Hotel Lucerna Tijuana

... those folks there. Overall we've been impressed by how friendly and helpful everyone is. Perhaps it's just the fact that we actually understand what they're saying but we couldn't help but notice that even though they might be screwing us over (we had to get over $1000 worth of work done on our car that we think was warranted) at least they do it with a friendly, cheerful face.

We have been mostly very impressed by the customer-service. One of the ...

we have nw continued down route 1 to san diego rther log but great on the coast...not so good through LA down to san diego....6 hours in the car getting lost at the end stress stress . Got to our cheap motel and spent a couple of days i the sun. sEALS ON THE OAST AND WARSHIPS IN THE HARBOUR...Great ribs ...off th yhe cooks on an overnight flight so hopefully get some rest ...I know you all feel sorry for me !

Aft** managing t* walk thr*ugh the quietest and d*dgiest area we c*uld find, at dusk, in the industrial badlands *f *ut** Tijuana, with all *ur bel*ngings, we f*und *ur way t* the Avenue Rev*luci*n which is the main drag. We knew we had arrived when we came the end *f a street and saw a 60ft high m*d**n metal arch with a huge multi-c*l*ured light b*x suspended in the middle by wires, which reads 'Bienvenid*s Tijuana!'. Yes it is as tacky as it ...

The day started smoothly enough, the Chrysler effortlessly easing through the busy traffic as we swept through the outskirts of L.A., past LAX and down towards Long Beach.

This last stretch of the Californian coast terminating in San Diego, however picturesque, quickly became annoying as it's a long series of beach towns, so you can never open up the throttle for longer than a few miles. Consequently, and in keeping with the rule I never seem to ...

... a McDonald's and a bureau de change. There were also a few people offering to change money on the street but we had been advised against as to the less than favorable rates. Also after following all of the advise that had been given to use we had emptied our wallet of cards and money and had them all strapped to us in various undergarment sashes and belts. (ahhh the joy of hindsight of writing this a bit behind of were i really am makes some things that i put now a little ...

... much the only vehicle on the road, after Yuma, things change, car traffic intensifies. It was an easy drive, had no problem placing it on my GPS guidance system and all the highway exits are easy to find. As I arrived to the border of south San Diego, as always, you have to be careful of how easy it's to drive straight through. I did find a parking place for 6 dollars for one day about half a block from the border crossing. Odd though that you can never find overnight ...

... and fairer and do not try and gipp you off, and are more interested in what has brought you to visit their country. They were quite intrigued by us Aussies, being there as they are not an overly regularly visitor. Reminded us a quite a bit of Asia with the haggling and selling techniques, maybe even to the point where the Mexicans were even a little more aggressive with it. We got photos taken on the local tourist attraction that they have one sat every couple of hundred metres ...

... I found the temperature to be 80 degrees with the thermostat set on 62 degrees. I phoned the front desk, and they checked some things and called me back a couple minutes later saying they would send someone to move me to the Royal Tower at the hotel. So now I am in my new, much cooler, room. The room is also much nicer; I have a very large bathroom a couch, chair, desk, four-post California king bed, and my favorite, an air conditioner! Tomorrow I have decided ...

... conditioning switches simultaneously. The result, predictably, was an unstable power supply which caused blackouts in certain areas of the city (but not, of course, in the business district). The newspapers the next morning were full of angry howls and indignant letters. One newspaper even went so far to suggest that the power companies were recklessly endangering the life of a small cutesy American-pie blonde girl who needs a ventilator each afternoon.


The next day we took ...