Part 11.a: Running Away to Mexico

After a dissapointing couple of weeks in Ecuador and a slow but steady back recovery, we found ourselves fleeing to Playa del Carmen, Mexico. I know, I know - I said I wouldn't ever go back. I lied. I have to say, I'm pretty glad I gave Playa another shot. With Mama there, it was much more fun, as always.

We stayed in a one room Airbnb that was about a ten minute walk from the beach. The kitchen was outside on the balcony! It was located in a more local part of the city, which removed us from the hustle and bustle of downtown Playa.

Immediately, we felt so relieved. The sun shone every single day, and the Mexican food was incredibly delicious. It was a total 180 from what we had just experienced in Ecuador.

Unfortunately for us, we soon found out that we had arrived during sargassum (seaweed) season. The beach was rarely swimmable, and often smelled terrible! That didn't stop us from walking up and down the beach closest to us nearly everyday, back to our deep ocean conversations.

Playa del Carmen brought a seriously big change to both of our lives: we found Cambly. Mama had been studying to become an English teacher, but neither of us expected to find such a perfect online job for us. I wasn't convinced, but after seeing Mama teach her first couple of classes, I knew that I had to try it too. I signed up, and the rest is history - Cambly has been our primary source of income ever since!

There was so much to do in Playa, and we took advantage of it all. We went to visit Cozumel, an island off the coast of Playa. It turned out to be a bit of a bummer, as all of the beaches were difficult to get to because of the private hotels lining the shores. We did manage to find one spot, and the water was incredibly stunning.

We also went on a tour of Chicén Itzá, a wonder of the world! It was amazing to stand in front of something so ancient and beautiful. It really puts the timeline of life into such a different perspective. It inspired me to try to see as many wonders of the world as I possibly can!

The only negative thing about Playa was that it was so. Damn. Hot. I know, how could I possibly complain about the heat? Me, the person who adores islands and summertime! The heat in Playa is a different beast. I've never experienced such heavy heat, and I've never seen my mom complain that it's too hot until being in Playa! If you go, make sure your Airbnb has air conditioning!

I loved Playa del Carmen, and I was so glad to give it a second chance after I left it so quickly before to go back to the DR. I had grown as a traveler at this point, and saw myself traveling forever and forever, with no end in sight.