Packing For Your Trip To Mexico

Pack light! A camera plus whatever else you can fit in your daypack would be a great packing preparation for your trip to Mexico. Some adventurous travelors even start their Mexican vacations with only a small belt pack. Remember that you are going to an area where beautiful handmade clothing is almost free, as the street vendors say. So are colorful woven bags to carry your travel souveniers in. The less stuff you bring with you, the more stuff you can buy and bring back.

Bring along a minimum of sporty, summer style clothing. Pack t-shirts, shorts, swimsuit, sunglasses and a good pair of hiking boots. A flashlight with extra batteries is a must for exploring caves and for those nights when hotel generators are shut down early. Trust that by the time you reach the colder climate of the Mexican highlands, you will find a good selection of sweaters and jackets for sale in the streets and markets.

If you plan to visit fishing villages or remote Maya towns, especially those in the highlands where everyday life is dominated by rigid tradition, you will want to keep your clothing modest so you don’t offend the locals. No short-shorts, string bikinis, tight tops or other suggestive outfits, though all of these are perfectly acceptable attire in Cancun, or other beach resorts in Mexico. Nudity is against the law in all Latin American countries. If you want to sunbathe in the buff, find a very private place to do so. Never visit a church in shorts. Women should always wear a skirt in churches, and men should wear a shirt and long pants.

For your personal toiletries, larger towns along the Maya Route and elsewhere in Mexico carry almost everything you will find at home, sometimes at lower prices. Normal items like: toothpast, deodorant, shampoo, soap, insect repellent, skin creams, shaving cream and batteries (buy the expensive batteries, the cheapest kind often don’t work). Imported items like tampons and suntan lotions are also widely available in larger towns, though you may find that they cost more in Mexico than at home.

Because tourism is a key industry along the Maya Route and throughout Mexico, camera film is usually easy to find. However, most major tourist destinations have tourist-trap prices in places where you are likely to use up you film and camera supplies. You will find especially well stocked camera stores at Chichen Itza, Merida and San Cristobal de las Casas.

You should definately pack a first-aid kit. Include a good insect repellent, aspirin, adhesive bandages, cold capsules, vitamins, motion sickness tablets, calamine lotion or a small bottle of white vinegar (for insect bites), iodine or alcohol for disinfecting wounds, antibiotic ointment, water purification tablets, sunscreen, lip balm, diarrhea medicine and any prescription drugs you use. Anyone with a medical condition should consider wearing a medic alert indentification tag that indentifies the problem and gives a phone number to call for more information.

The illness most people encounter is diarrhea, euphemized as turista or Montezuma’s revenge, caused by food and drink carrying unfamiliar strains of bacteria. It can range from a 24-hour case of mild cramps to an all-out attack with several days of fever, chills and vomiting, followed by a lousy feeling that lingers for weeks. But not everybody gets sick Mexico. Those who stay healthy use the best defense, which is proper prevention and prepardness.

Avoid drinking tap water or ice made from tap water (commonly used in restaurants – ask first!), and don’t brush your teeth with tap water. Ask if your hotel has agua purificada (purified water). Many hotels in Cancun and in the resort areas have their own water purification system. In remote areas, motels and lodges usually provide bottled water in the rooms or will direct you to a grocery store that sells it. Always drink bottled liquids; mineral water, sodas, fruit drinks, soft drinks or beer, whenever possible. Remember, one drop of bad water can make you sick for weeks.

Eat with discretion. Consume only thick-skinned fruits that you peel yourself, such as oranges and bananas, and vegetables that are cooked through. Nuts and shells, such as peanuts and coconuts, are pretty safe also. Avoid milk products; unpasteurized milk is frequently served in Mexico. Steer clear of raw seafood; ceviche is renowned for causing turista; as well as garden salads. Even if the produce was rinsed in purified water, it may have been fertilized (in the fields) with human waste, a common practice in some parts of Mexico.

Take it easy the first few days, especially with the more piquant varieties of Mexican food. If you shock your system with spicy food and heavy liquor right away, your stomach may seek revenge. In other words, eating jalapeno chicken followed by quesadillas and enchiladas chased by tequila slammers is asking for mucho trouble.

Be careful about street food. Meat, seafood, peeled fruit used in drinks and candies on which flies have taken their siestas are risky. However, a lot of the food from stalls is delicious and very well prepared. If the facilities look clean and the food is hot off the grill, its probably okay. Be the judge and take your chances.

Many people believe in preventative medicine. Some take a slug of Pepto-Bismol before every meal; others, a shot of tequila, believing it will extinguish any threatening organisms. Some antibiotics are commonly prescribed as a preventative, although they may cause sensitivity to the sun, which is not a good thing in the tropics. Many travelers swear by using garlic pills as the best prevention. Juice of the lima (Mexican lime) is also a traditional way to ward off stomach problems.

If you take all the necessary precautions and still get hit with turista, try these remedies: Lomotil, the stopper-upper. Use sparingly. Not a cure, it’s a morphine derivative that induces a kind of intestinal paralysis. Stop the dosage as soon as symptoms disappear. Paragoric, Kaopectate, Kaomycin, Imodium AD and Pepto-Bismol help keep the cramps down. Diodoquin, Mexaform, Streptomagnum and Donamycin are stronger over-the-counter cures available in Mexican drug stores. For diarrhea with a fever, you can take Septra or Bactrium if you are not allergic to sulfa drugs. But remember that prolonged use of any antibiotic is not good for your immune system and can make you more susceptible to other tropic diseases.

Manzanilla (chamomile) tea, popular in Mexico, soothes the stomach and often works wonders. Yerba buena (peppermint) tea is also soothing. Papaya restores the digestive tract. Light, easy-to-digest foods like toast and soup keep your strength up. Lots of nonalcoholic liquids are important to prevent dehydration. Carbonated water with juice of a lima is another popular stomach soother.

Rest and relaxation will help your body heal faster than if you run around sick and wear yourself down further. The symptoms should pass within 24 hours or so, and a case of turista seems to have an immunizing effect where any subsequent bouts you may have will be less severe, and eventually your body will adjust to the foreign water. If you spend a month or more in Mexico and Central America, you may find that you have similar problems with the water at home when you first return.

In rare cases, diarrhea may be a symptom of a more serious illness like amoebic dysentery or cholera. See a doctor if the diarrhea persists beyond three days, if your stool is bloody or foamy, or if you have a high fever.

For medical care, there are hospitals, medical clinics, dental offices and other health care providers, as well as the Red Cross, in all Maya Route cities, and in a number of smaller Yucatan towns. Private facilities are generally better funded, equipped and less crowded than public hospital emergency rooms. Visits to doctors are relatively inexpensive, and hotels can usually recommend English speaking physicians. Contact your health insurance carrier before you leave to find out the extent of your coverage while travelling abroad.

Mosquitoes. Ask anyone who has spent a night in the jungle and they will tell you: The most ferocious animal is not a jaguar but a mosquito. Mosquitoes protect their territory in the Maya Route lowlands, also known as “The Mosquito Coast.” The little buzzers are thickest in rainforests, swamp areas, and along the costal bush. The best defenses are long sleeves and pants, along with a good repellent. Electronic mosquito repellent devices, which emit a sound pitched at the high edge of human hearing are good to have. Try to purchase one before traveling to Mexico.

Campers will find that mosquito netting is more important than a tent or sleeping bag. Hang a mosquito net over a hammock under a palapa in a campground like the ones at Palenque and Tical and you can sleep comfortably in paradise. Whether you’re camping or spending your nights indoors, mosquito coils will keep the bugs away while you sleep.

For mosquito and other bug bites, lime juice takes the itch out, disinfects your wounds and acts as a repellent also. Limes (limones, not limas) are sold in every village. An ointment called andatol, sold in pharmacies, also helps reduce itching. Be sure to clean bug bites daily, using antiseptic on bad bites to avoid infection.

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Major Holidays Along The Maya Route

January
Everywhere: New Year’s Day (Dia del Ano Nuevo) is celebrated on January 1 as a national holiday, with parades, prayers and fireworks.

Yucatan Peninsula: Throughout Mexico, Christmas presents are given on January 6, the Day of Kings (Dia de los Reyes), which marks the end of the month long holiday season.

Chiapas: The Fiesta de Enero in Chiapa de Corzo, runs from January 9 to 22, is marked by some of the most spectacular celebrations in Mexico, with parades, processions and masked dancers in the streets. The Fiesta de San Sebastian (January 16 to 22), one of the most important religious feast days at San Juan Chamula and San Pedro Chenalho, is observed with dancing, processions, incense and music in both villages. The Fiesta de San Ildefonso honors Tenejapa’s patron saint on January 23.

February
Everywhere: Candlemas (Candelario), observed as a religious holiday throughout Latin America, marks the midpoint of winter on February 2. Later in the month, Latin Americans revel in a week long Carnival leading up to the austerity of Lent.

Yucatan Peninsula: Candelario is celebrated on February 2 with dancing, processions, bullfights and the blessing of candles and seeds. Constitution Day (Dia de Constitucion), a Mexican national holiday on February 6, means bank and business closings but no big public celebrations in the Yucatan. Merida explodes with music, dance and fireworks for Carnival, as do Isla Mujeres, Cozumel and Campeche.

Chiapas: Carnival is spectacular in San Juan Chamula.

March – April
Everywhere: Throughout Latin America, Holy Week (Semana Santa), the week leading up to Easter, rivals the Christmas season as the biggest holiday of the year. Everybody travels then. Expect crowds and high prices.

Yucatan Peninsula: Holy Week is a time for street parties featuring passion plays, music and dancing in the plazas in Cozumel, Isla Mujeres and Campeche. There is a general exodus of city dwellers for the sea or lakeshore, where they picnic and camp.

Chiapas: Holy Week is one of the biggest events of the year in San Cristobal de las Casas. On Saturday, the day before Easter, the whole town gathers to burn Judas in effigy. The festivities are extended for a second week, after Easter, as the Feria de la Primavera de la Paz (Spring and Peace Fair).

May
Yucatan Peninsula: Labor Day, May 1, is a Mexican national holiday, as is Cinco de Mayo (May 5), which celebrates the defeat of the French by the Mexican army at Puebla in 1862. Neither is celebrated in a very big way in the Yucatan or Chiapas, but banks and many businesses are closed. Later in the month, the city of Merida, livens up as it hosts its annual International Song Festival, which features performances of nearly 400 original songs, mostly in Spanish, from a dozen countries. Corpus Christi Day (late May or early June) celebrates blessings of children all over the country.

Chiapas: The Day of the Cross, May 3, is a major ceremonial day in Tzotzil Maya villages, especially in San Juan Chamula.

June
Chiapas: The Fiesta de San Juan, an important feast day in San Juan Chamula, is celebrated on June 24 with ritual horse races through the village as well as religious processions. This is also one of the biggest fiestas of the year in Santo Domingo Palenque. Nearby, the village of San Pedro Chenalho celebrates the Fiesta de San Pedro from June 27 to 30.

July
Yucatan Peninsula: Dancing, fireworks and sporting events are all part of Ticul, a week long fiesta commemorating the establishment of Ticul, a town notheast of Uxmal. Ciudad del Carmen, south along the coast from the city of Campeche, honors its patroness, Nuestra Senora del Carmen, with a big citywide fiesta.

Chiapas: The celebration of Fiesta de San Cristobal, the biggest fiesta of the year in San Cristobal de las Casas, lasts from July 17 to July 25. It is a time of pilgrimages and candlelight processions, and it coincides with San Cristobal’s peak tourist season. July 25 is also the date of the Fiesta de Santiago Apostal in Amatenango del Valle.

August
Yucatan Peninsula: Assumption Day is celebrated throughout Mexico on August 15.

Chiapas: Palenque has a big celebration on the Fiesta de Santo Domingo de Guzman, August 4. In Zinacantan, the Fiesta de San Lorenzo, August 8 to 11, is a time of flowers and processions. On August 30, music, incense and fireworks usher in the Fiesta de Santa Rosa.

September
Yucatan Peninsula: Here and throughout Mexico, there are parades and fireworks on Independence Day, September 16. From September 27 to October 14, the Fiesta de Cristo de las Ampollas (Christ of the Blisters) in Merida honors a sacred cross seemingly immune to fire.

Chiapas: From September 1 to 5, the people of Palenque observe the Fiesta de Santo Domingo, their patron saint, in grand style. Throughout the state, the anniversary of Chiapas joining Mexico is celebrated on September 14, spilling into Independence Day celebrations on the 15th and 16th. In San Cristobal de las Casas, the Fiesta del Barrio de la Merced on September 24 is a big civil celebration.

October
Yucatan Peninsula: A week of parades and dancing heralds in the Fiesta de San Francisco de Asisi on October 4. Columbus Day (Dia de la Raza), October 12, is observed throughout Mexico.

Chiapas: A large market takes place in conjunction with the Feria de San Francisco, an authentically Mexican country fair and fiesta held in Amatenango del Valle October 1 through October 5. In San Juan Chamula, the Feast of Our Lady of the Rosary (Fiesta de la Virgen del Rosario) features music, dancing, costumes and a fair October 6 through 8.

November
Yucatan Peninsula: The Day of the Dead (Dia de los Muertos or Todos Santos) blends remembrance of the departed with cheerfully morbid revelry in a unique Indian-Christian tribute to death on November 1. Sugar skulls, altars, papier-mache skeletons and toy coffins fill the streets of Yucatan cities, where strong Indian traditions survive. November 20, the anniversary of the beginning of the Mexican Revolution of 1910, is a national holiday.

Chiapas: The Feria de Santa Cecilia on November 22, followed up by the Fiesta de la Caridad on the 23rd and 24th, is one of the year’s biggest festivals in San Cristobal de las Casas.

December
Everywhere: Christmas (Navidad) is the holiest of holidays throughout the region.

Yucatan Peninsula and Chiapas: The Feast of Our Lady of Guadalupe, patroness of Mexico, inspires parades, dancing and music nationwide on December 12. The Christmas season begings on December 16, the first night of Las Posadas, the Mexican tradition of nightly processions recalling Mary and Joseph’s search for lodging in Behtlehem. Nativity scenes are the main form of Christmas decoration. Christmas Eve (Nochebuena) is also a time of holy processions and singing. Christmas Day is a national holiday, and the streets are deserted. All Fools’ Day on December 28 is similar to April Fool’s Day.