The plan was to take a break from this expedition and fly home for Christmas. As before in October, however, the main problem was finding a safe place for Balios until we returned. This time we decided to go back to Mexico. Overlander Oasis in Santa Maria del Tule helped us find the right place for our Jeep.

It is a long 12-hour drive from the Guatemalan border to Tule. The weather was hot with temperatures reaching 27 °C / 100 °F. We did not feel much monotony because in many places on the road we encountered an unusual to us pilgrimage of the faithful. Trucks, vans, or other cars decorated with images of Our Lady of Guadalupe were moving slowly. Single pilgrims ran behind them. People from many villages were on the pilgrimages to San Cristobal, Chiapas, to celebrate the revelation that happened on December 12, nearly 500 years ago. The vehicles often carried a slogan “precaution antichrists”. We have seen many pilgrimages in Mexico before, but this one was different. Each group carried the torch just like the Olympians, running in the heat on hot asphalt, day and night. It was like a relay race, one pilgrim ran, and the other substitutes rested on the back of a truck. Some pilgrims even showed their devotion to Mary by running barefoot.

About two hours before Tule, I noticed that the auxiliary battery was completely discharged. Tired of the long drive, I did not pay much attention to it. Even with discharged battery, all connected devices, such as the refrigerator, for example, operated because an alternator was constantly providing electricity. However, the moment we got to Tule, the battery light came on. It was a very bad sign. One battery broken and alternator was dying. The only good thing about this situation was fact that we got to Tule.