Mexico, estoy aqui

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"Estacianomiento!" My current favorite Spanish word means "parking lot," which isn't a terribly romantic meaning, but I like the sound, and contains a preposterous amount of syllables (seems like seven or eight?). Driving in Monterrey, my first stop in Mexico, is a bit crazy. It reminds me of traffic in Bangkok, but with fewer motorbikes and a slightly lower level of insanity. Lanes sometimes don't really exist, they come and go without warning. If there's a place to put your vehicle, use it. SEIZE THE GAP! One way signs aren't as apparent as in the US; I've screwed that up a few times. The green light with a stop sign at the same intersection still fucks me up. WATCH OUT for speed bumps and potholes, they are not usually apparent. The stop signs often seem like simply a suggestion. It helps to follow another driver I've found, because they notice all the dangerous shit you could blast into first. The traffic system is much less rigid than what I'm used to. So far as I can tell, no one gets pulled over for "not coming to a complete stop," or "not wearing a seat belt." In Monterrey, you never really need to go over 40 mph, even on the highways. In fact, just don't.. never know when that next camouflaged speed bump will appear. Also, never underestimate the power of a compass. I had mine out within an hour of being in Mexico.

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