A Month in Mexico: A Journey of Family, Food, and Firsts
I’d say I spent the first two weeks of my month-long trip adjusting to Mexico… in so many different ways. All my usual schedules and routines went out the window.
By week three, my stomach had finally settled, and I was able to tolerate more of the unfamiliar Mexican dishes. My skin, however, remained a delight to the biting insects until the very end—but I refused to let them bother me.
Meal times were unpredictable, but thankfully my sleep adjusted quite easily. Jari and I had warmed up to each other, and I felt brave enough to explore on my own. That said, there wasn’t a lot of time for adventuring, as I was mainly there to help with the baby and household chores.
Luckily, Joel and Dahla had a wonderful cleaner and cook who came twice a week. She cleaned, did the laundry, and cooked some amazing, flavourful meals—some of which I could actually eat and enjoy. She made her own dough for tortillas and used a tortilla press to shape them. I cooked a few meals, but since it wasn’t often required, I had more time with my new grandson—giving Dahla a chance to rest if she hadn’t had much sleep. I never refused a cuddle, and he even got to know me, often falling asleep in my arms.
Jari was away with his dad for five or six days, but when he returned, we had a few little adventures together—despite not speaking much of the same language. He turned 13 while I was there, and we celebrated (at his request) with just the family. We prepared and cooked pulpo (octopus) and chicken wings on the barbacoa, made homemade French fries, and enjoyed two cakes: a chocolate one with cream and strawberries (baked by me), and an Oreo ice cream cake. It was a great day—especially for Jari, who got a new bike. We all pitched in with the preparations. The evening ended with a dramatic thunder and lightning storm!
In my final week, Joel took Jari and me on an adventure to Pextlan, where we walked beside—and often through—the river, up to a canyon. There, we swam in a narrow inlet that led to a small waterfall. The walk felt like a rainforest jungle, with stunning views, tropical trees, and a mix of climbs and descents. It was fun and exciting, though the water was very cold! We had to cross the river several times. I usually took my shoes off, while Joel and Jari leapt across boulders.
The funniest part was passing a large family group wading through the river in full clothing—shoes and all—carrying bags of picnic food above their heads!
After the hike, we were all starving, so we stopped in Coatepec for lunch at a terrace-view restaurant overlooking the market. Joel was called home, so Jari and I spent the afternoon exploring the markets and figuring out how to catch a local bus back.
Jari doesn’t usually take the bus and was horrified, but I was determined to try it. As polite and sweet as he is, he agreed. The bus stops were hard to find and there were no timetables, but after asking a few stallholders and checking the bus destination signs, we managed to jump on a local bus heading the right way. These are huge, diesel-powered buses that thunder along the roads and are usually packed. They’re incredibly cheap—only 10 pesos (around 40p) per journey—and you can get almost anywhere, if you have the time.
Other transport options include colectivos (shared minibuses that run regular routes and are also affordable) and, of course, taxis, which are good value and easy to hail almost anywhere.
On my last day, my Mexican family took me to Sexto Sol near Jalcomulco—a lovely restaurant with eco cabins overlooking a vast valley framed by flat-topped mountains. The drive took us through coffee-growing country and mango groves. The mango trees are massive—like old oak trees—and were dripping with fruit. Joel told me that mango groves are now being replaced with lemon trees, as they’re more profitable. I was surprised, but it made sense—mangoes don’t fetch much and spoil quickly in the heat. That said, I’ve never tasted mangoes like those in Mexico—so sweet and juicy! And did you know that lemons in Mexico are green?
The view from the restaurant was breathtaking. We had a lovely lunch, and I even enjoyed a Mexican Mojito… along with a surprise slice of chocolate cake as everyone sang the Mexican birthday song. We lingered for a while, sharing a small, candle-lit celebration of our time together and the memories we had created. It was very special.
Sadly, my month had come to an end. I was to spend three nights in Mexico City before flying home. It was tough to say goodbye, but comforting to know I’ll see them again in September when they come to Europe.
I boarded a Platinum bus to Mexico City. These buses are luxurious—with big, comfy reclining seats, footrests, clean toilets, charging points, and personal screens. At £30 for the 4.5-hour journey (which often takes longer), it was worth every peso! Before boarding, your ID is checked and you receive a luggage ticket. Curtains are drawn on the buses, presumably to keep out the sun’s heat.
About an hour into the journey, we stopped unexpectedly and remained there for an hour. It was a bit worrying when the driver said something I couldn’t understand. For a moment, I thought we might turn back! But eventually, we moved on, and I arrived at Tapo bus station in CDMX 90 minutes late.
Joel had insisted I take a secure taxi from the station, but as it was a busy Friday evening during the holidays, I ended up waiting over an hour. Finally, I reached my hotel and collapsed into my king-sized bed for an early night—I had a 7:30 AM meeting point the next day for a full-day tour.
I had three days in CDMX and had planned them all before leaving Joel, with tips from a very special friend, Christina. She has a son living in Querétaro and a grandson who’s now 16. She told me where to stay and gave loads of useful advice. Armed with her recommendations, I arranged tours, a theatre trip, museum visits, walking tours, and stayed at a nice but reasonably priced hotel. I felt safe walking around the city on my own.
I learned a lot about the city’s history—how it was originally built on five lakes, which were drained by Spanish colonizers in the 16th century. They drained them to prevent flooding and to make space for churches and government buildings. Now, 400 years later, the city is slowly sinking back into the ancient lakebed.
My full-day tour included the colourful canal boats of Xochimilco, an iconic part of the Aztec transport system. It was fun, though a bit overwhelming with vendors trying to sell snacks, drinks, flower crowns, and souvenirs. A mariachi boat serenaded us with trumpets, guitars, and violins!
One of the highlights was visiting La Casa Azul—the home of Frida Kahlo. Despite her personal tragedies, Frida became renowned for her self-portraits. She was an inspirational woman, ahead of her time in both style and resilience. I could write a whole blog post on that visit alone, but I strongly encourage you to explore her story yourself—it’s fascinating.
On my second day in CDMX, I went to the Palacio de Bellas Artes for a live performance by the Folklórico de México dancers and musicians. They performed stories from Mexico’s folk history in stunning costumes and captivating routines that held us spellbound for two hours. The theatre itself, with its Art Deco interior and murals by famous Mexican artists, was a sight to behold.
At first, I got around the city using Uber. CDMX is vast—with a population of 9.2 million and over 20 million people living, working, or visiting daily. As I grew more confident, I walked more to get a real feel for the city. I explored some of its parks—one of them, Parque España, was hosting a public dance class with volunteer partners teaching anyone who joined in. I wasn’t quite brave enough to participate!
The city was clean, full of dog lovers, street food vendors, cafés, and markets. Markets are everywhere in Mexico, but in the city, they’re more tourist-focused, with colourful crafts, jewellery, and clothing.
During my three days in the city, I met fellow English speakers from around the world on the organized tours. It was lovely to have the company—it made everything more enjoyable. Everyone was so friendly, and at no point did I feel unsafe.
This trip has been life-changing for me. Travelling solo was a first—and I’m certain my Moho travels helped give me the confidence to embark on such a journey. I embraced the culture shock (though maybe didn’t fully adjust!) and cherished the time with Joel and his wonderful new family.
Mexico—I will be back!