From rainy CA to sunny Mex
I started the month out in rainy San Jose, CA, petsitting for two wild orange cats, Otis and Mia. On the last day of the month, I’m writing this newsletter on the balcony of my accommodation in Ajijic, Mexico, overlooking Lake Chapala, while the sun comes up.
I wanted to come to Ajijic because I heard it’s beautiful. I wanted to come because I heard it’s small; I wanted a break from big cities. But mostly I came to Ajijic because my great uncle used to live here, Arthur Post. My grandpa’s brother. I have never even met Arthur but somehow I feel connected to him. He was the first for foreigner to sail down the Amazon River in Brazil. He loved adventure. He and his wife moved to Ajijic in the 80’s, long before it became the American retirement destination it is today.
I asked my aunt for a photo of the house. Or an address. But all she could come up with was a PO box number. She visited her uncle Arthur back in the 90’s before he passed away. She couldn’t remember anything about her trip, saying it was too long ago to remember details.
So for now, I’ll just find comfort in knowing that someone who shares some of my DNA once existed in these same geographical coordinates as I find myself in right now.
I arrived in Mexico ten days ago after spending the first 20 days of the month playing Ticket to Ride with my family. Every. Single. Night. I’m not joking. I purchased the game after playing it with two different friends on my USA Friendship Tour in Jan & Feb. I didn’t want the fun to end, so I bought my own version to play with my family back in California. I expected we would play a couple times and I could show them how fun it was. What I did not expect was the level of obsession we would all reach. Every day around 4pm, I would walk away from my computer and drive to my sister’s house for dinner and train building. If I was running late, they would call me to make sure I was coming. “I want to fit in a game before I go to X,” my brother-in-law would say. He became even more obsessed than me, purchasing the app so he could play during the day with strangers, and then practicing his new techniques in the evening with his family. For his birthday we gave him Ticket to Ride Europe and the US Expansion Pack. A few days ago they called me on the phone. They were just starting a game.
But then I left, and now I’m missing out on getting those 22 points from Seattle to New York. What I’m not missing out on though, is trying new foods. This week I tried mamey for the very first time. From the outside it looks like an odd shaped potato wearing a fuzzy jacket. The inside is a bright orange, with a taste so sweet, a mix between papaya and persimmon. Two nights ago I tried aguachiles, a plate of cold shrimp with cucumbers, onions, and a “medio” spice level that made me feel like I ate the sun. I’ve tried Tejuino. Twice. A drink made from corn- add some ice cubes, and some lemon flavored shaved ice, mix it around and you’ve got a thirst quencher. Though I will admit, it’s more of an acquired taste.
My first 72 hours in Mexico were spent in the capital city of Jalisco, the second largest city in the country- Guadalajara. It’s a beautiful city- full of cathedrals, markets, mariachis, art sculptures, statues, fountains, and very friendly people. But it’s also big. And busy. I left Buenos Aires in December craving calmness, and Guadalajara did not satisfy that. But I’m glad I got to see it. What does feel like peace though, is that sun coming up and shining on my back. Thank you, Ajijic.
After Guadalajara, I headed to the town of Tequila, famous for, well, I think you can imagine. On the way there, we passed by thousands of blue agave plants both in the distance and along the roadside. Most people head to Tequila for just one day. There are a ton of tours going from Guadalajara to Tequila, making stops at distilleries and ‘campos de agave’ on the way. I even met a random English speaking couple in the main square of Tequila who were happily sipping their Tequila drinks from ‘cantaritos’ and telling me about the amazing tour they found on Trip Advisor.
However, I didn’t want to spend a day. I wanted to spend a few. I wanted to see this little town and get to know it just a little bit more than a few hours. I’m so glad I did.
In Tequila, you’ll find several shops and kioscos selling cantaritos, which are basically a porcelain mug of various sizes. You purchase the mug, which comes with a drink. You can select any of the dozens of bottles of tequila they have available. Then they mix it with limes, Squirt, probably something else I can’t remember, and line the rim with spicy salt, and send you on your way. When you’re ready for round 2 (or 3, or 4, or 5), you can simply take that mug to any other shop who will refill your glass for a discounted price. Walking around town (it’s not big), nearly every person you see has got one.
When I was 17, I drank tequila for the very first time while visiting my cousin in San Diego. The last thing I remember is vomiting on my hands, being driven home in a Volvo and the driver complaining about how he’ll have to wash his car the next day. After that, I swore off tequila. So to the visit a town called Tequila on purpose was a shock even to myself. I wanted to experience it, but I was also nervous. I’m happy to report that I am now a tequila fan. I didn’t get sick one single time.
The first day in Tequila, I just walked around town, cantarito in hand, just trying to feel the energy of the city. And it’s a BIG energy. I watched a man eat crickets in the street for the first time. He didn’t like them. I saw as people danced, and sang, lots of cheers were heard. The second day I joined a tour. I was the only person traveling alone in our group, which moved around in a giant barrel keg with wheels. At our first stop, a distillery, a girl from my group waved me over. She and her friends had been sitting in the back of the barrel, so she must be cool. She, Karen (a good Karen), asked if I was alone. When I said yes, she invited me to hang out with her group for the tour. Because of Karen, I had the best day.
At the distillery, I took about 6 shots of various tequilas with my new friends. Henry (coincidentally my grandpa’s name), taught me how to breathe in when I take the shot, and breathe out when it’s done. Raul taught me to put the salt on my tongue first and let it absorb before I take the shot. In the US we have it all wrong- salt, shot, lime in quick succession. Gama showed me the ‘gaviota,’ that Mexican yell- ay ay ayyyyyy. This group included me right away and I felt I was one of them.
The barrel keg on wheels then took us to an agave field on a hill. After taking photos with the agave plants, we took turns swinging on giant swings that pushed us over the edge of the hill. By the time our entire tour group was back in the barrel, we were all several shots deep and best friends. Everyone peer pressured each other to dance on the pole in the middle. Almost everyone did. Peer pressure works when you’ve been drinking tequila all day. Even the shy ones showed up.
The tour ended with a few more shots in the shop. The tour was over but the fun was not. My new friends and I drove out to what is apparently a very well known place called “Cantaritos Che Che.” There we continued with tequila, though we did add some potatoes, cheese sticks, and chicken nuggets to the mix. You can order a small cantarito for yourself or a massive cantarito to share with friends- with an entire bottle of tequila. Get one size up, two full bottles. I stuck with the personal sized cantarito.
As the sun went down, the line dancing came alive. The live band played “Achy Breaky Heart” in Spanish and almost everyone in the place seemed to know the moves. I joined in as best I could, no rhythm and all. Eventually things escalated and turned into a scene you might imagine in a Tequila Netflix documentary special. A man with a sombrero stood on a chair while everyone lined up, jaws up, mouths open, ready for tequila to be poured down their throats. After about 15 minutes of this, the man just spun the bottle around in the air as tequila went flying. Many gaviotas were heard that night.
The next day, my friend Court and his husband came to pick me up in Tequila. Court and I went to high school together, and hadn’t seen each other in 23 years until we hugged on the sidewalk in front of my guest house in Tequila. He has been living in Guadalajara for the past three years with his Mexican husband. Together we made a stop at Guachimontones, an archaeological zone on the other side of the volcano from Tequila. A lot of it has still not been fully excavated. The main event is a large circular structure with several layers leading to a point on top. Surrounding that circle are several platforms which possibly held houses or places of worship. Everything was brown and dead, and the heat was unbearable. Apparently going in rainy season, you’ll be treated to a landscape of greens. Once we left, we headed back to the city, but not before getting a raspado for the road (like an icee with flavored syrup).
I spent a few days editing video at Court and Ruben’s place before going slightly more south to where I am now. Ajijic is a small town along the northern edge of Lake Chapala, the biggest fresh water lake in Mexico. So far I’ve seen the lake from the balcony of my hotel, the supermarket, and the main street where the bus dropped me off.
The Next 30 Days
I’ll spend the next several days trying my best to get to know Ajijic. I want to take the bus to Chapala, the next town over. I want to try some restaurants which were recommended. I want to do some filming. But mostly I want to try (it’s very hard for me) to relax. The calmness of Ajijic is what I’ve been craving, so I want to do my best to fully immerse myself in the moment.
I haven’t decided the order yet, but in the next month, my idea is to see the other cities and towns I’ve heard so much about- Leon, Guanajuato, San Miguel de Allende, Querétero, and eventually the main event- Mexico City.
The Packing List
I’m traveling carry-on style. A backpack, and a small rolly suitcase, I affectionately call Roy. I love Roy. He’s the best suitcase I’ve ever had. Small enough for the overhead compartments, big enough to fit what I need. However, Roy on cobblestone can sometimes present a challenge, though worth it. I’m very much over the heavy backpack, shoulder hurting traveling days of my 20’s.
After my last newsletter, my friend Andres messaged me and said “there’s no way any kind of water bottle will let you drink the water in Mexico.” Well, I’m happy to report that after ten days of drinking from a LifeStraw, I’m doing just fine. Alive. I haven’t been sick once. So if you too are planning a trip to Mexico, or anywhere where the water worries you, I recommend a LifeStraw.
The Highs of Author Life
Since hitting publish on my Buenos Aires city guide in late January, I’ve sold 57 copies, both print and Kindle versions. Every time I look at my stats, I feel proud for having accomplished this. But also so grateful. Thank you so much if you are someone who has purchased this book. I truly appreciate your support. If have a moment, I would appreciate it if you wrote a quick review to help get the book out to more future BA lovers.
I have also had some great success with my city guides on Thatch this month. So far the majority of people have purchased the Buenos Aires in 10 Days Itinerary, and have received really good feedback from that. I was also happy to sell a few new guides for the first time this month- Mendoza, and Jujuy/Salta. I started creating city guides with Thatch last August without any real idea of how it might go. I have now sold several guides, and receiving that email is still the best feeling ever.
The Lows of Putting Myself Out There
My last video was about why I left Argentina. If you’ve been reading my newsletter, then you already know why. I share more intimate details here on Substack. On YouTube it’s usually a more fun representation of life on the road, giving tips, providing info, etc. My last video was more emotional. I shared a difficult experience that happened to have Argentina as a backdrop. As a consequence of the several difficult last months I had in Argentina, I decided to leave. I never once blamed Argentina. I did receive several kind and supportive comments, which of course I appreciate so much. But I also received several incredibly rude comments (mainly from Argentinians) who seemed to have took my leaving very personally. They took it as an opportunity to insult me directly, to insult the entire country of Mexico and its people (just because I was coming here next), and to insult the United States (which I suppose is relevant to the story because that’s where I’m from?).
As I mentioned in the video, no country is perfect, including my own. Especially my own. Listing issues about the US in my comments section is singing to the choir. I’m the biggest critic of my own country. Insulting Mexico is entirely unnecessary, and to be honest- quite odd. People really created a lot invented issues from what they obviously did not understand about my video. Those comments were really hard to read, but at the end of the day, I just try to remember that their comments have nothing to do with me, and everything to do with their own issues.
I’ll keep creating instead because of the kind messages I receive, thanking me for how much I have helped them. How I helped to make their dreams come true to study in Argentina. To feel comfortable and more confident going to Buenos Aires. Or even to know a private driver to pick them up from a late concert. This is why I create.
March Travel Tip
If you’re not using travel related credit cards, what are you even doing with your life? I kid, I kid. But seriously, get on the travel credit card train and get free flights and free hotel stays. Thanks to my Chase Sapphire points, I stayed for three nights at the DoubleTree by Hilton in Guadalajara, with a rooftop view of the Plaza de Armas.
The Chase Sapphire card is the absolute best for travel. You can get 5x points for Chase travel related purchases, 2s travel, 3x for streaming subscriptions, 3x restaurants, and 3x for online groceries. With the Preferred card, you also get $50 hotel travel credits to use every year.
As a little extra bonus tip- download The Points Guy app. You can input all of your travel credit cards, and travel related programs (Hilton Honors, United Mileage Plus, etc.) and the app will tell you how many points you have on each card and with each program at a glance. It also shows you the benefits of each program on one page so you can easily know which card is best to use when to maximize your points. There is also a feature that shows you ‘missed points’- places where you could have benefitted by using a different card, and tells you which card you should have used instead.
THANK YOU
As always, thank you to all of you who support me and my work. Thank you for reading my words and watching my videos. Buying me coffees and donating to my blog. My travels are self-funded, and I truly appreciate all your continued support and encouragement.