HOLA! ¿Como estas?
Watch this---->
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KuDoyBqYpas

So you can click on the green play button on the picture slideshows where it will open up into a new page and you can flip through bigger versions of the pics or you can click anywhere but the green play button and it will let you click back and forth through the pics. Up to you.

Our days in Pheonix were relaxing as we hung out at David's house and soaked up our first real days of sun.
We took full advantage of the spacious kitchen and cooked some amazing meals. Sarah and I are a force to be reckoned with in the kitchen! One night when our host was away at Sedona I was in the backyard when I heard some guys walking up the street talking with each other. I thought nothing of it until when they were right on the other side of the fence from me I heard sudden shuffling and then running. One guy yelling for the others to back off and such. I stood there frozen trying to comprehend what was going on, then ran inside. Turns out a guy got jumped right behind me! The cops eventually came around and pulled their guns on who turned out to be the victim, he was just freaking out that they stole his bag. I'm just glad I wasn't stuck in the van while that happened, I would've had a front row seat for all the action. You know when you're in the ghetto when.....!!!

One of our weekday nights we snuck into our friend Allysa's hot tub at her old condo. Was much needed after many days and nights travelling and sleeping in the van. My hips are sore from the beds... they are comphy enough but not so great to sleep on your side. Another night we went to Allysa's wicked salon she owns and runs that is many shades of turqouise and packed full of awesome antiques. A rare pair of Ferrari record players and a massager that attatches to your hand among other rad things. Sarah and I were priviledged to sit in the salon chairs and get hair cuts from her. Going by a suggestion I made one day Sarah got an epic baddass half mohawk/mullet somethingorother.I took a quick turn in the chair (which was my first time in a salon chair getting my hair cut in almost 10 years!) and got her to re-shave the sides of my hair and give me some really short bangs. I trimmed away most of my loose hair and little dreads on the sides to lighten the load. David took up the reins and did a nice trim for Allysa as well.

Another night we were blessed with the opportunity to attend a special ceremony which I will talk about at a later date.

Sarah's passport finally showed up fourteensday, a week after we arrived in Pheonix. Thank you David, fellow room mates and friends for the incredible company, special experiences and all around awesomeness. Our trip would not have been the same without you! Thanks especially to the peeps of the house for letting us bum around for so long. love!

We took off from town the night we got the passport and drove a few hours to Tucson, AZ where the next day we enjoyed exploring through the largest gem show in the world! We arrived as it was kind of shutting down but still found some tents to enjoy. Saw some stones, fossils and gems I've never seen before and got some incredible prices on some that I've wanted. There were shows going on all over the city, in conference centers, on the streets and in little motel rooms! I was like a kid in a candy store, always meaning to leave but then seeing more I wanted to look at and never really able to tear myself away.
 That night we were fortunate to be around as the city was celebrating first Saturday like the first Friday in Pheonix. We enjoyed some great live music. Some blues legend that none of us can remember right now....

We drove off from Tucson early with the intention of crossing the mexican border. We got to Nogales with some errands to do (change canadian money, mexico insurance for the van, etc.) But no one would take Canadian money so we had to wait till the next day to exchange the money at a bank. We were able to park in a motel parking lot where we got an internet connection so we just chilled in the van watching videos and I downloaded a spanish language app. Got up early and got our errands done and went over the border. I was pretty agitated and anxious but as we drove further into the country I started to ease into everything and calm myself. We got tourist cards and insurance for the van a bit down the road. Driving into Mexico was a trip for the head because the difference between the two sides of the city of Nogales is very apparent. The mexican side immediately looked a lot more run down with little makeshift shacks for homes made of scrap
board and such. Poor people all sitting or walking along the highway looking for a bit of cash hoping to make their way into the US. There is garbage all along the highways everywhere here and in the cities as well. So many deterioated buildings and rubble everywhere.

We drove into Hermosillo this day where we tried out our skills at finding our way in a foreign country with no GPS which we were fortunate to use all through the US (thanks a bunch Ronit!!) We did a lot of U-turns and backtracking but eventually found our way to our couchsurfing host. Ibor took us to an awesome local university bar where every space on the walls were covered in fun art! He then took us to a nice restaurant where they specialise in tacos. He said this is where the best meat in Mexico is! It definetely was not dissapointing. SO YUMMY! I love all the different salsas and hot sauces.
We noticed that the walk signs here for pedestrians are particularly amusing!

We went back to Ibor's where he showed us some good spanish music
that he likes. Then he blew our minds by busting out his classical guitar!! WOW.

We drove a long day to make it to Culican and stayed with a lovely couchsurfer Quirino who teaches at a high school and university and his niece. Was so lovely to have a shower after 5 days! Thank you! We are now in Mazatlan where we spent the afternoon on the beach yesterday and I swam in the ocean for the first time I can remember!!!We made it le playa!!! (beach)