Australian woman's dream US vacation ends abruptly in Mexican jail

Australian Kylie Bretag's dream American vacation to celebrate her 30th birthday, has come to an abrupt end after she followed the advice of travel blogs to save money, and crossed by foot from California to Mexico. She's been held in a Mexican jail for the past six days, for traveling without a visa.

Kylie says Mexican officials refused to stamp her passport on the way in and that she traveled around for two weeks before officials boarded a bus and checked her passport. Usually, the penalty for traveling there without a visa appears to be repatriation, or a small fine.

Kylie's mom, Colleen, says the family are 'very on edge...it's a dream holiday that turned into a nightmare.'

It's hoped Kylie may be released next Tuesday, and Australian consular officials are in touch with Mexican authorities.

ETA: Kylie's originally from Canberra but has been living in Melbourne for several years.

http://www.smh.com.au/national/melb...re-all-nnn-nnn-vars-o&sa=D&usg=ALhdy28zsr6qiq

Yes, definitely a dream holiday gone so wrong!! I hope she will be okay, can't imagine what a mexican prison must be like for someone who just wanted a holiday.

Why on earth would they hold her for six days, when the penalty is usually ' a small fine'? Seems very harsh.

Is the Australian government in contact with Mexican officials? This seems ridiculous.

Myself, I think Mexican authorities are trying to prove a point here, and Kylie's the casualty. Not sure what the point is though.

She was silly not to make sure all her visas and paperwork were in order but......6 days in jail and no release/repat options so far? That doesn't happen with Mexican illegal visitors in CA, I think, and there are many. Or most visitors to Mexico.

Given that Mexico is just investigating a mayor of a town being complicit in the disappearance and murder of 43 students, I'd say corruption and the expectation of a payment under the table might have been the motif here. If there is no corruption and payoffs in Mexico, I'm sorry. But until someone shows me that's the case, then I'm tending to think this is what Kylie's imprisonment is all about. Or political showcasing. Either way, Mexican authorities should slap her with the punishment they normally give, and let her go. This 'special treatment' doesn't do Kylie any favors, or Mexico. In my opinion.

She made a simple border transgression that they should have picked up at the crossing, if they're so strict. No excuse for throwing her in jail.