AmbergrisCaye.com Home Forums Talk Belize Travel How safe is a road trip thru Mexico/Costa Rica?

One of the guys that I work with is from Guatemala who has occasionally driven from CT to his home in southern Guatemala. I asked him about driving through Mexico and he said that he always waits for someone else driving the same direction as he preferrably going in a caravan with several vehicles. He figures that he was safer that way. He was just home about a month ago and said that his country is getting more dangerous and he didn't feel very safe. He's looking to retire in Florida not Guatemala. Of course he's almost 50. I also remember when I was living in Botswana and was 25 and decided to drive up through Africa. That was in the early 70's and the African continent was in great disarray. You couldn't tell me that it was a bad idea. Never did make the trip and still regret that I didn't do it.

Sally,
I live 100 miles north of Laredo, Texas and I USED to go to Nuevo Laredo all the time (even alone a time or two) years ago. HOWEVER, with the violence that has been happening not only along the border towns but within the country as well, there is NO WAY that I would advise anyone to drive through Mexico. The main problem is the drug cartels are not only fighting amongst themselves but they are also fighting the police/federales. They use any kind of leverage that they can whether it is kidnapping locals or tourists in order to help them get attention that they are "bad arsses" and that they control that part of Mexico. And they cower down to no one. Most kidnapped wind up dead. While this problem used to be along most of the border towns (the worst one being Juarez) it has now spread down to the inner cities and towns. Just the other day I heard where some people (not cartel members) were killed in the Vera Cruz state (which runs along the Gulf of Mexico) I was considering doing the same thing and drive down there at one time a couple of years ago, when most of the problem was centered around Juarez and Mexico City, but when people are leaving their towns because of the drug cartels being in control, I thought better of it. And considering what happened to that young couple just a few months ago on Falcon Lake, the USA and the Mexico government can't even lean on the cartel to give the body up (IF they still have it).. So IMHO……………. NO! Don't DRIVE in MEXICO!

Friends of mine (5 guys), one a retired police officer, were going to make the trip on motorcycle in August and were turned back form the border by homeland security. They were told that if you get into trouble in Mexico now that you will get no support from the U.S. government, you are on your own. Its a free for all.

BS.

KC, it's not really about the money. It's about the adventure, and the notoriety they want to achieve as "film makers" if you can call it that. Their school, Columbia in Chicago, has already given them some press in the school paper. Just think about it, which documentary do you want to see?- the one that looks like a Rick Steve's trek through the countryside or a reality based, adventure packed, dangerous as heck, live through it to talk about it(hopefully) kind of documentary that keeps you kinda on the edge of your seat.

It's that kind of movie that gets the filmaker attention and as I type this, I realize those kids can never see this thread, because I so see why they want to do this while I totally get the dangers too. I would suggest that they pitch the idea to a network as a reality based show because that would mean that they would at least have a camera crew and some back up with them but don't want to get their parents upset.

well, if they do it, I want to see the movie!

Any updates Sally?

The problem is that the son and parents are not talking at all now because of the situation. So the parents don't know if the son has replaced the passport yet or if he knows that he doesn't have his passport.

We're spying on him via facebook, and I guess the guys set up a website for the trip. I'm going to post the website here as soon as I find out what it is. So far the trip is still on for next week. Thanks for all the posts amd pm's. I'll keep you updated. I think there's a lesson here for parents- never forbid anything. It makes kids want to do it even more.

WEll, if they are in college, they're grown and can do what they want.

Back to the serious question - it is a TERRIBLE idea to do this - and it's not even that interesting as a film idea.
Just dumb.