Welcome to Mexico!! Some helpful tips if you plan to visit.
Customs & Immigration. Know the difference.
Bring a black ink pen. Fill out your forms on the airplane if you can. Have your passport handy you will need to know that number, date of issue, date it expires, color and number of pages, lol and country from where it was issued. This is not a test, don’t worry about failing. Flight # and airline. Know an address, street, town, and state of where you are staying, or if you have no idea, use the name of any hotel.
(My info for 2010: 102 Sauce, Bucerias, Jalisco, Mexico Phone: 322-117-9613) Copy or print this. You will need it.
Keep the pen handy, because chances are you will have missed the two signatures on the back side of the immigration form. Everybody does.
You will first enter the Immigration hall. Have you passport ready and a completed Immigration form. Use the middle or far right lanes. The lines move pretty fast, for Mexico. After the official looks you over, and does some loud stamping, he/she will remove the bottom portion of the form and return it with your passport. DO NOT LOSE this form. They won’t let you leave the country if you do.
After you get through that mess, you will follow the signs to the baggage claim area. There are 3 or 4 baggage turnstiles. Your luggage could arrive on any of them, regardless of how they are marked. Be patient. I’m probably waiting on the other side of the wall, drinking a cold cerveza. I can wait.
Now comes the fun part, Customs. With new regulations in 2009, you now have to wait in more lines to get your luggage out of baggage claim. They make you pass your suitcases and purses through an X-ray machine. (not sure who thought of this one, but welcome to Mexico) If you have sensitive film in your digital camera, you probably didn’t get that humor. After you do that, you will hand your completed and signed Customs form to somebody standing at a podium. Now comes the really high-tech part: you have to push a button. If it turns green you are cleared to proceed into the Arrivals Hall. If it turns red, they pull you aside and open your suitcases and pretend to check them. Simply a formality, go with the flow.
Now you are almost clear, except for the hall of shame, called Time Shares and Taxis. 10-20 sales people will descend on you. Just don’t make eye contact and forge ahead as you walk through 1 or 2 rooms. The other option is to politely say “No, gracias!” and forge ahead. When you see a line of people with signs, you are in the Arrivals Hall. I am probably very close.
Do not leave the airport building. Do not go outside. I won’t find you if you do. Simply head towards the right staying inside the terminal, having cleared a mass of people, look for the closest bar. Better yet, if that’s full, keep walking, there are several more. That’s where I will find you, or you will find me. The terminal is one building. You can’t get very lost.
Congratulations, you made it. On the outside chance that I got lost, my bus broke down, or I forgot, don’t panic. You may have noticed a few ATM machines, go ahead and get some pesos. You will need them to buy me a cerveza. (beer) Remember the exchange rate is about 12:1 That means if you select 1000 pesos, you are only getting about $80. The fee for ATMs is about $2.50 whether you get 1000, 2000, or 3000 pesos. Do the math, get enough pesos for the week. (hint: 3000 pesos) Don’t worry about getting too much, I will buy back whatever you don’t use. If you don’t like ATMs, then use the Money Exchange booths. Your choice.
If you’re still wearing jeans, a long-sleeved shirt, black socks, work boots, and a winter jacket, STRIP. You’re going to overheat in 10 minutes, if you haven’t already. Duck into a bathroom (Hombre Banos for guys), and put on something really comfortable, we’re going to do some walking before you get to my place. (you can wait for me, if you want, so I can watch your luggage) Buy me another beer.
Now the adventure begins. You are in Mexico with Juan Marcos. Be afraid! We’re going to have some fun. More than likely you will have had a long day. Don’t worry, I will get you back to my condo, where you can unwind, take a shower, or a siesta, or have a shot of tequila. (or all three) I don’t plan anything strenuous on the first day. Heck, I don’t plan anything strenuous any day!
Welcome to Mexico!!!!