We Spent 6 Hours in Mexico Today!

(Grab a snack, this one is long) 
Nolan: Today was the day; the day we enter our new country, on the way to our new home. Sounds exciting, right? It was until it wasn’t. 

To start, we didn’t know the border crossing was so damn close, and we were not ready. No big deal, we kept our cool and made it thru…no big problem. 

Bridget: Yeah, no big problem. We got pulled aside by an agent who spoke no English and I was terrified, but Nolan kept her cool, so there was no big problem. 

Nolan: So we breezed thru the border crossing and off we went to find the immigration office to get our passports stamped. 

Bridget: One would think that would be a building close by, right? 

Nolan: And, it was! Only we didn’t know that because of our poor Spanish and we spent hours driving around visiting all the wrong government buildings. They were all very nice, and well guarded. 

Bridget: Did you know you have to take your hat off when inside a government building? We know that now. 

Nolan: Anyway, hours later, we finally circled back to the building right next to where we entered Mexico. Of course, it was the wrong building. But luckily someone told us the right building was right across the street. 

Bridget: After trying to enter the parking garage thru the employee only entrance but unable to figure out why the thing won’t give me a ticket and raise the arm, and cars are backing up behind me all waiting to get in, until finally a very nice gentleman got out of his car to come explain to the gringo that I can’t get in that way and why. Then all these civil servants had to back up to let me out 😬

Nolan: So, we finally find the right place and we get our passport stamped. Then off we go again to find the Temporary Import Permit office. 

Bridget: After going to, what I can only guess is the headquarters (which is where Google sends you when you search for Banjercito) and get told “they don’t do that there” we find another address and drive another hour away. Have I mentioned the state of the roads or devil-may-care way of driving yet? The good roads are a generous two lanes but it is treated like three lanes. There is no paint to show you the lane. It is just one big road and y’all just have to figure it out. 

Nolan: So we find the spot. Then we find out we were given a 7 day entry instead of a 180 day entry. 

Bridget: The Banjercito had an immigration office as well, so we go to that window to see if they can fix it. Dude was nice but super confused. At one point he called up the woman behind us to help her then asked her to translate for us. 

Nolan: So, we got the visas corrected for 180 days, but by that time it is 4:30pm. Sunset was an hour away. 

Bridget: I mentioned the good roads but the bad roads are why you don’t drive at night. The moon crater-sized potholes and these killer speed bumps that are not pained and just come out of nowhere are intimidating enough during the day. I really don’t know how anyone manages at night. 6 hours and we never got further south than within eyesight of the wall. 

Nolan: So here we are back in stupid El Paso. We are going to research, regroup, and replan…then try again. 

Bolt: No me gusta.