Okay… Although only on the ground in Mexico for a week, we have definite tips to extend with certainty for life in the Puerto Morelos (PoMo) area;
Do’s
- Be sure to visit town in the evening… Always something going on for all ages (dancing, parades, shopping, markets) near the main plaza
- Eat at a local restaurant/bar… We visited at least 1/2 dozen, all different but with something for everyone
- Get out to that reef… Awesome guided snorkelling on one of the most “living” underwater spaces I’ve seen
- Double-check times and have numbers to contact available… Our northern hang ups with punctuality aren’t necessarily shared!
- Keep sun screen and bug spray handy – you’re living between sand beaches and a Mangrove Jungle… If there were no bugs I couldn’t imagine what kind of chemicals must have been sprayed
Dont’s
- Rely on Credit Cards… More often than not you’ll find payment with this option unavailable (ATM’s are there to serve up Mexican Pesos and $US, so keep some in your pocket)
- Drink the water… We relied exclusively on bottled water resulting in no real water born ailments
- Sleep your morning away… It was a very comfortable time of day (try a siesta mid-day instead)
- Flush the toilet paper… This takes some getting used to!
I always try to remember that when all else fails, a gracias, por favor, and buenos dias with an earnest smile can open a lot of doors and solve many problems. Good manners and treating others as you wish to be treated is the way we all should live. I think that Mexico is the 14th different country I’ve visited over the last 10 years, and it is with that good fortune that I hope to return. Cheers…
Hi Chris, so enjoyed reading your account of your trip to Mexico, I’m thinking one of the reasons your travels are so enjoyable is your own positive attitude, as you say, people respond in most cases to the manner in which you treat them. How very fortunate you are to be in a position to travel as you do, I’m sure Peter and Monica will follow in your footsteps. Now I’m anxious to learn more about our Northern people and country so let’s see you make a trip that way. Thanks again, I can almost feel like I’m there! Mom
I absolutely agree… It’s special that we can do this. I try to always start with the idea that it’s a real privelege to be able to visit another country, not a right! They don’t have to let me in! Up north… Interesting suggestion. I’m staring at a map of Canada with latitude lines as I write… I think that St Anthony, NFLD or Jasper, Alberta are perhaps the extent of my travels northward. Never know! Thanks for checking in… Chris