After dropping my friend Bobby off at the Villahermosa airport I headed towards the Northern border of Mexico which required that I drive West for most of the first day. From Palenque the roads had become as fast and easy to drive as any that I had seen in Mexico. With few exceptions this road quality was maintained and improved all the way to the border and I think that it would be possible to drive from Palenque to the border in about three full days.

Beyond the nice roads the gulf coast of Mexico has many differences from Mexico’s Pacific coast. The gulf coast seems a much more populous region and the gentle coastline with it’s flat highways and large ports is much more industrial than the parts of the Pacific coast that I saw. Close to my path were many interesting sites including old colonial cities, ancient ruins, beaches, high mountains and volcanoes.  I passed most of these sites by as I made my way to the border. I did make a few stops and spent a few nights in a nice hotel in the city of Tampico which gave me a chance to prepare for crossing back into the U.S.

These five days that I spent travelling from Villahermosa to the border city of Matamoros were largely uneventful outside of my run-in with a traffic cop in the city of Tuxpam that involved his wanting $800 (U.S.) from me since I wasn’t wearing my seatbelt. Instead of the money that he wanted he ended up with about fifteen minutes of my “no intiendo” routine and $20 (U.S.). As I drove away I was surprised and angry at the traffic cop for taking advantage of me. This event was surprising after months of meeting people across Mexico that were very friendly and hospitable.

When I reached the border I spent a few hours shopping before crossing back into the U.S. and was happy to find that many of the wares that I had seen in Mexico were available and often for lower prices. A few blocks from the markets I entered the line of cars that were Texas bound. The wait was only about an hour which I easily spent calling folks on my newly working cell phone. Above the Rio Grande I realized that I had missed the vehicle importation permit return. With no other option I continued to the crossing and was hopeful that I could walk the ticket back over or turn it in on the north side of the border. The guys searching my car were nice enough to explain to me that I did indeed have to cross back over into Mexico to turn in my importation permit. After paying my taxes and getting my gear back in the van I headed back to Mexico. This time I found the return station and successfully returned my permit before again waiting in the hour long line over the rio grand. Fortunately the agent on the U.S. border recognized me and waived me through the inspection center and on into the U.S.

Back in the U.S. I noticed a lot of similarities to the border city that I had just left in Mexico. The biggest differences that I noticed immediately were that everyone was speaking English and that the road quality was amazing. They both made me realize the extra effort that I had been putting forth in Mexico but had gotten used to. Able to read the numerous road signs I quickly made my way to North 77 without even stopping to consult a map and was soon speeding north with a wide shoulder on each side of the road and without the worrying about topes for the first time in Months.

Even though I am now back in the U.S. the trip doesn’t seem to have reached it’s final ending yet. Maybe when I return to North Carolina it will have ended, or maybe after our groups reunion at Every Bus the trip will be finished? Since one of the best parts of this trip was the great people on it (and in it) this trip may continue as long as we all stay in touch and keep sharing adventures together? I hope that this is the case and that we eventually get to live out the many plans that we constructed when together in Mexico.

Jonathan Poole
Tupelo, Mississippi

Posted on April 7th, 2008 by Poolio
Filed under: Jonathan Poole