Wow…after nearly a year of planning…we’re finally ready to leave the country and head down to Mexico on October 30th. If you’ve ever wondered what some of the details are to make a trip of this type possible, here’s a very short list of what we’ve done so far:
Figure out where we wanted to go in Mexico (this was no small task….it’s a huge country).
Find a place to rent for November while we look for a long-term rental (1 year or more).
Purchase all the maps we will need once we cross into Mexico.
Which route to take? Which border crossing? Toll roads or not? What time of the year?
Reserve pet-friendly motel rooms for the trip down and back…in the US and in Mexico.
Take the big RAM truck or get something smaller to better maneuver the small village roads? We ended up buying a mid-size SUV after determining the RAM was too long, too wide and too tall.
Figure out a way to pack everything and still have room for Tuck (we opted for a roof-top carrier for all of our stuff). I’m sure the border guards will have fun looking through that!
Purchase Mexican car insurance (note-US auto insurance is no good in Mexico).
Have our vet fill out the proper forms needed to take Tuck into and out of Mexico. This was a lot more involved than we originally thought.
Study Spanish! Yikes….learning a new language is tough.
Fill out the Temporary visa papers (aka, the TIP form), which must be presented at the border.
Get new Arizona drivers licenses, so our car title and licenses would all show an AZ address.
Purchase some pesos to have on hand once we cross the border. Learn the conversion rate.
Pack all of my camera gear. Three cameras, multiple lenses, tripod, etc.
Get all of Tuck’s food ready.
Stop the mail and papers and make sure all bills are set up to be paid online.
Whew…I get tired just typing all this! Since we have traveled a lot in the last couple years, we’re pretty good at organizing and getting things done. For anyone reading this who hasn’t traveled recently, we would suggest starting a year in advance to get everything ready.
Stay tuned for upcoming posts as we head to Texas and prepare for the border crossing!
Cheers!
Wayne, Claudia & Tuck