You know that feeling: the one where the contents in your stomach churn and before you can say "I think I ate something bad," you are already running for the bathroom. Fun, right?

Every time you get on the plane, bus or (in our case) in the car and travel to another country you expose yourself to the likelihood of coming down with some sort of stomach illness. Call it what you like (and we all know there are some pretty descriptive names out there) but the experience is the same and it flat out stinks.

Last week I was unlucky enough to eat something disagreeable (I believe a locally made tamale was the culprit) and spent a rather uncomfortable and feverish 24 hours trying to recover. I have been pretty lucky in the past to avoid food poisoning but I knew I was in for a rough time as I was with Tom when he succumbed to food poisoning in India a few years ago. And it really did live up to it's horrible nature.

Generally my rules to avoid food poisoning/unhappy stomach are as follows:

Traveling allows us to experience many new things: unique cultures, languages, food and wildlife. I am always up to experience it all but it's the creepy crawlies that fall under the "wildlife" category that I'd prefer not to encounter--no matter how hard I try to avoid bugs they somehow always know where to find me.

The other night, just before I was about to hop into bed, I happened to notice something move on the floor below the bathroom sink. My first instinct was SPIDER! and I quickly told Tom, my resident bug catcher, that he might have some work to do. On closer inspection I realized that it wasn't a spider it was instead a rather cranky looking SCORPION! Needless to say that got the bug-catcher moving. We (he) caught it, let it go outside and then each of us performed a fantastic bug dance.

You won't just find beaches in Baja Mexico but an arid desert as well. And this desert is home to a few creatures we'd all like to avoid. Here are a few critters to watch out for in Baja California Sur, how to minimize any encounters and what to do if things get "a little too close for comfort."

First off, I'm the type that is happy to be alone. Sometimes groups get on my nerves. Sometimes, I feel like I belong with the crowd just fine. Other times, being in a group gives me the feeling that I am wearing the wrong style clothing. Instead of a cocktail dress, I've worn jeans or vis versa.

I seriously had not a clue of what to expect when I headed off to Mexico to help build houses. I barely had time to pack. When my daughter and I were heading out the door, I couldn't find the left shoe of the pair I planned to wear when I wasn't hammering and sawing. I gave up and grabbed another. What I have found, in general, that it is hard to do good-deeds on ones own. My biggest successes have been when I am part of something bigger than myself.

For this good-deed trip, we had to be at the airport by 6:00 a.m. to hook up with the group scheduled for the Southwest Airlines flight two hours later. There was comfort in being handed a list of the people in my travel group and their name tags by one of the trip leaders. I felt hooked in with a purpose, a reason to be along, and not like one of those body parts that we don't really need. I had on the right clothes. It didn't matter that I was only in charge of keeping track of five people besides myself. The words, "Here's your travel group," roused me from my early morning bleary state of a lack of sleep.

When I told some people I was heading to Mexico to build houses there was a mixed reaction.

• Some people wanted to know how they could go along.
• Some thought that this was the greatest idea since sliced bread.
• Some gave money to help fund our endeavor
• Some were wary of the value of a bunch of high schoolers and adults descending into Mexico across from Tijuana to build houses in order to make the world a better place.
• Some thought it was a good idea that we build houses in Mexico to help keep Mexicans in Mexico.
• One person thought it ironic that I was going to Mexico to build houses when there are so many Mexican immigrants building houses here.

Such are the types of comments people make to those who are embarking on do good travel. Even Rick Steves has something to say.

Man, is there any reason to go to Tijuana these days?

The LA Times today is reporting a massive shootout on the streets of downtown Tijuana that killed close to 15 people. Apparently, it was a face-off between competing gangs. But what's scary is that the shootout took place near a popular shopping mall, "leaving a trail of corpses," as the Times delicately puts it.

The gun fight is the most recent flare up in a spate of drug-related violence, four months into a year where murders and kidnappings are significantly on the increase. As if almost sensing trouble south of the border, the Washington Post is reporting in its travel section this weekend that the State Department claims that last year there were "dozens" of Americans who were kidnapped in Tijuana, many either seriously injured or outright murdered.

Mexico watchers say that the increase in violence is tied to a strict government crackdown on drugs and drug trafficking. The Mexican president has sent national troops to patrol Tijuana's streets.

In the few times that I've been in Tijuana, the place struck me as pretty much devoid of any redeeming quality. So much better to point that car south and keep on going. Now it seems like that decision could save your life.

We celebrated Earth Day here at Gadling with a contest, an ode, and a ticket out of hell. Not bad.

Also this week:

• Kelsey gave us a surfing lesson.
• Grant reviewed Burton's Sleeper Hoodie v2.0, and I'm seriously intrigued. Grant also had a nice chat with Virgin CEO David Cush -- check it out here.
  
• Matthew listed 5 mistakes that newcomers to Japan make.
• In his series Plane Answers, Kent responded to the question "When did first class become the crew lounge?"
• Jeremy brought us the news that the Inca Trail is booked up through September. If you're headed to Peru make sure you've got alternative plans for trekking to Machu Picchu.
  

That's all! Have a fabulous weekend.

In the initial planning stage, we had a hard time finding recommendations about what kind of car would be the best for this type of trip, so we had to muddle through on our own and hope that whatever we chose would be hardy enough to withstand a year long (maybe more) driving trip.

Choosing a car can be a bit difficult -- you don't want to stick out too much, but you also need a car in good, solid condition that will be able to tolerate the demanding roads and sweltering heat.

Here are some things to consider when choosing a car for a long road trip of this nature:

Make of Car

Mexico seems to have an abundance of Fords, Toyotas, and Volkswagens. But we've also spotted plenty of Isuzu Troopers, Land Rovers and Jeeps. Some of the most popular models are the Ford Bronco and standard Toyota truck, which we were told are some of the easiest cars to fix. Our VW, a 1991 Golf, has done well, but finding parts has proved to be an issue (at least in the Baja) -- something we did not anticipate.

A Ford truck or SUV seems to be the way to go. Whichever car you do choose, try to pick one with a relatively simple engine, this way if you do require a mechanic's help they should be able to get you back on the road as soon as possible.

I believe the time people put in working, running errands, going to the gym and all the other daily stuff we feel we have to do starts to take its toll on how we live and think. This is a big reason why Tom and I decided to pack up and leave for a little while...to put things in perspective, do a bit of work on the road and to surf (ok...learn to surf for me).

My surfing experience is limited to three times...once in New Zealand, once in Australia and one time in Costa Rica where an encounter with a jellyfish put my surfing attempts on hold. But now, since we have stopped in the Baja and there are some good learning beaches, I have decided to dedicate a few months to surfing, though the extent of my abilities so far is to stand up on my board. I'm working on it.

A few things beginner surfers need to know and remember: it is not as easy as it looks. No matter how athletic you are, expect to fall over and over and over again; practice makes perfect. Coordination, decent physical fitness and sheer determination (stubbornness...call it what you will) to get back up and keep trying are ideal traits if you want to learn how to surf.

Looking for something to cure all your aches, pains, stomach issues and increase your virility? Damiana could be your answer.

Damiana is a plant native to Baja California Sur, Central America and the West Indies. The leaves from the plant are reputed to be a natural aphrodisiac as well as a treatment for health issues such as indigestion and insomnia. The Mexican population has been aware of this indigenous plant and its health benefits for years. It is only recently that it has made its way into the western market.

This herbal supplement is commonly found as a tea and as a liqueur. A local shop owner told me that the majority of people use it as a sleeping aid though it is often marketed as a "love potion" (sex really does sell everything). She offered us a taste of the Damiana liqueur, which sort of tasted equivalent to the mouthwash Scope. Not bad, kind of minty and oddly sweet...I bet it packs one mean hangover.

The liqueur comes in a bottle shaped like a very voluptuous woman, a rather amusing homage to its reputed "benefits". Taking large amounts of Damiana is said to "induce a mild sense of euphoria". Mexican legend says that the first margarita was made with Damiana not tequila.

Along with treating insomnia, the herb is widely used to treat nervousness, weakness, exhaustion, poor circulation, colds/flu, constipation, depression, fatigue, and headaches. There are rumors that it increases the male sperm count and helps to balance hormones in women. The Mayans used it to treat asthma and as a body cleansing herb.

Not only can you drink Damiana, you can smoke it as well. I wonder if this is where the "euphoric effects" come in?

Out of curiosity we bought the tea, which has a similar aroma to that of chamomile and mint and is usually served with large amounts of sugar. The warm evenings have been making it difficult to sleep so I had a cup of tea just before bed the other night to see whether it would help. I totally crashed and woke up feeling rather "spacey" the following day. I am not too sure whether this effect was due to the tea or just too much time in the sun but either way I did sleep remarkably well although I did have some weird dreams.

If you are curious and want to try Damiana for ummmm...whatever "health benefits" you are looking for: click here for the liqueur or here for the tea.

"No Wrong Turns" chronicles Kelsey and her husband's road trip -- in real time -- from Canada to the southern tip of South America in their trusty red VW Golf named Marlin.

Take a bunch of hardcore off-road racers, support teams, mechanics, motorbikes, ATVs, a host of other racing vehicles and throw them all into the Baja desert...what do you get? You get the Baja 1000.

Last week we ran into a guy at a local bar who competes in this race. He gave us a quick run-down of what it includes: the race begins in Ensenada, though it has started in Tijuana and Mexicali, and ends in La Paz or Cabo San Lucas. There are tons of different vehicle categories from four wheelers, which range from Baja Bugs (VW Bugs on steroids) and mini trucks, to motorcycles, which can vary from 125cc to 250cc or more. The guy who we chatted with swears by his customized bike and, after competing twelve times as well as sustaining numerous injuries (he wanted to show us all of his battle-wounds which we politely declined), didn't appear to be slowing down anytime soon.

The Baja 1000 began in 1967. Initially the race was 849 miles (the 1000 is a bit misleading as the course tends to vary yearly) and the winning team finished the race in less than 28 hours. These days teams are finishing under 26 hours, an astounding time to me since it took us about 3.5 days to get from Tijuana to La Paz and we were on the main road. These guys drive all day and night in attempt to win the race. The course consists of rocks, dry lake-beds, mountain passes, paved roads and a lot of desert scenery. Mechanical problems and flipped vehicles only reinforce the fact that this is a brutal course and it's because of this that only half of the teams are actually able to finish the race.

Competitors usually enter as a team where they take turns riding so it is more like a relay race. Team members often carry a toolkit that can be used in case of a breakdown. They ride to a designated stop and then switch drivers after 6 hours (about 300km) of racing. There are some who attempt this race solo but they are few and far between.

According to our Baja 1000 source, competing in the race isn't cheap. The racing vehicles cost a fair bit, tack on the add-ons and time spent customizing them and the price just keeps on rising. Fuel, pit teams and extra gear add to the overall cost. Geez, not only does it cost a lot of money, there is a fifty percent chance of not finishing...I had to ask why they keep competing, our rider guy (about eight beers later) just replied, "It's just awesome man!" Well said.

For more information on the Baja 1000 click here and here.

"No Wrong Turns" chronicles Kelsey and her husband's road trip -- in real time -- from Canada to the southern tip of South America in their trusty red VW Golf named Marlin.