Finding our rhythm in Mexico

In deciding to start in Cancun, and focus on the Yucatan peninsular, we knew that we’d be using Mexico as a sort of ‘warm up’. This is very flat land, with long and remarkably straight roads that stretch out directly in front of you for many kilometers. The road surface is very good and petrol stations are accompanied by well stocked Seven Elevens (read: ice creams) or similar.  Any one of these qualities are individually things we are likely to crave in due course, but if we are honest, their combination has made cycing through the Yucatan a little bit boring.  

In its favour, the somewhat monotenous road has been punctuated by wonderful places to visit along the way - largely in the form of stunning places to swim (cenotes, the sea, Lake Bacalar) but also the impressive Mayan ruins at Chichen Itza.

The contrast between the road and our stop offs

In reality Mexico has mostly been about finding our rhythm.  

In the early days on the road we’ve observed ourselves wanting to be able to routinise (if that’s not a word then it should be) some of what we do, to make elements of this journey feel ‘normal’ and ‘the way we do things’. This is formed in our minds through (very limited) repetition, for example if Ali makes (lumpy) porridge on the stove whilst Lizzie (inefficiently) packs up the tent two days in a row - that, for now, is how mornings work.

These patterns are about making decision making easier so that we can save our energy for the good stuff.  For example, we are quickly establishing things like expectations about distance, times of day to cycle, the kinds of places we feel comfortable camping, the types of snacks we might buy.  None of these things actually dictate what any given day will look like; for example, who we might chat with whilst we munch on our (second) breakfast some place, some hours and some distance into the morning, but it means each decision isn’t exhausting to make.

These are all things which we know will change quickly and regularly along our way, but on a journey where it is possible for so much to feel uncertain, these sort of expectations give us some sense of stability from which to both be able to engage with and enjoy the constant stimulation we find around us. It sounds like a given, but something as simple as the fact that we know we are going to get up and cycle for the next x number of days, or until we get to y place, takes away a lot of emotional energy that would be required if we woke up each morning asking ourselves ‘do we feel like getting on our bikes today?’  

So this routine in one area (the riding) feels like it is really beginning to allow us to engage with the novelty, intrigue and stimulation we are finding by traversing through somewhere which, for a both of us, is a wholly new and foreign part of the world.  

So then what about Mexico?  It is a big old country, and we are very aware that we’ve seen only a small portion, but how has that matched up against the sterotypes we brought with us? Honestly, there has not been a sombrero in sight; we’ve not had even a whiff of Tequilla (although perhaps we weren’t trying hard enough); we have seen turtles (although no mice shouting ‘Ariba Ariba’); and we have seen a pretty high volume of well above average size and style mostaches. Oh, and we’ve eaten a LOT of tacos. Fairwell Mexico. Bring on Belize.