Don't be daft !

Did you miss read the above posts ?

Mexico is as safe as any where else you intend travelling. Just choose a border crossing, get a 100Ks past it and relax.

Do *not* bypass Mexico. It is a beautiful country full of good people.

You can get shot in LA/New York etc etc, just as easily.

We did 3.5 weeks in Mexico last year (and went to see Garry in Mexico City). All military stops were real ones.

*No* problems.

The US/Canada gov warnings need reading carefully.

eg: The US site warned that if we went to Lago De Atitlan (Guatemala) the road was closed and the "back" road was full of bandits.

As it turned out the back road had been tarmac'd and was patrolled by police because of these stupid false warnings.

If we had not gone, we would have missed a great experience.

You are missing a great country and a great trip.

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http://www.ytc1.co.uk

It's disturbing how much scare-mongering goes on. It's not just an American thing either - I think every government does it, either through wanting to 'err on the side of caution' or something more sinister (making the grass seem greener on this side of the fence).

I've never seen anything in the European press about forced organ removal, although we did have some pretty graphic reports of people being disemboweled for opposing drug gangs in Mex.

I think we sometimes forget that "adventure travel" ...or whatever we want to call it means different things to different people. To some it might mean flying to Cancun and going on a bus tour and to others it might mean rolling our eyes at the exaggerated news reports and rumors loosely based on some isolated events, and heading out anyway. To others it might mean going into active war zones.

We're all at a different "level" when it comes to travel. But it still saddens me when someone decides to bypass an absolutely amazing country due to internal drug violence, not directed at travellers, and exaggerated news reports. I found Mexico to be one of the highlights of my visit ...from the lonely, rugged stretches in the north, to the central colonial cities filled with hospitable people, to the culturally rich south, to the long stretches of Pacific coastline. I'd go back in a heartbeat to meet more of these wonderful people.

By going directly to Lima you'd also be missing the very interesting and friendly Central American countries. Guatemala is one of these small countries jam packed with wonderful discoveries around just about every bend. I too was warned not to stray from the Pan American there. Of course I ignored the scare mongering and explored the back roads around Lago Atitlan and found them to be absolutely spectacular, not to mention quite thrilling on a motorbike. Not once did I feel threatened or in danger while travelling in Mexico (6 times via various methods) and Central America.


...Michelle
www.scrabblebiker.com

Mexico - est. 35K drug related murders in 3-4 year period

USA - est. 14K+ murders EVERY YEAR

4 divided in 35K equals 8.75K.....Mexico


GOOOOOOOOOOOOOAAAAAAAAAAALLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLL USA !


http://www.nationmaster.com/graph/cr...ers-per-capita

http://www.nationmaster.com/graph/cr...-with-firearms

I honestly think that the vast majority of the folks murdered in Mexico the last few years have been involved in the drug trade in some way. If you are a tourist passing through, stay away from the drug scene, and use a bit of common sense, Mexico is still a relatively safe place. I can't see how Lima is really all that much safer than a large city in Mexico.

And besides, this is -motorcycle- touring we're talking about. I think that dealing with crazy drivers and city traffic poses a far, far greater danger than being mistakenly shot at by drug dealers.

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Bruce Clarke - 2020 Yamaha XV250

at Palomas Mexico

the official word from people I know who may be involved with the Narcos is that, 'seguro' (for sure) in Palomas, it's hand's off the Gringos, and no dealing drugs in town to them...otherwise you get buried with 19 others about 5 miles south of town...

..same people have told me that this is SOP for all of Mexico...don't kill tourist, don't deal drugs to them...it brings the military in hot n heavy -
and they shoot back.

I think except for the small time crooks and snatch thieves, Mexico is safer than Detroit.

Zig

Aren't the Shining Path still active in Peru ?

He'd better miss that then.

And I heard the FARC are up to tricks again in Columbia, then they have all those nasty road blocks in Bolivia.

If he goes straight to Chile he should be ok there, except in Punta Arenas where there seems to be some shooting of Prostitutes going on.

And he won't want to go to Argentina, all the police are corrupt there (apparently :-) )

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http://www.ytc1.co.uk

Me and my wife are riding two up around the world. Currently we are in Mexico and it just so happened that we stayed in Veracruz two nights ago only a few miles away from where they dumped the 35 bodies. We only found out the next day when I was reading the paper. Even with all that going on we don't feel that Mexico is more dangerous to travel than anywhere else in the world. The people are friendly and helpful. Of course you need to use common scene just like anywhere else. I must say that we felt more worried driving through some neighbourhoods in the US than driving around Mexico. The element of crime is everywhere so don't let that stop you, just get out there and enjoy the world, you are the lucky one being able to do so having the means and the freedom to venture wherever you want to.

Mark