the border

I cross the border a lot!  Usually 3-5 times per week.  Here's a little bit of what I see and do on the way to Texas...and back!

first, you have to pay the toll.  I pay 24 pesos (a little over $2.00 with the current exchange) 

& to leave Mexico & $2.50 ($3.00 on weekends) to leave the US

there are several warnings along the way into the US...no vegetables, fruits, plants, animals, etc

So then you drive across the bridge & this is where the differences in border patrol in The States is a little different from border patrol in Mexico....

If traveling into the US, they stop every car, ask to see passports, usually like to look inside the car (sometimes under with mirrors), and ask you a ton of questions- sometimes the same question over and over just to make sure your story doesn't change.  At that point, they either let you go through, or send you through a secondary inspection (something they do a random secondary inspection as well- that's the only time I've had to do that).  At this point, they look under the hood, bring out the dogs, sometimes even put the car on a lift & search underneath.

If traveling into Mexico, you drive through a lane and stop at the end to wait for the light...it's either red or green.  

Green means go ahead- no inspection necessary.  Red means you have to pull over where they do a very simple search of the car...and usually let you go within 5 minutes.

Sorry no pictures at the US border...as you can imagine, they are a bit more strict and I don't think they would take kindly to me photographing my journey!