Hotel Las Fuentes Los Mochis

... is more cultivated, looks a big cereal area, very flat right to the hills on the horizon, almost like home.<br>As I approached Los Mochis it looked like I was heading for the hills but it was only for about 5km then back on the plains again.<br>Hotel El Doradao a bit more up market and expensive but occasionally I'm worth and they have safe parking and free Internet.<br>I had sussed out a Chinese restaurant for a change on the way I got ...

... out at extremely slow speeds, that is how fast it goes the whole way. It was a good 10 hour ride to Creel but the train is nice and comfortable with a dining and bar cart. Another side note is that you get some decent views from the train but not really any of the main canyon. You really need to stay overnight in one of the towns along the way to see and explore the canyon. Otherwise, you're just on a long slow train ride.

After having tacos for breackfast, we had a big day of driving, the land scape was changing, getting a little less dieserty but still very hot. doged a few military cheeckpoints, with fully armed gaureds, camoed behind sandbag bunkers, and ...

... Eli finding this out as the big fat man with more grease down his string vest than on the burger in his hand, squeezes himself down a little side corridor and opens an Alice In Wonderland size door to display the strippers in all their gyrating glory. I try to positing my rucksack so it's not touching either of the walls that the cockroaches are running up. Pulling my bed away from the corner and peeling off the blanket that would think a washing machine ...

... sayin'." I assured my burn-out aquantaince that I would handle things, and stepped up to the counter. My exchange with the very spicy chica at the ticket counter went a little like this: (in Spanish) -I'd like a ticket to Mazatlan -Just you, or your friend as well? -Oh yeah, two tickets to Mazatlan -I have one seat open on a bus that is leaving right now, otherwise you'll have to wait til ...

... for the next stop, Creel. When we heard from our driver that it was actually only 35 minutes away by car (1 ½ hours on the train + another 1 ½ hours waiting time as the train was habitually late, + that awful scrummage with the luggage) we negotiated to be driven door to door and we arrived unstressed, about 2 ½ hours before the pack. We had been warned that Creel was a one horse town and by Jove they were right. To cap it all the hotel we had wanted ...

... restaurant in the heat. It's amazing how these people are trying to communicate with us despite our language barrier. We manage with gestures. These people are very nice. In the heat of 40C, it's hard not to recognize that something is dead in the ditch.

... even if it was I wouldn't get it in this storm). As predicted no ferries..airport was closed too. ****, hope I don't get stuck here too long. Will try again tomorrow. 99% of the shops were closed and the owners had sellotaped the windows (not sure how serious a storm this will be if they have to do that). I had planned a trip to the local Anthropological museum (yep, shut too). There was one crazy food seller still open on the street (tons of customers) so ...

... first class now....we have our very own cabin....Keith is enjoying the first class dining this vessel has to offer...yea right!!!! Refried-beans, macaroni and cheese, and day-old chicken (....okay... we don't know that for fact, but it tastes like it...)  Not much to see but darkness. We are here for the next 6 hours...... Once again, we run into our 'grand-parents' travel warriors ...

... a booming blast of his horn, he proudly proclaimed himself, suited handsomely in red and green. We hopped on, and as the passengers filed to their seats I pretty quickly noticed that their median age was easily twice Rach's and mine. Old Folk City on the tourist train. Maybe we should've hopped on the upcoming train for locals to find some adventure. Undaunted, I quickly came across Antoine, a young French guy snapping photos with the phattest Canon on ...