Yes, I think we are past the critical point for merging. I'm sorry for MEC, we all lost a chance of be a bunch more, but 6 weeks past the expedition start we moved faster than them.
About "Factions", what I meant that it was a good idea is because you can sign up for both Factions and your "world area" PG. So, no hurries on that, as we'll be in contact here and in-game we can organize, but by singing up in Factions we have a chance of bunch up all together, instead of being divided in America and Eurasia all the time. It doesn't have to be a rule. If we organize some common work / travel (and these three weeks of Explorer's Anchorage are good to start teaming together), having the chance of grouping is cool.