A very good friend's son, 22 years old, cinema major, is planning a road trip from Chicago to Mexico, thru Mexico, and hitting Costa Rica/Belize and then coming home. He's going with 4 other non-hispanic guys (although one speaks a litte Spanish) to film a documentary. He's an inspired young film maker. Everyone is saying outright "no" to this trip but is there a way that you can be relatively safe in doing this? I totally understand the allure of this trip.

Tell them to keep their heads up, the trip is not without hazard.

Thanks papa, but is "heads up" enough? I'd like them to have their heads "on" when they get home.

I am going to direct these guys to this Board to read the responses, positive or negative. They're not listening to anyone and part of me thinks that maybe the trip could be done more safely if they had more knowledge. It's the Mexico leg of the journey that worries me the most. Bad things happen everywhere though, but the crimes are so brutal up in Mexico. If they stick to the well-traveled/touristy roads in Mexico, is that safer?

I would not worry about the Mex leg as much as the Guat, SanSal,Nicaragua leg, way more bad sh#t has happened there.
JMHO.

I would also not take this trip unless I had at least one person totally fluent in Spanish.

I would not drive any farther south than Texas today. Maybe 30 years ago but not now.
Those 4 white boys would be targets from hell. JMHO, even with a couple hispanics, fluent in Spanish would would be iffy.

The twenty somethings that the armed forces love, have always believed they are bullet proof as well as the passion for peace and good will are usurped by the reality of life. Especially out of this country. No F'''ing way DUDES!

I know that some of my "trips abroad" have turned into bloody odysseys, but I am glad that I made them.

What about hiring a guide? Someone obviously fluent in Spanish and hopefully Mexican/Hispanic, who knows the ins and outs, who won't set you up, etc. I don't think these kids will take no for an answer. I get what Papa's talking about it and they're comment to the beheading issue was, "Well, as long as someone gets it in slo-mo, that will be cool!"

Youthful, foolish enthusiasm...you gotta love it. But I still want them home with their heads on and working the way alive heads should. There have to be some guides out there. My second trip down to AC, I met a younger mercenary type who would probably do this kind of thing but he's off the island now.

Just saying no to 20 somethings isn't working so far.

What kind of vehicle are they planning on using? The last thing they will want is to be stuck or broke down on the road. I would recommend a 4x4 such as a Land Rover or Toyota.
At least two spare tires, a jack-all jack, a spares package wouldn't be a bad idea either.

Well, the latest today is that the passport has been locked up and funds have been cut off. The guys have $200.00 in canned foods to live on for 5 weeks and a little cash.

This should be interesting....

Thanks for all the input. The problem is, the more dangerous the trip, the more they'll sell their movie for if they get back home with it.