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Drive from Mexico City to Yucatan?



 
 
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  #1  
Old June 11th, 2004, 10:13 PM
Joy Hardie
external usenet poster
 
Posts: n/a
Default Drive from Mexico City to Yucatan?

o.k....still on my pursuit to find an affordable family vacation for
my kids to practice their Spanish and see some pyramids and beaches
without the highrises (ie. NOT looking for a bunch of Americans on a
crowded beach) but a pretty beach would be nice.
Anyway, what about flying into Mexico City and renting a car and
seeing signts on a drive to the Yucatan and back. Do the roads or
crime etc. make it impossible? I wouldn't immagine it to be as simple
as driving across our states....but has anyone done it? Could we make
a good roadtrip out of it instead of flying into Cancun (with very
expensive airline tickets)? I don't want my kids kidnapped or to get
robbed at gunpoint by banditos or the police or anything
horrible...but I am up for an adventure and I would think it is a
great way to see more.
Joy
  #2  
Old June 11th, 2004, 10:42 PM
Iceman
external usenet poster
 
Posts: n/a
Default Drive from Mexico City to Yucatan?

On Fri, 11 Jun 2004 21:13:19 GMT, Joy Hardie
wrote:

o.k....still on my pursuit to find an affordable family vacation for
my kids to practice their Spanish and see some pyramids and beaches
without the highrises (ie. NOT looking for a bunch of Americans on a
crowded beach) but a pretty beach would be nice.
Anyway, what about flying into Mexico City and renting a car and
seeing signts on a drive to the Yucatan and back. Do the roads or
crime etc. make it impossible? I wouldn't immagine it to be as simple
as driving across our states....but has anyone done it? Could we make
a good roadtrip out of it instead of flying into Cancun (with very
expensive airline tickets)? I don't want my kids kidnapped or to get
robbed at gunpoint by banditos or the police or anything
horrible...but I am up for an adventure and I would think it is a
great way to see more.
Joy


Mexico has a really good bus network, if you'd rather not drive
yourself. There's loads to see between Mexico City and the
Yucatan...Taxco, Oaxaca, San Cristobal de las Casas, Palenque.
  #3  
Old June 11th, 2004, 11:39 PM
H. Michel
external usenet poster
 
Posts: n/a
Default Drive from Mexico City to Yucatan?

My husband and I have travelled all over Mexico and Latin America with
our three kids at various ages. With kids we always travel by bus. It's
cheap, comfortable, convenient, fun adventure, amusing and a great way
to meet people and practice Spanish.

Joy Hardie wrote:
o.k....still on my pursuit to find an affordable family vacation for
my kids to practice their Spanish and see some pyramids and beaches
without the highrises (ie. NOT looking for a bunch of Americans on a
crowded beach) but a pretty beach would be nice.
Anyway, what about flying into Mexico City and renting a car and
seeing signts on a drive to the Yucatan and back. Do the roads or
crime etc. make it impossible? I wouldn't immagine it to be as simple
as driving across our states....but has anyone done it? Could we make
a good roadtrip out of it instead of flying into Cancun (with very
expensive airline tickets)? I don't want my kids kidnapped or to get
robbed at gunpoint by banditos or the police or anything
horrible...but I am up for an adventure and I would think it is a
great way to see more.
Joy


  #4  
Old June 12th, 2004, 02:20 AM
Technobarbarian
external usenet poster
 
Posts: n/a
Default Drive from Mexico City to Yucatan?


"Joy Hardie" wrote in message
...
o.k....still on my pursuit to find an affordable family vacation for
my kids to practice their Spanish and see some pyramids and beaches
without the highrises (ie. NOT looking for a bunch of Americans on a
crowded beach) but a pretty beach would be nice.
Anyway, what about flying into Mexico City and renting a car and
seeing signts on a drive to the Yucatan and back. Do the roads or
crime etc. make it impossible? I wouldn't immagine it to be as simple
as driving across our states....but has anyone done it? Could we make
a good roadtrip out of it instead of flying into Cancun (with very
expensive airline tickets)? I don't want my kids kidnapped or to get
robbed at gunpoint by banditos or the police or anything
horrible...but I am up for an adventure and I would think it is a
great way to see more.


When you consider all the costs it's probably cheaper to fly into
Cancun instead of Mexico City if you're headed for the Yucatan. With your
stated preferences I would have assumed that the Yucatan would have been
your last choice. There are LOTS of Highrises, crowded beaches, condos and
tourists in that area--in fact you'll find more of that on the Mexican
Riviera than anywhere else in Mexico.

Once you get out of the Mexico City area it's a reasonable place to
drive, or ride the bus if money is a factor, the tolls on Mexican roads can
really eat you up. All the usual cautions apply. Here's a good site for
information on driving in Mexico:
http://www.rversonline.org/ArtMexDrive.html I once drove from the Gulf of
Mexico toward Mexico City on the second day of a holiday weekend. I won't
make that mistake again simply because of the extremely ugly traffic
situation. Nor will I drive on the day proceding the Day of the Virgin
again. I've driven many thousands of miles in Mexico and been as far as near
the southern border on several occasions without encountering "banditos" or
larcenous cops. Mexico has become one of the world's leaders in kidnap for
ransom, but your family is not a likely target. Other than the differences
Mr. Eidell notes and the occasional drug war check point, once you get out
of the Mexico City area, it really isn't much more complex to drive across
Mexico than driving across the States. I personally don't drive in the
Mexico City area because of reported crime and traffic problems in that
area.

Dennis


  #5  
Old June 12th, 2004, 02:26 AM
Joy Hardie
external usenet poster
 
Posts: n/a
Default Drive from Mexico City to Yucatan?

Do you make reservations for lodgings based on planned itinerarys or
"wing-it" and let the cards fall as they may and stay wherever you
happen to end up? How long would you suggest this trip takes and do
you have any route suggestions?
Joy

On Fri, 11 Jun 2004 18:39:29 -0400, "H. Michel"
wrote:

My husband and I have travelled all over Mexico and Latin America with
our three kids at various ages. With kids we always travel by bus. It's
cheap, comfortable, convenient, fun adventure, amusing and a great way
to meet people and practice Spanish.

Joy Hardie wrote:
o.k....still on my pursuit to find an affordable family vacation for
my kids to practice their Spanish and see some pyramids and beaches
without the highrises (ie. NOT looking for a bunch of Americans on a
crowded beach) but a pretty beach would be nice.
Anyway, what about flying into Mexico City and renting a car and
seeing signts on a drive to the Yucatan and back. Do the roads or
crime etc. make it impossible? I wouldn't immagine it to be as simple
as driving across our states....but has anyone done it? Could we make
a good roadtrip out of it instead of flying into Cancun (with very
expensive airline tickets)? I don't want my kids kidnapped or to get
robbed at gunpoint by banditos or the police or anything
horrible...but I am up for an adventure and I would think it is a
great way to see more.
Joy


  #6  
Old June 12th, 2004, 02:44 AM
Richard Ferguson
external usenet poster
 
Posts: n/a
Default Drive from Mexico City to Yucatan?

I do not recommend driving in Mexico City. I do it once every ten years
or so, because it takes me that long to forget how difficult it was the
previous time. ;-)

The security problems in Mexico City are also serious, more info below.
It is not a good place to relax and let down your guard.

I suggest that you fly to Cancun or Merida if you plan to see the
Yucatan. If you want to stay away from highrises, try Valladolid, a
smaller town, few US tourists, several ruins within day trip distance,
and the Yucatan is generally easy to drive around in.

MEXICO CITY TAXI ROBBERIES

For tourists, perhaps the most serious crime problem in Mexico is taxi
robbery in Mexico City. This problem is more or less unique to Mexico
City, so many tourists are not aware of the problem. The governments
of the US, UK, Canada, France and Australia warn travelers of taxi
robberies. I have also read several first person accounts of taxi
robberies, via the internet and in the media. Taxi robberies in
Mexico City have been covered in US and Mexico media, both TV and
newspapers. Basically, anybody who knows Mexico knows that taxi
robberies are a problem in Mexico City, and takes certain precautions
to prevent themselves becoming a victim. The exact recommendations may
vary, but it is unwise to ignore the problem and pretend that "It
can't happen to me."

A taxi robbery generally works something like this: The victim or
victims get into a taxi, usually a green VW beetle taxi. After a few
blocks, the taxi stops, and one or two armed men enter the taxi and
rob the victim. In many cases, the victim is held for hours while the
robbers use the victim's ATM card to get more money. This is
sometimes called a "fast food" kidnapping. In a few cases, the victim
is held overnight to allow withdrawing more money the next day. The
taxi driver is part of the gang, and may have stolen the taxi. In
some cases, a waiter or hotel employee may also be part of the gang.

In one article that I read, the robbers found out that they were
robbing a reporter. While he was being held at gunpoint on the floor
of the taxi, they told him not to write anything bad about Mexico! An
American resident of Mexico City was killed in a daylight taxi robbery
in December 1997. An American reporter was shot in a taxi robbery
April 20, 1998. The personal accounts that I have read indicate that
a taxi robbery, even if you are unhurt, is a very traumatic
experience.

So, what can you do to protect yourself from taxi robberies? Use the
official sitio taxis at the airport and bus stations. Buy a ticket at
the window, and take that ticket to the official taxi stand. If there
is no taxi stand (sitio) where you are, call a radio taxi. Get the
taxi number so you get into the correct taxi. According to an article
about taxi robbery in the November 1998 issue of US/Mexico Business,
radio taxis have become so popular that it is difficult to get a radio
taxi after dark on a weekend. Generally, the roving taxis are the
problem, not the ones that work from official taxi stands, which
should have a supervisor with a clipboard logging taxi departures.

I was in Mexico City in January 2002, and I was very satisfied with
the radio taxi company "Radio Servicios Moviles de Transporte", and
got their card, which showed numbers 5771-4012, 5771-0130, 5760-4696
and 5551-7710. One of the taxi drivers told me that the company was
founded more than 30 years ago, partly at the instigation of the then
US ambassador, because American visitors were being robbed in those
days also. If you call yourself, you will need to give your location
and what you are wearing. I am not sure if their dispatchers speak
much English, I did not put them to the test. They will give you the
color of the taxi and it's unit number. One time they asked me to
move to the other side of the street to simplify a pickup, I did, and
the taxi was there in five minutes. These taxis are not marked.

There are many other radio taxi services. The US government suggests
the following phone numbers. 5271-9146, 5271-9058, and 5272-6125.
You can ask your hotel for a recommendation.

The Canadian government in their March 1998 advisory said that you
should leave your credit cards and ATM cards in the hotel safe, to
minimize the risk that you will be held prisoner while the robbers use
your cards. (The current warning is worded more mildly). The current
Australian government also advises you to leave your credit cards in
the hotel safe. Only carry the cash that you will need that day. Some
people, including the French government, say you should carry 20 or 30
dollars US, to prevent a robber from becoming angry with too small an
amount. Consider using your ATM cards only at ATM machines inside a
bank or other commercial facility during regular banking hours, as
recommended by the US government. Even the Mexican government
recommends that you not carry your ATM card with you unless you plan
to use it.

If you are robbed, comply and hand over your valuables immediately.
This will greatly reduce the risk of violence. Don't look the
criminal in the eye. Your life is worth much more than your
camera or your credit cards.

Other types of public transportation are also targets of crime.
The buses are robbed often enough that the government has listed
the bus routes and times that are most frequently robbed, and
gives specific instructions about what to do if the bus is robbed.
The metro (subway) also is subject to crime, both pickpockets and
robbers.

Official statistics show that crime in Mexico has doubled since the
start of the economic crisis in 1994. However, I should note that
victim surveys and many government crime statistics indicate that
crime rates in Mexico City are similar to or lower than rates in urban
areas in the US. In private correspondence with a university
professor working in statistics, I have been told that Mexican crime
statistics are a little primitive, and are not really worthy of
confidence. I have seen few crime statistics for visitors and
tourists, just overall statistics or surveys of residents. There
is some information to indicate that crime in Mexico is more
likely to include violence or threats of violence than in the USA.

In a brief visit to Mexico City in July 1999, my friend Miguel, a
lifelong resident of Mexico City, said that he felt that the crime
situation was exaggerated. When I was with him, I did get into a
couple of roving taxis, somewhat against my better judgement. I still
feel that roving taxis should be avoided, and I did avoid them for the
rest of our time in Mexico City. I also carefully reviewed the ID for
the driver before I got into a tourist taxi outside a museum. We did
see one noteworthy thing on that trip, relating to the police. There
was a police car, running red lights and siren, so overstuffed with
police officers that neither of the rear doors could close. It looked
a lot more like the Keystone cops than a professional police force. Of
course, the Mexican police are often criticized for being ineffective
and corrupt.

Should you go to Mexico City? Of course, the decision is yours. There
are lots of things to do in the largest city in the world, but it is
not a place to relax and let down your guard. Mexico is a big country,
and most areas of Mexico are much safer than Mexico City. If you do
decide to go to Mexico City, read the various government travel
advisories before you arrive, and practice security while you are
there.

Richard Ferguson
August 3, 2003


There are several web sites with security information for travelers
and tourists. The ones that I am aware of are listed below. I urge
people to review the information on these web sites, compare the
recommendations of the various countries to each other, and compare
the various government recommendations to any personal opinions
expressed on the internet. The government web sites include security
and other travel information for virtually all the countries in the
world, including each other.

USA - http://travel.state.gov/travel_warnings.html

UK - http://193.114.50.10/travel/default.asp

Canada - http://www.dfait-maeci.gc.ca/graphic...os/cntry_e.htm

Australia -http://www.dfat.gov.au/consular/advice/advices_mnu.html

The French government has a web site with security information, in
French. http://www.diplomatie.fr/voyageurs/e...avis/conseils/

The following web sites offer personal views on security.

Mexico Mike gives his views about security in Mexico at
www.mexicomike.com



Joy Hardie wrote:
o.k....still on my pursuit to find an affordable family vacation for
my kids to practice their Spanish and see some pyramids and beaches
without the highrises (ie. NOT looking for a bunch of Americans on a
crowded beach) but a pretty beach would be nice.
Anyway, what about flying into Mexico City and renting a car and
seeing signts on a drive to the Yucatan and back. Do the roads or
crime etc. make it impossible? I wouldn't immagine it to be as simple
as driving across our states....but has anyone done it? Could we make
a good roadtrip out of it instead of flying into Cancun (with very
expensive airline tickets)? I don't want my kids kidnapped or to get
robbed at gunpoint by banditos or the police or anything
horrible...but I am up for an adventure and I would think it is a
great way to see more.
Joy

  #7  
Old June 12th, 2004, 03:06 AM
Joy Hardie
external usenet poster
 
Posts: n/a
Default Drive from Mexico City to Yucatan?

No, you are right, I don't want to go to Cancun.....but my husband is
balking at $400 airline tickets and likes the $212 to Mexico City
better.......then get out of town and start seeing stuff. Although
those pretty turquoise beaches are appealing in Cancun area I know
they come with too many drawbacks. I was thinking there was some nice
stuff to do for kids to snorkel at some park in Akumal ....and the
Tulum ruins might be nice but I guess not nearly as grand as so many
others. My boys LOVE shrimp so if we did drive down from Mexico City
I would love to make it as far as Campeche because my boys just LOVE
shrimp! I didn't see too many rentals there though and I don't know
about beaches.
WOW...those stories about getting robbed make you not even want to go
to Mexico....except I promised the Spanish teacher I would take the
kids.
Anyway, flying into Cancun for $400 probably means postponing the
trip. I had found the airfare at a better price a few weeks ago but
didn't act on it sooner. Cancun is a closer departure town for
exploring those southern areas I have in mind. One boy really wants
to see a monkey.
Joy

On Fri, 11 Jun 2004 18:20:41 -0700, "Technobarbarian"
wrote:


"Joy Hardie" wrote in message
.. .
o.k....still on my pursuit to find an affordable family vacation for
my kids to practice their Spanish and see some pyramids and beaches
without the highrises (ie. NOT looking for a bunch of Americans on a
crowded beach) but a pretty beach would be nice.
Anyway, what about flying into Mexico City and renting a car and
seeing signts on a drive to the Yucatan and back. Do the roads or
crime etc. make it impossible? I wouldn't immagine it to be as simple
as driving across our states....but has anyone done it? Could we make
a good roadtrip out of it instead of flying into Cancun (with very
expensive airline tickets)? I don't want my kids kidnapped or to get
robbed at gunpoint by banditos or the police or anything
horrible...but I am up for an adventure and I would think it is a
great way to see more.


When you consider all the costs it's probably cheaper to fly into
Cancun instead of Mexico City if you're headed for the Yucatan. With your
stated preferences I would have assumed that the Yucatan would have been
your last choice. There are LOTS of Highrises, crowded beaches, condos and
tourists in that area--in fact you'll find more of that on the Mexican
Riviera than anywhere else in Mexico.

Once you get out of the Mexico City area it's a reasonable place to
drive, or ride the bus if money is a factor, the tolls on Mexican roads can
really eat you up. All the usual cautions apply. Here's a good site for
information on driving in Mexico:
http://www.rversonline.org/ArtMexDrive.html I once drove from the Gulf of
Mexico toward Mexico City on the second day of a holiday weekend. I won't
make that mistake again simply because of the extremely ugly traffic
situation. Nor will I drive on the day proceding the Day of the Virgin
again. I've driven many thousands of miles in Mexico and been as far as near
the southern border on several occasions without encountering "banditos" or
larcenous cops. Mexico has become one of the world's leaders in kidnap for
ransom, but your family is not a likely target. Other than the differences
Mr. Eidell notes and the occasional drug war check point, once you get out
of the Mexico City area, it really isn't much more complex to drive across
Mexico than driving across the States. I personally don't drive in the
Mexico City area because of reported crime and traffic problems in that
area.

Dennis


  #8  
Old June 12th, 2004, 03:10 AM
clint
external usenet poster
 
Posts: n/a
Default Drive from Mexico City to Yucatan?

Other than that Mrs Lincoln, "did you enjoy the play?"
"Richard Ferguson" wrote in message
...
I do not recommend driving in Mexico City. I do it once every ten years
or so, because it takes me that long to forget how difficult it was the
previous time. ;-)

The security problems in Mexico City are also serious, more info below.
It is not a good place to relax and let down your guard.

I suggest that you fly to Cancun or Merida if you plan to see the
Yucatan. If you want to stay away from highrises, try Valladolid, a
smaller town, few US tourists, several ruins within day trip distance,
and the Yucatan is generally easy to drive around in.

MEXICO CITY TAXI ROBBERIES

For tourists, perhaps the most serious crime problem in Mexico is taxi
robbery in Mexico City. This problem is more or less unique to Mexico
City, so many tourists are not aware of the problem. The governments
of the US, UK, Canada, France and Australia warn travelers of taxi
robberies. I have also read several first person accounts of taxi
robberies, via the internet and in the media. Taxi robberies in
Mexico City have been covered in US and Mexico media, both TV and
newspapers. Basically, anybody who knows Mexico knows that taxi
robberies are a problem in Mexico City, and takes certain precautions
to prevent themselves becoming a victim. The exact recommendations may
vary, but it is unwise to ignore the problem and pretend that "It
can't happen to me."

A taxi robbery generally works something like this: The victim or
victims get into a taxi, usually a green VW beetle taxi. After a few
blocks, the taxi stops, and one or two armed men enter the taxi and
rob the victim. In many cases, the victim is held for hours while the
robbers use the victim's ATM card to get more money. This is
sometimes called a "fast food" kidnapping. In a few cases, the victim
is held overnight to allow withdrawing more money the next day. The
taxi driver is part of the gang, and may have stolen the taxi. In
some cases, a waiter or hotel employee may also be part of the gang.

In one article that I read, the robbers found out that they were
robbing a reporter. While he was being held at gunpoint on the floor
of the taxi, they told him not to write anything bad about Mexico! An
American resident of Mexico City was killed in a daylight taxi robbery
in December 1997. An American reporter was shot in a taxi robbery
April 20, 1998. The personal accounts that I have read indicate that
a taxi robbery, even if you are unhurt, is a very traumatic
experience.

So, what can you do to protect yourself from taxi robberies? Use the
official sitio taxis at the airport and bus stations. Buy a ticket at
the window, and take that ticket to the official taxi stand. If there
is no taxi stand (sitio) where you are, call a radio taxi. Get the
taxi number so you get into the correct taxi. According to an article
about taxi robbery in the November 1998 issue of US/Mexico Business,
radio taxis have become so popular that it is difficult to get a radio
taxi after dark on a weekend. Generally, the roving taxis are the
problem, not the ones that work from official taxi stands, which
should have a supervisor with a clipboard logging taxi departures.

I was in Mexico City in January 2002, and I was very satisfied with
the radio taxi company "Radio Servicios Moviles de Transporte", and
got their card, which showed numbers 5771-4012, 5771-0130, 5760-4696
and 5551-7710. One of the taxi drivers told me that the company was
founded more than 30 years ago, partly at the instigation of the then
US ambassador, because American visitors were being robbed in those
days also. If you call yourself, you will need to give your location
and what you are wearing. I am not sure if their dispatchers speak
much English, I did not put them to the test. They will give you the
color of the taxi and it's unit number. One time they asked me to
move to the other side of the street to simplify a pickup, I did, and
the taxi was there in five minutes. These taxis are not marked.

There are many other radio taxi services. The US government suggests
the following phone numbers. 5271-9146, 5271-9058, and 5272-6125.
You can ask your hotel for a recommendation.

The Canadian government in their March 1998 advisory said that you
should leave your credit cards and ATM cards in the hotel safe, to
minimize the risk that you will be held prisoner while the robbers use
your cards. (The current warning is worded more mildly). The current
Australian government also advises you to leave your credit cards in
the hotel safe. Only carry the cash that you will need that day. Some
people, including the French government, say you should carry 20 or 30
dollars US, to prevent a robber from becoming angry with too small an
amount. Consider using your ATM cards only at ATM machines inside a
bank or other commercial facility during regular banking hours, as
recommended by the US government. Even the Mexican government
recommends that you not carry your ATM card with you unless you plan
to use it.

If you are robbed, comply and hand over your valuables immediately.
This will greatly reduce the risk of violence. Don't look the
criminal in the eye. Your life is worth much more than your
camera or your credit cards.

Other types of public transportation are also targets of crime.
The buses are robbed often enough that the government has listed
the bus routes and times that are most frequently robbed, and
gives specific instructions about what to do if the bus is robbed.
The metro (subway) also is subject to crime, both pickpockets and
robbers.

Official statistics show that crime in Mexico has doubled since the
start of the economic crisis in 1994. However, I should note that
victim surveys and many government crime statistics indicate that
crime rates in Mexico City are similar to or lower than rates in urban
areas in the US. In private correspondence with a university
professor working in statistics, I have been told that Mexican crime
statistics are a little primitive, and are not really worthy of
confidence. I have seen few crime statistics for visitors and
tourists, just overall statistics or surveys of residents. There
is some information to indicate that crime in Mexico is more
likely to include violence or threats of violence than in the USA.

In a brief visit to Mexico City in July 1999, my friend Miguel, a
lifelong resident of Mexico City, said that he felt that the crime
situation was exaggerated. When I was with him, I did get into a
couple of roving taxis, somewhat against my better judgement. I still
feel that roving taxis should be avoided, and I did avoid them for the
rest of our time in Mexico City. I also carefully reviewed the ID for
the driver before I got into a tourist taxi outside a museum. We did
see one noteworthy thing on that trip, relating to the police. There
was a police car, running red lights and siren, so overstuffed with
police officers that neither of the rear doors could close. It looked
a lot more like the Keystone cops than a professional police force. Of
course, the Mexican police are often criticized for being ineffective
and corrupt.

Should you go to Mexico City? Of course, the decision is yours. There
are lots of things to do in the largest city in the world, but it is
not a place to relax and let down your guard. Mexico is a big country,
and most areas of Mexico are much safer than Mexico City. If you do
decide to go to Mexico City, read the various government travel
advisories before you arrive, and practice security while you are
there.

Richard Ferguson
August 3, 2003


There are several web sites with security information for travelers
and tourists. The ones that I am aware of are listed below. I urge
people to review the information on these web sites, compare the
recommendations of the various countries to each other, and compare
the various government recommendations to any personal opinions
expressed on the internet. The government web sites include security
and other travel information for virtually all the countries in the
world, including each other.

USA - http://travel.state.gov/travel_warnings.html

UK - http://193.114.50.10/travel/default.asp

Canada - http://www.dfait-maeci.gc.ca/graphic...os/cntry_e.htm

Australia -http://www.dfat.gov.au/consular/advice/advices_mnu.html

The French government has a web site with security information, in
French. http://www.diplomatie.fr/voyageurs/e...avis/conseils/

The following web sites offer personal views on security.

Mexico Mike gives his views about security in Mexico at
www.mexicomike.com



Joy Hardie wrote:
o.k....still on my pursuit to find an affordable family vacation for
my kids to practice their Spanish and see some pyramids and beaches
without the highrises (ie. NOT looking for a bunch of Americans on a
crowded beach) but a pretty beach would be nice.
Anyway, what about flying into Mexico City and renting a car and
seeing signts on a drive to the Yucatan and back. Do the roads or
crime etc. make it impossible? I wouldn't immagine it to be as simple
as driving across our states....but has anyone done it? Could we make
a good roadtrip out of it instead of flying into Cancun (with very
expensive airline tickets)? I don't want my kids kidnapped or to get
robbed at gunpoint by banditos or the police or anything
horrible...but I am up for an adventure and I would think it is a
great way to see more.
Joy



  #9  
Old June 12th, 2004, 05:33 AM
Technobarbarian
external usenet poster
 
Posts: n/a
Default Drive from Mexico City to Yucatan?


"Joy Hardie" wrote in message
...
No, you are right, I don't want to go to Cancun.....but my husband is
balking at $400 airline tickets and likes the $212 to Mexico City
better.......then get out of town and start seeing stuff. Although
those pretty turquoise beaches are appealing in Cancun area I know
they come with too many drawbacks. I was thinking there was some nice
stuff to do for kids to snorkel at some park in Akumal ....and the
Tulum ruins might be nice but I guess not nearly as grand as so many
others. My boys LOVE shrimp so if we did drive down from Mexico City
I would love to make it as far as Campeche because my boys just LOVE
shrimp! I didn't see too many rentals there though and I don't know
about beaches.


There's really not much in Campeche for tourists. There's not much of a
beach there.


WOW...those stories about getting robbed make you not even want to go
to Mexico....except I promised the Spanish teacher I would take the
kids.
Anyway, flying into Cancun for $400 probably means postponing the
trip. I had found the airfare at a better price a few weeks ago but
didn't act on it sooner. Cancun is a closer departure town for
exploring those southern areas I have in mind. One boy really wants
to see a monkey.


For monkeys, the area around the ruins of Palenque gets Howler
monkeys. It's a beautiful ruins in a beautiful jungle site. I've been to
Kohunlich a couple of times and seen Howler monkeys at the entrance to the
ruins both times. The site itself has some very nice stucco masks that are
well preserved. Calakmul in extreme southern Mexico is a large site that
draws few visitors. It sits in a bioreserve and it's possible to see all
sorts of animals there especially around dawn and dusk. We've seen a large
troup of Howlers there and Tucans are fairly common high up in the trees. A
bit closer to the area you're heading for Coba has a lot of birds, reptiles
and squirrels. On our last trip we saw a crocodile in the lake near the
ruins. Large iguanas are common at many of the archaeological sites.

As to the crime, think about what a dry report of crime in the States
would sound like to someone from another country. Once you're out of the
Mexico City area things get a lot more relaxed. The biggest problem for
tourists is property crime. Limit the amount of valuables you take and watch
were you leave them. It's much easier to find attended parking in Mexico
than it is in the States. If you're traveling on the bus keep valuables well
hidden and attached to you.

Dennis


  #10  
Old June 12th, 2004, 11:50 AM
Joy Hardie
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Posts: n/a
Default Drive from Mexico City to Yucatan?

Dennis wrote.......
cut If you're traveling on the bus keep valuables well
hidden and attached to you.


A ratty old Timex a husband and kids.....those are my valuables.
Sure, we would have enough money for lodgings and meals....but that
they can have. I am not one to travel fancy. I am not rich and I
don't even bother to fake it.
Joy
 




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