Back on the pier waiting for the water taxi, I assessed my odds of getting back to Puerto Vallarta. Some locals were waiting for rides as well and told me the taxi would arrive soon, although I doubted they really knew. One was kind enough to invite me to stay and party with him at Quimixto, confident that I did not need to go back to Puerto Vallarta. I declined. Eventually, the locals claimed their rides and I waited alone. I was happy when the familiar crew pulled up to the dock and tossed me the rope to pull them in. The sea had turned choppy and they grabbed me quickly to bring me on board and sat...

On my second day in Puerto Vallarta I decided to take a water taxi to some of the smaller beaches. After eyeing the small boat that was the taxi, seeing it loaded with 30+ people and luggage, and worrying that there were only a dozen lifejackets, I got on board. Everyone except me was going to the resort beach of Yelapa. As we pulled off the head guy yelled to the pilot – “One for Quimixto!” Thirty minutes later we pulled up to a small dock and I was quickly dispatched at Quimixto. I looked at the small village just waking up for the morning and hoped the boat would remember to pick...

On Christmas Eve I went on a great bike ride outside of Puerto Vallarta. It was a 13 km loop from the city center, through the neighboring village and following the river up to a farm and waterfall. The hills were long, steady climbs and we passed beautiful scenery along the way. At the top of the longest hill, we stopped to rest and saw three macaw parrots in a tree eating. They flew off just over our heads and I was curious about what they were feasting on. One pinecone like nut had fallen out of the tree and a closer look showed it was more like a coconut with a thick, husky shell. The guide broke...

OK, I’ve been in Puerto Vallarta for less than four hours and here’s what’s happened: - Dragged my suitcase over the rickety cobblestone streets.- Squished onto a bus with the same suitcase.- Seen the cruise lifestyle of my resort while dressed in polar fleece.- Seen humpback whales off shore from the resort.- Been in a bus accident (just a fender bender, but I bruised my knee).- Scheduled a bike ride and made friends with the bike guys at ecoride.- Watched a circus – tigers, zebras, giraffes, and camels – roll down the street. This will be an interesting four...

On my first visit to the heart of Mexico, I managed to avoid the infamous hordes of people for nearly a day. I arrived after midnight, slowly went through customs, then walked up to the taxi stand and was whisked away through the empty streets of Mexico City towards the Historic Center. It was strange to see a city so known for the millions of people that inhabit it so deserted. My hostel was in the pedestrian area near the Temple Mayor and the National Palace – once the home of the president. It was surrounded by police, even at 2am. In the morning, the streets slowly filled with vendors and I...