Ciudad Victoria - November 17th

High 26 C Low 16 C

Well, we arrived at the border at 7:30 a.m. as it was to open at 6:00 a.m.  We did not read the fine print though.  The Tourist cards were available at 8:00 and the Vehicle Permits at 9:00.  So there we sat behind a Mexican couple who were pulling a small utility trailer.  The border staff were very helpful and polite using their phones for translation.  A nice Mexican Senior working the office area moved myself and the couple over to the chairs where we would be first in line (although there was no one else there).  We got our cards then sat again.  The couple wanted me to go ahead but I said (in Español) that they were ahead of us.   He ran into problems with the trailer and couldn't get a permit.  Hmm, I thought, he is blocking our exit.  I started on our vehicle permits and the staff helpfully brought the paperwork for the Brave out to the RV for Cam to sign.  As we went in and out several times with our vehicles I noticed some other border staff were making helpful suggestions on how the couple could proceed, so they were still there.  Once we were checked by the border guards they had the couple move their trailer out of the way.  Ah, we could go at last.  Nope they stuck a sign on the window and directed us to the vehicle X-ray.  This was up onto a narrow cement slab where they helped us climb out of the RV (it was a drop of about 2 ft) and behind a cement wall.  After that, they helped us back in and directed us to a parking area to await the results, "only a few momentos". About 20 momentos later a guy took the sign and waved us on at 11:00.  Everyone was so helpful and polite, it was hard to be upset.  

Border

Just outside Matamoros

Ah, the open road.

Cacti and Bear grass 

We reached a Pemex in Ciudad Victoria at about 3:00 p.m.   It was a noisy night with all the coming and going of people, cars and trucks to the OXXO.  The ladies with a flat tire and children, the old boys hanging on the sides of a half ton chatting for hours, the old fella gassing his truck with a plastic can and hose in front of the RV, a trucker's family arriving by car to visit and say goodbye and the military deploying about 12 guards while they gassed their trucks.   Then at 6:00 a.m. the Federales drove alongside us and had a quick inspection of the RV and car while we tried hard not to be awake.  Then they whooped their siren and left.  Gracias por su seguridad and I do mean that.  

340 Km.