How did two months go by so quickly??
Made it home last night after a 15 hour travel day. That may sound like a lot but it was quite manageable with the required patience for delayed flights and changing shuttle schedule. At least it was only one time zone change!
First shock of my return was going out for basic groceries so I could eat and make coffee this morning. Basic, not quite one bag.
For the duration of my trip including nearly $500 for language school, flight to Tuxtla Guitterez, multiple bus and shuttle trips, I manage to live quite well on an average of $700 pesos, roughly $35 US per day.
That includes meals, lodging, everything.
Coming home, I booked a shuttle from the airport. Cost: $37. Busted my budget right there. Taxi to airport with coffee and a bite of lunch: $28. Basic groceries: $32. Fill up car with a tank of gas: $30.
Cost for the day: $127! Wow! Reality check! Yes indeed, I can live out of my backpack and travel for much less than the cost of living here!
What a great adventure! Now I’m repacking and preparing for my next adventure. As always, I learned a lot on this trip about what I use and what I don’t. A couple things broke like my crappy LifeProof iPhone case, my Petzl head lamp and my favorite travel waist pack I use every day. I’ve ordered replacements and sent items in for repair hoping they will return in time for my next trip.
Shoes: I wear flip flops every day traveling! I have a great pair of shoes but found them uncomfortable when wearing them a lot. I don’t know if it’s the fit or my feet rebelling at being locked in! I ordered new flip flops for my next trip and have a different pair of shoes to take.
Backpack: I have an awesome tiny 40 L backpack! The back completely unzips making access to my clothing really easy. However, the shoulder straps and waist belt are not comfortable when the pack is loaded. With a feeling of resignation, I am taking my other Deuter backpack on the next trip. The suspension is way better and it is mostly accessible plus it had a little bit more room. Since everything I own is XL, a little extra space will be helpful.
It may sound strange but, for my next trip, which will be longer, I’m taking less. Stay tuned and you’ll understand what I mean.
Finally, some of the “essentials” I took along proved to fall into one extreme or the other. One: really essential and used all the time!!! Or the other, essential “if needed” but never touched on this trip. So I’m re-evaluating what is truly essential for me.
It’s strange to be back in Colorado and driving. It’s not strange to be back in my kitchen and whipping up a great latte in the morning! With a long list of details to handle before my next departure, I’m taking the weekend off before launching into planning. I’ve done no planning for the next trip so will start soon.
Of course, that doesn’t take into account the phone calls to customer service to get my phone set back up, gain access to my online accounts, request refund for double payment for shuttle, ordering replacement items and such.
Before leaving Mexico City, I was able to visit the Presidential Palace where I got to view the murals of Diego Rivera. What an amazing display of the history of Mexico! I only had an hour before closing so was grateful to see that much!
