I am now going to save you a considerable amount of confusion and difficulty.

Be aware that in McAllen, Texas there are TWO bridges crossing the border. The main bridge is on International Avenue (it's actually in Hidalgo which blends into McAllen.) This is the bridge that most people think of when crossing. However, there is a lesser bridge known as the Pharr bridge which is much more conveniently located for the Customs Brokers and is very likely the bridge you will use. If you are meeting up with someone on the other side of the bridge, be sure to determine in advance which crossing you will use.

This bit of confusion, abetted by the fact that my guide kept referring to the Pharr bridge which I interpreted as the "Far" bridge (as opposed to the "Near" bridge) cost us half a day and $50 in international cell phone calls before we finally connected.

tanstaafl.