South to North...Day 12: Nuevo Laredo to Monterrey!

DAY 12

Thursday, July 24, 2014
Nuevo Laredo, Tamaulipas, Mexico to Monterrey, Nuevo Leon, Mexico
Weather: Sunny, 39 celsius (HOT!)

Breakfast was delicious, with fresh fruit, toast, refried beans, eggs and cheese. There were several military personnel staying at the hotel and I captured this photo through the window.

We hit the road headed for Monterrey.  About 30 minutes into the drive, we arrived at a checkpoint. I pulled up to the window and handed over our passports. The guard looked at the documents and then looked back at me, saying that I'm missing something. I explained that I already have a visa in my passport, but he insisted that we can't cross without another document that I was missing. Javier was driving the truck behind us and was watching the exchange. After some discussion with the guard, we realized that we had to turn around and head back to the border again, in order to get a Visitor's Tourist Visa (the small form that you usually get on the plane when traveling to Mexico). To save some mileage, we parked the truck at an Oxxo on the highway, and Ricardo stayed with Javier's uncle, while Javier and I headed back to the border in the Honda. I finally realized why I should have gone through the declaration line. After 2 hours of waiting in line, filing out forms, making photocopies and an unexpected payment of $200, we finally left the border for a second time. 

The drive between Texas and Monterrey is stunning. The landscape is relatively flat at the beginning and eventually you start to see the mountains creeping up from the green, growing steadily as you get closer and closer. 

It was a good thing we had the truck, as the Honda struggled on some of the inclines. 

We approached the city from the north, and the traffic gradually picked up. 

I'd forgotten all about the traffic in Monterrey. Sigh.

The streets started to look familiar, and eventually we pulled up to the house. Finally home!

It felt so good to arrive to a full house and Mango Nadas!

Although the trip took a little longer than expected, it was an incredible experience that I'll never forget. We are so thankful to the many people that made this journey possible... friends helping us with last minute moving and keeping us sane during a stressful time, Ricardo for being so patient with us both, our great hosts in Nashville & Dallas, our new friends/mechanics/life savers in Dunkirk, and our families and friends for support and prayers for a safe trip. Here's to wonderful memories and new adventures on the horizon!

Much love xoxo
Rosalie