takes you all the way around Lake Chapala to the west and south and will take a good bit of time, since you will be passing through some highly populated areas as well as some construction areas.

Here's a map: http://maps.google.com/...&ved=0CAoQ8gEwAA. You can zoom out to see the two routes I've suggested.

I would definitely take the route through La Barca and on to Jiquilpan. If there's a better route, I hope someone will post it.

http://www.mexicocooks.typepad.com

(This post was edited by esperanza on Nov 17, 2009, 9:36 AM)

tashby

Nov 17, 2009, 2:56 PM

Post #3 of 8 (3450 views)

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Re: [Ustlach] Any tricks or important things to know about GDL?

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What Esperanza said. You have to go around the lake one way or the other to get to Jiquilpan. So, as you're leaving the airport stay in the right hand lane, pass the OXXO/Pemex and the giant Mexicana hangar off to the right.....and take the exit leading to the right (otherwise you'll end up on the overpass and start heading toward GDL).

Once you're on the GDL/Chapala Highway heading south toward Chapala....

I am almost certain that El Salto and La Barca are two different exits. El Salto exit appears very shortly after leaving the airport.

You want the La Barca exit which is a bit further on, and is indeed accessed from the left-hand lane. Look for the giant Los Burritos de Moyahua (sp?) sign on the right side of the highway. The La Barca exit is immediately after that, again accessed from the left.

I've only driven the La Barca highway as far as Ocotlan. It used to be kind of a grind with trucks, but that stretch has been improved greatly - widened and smoothed - in the last year and has been a breeze the last three times I've driven it.

I'd probably drive one direction around the lake on the way there, and the other direction on the way back, depending upon which works best for you time-wise. I'm surprised to hear it takes that much longer one way versus the other.

tashby

Nov 17, 2009, 4:00 PM

Post #4 of 8 (3439 views)

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Re: [tashby] Any tricks or important things to know about GDL?

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Then again, for all I know maybe you can get to La Barca by taking (what I think of as) the El Salto exit. Maybe it's easy.

I've just never pointed the car in that direction driving southbound on the GDL/Chapala highway. I'm used to coming at it from the other side.

esperanza

Nov 17, 2009, 4:53 PM

Post #5 of 8 (3421 views)

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Re: [tashby] Any tricks or important things to know about GDL?

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Uh-oh, tashby is right. Sorry, Ustlach, senior moment here....you DO want the LA BARCA exit, which is where I said it is and is exactly as tashby described.

Tashby's suggestion to drive one route to Jiquilpan and the other route back is excellent. If you have time on the return trip, stop in Tizapán...the huge white pelicans that winter there will be on the lake. It's a real treat to see them.

Have fun!

http://www.mexicocooks.typepad.com

Ustlach

Nov 18, 2009, 7:59 AM

Post #6 of 8 (3371 views)

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Re: [esperanza] Any tricks or important things to know about GDL?

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Thanks Esperanza, Tashby, and Bournemouth. I am sitting here in my room at a hotel right by the GDL airport. I can see the exit road from the airport, the Oxxo and Pemex that Tashby described, as well as the hangar, right from the window of my room.

We will have breakfast and then go see if we can rent a car. I have never just walked up to rent a car. Have always had a reservation. We´ll see how that goes.

I have a mental image of the route to follow, exits, etc. Thanks so much for all your help.

We will in fact go around the east side of the lake going, and come back the other way.

Thanks again.

jb

oldjack

Dec 3, 2009, 8:10 AM

Post #7 of 8 (3188 views)

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Re: [Ustlach] Any tricks or important things to know about GDL?

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I would appreciate hearing about your car rental experience... I'm going to GDL 20 Dec and will be exploring for 3 weeks...

pricing/size/company/ etc........ I only need a car for two and stick shift is o.k.

Ustlach

Dec 3, 2009, 8:54 AM

Post #8 of 8 (3178 views)

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Re: [oldjack] Any tricks or important things to know about GDL?

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I was going to send you a private reply, but then decided perhaps this information would be useful for others.

I have rented cars quite a few times in Mexico. I have never had a bad experience, but I have never been involved in any accidents or had any thefts or damage, either.

I try to rent from Avis whenever possible, both in the USA and Mexico. In Europe, too. Time before last was in Merida. A thoroughly satisfactory experience. This time, in Guadalajara, there is a fairly long row of small, narrow booths of rental car agents on the far end of Terminal One. As luck would have it, they were all occupied by eager rental agents, all except the Avis booth.

The agent in the Aries Company booth was most insistent that I rent from her, and I did. I am glad I did. I got a brand new Dodge Attitude. It was sparkling clean. The gas tank was not completely full, but it was close. Not off enough to make a fuss about.

They delivered the car to us right there in front of the doors of Terminal One, outside the Rental Car area. No walking to a distant parking lot. No shuttle bus to an even more distant car lot. And we returned the car in the exact same place. Nothing could have been easier or more convenient. There is a Pemex for topping off the tank just as you drive into the GDL airport.

I will look for Avis again in the future. But Aries was a completely professional and friendly bunch to deal with. The price/rate was excellent. The agent did not speak much English. For once, my Spanish was better than her English.

If you have any other questions, just hollar.