My friend Brian called me today to say he was back in the US after 6
weeks south of the border. He traveled through Mexico, into Belize and
Guatemala and back again. He has an 87 Syncro Westy with nearly 300,000
miles on it.

He did this journey on his own, after everyone who had planned to go
along bailed out on him. I was one of them, as originally there were to
be 3 or 4 Vanagons as a group. He never intended it to be a solo trip
and even had a passenger who bailed a week before departure.

Lots of people warned him of dangers they had heard about but he put
them aside and WENT ANYWAY!

He has amazing tales of helping with a night release of sea turtles from
a hatchery, sleeping or trying to parked alone in the jungle with moneys
howling in the trees, and having the Monarch butterfly reserve all to
himself a couple of days ago on the way back. I'm sure it will take a
few get togethers before he can tell me all his stories.

Brian is not a member of this list and though he has had his Syncro
since it was nearly new he is no mechanic. He took steps to get the van
ready and even learned how to do few things to it in the process.

Westy trips of a lifetime are still possible no matter what we may have
heard. Just a few minutes before he called I saw a cable news story on
warnings from the State Department to stay out of Mexico. Brian has a
lot to say about these scare stories.

Mark