Mexico... whatever.
Mar. 24th, 2008 11:09 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
leaveoutalltherestWell, I have returned.
The drive down to the border was very long and boring, but we got there.
So, the border. See, when I ASKED people about this, I was told 'Oh, they'll let you know what to do when you get down there, you'll probably get waved on through', and I was like, 'Okay'.
So, we get there. I get in line behind the other cars and get waved ALL THE WAY THROUGH. (Note, remember this for later.) Anyway, met up with step-dad about 20 minutes later, and proceed to have to listen to him for almost a half hour because I didn't get a sticker making the car legal in Mexico.
He pulls over and talks to some guard guy, who calls these other guys. They have us follow them to some building, where the legalizing of the car takes place. Now, when we were given the money after we left, we were told $300 of it was to legalize the car, and assumed that David would do this down at home. Wrong, it happens at the border and it wasn't $300, it was damn near $700. Wiped out all our cash, no money for food or gas down to the peninsula.
I should have called it quits and went home then. But no, we got the car legalized and I asked these official government guys many, many, MANY times if there was anything else Di and I needed to do and was told no, everything was okay for us now. (Again, remember this for later.)
Now comes the waiting, for many hours, for my brother to get off of work and wire us money. While this is going on, David goes checking over the car and LOW AND BEHOLD, the serpentine belt is frayed halfway through in some parts. *headdesks* So, he calls the idiot brother-in-law of his, and the idiot wires us more money. Unfortunately, we couldn't get it fixed until the next day. Which means staying the night in a hotel in a happy (and not so safe) border town.
Next morning, we get the car fixed, new belt and labor, for 70 pesos. (For those who don't know conversions, under $7USD). Now we're on our way!!
Long. Assed. Drive. It went on forever. 36 hours. Small towns. 400+ speedbumps. (No, seriously, I counted. Speed bumps in EVERY LITTLE TOWN). 5 horned cows running down the shoulder of the FREEWAY. 2 donkeys in the road. NUMEROUS DOGS AND SHEEP. Never driving that again. WHAT DOES THAT COUNTRY HAVE AGAINST TOILET SEATS???????
We get to Division del Norte. Tiny ass town. VERY tiny. No plumbing. Wood slat house with cracks between the slats. Thank god it doesn't get REALLY cold there. No plumbing. No stove, just a big cook fire in the kitchen building. No plumbing. Chickens EVERYWHERE. Did I mention no plumbing? I will never taking flushing the toilet for granted again. There IS a toilet, you just have to pour a bucket of water down it to flush it. Showers involve five gallon buckets of water.
Got to spend one day in Campeche. Got to see the sea wall/fort. Got to spend a few hours at the beach near Champoton. No ruins, because oh yeah, all that money got spent on GETTING THE DAMN CAR ACROSS THE BORDER. The majority of the ten days was spent reading fic that I had (THANK THE GODS) saved onto my laptop, while ignoring the idiotic teenage boys that were in the house. I could have stayed at home and done that.
Now, today I leave. Ciudad del Carmen was wet. Literally, it was pouring down rain and there was a small lake forming in the check-in area. Mexico City, I hate. See, remember those things up above that I said to remember? The ones about being waved across the border and told that everything was good? WRONG. SO FUCKING WRONG.
See, they didn't tell me that I needed an FMT, some immigration paper. NO ONE TOLD ME ABOUT THIS PAPER. Not having this paper damn near cost me $500. Instead, I'm only overdrawn $50. Did anyone I asked about things I needed at the border mention this paper? No, they did not.
But, I'm home now. My dog and cat are happy. Things are good. Nifty tax checks came in so rent will be paid.
This trip tanked. It was actually WORSE than the one where I nearly drowned in the Pacific Ocean. Next time, I fly and stay in a hotel.
The drive down to the border was very long and boring, but we got there.
So, the border. See, when I ASKED people about this, I was told 'Oh, they'll let you know what to do when you get down there, you'll probably get waved on through', and I was like, 'Okay'.
So, we get there. I get in line behind the other cars and get waved ALL THE WAY THROUGH. (Note, remember this for later.) Anyway, met up with step-dad about 20 minutes later, and proceed to have to listen to him for almost a half hour because I didn't get a sticker making the car legal in Mexico.
He pulls over and talks to some guard guy, who calls these other guys. They have us follow them to some building, where the legalizing of the car takes place. Now, when we were given the money after we left, we were told $300 of it was to legalize the car, and assumed that David would do this down at home. Wrong, it happens at the border and it wasn't $300, it was damn near $700. Wiped out all our cash, no money for food or gas down to the peninsula.
I should have called it quits and went home then. But no, we got the car legalized and I asked these official government guys many, many, MANY times if there was anything else Di and I needed to do and was told no, everything was okay for us now. (Again, remember this for later.)
Now comes the waiting, for many hours, for my brother to get off of work and wire us money. While this is going on, David goes checking over the car and LOW AND BEHOLD, the serpentine belt is frayed halfway through in some parts. *headdesks* So, he calls the idiot brother-in-law of his, and the idiot wires us more money. Unfortunately, we couldn't get it fixed until the next day. Which means staying the night in a hotel in a happy (and not so safe) border town.
Next morning, we get the car fixed, new belt and labor, for 70 pesos. (For those who don't know conversions, under $7USD). Now we're on our way!!
Long. Assed. Drive. It went on forever. 36 hours. Small towns. 400+ speedbumps. (No, seriously, I counted. Speed bumps in EVERY LITTLE TOWN). 5 horned cows running down the shoulder of the FREEWAY. 2 donkeys in the road. NUMEROUS DOGS AND SHEEP. Never driving that again. WHAT DOES THAT COUNTRY HAVE AGAINST TOILET SEATS???????
We get to Division del Norte. Tiny ass town. VERY tiny. No plumbing. Wood slat house with cracks between the slats. Thank god it doesn't get REALLY cold there. No plumbing. No stove, just a big cook fire in the kitchen building. No plumbing. Chickens EVERYWHERE. Did I mention no plumbing? I will never taking flushing the toilet for granted again. There IS a toilet, you just have to pour a bucket of water down it to flush it. Showers involve five gallon buckets of water.
Got to spend one day in Campeche. Got to see the sea wall/fort. Got to spend a few hours at the beach near Champoton. No ruins, because oh yeah, all that money got spent on GETTING THE DAMN CAR ACROSS THE BORDER. The majority of the ten days was spent reading fic that I had (THANK THE GODS) saved onto my laptop, while ignoring the idiotic teenage boys that were in the house. I could have stayed at home and done that.
Now, today I leave. Ciudad del Carmen was wet. Literally, it was pouring down rain and there was a small lake forming in the check-in area. Mexico City, I hate. See, remember those things up above that I said to remember? The ones about being waved across the border and told that everything was good? WRONG. SO FUCKING WRONG.
See, they didn't tell me that I needed an FMT, some immigration paper. NO ONE TOLD ME ABOUT THIS PAPER. Not having this paper damn near cost me $500. Instead, I'm only overdrawn $50. Did anyone I asked about things I needed at the border mention this paper? No, they did not.
But, I'm home now. My dog and cat are happy. Things are good. Nifty tax checks came in so rent will be paid.
This trip tanked. It was actually WORSE than the one where I nearly drowned in the Pacific Ocean. Next time, I fly and stay in a hotel.
