Plotting and Scheming 

Some new people added to my list. A note of explanation: I am driving to

Belize -- a daunting adventure, at least -- and I will recount my

experiences as I go. This may be some good information to future

adventurers, and a little thrill to some of my friends!

It's Monday nite, and I leave Thursday. I have been very worried about

going across the MX border with "electronics" -- rumors that they

confiscate stuff, individual interpretations of the laws (always a

problem) -- so I wrote an eMail to my friend Steve Kuylen, the best customs

broker -- in my estimation -- on the MX/BZ border and he didnt answer!! I

called him today, and he hasn't checked his email in a week because BTL is

so flakey. (Does that sound familiar?) He said "Yes, the TX/MX border is

tricky for electronics. Some people get stuck in between, and have to pay

duty on stuff to get it back into TX."

Note: I used 10-10-987 to call belize, and it worked pretty well. You

should check their website. About $1.00 to place the call and 40 cents a

minute. (www.1010987.com)

Six years ago, I had some dealings with a shipping company in Houston called

Colombo, which specializes in shipping to Belize. I gave them a shotgun

that I didn't want to take thru Mexico!! Anyway, I thought they went out of

business because I was spelling it "Columbo" -- like the detective -- but

they are still very much alive and thriving. So I chatted with Ernest

Colombo today, and he verified the fact that I could have a lot of problems

taking my amplifiers & misc. electronics stuff into mexico. So I think I

will go there and ship the stuff that looks questionable. If you are

interested in the service, it is Colombo Services, Inc. in Houston, and you

can find it on Qwestdex. I will put more details on the web after we have a

successful transaction!

It has turned very cold here (30's and rain, turning to freezing rain, I'm

sure) and I am really looking forward to leaving this chilly place, as much

as I love it in the summer.

I got a call from my friend Jack, asking about the "old truck" It is a 1979

Ford Courier, with a nice big topper, and I have put some improvements --

new windshield, rebuilt the carburetor, tune-up, new tires. So far, it runs

good, but you never know. It is newer than the 76 Scout I took to Belize

before, but that had a rebuilt engine & tranny. We shall see.

More later, of course.

Rick Z.

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Note: (Jan 2005) Most importers in Belize DO NOT come thru Mexico any more.  It's that bad. 

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