# Quick report on drive to border and back to Ajijic



## Grizzy (Nov 8, 2010)

Long explanation about why my FM3 was not ready in time and will spare you that part, but I wanted to report in on my drive to McAllen TX and back to renew my tourist visa. It was my second trip to do this and third drive to Ajijic and it was by far the easiest trip so far.

I left Ajijic early on a weekday (6 AM) and managed to find the shortcut on the new highway near the airport. I drove slow enough and my suv was old enough and dirty enough to not arouse the suspicions of the predatory cops who park there. Unfortunately in watching them in my rear mirror I managed to miss the exit and didn't want to back up despite there being no traffic on the road  Cops parked and all. So I had the joy of rush hour traffic through Guad for a few minutes.

Went through three Federale road blocks en route, I may have noted the places but two were close to Monterrey/Saltillo and one was just a few hours north of Guad. Two had the big xray scanners and in all three I was smiled at and waved through.

No problem at the US border despite my previously bad experiences with them. I drove right through downtown Reynosa about 9 PM at night and no worries or incidents. I did have to back up as I missed the entrance and the u-turn to turn in my car sticker and visa at Mx customs. Everyone was very accommodating.

When I turned in the vehicle permit sticker I asked the fellow how soon I could come back and he said go in and turn in your visa and ask for a new one; they will either say OK or say come back tomorrow, no worries.

Inside the visa officer told me to come back either after midnight or tomorrow for a new 180 day tourist visa. 

So far it appears that there is no problem doing this. Of course this was at one crossing and I know they all have their own interpretations of the laws.

The fellow at the sticker booth actually had a sharp razor blade for me to peel off the sticker! Last time I had to scrape at it with my nails. A bit of nail polish took off the sticky residue the next day.

Coming back again it was clear sailing. I hit the Pharr bridge at 6 AM, no US exit checkpoint, no one at the immigration office and getting the visa and permit was a snap. 

I chatted with the staff on duty for a good half hour about life and Mexico and Canada and practiced spanish and they practiced English otherwise I would have been in and out in ten minutes tops.

No road blocks or inspections on the drive back and I was at my door in Ajijic at 8 PM. A lot of the divided highway cuotas were 120 KPH and traffic was light. I stopped for gas and restroom breaks and coffee and stretched but didn't linger anywhere. I am used to long road trips so it was a fun and easy day.

So any single women out there, I was alone and my spanish is still in the learning stages and I had no problems and no fear. 

Again I don't suggest anyone do this if they want to live in Mx long term. I had to because of issues with my FM3 and timing, not by choice.

And it sure felt good to arrive home. I love Mexico!

PS I left out the part where I was a sucker and fell for the 35 peso gasoline additive and got distracted by the other attendant washing my windshield LOL. I am 99% sure no bottle got put in my gas tank but I laughed at myself for being a sucker and falling for it.


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## conklinwh (Dec 19, 2009)

Better you than me at 9PM in Reynosa. I don't like it at any time and really thought that with new bypass that you could just go around. Is there a reason that you picked Reynosa/McAllen versus say Nuevo Laredo/Laredo? I know that there is the cuota split outside Monterrey but the relative distances never registered as once around Reynosa enough.


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## Grizzy (Nov 8, 2010)

conklinwh said:


> Better you than me at 9PM in Reynosa. I don't like it at any time and really thought that with new bypass that you could just go around. Is there a reason that you picked Reynosa/McAllen versus say Nuevo Laredo/Laredo? I know that there is the cuota split outside Monterrey but the relative distances never registered as once around Reynosa enough.


I missed the Pharr bypass exit and so just followed my GPS. There was a lot of traffic and it seemed calm so I wasn't worried. 

I had originally planned to go to Laredo but for reasons I cannot talk about had to change to Mcallen. The shopping in Mcallen was a lot better than Laredo and since I had to stick around a few days that was a plus. If I have to do the drive again I would chose Mcallen again. Hoping I won't have to but after a year I will probably need another retail therapy trip LOL.

I found it very difficult to find the immigration office when I exited Nuevo Laredo/ entered through Laredo as well. And given the nightmare inspection by Homeland Absurdity crossing in Laredo I had no real desire to enter again there.


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## surfrider (Oct 4, 2011)

Well I think that was WOW! I would not drive there at all. no way. I would be scared to death. I do not want to go to the boarder at all.


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## Grizzy (Nov 8, 2010)

I would prefer not to go because I am more nervous being in Texas than near the border in Mexico but I had to go. I am hoping this was my last trip other than for a shopping spree but I will travel around Mexico by car for sure.


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## RVGRINGO (May 16, 2007)

surfrider said:


> Well I think that was WOW! I would not drive there at all. no way. I would be scared to death. I do not want to go to the boarder at all.


Boarder? Do you have one? Maybe a better tenant would be less frightening. :confused2:
If you fear driving to the border, Mexico may not be the place for you. People do it every day; hundreds of thousands of them.


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## conklinwh (Dec 19, 2009)

I certainly think that anyone driving across northern Mexico must have a heightened awareness and that includes when & where. We targeted an area off Hwy 57 in estado Guanajuato that is an easy 8+ hours drive to/from the border so that can expect to arrive at the border by 4PM heading north and at our house by 5PM heading south. I don't like driving distances at night and certainly would prefer not doing so at the border.
Has any of this stopped our normal plans or those of our friends? No! What most of us have done is to shy away from the Ciudad Victoria to Matamoros or Valle Hermosa corridor which is actually an easier drive than the Matehuala, Saltillo, Monterrey, Nuevo Laredo route.


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## PieGrande (Nov 16, 2008)

West of Reynosa is the new Anzalduas bridge. One need not enter Reynosa at all. Full service for car traffic, no trucks which helps. You must be alert. As you enter from the west, there are several highway junctions, and Anzalduas is a block beyond one of those junctions, and it is not a major intersection. You get the impression of entering a parking lot but as you enter you realize it is a loop to the highway west, with an exit a few hundred yards away. Once you make that last exit, it is restricted traffic all the way to the bridge. They are much more friendly at Anzalduas.


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