Visit Copper Canyon, Mexico Part 3/3

Travel to the Copper Canyon, Mexico by train in this Baby-Boomer traveling video by Seasoned Traveler Part 3/3.

George: Now on this trip, I also met several women, some travelling on their own, others with companions. There’s a small group from Seattle, a pair of seasoned travelers from New York and a woman alone from Los Angeles. If you’re thinking about travelling alone especially overseas, the US State Department has prepared material to help you make your expedition safe, secure and enjoyable. Many countries have their own rules and regulations and you should inquire before you depart home. Make sure your passport is current. If you’re heading to a place that requires a travel VISA, be sure to get one. The State Department lists foreign entry requirements for other nations. Bone up on the nation or the nations you’ll visit, learn about the culture and the customs as well as the language and be aware of the potential problems that may exists at your destination. The State Department’s Bureau of Consular Affairs updates conditions in all other nations. When you leave on your vacation, leave behind an itinerary of your trip and a copy of your passport’s identification page. Give them to a close relative or friend. Include names, telephone numbers and even email addresses of the hotels or the private homes in which you’ll be staying. Also leave copies of your airline or other tickets. Female: Before I go, I give them an itinerary so that they know where I am at all times. George: The government suggests that you may want to arrange a time or two during your trip to contact the folks back home just to let them know, you’re okay. If you make such a plan, keep it. That way, no one will worry about you. Female: I went through a ways back through the old Yugoslavia from Vienna down to Greece and then did Greece on my own. It was very exciting and it could’ve been potentially dangerous and I learned a lot from that trip but since I learned then, I now am very careful to prepare before I go on a trip if I’m by myself. George: Don’t take a lot of valuable stuff with you, just one or two credit cards a minimum of identification and as little jewelry as possible. Female: I take my ATM card, two credit cards. I don’t have a lot of jewelry. Jewelry is not my thing so I take one pair of gold earrings and one pair of silver earrings which are probably fake anyway. And that’s it. I usually take cash. I don’t take traveler’s check anymore because the ATM machines make it so convenient and I usually take a couple of hundred dollars in cash and that’s it. Female: The trick is to travel as light as possible so you can enjoy yourself. George: Make sure your health insurance is up to date and will cover you here in Mexico or in other countries as well. Take enough prescription medications or a photocopy of the prescription information in case you have to visit a pharmacy. The State Department’s Medical Information for Americans Travelling Abroad Brochure may help you on these matters. And when you arrive at the destination of your dreams, be cautious just as you would at home. Travel in a group. That’s why many single women opt for group or package tours as they provide security and companions for the journey. Female: I feel taken care of. We are taken care of. All of the what you might call red tape or holdups that normally have to happen, we don’t have to deal with them. George: If you do decide to go it alone, don’t make it obvious you’re by yourself. Get precise directions before leaving your hotel or the house you’re staying in. Don’t overdress or look out of place. It may be an invitation to thieves and vagabonds. Don’t leave your luggage or your handbag unattended in public places and don’t accept gifts or packages from strangers. Pretend you belong and know your way around. In short, don’t act like a tourist. We all know about the joys of traveling but we also know a good trip demands plenty of planning for safety as well as for enjoyment. Female: You get a new view of the world and you learn about things you didn’t know existed. You laugh with people and it’s just a nice experience. Female: I would say there’s a whole world to see and don’t deprive yourself o the opportunity and people are wonderful the world over and reach out and help. I just had a fantastic time and I can't wait to see the rest of it. George: Whether you’re a woman or a man alone or with a group, the old joke is still no joke here in Mexico. Don’t drink the water especially at Copper Canyon. Throughout the country, hotels will provide purified water. Use the tap water for washing only and don’t worry about ice cubes, they’re made from purified water. There’s a Mennonite colony just west of Chihuahua. Mexicans eat Mennonite cheese all the time and some visitors take it home with them. Tequila is the drink of choice as long as it’s 100% pure agape and patriotic Mexicans and visitors will try a bandera which looks like the tricolored Mexican flag, the green is lime juice, the white or clear is tequila, the red is a fruit drink called sangrita and of course, everyone gets into the act. Salud. If you don’t drink the hard stuff, try hibiscus tea. It’s said to help people lose weight and it tastes great. La Cascara the Pasa Ciache or the Pasa Ciache Fall is about 80 miles or 140 km north of Creole. Now most people who come to this region, don’t even know it exists and of course never visit. But here’s why you should come. It’s the highest single drop waterfall in Mexico plummeting 800 feet or about 250 meters. Because of recent rain, the fall was really dropping creating monstrous wave mists at the bottom. Pasa Ciache Fall is in a national park. Getting to the national park can be quite a trip. I had to drive more than 140 km or 80 miles on a rutted dirt road but the end justified the means. My trip to Canyon del Cobre ended in the city of Chihuahua where I bumped into some American couples who’d also been there to visit. They talked about what they’ve just seen and what they’d like to see next. Female: We we’re talking about China, Russia, maybe Russia. Male: I prefer Russia but I don’t know if I’m in the vocal count or not. Male: I want to go back to Spain down on the Mediterranean and do the tormaledas where you spend a couple of weeks just—I really enjoyed that when we were in Spain so--. George: Mexico’s Copper Canyon or actually copper canyons are magnificent but then you can tell that by looking for yourself. It’s a leading tourist attraction here in Mexico and it’s just waiting for you. Before I go some words of wisdom about aging. Being young is beautiful but being old is comfortable. I’m George Bauer, travel well, travel safely and vaya con dios.