| Author | Message | ||
| Jim Wilkerson (Wagwar)
Registered Member Username: Wagwar Post Number: 11 Registered: 12-2009 Posted From: 149.173.6.25 Rating: N/A |
Hi, As you know Wendy and I are looking for a nice MC7, 8, or 9 for full-timing. We hope to spend a lot of time in Mexico. I'd like to start a thread here to gather advice and wisdom from those who have taken their bus to Mexico and the pros/cons of such a plan! Thanks! Jim | ||
| david anderson (Davidanderson)
Registered Member Username: Davidanderson Post Number: 251 Registered: 2-2004 Posted From: 67.65.199.24 Rating: N/A |
Jim, You might have better luck with this subject at www.escappees.com in their forum section, also www.woodalls.com has a forum. There are lots of fulltimers who winter in Mexico. They could advise you on the places to stay, insurance, fuel, and such. I've seen a few threads over there about Mexico. David | ||
| R.C.Bishop (Chuckllb)
Registered Member Username: Chuckllb Post Number: 1071 Registered: 7-2006 Posted From: 70.210.133.137 Rating: |
Jim...please take this the way it is presented. Information. Food for thought. We live on the "border. I have traded in Mexico all my life...as with my parents. My Dentist is in Mexico...or was. He lives in the US; works in Mexico. He was kidnapped a few months ago, or at least the news said he was. Iasked him about that and he said "they tried". Last month he was kidnapped again. No sign of him from his neighbors, one of whom said to me in Deming " I doubt he'll be back, though the business is still going on in Palomas". He is from Monterey...60+ years old. I understand this is a border area we are talking about, but....there is not one person of Anglo descent that I know who will go across the border today. I was born in El Paso. Juarez is "old hat"...and has been named by BC, the " most dangerous spot in the world". 2654 execution style murders in 2009...as of day before yesterday, 2010=118. Do the math. Yesterday, El Paso Police convinced the City Council to purchase $782,000 worth of "Assult weapons" ...one for each patrol car = 1100+. They apparently are expecting things to move in our direction ( they already have...I live in southeren New Mexico) Point is...one does not go to "Mexico" (interior, presumed) without crossing a border city/area, etc. I have relatives in Tucson...they feel the same...more on the west coast...they do too. I have heard others form the Texas border say the same. Food for thought only...and as Fast Fred says..."do it your way"; and best wishes. RCB | ||
| Sean Welsh (Sean)
Registered Member Username: Sean Post Number: 999 Registered: 1-2003 Posted From: 72.171.0.143  Rating: N/A |
We take our bus to Mexico all the time. Other than Mexico City and, lately, Juarez, there is really no place in Mexico I would not go, which is in contrast to, say, parts of New York City, Detroit, or a half dozen other cities here in the US. The drug-related violence along the border does not generally involve tourists. We do try to pass through the border regions as quickly as possible, however. There are customs and military checkpoints about 17 miles in from the border; we try to be sure we are already past the checkpoint before stopping for the night. Culturally, boondocking on public lands alone is not done in Mexico and is considered unsafe (a rig parked alone in the middle of nowhere is a target for opportunists). Parking on private lands with the permission of the owner is safer; culturally that places you under the protection of the landowner and any crime against you is perceived also as a crime against them. Whenever we have asked at a restaurant or gas station for permission to "pasar la noche" (spend the night) we have been cheerfully allowed to do so. RV parks are plentiful in Mexico but the amenities are not what you might be used to here. 15-amp power is the norm, and even then, voltage can drop as low as 80 or so if there are more than a handful of rigs in the park. Water is generally non-potable; even the Mexicans don't drink the tap water, buying instead "agua purificada" in 5-gallon bottles. Dump stations are often hard to reach and it is recommended you carry at least 20' of sewer hose; better yet a macerator. The seminal work on RV travel in Mexico is the Traveler's Guide to Mexican Camping by Mike and Terri Church: http://www.rollinghomes.com/mexico%20book.htm We have this book and would not travel in Mexico without it. I will echo the comments above: there is a ton of information about RV travel in Mexico already posted on other forums. The Escapees not only have an on-line forum on travel (including Mexico), but also a whole chapter (Chapter 8) dedicated to Mexico travel; they organize caravans into the country annually which are a great way for the uninitiated to get started. Go to: http://www.rvnetwork.com/ and use the search function to find the Mexico threads; most are in the "Travel" forum. There is also a Mexico discussion on the forum at RV.net: http://www.rv.net/forum/index.cfm/fuseaction/listings/forum/66.cfm You can read our own adventures in Mexico on our blog (link below). Just go to the sidebar, scroll down to "Topics" and choose "Mexico" from the drop-down list. -Sean http://OurOdyssey.BlogSpot.com | ||
| Jim Wilkerson (Wagwar)
Registered Member Username: Wagwar Post Number: 12 Registered: 12-2009 Posted From: 149.173.6.50 Rating: N/A |
Thanks to all of you that responded. We've traveled in the Yucatan extensively so we have some idea of the challenges - although traveling in a car vs a bus is very different I'm sure. If you'd like to see pics of some of our adventures in the Yucatan, check out: www.xcalakattack.com. I realize that the border areas can be dangerous, we don't intend to linger there (as Sean suggested). My concerns are more along the lines of navigating a 40' bus on Mexican roads, topes, overheating, navigating through towns and villages (can be a challenge in a small car!), etc. Thanks again! | ||
| Jim Wilkerson (Wagwar)
Registered Member Username: Wagwar Post Number: 13 Registered: 12-2009 Posted From: 149.173.6.50 Rating: N/A |
Forgot to post this: FYI, this is a post of interesting articles on RV'ing in Mexico - just in case you are interested and haven't run across this one: www.rversonline.org/RV4Mex.html | ||
| Peter E (Sdibaja)
Registered Member Username: Sdibaja Post Number: 323 Registered: 5-2002 Posted From: 201.143.49.197  Rating: N/A |
I live in Baja, half an hour south of Ensenada. There is no need for concern here anymore than in the US, just act like a guest and avoid the obvious bad neighborhoods like you would do anywhere. One tip... tow flat and with an offset hitch http://www.busnut.com/bbs/messages/12262/16041.html . you will avoid curb climb with the offset, and towing flat you can detach, maneuver, and hook again all solo. (support the tow bar at hookup height, drive the toad up to the ball) make some specific route plans and ask for comments. happy trails! | ||
| R.C.Bishop (Chuckllb)
Registered Member Username: Chuckllb Post Number: 1234 Registered: 7-2006 Posted From: 75.243.17.36 Rating: N/A |
Sure!!...  I live on the south border of NM and Mexico.....we live and work with these folks every day, and most are good people; many from south of the border. Many new folks here due to the situation "over there". BUT... we haven't been "across" in months and have no plans though our Dentist of many years lives and works in Mexico....."it" has already spread to our area. Random "pedestrians" included. As we travel on local streets, we look neither right nor left (at the vehicles next to us) for concern we might be "misunderstood". If not clear, I'll be happy to draw a picture.... Over 700 "execution style" deaths as of this writing, in Juarez so far this year. No thanx, just the same. Not rain on any ones parade... just "common sense", for us at least. DIYW as FF would say. RCB (Message edited by Chuckllb on April 20, 2010) | ||
| R.C.Bishop (Chuckllb)
Registered Member Username: Chuckllb Post Number: 1235 Registered: 7-2006 Posted From: 75.244.110.80 Rating: N/A |
The news just announced this morning that Juarez buried 29 yesterday...executed "unknowns" ;family or others did not show to identify bodies. (since January). Additional several killed there yesterday...on the streets, in clear view of others. Maddening...sad. Pray for those folks; they need it badly. Thank God we live in this country! RCB | ||
| Peter E (Sdibaja)
Registered Member Username: Sdibaja Post Number: 324 Registered: 5-2002 Posted From: 201.171.211.153 Rating: N/A |
RCB: I do not share your fears. Border towns are tough, on both sides. I have been 14 years here and 10 were going back and forth every weekend... I have never known anyone who had trouble. Compared to Richmond, California this is a "safe house" :-) Peter (Message edited by sdibaja on April 21, 2010) | ||
| Jerry W Campbell (Jerry_w_campbell)
Registered Member Username: Jerry_w_campbell Post Number: 32 Registered: 7-2005 Posted From: 206.125.90.151  Rating: N/A |
Hi Jim, I have driven south of the border for most of the last 35 years. The last 6 years driving the bus pulling a small pickup. The bus is a wonderful way to travel no matter where you go. In Mexico the roads are sometimes bad and the tolls are high but we've always had an excellent adventure. But at this time there are lots, as in thousands of people a year being killed all over Mexico and it's getting worse. So, that being said, I hope to go south this winter but I will have my eyes and ears open until then. We shall see when the time gets a little closer. These are different times. Good Luck Jerry | ||
| R.C.Bishop (Chuckllb)
Registered Member Username: Chuckllb Post Number: 1239 Registered: 7-2006 Posted From: 75.242.219.37 Rating: N/A |
Peter...no fears, really...I was born In El Paso; just learned long ago there are "signs" one pays attention to....many times in the distant past we "knew" to just stay on this side of the bridge. For us, at least, that time has come again. I doubt I would hesitate to fly into Mexico presently, but coach travel...uh uhh. Tight times there as well as here. But then, you might not hear the "rest of the story" in your media. Wish you the best and know you absolutely must like it where you are....in times past I have liked Mexico too. For now, however, will stay in "comfortable" territory. BTW...Pancho Villa "ran " my grandfather, a Mining Engineer, out of Mexico in the early days of his exploits...(now known as Mogollon, NM)...it must "run" in the family Use to be "cheap living" way south of the border..is it still? Best wishes. RCB | ||
| Sean Welsh (Sean)
Registered Member Username: Sean Post Number: 1079 Registered: 1-2003 Posted From: 67.142.130.31 Rating: N/A |
Folks, Let's keep this in perspective. The media tends to sensationalize this stuff to the point where common sense goes out the window. The per-capita murder rate for all of Mexico, while nearly three times that of the US overall, is about the same as the rate for the state of Louisiana. So if you are going to use the murder rate as justification, you should probably avoid Interstates 10 and 20, too. Things get more lopsided if you go city by city. Philadelphia, PA, has twice the murder rate of Mexico (overall), Washington DC higher still, Detroit and Baltimore nearly three times, and many US cities out-murder Mexico by a fair amount, including Dallas, Houston, Phoenix, Cleveland, Miami, St. Louis, Kansas City, Atlanta, Tulsa, Buffalo, Mobile -- the list goes on and on. I don't see anyone on this board advocating staying away from our nation's capital, or not visiting any of these cities. Sure, there are cities in Mexico, such as Juarez, where the crime rates are high. But even most of the "bad" cities are not nearly as high as the worst cities in the U.S. Advocating avoiding all of Mexico because of a handful of problems in specific areas makes as much sense as advocating avoiding Louisiana or Houston. By this way of thinking, the brits should be advising their citizenry to avoid tourism to the US, considering our per-capita murder rate, overall, is four times higher than theirs. Come to think of it, the US has the highest murder and violent crime rate of the "western world" (or the "first world" if you prefer that term), so the French, Spaniards, Germans, etc. etc. should also keep their tourism dollars on their own side of the pond. I stand by my post of 1/14, above. Mexico is a fine place to visit, and most of it is as safe or safer than much of the U.S. You might want to stay out of Juarez, which has the highest murder rate in the world. But it is only ahead of New Orleans, LA, with the world's third-highest, by a margin of 25%. We drove through New Orleans in March, BTW, but were not murdered. FWIW. -Sean http://OurOdyssey.BlogSpot.com | ||
| R.C.Bishop (Chuckllb)
Registered Member Username: Chuckllb Post Number: 1240 Registered: 7-2006 Posted From: 75.244.118.185 Rating: N/A |
Sean....from reading your posts over the years,,,there are a bunch of things we do differently...... ..and my guess is, all "in perspective". Vaya con Dios!! RCB | ||
| Tom Caffrey (Pvcces)
Registered Member Username: Pvcces Post Number: 1325 Registered: 5-2001 Posted From: 65.74.66.106 Rating: N/A |
Thanks for broadening the perspective, Sean. Tom Caffrey PD4106-2576 Suncatcher Ketchikan, Alaska |
