We decided to try our own version of a Mexican Spring Break. Horrified by the prices of travel and accommodation to Cabo and Cancun, we Googled alternative possibilities. The 24-hour drive down south some of our fellow I-Housers embarked on seemed like a less than ideal ride. We then stumbled across “Gus the Bus” from Baja Trek.
Gus is an old red school bus that runs on the vegetable oil of Chinese restaurants. It is home to Nico the cowboy, his partner Kally and their half-wolf half-German Shepherd, Lobo. For six years Nico has been driving a variety of tourists around Baja California, travelling to Hot Springs, mud baths, deserted beaches and Papas & Beer.
We booked with good faith, not really knowing what to expect. At the border, we met Thomas Sexton the volunteer, a ginger giant covered in facial hair and bandages; he was also unable to answer any of our questions though did manage (just about) to lead us to the bus.
As the week progressed, we saw a different side to the initially shy Tom. Permanently wasted, smoking his THC pen and constantly laughing at/mocking our accents, Tom Ton-of-Sex backwards went from being a source of amusement to a source of constant alarm. On our final morning, having lost his glasses and thrown up on himself in Papas & Beer the previous night, Tom dropped his drugs into one of our backpacks as we were about to cross the border to America. The only one not to grasp the gravity of this situation was Tom.
While we didn’t get to travel to San Felipe due to Santa Ana winds and the threat of sandstorms, we stuck to the west coast of Baja California. We would highly recommend visiting the beautiful and deserted Long Beach, either camping amongst the sand dunes or staying at the hostel Coyote Cal’s. We were delighted to discover one of the nicest (and cheapest) hostels we have ever come across. Five margaritas for $15, the same price as a room for one night.
Rosarito is the home of our second recommendation: the local Papas & Beer. Never before have we been to a club complete with an open bar, dancing podium, mechanical bull and full size volleyball court. If only if it were a viable venue for Mia’s 21st birthday bash. We spent the night downing Sex on the Beach and taking center stage with our appalling volleyball performances. We awoke the next morning with incredibly swollen wrists and burst blood vessels due to over enthusiastic serving.
Cabo, Cancun, Rosarito — though undeniably fun and foam-filled, they cannot really be differentiated and are a poor tribute to the potential of Mexican tourism. It seems a shame that most Americans, and even Europeans, are either scared of the dangers of Mexico or see it as a place for overpriced tequila jelly shots. It was the beauty of the deserted beaches and the authentic cuisine that we most appreciated. When we go back, it will definitely be to places even less well travelled. “Gus the Bus” will always have a full tank; oil crisis or not, vegetable oil will make the wheels of Gus go round and round.
