Topolobampo, Sinaloa, Mexico

Morning all. Been a strange morning so far. We have been calling over to the Baja trying to communícate on the phone en Español with the Baja Ferries ticket office at La Paz and customs guys at Pichilingua port – after being passed from person to person, extensión to extensión & making a series of calls which ultimately ended back at the same place, it seems that nobody has seen Stuart´s passport “No verlo”! Will check on Ebay next – anyone bidding on a UK passport??

In the meantime, Stu has obtained the necessary paperwork to apply for a new passport that may be issued in Mexico in 10 working days! On the face of it Topolobampo seemed like a one horse town servicing the local port, but Hotel Marine is great, it´s clean, has aircon and a pool. Just round the corner is an internet/printing/stationary store - there are definately worse places to be delayed! Next up this arvo is a visit to the Police Station to obtain a report detailing the loss of his passport. Given that are several poilce pickups crusing aroud town every 5 minutes, jammed with 5 policias, the station should not be too hard to find! Maybe we can hitch a lift! We anticpated a run in with the coppers last night after purchasing some cervesas from the back door of the store. They were cruising by as we sat on the pavement eating tacos with their tyres almost scraping the curb (Tacos in Mexico are mini tortillas that are delicious when wrapped up & crammed full of shrimps, fish or meat and the obligatory salsa picante). Intimidation tactics possibly!? It felt like just gaining eye contact would be enough to get a free night in the cells!

Forgot to mention earlier that I have my first road infraccione/infringement out of the way after being stopped on the bike in Ciudad Constitucion on Baja for simply trying to enter a road that was under repair, I did not see any signs, but apparently I was in the wrong and this cost me the princely sum of $300 pesos (20 GBP) paid via a secluded cash transaction with Señor Policia behind his car. Stu simply rode on!! Nice one fella.

Met some cool bikers on the ferry yesterday and one amazingly chilled surf chick called Sabrina from Switzerland, with a funky messed up accent from Oz/Canada/California. She´s just cruising in her car, surfing and taking it all in. She left heading south this morning but we hope to hook up with her further south down towards Guatemala. Check her out at http://surfchick.blog.ch/

Our little hiccup here will lead to a change of plans and may see us heading inland towards La Barranca del Cobre, the copper canyon, larger and deeper than the Grand Canyon….! To be confirmed. Adios.