Frontier

Living here in Mexico, I thought that the EU Referendum back in the UK would largely pass me by unless I made an effort to keep up-to-date with the debate, results and fallout online and with friends and family. How wrong I was. Everyone I have spoken to recently, be it Mexicans, Americans, Panamanians, Brazilians, Nicaraguans, etc., have asked me about what is happening, why the UK voted the way it did and what I think will happen next. The EU Referendum really has gripped the rest of the world, not just Europe.

People here have been quick to ask which way I voted, generally baffled as to why I would want to leave…if that was the case. Fortunately, I have not had to explain myself. Without hesitation I voted to remain. Everything about the EU seems very civilised and progressive to me and I was not going to be taken in by the power play, scaremongering and lies of the Brexit campaign – which we are witnessing being played out now. I also believe the arguments about regaining sovereignty (we have sovereignty anyway) and controlling immigration (which is a natural and global phenomenon) now that we are going to leave are farcical – but that debate is for another time.

But a recent holiday travelling from Nicaragua to Panama highlighted to me a major benefit of the EU which impacts on all of us that like to travel – that is the open borders between member states. We were warned over and over that this has allowed mass movement of immigrants, a negative thing in the opinion of Brexit supporters. But this is such a short-sighted view. What about the positive of easier travel, be it for tourism or trade?

I have benefited greatly from being able to drive across Western Europe without stopping: London to Munich, Amsterdam to Southampton and Portsmouth to Barcelona to name a few journeys. I never had to stop except to cross the Channel.

And then last month I had to cross from Nicaragua to Costa Rica - and what an experience, it took up a third of the journey time between Managua and San Jose. Firstly, the border was chaotic with traffic, people queuing and vendors selling souvenirs and food. Secondly, I had to pay taxes or fees or bribes (who knows) over and over again. Finally, you had to do it twice, for each country.

Although stressful, it was a lot of fun and exciting. But I imagine it could get tedious very quickly if you had to do it on a regular basis. The experience was also compounded by an unfriendly Costa Rican border official interrogating me on why I wanted to visit his beautiful country (“I’m on holiday sir”) and telling me I was only going to be allowed 5 days in the country to get to Panama, my final destination.

So it was with surprise that I read today that two thirds of British HGV drivers interviewed as part of a survey said they voted to leave the EU. Of all people, why would they want to potentially make their lives more difficult? I guess the one positive for them of border checks is it allows them to have a leg stretch every so often. But I’m guessing they are going to have longer journeys in the future. And be careful what you wish for, the queue of trucks trying to get into Nicaragua from Costa Rica went on for kilometres and kilometres and kilometres, I joke not. Some of those drivers must be waiting for days!

Please EU, do not close your borders to passing British tourists.