Wereldreizigers.nl
Home » Overland » Traveling with VW T3 bus camper (2) | Finally leaving!

Traveling with VW T3 bus camper (2) | Finally leaving!

There it is, after more than 1,5 years of preparation, building a bus, moving the departure date and often answering the question whether the trip will go ahead at all, the day of departure has finally arrived.

Earlier this week we took Charlemagne (for whom this says nothing more than the emperor of the Roman Empire, that's what our bus is called) to the harbor from where he, Charlemagne (the bus) Mexico is shipped.

Also read: Traveling with VW T3 bus camper (1) | From dream to reality
Also read: Traveling with VW T3 bus camper (2) | Finally leaving!
Also read: Traveling with VW T3 bus camper (3) | La Punta and Chacahua, Mexico

Charlemagne in the parking lot in the harbor | Shipping to Mexico
Charlemagne in the parking lot in the harbor | Shipping to Mexico

Also read: Shipping an Overlander vehicle, motorhome or motorhome bus | How much does that cost?

Departure

Today is the day for us to leave. The day started with an announcement that KLM's baggage staff is on strike, flights have been canceled until 15 p.m. and Schiphol is in the biggest holiday crowd of the year due to the start of the May holiday (do some research next time when we set a date).

In retrospect, this appears to be the first day of the Schiphol drama. Well, for now, our plane just leaves tonight. Our dear neighbors and (half?) parents of Dieke took us to the station. Our train journey started with the announcement that we are delayed due to a passer-by on the track who does not want to leave… Great! ? Let the journey begin!

Also read: Overland with a Volkswagen T3 bus camper | From dream to reality

Weight was thrown into the fray
Weight was thrown into the fray
Many more kisses to follow
Many more kisses to follow

If queues were a thing, we were suddenly super hip! Our crossing was dominated by waiting and joining in the back… there were queues everywhere in and around the airports and we stood by. According to Dieke, this was the theme of the day. It was, until about 24 hours after departure we arrived at our destination and could wear the shorts.

Puerto Escondido, Mexico

We are now staying in Puerto Escondido, Mexico, if you look it up you will find a (way too) hip city on the west coast full of alternative surf dudes and hippies. We are also referred to by some as Kareltje (this is again our cool bus! We will often use the name Karel/Kareltje/Karel de Grote/KDG, but this was the last time I explanation). So, regardless of our reflective skin color, we can blend in a bit with the crowd (although it is still difficult since Karel is not yet at his destination, but somewhere on the big ocean.

Also read: Mexico | 6 must-sees and attractions from Maya to Playa

We will stay here for the next one, two or three weeks and take a Spanish language course every day (I don't know if this will be a real 'holiday'). We will also try to learn how to surf?. Starting: tomorrow. Visited the city today, found out that you have to put your debit card on 'world' because otherwise you won't get a peso out of the wall, we've probably already paid 5 times too much for something and Rob has already very adventurous on the back of a pick stood up on the way back to our stay.

I already miss Karel. Now move on with nothing!

Enjoy in Puerto Escondido, Mexico
Enjoy in Puerto Escondido, Mexico

Spanish lesson and surfing

It is day two that we are “really” in Mexico. Today we had our second Spanish lesson and I think it was a hundred percent better than expected. It may help that I have already had some Spanish in the Netherlands, so it is not completely new. And just like everything here, the lesson also goes at a leisurely pace. Dieke has it a bit harder, despite the fact that the pace is still calm, 5 hours of Spanish a day brings a lot of new information. Our surf lessons are scheduled in the afternoon. Against all odds, Dieke and I both caught some waves yesterday. Fat sick ??

They sometimes say, we Dutch people have the clock, here they have the time. That is correct and it takes some getting used to, as it turned out this morning. A nice example from this morning: Our stay includes breakfast. The taxi to the Spanish school is scheduled for 8:30 am. You can have breakfast from 8:00 am. We had to arrange something at the reception this morning, so we had to rush a bit to the restaurant where we arrived at 8:10 and the restaurant was/wasn't open yet… Then speed up a bit with breakfast, because the taxi will come in a minute. The taxi also arrived 10 minutes late, as did the coffee, because the machine still had to heat up. A coffee to go in a bumpy taxi ride. Coffee everywhere. Beautiful.

There is no surfing today, because the waves are too strong. So there is time for a small update on Polarsteps from the beach while “enjoying” a Michelada (corona beer with chili, tomato sauce, shrimp, zucchini and orange?) on the advice of our Spanish teacher. However, I wouldn't recommend it. How do you come up with that? Beer with shrimps and chili sauce. Ordered in neat Spanish after stating the following: 'Perdon, tenemos dos dias classe de español'.

The Michelada beer
The Michelada beer

Also read: Traveling with VW T3 bus camper (1) | From dream to reality
Also read: Traveling with VW T3 bus camper (2) | Finally leaving!
Also read: Traveling with VW T3 bus camper (3) | La Punta and Chacahua, Mexico

Avatar picture

Dieke and Rob

Flight behavior?! maybe .. who goes to the other side of the world with a rickety VW van? So we! We, Rob, Dieke and the VW Syncro camper called Karel de Grote (our first bus was called Karel and you guessed it; this one is bigger) choose to drive from Mexico to Uruguay and so far we are (almost) completely satisfied top!

Seen a mistake? Ask? Remark? Let us know in the comments!

Would you like to receive great travel tips and extra benefits every month? And did you know that we give away a monthly world map to our subscribers? All you have to do is leave your email address below and you will have a chance to win every month!

logo-world travelers-grey-1
Translate »
5 Shares
5 Shares
Copy link