13 May, 2006 (Saturday) Tijuana, Mexico

Tijuana - cheap non-alcoholic beer and $20 ponchos for all

Tijuana is a short 13-mile hop from San Diego. Advertised as being 20-minutes away, it took 2 hours by public transport. (Picture: Welcome to Mexico)

Crossing the border was a disappointment - no inspection, no stamp. We just walked across an overpass, through two sets of gates, and suddenly we were being accosted by guys in white lab coats from a Tijuana pharmacy. (Picture: Tijuana markets)

We had been forwarned to stay to the main strip, as tourists are prime targets for Tijuana's less-scrupulous locals. After a bit of wandering we started down the main tourist walk which was lined with markets, dust encrusted tots trying to beg for change and vendors calling out bargain prices for food and alcohol: "$1 for three Tacos!", "Two-for-1 Margaritas, three-for-1 for the Senoritas!", "$1 beer!", "For you - special price". It soon became easier to just ignore them.

The afternoon was wandered away in a bevy of haggling and browsing. Mel and Britt got their hair braided ($5 a piece) and Sean found himself a $7 mini-guitar, with the hopes of plucking away the evenings. I got ripped off with a $13 belt and $5 pair of imitation Ray Ban sunglasses. But I look cool. Getting value for my $US. (Picture: Corona lunch)

By 7pm, we were tired and ready to leave our $1 non-alcoholic beers (each of us guys had guzzled 6 with no real effect) and overly spiced food (even the guacamole was laced with Chili - bet the cheap bastards re-use it!).

With the setting sun we trudged our way to the US border (duty free was very nice to gift me with a taste of Cognac, single malt scotch and three types of tequila) and waited in line to get back across. While we waited Sean befriended an American who lives in Mexico and commutes to San Diego each evening for night shift. He was particularly friendly to us guys, and helped us find the fastest moving line back into the America. (Picture: Self portrait - AJ, Moi, Sean)