Crossing the Border into the US
On Sunday morning our son and his bride had the Ford Explorer packed to the rafters and headed off to Toronto, Canada via Dallas, Texas and Virginia. All the necessary preparations had been made including insurance, new US license plates, all paperwork for the vehicle, passports, exit visas etc.
Getting across the border from Mexico to the US can be a tricky business, at best, depending on the agent you get at the crossing and their mood when you pull into their lane.
The thought of customs people going through all the stuff was daunting not because there was anything to hide but because there was so much. Everything from paintings to salad spinners and the usual assortment of electronic devices were carefully jimmied into their space and I doubt if you could have fit another manila envelope into the vehicle.
They had a route all planned out but at the last minute they heard about another route through Matehuala in the Mexican state of San Luis Potosi. The reason they chose to go this route was, from all accounts, it was a very safe place to stop overnight with an overloaded vehicle. Evidently, the hotel Las Palmas happily accepts pets which is a plus for many travelers.
They left about noon on Sunday and arrived in Matehuala by 8:00 pm that night. They had a good night’s sleep and crossed the border into the US without incident the next day and were in Dallas, Texas by 11:00 pm last night.
They will stay in Dallas for a couple of days visiting relatives and getting any more necessary paperwork and then will head out again for more relatives’ fabulous cabin retreat in Virginia. They will stay here for another couple of days and then head north to Toronto, Canada.
They should arrive in Toronto early next week where they have friends and family eagerly awaiting their arrival.
We are all hoping the crossing into Canada will be as straightforward as the one into the US. .
This trip was a massive undertaking for newlyweds especially as the driver was recovering from a dislocated shoulder but they are happy and glad to be starting their new life.
We wish them safe travel for the rest of the trip and I am the first to admit that I will not rest easy until I know they are both safe and sound in Toronto.