Crossing

Consensus opinion on Baja forums is that if you’re going to San Felipe and points south along the Sea of Cortez you should cross the border at Mexicali and jump on Highway 5 right there. But I wasn’t in the mood to deal with a busy port of entry and the crush of a large city.

So I started my grand adventure at Los Algodones. It’s probably the least busy crossing in the region, even with all the snowbirds getting medications, dental work, eyeglasses, shrimp tacos and tequila. I’ve been there dozens of times. It’s familiar and laid back.

Even though I had all my documents in order and at hand, even though I knew I had no contraband, I was still a little nervous as I approached the crossing. Foreign country… different language… different procedures… different cultural assumptions… different possibilities for misunderstanding… I had never driven across before.

I rolled through the Nada que Declarar (Nothing to Declare) lane and, as standard, two border guards directed me to the curb. I parked, grabbed my papers and keys and got out. One of them motioned for me to open the van's back doors. He took a quick look, poked at the end of the mattress and said, “It’s like your house?” 

I motioned like game show model and said, “Mi casa.” He chuckled.

I started to say, “I need…”

He said, “You need a permit? Park in front of that truck, then go in the building with the green sign.” So I did.

There was no line. I placed all my paperwork on the counter and the clerk said, “Just your passport, please.” He fiddled with his computer a bit then handed me a form—the same one I’d filled out before on various flights to Mexico. 

“Twenty-seven dollars, please.” He was happy I had exact change. He stamped my passport, tucked my copy of the tourist form inside and handed it back.

That was it. The Rolling Steel Tent and I were officially in. Bienvenidos a Mexico.