Just Back: saved by a Mexican mechanic You need Vladimir, then. The English took us as much by surprise as the name. He's the only one around here not working in corn and pineapples. I'm Ahmed, by the way. Before we could begin to contemplate the strangeness of what we had just heard, our new friend was on his phone, and three minutes later his twin brother had appeared. Vladimir delivered his judgment sagely: "Too fast, gringos, too fast. And on sand, too - don't you have sand in America? Under such castigation, it didn't seem the opportune moment to start protesting our geographical provenance. We were already receiving orders to lift the back wheel, and before long Vladimir was pawing at the engine, rinsing sand out with what looked like a giant cotton bud. Eventually, the pitiful machine spluttered into life, its resurrection precipitating the inevitable question of payment. Yet more surprises. We need hot sauce. You can get it opposite the dock for a few pesos. On returning we were greeted jubilantly by a small family. Our "payment" was immediately added to their keg. You've never had Dos Equis with salsa? Once again Vladimir couldn't fathom the naivety of these foreigners. He thrust German steins of the concoction into our dusty hands. It's the bomb! The lubrication picante brought forth a surge of introductions and explanations: "When we were born, Muslims were fighting Russians somewhere or other. We represent world peace! Anyway, tonight we're celebrating - only one week until the birth! Ahmed gestured towards their heavily pregnant mother. Mama and Enith are one of the first lesbian couples in this region to have a sperm donor. She's almost 50 - imagine! So is this what your travel book said Mexico would be like? No, this was surrealism of a quite different kind. Because it was not in the gossamer waterfalls or pellucid seascapes but in a moment of conspiratorial calm that what we came to love about Mexico was crystallised. Cutting through the toasting and back-clapping of the long evening, the twins" mother flashed us a smile. "You know, we're still looking for godparents," she whispered. And, after all the stratified incongruities of our day, how could we possibly refuse? Enter the next round Your travel writing could earn you £1,000. That's the prize for our Just Back article of the year. The weekly prize is £200 in the currency of your choice from the Post Office. Email your entry, in as close to 500 words as possible (with the text in the body of the email itself rather than attached), to justback@telegraph.co.uk by midnight next Wednesday, June 5. Click here for more information and full terms and conditions. The Post Office is Britain's largest travel money provider. It offers more than 70 different currencies with 0% commission on all currency and traveller's cheques. Customers can buy selected currencies over the counter at 8,000 branches and all currencies can be ordered for next-day delivery at 11,500 branches nationwide. Orders can also be placed online at www.postoffice.co.uk