Texas

Introduction:

Of all the places where I have lived and worked, enjoy Texas. Houston is a cultural melting pot, and a wonderful “foodie” city. State has a wealth of geographic diversity, and have enjoyed its national and state parks. Its citizens are friendly, and with no state income tax, an affordable place to live.

I am not a native Texan, but a transplant. I’m not always a fan of its politics, which come across as severe at times. For those that live on the gulf coast, it’s a long, seven-month hurricane season. After surviving Hurricane Harvey in 2017, would be quite pleased to never experience another hurricane in my lifetime. State’s energy grid has come under fire in recent years. Texas neither exports or imports electricity to or from other states, as a result, it is exempt from Federal energy guidelines. Such independence wreaked havoc during black-swan winter and summer weather events.

As an aside, visited Zihuatanejo Mexico last month, reference to the movie, Shawshank Redemption. Image for this post is the post office in Fort Hancock Texas, one hour southeast of El Paso. Andy mails Red a postcard, postmarked at Fort Hancock, before Andy drives south to Zihuatanejo. Sometimes, the nerds are easy to spot.

Central Mexico:

TUE 02/28: quiet afternoon in Mazatlán given the bus incident earlier in the day. Next morning was quiet, run along the beach, soft surface, more forgiving than concrete. Doesn’t cost anything, enjoyable, didn’t want to do anything else.

Transferred remaining 500 peso notes from passport to money belt. It’s a discrete belt, by Tom Bihn, same company as my backpack; doesn’t look like a money belt; one-inch wide web belt, with zipper in the back to secure currency. Will keep remaining small bills in my pocket, “disposable” cash in the event of crime.

THU 03/02: in the middle of the night, one of the hostel guests begins snoring. Not the end of the world, I’ve experienced worst. If you stay in a hostel, it happens; if you don’t like it, stay at an AirBnB or hotel. To retaliate, another hostel guest turns on all the lights, suggesting that, if he can’t sleep, than no one can sleep. Wow.

Bus departs Mazatlán for Durango without incident, no highway robbery. Bus takes the new Federal Highway 40D, toll road with 60 tunnels and 115 bridges crossing the rugged Sierra Madre Occidental mountains. Bus crosses Baluarte Bridge, third-highest cable-stayed bridge in the world. Completed in 2012, its road deck spans 400-meters over the valley floor. Highway reduces travel time between the two cities from six to three hours; the drive is stunning and beautiful.

Leave the bus terminal, cold front passes through; high wind blows dust and sand.

It seems necessary to put on some type of insect repellent at night, which seems abnormal. Some type of biting insect, like a chigger, came out at night while sleeping; bitten on the scalp; woke up to swollen forehead, eye is forced shut; look like Frankenstein. I’m allergic to certain stinging insects, and seem to be more sensitive to certain insect bites; appearance is embarrassing, even by my standards.

Didn’t mind visiting Durango; not a tourist destination; welcome reprieve from tourists. Met a bicyclist at the hostel, from the Netherlands. He’s cycling from Los Angeles to Argentina; he was very open-minded, almost at peace, with the various disruptions along his journey.

SAT 03/04: bus from Durango to Parral is eight hours; ticket agent wanted me to take the first class overnight bus, but, I wanted to absorb the geography, and took the daytime, second-class bus. I have a seat assignment, but it’s standing room only; one gringo tourist on-board.

Area is remote, not a place where you would want to break down, although, you wouldn’t want to break-down anyway. It’s dry, arid grassland; small herds of grazing cattle, likely subsistence farmers. Small, remote communities; adobe buildings sprout grass from their rooftops. Few, if any, deciduous trees; barbed-wire fenceposts made from cast concrete; utility poles, also, made from cast concrete. Don’t wish to be critical or judgmental, but wonder why anyone would live here.

It would have been easier to take the overnight bus to Chihuahua; sometimes question my decision-making. Seem to get low-grade motion sickness on these long bus rides; took part of an Excedrin to mitigate, before the pain becomes unresponsive.

Hidalgo de Parral is at 6,000 feet elevation, historically, an old silver mining town. Revolutionary leader, Pancho Villa, was assassinated in Parral in 1923, one-hundred years ago. Dropped off at the central bus terminal, it’s a two-mile walk to the AirBnB; no hostels. AirBnB is quite nice, super nice host; sometimes I get lucky. Learn that the home is 100-years old, walls are 15-inches thick. In the evening, speak with the hosts in the central courtyard; its the power of travel. Recognize that travel is a gift and a privilege, and people who may not travel, want to learn of my experience.

MON 03/06: three-hour bus to Chihuahua, 5-mile walk to the hostel, choke on vehicle exhaust. Visited Chihuahua in 2015 for train journey, Ferrocarril Chihuahua al Pacífico to Los Mochis on the west coast, and overnight ferry from port city of Topolobampo to La Paz on Baja California.

Mexico is in the headlines after four Americans were kidnapped at Matamoros, in what may have been a case of mistaken identity, two of the Americans were murdered, one wounded.

As a general rule, I don’t go out after dark. There are some towns, where even the locals do not go out after dark. Nothing good happens after dark. Tourists need to be mindful and cautious, and use common sense. When safety is taken for granted, bad things may happen. I expect that things may go wrong when I travel, I am not immune from catastrophe; when things go okay, it’s a pleasant surprise.

I lack the fortitude to travel the world with reckless abandon; foreign travel is both poison and cure, it’s the size of the dose. If I break up challenges into small enough pieces, I may tolerate ambiguity, uncertainty, not knowing, and not controlling. One step from the dangerous thin ice.

WED 03/08: wake up early in the morning 3am, before my alarm. Smell the orange blossoms in the courtyard, almost overwhelming. Make instant coffee before leaving the hostel, likely as much sugar as coffee, cloyingly sweet. Request Uber for the five-mile ride to the bus terminal, arrive at 4:30am, $5 including tip; driver lived in California for 20-years, he speaks English, and is kind.

Can’t buy onward ticket to Ciudad Juárez in advance, don’t know why. When a Juárez-bound bus pulls into the terminal, ticket agent shouts “Juárez” and a crowd of people queue up at the ticket counter, buying seats for the next bus. Terminal is mostly empty, and board the 5am bus bus for the five-hour trip north.

Drive into Juarez city limits, creosote bushes are plastered with plastic bags that get stuck on its branches; can’t see the city skyline, buried under a layer of dense smog.

Bus terminal spits out passengers five miles south of the city center. Walk the first mile north before spotting a colectivo to Centro. Juárez is preceded by its reputation, it’s intimidating; perception is reality. Stop in the mercado for breakfast, chilaquiles, before dropping off my backpack at the hostel. From the hostel balcony, I can see Paso del Norte International Bridge, the city of El Paso, and the Franklin Mountains, so close to the United States, would have been so much easier to cross over. Am I not foolish.

Texas:

FRI 03/10: Silicon Valley Bank, one of the leading tech lenders is melting down, a volatile day, assist a client company transfer a sizable fund balance to First Republic Bank. At sunrise, walk across Paso del Norte International Bridge, six pesos to cross. At the bridge summit, politely greeted by US Customs who ask to see my passport. There is no line inside the customs terminal, and return to Estados Unidos. American flag shimmers in the early morning light; cross land border on foot; tears in my eye; lump in my throat, unable to speak.

El Paso is likely as un-safe as Juárez, or, marginally safer than Juárez. El Paso is closer to the capital cities of New Mexico (Santa Fe) and Arizona (Phoenix) than it is to the capital city of Texas (Austin); it’s the only Texas city on mountain time. First stop is a nearby laundromat; clothes haven’t seen a wash machine in three months, will they run away. Stay at the Gardner Hotel, 101-year old historic downtown property, John Dillinger stayed here. Hostel plays period music in the lobby, feels like The Shining. In the evening, work on my laptop. Hostel guest asks me, “Are you gay.” Before I may contemplate a response, guest continues, “You speak like you are gay.” My mind spins, um, okay; all I can recall is the David Sedaris title, Me Talk Pretty One Day. On Saturday, city bus to Cielo Vista Mall; replace iPhone X battery at the Apple store; battery is seriously compromised; it’s not called the Genius Bar for nothing.

SUN 03/12: considered taking Amtrak, Sunset Limited, from El Paso to Houston. Rode the train, Houston to Los Angeles (2018). Amtrak often runs one hour late for every ten hours of travel. Train could be three hours late into El Paso, and six hours late into Houston. Rode Amtrak Southwest Chief from Los Angeles to Chicago, train was 12-hours late due to freight train derailment outside Flagstaff Arizona. Rode Amtrak Zephyr from San Francisco to Chicago, train was 12-hours late due to failed engine, and the train had two engines to negotiate the Sierra Nevada range. Amtrak employees shared no information or updates, and demonstrated little compassion, concern, or empathy for passengers. To quote a well-known movie, “You’re fucked.”

Considered hitchhiking, 750-miles is likely too big of a first step, need to start smaller. Posted ad on Craigslist community rideshare board; offered $50 for gasoline, pay for coffee stop, and pay for a meal stop; no response.

Took three-hour Greyhound bus – tolerable – from Houston to San Antonio (2017), for onward train, Amtrak Texas Eagle to Chicago. Between 2022 and 2023, have taken more than 40 buses in Latin America. 39 buses departed on-time, one bus departed 15-minutes late, and drivers always ensured that the gringo boarded the correct bus.

Read horror stories on Reddit about Greyhound Bus, some passengers describe buses filled with recently released incarcerated people, or stank lavatories. Stories are likely skewed, who takes the time to write about a good experience.

Wanted to experience long-haul bus for myself, El Paso to Houston on Interstate-10. Booked the bus ticket in the morning, before I could change my mind. Non-stop, direct bus, no connections or transfers; departs 12:00pm and arrives following morning 6:00am. My mind imagines a scenario where the bus driver drinks a bottle of cough syrup, falls asleep at the wheel, crosses the median strip, and slams into an oncoming tractor trailer, peeling off the top of the bus like a sardine can.

Already dream of passing through high-plains west Texas, the poetry and prose of Cormac McCarthy; recall the opening monolog from No Country for Old Men.

They say the eyes are the windows to the soul. I don’t know what them eyes was the windows to and I guess I’d as soon not know. But there is another view of the world out there and other eyes to see it and that’s where this is goin’. It has done brought me to a place in my life I would not of thought I’d of come to. Somewhere out there is a true and living prophet of destruction and I don’t want to confront him. I know he’s real. I have seen his work. I walked in front of those eyes once. I wont do it again. I wont push my chips forward and stand up and go out to meet him. It ain’t just bein’ older. I wish that it was. I cant say that it’s even what you are willin’ to do. Because I always knew that you had to be willin’ to die to even do this job. That was always true. Not to sound glorious about it or nothin’ but you do. If you ain’t they’ll know it. They’ll see it in a heartbeat. I think it is more like what you are willin’ to become. And I think a man would have to put his soul at hazard. And I wont do that. I think now that maybe I never would.

Experienced none of this. Walked to El Paso bus terminal with bus ticket, but there was no bus driver, bus was sitting at bus terminal in Phoenix Arizona, nine hours late to El Paso. Asked the only employee if the bus was en route, he said that he didn’t know, his body language demonstrated that he didn’t care. Turned on iPhone, and booked non-stop United flight from El Paso to Houston, using a travel credit. Uber to the airport, cleared security in minutes, and arrived in Houston before sunset. Given the high level of car ownership in the United States and access to cheap flights, there appears little interest in long-haul bus network.

Motorcycle:

Completed two-day motorcycle training March 18th and 19th, with Awesome Riding at West Oaks Mall in Houston. Weather was unseasonably cold, 45-degrees both days. Sixteen enrolled students, eight students per instructor; my group had four experienced, but unlicensed riders, and four inexperienced riders. I rode brand-new Kawasaki Z-125 with a four-speed manual transmission. It’s a small motorcycle, and a friendly introduction to riding. Spent most of the time in first and second gear, training from 7:00am to 1:00pm. On the second day, completed training, and finished with the riding exam. Six of the eight students passed, the other two students were allowed to re-take the class or re-take the exam at a later date. Cost was $275 and was good value for money; learned a lot, and really enjoyed the experience.

On Tuesday, scheduled appointment with Texas Department of Public Safety to add motorcycle endorsement to driver license. Afterwards, visited AAA to get one-year international driving permit, so that I may rent a motorcycle while traveling overseas.

Friends:

Sometimes surprised that people are open to sharing time with me; like, I’m not sure that I would share time with me. Reminds me of a quotation, “Unfortunately, Charlie could not see himself with the love that we saw him” from the article Why Charlie Left Us (Hartford Courant, October 1st 2000).

Stayed overnight with Eric and Amy, after arriving from El Paso; nice to share time together without being rushed. Eric introduced me to (double edged) wet shaving at least five years ago. We had the opportunity to connect more than once, and had a great meal at Breakfast Klub.

Bobby and I met Friday morning for breakfast at La Guadalupana; server brings café de olla to the table, along with chips and salsa, followed by a messy plate of chilaquiles, absolute perfection. Anthony Bourdain visited this unassuming hole-in-the-wall in 2016 for his Parts Unknown visit to Houston.

Meet my friends, Stephanie and Frankie, in Katy, an hour west of Houston. I forgot how aggressive it is to drive Interstate-10, even outside of rush hour; the drive is as competitive as an Olympic sport.

Met my friend, and former CRG colleague, David, at Eight Row Flint, in Houston Heights, along with Ted and Meredith, on Friday afternoon; great people and an enjoyable venue. David was often the “voice of reason” during my tenure at CRG. I’m grateful for our friendship. David has many wonderful facets to his personality, which makes him a true gem when sharing time together.

On Saturday, met my friend, Chris, for breakfast at Brass Tacks, in the EaDo section of downtown Houston. Chris and I worked together at United Technologies after graduating from University of Connecticut. He’s CFO for a local start-up technology company, and is a well-rounded, thoughtful, community-service volunteer, too.

Visit my friend, Sonu at West End Coffee House; we both graduated from Darden; he works in oil and gas investment banking. He’s busy, and it’s always a treat to meet up.

While in Houston, stayed nearly two weeks with my friends, Ted, Neide, and Ethan. We’ve known each other for more than twelve years, and sharing time together is true joy; the relationship transcends from friendship to family. Asking to stay with friends is a delicate request, it’s too easy to take advantage of people’s kindness. Ted began running after the Houston marathon in January; we went out running together, including a 13-mile run through Buffalo Bayou and Memorial Park in just under two and a half hours, a 11.5-minute mile pace; no soreness, no injuries, no limping, not bad.

Typically, would visit Houston Zen Center for a session of morning meditation. I did not stop by. I’ve been away from Houston four years, and sometimes, it feels like I no longer belong, sometimes, feel like it’s not possible to return.

Costs:

Traveled 91-days, December 28th through March 28th; cumulative costs below.

Other:

Would like to rely more on local bus in town, less walking, more efficient, less taxing. Local bus is challenging when don’t speak the language, often the destinations are not clearly marked, written in soap on the windshield.

Other than food poisoning in San Cristobal, remained healthy. No migraine issues compared to last year. Try to avoid trigger foods, including avocado, banana, legumes, and aged cheese. Periodically, I have a minor headache, and usually mitigate promptly with one-third of an Excedrin tablet. Enough of a dose to abort the headache before it becomes unresponsive, but not so large a dose that it triggers a rebound headache.

Conclusion:

Traveled a total of six-months in Mexico (2015, 2022, 2023), the three cities to which I enjoy returning are Mexico City, Oaxaca, and Guadalajara. Mexico City offers a great deal of diversity due to its size, and subway makes it easy to get about the city affordably and quickly. Oaxaca is a wonderful and affordable location to spend the winter; it offers a nice mix between locals and tourists. Also enjoy Guadalajara, big city, but smaller than Mexico City, also with a robust public transport system. Each city has art museums, often free to the public.

Anticipate another trip to Mexico in the future, likely travel down from Houston, through the gulf coast region of the country, including: Monterrey, Tampico, Poza Rica, Veracruz, Coatzacoalcos, Villahermosa, and Tapachula, with onward travel to Quetzaltenango Guatemala, and Antigua Guatemala, to night hike the volcanoes.

It’s likely that Mexico becomes part of my winter travel routine. Anticipate the value of a one-week residential immersion language program. Intense training in the morning, a break in the afternoon, but only allowed to speak Spanish.

My mode of travel is not luxury, it’s raw and unvarnished. If a person travels long enough, things go wrong. Do my best to roll with the punches. If I didn’t want anything to go wrong, could stay at home and sit on the couch, but, things would still go wrong sitting on the couch.

Visit family and friends in April; fly New York to London at the end of April, for six-month journey: Greece, Turkey, Middle East, Arabian Peninsula, and North Africa.

April 1, 2023

Travel

Chihuaua, Durango, El Paso, Juarez, Mazatlan

Texas

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