Lenght of stay: 5 weeks
Itinéraire:
Mexico DF -Palenque -Merida- Chichen Itza - Playa del Carmen - Mexico DF - Puebla - Oaxaca-
To quote a sentence that we loved to repeat throughout our trip through Mexico: “We do not wear sombreros and ride buros” (We do not wear hats and ride donkeys) dixit our Couch Surfing host in Mexico City, Hector. Indeed, we were truly amazed by Mexico's modernity as soon as we arrived at the airport!
We have always been attracted by Mexico and wished to include it into our long itinerary and according to our budget. It is true that Mexico remains expensive, as it is at the border of the United States and quite far from South America!
Mexico is an attractive country which has a very rich culture thanks to its history, from the Maya to the Aztec while passing by the Toltecs. The visits of the temples, the modern museums, very well documented, the innumerable activities from hiking to rafting, Mexico is unique in its way. The landscapes are extraordinary, the jungle, the tropical forests, the dream beaches... The territory and the richness of this country are so immense that it would take one year to explore it under all its facets. Finally Mexico City, the 2nd largest city in the world, packed with people, clean, hosting hundreds of museums, with its vibrant musical and cultural life, its modernity, the kindness of its inhabitants, its various districts make it one of our preferred capitals in the world!!. We already want to come back to Mexico! And not only for the delicious tacos al pastor!
- Delphine celebrated her 30's this 17 Septembre 2009. With the complicity of many SURPRISE guests, we offer you this very special present !!! (1 video montage)
- In the town of Oaxaca, we can smell chocolate all over the streets. It is here a real industry. Check this out!! (1 video montage)
* The finances
When we arrived in Mexico City, after one month spent in Cuba, we were shocked by the high prices everywhere!!! Finished the pizzas at 0.25€, ice creams at 0.5€, restaurant menus at 0.80€… Eating here is expensive! We indeed are far away from South America, Bolivia and Peru, and the prices here in Mexico are much closer to those of the United States… Until the birthday of Delphine, we thus deprived ourselves a lot, reducing our meals to bowls of corn flakes or packs of crisps!! Also we used the usual techniques of the backpackers: buy beer in a supermarket rather than in a bar, buy bread and filling to make our own sandwiches, drink tap water with chemical pills ...
The budget for transport in Mexico is also very high. We paid our moves in 30€'s, 50€'s or even 80€'s (Cancun - > Mexico City) whereas for the same transport time in Bolivia we were used to pay 10 or 15€!!
Fortunately we found cheap accomodations, searching for a ong time and always negotiating the prices. The museums are also very accessible, and even more if you have your student card!!
Backpackers friends in Mexico, watch for your wallet!
* The POSITIVE points :
- The history of the country: the old pre hispanic civilizations that we can study thanks to the various temples, sites and museums
- The Mexican food, very rich and varied, compared with the food from Cuba, Peru or Bolivia.
- The warmth and kindness of the population with foreigners
- Markets to shop, eat or simply wander around. In villages, the Sunday markets are huge and a meeting for all neighbouring indigenous communities.
- The town of Mexico City which is now part of our TOP prefered world capitals
- The cities with colonial architecture where life seems warm and relaxed: Puebla, Merida, Oaxaca
- The regions of Yucatan and Quintana Roo for its splendid coast on the Caribbean sea, its coral barrier, its transparent water, paradise beached, and its other natural places like the cenotes
- The importance of culture generally and the fact that it is accessible to averyone
* The NEGATIVE points :
- The prices are reasonably good but still higher than in South America (very high cost fro bus transport)
- The touristic side of the Yucatan and Quintana Roo's coastline
- The people density, everywhere
| MEXICO | Average per day for 2 |
| Logement (accomodation) | 9.3 € |
| Repas (food) | 8.7 € |
| Transport urbain | 2.4 € |
| Transport long | 9.5 € |
| Activites (Activities) | 5.0 € |
| Divers (*) (others) | 5.4 € |
| TOTAL | 35.0 € |
(*) Others: Presents, post office, laundry, sanitary ...
