We arrive in Acapulco early morning. The difference in climate between here and Cabo san Lucas is immediately discernible. In Baja it was warm and dry - here it's hot and humid. We also discover later that it's another place where we've been caught out by the time. It's another hour ahead.
Acapulco itself seems to be the last haven on earth for original VW Beetles. The taxis are all metallic blue and white Herbies, festooned with stickers and aerials. A Herbie seems an unlikely choice for a taxi, but no less spacious, I guess, than sitting with your knees under your chin in the back of a much larger New York yellow cab.
The larger versions of public transport are equally bizarre. The buses all sport custom paint jobs, including fine works of air-brushed art finished off with clear lacquer. But what does one make of a bus with a cartoon mouse on one side of the bonnet, and Christ's passion on the other, with unbelievably loud disco music booming from within?
Fueling up doesn't take too long. But we're stung for it. Apart from the cost of the fuel itself, we have to pay an 8 percent visitor fee, plus a surcharge of 5 percent for paying by credit card.
Having not had to wait too long to refuel, our subsequent problem with Acapulco is clearing Mexican customs and immigration. We didn't do it in Cabo san Lucas because there was no one to check us in (it was a Sunday). So now we have to sit in the baking heat waiting for officials. And this of course, is the country where manana was invented.
By mid afternoon, we tire of waiting around the marina, and we wander off in search of something to eat. We're clearly here for the long haul. If they hadn't taken our passports, we might have been tempted to just go. I'm told Acapulco is a desirable place to take a holiday. But we've come into the downmarket end of town. Whatever it has going for it, we haven't seen it.
It's rather confirmed when eventually by late afternoon we get all our documentation back. Once again we've been royally ripped off to the tune of 350 dollars, just for the privilege of waiting all day to have our passports and port clearance stamped. And people wonder why we're over budget and begging for funds to get home. Acapulco? There are better places to go on holiday.
Clive Tully
FACTBOX
Cabo san Lucas - Acapulco
Time of leg: 1 day 16 hours 14 minutes
Length of leg: 752 nautical miles
Total distance covered: 18,423 nautical miles
Distance to go: 7,020 nautical miles
Average speed over leg: 18.45 knots
Time from Gibraltar: 72 days 1 hour 44 minutes
Fuel consumed: 1,266 litres
Average fuel consumption: 1.68 litres / nautical mile
Next stop: Quetzal, Guatemala
ETA: Thursday / Friday
Copyright Clive Tully ©2002
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