Best-Laid Plans

Covid vaccinations, check. Family visits to Texas and California, check. Weather turning cold on our homestead, check. So, time for us to load up Wilton and head for our sailboat and warmer weather in Mexico.We were so excited to be on the road to Mexico after being absent from the boat for two seasons. And taking Wilton was an added bonus—plenty of room to take everything we need, and a nice place to stay while doing work in the boatyard to prepare our sailing vessel, Bailarina, for the water. It was all coming together just as we planned…or so it seemed.

After spending the night in Wilton at the Walmart parking lot in Nogales, Arizona, we headed to the border crossing bright and early. At the first gate, we were told that our kind of vehicle was not allowed in Mexico. We explained that it was titled and registered as a recreational vehicle/motorhome. The guard said okay, but that we would probably be stopped again with questions about the vehicle. Undeterred we headed through no man’s land to the final border checkpoint, paying our road toll at the stop along the way. When we arrived at the final crossing point, the guard told us that we were not allowed into Mexico in a commercial vehicle. He would not look at our interior or paperwork that proved we were a motorhome. He insisted we needed an import broker to get a special permit to bring Wilton into Mexico and turned us around. I get it, we look like a big red fire emergency vehicle, but it was frustrating that he wouldn’t even look at our papers.

So, we turned around and headed back to Nogales to regroup (and yes, we did have to pay the toll again as we returned). We called and visited several import brokers in town. Mostly they deal with large companies and trucks hauling merchandise, but we did find one willing to talk to us and look at our vehicle. They of course couldn’t help us after seeing the vehicle and paperwork because it is not a commercial vehicle; rather it is legally a motorhome, (which is not what they do). They said we were in a catch 22 situation for sure. To bring a recreational vehicle into Mexico you need to get a temporary import permit (which we knew, although we shouldn’t need one since we don’t drive out of what is called the no-hassle or free-zone where temporary import permits are not needed). In spite of not officially needing one, we were willing to get one; however, you get them at KM 21 (that is 21 kilometers inside the Mexican border where we can’t get). We spoke with every agency that we could think of, including the Mexican consulate, and no one was able to help.

Consequently, we headed back home to our cabin in New Mexico with a new plan. We decided that since we were so anxious to get to the water after so long, we would come home, unpack Wilton, pack up my little car (seriously paring down what we were taking), and try again with Wilton next year. Over the summer we plan to repaint our converted emergency vehicle so it looks less like an ambulance, and to get a Temporary Import Permit online in advance so we have it in hand when we try to cross the border. This seemed like a solid plan…

Backstory: For several months I have been seeing an ENT oncologist for a small lump in my neck. We have done ultrasounds and scope down my nose into my throat and a CAT scan and fine needle aspiration—all inconclusive. To me, finding no sign of cancer is a good sign, so we decided that surgery to remove it could wait until summer after we return from Mexico. To the doctors, finding no sign of cancer is inconclusive (no disrespect, I’m sure there is more to it than that. Also, I can appreciate an abundance of caution in situations involving the big C).

Anyway, as we were on our way to Mexico the doctor called. He and the surgeon were “very uncomfortable” waiting until summer to remove the lymph node. We decided to take being turned away at the border as a sign from the universe that waiting was not the right decision. Also, the hospital had a cancellation for January 4th when they could schedule the surgery, (another sign that we were now on the right path).

Quick trip: Keeping a positive attitude that all will go well and recovery will be quick, we decided to go to Mexico for a week to get the boat ready for the water. This way on our return after surgery, having already done some prep work, we should be able to quickly paint the bottom and get in the water to sail. We were glad we decided to make this trip for multiple reasons. First, the boat was filthy and neglected after two years just sitting in the boatyard. I spent the whole week just cleaning. Second, Jim found some mechanical issues while checking the systems. Nothing too serious—refrigeration didn’t work and the foot pump for the sink in the head didn’t work. Knowing this allowed us to purchase some needed parts in the US when we returned home to repair them. And finally, it turned out to be an interesting adventure. I’m not sure why we hadn't consider it prior to leaving for Mexico, but it was an experience that I hope to never have again, nor would I recommend to anyone else. We were crossing into Mexico on the Saturday before Christmas. It seemed to us that 7:30 or 8:00 in the morning was a reasonable time to cross the border—it was not. Traffic was much heavier than usual, but after we passed the first check point into no man’s land we were in stop and go traffic for two hours to get to the toll booth. It would have easily been another two or more hours until the official border crossing, except we got incredibly lucky. They opened another lane of traffic right where we were, allowing us to cruise right up to the border—this time crossing with no problems.

We stopped at KM 21 to get our FMM (like a visitor’s visa) and get our passports stamped. We have been stopping here for years and rarely has there been more than a few people here, (of course we had never been here the Saturday before Christmas). There was an unbelievable number of people waiting in line, and we stood in that line for over 6 hours! I don’t think I have ever stood in line for that long for anything. The reason we only stayed in Mexico for 7 days (yes, the day spent in line counts as day 1), is because you can stay for up to 7 days for free. The immigration agent was funny. He says, “what, you don’t have any money?” But that wasn’t it at all. Here is the typical process at immigration: The immigration agent gives you your FMM card, you fill it out, take it back to the agent who processes it, the agent gives you a receipt to take to the Banjercito Bank behind their offices where you pay your fee before returning to prove you have paid. Then you have your passport stamped. (insert sound of brakes screeching to a halt) Now, the line to the bank was every bit as long as the line to the immigration office. There was no way I was going to stand in line a second time, so we made 7 days work for us. I felt bad for everyone who was going to visit family for the holidays and had no choice but stand in line…twice.

At one point (we were about half way through the line), there was a commotion, nearly turned riot, from further ahead in the line. I don’t know the veracity of the story, but word had it that someone had given bribe money to a guard to jump the line—I was indignant!…then I began wondering just how much money it would take to jump the line myself. The second ruckus happened just as we were only four people away from getting inside the building, (oh yeah, did I mention the line was outside? And it was cold?) A man walked up and just stood in front of the door like he was next in line. Everyone was a bit perplexed at his nerve. He played ignorant as to where the end of the line was, (how blissful), and then got in next amid some protest by other by telling the guard that he had not even been in line. The audacity! The four people in front of us began to grumble more seriously to the guard. Long story short, the guard surveyed all of us in the front to verify that this man had not been in line then threw him back out. I felt bad for this man knowing he now had an over six hour wait in line, but fair is fair.

Now we are here at home in the cold waiting for January 4th and hoping that we don’t get too much snow that would prevent us from getting to the hospital and binge-watching Game of Thrones. I’m hoping that my next post will be from Mexico with news of how well the surgery and recovery went and how wonderful it is to be on the water again….

P.S. Each time we left for family visits and Mexico, we set our game cams to see what happens when we are away. It is amazing how quickly things go wild! It seems that the wildlife knows when we are not home an come visiting more often and even in the daylight hours. We saw our usual parade of cottontails, jackrabbits, and foxes. We got the rare treat of seeing a family of raccoons and a bobcat. We caught a coyote on film for the first time as it stalked by, (fortunately, they usually don’t come too close when we are home). Several elk and deer came by regularly—and we even caught a couple of young bucks who decided to but antlers.