A TripAdvisor™ TripWow slideshow of a travel blog to Loreto, Mexico by TravelPod blogger Gareth.alanna titled "Loreto - home away from home" Gareth.alanna’s travel blog entry: "Crossing from the Pacific side of the Baja Peninsula to the Sea of Cortez the scenery changed dramatically. Miles of desert like land covered in cactus and surrounded by mountains it was incredible watching the sun come up over this. Catching a glimpse of the ocean as we got nearer was like breathing a sigh of relief. After 18 long hours on the bus we finally arrived in Loreto. The bus was surprisingly comfortable with plenty of leg room and seats which reclined so you could almost lie flat. They even had TVs and played movies, thankfully in English with Spanish subtitles which made passing the time more enjoyable. And not one chicken in sight! The military checks along the way had been pretty painless with only one fright; waking up around midnight to find a soldier on board complete with a huge gun, best option was to go right back to sleep or try to anyway. It seems that going South the military checks are light, going North is where they are incredibly thorough doing complete vehicle searches and random luggage ones. Stepping off the bus it was incredibly hot and only intensified as we walked the 2km directly to Cocos Cabanas, a hotel we liked the sound of as it had a pool. Hot, sweaty, dusty and tired I nearly cried when we arrived only to find a 'no vacancy' sign posted on the door. The owner ...