𝗪𝗲'𝗿𝗲 𝗦𝗲𝗹𝗹𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗢𝘂𝗿 𝗜𝗺𝗽𝗿𝗼𝘃𝗲𝗱 𝟮𝟬𝟬𝟱 𝟮𝟵-𝗙𝗼𝗼𝘁 𝗠𝗶𝗻𝗻𝗶𝗲 𝗪𝗶𝗻𝗻𝗶𝗲 𝗠𝗼𝘁𝗼𝗿𝗵𝗼𝗺𝗲!

  Imported from the US
Fully Legalized Title and Mexican-Plated 

Shown With Two Slides Extended and Wheel Covers Off

Jon Opening the Motorhome Entry Door

Curbside View of Our 29-Foot Minnie Winnie

6 New Tires from Les Schwab in California

And All New Brakes and Bearings at Les Schwab

Floorplan: Sleeps Up to 8 People

New Skylight Installed and Caulked Over the Shower

Dinette, Kitchen, Large Refrigerator, Gas Oven, New MW

New Queen Mattress with Custom Upholstered Headboard

Bedroom Closet and Drawers Before

Carpet and Bedspread Replaced

New Vinyl Plank Flooring in Bedroom

Bathroom Cabinets & Towel Bar Over Toilet

Bathroom Separate From Shower

Wheel Covers On and In-Line Booster Water Pump

People ask us why we are selling our 2005 29-foot Class C Motorhome, a Winnebago Minnie Winnie, after all the work we put into it!

After two years of enjoying and improving our RV, we plan to travel by train more in Mexico. You may remember how exciting our Copper Canyon Adventures El Chepe tour was. Next, we’re headed to the Maya Train.

Below are more of Minnie Winnie's specs. If you are interested in purchasing it, please message me for more information or to make an appointment to see it in the comments below or through Messenger.

Price: $26,900 US or 550,000 MXN pesos

Fully Legalized Title and Mexican-Plated by Pat’s Plates. We pay to renew the registration online yearly.

Odometer: 58,000 miles

Ford E450 6.8 Super Duty V10 Gas Engine

Two New High Amperage Deep-cycle 6-Volt Trojan House Batteries

4000-Watt Onan Gas Generator with New Carburetor

Beds in addition to Queen in the Back Bedroom:

   Queen bed over the cab. The custom mattress folds in half for space.

   Dinette converts into a bed.

   The sofa pulls out into a bed. 2 Memory Foam toppers for comfort.

More improvements than shown in photos!

Located in a beachfront RV park in Lo de Marcos, Nayarit.

Terry and Jon Turrell on Our Copper Canyon Adventure

𝗔 𝗪𝗼𝗻𝗱𝗲𝗿𝗳𝘂𝗹 𝗪𝗵𝗮𝗹𝗲 𝗪𝗮𝘁𝗰𝗵𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗦𝘂𝗻𝘀𝗲𝘁 𝗦𝗮𝗶𝗹 𝘄𝗶𝘁𝗵 𝗔𝗱𝗮 𝗦𝗮𝗶𝗹𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗳𝗿𝗼𝗺 𝗣𝘂𝗲𝗿𝘁𝗼 𝗩𝗮𝗹𝗹𝗮𝗿𝘁𝗮!

  Departing the Puerto Vallarta Marina
On This Gorgeous Ada Sailboat!

Motoring Through the Smooth Water Was Deceiving Yesterday

Boarding Ada Sailing's Beautiful Boat on March 19

The Wind Was Strong, Creating Waves with Whitecaps

The Crew Raised Both Sails with Expertise!

It was So Fun to be Sailing, Heeling to Starboard

Green Iguanas Near Los Peines Pier Sunning Themselves

View of Puerto Vallarta from Beautiful Banderas Bay

Large Humpback Whales Breached Near Us Many Times!

This was Our First Time Just Enjoying the Whale-Watching 

Experience Without Trying to Capture a Photo or Video of Them

See My Video Above to See a Bit of

Our Exciting Yet Relaxing Experience

My Shrimp Cocktail After Cocktails and Appetizers

A Beautiful Puerto Vallarta Sunset From the Sailboat

Los Peines Pier Gate After Our 3-Hour Sunset Cruise

I Recommend the Ada Sailing Tours, a Staycation for Us

You might Like to read about another of our recommended "Staycations" in Puerto Vallarta: 𝗔𝗻 𝗔𝗳𝘁𝗲𝗿𝗻𝗼𝗼𝗻 𝗮𝘁 𝗘𝗹 𝗗𝗼𝗿𝗮𝗱𝗼 𝗕𝗲𝗮𝗰𝗵 𝗖𝗹𝘂𝗯: 𝗦𝗮𝘃𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗠𝗼𝗻𝗲𝘆 𝗶𝗻 𝗥𝗲𝘁𝗶𝗿𝗲𝗺𝗲𝗻𝘁 "𝗟𝗲𝘀𝘀𝗼𝗻 𝟭𝟬𝟮"

Pickle Jar Test: A Novel Paperback is Coming Soon

I'm so excited! The paperback cover has been completed! Pickle Jar Test: A Novel will soon be available from Amazon as a paperback, as well as an eBook! The eBook is available in all Amazon markets and FREE to download with Kindle Unlimited.

My goal is to increase awareness of Parkinson's disease and its many challenges. This story also provides a glimpse into expat life in Mexico.

Thank you for reading my books and blog articles.

Terry L Turrell, Author

CHOOSING TO EXPATRIATE TO MEXICO (Reposted)

Is It Time to Make the Move?

This article, a summary of an interview with Expats.com (For Mexico), may be helpful to many who are considering a move to Mexico. Although I posted it years ago, the information remains relevant. It may also help even more people in 2025.

I recently received a request for an interview with www.Expat.com (For Mexico) about our decision to expatriate to Mexico, i.e., to change our place of primary residency from the United States to Mexico. Continue reading HERE. 

Terry L Turrell, Author, and Jonathan Turrell

On a Rainy, Warm Day in Sayulita

𝗔𝗻 𝗔𝗳𝘁𝗲𝗿𝗻𝗼𝗼𝗻 𝗮𝘁 𝗘𝗹 𝗗𝗼𝗿𝗮𝗱𝗼 𝗕𝗲𝗮𝗰𝗵 𝗖𝗹𝘂𝗯: 𝗦𝗮𝘃𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗠𝗼𝗻𝗲𝘆 𝗶𝗻 𝗥𝗲𝘁𝗶𝗿𝗲𝗺𝗲𝗻𝘁 "𝗟𝗲𝘀𝘀𝗼𝗻 𝟭𝟬𝟮"

 How Does That Save Money?

Lounging at the El Dorado Beach Club

We’ve been considering taking a Mediterranean cruise this year—a shortened version of the one we had reserved in 2020 but was canceled when COVID-19 happened. When I looked at booking Virgin’s 7-Night Greek Island Glow plus a few days on each end to explore, we would easily spend around $15,000 US with airfare from Puerto Vallarta added. Even a Virgin Caribbean Cruise from San Juan, Puerto Rico, with the same criteria, wouldn’t save us much.

Los Muertos Beach in Puerto Vallarta

(Looking South)

First Way to Save Money is Staycation Activities: We thought, We live in Paradise! Why not take tours and dine at cruise-worthy restaurants in the Puerto Vallarta area? We could splurge on adventures we haven’t done near home and save money. By not flying anywhere, we could skip air travel, save thousands of pesos, and be kind to the environment. By taking more day trips, we could stay in our own Puerto Vallarta condominium or motorhome in Nayarit and eliminate hotel expenses.

El Dorado Beach Club View to the North

So, we started a Staycation List. El Dorado Beach Club was the first adventure we planned. El Dorado is one of our favorite seafood restaurants on the beach, but their dinner prices can be expensive. We decided to spend four daytime hours on their lounge chairs under an umbrella, gazing at the ocean and listening to the waves while we dined on less expensive breakfasts or lunches. It was wonderful!

Some People Decorate Their Umbrellas for the Day

Two lounge chairs can be reserved at El Dorado Beach Club from 11:00 to 3:30 for a minimum charge of 500 pesos (about $25 US, más o menos, depending on the exchange rate that day) per person. Any food and drink we ordered would be applied to the 500 pesos—no problem to spend that much if we each ordered an alcoholic beverage along with our meals. We could order from the less expensive Beach Club menus rather than dinner menus and save money. El Dorado serves breakfast until noon, and then they start lunch service. We ordered orange juice and waited for lunch. It's essential to stay hydrated while on the beach! 

There’s Lots to Do, Watch, and Buy at the Beach Club 

We Each Ordered Fish Tacos and Sodas

Delicious!

Watched Parasailers But Decided to Wait.

That Will Be an Adventure for Another Day.

Time for Margaritas and Reading Our Kindles

Watched the Break Dancing Show

And Were Happy to Tip Them 50 pesos

Second Way to Save Money on Mexico Staycations: Pay in pesos, not US dollars. Look at the red box: $79.68 US means the restaurant gave an exchange rate that day of only 18.80 pesos per dollar. On that date (Jan 31, 2025), the exchange rate was 20.68 pesos per dollar (see Orange Arrow below), so our check amount of 1498 pesos divided by 20.68 would equal $72.43 US—paying in pesos saved $7.25 US! (We saved even more after we added a 20% tip in pesos.)

Our Lunch Receipt from El Dorado Beach Club

20.67 Exchange Rate on January 31, 2025 (Google)

Third Way to Save Money on this Staycation: Pay with cash (effectivo), not a debit or credit card. With a US card, you will not only lose money on the exchange rate the restaurant charges for conversion to US dollars, but you may also lose money on the exchange rate the banks give you in debit/credit card transactions and/or fees they charge. You never know how much you have lost until you see your bank charge and calculate the exchange rate you received, which usually shocks you! (Note: Using a Spin by Oxxo Visa card is as good as paying in cash with pesos.)

During high season, reserving a beach chair at El Dorado Beach Club is essential. Otherwise, if the beach chairs are all occupied, you can dine inside the open-air restaurant. Don’t worry—that’s fun, too! It’s just a different type of experience. We went to El Dorado to make our reservation with the hostess, explaining that we wanted two lounge chairs on the beach. Reservations can also be made through the El Dorado website, but we prefer to take a healthy walk in the Romantic Zone to the restaurant and speak to the friendly hostess. 

El Dorado Website Shows Their Sign

We can't wait for our next Staycation adventure! Follow us on our Healthy Living and Traveling in Mexico Facebook page to see what's next.

Terry L Turrell and Jonathan P Turrell, Authors

Photo On Our El Chepe Express Copper Canyon Adventure

Read About Our Past Adventures in Mexico

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𝗦𝗮𝘃𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗠𝗼𝗻𝗲𝘆 𝗶𝗻 𝗥𝗲𝘁𝗶𝗿𝗲𝗺𝗲𝗻𝘁 "𝗟𝗲𝘀𝘀𝗼𝗻 𝟭𝟬𝟭": 𝗥𝗘𝗣𝗔𝗜𝗥 𝗧𝗵𝗮𝘁 𝗪𝗮𝘁𝗲𝗿 𝗛𝗲𝗮𝘁𝗲𝗿!

 Don't Throw It Out!

Jon Diagnosing What Was Wrong with Our Water Heater

Why did our shower water start hot and turn cold in less than five minutes? I hate having to rinse the shampoo out of my hair with cold water!

We had hot water, but only for a few minutes. So, the water heater worked, but not correctly. Jon was on a mission to diagnose the problem and repair it. This ten-year-old Calorex water heater (called a boiler here in Mexico) was a good-quality unit, and he did not want to replace it. Repairing it would save a lot of money, he was sure! It turned out to be multiple problems, but all were solvable for a reasonable price.

Jon Made Sure that the Pilot Light was Lit

He Set the Temperature Selector to Caliente (Hot)

We had warm showers for only four or five minutes! Jon began reading and watching YouTube videos until he understood the problem and how to repair it.

Over time, minerals can build up at the bottom of the water heater tank, interfering with the heating element and causing inconsistent water temperature. Sediment buildup inside the tank can act as insulation, preventing the water from warming efficiently.

Mineral Deposit Globs Found Inside Our Water Heater!

Our water heater is inside a cabinet in the condominium hallway connecting eight apartments. I envisioned a flood outside the eight condo units on our floor and convinced Jon to call a plumber to help with this mess.

This Could Result in a Flood in the 

Common Condominium Hallway!

Jon Gathered Equipment Needed to Drain the Water Heater

Regularly flushing your water heater can remove sediment buildup and improve heating efficiency. According to most recommendations, you should flush the sediment from your water heater at least once a year to prevent buildup and maintain its efficiency. This tank was ten years old and may have never been serviced!

This is important in RV water heaters as well as in condo units and standalone homes.

Plumber Poured Water Off the Sludge and Down the Drain

It took three men to do this nasty job—the plumber, his assistant, and Jon! They turned off the water supply to the water heater, then attached a hose to the faucet on the side of the tank, running it into a 5-gallon bucket. After opening the pressure relief valve on the tank, they turned on the water valve. Nothing happened. The faucet was clogged with sediment, so they removed it.

Holding the female end of the hose tight to the hole, they drained the tank water into the bucket, emptying it into the nearby floor drain each time it filled. After emptying the water heater, they briefly turned on the water supply to the tank to further flush it. Jon used a hacksaw blade to dig out the remaining sediment.

Jon Pouring Water Off of the Sediment, Down the Drain

Some Large Mineral Crystals Caught in the Drain

Grunge and Minerals Collected in a Garbage Bag

They disassembled the water heater faucet and cleaned it, then re-attached it to the tank. After making sure the pressure relief valve and faucet were closed, they refilled the tank and turned on the gas.

Jon turned on the house faucet closest to the water heater to allow it to flow. Water, air, and small bits of minerals were flushed from the water line. Next, he cleaned the faucet screen, now full of minerals and grunge. Every faucet and shower head screen would need to be cleaned to restore good flow. Great, hot water flowed!

Jon Cleaning the Minerals from the Bathroom Faucet Screen

After over three hours of hard work and cleanup, the guys finished the job. Jon paid them 1500 pesos for their time, about $75 US. A new water heater of the same quality would have cost over 10,000 pesos with installation ($500 US). This repair saved us over $400 US!

We will put “Flush Water Heater Yearly” on our calendar. We’ve learned from the locals to repair appliances rather than replace them, as long as possible. We were ready to buy a new washer and dryer two months ago, but the serviceman told us they were good quality and worth fixing. He was right—a small repair expense saved us hundreds of dollars and extended the life of both appliances! He also suggested a product to clean our dishwasher so it would work better. Another cost savings!

Thank you to Jon for helping write this technical article. If you have any questions or suggestions, I'll run them by Jon and get back to you. You can leave comments below. Thanks!

Terry L Turrell and Jonathan P. Turrell, Authors