Today, I am heading to Mexico 🇲🇽 for a short visit before returning to the USA 🇺🇸 to extend my stay for another 180 days. This marks day 41 of my walk across the United States, a journey that will span a total of 205 days. I hope everything goes smoothly.
I am deeply grateful to Anil Kumar ji and his family for hosting me in San Diego. Their kindness and hospitality have been a great support. Anil ji will be accompanying me to the border and waiting for my return on the U.S. side.
Day 41 – San Diego, USA
Today was an important day for the next phase of my journey in the USA, as I needed to get my stay extended. For the last two days, I have been staying with Anil Kumar Ji and his wife, Siri Ji, who have been taking great care of me. This morning, Anil Ji and his friend Vijay Ji accompanied me to the USA-Mexico border, where I needed to extend my stay in the USA for another 180 days.
Crossing into Mexico was surprisingly smooth. The Mexican officer welcomed me and offered me a one-day stay. It felt special to return to Mexico after seven years — I have so many good memories and wonderful friends there. I had been in touch with my friend Emma from Mexico City, who had helped me prepare a backup plan in case my stay in the USA wasn’t extended. Emma’s guidance and offer of support, including a place to stay in Mexico City, made me feel incredibly grateful. Vijay Ji also joined me in crossing into Mexico, while Anil Ji waited for us on the USA side in his car.
After walking for a few minutes, we reached the USA immigration side, where we saw a long line of people waiting to enter the USA. It took us around 40 minutes to reach the immigration officer. However, the officer informed me that I needed to visit the permit building to extend my stay. After waiting for a short time, we were called by Officer Cortez.
Officer Cortez was young, kind, and genuinely curious about my journey. I explained my mission to walk to Washington, DC, for world peace, and he asked several thoughtful questions about my experiences around the world. He was impressed by my mission and granted me a 180-day extension so that I could complete my walk in the USA. Afterward, another officer asked me similar questions and even noted down my website to follow my journey. He also gave me his best wishes for the walk.
I had heard stories about how difficult it can be to enter the USA from the Mexico border, but my experience was very positive. All the officers were respectful and kind, and I realized that if your purpose is genuine, things usually work out.
Now that my stay is extended, I am back in San Diego, preparing for the next 164 days of walking toward Washington, DC. Over the past five months, I’ve been walking in the USA with three incredible peace walkers — Vishwamitra Yogesh Bhai from India, Buddhist monk Ikeda Shonin from Japan, and Buddhist nun Samten from Canada. Together, we walked from Seattle to San Francisco in a hybrid model — walking 25 km each day and then moving to the next city. We were generously hosted by Gurudwaras and Buddhist Vihars along the way.
After reaching San Francisco, my fellow peace walkers returned to their respective countries, while I stayed back to prepare for a solo seven-month cross-country walk. I intentionally delayed the start of my walk until January 26, 2025, as many friends advised me that walking through the USA during the winter would be extremely challenging due to snow and cold weather. Since I walk alone with no backup car or strong logistical support, my journey relies heavily on the kindness of local communities, especially in rural areas. Starting in late January ensures better weather conditions, allowing me to camp more comfortably along the way.
Today’s successful visa extension means I now have 180 days to walk across the USA and reach Washington, DC, where I hope to meet President Trump.
I am deeply grateful for the many people who are supporting, helping, and praying for me on this peace journey. Tomorrow, I will be speaking with children and families in the afternoon. On Sunday, I will resume walking toward Phoenix, Arizona, where I expect to arrive on March 25. If you know anyone in the Phoenix area, including schools and colleges, please let me know — it would help me reach more people and share the message of peace.
With gratitude,
Slowman Nitin