# ISO help with year long logistics



## Eyedrinkale (Jun 12, 2018)

Like many of you, I too am considering retiring in Mexico. The only experiences I have are a few all inclusive stays which doesn’t account for anything. With so many choices and diverse environments that Mexico has to offer, I believe I have decided to take a full year to explore Mexico to see where the ideal state would be to play the back nine and perhaps staying in each area for a month. 

I am a 56-year-old single male and my ideal locations would be a comfortable climate without a city feel. Although I do not surf, I do enjoy the vibe of living near the beach without those pesky hurricanes that. I doubt I’d initially enjoy full immersion into the Mexican culture in a town where a drop of English isn’t spoken, although I do plan to learn the language. My other two passions are gardening and cooking. 
To make a long story short, I am looking for advise to plan out a year long trek to some areas I have highlighted and am seeking opinions on the best way to accomplish the task without having a car. 

First stop, San Miguel de Allente- with many ex-pats, it seems as there will be a wealth of information and experience on how to best acclimate to the Mexican culture, then off to Lake Chapala/Ajijic. 

Making my way west, either Guanajuato or Morelia. Then, a month long stay in Guadalajara on the way to Mazatlan then I may have to exit Mexico for visa purposes before returning to Mexico and possibly flying into Merida to check out. Then it’s off to Campeche, Oaxaca City and Puerto Escondido. 

I believe this journey will give me just a taste of what Mexico has to offer and the time of year I visit each state will most likely have an impact on my final decision. 

The question(s) I have for the community, is the outlined plan logistically feasible using the bus system, as I can move things around to make it as easy as possible? Is there a best time of year to start the journey? Does this plan make any sense? Gracias de antemano.


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## TundraGreen (Jul 15, 2010)

Eyedrinkale said:


> Like many of you, I too am considering retiring in Mexico. The only experiences I have are a few all inclusive stays which doesn’t account for anything. With so many choices and diverse environments that Mexico has to offer, I believe I have decided to take a full year to explore Mexico to see where the ideal state would be to play the back nine and perhaps staying in each area for a month.
> 
> I am a 56-year-old single male and my ideal locations would be a comfortable climate without a city feel. Although I do not surf, I do enjoy the vibe of living near the beach without those pesky hurricanes that. I doubt I’d initially enjoy full immersion into the Mexican culture in a town where a drop of English isn’t spoken, although I do plan to learn the language. My other two passions are gardening and cooking.
> To make a long story short, I am looking for advise to plan out a year long trek to some areas I have highlighted and am seeking opinions on the best way to accomplish the task without having a car.
> ...



It sounds like a great plan to me. If you stay near the center of the cities you mention, you should have no problem doing without a car. Cities have good bus service for things you cannot walk to, and taxis or Uber are cheap. I have lived in Mexico for many years without a car. For your moves between cities, there are lots of luxury inter-city bus lines.


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## citlali (Mar 4, 2013)

I would also check the Cuernavaca area where you can pick your climate depending on the altitude you pick. The best climate for me is around 1500 m away from the influence of the gulf that bring the humidity


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## chicois8 (Aug 8, 2009)

First of all welcome to the board.
Second can you get acustomed to heat and humidity at the beach areas, I see you mentioned Puerto Escondidio, here are their summertime numbers:
Day highs = 92℉
Nite Lows=79
Humidity =97%
Water temp=86
Chance of rain in a 24 hour period = 53%
Towns at higher elevation can have spring time temps almost year round like the Chapala area and really high elevation towns like San Cristobal de las Casas can be down right freezing at times...Mexico has so much diversity it is amazing, you could live in a desert area like Mazatlan, a jungle area like Palenque, a mountainous town like Oaxaca and everything in between.

I like your Idea of spending time tripping around checking out different towns and areas...I did something similar but I only visited Merida ( too hot ), San Miguel de Allende ( too many Texas license plates ) and finally bought a beach house just North of Puerto Vallarta and after 11 years sold it and moved to a small town a few miles west of Guadalajara in a valley where it is like spring time most of the year...I have an Idea of a spot that may fit your likes that I will mention. in another post.


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## ElPocho (Aug 25, 2017)

Campeche is HOT and as far as I know not much english spoken.
It's beautiful.
Another area that is english friendly is Baja California del Sur, you can take a ferry to La Paz from Mazatlan.

I drove down, having a car is easier.
Insurance is about $200 a year, you could exit via Belize in the south and renew your visa that way.


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## dwwhiteside (Apr 17, 2013)

Hi and welcome to the board. I think you have a good plan and, as TundraGreen mentioned, there is great bus service between cities in Mexico. So getting from city to city without a car should not be a major issue. The only thing I want to mention is that, as you seem to be aware, the time of year you spend it a particular place could greatly influence your choice.

Take, for example, the place I live, Colima. If you spent time here from mid-November through early March you would find the weather almost perfect. But May through September is a different story. So, just be aware that, in some parts of Mexico anyway, there can be big changes in weather from the "winter" months to the summer.


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## citlali (Mar 4, 2013)

Campeche is miserably hot and not very exciting. I have gone there a few times and go crazy on the second day.. Cannot imagine living there. Great for postcards though...When I first went there I had to get out afer half a day now I can last 2 days..


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## ElPocho (Aug 25, 2017)

citlali said:


> Campeche is miserably hot and not very exciting. ..


Even people who live there say that.
They come to Merida for excitement.
It's two hours away



Sent from my moto x4 using Tapatalk


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## Ajijic Lady (Jan 19, 2009)

There are also plenty of low-cost airlines that fly within Mexico that mitigate long bus rides. Try TAR, Interjet, VivaAerobus, Calafia, Aeromar and Volaris.


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## Haskins (May 21, 2017)

Question: How far ahead should one plan on buying bus tickets between cities? I'm not very familiar with traveling by bus.


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## perropedorro (Mar 19, 2016)

Haskins said:


> Question: How far ahead should one plan on buying bus tickets between cities? I'm not very familiar with travelling by bus.


That depends on the season. Christmas, Easter, and any _puente_, tickets could be sold out several days before, but usually aren't a problem. If you have a Mexican bank card (I've never had luck with a U.S. CC for this) most bus lines, especially deluxe class, have on-line ticket purchase which saves a trip to the station. I love Mexican buses-- they put Greydog to shame.


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## chicois8 (Aug 8, 2009)

Buses run very frequently, I have my car so I do not take buses anymore but when I did as soon as I arrived at my destination I would purchase my onward ticket...Unless it is a big holiday you could buy the same day as departure, some companies give discounts up to the day before departure...With your CURP card you may also get discounts on buses and airlines..........


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## Isla Verde (Oct 19, 2011)

chicois8 said:


> Buses run very frequently, I have my car so I do not take buses anymore but when I did as soon as I arrived at my destination I would purchase my onward ticket...Unless it is a big holiday you could buy the same day as departure, some companies give discounts up to the day before departure...With your CURP card you may also get discounts on buses and airlines..........


Chico, don't you mean your INAPAM card, which offers all sorts of discounts to senior citizens (in Mexico that's 60+), including 50% off inter-city bus fares?


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## Haskins (May 21, 2017)

Isla Verde said:


> Chico, don't you mean your INAPAM card, which offers all sorts of discounts to senior citizens (in Mexico that's 60+), including 50% off inter-city bus fares?


Ohhhh..... I just turned 60! How do I get an INAPAM card?


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## Isla Verde (Oct 19, 2011)

Haskins said:


> Ohhhh..... I just turned 60! How do I get an INAPAM card?


I got mine quite a few years ago and don't remember the details of the procedure. You have to be living in Mexico as a legal resident and present paperwork and photos to a certain government office, whose name escapes me at the moment. Maybe someone on the forum who has done this recently can fill in the details.


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## TundraGreen (Jul 15, 2010)

Haskins said:


> Ohhhh..... I just turned 60! How do I get an INAPAM card?





Isla Verde said:


> I got mine quite a few years ago and don't remember the details of the procedure. You have to be living in Mexico as a legal resident and present paperwork and photos to a certain government office, whose name escapes me at the moment. Maybe someone on the forum who has done this recently can fill in the details.


Surprise, surprise, the agency is INAPAM (Instituto Nacional Para Adultos Mayores). You will need photos, birth certificate (not apostiled), proof of address (utility bill). It is pretty quick and easy. I got my first one from DIF and, after it was stolen, I got another directly from INAPAM.


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## perropedorro (Mar 19, 2016)

TundraGreen said:


> Surprise, surprise, the agency is INAPAM (Instituto Nacional Para Adultos Mayores). You will need photos, birth certificate (not apostiled), proof of address (utility bill). It is pretty quick and easy. I got my first one from DIF and, after it was stolen, I got another directly from INAPAM.


Thanks for the info! I'm still over a year away, but my wife will qualify several months before I do, so I'll be sure to remind her.


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## AlanMexicali (Jun 1, 2011)

TundraGreen said:


> Surprise, surprise, the agency is INAPAM (Instituto Nacional Para Adultos Mayores). You will need photos, birth certificate (not apostiled), proof of address (utility bill). It is pretty quick and easy. I got my first one from DIF and, after it was stolen, I got another directly from INAPAM.


and a CURP.


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## EmilyTravels (May 19, 2018)

My husband and I have traveled via ADO bus to several different cities in Mexico (Merida, Playa del Carmen, Cancun, Tulum, Campeche, Valladolid, San Cristobal de las Casas, and Palenque). We never had to purchase tickets more than a day in advance and often purchased the day of travel, since buses run so frequently. Oftentimes, we were one of the first seats to book (nice because you get a better choice of seats), as it doesn't seem that many locals book even 1-3 days ahead. That said, we did not travel during busy times around the holidays; as someone else recommended, you should buy your tickets farther ahead in those periods.


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## TundraGreen (Jul 15, 2010)

AlanMexicali said:


> and a CURP.


I didn't remember that. My CURP is not printed on the INAPAM card. But they might have asked for it.


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## chicois8 (Aug 8, 2009)

Isla Verde said:


> Chico, don't you mean your INAPAM card, which offers all sorts of discounts to senior citizens (in Mexico that's 60+), including 50% off inter-city bus fares?


Yes, siesta time,LOL


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## citlali (Mar 4, 2013)

you get a better price if you buy the bus tickets ahead of time and also the INAPAM prices will not be available on busy day but if you buy ahead of time you usually get the discount.


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## citlali (Mar 4, 2013)

I got my INAPAM card from the DIF office but that was many years ago so that may have changed-


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## perropedorro (Mar 19, 2016)

Wasn't INAPAM once called something else? I believe it was issued by, and bore the unfortunate name of the Instituto Nacional de _Senectitud_, which might well imply something more than just being past a certain age. Might as well have had a card that says _Nutty Old Geezer_! I like INAPAM better.


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## Haskins (May 21, 2017)

TundraGreen said:


> Surprise, surprise, the agency is INAPAM (Instituto Nacional Para Adultos Mayores). You will need photos, birth certificate (not apostiled), proof of address (utility bill). It is pretty quick and easy. I got my first one from DIF and, after it was stolen, I got another directly from INAPAM.


Can a Mexican citizen get one through a Mexican consulate if they're living in the States? Asking for a friend. j.k.


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## Haskins (May 21, 2017)

Also, what is "DIF"?


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## Isla Verde (Oct 19, 2011)

Haskins said:


> Can a Mexican citizen get one through a Mexican consulate if they're living in the States? Asking for a friend. j.k.


Never heard of such a thing being possible. For one thing, you need a comprobante de domicilio to apply, which is a utility bill for a Mexican address. Do you have a Mexican address? In any event, you can go to your nearest Mexican consulate and ask.


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## chicois8 (Aug 8, 2009)

Haskins said:


> Also, what is "DIF"?


I kind of find it amusing when Haskins asks things like the above, when he also wrote earlier ""I don't think I would need a work permit since I'm a Mexican citizen already.""

Feels kinda good as a ****** being able to help a national.......... love this board...


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## TundraGreen (Jul 15, 2010)

Haskins said:


> Also, what is "DIF"?


Desarrollo Integral de la Familia.
They provide services to families, particularly single parent mothers.


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## Haskins (May 21, 2017)

chicois8 said:


> I kind of find it amusing when Haskins asks things like the above, when he also wrote earlier ""I don't think I would need a work permit since I'm a Mexican citizen already.""
> 
> Feels kinda good as a ****** being able to help a national.......... love this board...


Yeah, my father from Wisconsin moved to Monterrey and Married my mom there. I was born there but my family moved to McAllen, TX when I was 10. Been living in Texas ever since. Now that I'm 60, I'm looking forward to reconnecting with my other country. I feel like an expat, but I understand I have it easier with knowing the language already and holding a Mexican passport. Yet there is so much I don't know. Thank you all for helping me out.


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