Tourists...we're everywhere

Visiting the folks in Mazatlan for a week. Last night we had dinner at Playa Bruja and I had a huge plate full of shrimp ceviche...YUM! The sunset wasn't too bad either. Today we drove up to Concordia, a small village outside of Mazatlan, to check out some hand made wooden furniture for their new house that will be under construction soon. We had lunch at a little restaurant near the square and managed a tab for under $11 for the three of us, including some SOL cervezas! Can't beat the price. Unfortunately the Cruise ships are in town today and the village was overrun by gringos everywhere! We were lucky their tour busses were on a time schedule and they were leaving the restaurant just as we arrived.

And so it begins...

(Andy and Amber in the back of a truck in Bolivia)

I suppose this story really begins at about the age of 11 when my family moved to Mexico and lived there for a few years...that was probably my first BIG travel experience, but I feel like my traveling really began to evolve here...

Mazatlan, Mexico, December 2002. I was visiting my parents for the holidays. The resort next door had a large jacuzzi, just right for meeting new friends. As I sat and soaked one evening surrounded by old fisherman and families with squirming toddlers, I started to wonder if there was anyone under 60 or over 12 besides me in the entire resort. Enter tall, blonde, tan, very good looking Toren Volkmann. The ducktape braclet around his wrist was a conversation piece that eventually led to meeting his entire family...most importantly for this story, his brother Tyson. One night in a mezcal induced haze Tyson says to me "I'm going to South America this summer" I replied "I want to go". And so it begins...after my "Tour del Sur" visiting Peru and Bolivia with Tyson and the brilliant Dr. Beyer (seen in photo) in the summer of 2003 I was bit by the travel bug, and it bit me hard.

Four years later I have finally paid off the debt, saved the money, given my resignation at my job and plan to leave the good ole' US of A in June for a few months. My plans include visiting the South Pacific, Austrailia and South East Asia. I'm going it alone, with a few friends who may meet me along the way. If you find yourself thinking of me, log on and see..."Where in the world is Ambergesa"?