The indigenous town of San Juan Chamula

First things first... fundraising update!

As of this morning, we are at $4,281... well surpassing our original goal. Can we make it to $5,000? Maybe, or maybe not.... I like to hope that perhaps some of you are waiting until the last minute to surprise us with a big donation!

Today is in fact the last day to donate through our channels... we have to provide a cut off date in order to know what we can buy with the proceeds because Friday is shopping day!

Trip to San Cristobal and fundraising update

Lets get to the important stuff first!

We have broken through the $3,000 goal and are now headed for $4,000 with two days to go. As of this morning, our total for the orphanage stands at $3,541 CAD!

If you can afford twenty bucks (most of you wouldn't even miss it!) this is a great cause where your money goes directly to help the kids.

Some photos of the orphanage

When we arrived here, it was on Sunday. So there were quite a few visitors about, spending some time with the kids. There are somewhere around 70 children who live here, but not all of them are orphans. Some simply come from dysfunctional families who can no longer care for them properly, and so Sunday is family day.

But Sunday is also family day for the employees and caregivers here. So the directors and the people we need to coordinate with were not here either... they were spending time with their own families.

Mexico RV Caravan Travel Day - Salina Cruz to Ocozocuatla. And, donation update!

Lets get to the donation stuff first, because it is the most important!

Our group has arrived at the Hogar Infantil Orphanage in Ocozocuatla, Chiapas, Mexico. Ruth and I have been here before, and we have learned about the care that goes towards the kids who call this place home. If you haven't done so already, please take the time to read the following..

https://www.travelwithkevinandruth.com/2020/02/ruth-and-i-will-start-things-off.html

Mexico RV Caravan Travel Day - Huatulco to Playa Brasil

We hit the road at 9:00am Saturday for a planned 130 km (81 mile) drive. We are actually headed for the Hogar Infantil orphange in Ocozocuatla, however to do it in one day would be too much, so I had found a possible overnight spot at Playa Azul (Playa Brasil) just west of Salina Cruz.

Sure enough, it all worked out as planned... in fact, if you take into consideration the delicious food at the little beach hut restaurant, it turned our far better than planned!

The donations are rolling in...

Yesterday was a relax day with nothing planned for the group. Roger went scuba diving and Larry went snorkeling along with him. They went out in a boat to a couple of different dive sites.

The diving was not the highlight though... while they were out there a big humpback whale put on a show for them that lasted about 45 minutes, including coming right out of the water and doing spins and flips and everything. They got some video footage so I'll try to post it another day for you.

I've never had a chamoyada before!

Yesterday, we took the gang to a roast chicken restaurant for lunch in the nearby town of La Crucecita. It's a pretty basic place, but they make great roast chicken.

Afterwards, we walked over to an ice cream place where I decided to try something different!

Ruth and I will start things off...

Next week our group will be staying for most of the week at the Hogar Infantil orphanage in Ocozocuatla, Chiapas, Mexico.

For Ruth and I, this will be our fourth or fifth visit to the orphanage and we are looking forward to showing the rest of the group why this is such a special place.

Please, continue reading right to the end...

Beach day with lots of fish and birds!

We had a good day yesterday! Everybody hopped in Roger and Mona's rig and Aron and Owenita's rig and drove over to Playa la Entrega. They decided to camp out there for the night, and they wanted to bring their stand up paddle boards.

We got there early and got ourselves seated in the shade at a restaurant overlooking the beach.

Mexico RV Caravan Travel Day - Puerto Escondido to Huatulco

We left La Barra de Colotepec at 10:00am headed further south towards Huatulco. And actually, during the drive we would be at our furthest south point on the trip! Really though, it only feels like we're headed south. In reality we are actually going east!

It was only 112 kms (70 miles), but I knew that would take well over two hours, probably closer to three hours when we include a gasoline break.

Beach time and baby turtles

Yesterday morning, we drove from the laguna to the parking area at Playa Carizalilo in Puerto Escondido.

The parking area is not great, but there's enough room for all of us and it gives us the opportunity to get some groceries and laundry done and spend some time at a nearby beach.

Our campsite and some bird photos

Yesterday was just a relax day. I got caught up on some computer stuff, and even put my hammock up and had a snooze!

Four of the group went into town and found a beach club with a swimming pool where they spent the day. Not a bad idea. You pay 200 pesos entrance, and then can use that 200 pesos as a credit to uy food or drink if you wish. And you get to use the facilities for the day.

Searching Puerto Escondido

Finally caught up on the blog posts. When I get a day behind, it's been difficult to get caught up because we're either too busy, or the internet connection is not decent. As it is right now, we are parked up at the Centro Turistico La Alejandria where they advertise free WiFi... and it is, but it is slow as molasses, and especially when everyone is trying to use it. But even when everybody is sleeping, it is still slow. Takes forever to upload photos. And, we do have a cell signal as well but it is not much better!

Anyhow, first world problems, right?

Mexico RV Caravan Travel Day - Playa Ventura to Puerto Escondido

And on top of that, Friday was my birthday!

Despite the long drive, I had a great day.

We hit the road out of Playa Ventura at 8:30am. We knew that including stops it would be a six hour drive. Ruth and I have done this route in both directions quite a few times. I'm only guessing, but we've probably done it seven or eight times. And it's a long drive.

Beach day - Playa Ventura

Just getting caught up on some blog posts since we didn't have decent internet while at Playa Ventura. In case you missed it, I posted one last night...

https://www.travelwithkevinandruth.com/2020/02/heading-further-south.html

So, we made the decision to spend an extra day at Playa Ventura. It's a pretty quiet place midweek, and everybody enjoyed a relax day.