Fully Escorted RV Caravan Tours to Mexico 2021

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Newsletter # 17 May 22, 2021

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Covid 19 updates

First of all, we fully expect all our caravans to start running as of November this year

Vaccinations are coming along well in the US & Canada, and we expect the border to re-open by the end of July. Mexico is slower, but we expect vaccinations to be almost complete there by year end. That border has never been an issue.

It is possible we may have to modify our trips a bit. Large events like the Mazatlan Carnival may be cancelled, but by then we think it will be OK.

2021/2022 Caravans

Paid deposits for our caravans are still slow, due we expect, to Covid hesitancy

Yucatan: Sold out, but we may consider adding one more small rig, email [email protected] if interested

Fall Baja: About 5 available

Spring baja: About 5 available

Spring Copper Canyon: About 5 available

3 Gems Airstream: Space available. Early Feb. 60 days approximate

Road, Sea & Rail Airstream: Space available. Late Jan 60 day approximate

Note: Airstream caravans are contracted trips. You book them through the Airstream Club. Info is in the club magazine. If you cannot find it, send an email to [email protected], and he will put you in touch with an Airstream representative.

There are a lot of sign-ups for all of these, but your spot is only secured with a deposit. First come first serve

Prices are going up 10% at the end of June (not for Airstream)

Pets

Pets on Caravans

Only Cats & dogs are allowed to be brought into Mexico. Technically speaking dogs have to have a valid Rabies record although this is seldom checked. It is more likely to be checked coming back into the US. They have now dropped the requirement to have a valid certificate of health. In theory you are also not allowed to bring dog or cat food into Mexico. Once again your chance of being checked is nearly nil.

Vets in Mexico are generally good and fairly cheap A vet is probably your best source for higher quality food. They are usually the best place to get things like collars. Flea and tick pills are easily available including the 3 month variety. A sexually transmissible form of Cancer is very common in Mexico, so make sure your pet does not try to mate with any of the locals. It is treatable with chemotherapy.

Watch for packs of dogs hanging around fuel stops, they can be aggressive if you have a small pet.

We do make arrangements for pet care on our caravans.

I have yet to find a Vet in Mexico who has a chip reader, so if your dog is lost, the chance of it being recovered that way is low. It is a good idea to go to a pet store and have a custom tag made up with your email on it.

GPS Trackers

Anyone who has lost a dog knows how that feels.

There are 2 main players in this market, Tractive and Whistle. The Whistle has 2 advantages: It is smaller and has longer battery life. It's big disadvantage is it only works on AT@T's network, so you have to be in their service area. Therefore it only works in the US, and I think in Canada. Tractive talks to any Cell network and works worldwide. Other than that, both function much the same. The subscription rate for Tractive is about 60% that of Whistle. Based on those factors I have purchased a Tractive.

I am very impressed with Tractive. The cost in Canadian dollars (USD about 20% less) is $70 for the device and then the most economical subscription is about $400 Canadian for 5 years of tracking. It seems a bit pricey, but not out of line with a normal vet bill, and it is worth it. It can be used on dogs & cats over about 5-7 lbs. It is fine on my 12 lb terrier. It will work in Mexico. It contains a SIM chip that talks to most cell networks and you can track it on a smart phone, tablet or laptop.

Cons:

1) The audible alarm is low in volume and high pitched. My 72 year old ears can’t hear it that well. My dog certainly can. It also has a visible alert that is useful at night.

2) They claim 3 days on a charge, it is really a bit more than 2 days if left on. No big deal, take the dog collar off at night and charge it. Easier than removing the device. Orient the device so the charging pins are not rubbing up against the leash clip when walking. The device sends out a text message and email when the battery is getting low. If the dog does get lost, I don’t want it running out of battery too quickly. More info and a solution under Pros below

3) You should order an extra charging cable and the package of 3 extra rubber clips at the same time, to avoid extra shipping charges. They are cheap. The charging cable is unique, so IMO a spare is a necessity.

4) They do not ship to Mexico.

Pros:

1) You can save a huge amount of battery power by setting the device to detect if it is in range of your home or hotel/RV park WiFi and go into standby. This lowers recharging rate to several days.

2) Once in blue tooth range you can narrow the device down to inches. Handy if it falls off the dog.

3) It is possible to use the audible alarm, which is not loud, to train the dog to come when it hears it

4) The size is good, you can see it on my 12 lb dog below

5) Customer Service is very good

If you use this link https://www.mexicocaravans.com/tractive , you will receive a 15% discount at checkout.

On a 12 lb dog

Should you consider getting Mexican Residency or just stay a Tourist?

The big disadvantage of this is the fact that once permanent, you can no longer bring in a US or Canadian plated vehicle. You may still be able to bring in a motorhome with a valid 10 year permit, but that is iffy. As you get older you may get to the point where you no longer want to RV in Mexico, but want to go the "fly & rent" route. It is actually probably cheaper when everything is taken into account. So why would you want resident status?

1) You can remain in Mexico more than 6 months

2) You can buy a Mexican Car

3) You can open a Mexican Bank account

4) You will be covered under Mexican medicare

Now on the last one, Mexican public health care (INSABI) is not that great, but for about $3500 US a couple you can sign up with Skymed air evacuation insurance for 5 years. Once a member, the rate stays the same. There is another alternative to check out as well (Medijet). Many people save up enough money to cover any unexpected cost down there, which is far cheaper than the US, then don't bother with expensive travel insurance.

There are 2 types of Mexican Residency, Temporal and Permanente. You can go for either depending on what assets or income you have. Temporal transitions to Permanente after 4 years without proving financial's. You can still bring any vehicle in during the 4 years you are Temporal. Income levels are per person, not per couple. However, if one member of a couple obtains Permanente, the other can subsequently obtain it under the spouse with far lower financial's. This can be done in Mexico if married. If Common law it has to be done in Canada or the US. You can also go from Temporal to Permanente in Mexico earlier with less financial's. In that case they are based on a percentage of UMA (whatever that is) which is lower than the percentage of minimum wage, upon which they base the rates that Consulates use. About 40% lower, in fact.

Temporal has to be renewed at the one year point for 1-3 more years, so you have to ensure you are in Mexico at the time. A lot of people got blind sided by this because of Covid, including myself. I have to start over.

Either of these have to be applied for at a consulate outside of Mexico, then you have 6 months to enter Mexico to process it. The financial's do fluctuate.

For Temporal, right now you require savings in the bank for one year exceeding about $38K US or $45K Can, or a monthly after tax pension income of $2200 US a month or $2700 Canadian

For Permanente, right now you require savings in the bank for one year exceeding about $150K US or $181K Can, or a monthly after tax pension income of $3700 US a month or $4500 Canadian. Not too many people clear over those amounts in after tax pension income. It can include company pensions, social security or regular monthly income from a RRIF, 401k or Pension Annuity. Just makes sure it is consistent for a 6 month period, 7 to be sure.

If one spouse qualifies for Permanente, it is best to have one Permanente & one Temporal so you can still bring in a vehicle. The other can always go Permanente easily under their spouse, once their spouse already already has it.