Hans; I love your story; well done about checking out the passport of that scammer. I would have done the same-and perhaps verified a bank account into the bargain!
As far a dangerous places go; I have also found that one of the most dangerous places one can travel to is the Sonora Desert in Mexico (it is rife with bandidos who will kill single Americans traveling in their own vehicles and rip off all of their things; burying the poor souls wherever). If I go to Mexico again it will be via air, never by vehicle. I once took a 44 hour bus ride from Mexico City to Tiujana for the specific purpose of using the salida paper I had acquired from my attorney in the place of my exit visa which had expired. Doing this was no mean feat; the 'Gobernacion' headquarters requires an applicant for 'salida' papers to come back five DAYS in a row; going to a different office at each time. I patiently did so and finally received the papers. Anyhow, on that bus, no less than 6 times; we were stopped and pulled off the bus by 'federales'; inspected, asked for our passports AND our salida papers and then allowed to re-board without incident to any of us. Let me tell you it was not a fun trip. 44 hrs on any trip is nasty but it had to be done. I managed to sleep most of the time; only awaking for a funky chicken dinner in some hole-in-the-wall and then being transferred to a different bus somewhere because the lavatory overloaded in a most disgusting manner. Of course, after living in Mexico 3+ years; one takes all these things with good grace and does not complain. I was only grateful that none of us were killed by the federales.....and they could have done it on a whim; papers or no. Now, if one has lots of cash "la mordida" (the bite) perhaps one can bribe an officer to let one go if the papers are not to their standards; but thank God this was not required of any of us at any time. It was a complete turn-around, transferring from Tijuana to San Diego; passport firmly in hand. What a difference in cleanliness-as Tijuana is a total pigsty! anyway; cheers and there will be more posts (I messed up on the hornlist address yet again....) (dumb-and-stupid-me) Rachel _______________________________________________ post: horn@music.memphis.edu unsubscribe or set options at http://music2.memphis.edu/mailman/options/horn/archive%40jab.org
