That's My Story

             As I write this, we’re about as far from the sunny skies and warm waters of La Paz as can be.  Whereas,  the only ice I see all year is inside the rim of a frosty margarita glass, I’m currently in freezing Billings, Montana for the Great Rockies Sport Show.  With wind-chill the other night it was MINUS 20 below zero. 

            In the last 2 weeks we’ve driven from California to Nevada, Arizona, Utah,  Colorado (for the Denver ISE show) then Wyoming and now Montana.  In the teeth of winter.  In two weeks it has been above freezing only 3 days.  More than half the days were single digits or chillingly double digit sub-zero weather.   It’s the kind of chill that’s so cold it “burns” when it touches exposed skin.

            But standing for several days in our booth for two shows and talking to not only the prospective folks stopping by to chat but also with other vendors and outfitters selling trips from S. Africa, Mexico, Canada, S. America and  Antartica, as well as fishing, hunting and camping gear,  other things are warming up.

            After several years of decline, I would have to say that the shows are very well attended.  Even moreso, the “interest factor” among attendees is high.  The past several years, we heard alot of people coming to the booths talking about the “economy” or sadly worried about their jobs or having lost their jobs.

            “Not this year.”

            “Just came to kill some time at the show.  Can’t really travel right now.”

            “I can barely afford a t-shirt and a hot dog right these days”

            These were the types of thing we were hearing the past few show seasons.  Tough times.

            But this year it seems a bit different.  Other outfitters are telling us that sales are up.  People are actually booking trips at the shows.  People are actually planning vacations again!  There’s a good healthy optimistic buzz in the big show halls!

            Either folks are pulling through the tough times or have re-adjusted things.  Maybe they can’t afford the hunting trip to the Kenya, but the deer hunt in Wyoming is affordable.  The 7 days fly-in fishing trip to Chile isn’t in the books, but a 5 day trip to fish dorado in Mexico is in the budget.  Two week expeditions to Nepal are out, but 1 week in Alaska might work.

            Sure, there’s alot of people still hurting.  No doubt.  But I think folks are still realizing that they need to take vacations and still need time with the family and how important that is. 

            As one guy told me, “I still have vacation time coming and if I stay home, I’ll only have to mow the lawn and paint the fence.  What kind of vacation is that?”

            As another  lady simply put it to me, “We’ve pulled in our belts a bit, but overall, we’re just not going to participate in any economic slowdown.  We still want to enjoy life.”

            Amen!

            As for coming to Mexico, we’ve definitely got more interest.  As mentioned, economically, I think folks are seeing Mexico as a still-affordable get-away. 

            But, they’ve also come to some common sense too.

            The whole “swine flu” care has come and gone and most folks logically have concluded that you had about as great a chance of getting it at home as in travelling to Mexico…if at all.   I haven’t fielded a swine-flu question in over a year compared to the early days when every 3 e-mails and phone calls asked if people were dropping in the streets!  (Maybe from too many tequilas, but not from swine flu!).

            As for the crime, there’s no doubt there’s serious trouble in Mexico.  But, I think travelers got wise.  The smart ones read beyond the screaming headlines and 20 second sound-bites.  They realize that the violent crimes are only in certain areas.  That tourists are NOT specifically  targeted (tourists are the goose that lays the golden eggs) and that you’re maybe even more safe in some areas of Mexico than back in the U.S. 

            For example:  Mexico City’s homicide rate of 8 per 100,000 persons is surprisingly low.  Washington D.C. has a murder rate of 24 per 100,000.  New Orleans has a rate of 52.  Almost 300 people were murdered in Los Angeles last year.  That doesn’t even include other violent crimes like rape, robbery and assault.  That doesn’t make those U.S. cities patently  unsafe, but you know there’s places in everyone’s home town you just don’t go to!

            Hundreds of thousands of people a day cross the border alone at Tijuana/San Diego every day.  Not a thing happens.  Just another day.  Thousands more fly in for vacations.  Not a thing happens, except a great vacation. 

            I think things are warming up. It’s gonna be a good year!  There’s reason for optimism.  I just wish the snow would go away!

_________________________

Jonathan Roldan has been writing the Baja Column for Western Outdoor News since 2004.  He and his wife, Jill, live in La Paz, Baja, Mexico where they own and operate the Tailhunter International Sportfishing Fleet and the Tailhunter Restaurant Bar on the historic La Paz waterfront.   www.tailhunter-international.com You can reach Jonathan directly at riplipboy@tailhunter-international.com or stop by the restaurant and say hi.