Hey! Just checking to see if anyone here has any ideas on travelling to Mexico and Belize by bus from the United States or even by boat? I would love to rough it out through these countries and safety is not too much of a problem (I am of Belizean descent). Hopefully someone has got some ideas? Thanks a lot! :)

Yes, I have some suggestions for you. I live near the border and often travel in Mexico. I call it my "Poor Man's Vacation," but don't think that I am living less well. First, don't be afraid to get on a Mexican bus or train. They are cheap and the bus can be very nice. Buses are faster than trains. Leave the car at home and catch a bus at the border. Border taxis can be expensive, so walk into the border city 10 or 20 blocks to get a taxi, or better yet, take a city bus to the bus station.

There is usually, with a few exceptions, no need to pay more than say $20 to $30 per night for a hotel or motel. Often you can even pay less, and still get near the quality of a Motel 6. You have to look around, and you can even ask for a lower rate and get. Don't let how the hotel looks on the outside fool you. Mexico is not the US and it can look terrible and run down on the outside, and be a treasure on the inside. Remember that to us, mostly because of cultural differences, Mexico is never as it seems to appear and take a look at the rooms. Guides and magazines on this side of border, like Con De Nast Traveler, talk like getting a room for "only" $120 per night. I think this is madness. I can always find a decent room for $20 or $30.

Restaurants are cheaper than here. Don't let looks fool you here either. Run down restaurants can be great. Sit down and look at the menu, and eat like the locals.

Always change your money. You can pay in dollars everywhere, but when you do the restaurant or hotel decides the exchange rate, and it will be to their advantage. Pay in Pesos that you have already converted from dollars at a bank or casa de cambio--not a hotel.