Episode 1

Sue starts her journey at the western end of the border, in the Mexican city of Tijuana, where she tries just about every sample in a Tequila showroom and is left in no doubt that the city deserves its reputation as a party town. She also discovers an unexpected invasion of migrants: American retirees who have settled south of the border to enjoy the good life and an ocean view at an affordable price.

Over on the US side of the border, Sue spends a day with Mark Lamb, sheriff of Pinal County, Arizona, who is engaged in an ongoing battle with the Mexican drugs cartels that traffic people and drugs over the border.

Then, in Nogales, Sue joins a parade celebrating the Day of the Dead, Mexico’s biggest festival. Rather than a dark night of terror and mischief, it’s an explosion of life-affirming joy. The next day is a national holiday, and families all around the country gather in cemeteries, commemorating the lives of lost relatives. Sue is fascinated by the different approach Mexicans have to death, and finds that there is a huge amount to learn about life here.