So here we go.
After almost 8 months of straight work it finally happened – freaking vacation. Last year we used all of our free time to go back to Europe because our too many friends all at once decided to say the magical “I do” in front of all their loved ones, and of course we couldn’t miss it. This time is was only us 2. The refreshing feeling to re-enter the explorers world and since Mexico is one of our fav places we decided to devote our time to rent a car and just hit the road. Since we recently adopted a puppy we really tried to take her with us on the trip but in the end it turned out to be a bureaucratic nightmare, so we had no choice to leave her under supervision of our close friends. It wasn’t easy but it was the only rational choice.
Just a few hours after we reached Cancun we got reunited with some old friends from the Panama team and we sat there and told old tales like it was only days since we saw each other. When you go through a lot of intense experiences (like we did) people bond way faster and the memories are unforgettable. In our 18 days journey around east Mexico every day brought something new and exciting. From the colourful and lively island of Holbox, to a ghost town called El Cuyo. El Cuyo was probably one of the weirdest places we have ever visited. I felt like in a Tarantino movie where no one is around during the day and you just worry that after dusk everyone will turn into vampires who are waiting for gringos blood. All the shops were closed at 6pm and nowhere sold alcohol. But on the other hand you get to experience miles and miles of white sandy beaches where you can dance around naked like no ones business. We even got to see 2 giant turtles right at the shore. Truly amazing!
Next stop, Mérida. Which didn’t disappoint either, we stayed in a hostel which looked like the inside of a schizophrenic brain who kept everything he collected in his life pathway from; bizarre paintings, random furniture to disturbing sculptures. It had a hidden pool that looked like a part of a magic garden. We loved it. It was too hot to walk around during the day so we only left the premises in the evening to absorb all the local culture. Mérida is full of it, from traditional Mayan performances to lively local bars where they always give you free snacks – meaning Oliver’s version of paradise. Following Merida, we decided to drive 6 hours to spend an adventurous day in Roberto Barrios waterfalls which was free of tourists and full of natural pools. Truly epic!
One of the last chilling spots had to be Bacalar, which is probably one of our favourite places in the world. It’s a lagoon where the water is so clear you can see a few meters down and the sand feels like you’re walking on clouds. We were warned by a lot of friends to be careful with the local police while driving since they always want to take advantage of the gringos and it did indeed happen, twice on the road. Somehow Oliver’s tactics of blagging always got us out of paying tickets – the key is confidence. If you tell them you know exactly what they are doing they tend to back off and leave you alone. I’m not going to bore you guys with how good the Mexican food is and how much margaritas a person can drink in a day. Basically we are sweating tequila and shrimp was coming out of our ears.
Mexico is associated with hotel zones where the only time you leave is to see the overrated chicken pizza which is a real shame, because there is so much more. We already know we will be back there probably sooner rather than later and you should all visit and find out for yourselves!
P.s. We did have a major fuck up at the very end of our trip. We managed to lose our immigration card so we were not allowed in our flight back. Instead, we spent a horrific day in a cinema watching the new Avengers movie (which obviously I managed to fall asleep to). Keep your papers with you people! Otherwise your boyfriend is choosing your entertainment for you…while waiting 12 hrs for another available flight.
