I took the bus down from Austin. I highly recommend it. You will be really seeing not just the US, but the continent. And you will be crossing an area with incredible history. You might consider stopping in Austin. You can couchsurf there or there is a great hostel right on the lake not too far from downtown.
Mexico is a HUGE country, and your odds of the bus being hijacked are very low, especially if you stick to MAJOR cities such as the ones you will be visiting. There is an enormous military presence on major routes like that. Also, tourists are somewhat off limits, because cartels have money in the tourist industry, as well as gringos are their primary clients in the US for drugs. So they aren't looking to hit you up, especially since there are richer mexicans they can hit up with far less heat.
You'll have a great time.... Read Texas or Mexico by james michener on the way down...
Mexico is a HUGE country, and your odds of the bus being hijacked are very low, especially if you stick to MAJOR cities such as the ones you will be visiting. There is an enormous military presence on major routes like that. Also, tourists are somewhat off limits, because cartels have money in the tourist industry, as well as gringos are their primary clients in the US for drugs. So they aren't looking to hit you up, especially since there are richer mexicans they can hit up with far less heat.
You'll have a great time.... Read Texas or Mexico by james michener on the way down...