Over the Hill and Across the Border

Intended airdate: March 5, 2008 

Two Crazy Chicks Productions is pleased to present Episode 3 of The Adventures of Yumiko and Eden in Mexico.

"'Recommended' my ass," Eden mutters. "'Required' should be more like it. Of course, it would help if we had the sense God gave a billy goat."

Well aware that the situation could be a lot worse - as it was when their vehicle rolled down an embankment in Death Valley National Park 50 miles from anyone, anywhere – Eden and Miko don't panic. They are still trying to figure out what to do when providence smiles upon them. Two men camping nearby come to their rescue, guiding the car to solid, 2-wheel-drive-friendly ground.

Their RAV4 freed, our intrepid heroines promptly hightail it to a less rugged part of the refuge, where they hike into a shady canyon before driving to San Diego.

There, they bird the Tijuana Slough, then retire to their traumatized cat-sitter's ex-husband's condo to prepare themselves for their upcoming epic journey south of the border.

Eager to begin their Mexican adventure, Miko and Eden arrive at the designated meeting place early. As the other passengers on the tour arrive, it quickly becomes clear that the median age of our fearless females' 35 fellow adventurers is somewhere between "very old" and "practically mummified." Undaunted, Miko and Eden board the bus, find their seats, and listen to the orientation spiel.

The border crossing process goes smoothly and the bus wends it way through Tijuana to Ensenada, where lunch is served (for those of you who have been following Eden's dietary drama, this presents only the first of many food challenges to come for the woman who is sensitive to many of the most common ingredients in Mexican cuisine).

As the bus continues down Mexican Federal Highway 1, Eden and Miko appreciate the surprisingly lush scenery. The mountains and hills of Baja are awash in color. Yellow, orange, pink, and purple wildflowers bloom amongst flowering cacti, boojum trees (see photo), and yuccas. Frequent bathroom stops – a necessity with this age group – make progress south very slow, but eventually the bus arrives in the small coastal town of San Quintin.

Eden and Miko take a walk along the beach and watch the sun set over the Pacific before making their way to the hotel bar. It's time to get to know their fellow travelers.

Be sure to tune in to Episode 4, in which Eden and Miko bond with their geriatric fellow travelers.

© Eden Feuer