I recently took a trip to Cancun, Mexico with 3 of my best friends. The trip had its ups and downs but overall I had a great time. We went parasailing,
We also rode on the Subsea Explorer and I saw a mermaid.
Yes they do exist! Lol. I even rode on a jet ski.
It took us out to the boat to parasail. Fun, fun, fun.
I don’t travel much and have not been outside the USA since it was mandatory to have a passport. Usually I drive to my destination because I don’t like to limit what I can bring. And if I purchase something, I don’t want to worry about having enough room in my suitcase to bring it back. Or the issue with the weight of your suitcase. Plus oddly enough, I actually like driving. I am celebrating my birthday in Atlanta, Georgia this year and I could have caught a flight, but I’m driving. I can listen to all my jams, think about life and do some serious praying. And not praying that the plane doesn’t crash. Lol.
I have already highlighted some of the ups of my trip. I would like to bring attention to the downs of my trip right now. Nothing serious but some things that I learned and mistakes I won’t make again. First, we will go back to the luggage issue. Now I had never been to Mexico so I wasn’t sure of what to pack and I definitely overpacked. We did not have any set plans for the trip so I felt like I needed to be prepared for all possibilities. That was my thinking when I packed my suitcase. Still no excuse for the amount of clothes I put in there. Lol. I need to start learning how to pack for flights because I plan on taking more trips outside the US. What I should have packed was swimsuits, a few sundress and some shoes. That’s all I used besides sun hats, which my friends grew to hate because I didn’t take them off. I have a bad reaction to the sun and I was not about to look ugly on this trip or when I got back home. I get extreme heat rash. One thing that was an up, I got mild heat rash only on my arms and shoulders. Also, I did prepare by going to my doctor before the trip. She provided me with a Medrol dose pack if I did have a bad reaction and some cream to clear up the rash. That was the first time I did that. I usually wing it and suffer the consequences until I get home, then get a steroid shot to clear it up. Smart Ebony. Lol
Second, I did not exchange my US money for Mexican pesos. Big mistake. Now I personally didn’t buy anything and that was the reason why. I found that the different places we went processed the exchange rate at whatever the hell rate they wanted to. I’m pretty sure that I was going to get ripped off because I know that my friends did. I think Monica paid $9 for an ice cream cone. And honestly, I don’t need anything else crowding up my house. The one thing that I didn’t purchase that I wanted was a magnet. Any country whose currency value is less than the American dollar, needs to be exchanged. They had a place in the airport where you can exchange money once you get to Mexico. Then on your way out there is another location where you can change it back. I truly recommend this, especially if you plan on purchasing items and eating at other locations than your hotel. Our trip was all inclusive. The only money I used was to tip.
Third downer, keep all the papers that are given to you in the process of going through customs. We were not told this. They just rushed us through. Since there was a language barrier, not a lot of talking. I always keep any papers or receipts from travel until I get home. My lovely friend Monica threw a paper away or misplaced a paper that was essential for the return trip. The replacement cost was $30. I don’t have that kind of money to pay for something that was initially free. Especially when those words could be on the form or communicated. Don’t throw any papers away people.
Now the fourth thing I am adding is a request from Monica and I know Selena will back her up. The women at the resort were not the friendliest. I can even go as far as to say that they were downright mean and rude. Once we checked in and looked at our rooms, we were less than impressed. The ladies went to the check-in desk to request other rooms. There was an up charge of $40 a night but the room would not be available until the next day. Ok, so they took forever getting the rooms ready the next day so the ladies requested their money back. Let’s just say after much arguing and going back and forth, they finally got it back on our way out of the door. The women at the check-in did not want to give them the money back. They used their ever fluctuating exchange rate and reduced the money down to like $15 dollars a day. Naw I’m going to need my full $40 a day back. That was a mess.
One more up. The men on the other hand were fabulous. They were attentive and had my mimosas ready. Lol. Anytime that we went on excursions, the men were sensitive to my limitations and helped in anyway that they could. Wait, I do want to give credit to the women who gave the water aerobics class. They were also awesome. The ladies tweaked the class to allow me to really enjoy myself.
My friends were not impressed with Cancun. Besides the sweltering heat which is not good for MS, I had a good time. I would go back. My excursions would be snorkeling and taking the tour where you drive your own boat. And of course I would change my money over to pesos. I still need my magnet. Lol. For those who travel, what are some of your tips? Are there any destinations that you would recommend? And what are some of the things that you learned through experiences? Leave a comment in the box. Now I thought I set it up to get an email when someone leaves a comment. Let’s just say I obviously don’t know what I’m doing. I will work to figure it out. But as soon as I see your comment, I will definitely reply. As always you can email me at elsims27@yahoo.com.