Snowbirding in Mexico

[Tequila]

I am posting in this section as the question is aimed at those who normally snowbird in Az.

I have been snow-birding in Mexico now for 8 years after having done it in the SW for the first couple of years. Personally, I would never go back to spending the winter in Az, but maybe that is just me. I driven all over Mexico for 5 months a year, even led caravans, and never have had, nor seen, an "incident".

I have some questions, I am contacting some tourism officials in Mexico and trying to get them to promote the RV industry a bit more, so I have some questions.

1) Are you scared to take your RV into Mexico?
2) Do you think there are no modern RV parks in Mexico?
3) Does the lack of ULSD diesel deter you?
4) Are you simply just happy with Az?
5) Are you worried about drug cartels?
6) Are you too wary to do it on your own, or with a caravan, or buddying with others who have done it before?
7) Does the language barrier deter you?
😎 Have you ever considered going less than one day south, like Rocky Point, Kino Bay or San Carlos, all of which have modern RV parks?
9) Do you perceive Baja as safer?
10) Are you worried about road conditions?


Please no lectures on Mexico being a war zone, I have heard them all before.

[Tequila]

I actually feel safer down here than I do in the US. Except for hurricanes of course. With several other rigs with me I am responsible for it has been a tense 3 days trying to guess where that sucker was headed. One thing about Mexico, by the itme we get to Melaque which took a direct hit, in about 3 weeks, I am betting it will be hard to tell there was ever a hurricane. They fix things fast down here.

[daily_double]

Mexico is a wonderful country!!! They have everything oil, gas minerals labor force. universities, etc how ever they also have corruption and unless and until that is fixed they will stay right where they are in the world order. I love Mexico and their people but if even their own people are afraid to travel openly, that should tell you something. I talked to my dentist last month in Mexico about a recreation spot he goes to and asked him if he was afraid of the violence. (Reynosa area) he said it is safe for me but probably not you.

[qtla9111]

Me Again wrote:


What is with a country that allows stolen vehicles to be openly used on their roads and streets, with some driven by authorities?

Chris

A huge exaggeration. You need to learn more about this wonderful country I have spent most of my life in. I couldn't imagine living in the U.S. or Canada. I'm not a rich gringo, I earn pesos and always have.

In my courses that I teach in U.S. high schools I run into Mexicans studying there that literally beg me to bring them back because they are so unhappy. Mexican life is definitely different, but it is a beautiful thing.

I'm sorry the U.S. portrays Mexico in such a bad light considering that most of the problems in Mexico and other parts of the world have been caused by empire countries.

[Me_Again]

I was in Thailand for a year in the mid late 60's and felt safer there than Mexico.

I got a hit on just about all ten points you made, so we will stick with the East Valley on Phoenix for now. We just got a new 2015 RAM and I hope it never crosses the border with or WITHOUT me!

What is with a country that allows stolen vehicles to be openly used on their roads and streets, with some driven by authorities?

Chris

[Hpymils]

Tequila: To fill in answers to your ten questions here has been my experience.
1.I never been scared to travel in Mexico. But there have been times when I was concerned.
2.We have been in RV parks along the East and the West Coasts some in the central part of the country. They were sufficiently modern to meet our needs.
3.Year before last we drove a class B RV on the Sprinter that required ULSD. I don't remember how many miles we drove in Mexico, but I do remember filling the tank with Mexican diesel 5 times with no ill effects. We had the understanding that we should keep the engine a 2000 rpm or higher to keep the exhaust system clean, which meant a lot of down shifting. That was not a problem because the Sprinter had a slap stick shifter.
4.Of all the years we have been RVing we have never stayed in the States.
5.We have never been worried about the drug cartels. We were in Mazatlan two years ago when el chapo was caught.
6.We have been traveling to Mexico since 1979. Thousands of miles with out an incident.
7.Over the years I have picked up enough Spanish that we can get by in any situation.
8.We have always gone far from the boarder.
9.Never been to Baja, but would consider it safe as the rest of Mexico.
10.Road conditions are what they are. Last year the new road from Durango to Villa Union was bad in spots. We traveled a lot on the back roads and most of them in good condition. I guess that is because there isn't much traffic.
For those who are afraid to go to Mexico I understand. I know people where we live who have never traveled more than 50 miles from home in the last 20 years or so and I would suspect that those who say they wouldn't go to Mexico don't travel much either. Mexico is different. That is why we go there.

[Tequila]

Try Pakistan or Syria. Been to both. Lahore is the is the most disgusting place I have been.

[FlatBroke]

Tequila wrote:

Trackrig wrote:

John&Joey wrote:
Been to Mexico dozens of times as a tourist, but never as a snowbird. IMO people go there because it is cheap and if you have some money you can live large. There is simply way too much poverty for me to spend any real length of time in that country.
.

If you travel the rest of the world much, you'd rate Mexico in the upper half.

Bill

yeah been to most of the middle east, africa, afghanistan, pakistan, india. Mexico is definitely in the upper half.

Yeah, flew into Morocco From the Canary Islands once. Mexico is paradise compared to there. Still gives me the shivers.

[qtla9111]

Trackrig wrote:

CKNSLS wrote:


You will never see a military roadblock in the U.S.

Do I make myself clear?

I certainly did down in Texas earlier this year.

Bill

I've seen them too when I travel up the 77 from the RGV. I think we don't see many in the U.S. because of federal law. In Mexico the laws are different. I'm glad we have them, they catch a lot of traffikers and other contraband including illegals from Central America.

[Tequila]

Trackrig wrote:

John&Joey wrote:
Been to Mexico dozens of times as a tourist, but never as a snowbird. IMO people go there because it is cheap and if you have some money you can live large. There is simply way too much poverty for me to spend any real length of time in that country.
.

If you travel the rest of the world much, you'd rate Mexico in the upper half.

Bill

yeah been to most of the middle east, africa, afghanistan, pakistan, india. Mexico is definitely in the upper half.

[YZ]

awesome pictures..thanks for the share...just makes me want to go more...

[Trackrig]

John&Joey wrote:
Been to Mexico dozens of times as a tourist, but never as a snowbird. IMO people go there because it is cheap and if you have some money you can live large. There is simply way too much poverty for me to spend any real length of time in that country.
.

If you travel the rest of the world much, you'd rate Mexico in the upper half.

Bill

[Tequila]

FlatBroke wrote:
Use to all inclusive on Playa del Carmen, loved it, For 10 days a year. Figured we could stay in or trailer fo 4 months just as cheap in AZ. Been doing that for years. How ever I have friends that rent a great apartment for $800 in porta verata with swimming pool, four months. They are about 6/8 blocks from the beach. Have great bars and restaurants they go to and are inexpensive. They love it. Flight aren't as much as us driving down to AZ and don't have the hassle pulling a trailer. I'm extremely jealous and would love to do that. Have a dog, kind of leaves out Mexico altogether.

A dog is no issue, but anyone who thinks it is cheaper to drag an RV all that way rather than just fly & use a hotel is dreaming. It definitely costs more. The big difference is you see the real Mexico, which is a heck of lot different from the one you see at an all inclusive resort. The real Mexico (at least that 200 miles south of the border) is a lot better, IMO. BTW not to slam your friends but my sister in law rented a place 3 blocks from beach in Bucerias just north of PV for $500. With a pool. Probably because her brother lives there and has connections

[Trackrig]

CKNSLS wrote:


You will never see a military roadblock in the U.S.

Do I make myself clear?

I certainly did down in Texas earlier this year.

Bill

[Trackrig]

Tequila wrote:
The ratio of Canadians RVing in Mexico vs Americans has always been between 4 to 1 and 2 to 1. Canadians do not get exposed to as much negative publicity and we hear a lot of negative publicity about safety in the US, so it does not make much difference from our perspective. That is the only explanation I can think of.

I think that's funny and true. No one worries about what's going on in their own back yard because they're used to it happening all of the time. They only worry about something they haven't experienced. I think everyone should go live in another country for at least a month. It doesn't matter what country, just pick one.

Bill

[FlatBroke]

Use to all inclusive on Playa del Carmen, loved it, For 10 days a year. Figured we could stay in or trailer fo 4 months just as cheap in AZ. Been doing that for years. How ever I have friends that rent a great apartment for $800 in porta verata with swimming pool, four months. They are about 6/8 blocks from the beach. Have great bars and restaurants they go to and are inexpensive. They love it. Flight aren't as much as us driving down to AZ and don't have the hassle pulling a trailer. I'm extremely jealous and would love to do that. Have a dog, kind of leaves out Mexico altogether.