Oh, Mexico

We got the grandparents to watch the kids and the hubby and I headed down to Mexico. It was GLORIOUS. This was our first big getaway since baby #2 came along. That baby is now 2.5 years old but the pandemic made it a wee bit harder to take a vacation without the kids. We realized that our first big getaway after baby #1 was also to Mexico.

Before and during both trips, family and friends asked us if we felt safe going. There had been a bomb on a ferry just before we visited in 2018 and there was a shooting a few months before our most recent trip. My answer was still, yes.

While some of the increased cartel activity is due to a loss of income because of the pandemic, the big thing driving the cartel violence is actually the tourists themselves. Tourists buying drugs is drawing cartel interest. To help curb this, many resorts are having travelers sign a document that they will not use illegal drugs. We signed such a pledge at our resort, Secrets Maroma Beach (AM Resorts has had this for a while). While they don’t expect it to completely curtail the drug trafficking, they hope it will impact people’s thought process. If tourists realize the consequences of their actions on others, they might think twice before seeking out illicit substances while in the Cancun area.

It never fails that a family member heard from a friend who heard from a cousin… that 30 people were just killed there! I get some variation of this from clients panicking as a holiday we excitedly planned months ago neared. My mother sent me an article the day I arrived in Mexico. Haha. It’s like a horrible game of telephone where the facts are greatly distorted with extra fear inducing details thrown in. Sometimes it’s missing the details that the tourist who died was a Spring Breaker who got so intoxicated they jumped from their too high balcony. Sometimes, it was just a tragic event that could just has easily happened on the streets of NY or LA (ironically, I began writing this article the day of the most recent subway attack in NYC). Sometimes it’s just plain exaggeration.

I always tell people to make sure they are comfortable but also be safe and smart. Don’t flash cash and be aware of your surroundings. There are areas of every city where you don’t want to go. Use your smarts and you’ll be fine.

There’s always the possibility that something bad could happen while on your trip or walking down your street. I don’t plan to live my life in fear. If this pandemic has shown us anything, it’s to appreciate and take advantage of the opportunities we have because life is short. I plan on making many more wonderful travel memories with my family and friends!

Sunset at Secrets Maroma Beach Riviera Cancun