So if we start right from the very beginning.
It was the 25h of May, a Thursday, a quiet sunny morning in London.
And I woke up to find that my peace lilies had flowered for the first time in 2 years
and took it as a sign of good things to come.
The first stop on the journey, for me, before meeting my friends who’d caught an earlier
flight, was Dallas, Texas.
I was there for an hour at most before setting off into the air again and then touching down
in Mexico.
Cancún.
We were staying in an Air BnB a short bus journey away from the hotels and the strip.
They put us up in this cute green building off the main house, with it’s own little
courtyard, this pocket of tranquility, where we were always blessed with the company of
Mika, the only dog that would ever make me a dog person.
A gorgeous little thing who I can honestly say I fell in love with.
And there were other friendly companions too.
And Sophie, who was a little bit more…
wary of us.
Our time in Cancún was brief.
we spent our days on the beach, made the most of that perfect, soft white sand and the stunning
blue of the ocean.
Lounged and laughed and swam a lot.
And at night, severely jet-lagged still, we bypassed the clubs and stumbled upon The Grand
Mambo Cafe where…
we just had an incredible night of live music, drinking and dancing.
Before we knew it we were on our way out of Cancún.
A couple of hours on a coach later, we arrived at our next stop.
Playa del Carmen, an inviting, bustling, sprawl of people, music, shops, food…
After we’d settled into our second home, Casa Piña, which was- by the way- equally
as vibrant in colour as our last place, and had pineapple themed decor inside, we headed
out onto the strip to wander, eat and drink and take in the buzz of the night life.
And it was just as lively there in the daytime as it was at night.
It’s the type of place where, everywhere you look theres something to see.
Or hear.
One morning, we hurried down to the pier to catch the ferry to the nearby Island of Cozumel.
Cozumel is known for its gorgeous reefs and aquatic life.
We snorkelled, a first for me, and the clarity of the sea, seeing in person- and almost feeling
like a part of- scenes that I’ve only ever seen on TV, being surrounded by the friendly
little creatures of the ocean just a dot in this big blue body of water, it was an experience
that still gives me goosebumps to think about now.
Our guide, Otto, told us it was time to head back.
So we did, reluctantly, and just in time to catch our coach to our next destination.
Merida is one of the most charming cities I’ve ever been to.
It has this old-timey feel, like something out of a book.
Calm and enticing with the most stunning architecture.
And the friendliest, most genuine people.
But I could say that for everywhere we visited in Mexico.
I mean, like all countries, of course there is danger and as a tourist, the side of a
country you see might be different to real life there, but for me, I’ve never known
anywhere else to make me feel so at ease.
That nostalgic feel of Merida was also helped by all of the classic VW Beetles on the roads.
Looking into the history of the town, we boarded a tiny minibus with a few other people, and
took a trip out to three haciendas which were like plantations or estates built from around
the 1700s and owned by Spanish colonisers.
A lot of them have been restored to showcase the architecture and the intricately decorated
interiors, but I find that there’s always something bit more beautiful in the ruin of
an abandoned building, something more alluring about the story it might tell.
The final hacienda we visited was the most stunning of them all.
Hacienda Ochil reminded me of an old palace; its restoration was sympathetic and preserved
a kind of weathered feel, so it almost appeared like a grand building lost in the Mexican
wildlife.
As we explored the haciendas, we encountered colourful birds and visited two cenotes; deep
sinkholes full of clear, fresh water filtered through the earth.
They were quiet locations, off the beaten track.
The type of stunning place you’d expect to be swarming with tourists, but we had it
all pretty much to ourselves, and it felt like our little secret.
Our last night in Merida was spent in a place recommended by our previous Air BnB host,
La Negrita, a crowded bar with live music and great food.
When it closed, we followed a map to another place and drank tequila late into the night.
This is where it became a family holiday.
Our next leg of the journey came with a lovely sense of being part of something bigger, and
a feeling of togetherness.
We were in Mexico for my friends brothers wedding and were picked up and driven by the
brother of the groom and his wife- who became our holiday parents- to Cuidad del Carmen,
the hometown of the bride.
The closer we got to the city, the more the rain came down.
A downpour unlike anything I’ve ever seen.
Just walls and walls of water coming down, showing no signs of stopping.
Roads turned into rivers and as darkness closed in, it didnt even look like we’d make it
to our hotel.
But by morning you’d have never known.
And we finally got to appreciate the charm of our new home and the surrounding area.
We spent the next few days having our breakfasts on the beachfront, spending time with the
family and occasionally venturing out in the pouring rain, up to our knees in waterproof
coats that weren’t waterproof, to get beer and crisps.
Retreating back to our rooms, soaked, to watch the downpour from our porch.
The day of the wedding finally came.
And it was a hectic one, as wedding days always are.
The constant, underlying worry of an impending storm on the beach ceremony.
And couple of us didnt even make it on time.
But the important people were there.
And the rain waited until it the ceremony was finished, it actually waited well past
the time it had started every other day that week, and gave the couple a beautiful, clear
sunset as they read their vows, and even some time after for an absolutely enchanting first
dance.
Pushing our luck with the weather a bit, there was even time for all of us to have a boogie
in the sand before it started chucking it down.
We joined the newlyweds back at the venue the next day to help clear up, and ended up
enjoying the privacy of this beach all to ourselves, hammocks, and a calm sea that we
made the most of until the sun was gone.
Before we left Cuidad del Carmen, we, the newlyweds and a few other wedding guests,
took a trip out on a couple of fishing boats, with the sweetest, most enthusiastic and genuine
and warm guide.
He showed us the dolphins, who he must see every day ,but with the same excitement as
us first-timers and taught us about some incredible birds out there as well.
After disembarking, we headed to the airport, and set off on our way to Mexico City.
Our apartment there was the most modern.
Practical and minimal in a densely populated area full of characters and sights and sounds.
Across the way was a captivating blue house perfectly framing the tree in front, its pink
flowers really standing out against the blue.
Our first day was spent at the anthropology museum.
We literally spent our entire first day there, not anticipating just how much there out lie
to see.
All of it too fascinating to leave anything undiscovered.
We took a journey through the time-line of Mexico, from the very beginning and afterwards
we wandered the nearby park and met a lovely old man called Vincente, who got out his notebooks
and spent at least an hour talking to us about ducks.
Next, the most incredible experience, we were lucky enough to visit Frida Kahlo's house,
Casa Azul.
It was… beyond words.
Such a beautiful, calm space.
And just a well of inspiration.
Every room and through the gardens, it had this energy to it, you could almost feel her
greatness and wisdom.
I’ve never been in another artists studio before, and to get stand in hers, someone
I admire so much, was something I’ll never forget.
Later that day, we explored a local park, entranced by the nature an echoing drum beat
in the distance and the over-friendliness of the squirrels.
And, after taking recommendations from some of my Instagram followers, we headed to Alameda
Central, and just sat and took in the atmosphere for a while.
We walked from there to the Palacio de Bellas Artes and the amazing building set the stage
for an impromptu rap battle.
And then we waled to the Cathedral and the Main square.
The very last stop in our journey was the ancient site of Teotihacán.
A huge, sprawling site of pyramids, rich with history.
It’s the kind of place that just makes you feel grounded, settled, just with the scale
of it.
We climbed the pyramids, even the tallest, la Piràmide del Sol, and the view from its
peak was enough to take your breath away.
And the next day.
We came home
It was the trip of a lifetime with two of the most incredible friends, I made memories
that will stay with me the rest of my life and I’ll forever be able to relive it all
through these drawings.