The Drive through Mexico

Off to Mexico

I will admit, I was nervous about driving through Mexico at first because of the stories you hear of people getting robbed or killed. It was a tough decision, but listening to my gut, I knew we would be alright, and it was going to be a big important part of our adventure south.

Journaling is something I try to do daily; it helps me work through my thoughts, gives me the opportunity to focus on gratitude, is good reference for seeing my growth and to keep track of events and life’s journey. Here are a few pieces from my journal entries as we began our journey through Mexico.

December 12, 2024

We had a good night sleep last night in Harlingen, Texas. We were all up early and got the truck and bus packed up and headed for Mexico. Within 20 minutes, we arrived at the Los Indios border crossing. It was a surreal experience to see the walls that were built, and to feel the energy of the area. I could sense a lot of tension yet also excitement. It was a different feeling that I had never fully embodied before. We were following Bruce and Shannon in the bus, as this was their second time driving down to Belize through Mexico, and how could you miss a big blue bus. We also had brought along a set of walkie-talkies, which ended up coming in handy today. We got word from Bruce, that the bus was not allowed to use this crossing due to what he believed was a lack of x-ray equipment (Spanish is not any of our strong attributes). So, after a bit of a challenging turn around, a quick look at the map and brief discussion we were back on the road looking for the next border crossing. Just 20 minutes down the road and we were now at the Progresso border crossing. After just over three hours we were able to get our TIP (Temporary Import Permit) which is required for a vehicle not registered with Mexican Plates), and our Immigration stamps. Then we are again told, no bus crossing. It is now getting too late to find the next point of crossing. So off to find somewhere to park for the night.

December 13, 2024

We found a Walmart parking lot, which we called home for the night last night. We used the time to stock up on a few more supplies and were fortunate enough that it was open till 11pm, so had a good amount of time with washroom access. Breakfast, and packing up the tent and truck and we were again all at the border before 10am. This time we tried Parr-Reynosa and were across within 35 minutes. We have been told to get as far south as we can, as the North is where most of the incidents occur, so it was time to move. We drove to where we had planned to spend the first night which was a gas station just outside of Victoria. It was only 3 pm, and we knew we still had some good hours of daylight, so we decided to press on. We arrived at a little hotel just outside of Tampico and decided to make that home for the night. You could see that the owners were trying to rebuild something in the back. There was a pool, many little malokas with pathways to each of them. An old fountain and an outdoor kitchen. We did have use of the washrooms, but so did the truckers that use this stop, so needless to say it wasn’t to this girls’ standards. There were also showers, which was a nice addition as it had been a few days of staying in Walmart parking lots, so I am in definite need of one. Unfortunately, there was no hot water, but at this point, a hose would do.

So that was our first experience with Mexico. Driving in Mexico (although I never did), was also a new experience. We used an app called ioverland. It was so useful, even in the US. You can find free places to stay, gas, propane, as well as comments from others who have used the app. It also helped us know where the toll booths were located. Since Bruce and Shannon had made this trip before, there was already a route in place. But I would recommend staying on the toll roads, as they are deemed to be the safest. Almost all of the roads we took were two lanes (one for each direction). Yet, we quickly learned that two means three. So, you basically drive on the shoulder or if there are outside lines (most often not), you stay on the line. The center portion of the road is used for passing, and both directions. It can feel like a bit of a game of chicken at times, but it seems to work, at least for them. The road conditions are something not seen in Canada or the USA. The size of some of the potholes would easily swallow up a small car. Regardless, I still felt very safe, but I could tell that driving here wasn’t as leisurely and took a bit of a toll on Corey’s energy levels.

Tampico is one of the towns that is to be avoided, at least from all the comments we were seeing on our travel groups, as well as from Bruce’s experience the previous year. We were fortunate to have him show us the way around using a truck route, so we had no issues.

The following day we made it to a village that within walking distance, had an archeological site named El Tajin. A site with Temples, palaces, ball courts, and pyramids. We had read from our app, we could spend the night in the parking lot there, but due to the amount of rain they had, there was no way the bus was able to get in there. The locals sent us to a paved parking lot just down the road within the village, and when we arrived the villagers were more than happy to let us stay the night in their lot. They were so welcoming; they invited us to their Christmas event that they were hosting that night. We got the honour of watching school children preform their songs, dances, skits it was so beautiful to witness even though we really couldn’t understand the words. Then they had professional performers entertain the crowd followed by what must have been a very popular band. It was such an incredible night.

The following day, we took in the temple site and explored the village a bit more. We decided to spend the night and get an early start the following day. It was nice to have time with our feet on the ground, time to explore and really experience a different cultures Christmas traditions. Even the way they decorate for the holiday was so beautiful and renewable.

The next day was pushing through further with a night at another gas station. This is a typical local trucker’s safe space to spend the night. This one had security, big fences, washrooms as well as a restaurant. Not the best views, but a safe space to crash and for just a couple of pesos.

The following day we made it to a place called Auga Blanca. Bruce and Shannon had come upon it on their previous drive down. It was amazing. There was basically a hole in the side of the mountain where water was just spewing out. The force of the water was also incredible. You could feel the mist when standing 20 feet away. Apparently during the dry season, it isn’t so forceful and you can swim in the water, but when we were there, any attempt could have led to quite a ride down the mountain. That night we had the area to ourselves, that is until the howler

monkeys made their presence known. Waking up to them just feet above your tent, is another experience I know Corey won’t forget. At first, we had no idea what the sound was or where it was coming from, but we had the feeling they were not happy with our presence.

After breakfast, we packed up and went to another spot that was familiar for the other family called Los Tucanos. It was a beautiful spot where you could rent tree houses or camp. The pool was perfect for Bruce and Shannon’s kids, they also had ponies, peacocks, horses, cows and lots of cats, along with a good restaurant. We decided that we would stay a second night here, as we had no need to rush, and the people and land were so welcoming.

From here we went to Bacalar. This time we stayed in town, in a place by the water. The town had a freshwater lake known as the lake of seven colours. The shades of blue were impressive. There we explored the town, markets, archeological sight, and the lake. Again, with no rush, we spent a couple of nights here (and have since returned).

From Bacalar, it is only about 45 minutes to the Belize border, and from there about 3 hours to our next destination Hopkins. The town we met Bruce and Shannon in, along with their friend Pam whom spends her winters there.

Although it was a long trip down, it was an experience that I will never forget and learned so much from. I know that I changed as a person during this time. I went from feeling a need to control and plan to someone who really enjoyed the letting go and just allowing things to flow. With this, we stumbled across so many wonderful sites, places to sleep, and people. Trusting is not always easy, but learning to listen to your gut and being curious has been one of the greatest gifts the trip has given me. I am also so fortune to have an amazing partner to have had the opportunity to experience this trip with. Three months in a pickup truck can be a long time with someone, yet for me, it was perfect. There were moments of deep conversations, moments of me holding on or even closing my eyes and moments where we enjoyed some great music and took in all the beauty the land has to offer. I couldn't imagine spending it with anyone else, and as I'm writing this, I'm thinking about where we could go next.