Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
mexico
July 30
I set out from Brownsville at dawn this steamy morning and ran to
the US-Mexico border. Between the two nations is no-man's-land,
a nondescript patch illuminated by fierce lights. There were guards
everywhere, determined to stop those who try to enter the United
States illegally. Greg and Bernie had cleared my way, and I ran straight
through the barriers with minimal paperwork. Suddenly, I was in Mex-
ico, in Tamaulipas, one of the country's 32 federal entities, or states. I
joined my security escort, which was waiting there for me, and after
a quick greeting I began to run. The escort comprises eight utes with
four machinegun-armed guards in each. Four travel ahead of me, and
four bring up the rear. They keep an eye out for bandits and members
of drug cartels who may kidnap me and then demand a ransom for
my release. It has been organised for me to sleep in army or police
compounds at night. I'll mark with paint the point on the road where
I stop running in the evening, and return the next day to start again
from that spot. I realise this flies in the face of my never taking a back-
ward step or leaving the van at night, but I simply have no choice. My
movements and the route that I run have all been set out for me by the
Mexican government.
This is a place I can't wait to experience. It's famous for Aztec
ruins, Corona beer, chillies, masked wrestlers and drug wars. The latter
'attraction' brings me to my security. If I make it safely through Mexico,
I'll have many people to thank, not least the governor of Tamaulipas,
Egidio Torre Cantú, and Mexico's minister for Tourism, Gloria Guevara.
The same protection that Cantú has provided will be offered by the
governors of all the states I run through. After Cantú had been advised
of my run by Australia's ambassador to Mexico, Katrina Cooper, who
in turn had been briefed by Kim Beazley, he threw his resources at me
