Wake up time. Leash time. And wouldn’t you know it, they do serve breakfast. Guess it’s the proverbial left hand not knowing what the right hand is doing. Coffee and a doughnut and stashed some fruit. Problem is I never eat when I first wake up and after years it really is hard to force myself to eat when I can barely open my eyes. Listened to a lady’s tale of woe trying to get back into Mexico with her pets after years of marriage that only just fell apart. She was totally fretting because where she has to leave them in Mexico she is worried that they will not get the pampering they are used to. I know I have her email somewhere, I hope everything worked out for her.

We were not far from the border into Nuevo Laredo. Was I nervous? Damn right I was. I had many people give me pointers about the crossing, many who were concerned that I was alone and travelling in Mexico. All sorts of things were racing through my mind. Before anything though I had to put the sticker on the windshield sent to me from the Mexican government so I could drive my car in their country. That and fill the car up as gas is more expensive in Mexico but prices right near the border are not that special which does not surprise me at all. That done, passport, papers etc are ready for customs to see and give me the approval or not.  And off we go. There is a bridge to cross the river for a small fee and then bang you are in Mexico. Obviously I got the green light although I didn’t see it and I was through check-point one.  All the reading I did and route I carefully wrote fell apart immediately leaving customs. Bear left as soon as you leave customs.

Do not travel through Nuevo Laredo. Well that bear left could not have been more than ten feet out of customs and of course I missed it. So here I am driving through a town that everyone told me not to do. Great. I knew I had to make it to the road that goes around the town and that was to my left by all calculations. I made it, no problem but I see what everyone was concerned about, certainly not the place to park the car and hang out for awhile.  Now safely on the right road we make our way to the next checkpoint which is about 30km from the border. Here is where they examine everything.  Ok, Seven hang tight, let’s see what happens.

There are three customs men staring at me, my car packed with stuff and Seven remaining very still. They all look at my passport and ask where I am going. Then they start smiling and kind of laughing. Oh shit what now. They did not ask for any paperwork on the car, for Seven or ask to see the on-line visa I had. They were laughing at my middle name – Joy. Yep, that’s me, one big bundle of Joy. And with that I was in Mexico. It was all surreal. Nothing was scanned, nothing was checked. Had my passport back and was back on the highway heading towards Monterrey.

Trying to read my notes, take everything in while I am in a bit of a daze.

The road soon becomes quite different as we head into the Eastern Sierra Madre and the butterflies. Wow all the butterflies. There are even signs on the highway to slow down which I am not really sure is effective.  It was really quite beautiful thousands of them in swarms. My welcome into Mexico. All is going well. I am staying on the paid highways and not the free “libre” roads. If one gets stuck, help will be there eventually so I was told.  This was going to be my shortest day on the road and should have maxed at 4 hours.  Up and down mountains I can feel the car struggling. Oh man please don’t fade on me now. Everything was fine and I am sticking to my route plan to get to my Airbnb reservation in Arteaga just outside Saltillo.

Well unknowingly I missed the damn turn.

Stopped at a few places to ask directions and no-one knew Arteaga. Not surprising it is a small suburb really of Saltillo. Eventually one man was able to help me and I was basically an hour at least out of my way. Turn around and boot it back. I take the free road and not the paid highway which was fine but ended up west of Saltillo. And I was now lost. Stopped at a corner bar and these 2 gentlemen guided me in the right direction – I followed them to the highway. Still no Arteaga. It was getting late. I was freaking. I tried to call the owner of the place where I was booked for the night but to no avail. Now I was really freaking. Finally I get hold of her and she is in Cancun so sends a taxi driver to meet me and guide me to her house. Honestly I don’t think I would have found it by myself.  We then look for the keys and they are not there. Off the taxi driver goes to get the keys. The house is beautiful. He then takes me to this small restaurant and I have the best coffee I have ever had, seriously.  I walk back to the house and grab some beer, have a shower and let out this huge sigh of relief and settle in for the night. Seven was happy, he had a whole house and a backyard!!

What a day. End of day six.