I flew to Mexico from Houston, Texas. There are direct flights from Houston to various cities in Mexico. So the flight is inexpensive and short. Even though I had to drive 800 miles to Houston and another 800 miles from Houston back home to Valdosta, the net expense is cheaper than flying from any closer airport.

There is a hotel outside the Houston airport which offered the promotion of a night in the hotel, plus up to 14-days of parking for $85. (I've decided not to put the name of the hotel here. It was a one-time promotional offer.) The hotel also had free shuttle service to and from the airport.

I drove from Valdosta, Georgia to Houston, Texas on Friday and Saturday, 17 and 18 March 2006. On Sunday, 19 March 2006, I flew from Houston (IAH) to the Bajio airport (BJX) which serves the cities of Guanajuato and Leon in the state of Guanajuato. The Continental flight cost $189. It was from 9:35am til 11:58am.

From the Bajio airport I took a taxi to the hotel in Guanajuato. This is expensive (330 pesos), but quick and convenient. The Lonely Planet guide suggests that one could take a taxi to the small town of Silao and take a bus from there to the Guanajuato bus station and then a local bus to the city center. This might take much of the afternoon, and with lugguge it would be uncomfortable.

I spent the first night (Sunday 19 March) in Guanajuato at the hotel Posada de la Condesa.

Here's a quick summary of the rest of the trip:

There was no hot water at this hotel, even though the management said that there was. My understanding of Spanish is poor, but it seems like when I was checking out and I mentioned the lack of hot water, they told me that I have to inform them when I want hot water and they will turn it on. But possibly I understood them wrong. That seems ridiculous even by Mexican-hotel standards.

The hotels at which I stayed, other than Posada de la Condesa, which had not hot water, were all acceptible. If I return to Guanajuato, San Luis Potosi, or Ciudad Victoria, I will likely again stay at Hotel del Conde, Hotel Pricipal, and Hotel Los Monteros, respectively.

I caught early buses. The restaurants I checked did not open for breakfast until 7:15 or later. I brought several Balance Bars (a candy bar disguised to look like health food) with me which I ate for breakfast on days which I took buses. Candy bars are hard to find in Mexico.

The bus station in Guanajuato is several miles from the city center. It is not reasonible to walk. In San Luis Potosi, Ciudad Victoria, and Matamoros the bus stations are within two miles of the city center. One could walk, if not carrying too much luggage.

I took either a bus or taxi from the bus station to the city center, except at Matamoros, where I walked about two miles to the bridge to Brownsville, Texas.

Crossing back into the USA, I expected to come to a check point where I would return my tourist visa card (FMT). There was none. A Mexican official requested to see my passport. When I showed him my FMT he directed me to continue with the crowd toward the bridge. I soon found myself in the middle of the bridge, still holding my FMT. I did not want to turn around, because I was carrying a heavy backpack and everyone was walking in the same direction. So I still have my FMT. I hope that next time I visit Mexico I don't have problems because their computer shows that I never left.

In Brownsville I took a taxi to the airport and rented a car from Avis and drove to the Houston airport. This cost $107. I could have taken Greyhound for less (like for $25) but this would take me to downtown Houston and I wanted to get to the airport.