Mexican Adventure – Part 1

Finally, the day had come. After months of talking about it and a bit of planning, I left Bournemouth for my mammoth journey to Xalapa (pronounced Ha-La-Pa). I was to visit Joel for a month in Mexico to meet his new family and my grandson!

Rio dropped me off at Bournemouth bus station at 09:30 for the National Express to London Heathrow Terminal 5.

My flight wasn’t until 3 p.m., but I needed to get to the airport by 12, and it’s a 3-hour journey on the coach.

My suitcase was heavy—mostly filled with bits for Joel and his family. I also had a backpack full of toiletries and travel essentials. Both were coming on the plane with me, so I had to drag them everywhere, which wasn’t always easy.

I’d taken a few extra layers and a neck pillow for the flight. And although I like to travel light, I was going to be away for a month and wasn’t really sure what I’d need.

As it turns out, I should’ve brought an extra hoodie—we’ve had some cooler weather in the second week.

The flight was smooth. I was sat on the aisle next to two other ladies (Mexican and English), and I wasn’t too bothered by the heavy-drinking, junk food-consuming, non-stop gaming lads in the seats nearby…

On arrival at Mexico City Airport, the real adventure began.

Joel had kindly given me detailed instructions on how to get a taxi to the bus depot and which bus to take, etc.

It was around 8 p.m. when I arrived, but everything went very smoothly—I got the taxi with no problem, wasn’t ripped off, and found the bus. Joel had sent me the ticket (though I’m sure I could’ve managed that), stocked up on bottled water and a sandwich, and found the right bus to Xalapa.

It was just over 4 hours for the final leg of the journey, and that’s when I realised I’d left my charging cable at Rio’s. My phone battery was low, so I switched it off until I was close to Xalapa.

At 02:30 Mexican time (8:30 a.m. UK time—some 24 hours since I left), I arrived at Joel’s house—proud, relieved, and super happy to be here. I fell into bed and slept!

The next morning, I met my new two-day-old grandson – and what a delight that was! He was born at home in a very calm, relaxed environment with family close at hand. It was very unusual to have a home delivery here, and technically against the protocols in Mexico, but the parents were adamant about bringing their baby into the world in the way of their choosing. They were supported by a very competent and skilled pair of midwives, who had years of knowledge, skill, and experience between them. Coupled with the peaceful atmosphere of being at home, everything went exactly as planned.

From that day forward, I’ve been blessed with lots of time with my new grandson over the following weeks – making up for the time I’ll miss once I have to leave. The postpartum experience here has been very different from my own in the UK. It has centered around the healing of the mother, and I’ve found it incredibly interesting.

The mother stays in bed for ten days, leaving only to wash and use the bathroom. Meals are brought to her, and her needs are made a top priority. The thinking is that if the mother’s needs are met, the baby will be happy. The placenta was handled with great care – some of it was used in smoothies, while the rest was taken away, dried, or preserved in alcohol. It was later converted into medicine and honey. The placenta membrane was dried and used as plasters for cuts, burns, and bites. The umbilical cord was also dried and turned into a tincture for healing, with a variety of uses including for shock and trauma.

These midwives belong to an international community, learning from each other, from research, and from lived experience. One of the midwives spoke good English, having worked in the US, and we were able to have a wonderful chat about it all. I found it absolutely fascinating.

It is believed that the mother and baby are still spiritually connected and that the first 40 days are crucial to maintain a quiet and calm environment. During this time, there are no visitors and no public outings unless absolutely necessary. It’s quite a shift in mindset when you’re used to the UK, where you’re expected to be up and about and “back to normal” within days. I think I prefer this version – it gives everyone the time to adjust to the new way of life.

My son has been amazing, looking after everyone and attending to new mums needs and baby whenever possible. I hope it’s been helpful to have me here to take some of the pressure off him as well.

I’ve now had over two weeks here, and it has taken time to adjust to the culture, food, and climate. Joel lives in a lovely house just on the edge of Xalapa, near a beautiful park called Briones. It’s full of greenery, trees, and tropical plants, with cafés and restaurants, children’s play areas, sports facilities, boutique shops, and some guided trails for biking and walking. I’ve spent a bit of time going there in the mornings, exploring and enjoying a coffee. It’s truly lush and beautiful.

Xalapa is the capital of the state of Veracruz, the strip of land along the Gulf of Mexico that opens out into the Atlantic Ocean. Its climate is cooler than the coast, sitting at 1,400 meters elevation at the foot of the Sierra Madre Oriental mountains, giving it a mix of rain and sunshine that creates a lush and diverse flora and fauna. The region is known for its coffee and is home to one of the major universities in Mexico, giving it a lively, vibrant young community.

It also has a strong connection to its past and houses a museum with many artifacts from the Olmec civilization – one of the oldest in Mesoamerica. I also learned about the Totonacs, who built unique pyramids, and the Huastecs and Nahuas, who are still present in the north and the mountains. Veracruz was the first place where the Spanish landed in Mexico, making it a very important trading area. Much of this I read about and learned at the museum during my second week… but the first week, I spent adjusting to the food and different way of life.

Due to the climate, the food here is very different from home. They don’t have the same diversity of imported goods that we have in the UK, and most people eat home-cooked traditional meals. These dishes have been passed down for generations, focused around beef, pork, chicken, corn, eggs, and many varieties of peppers and chilies. Fresh cheeses are made and eaten to complement the bold flavors of the spices. Perhaps due to the historical lack of refrigeration, food is well-cooked to kill any bacteria – spices are also used as preservatives.

Unfortunately, the water here needs to be filtered, and although we are doing that, it still played havoc with my insides! I’ve had to avoid fresh salads and peel any fresh fruits or vegetables before eating them. That said, the fruit here is absolutely delicious – it’s mango season and they’re the best I’ve ever eaten. Papaya is everywhere, and there are other fruits I’ve never even seen or tasted before. The oranges and grapefruits are incredibly sweet and juicy, and the lemons are green!

I’ll admit, it took me about ten days to adjust to the food here. I’ve eaten very little bread – they mostly make sweet breads – as corn tortillas are eaten with every meal. I’ve cooked a few meals the “British” way, and they’ve gone down well. But there are many ingredients you just can’t get here, so you have to be inventive.

Breakfast usually consists of eggs in some form. Lunch is usually the main meal – a meat stew with lots of vegetables, served with tortillas and corn (maize). The evening meal is lighter but often eaten later at night.

I’ve slowly been exploring the area, taking short walks and going on a few outings with Joel, but I’ve also ventured out by myself quite a bit – which won’t surprise any of you who’ve read my blog before! It’s not unusual for me to wander alone when we’re traveling, though I usually have George in tow.

There’s so much more I could write about – I’m loving learning about Mexico, its history, and its rich culture. The people are incredibly friendly (though I do stand out a lot – Mexicans are naturally smaller, and with my pale skin, I often feel like a giant!). They are a very healthy-looking people with glowing brown skin, shiny dark hair, and wide, smiling brown eyes.

I’m lucky to be experiencing it all from the perspective of a local in many ways – enjoying the bustling markets where people sell all kinds of wares: dried salted fish, herbs for every kind of remedy, cooked, dried, and fresh meats, cosmetics, sweet treats, and plastic toys from China. Then there are the fresh fruit and veg stalls… and I don’t even want to talk about the tables selling freshly slaughtered chickens with no refrigeration!

I am missing home a lot, but each day it gets easier. I’m relaxing more and more and growing more confident about venturing out alone. Joel and his family have made me feel so welcome in their home.

I am truly blessed to be here!