Dominique Ritchie

Don’t wait to start living your dream life 🫶

I’m doing it - alone and afraid! All the way to Ushuaia, Argentina. & you can too. 🫶✨

Dominique Ritchie | vanlife & travel

VanLife, solo travel

Save this if you are going to Honduras! 🇭🇳

👀 3 things you might not know that customs will look for at the border:
🧯 a fire extinguisher
🔺 two warning triangles
🚨 DOT approved safety/reflective tape (red and white)

👉 Show up with these three things to keep your travels hassle free. If you forgot to grab them before arriving, you can find them at AutoZone in Mexico (which is where I got mine).

😏 I also used this as an excuse to clean up my first aid kit by using the Stow Away Bag from VanEssential (part of their Venture Flex Explorer Bundle) to keep it all organized and easy to grab in the front of the van. Genuinely such a good storage solution.👏

🚨 Save this before you hit the road to Central America!

🚨 Everything you need to know for the TMC crossing from La Paz to Mazatlán: 👇

💰 Costs:
240 pesos for import tax
9400 pesos for 7m vehicle

🗓️ Reservation:
Absolutely required, they will ask you on arrival, but it means absolutely nothing for whether or not you will get on

🥘 Food:
Bring and cook your own. You do get vouchers to eat on the ferry but… the video is self-explanatory

⏰ Arrival time to La Paz Terminal:
Get there at 10:30-11:30am and yes, wait until 2-3pm and they will let you know if there is room for your passenger vehicle as this is a cargo ship and trucks get priority. The ship leaves around 6pm.

🤝 Friendliness:
10/10 on the ship: everyone was kind and courteous, and although I felt uncomfortable, I didn’t feel unsafe.

🌊 Crossing time:
~17 hours, unless you have engine failure … then maybe 26.5 😉

📱 Starlink:
Does not work unless you switch it (and pay for) Ocean Mode

✨ Have you been to Mexico? 🥹🫶

Mexico continues to surprise me with incredible places like this alpine lake. It is nestled between two volcanoes only an hour outside of CDMX… and I paddled it on the all new Pontos skin-on-frame style kayak!

I cannot believe how well it tracks, and how stable it is!

It only weighs 7lbs and can fit easily into a backpack! Whether you’re a weekend or full-time adventurer, backpacker, hiker, or overlander, this kayak can easily be stowed anywhere in your rig or backpack.

And yes, it is coming with me to Argentina! 🐊 But no, don’t worry, I will not be paddling in any areas with crocodiles. 😉

🚨Pontos is launching their kickstarter tomorrow and you can grab this kayak with their early bird pricing of $525! 👀

packable and portable kayak, foldable kayak, what to do in Mexico City, travel vlog Dominique Ritchie | vanlife & travel

did you think Mexico was all desert?🌵😏

It’s okay, I didn’t know any better either. 🙈 Most of us who visit ‘Mexico’ explore the resort towns (beaches) or Baja California… and my oh MY is there so much more to Mexico than that. 🇲🇽 

This area could be easily mistaken for the PNW! 

But… it’s Mexico! This hidden glamping spot is nestled among the magical forests of Tapalpa, Jalisco.

Axtra | Glamping & Cabin invites you to relax, unwind, and explore the beauty of the charming mountain town of Tapalpa. It’s a truly one of a kind experience, that is only 1.5 - 2 hours from Guadalajara. 🚐💨

📍 Tapalpa, Mexico