Driving the Jeep to Mexico - Part 22

Another two hours on the freeway and we were suddenly and unceremoniously dumped onto the city streets of Cancun. I found myself on Avenida Jose Lopez Portillo. I was ecstatic. I no longer needed any signage to find my way home. I was quite familiar with this street as it starts at the car ferry in Punta Sam, just north of Cancun, and runs all the way to Merida. This is the road you take if you don’t want to pay for the freeway system.

As we drove along, I started to recognize things. Mostly from my many trips to Cancun shopping for building materials and household items. I distinctly remember stopping at a stoplight and looking over to my right and seeing Plaza 2000. It seemed so strange to be the driver in my own vehicle seeing all these familiar sights. I couldn’t believe that I had finally made it almost all the way home. I was not at all nervous, worried or frightened by the crazy Cancun traffic. I had been dreading driving thorough Cancun but it proved to be no different than any other city we had passed through. By this time, it was nearly 4pm. We decided to push on to Punta Sam and try to catch the ferry. We made it there by 4:27pm, only to find the ferry had left at 4:15pm and the next one was at 5:30pm. Disappointed that we could see our beloved island but not get to it, we turned around and headed back to Puerto Juarez and the convenience store there. We bought some drinks and snacks and headed back to Punta Sam to await the ferry.

Jaimie had his cell phone along and called his wife. I also had him call B and let him know that we were almost home and to meet me on the island side. I was going to be glad to get safely across and see a welcome face that I had missed and, on more than one occasion, wished was sitting beside me on the trip, sharing this fantastic adventure.

The ferry finally arrived and I nervously, but successfully, maneuvered the Jeep onto it. I wondered if crossing on this ferry would ever become second nature to me. I was happy to see that I was well ahead of the three truckloads of live pigs being brought across for slaughter. Approaching the dock, I could see B and our friend T, waiting. It was a great moment for me. I had made it and was quite proud of myself and Jaimie.

I offloaded from the ferry, greeted everyone and headed onto the road leading to home. I first dropped Jaimie off at his home to many hugs from his kids and calls of “What did you get me!” in Spanish and headed for home. I pulled up in front of our house, shut off the motor and, before unloading anything, said a small prayer of thankfulness for getting home safely and finally realizing my dream of having the Jeep on the island.