Hello from San Antonio, Texas, where we’ve safely arrived at my mother’s home. What a journey it’s been. Let’s get into the last leg of our trip—¡Viva Mexico!
We began with a 9-hour bus ride from Guatemala to the Mexican border, Tapachula (or “Patachula” as O playfully calls it), followed by a 12-hour overnight ride to our first stop—Huatulco, Oaxaca, a coastal city with a developing tourist scene. With the constant change in environments, home had started to become wherever the wifi connected automatically. But arriving in Mexico, I finally felt a real sense of familiarity, one step closer to home.
Inspired by our thrilling moto experience in El Salvador, O and I couldn’t shake the idea of owning one ourselves. So on our first day in Huatulco, O bought a motoneta—our new baby, Luz!
We spent our days zooming around, exploring the five beautiful bahias, often having them to ourselves. The waves are small but strong, and we were invigorated and grounded as we got rocked by them.
Our unconventional travel setup worked surprisingly well. With our backpacks and Chula, we hit the coastal highway to Mazunte, a laid-back, yoga-centric beach town. We took it easy here, enjoying the local vibe and taking things slow.
The trip to Acapulco was less relaxing—a journey that should have taken 8 hours extended into about 15, as frequent stops for gas and stretching were necessary. Despite the challenges, O did an amazing job navigating routes and potholes, finding gas stations, and keeping me safe.
Acapulco, Guerrero, the largest city we’d visited in a while, was vibrant with beautiful beaches, delicious food, and stunning cliff views. We caught a Mexican comedy, El Candidato Honesto, and I finally got my hair braided by an indigenous woman who approached us during lunch. My alter-ego was manifested and remained with us for the rest of the trip.
We took a couple of shorter trips through the state of Michoacan to let our bodies recover, visiting tiny, serene beaches. At one, we stayed in a gorgeous home owned by a surfer from Miami. With his vast board collection, he took O stand-up paddleboarding, a memorable highlight. We ended the night with a dip in the beachfront pool, reflecting on our blessings.
Ceviche continued as a staple in our diets—fresh fish, green juices, and all the tacos were our daily delight. We visited Ixtapa-Zihuatanejo, with its mountains and tranquility, and made our way through Manzanillo, Colima and Puerto Vallarta, Jalisco. Puerto Vallarta’s sculptures, churches, and museums were particularly fascinating. We spent almost two hours exploring the Museo Historico Naval, learning the Navy's history of protecting the country’s liberty, deepening my knowledge and pride as a Mexicana.
Finally, we made it to Mazatlán, Sinaloa where O spent much of his life visiting family. He showed me his favorite spots and shared stories from growing up. I was honored to get a glimpse of his upbringing and learn even more about what has made him such an amazing person.
At a restaurant in PV, we came across a quote on the wall that really resonated with us:
La vida es como un helado: si lo disfrutas, se acaba, y si no, también.
Life is like ice cream: if you enjoy it, it ends, and if you don't, it melts anyway.
For many months leading up to this trip, I spent hours daydreaming about what else was in the world for me—the places I could visit, conversations I could have, foods I could taste, things I could learn. Though my life was full of wonderful people and blessings, I started to feel like I was checking off someone else’s list. It took a long time to build the awareness and courage to make a new list and finally begin checking it off, to later say I lived with few regrets.
I aim to remember that: to live each day like it’s my last—to love, to laugh, to learn from the good and the bad, to be grateful, and to not be afraid to be true to myself and my heart, to not let the ice cream just melt away.
Thanks to everyone following along on this epic journey and for all the love and support that’s been sent over the last few months. Tears of joy seem to be a regular part of my life these days, and a lot of that stems from the positive vibrations coming from all of you. Thank you.
We made it back to Texas just in time to celebrate my mom’s birthday and await the arrival of my first niece—another precious gift of life.
66 days, 4 countries, 21 cities, planes, buses, shuttles, boats, cars, tuk-tuks, and motorcycles. There’s not much more to say other than we frikin’ did it!
Until the next adventure, with love always,
Andrea Mayela
