MEXICO

LIVE BEGINS WHEN YOU’RE IN MEXICO

My first solo trip to the Basque Country, was a real eye-opener.
It showed me that if you have a dream, you have to do everything you can to make it come true.
The Trans-Siberian gave me the awareness that I could go anywhere..
My next destination was a long-held dream: Mexico.
And I’m not talking about luxury seaside resorts here.
I’ve been drawn to Chiapas for about ten years.

Mexico for me has always been EZLN and Maya.
I went in search of this. But not only that.

As I’ve found on previous trips, seeing more countries makes me feel free for a much longer time than I’ve been away from home. A month on the road seems as one year.

I decided to plan a trip to see Mexico and Cuba.

WHAT TO SEE IN MEXICO

I began my programme by marking the essential places.

MEXICO CITY

It would be unthinkable not to spend a few days in the metropolis of 20 million inhabitants, to see the Zocalo, the Aztec Stadium and the ancient city of Teotihuacan.

OLD MAYA CITIES

I’ve always interested in history and geography. I’ve had the opportunity to visit some of these places, and they’ve often felt like stepping into a world straight out of a school textbook.
I’d seen lots of photos of Palenque and Tulum and I just had to go.

EZLN – ZAPATISTA ARMY OF NATIONAL LIBERATION

My first approaches to politics and demonstrations began in high school.
In those years I started dreaming Lacandona Jungle, wondering how to meet the EZLN.
I was fascinated by their balaclavas and their phrases: “We are an army of dreamers and that’s why we are invincible.” This accompanied my studies and has stayed with me throughout my life.

I crossed the ocean with the hope of meeting them. And I did it in Chiapas, near San Cristóbal de Las Casas.

RIVIERA MAYA

I’m Sardinian, so I don’t need to travel the world to see white beaches and crystal-clear sea.
But Mexico has a different seabed and animals, so I’ve planned to spend a few days here.
The whale sharks live in the waters of Isla Holbox from May to September so it’s possible to swim with them and to see the spectacular bioluminescence of plankton, their favorite food.

TRANSPORT IN MEXICO

FLIGHT

The main airports to reach Mexico are Mexico City and Cancun.
There are lots of flights from Europe, but the cheapest usually leave from Madrid. More rarely, you can also find some great deals from Rome, Paris, London or Monaco.
I always prefer to avoid transit in the United States.
The Tuxtla Gutierrez Airport is a great way to get into the State of Chiapas, if you want to avoid the 11-14 hours it would take on a bus to get from there to both Mexico City and Cancun.
Although Tuxtla Gutiérrez is the capital, the city that best represents Chiapas (and was previously the capital) is San Cristóbal de Las Casas.

BUS

I took the cheap night bus from Chiapas to the Yucatan.
The seats are spacious and comfortable, so you can get a good night’s sleep.
Just make sure you’re ready for a night at polar temperatures.
Otherwise, maximum air conditioning could ruin your journey.

COLECTIVOS

I don’t often rent a car when I’m travelling, I prefer to use public transport.
In Mexico, I’ve had some great experiences with colectivo vehicles.
These are cars or minivans that are always on the move on the Mexican roads, and they’re perfect for short to medium-length journeys.
Depending on where you’re going, they’ll leave when the vehicle is full or they’ll load people on the way.
Just give them a signal and they’ll stop at the roadside.
The price varies depending on the distance, but it’s always affordable and convenient.

I’ve often read that in less busy streets, especially in Chiapas, locals can set up ‘improvised checkpoints’ with a rope across the road and ask for money to let you restart your vehicle.
I’ve never had that happen to me.
But we always have to remember that Chiapas is the poorest State of Mexico and some situations are determined only by poverty.

MY TRAVEL

It’s usually a good idea to book the return trip as well.
I found a great price to get to Mexico Citywith quick stopovers in Rome and Paris.
At about 40 km from Mexico City there is the archaeological area of what was one of the largest cities in the world: Teotihuacan.

From Mexico City I reached Chiapas by plane to Tuxtla Gutierrez, reaching the pleasant city of San Cristóbal de Las Casas.
Here the journey would not have been the same if I had not lived these days with the Colectivo Lajkin.
They are italians who live in Mexico and explane local history and culture. Thanks to them I met indigenous peoples, the Zapatistas and some social cooperatives.
They know how to find hidden gems, like forests, waterfalls, caves with thousands of parrots, and of course, an ancient Maya city.
I’ll always remember Chiapas thanks to them.

I travelled with a night bus to Tulum, the scenic Mayan city which see the Caribben Sea.
The beach below is small and crowded, so it’s better to move to the long adjacent beach or, in my opinion better still, to Akumal, where you can see the turtles just a few meters from the beach.

In the Riviera Maya is however possible to find the beach that suits your needs, up to the chaotic and crazy Cancun.

Without forgetting to see at least one cenote, a collapsed karstic cave that, filled with water, looks like a lake in which to swim.

To see whale sharks I spent a few days in the quiet and peaceful Isla Holbox but unfortunately the rain and storm stopped all boats for four days. That’s a good reason to come back.

From Cancun then took the plane to the island of the Revolution: Cuba.