Saltillo...

Unknown location, somewhere in México, taken with iPhone from car window

Most of the major roads in México are under construction or being expanded or repaired much like those in the United States. One major difference is that in México there is little warning that road crews are ahead. There is usually a sign that is no more than 100 meters from the actual work. There might be a man waving a red flag in the distance. Another difference is that in México, outside of the metropolitan areas, exit signs are not clearly marked or are completely nonexistent. Shortly after leaving Laredo the traffic was light and I was driving along at a nice clip when the road veered to the right. I thought that this was a continuation of the main road with another road that looked more like an exit veering to the left. Very quickly I realized what I had one and that this road was under construction and ended at a deep drop off into a muddy bog. Fortunately, I was able to stop a few meters before the van would have been axle deep in the mud. I backed up to get on the correct road and was thankful we avoided what would have been an embarrassing and time consuming event. This is why it is not recommended that one drive through México at night. The highway out of Laredo toward Monterrey was mostly very good, with an occasional pothole not unlike the roads we are accustomed to in Virginia, where the transportation department is poorly funded. Aware that this is one of the areas we are warned to avoid due to cartel activity, we wanted to get as far into central México as possible that first day. Another successful navigator of this route and fellow Mérida blogger had recommended our planned stops along the way. Saltillo, in the state of Coahuila was to be the first stop. Although many people choose to travel all the way to San Luis Potosi the first day, we were planning on shorter driving days mainly for the animals.

On the outskirts of the city we spotted a brand new Holiday Inn Express and decided to spend the night there. This hotel did not allow dogs, but we were able to have a hot shower and relax from a day on the road. The dogs seemed to be comfortable in their tiny, secure space and we were parked far enough in the back to be able to run the generator and air conditioner all night. It's amazing that the van guzzles gas but the generator can run all night and the gauge barely moves.

We had another forgettable meal at a nearby restaurant and after a good night's sleep we were on the road headed for San Luis Potosi. Once again, we saw no one that looked like a gangster and for the most part we travelled unnoticed except for an occasional glance at the motor home. So far we have encountered only courteous and friendly people who try their best to understand and translate our limited Spanish.

Moving to Mexico is an Adventure....Right?

Moving from one location to another is always work, but divesting of almost everything from a current life, except for a few clothes and fewer household goods, is both exhilarating and daunting. If the move is to Mexico, it must be approached with a sense of adventure. Otherwise, a multitude of somewhat confusing bureaucratic obstacles could be overwhelming.



The above statement was my Facebook post a few days ago. Let me attempt to explain what I meant. When we made the decision about a year ago to finally make the permanent move to Mérida this September, we thought the plan was fairly simple and straightforward. We would put our house on the market, have an estate sale to empty our home of over thirty years of accumulated furniture and household goods that we had no intention of taking with us, load our motor home with a few clothes and our animals and drive away. The gently used 2004 motor home we purchased last summer is our solution for driving across the country and through Mexico to our home in Mérida. We had planned to import the vehicle in order to obtain Mexican plates in the hope that we would not stand out so much. Never mind that we have never seen a single 20 foot motor home during any of our visits. I recently contacted a customs broker in Laredo to get a quote for the importation. Needless to say, we will not be importing this vehicle at an estimated cost of a bit over $11,000.00 US. For that amount of money we can purchase a small car once we are settled in Mérida. On the other hand, that sum would likely purchase a lifetime of bus tickets and cab fares. It would be nice, however, to have a car for those times when we ...well, need a car. 

Our plan for visas has changed as well. With the new immigration law, we were thinking that we would apply for the Residente Permanente, a one time deal with no annoying yearly renewals. If we were to import the vehicle, the permanent visa would not be an issue. However, since we will now be driving a foreign-plated van, we can only cross the border with the Residente Temporal and after four years, when we will be required to obtain the permanent visa, we will have to take the van back NOB. The ironic thing about this rule is that motor homes are assigned a 10-year temporary import permit (TIP) and the Residente Temporal is only good for 4 years. 

Another thing that we are discovering (thanks to Mexico Amigos) is that if you plan to ship household goods to your new home in Mérida, be prepared to pay storage fees until you have your actual visa card in hand. The paperwork from Immigration will not get your goods released. People have reported waits of 4 to 6 weeks while their furniture sits crated on the pier (in the hot sun?). Another option would be to store the goods NOB and ship once the visa card is in hand. As I've said before, we only plan to ship a few paintings and a few small household goods, but I don't like the idea of oil paintings sitting on a pallet at the pier in Progreso. We now have to explore our other options.

It seems that everyone reporting their experiences with Immigration or Aduana has a slightly different take on the process. Purchasing a home in Mérida is the easy part. Getting there is not so easy, but all an adventure, no?
  

Two Men's Junk ...

We were up at 6:00 AM Saturday morning, setting up tables for a Yard Sale for items that did not find a home when we had the estate sale a few weeks ago. This set-up was a whole lot easier than the previous 3 day event and our expectations were not nearly as high. At yard sales, people want a $10.00 wine glass for 50 cents and a Cuisinart stainless steel coffee maker priced at $15.00 for, obviously much less, because it didn't sell.  There were the really nice margarita glasses priced at $1.00 each that no one wanted. The 27 inch iMac with a crashed hard drive actually sold very quickly. I'm certain we had that way under priced. Things like a partially used table top candle went for 25 cents and a zip-lock bag full of never used greeting cards for 50 cents. Who knew anyone still mails greeting cards in this age of e-Cards with singing elves? Hardback books at 50 cents seemed to be the most popular item and we sold dozens.

The quite chilly morning (a little late in the season for such an event) and the still poor economy failed to deliver the usual throngs waiting in line for the sale to begin. I sat outside, in my blue fleece hoodie, from 9 AM until 2 PM, and with Alan's help we disposed of miscellaneous items that had been crammed into closets and chests of drawers for decades. When the sale ended, I boxed and bagged the leftovers and waited for the truck from Victory Home to take the items back to their thrift shop.

I can't tell you how good it feels to have all that 'stuff' gone. I feel that starting this process several months in advance of the actual move is far less stressful than a last minute purge. It will be quite easy to get out of the house once it sells. We have just enough furniture remaining to meet our needs, and there will be no packing countless boxes to move to another location.

To wind down, on Sunday afternoon we took the dogs to an almost deserted beach to frolic in the sand for a while, much to their delight. We then brushed off the sand, climbed into the motor home, fetched a few tacos from the Taco Bell across the street and settled in for a nap. I think our pups actually like their new little home.

Stepping Up the Timeline II

One day, in the not too distant future, this blog will originate in Mérida, not southeastern Virginia.

A major step was taken this past weekend, when our home in Norfolk was opened to scores of people searching for antiques and other assorted housewares at bargain prices. We just ended a three day estate sale and I can tell you this... it's a lot of work and we are exhausted. We contracted with an estate sale company because we read that it is not advisable to do this on your own. It does seem, though, that we did most of the work and paid them a hefty fee to collect the money.  That being said, the sale went very well and we are now living in an almost empty house. There are still a few items remaining that will go to a local auction house and we will have a yard sale to get rid of the remaining junk. Was it an emotional experience?  Not in the least.  We have been told that letting go of material possessions can be very freeing and that is exactly the case. The moment we made a decision to purchase a home in the Yucatán we began a gradual detachment from all that we have accumulated over a lifetime. Other than a very few small items that will fit in our luggage or vehicle, everything is going.  It feels really good to have most of the furniture gone. The house is almost empty open and less cluttered and it will be much easier to keep clean once it goes on the market.

That's the next step.

Out of clutter find simplicity; from discord find harmony; in the middle of difficulty lies opportunity.” ~Einstein