TEXAS, USA

LONG DRIVING DAYS

26 July – 4 August 2026.

Leaving Veracruz at 3 p.m., we decided to drive into the cooler evening hours rather than battle the midday heat. Pushing on until 11 p.m., stopping for the night at a truck-stop gas station. We’d spent an eye-watering $95 CAD on tolls today. The night was hot, sweaty and far from glamorous, but at least we were making progress north.

The next day was another long, brutally hot 12-hour drive toward the US border where nothing interesting happened. By the time we stopped for the night, we were once again parked at a gas station. Not exactly the kind of camping we love, but have done it many times and at this point, shade and a place to sleep were all that mattered.

MEXICO – USA BORDER

The following morning we reached the Brownsville border crossing. First job: cancelling our vehicle TIP, which took about an hour. Then, at 9:30 a.m., we joined the border lineup. With the sun burning through my side of the truck, the little thermometer read 43°C, we are the only vehicle with open windows. By the time we finally reached the immigration building, we were more than ready for some AC. We spent another hour or so inside, where we were literally the only people there.

We had pre-filled everything and paid the new $120 USD entry fee before arriving, so most of the delay centred around Tim’s waiver — a document the officers apparently had never seen before. Meanwhile, the truck was inspected, complete with a sniffer dog. I’m wondering if Canada is going to charge US citizens a $30 entry fee.

Despite the delays, the officers were friendly and polite, and eventually… we were through! No photos.

SOUTH PADRE ISLAND

Our first stop was South Padre Island, and the culture shock was immediate. After 20 months travelling through Latin America, we were suddenly back in the land of BIG. Big roads, big vehicles, big buildings, big everything, including the people. This is not really our kind of place. We took a drive around, went for a swim, and cleaned up the open-air beach showers. We were desperately in need of a proper wash, so we shamelessly took advantage — soap, shampoo and all. Avoiding eye contact with others, as I am sure we got some interesting looks, but honestly, we didn’t care.

CORPUS CHRISTI

Then it was on to Corpus Christi, where we spent three really fun days with Alexandra and Eric. We first met them in Cartagena when we shipped in, and then crossed paths again in Bolivia, where we drove the Lagunas Route together into northern Chile. It’s one of the best things about travelling this way — people we meet along the road have become friends we reconnect with thousands of kilometres later.

Alex and Eric are spending a few months here kiteboarding. Even though it wasn’t technically kiteboarding season because of the lower tides and scorching temperatures, we still managed to get out on the water each afternoon. The thermal winds were fantastic, with shallow, warm water that the kids absolutely loved and spent hours out there playing.

We camped on their driveway, thankfully with a good breeze because the nighttime temperatures were still around 30°C with 80% humidity. Not exactly sleeping weather, but it did cool down just enough at night.

SAN ANTONIO

We started our visit at the Alamo, one of the most significant historic sites in Texas. Originally established as a Spanish mission in the early 1700s, the Alamo became famous for the 1836 battle, when a small group of Texan defenders held out for 13 days against a much larger Mexican army led by General Santa Anna.

The defenders were ultimately defeated, but their sacrifice became a powerful rallying cry during the Texas Revolution — “Remember the Alamo!” — which eventually led to Texas gaining independence from Mexico. It’s featured in many movies and songs since.

Entry into the historic site is free, but you still need to register for a ticket so that numbers can be regulated. Even at 35°C at 10:30 a.m., there was a long lineup to enter the chapel. The site has done a great job of telling the story, including some beautiful bronze statues depicting the people involved.

We then took a quick walk along the famous River Walk, but the heat quickly won, so we went in search of air conditioning. The afternoon was then spent doing something much less historical but equally important: Back-to-school clothes, shoes and gear. After nearly two years on the road, it feels very strange — and exciting — to be shopping for normal school life again.

SIX FLAGS ROLLER COASTER PARK

While Tim, Jax and Charley spent the afternoon riding roller coasters, screaming and generally terrifying themselves, I slipped away to the mall for a few hours of last-minute shopping. Enjoying the time to myself, I eventually made my way back to the truck, where I enjoyed a couple more peaceful hours to myself before the park closed with a drone light show. Not nearly as spectacular as fireworks. Throwing open every window and door on the truck to try to release the accumulated heat. The inside temperature was still 34°C.

Back to the park in Boerne for our third night, where we slept with the windows and roof fully open. No need for a top sheet — the heat started creeping in around 7:30 a.m. with the sunrise. It’s noticeably less humid being away from the coast. Boerne is a charming town that has preserved its historical past with quaint stores, cafés & restaurants.

WEST TEXAS

As we continued west, we spent the night in the town of Snyder. West Texas has became synonymous with two things: heat and size.

Everything is completely flat and seems to stretch forever. We’re off the interstate and driving the secondary roads, which are far better than any road in South America — not a pothole or speed bump in sight.

We do, however, miss the beauty of Colombia. After months of lush green mountains and jungle, the endless dry Texas landscape is quite the contrast.

It was another long, hot day of driving, but we’ve been having fun looking back over the past 20 months and talking about all the places we’ve been, the people we’ve met and the ridiculous adventures we’ve had.

So many amazing memories made to last a lifetime.

That night we camped in a public park and, after dark, took showers outside to cool down and clean up. Looking like total gypsies, getting naked outside. Sometimes you just have to make your own facilities!

THE BUDDY HOLLY CENTRE

Lubbock’s claim to fame is that Buddy Holly grew up here. My parents were Buddy Holly fans, so his music is a familiar part of my childhood. I made a quick stop at the Buddy Holly Center which displayed the timeline of his short life. Piecing together the story of this young and incredibly talented musician which ended tragically in February 1959 when he died in a plane crash alongside Ritchie Valens, The Big Bopper and two others. Photos weren’t allowed inside, so I snapped one quick photo from the doorway.