San Cristóbal de las Casas, CP - Fixing Vandrew

The town of San Cristobal is listed as being 2200m above sea level.  That is approximately the same elevation as Mexico City.  During the days, it is quite warm, but at this time of year, the nights can dip down to approach freezing.  In Canada, we leave the cold outside, but in San Cristobal, I didn't see any heating in any of the buildings I was in.  If it was nearly freezing outside, it was nearly freezing inside too.

The other thing about San Cristobal was that Carmel and I were booked in at a hostel in the old town.  Old town = narrow roads, and there were a few corners that seemed like Vandrew wouldn't fit.  We couldn't stop in front of the hostel, but we found a parking lot nearby, and managed to maneuver down a steep slope, around two narrow corners, and parked safely.  When we got to the hostel, we asked for a recommendation of a mechanic.  Luckily Rudy, the owner, had a friend who was a mechanic, and he called him up.  In a few hours Javier arrived, and Carmel and I took him down to the parking lot to look at Vandrew.  Javier knew no English, and I know no Spanish, but Carmel helped out as best she could, and we determined that we needed to take Vandrew to Javier's shop.  We jumped in and set off, but before we made it more than a couple of meters, there was a nasty sound...

Someone moved the wall...that's the only explanation!

After 100 pesos paid to the wall owner for damages, and Javier in the driver's seat, we were off to his garage.  He told me I could leave Vandrew at his garage (really, just an open dirt area between buildings, but it was fenced) until I left, and that he would fix the brakes for me.  Two problems solved!

The next day, some of the people from the hostel went to visit some caves that were close to town.  It was a fun little outing, although if you've seen one cave, you've seen them all in my opinion...

L-R Amber, Some Guy, Aya, Carmel, Natasja, Chris, and Zoey

tire stairs

Two days after I dropped off Vandrew with Javier, he showed up at the hostel...carrying my drive shaft!  He told me, as best as I could comprehend, that the clutch plate needed to be remachined, and it would be unsafe to carry on without this done.  He said all four brakes would be fixed, and the clutch machined for 4000 pesos.  Around $250 Canadian.  Needless to say, I asked him to go ahead.

While I waited for Vandrew to be fixed, I spent time wandering around San Cristobal, visited the movie theatre to watch Hollywood movies that had spanish subtitles, and bought myself a new scarf.  The town is great.