Mexico: a tale of two travels
Have you ever been on holiday with friends only to discover you’ve spent a lot of money to do something only they enjoy? That your friends like laying by the pool while you like exploring? You want to get up and go while they prefer one last cocktail in the bar before bed? Whatever your preferences, who you travel with can completely alter the experience you have of a destination. It’s definitely worth putting in some thought about everyone’s expectations before signing on the dotted line.
From experience, I’ve found this applies to friends recommending destinations and organised trips too. I once found myself holed up on an isolated beach in Turkey that had been recommended by friends, who I later discovered prized two weeks laying on a beach towel without moving as the ultimate holiday goal. I was bored. Suntanned, but bored. Never again.
Organised tours are always a gamble, you don’t know whether you’ll get on with the other travellers or not. Back in the day, I signed up for a three month overland trip around South America featuring the same bunch of people for the entire trip. Thankfully, we survived and still remain friends. It could have resembled a truck version of Big Brother, secretly deciding who we wanted to vote off each week. Or it could have been the longest three months of my entire life. It wasn’t, it was fabulous. Except maybe that pit stop on the outskirts of Comodoro Rivadavia. Nobody needed to go there. Ever.
I realised just how much your travel partners affect your experience on two separate trips to Mexico. After my first trip, I thought I never wanted to go back. Such a mediocre place, I espoused to anyone who would listen. My judgement clouded by little connection to my fellow holidayers, I made a sweeping statement on a diverse, fascinating country, the 14th largest in the world, because I didn’t share a sense of humour with ten people I happened to have booked the tour with. “Not half as good as taking a trip to Bolivia or Peru, if you’re travelling this far” I said repeatedly. What an idiot and how little I had discovered about this magnificent place.
The Overlanding Experience
My intention was a whistlestop tour of Mexico, Guatemala and Belize before heading up to California to road-trip with a couple of friends. I wanted easy, non-thinking travel that gave me a taste of Central America. We were hitting Merida, Antigua, Tikal, Caye Caulker and Playa del Carmen amongst other stops. I could see what I liked and then come back to it later to explore further.
Often, the first day of a tour is a bit like starting a new job or your first day of school. Sizing everyone up; who will I have to share a room with?; who is going to be on my wavelength; will I make any friends; will I be the one everyone avoids? Actually, it’s a bit like dating – trying to sum up your story in nice bite size chunks to seem interesting, funny and approachable. You dream you’re going to meet someone nice. You go in feeling optimistic and hope you’ll be deleting all those dating apps immediately.
The reality can be a bit like a never ending work conference. Trying to get past the excruciating small talk while rolling into the next town and the next town and the next town. Eating together, hoping you’re not going to get stuck sitting next to Karen from accounts. Then winding up having to sleep in the same room as her because you didn’t pay the single supplement.
It wasn’t all bad. There were at least one or two sparky people aboard. But, perhaps this Mexico trip attracted more than its fair share of timid travellers, who wanted the security of a guide and being ferried around. For me, it had been the simplest way to cover a lot of ground without having to sort the arrangements myself. Perhaps for the majority it was a giant comfort blanket, a huge mayan serape, if you will.
I don’t know about you, but I would far rather spend time on my own, than feel completely alone in a crowd of people who you are smiling at, making banal conversation with, but ultimately just wishing you could leave behind in a trail of dust.
There was sunshine. There were ancient ruins. There was history and architecture and tacos. But there was no joy. Interactions are what make a holiday memorable and enjoyable. Our guide was the most joyful thing about the trip. He was kind, friendly and knowledgeable. Leading trips in order to spend some time in his home country as a switch-up from his usual job of rafting guide in the Colorado canyons.
I’m definitely not denigrating overland trips. I’ve had some amazing moments – and even ended up living with one friend I made on a trip to Botswana. It’s a gamble, though.
Let’s flip to my second Mexican trip – a dash for the sun in the depth of winter with a long-standing bestie. My friend and I wanted beaches and maybe a smattering of cycling and culture. We looked at South East Asia, but she had Mexico on her hitlist. In the end, it was cheaper to get to Mexico than anywhere else. I was a little on the back foot but went with it. And I’m so glad I did.
We made our own arrangements, picking two locations to stay in and striking gold with both.
Our first week was spent cycling the length and breadth of Tulum, sipping mezcal and margaritas, visiting cenotes and Mayan ruins. Our second, heading to Holbox island to practise our salsa dancing and stroll the golden sands.
What a wonderful way to get away from the January Blues. Many holidaymakers don’t make it past the all-inclusive luxury of Cancun, but with a little more effort, you can have a lot more fun.
Tulum is a mix of travellers looking to find their feet in the relative calm and absolute beauty of its beaches and hedonists dancing all night to EDM. Each able to avoid each other perfectly well, or crossing over at dinner time. This meant restaurants and bars aplenty, we did not go hungry. We sampled a lot of tasty tacos dining alfresco every evening, which is a luxury I wish we could ‘afford’ here in the UK.
Renting bikes was a fantastic way to get to and from the beach. There is a cycle path for the majority of the way from the town to the coast, a couple of kilometres away. It also allowed us to reach some of the closer cenotes to town, enjoying a dip in the clear waters and loafing in the sunshine.
We booked a walking tour of the town’s graffiti and outdoor wall art through airbnb experiences. Tulum is full of creatives who brighten the street with bursts of colourful artwork. Our guide was an American who had been living in Tulum for a while and knew where all the art was hiding along the back streets.
Holbox, an island just north east of Cancun, was an even more laid back scene. Sandy roads leading to beach bars, brunch vibes and seafood everywhere. We had got chatting to a couple in a bar in Tulum and ended up seeing them on the ferry to Holbox. Needless to say, we bumped into them several times over the days, Holbox being small. We celebrated each reunion with a margarita or two. It felt absolutely natural to share some drinks together, not forced or dutiful. Friends meeting new friends for a drink.
The Difference
What I enjoyed about Mexico on this second trip was a result of a lot more laughter and kinship. We shared a sense of fun and adventure. We both liked cycling and exploring. I had a lovely holiday mostly because I was with someone I could giggle with. My enthusiasm for the culture, food and sights grew because I was having more fun along the way. Plus, we had the opportunity for way more interactions with other travellers and holidaymakers.
Your view of a place is altered according to how much fun you’re having – and without the spectre of the ‘work conference’ travellers, I could relax and enjoy the view. Without the hindrance of a big group, we were much more agile to look at what we pleased. We could find smaller more interesting restaurants and tailor each day to suit ourselves. I wouldn’t hesitate in recommending Mexico to anyone now, it’s such a vibrant, absorbing country, especially to chase away those January blues