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I drove from here, SoCal, to Costa Rica, at the time I wasn't interested in sightseeing, I was building a house in Costa Rica and took a truck FULL of stuff, the new stove, kitchen sink, all door hardware, etc. We drove to Brownsvill and crossed because we were looking for the least time of drive in Mexico. You can't, shouldn't, don't do it, drive outside a city at night once you cross the border. No place south of Texas. Get a safe looking hotel before night, get your truck in side lock it up and go get something to eat. Get up early the next morning and hit it. The animal life they talk about on the highways at night has guns.
We were stopped by the police/military 10 times before the Guatamala border. There are regular government stops but these were just roadblocks to get money. You can just give them a few pesos and make them happy. We went down the gulf side to Vera Cruz, cut across through Chiapas to the Pacific side to get into Guatamala, cross all of the borders as early in the morning as you can. If it turns out you can't get to the border before 11am I think you should stay back and come at it the next morning. There will be people asking to help get you through the system at every border, pick someone you think you can trust and let them handle it for you. The border people like it that way, you are helping the locals and it really is faster.
Every border, and everyone that stopped us asked if we had guns, you don't want to get caught with guns. I took two but I broke down the spare under my F150 4x4 and wrapped them in foam, taped them to the rim and put it back together. You couldn't get to them but I just wanted the in Costa Rica. If anyone had found them I wouldn't be telling about it here.
Once you get into Guatamala everything just seems more realaxed, no cops hassling you, the drivers are better, really a nice drive through Guatamala.
I drove through El Salvador but wouldn't do that again, I would take a different route, more easterly and go into Honduras, totally miss El Salvador and save yourself a lot of trouble. Honduras was cool, then Nicaragua, the poorest country in SA, but we never felt any hostility, I would live there. My wife won't. Then Costa Rica and Panama.
The roads are generally good and gas/diesel is everythere, my truck had two tanks and I always kept one full or close. Never did let the second one get down.
I do believe it is a fun and interesting trip but you can't be too carefull.
Every border is a pain in the butt and at every one they tell you, "don't drive at night".
I would do it again but not with my wife, I would have to go with one or two guys. It is just easier.
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