vivaloha
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Registered: 11-12-2007
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Mood: mellow
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Tecate border crossing...about what time do they open?
Is it 6am or 7am?
Baja California can be a heaven or hell experience - often the determining factor is your AWARENESS in the moment.
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rts551
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5 now I believe. Used to be 6.
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DENNIS
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| Quote: | Originally posted by rts551
5 now I believe. Used to be 6. |
Yep.
A recent twist on the line-up procedure has cars being parked in line the night before and returned to before the gate opens, so as early as you hit
it, you probably won't be near the front of the line.
I like to wait til around 9:00 AM....after the work traffic thins out.
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rts551
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Dennis, depends on which direction he/she is going.
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DENNIS
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| Quote: | Originally posted by rts551
Dennis, depends on which direction he/she is going. |
Oh....yeah. I forgot that part. 
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vivaloha
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sorry - i should have more precise...heading South...when does the Mexican side border crossing / immigration dept / tourist card people begin their
day...?
Baja California can be a heaven or hell experience - often the determining factor is your AWARENESS in the moment.
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rts551
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Oh OH.. border opens at 5. But the immigration guy doesn't usually wake up until7. Even though he is there at 6. and then you have to wait for the
bank to open or pay somewhere down the line.
| Quote: | Originally posted by vivaloha
sorry - i should have more precise...heading South...when does the Mexican side border crossing / immigration dept / tourist card people begin their
day...? |
[Edited on 11-13-2011 by rts551]
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oxxo
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| Quote: | Originally posted by rts551
and then you have to wait for the bank to open or pay somewhere down the line. |
Bancomer (2 blks from Tecate immigration) opens at 9am (weekdays only).
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Pompano
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5 a.m. I was just there on Nov 5th...I was the only vehicle going south....or north.
Eeirly deserted. I figured it was the work of some pee-ohhed Duende.
I do what the voices in my tackle box tell me.
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Kalypso
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Tecate border crossing hours are 5 am - 11 pm.
I crossed south at 11 am this past Friday, Nov. 11th, no wait.
I was about to cross on Oct. 27th (about noon) except my companion realized a few feet from the turnstiles that he'd forgotten his passport so we
didn't. There was a fairly long line of cars waiting to cross. Mexican customs & immigration was doing a search of every car going south. There
was a US customs officer there with them. We assumed they were looking for weapons. They were being fairly thorough and taking their sweet time about
the search, up to 5 minutes on some cars.
I also crossed south on Oct. 7th at about 2 pm. There was a long line up a of trucks parked along the curb (all gone by the time we crossed back a
couple hours later) and 1 or 2 cars in line being quickly waved through.
Not sure, however, that you'll find any of the official offices open on the south side at 5 am, and certainly not the banks.
[Edited on 11-14-2011 by Kalypso]
[Edited on 11-14-2011 by Kalypso]
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Bajahowodd
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Location: Disneyland Adjacent and anywhere in Baja
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Reminds me of a recent experience. We spent two weeks in Baja. Since I'm admittedly somewhat of a control freak, not mention that I've driven the Baja
highway so often, I usually do all the driving.
We were headed North. I had literally driven every mile in both directions to Cabo and back.
We stopped at that big Circle K truck stop. restaurant thingy on the South side of town.
One of my passengers, who had been jonesing to drive for the entire trip prevailed. I decided that since we were just a few miles from the border, and
I was tired, she could drive.
We get to the border, second in line. We have a pleasant conversation with the agent, who then tells us to go ahead.
Before I realized, my driver went straight instead of making the right turn, and bingo! We were in the secondary.
The good thing was that the agent in secondary had a great sense of humor. After he finished his obligatory rant, and checked our passports, he
confided in me that he had really wanted to go to Cabo for the Bisbee, where we had just returned from.
Nice guy. We actually had fun with him.
Sad to report that the first agent who had cleared us, made a comment about how dangerous Mexico is.
Two lessons learned. Don't allow a newbie to drive through Customs. And realize that those who are employed by the Border Patrol/ Customs are not all
cut from the same cloth.
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