Chris made a comment yesterday that I should consider flying to Mexico this winter. I already have! So I thought I’d share my thought process to better explain why I feel that driving is the better option for me to get to Mazatlán.

Driving Pros:

-I can bring pretty much everything I want to take down with me for the winter, including my entire office setup, like my chair and printer, as well as what I need in the kitchen since I know that as much as I joke about wanting to eat out all winter, I am going to want to cook at some point.

-I don’t need to commit to the entire round trip amount at one time, ie. I can save for the gas money to come north over the course of the winter.

-I can stretch the winter season by spending time in the U.S. if needed (especially useful in the spring, as this past trip north demonstrated).

-I have control over what days I arrive and depart.

-I enjoy driving/the trip down is part of the fun.

Driving Cons:

-My truck is a gas guzzler — when the exchange rate was better, the savings in the States made the couple of Mexican tanks I’ll have to buy insignificant, but now, I’m looking at expensive fuel all the way down.

-I have to pay for hotels along the way.

-I have to go through the temporary vehicle import process at the Mexican border.

Flying Pros:

-All-in, it’s cheaper than driving.

-I don’t have to go through U.S. Customs.

-My truck won’t continue rusting in the sea air down there (I really don’t need my truck in Maz).

Flying Cons:

-No control over the dates I get there and have to leave.

-Getting to and from the airport in Regina will be a huge hassle. I’ll either have to leave my truck here all winter and bum rides to and from Assiniboia to catch the bus or pay for storing my truck in Regina all winter.

-There are no direct flights from Regina to Maz; flights go through Calgary or Vancouver and are poorly timed so I’d very likely lose a full night of sleep. I don’t handle losing sleep well and the recovery will cut into my enjoyment at arriving in Maz.

-I can’t bring everything I need for the winter and would be limited to the computer equipment I can fit in a carry on.

-I’m limited to my 180 days in Mexico and traveling directly between it and Canada, so I’d have to go straight home in late April/early May (brr).

-I’d have to commit to the round-trip ticket now. I know some people just buy a one-way and look for deals for the trip home there, but knowing my luck at the border, I’ll have to show a proof that I’m planning to go home, ie. a return ticket.

When you add it all up, it boils down to the fact that I love the drive. It’s a decompression period for me, even if I am planning to do a cannonball run this time around. If I was dreading the drive, flying would be more appealing. But I’m just thinking of getting all my luggage from Haven to Maz and feeling rather faint at the thought. Driving actually feels like less trouble!

Of course, if I get a bad inspection report, I could change my mind…