Viva Mexico!

We took some time with our families in Arizona and a break from technology (okay, not total, but little Facebook and no blog posts), so it's time to start truly sharing our Mexican adventure!!

Mariposa Rd Crossing - Nogales, AZ/MX

We crossed the border in Nogales (Mariposa Road entry) around 6:30am on December 30th, having spent the night at the Candlewood Suites in Nogales, AZ the night before, making an early crossing was easy.  We made sure we had a full tank of gas, as Mexico is experiencing gas shortages throughout the country.  The border was pretty empty, no military checkpoints, and we had nothing to declare with customs, so that part was a breeze!

Immigration & Banjercito for our FMM & TIP

Since we are going beyond the "free zone", our next stop was immigration to get our FMM (Forma Migratoria Multiple, AKA tourist card).  It's the same thing you'd fill out if you're flying to Puerto Vallarta or other places in Mexico.   Also, since we're driving our car out of the "free zone" we needed to formally import it by obtaining a TIP (Temporary Importation Permit) from the Banjercito.  The key with the TIP is to turn it back in when you leave Mexico or they keep the deposit, which for our Jeep was $400.  We had the proper paperwork ready and were done with the whole process (FMM & TIP) in less than 90 minutes.  Not bad!

Is it Arizona or Mexico??

Then we were truly on the road to San Carlos.  Honestly, this part of the journey looked much like the Arizona desert.  The federal highway was very good (a few construction spots).  There were places to grab gas & eats along the way and the tolls were about what we had expected.

Bill is amazing, especially when driving on our road trips!  He's not a morning person, but he kicked into gear this morning and rolled us into San Carlos around 2pm where we'll relax for a few nights!






He and Sweet Pea were taking a much deserve nap on the outside couch within an hour of our arrival!!

Happy trails and positive vibes!

Bill & Sam