February 2003

Funny, I wait at least 15 years before jumping up onto a horse I do not know and then two come along at once.

On Sunday I was persuaded against my better judgement to pay 100 pesos to ride on horseback to the entombed church at San Juan. We trod very gingerly through the lava field in sight of the Paricutín volcano.

Yesterday, more sensibly (at 10,000ft) we rode an exhilarating forest trail to witness the millions of wintering Monarch butterflies in the Sierra Chincua sanctuary. Being a Monday, we were almost alone, just like Prince Charles almost one year before… though he dropped in by chopper.

My mount on Monday was named El Vanidoso (“The Vain One”) but frankly I am only concerned that my backside recovers before the long drive to Puebla today.

Ron Mader, publisher of the hugely popular and influential Planeta.com has set up a breakfast networking meeting next Thursday (27th February). If you’re in Oaxaca – or will be – please join us from 8:30am at the Marco Polo restaurant (Pino Suarez #806, across from El Llano Park). We ask that you email Ron beforehand to let him know if you plan to attend. See you there!

This is the view I got when peeping through the holes in my baseball cap while at Playa Jardín recently.

I’m thinking of this now as we pack up the Chevy and prepare to drive away from the Pacific coast.

In about one hour we shall set off on the start of our long (roughly 2,000km) journey to Mérida.

All being well, we should arrive in Uruapan this afternoon.

The photo is just one of four initial images that I’ve put up for you to download as wallpaper to decorate your desktops and to make you feel jealous.