What the Oaxaca?

Sunrise over Cholula, Mexico. Can you spot little blue Peggy-O?

Cholula, Mexico and a good looking dude

Oaxaca has some crazy amazing food. I eat all the foooood!!!

Shrimp for days!

Tacos anyone?

The ruins at Monte Alban in Oaxaca. So old!

Great news! Beginning February 1st, all of you have an apartment gratis in downtown Oaxaca, Mexico. Not to mention two really excited tour guides who would love to show you some really amazing places. But wait… Apartment? Tour guides? This doesn't sound like the overlanding adventure down the Pan-American highway that you were pretty much guaranteed when you started reading this blog. Alas, when driving a van that just doesn't want to behave like a lady should, one needs to be flexible and roll with the punches. 

These punches just happen to swing from the shoulders of a heavy-weight boxing champion. 

So, we have had to make some tough decisions. As much as we love Peggy-O, fixing transmissions again and again, and want to continue our southbound journey, we are going to have to alter our goals for this current adventure a little. Admit defeat? NEVER! Give up and go home? NOT IN A MILLION YEARS! Well, maybe in May, when our renters move out of our house in Portland. 

Linds getting a little dance lesson in a tiny border town

Brian and I have decided to switch out our lonely planet guide books for all of the Central and South American countries for a guide book to Oaxaca, Mexico. Oaxaca just so happens to be a really cool city. We both thought long and hard about where we could find everything that we loved about the road in “one” place; adventure, culture, art, good food, booze and music, exhilarating outdoor activities, history and chill city ambiance. It is also important that we continue our “do good as we go” philosophy, and have volunteer opportunities. We want to be able to discover new things every day. And in Oaxaca, we will. 

Turns out the little mountain town where Peggy-O last rolled into fits the bill perfectly. After consulting our friendly neighborhood Craigslist, we have rented an apartment starting February 1st, and we invite you, our friends and family, to come see why we would trade in life on the road for this place. We don't think it will take much convincing. Seriously, come visit us, the second bedroom has your name over the door.

Brian and Annie being cool as usual. 

While we are waiting for our sweet apartment to be ready, we decided for a little jaunt over to Antigua, Guatemala to visit our badass friend Annie V. Seriously, she is like the girl version of the Dos Equis “Most Interesting Man in the World”. But boy, it sure was strange locking up Peggy-O and leaving her with a trusted caretaker in Mexico, hopping onto a night bus and hitting the road.

Feeling the crazy eyes after a bus ride all night on tiny winding Mexican mountain  highways

After thirty hours of one day bus, and two night buses, we arrived a little van-home-sick in Antigua, Guatemala. But our sadness soon dissipated with good times brought to us by Annie V and her lovely city.  

Pretty Antigua!

"Running", aka huffing and puffing up the many flights of stairs to a cross overlooking Antigua

So yeah, that is a volcano erupting. No big deal.

Mmmm! Dinner! This meat is more fresh than any grocery store in the states. SO GOOD!!

Our new buddy Dalton having his favorite treat of fresh off the tree avacado 

This is a coffee plant? Mind blown.

Coffee beans drying in the sun. One of these little guys could end up in your cup a few weeks from now.

Antigua has a great music/food/booze/awesome people vibe. 

Nice to get a little R&R in. And next a shower. 

Peggy-O will ride again. But not today. Probably not for a long time. Don't worry, as this wasn't our first, nor will it be our last attempt on the Pan-American highway. We are just crazy enough to do this wild ride again and again. We won't deny there is some sadness with our changing plans, but we are excited and curious to see what each day brings. Long live Peggy-O.