Hi all! I wanted to write a little entry & share some snaps from my recent trip to Mexico. (Believe it or not, all of these photos were taken on my iPhone 7 & edited with VSCO! It was actually really refreshing to change it up a little). I hope you enjoy!
This trip was really special to me, because it was the first time I had ever needed a passport to travel. I don't know about you, but sometimes social media makes me feel a little behind on the times for not having traveled more by twenty-seven; this past week was such a beautiful reminder to take things a step at a time. I know I wrote this on my Instagram already, but I wanted to share it here as well. 'It's so easy to get lost & feel like you have to be a certain way or do certain things to feel accomplished. I honestly used to feel like I should have traveled half the world by now, snapping & sharing photos that I thought would bring me a sense of worth. I'm slowly realizing that life unfolds at different speeds for every single one of us, and all we can do is be accepting & have an open heart to it. You will get exactly where you're supposed to go, exactly when you need to. Just don't forget to enjoy the little moments along the way.' I hope this makes it's way to someone that needs that gently reminder as much as I did & still do.
Okay, back to Mexico! This place was unreal in it's rich colors + textures. I can't tell you how many times I wanted to stop the car to get out and snap a photo of different walls, buildings, and signage. Truly a dreamland when it comes to photography!
We stayed at a resort in Playa Del Carmen, and it was wonderful. I'm not really the type of person who likes to stand still, but this place had so much to see & do. Something I hope to bring back with me is a habit of giving myself some genuine quiet time. Each day I tried to wake up, make an espresso & sit on the balcony with a good book or have some time to think. This concept was a little strange at first, (I'm not good with sitting still either, haha), but by the end of the trip, it was something I really looked forward to.
(Seriously... so much beauty, everywhere you turned).
On Thursday, we went out on an excursion, which was my favorite day of the trip! When I talk about all the things we did that day, it still doesn't feel real. Our first stop was in the jungle, where we zip-lined, canoed, swam in a cenote, participated in a Mayan ritual, and ate a home cooked meal. This was the bulk of the day, and every bit as magical as it sounds. I love hearing about different cultures and their past history. We all climbed in the van, and our second stop was Coba.
When we pulled up to Coba, there were little shops that lined the streets; everything from tacos, figurines and macrame, beautifully displayed for all to see. We began our trek straight out of the van, and entered the park to experience the Coba ruins.
No words will ever do it justice. We had an amazing Tour Guide that explained the history for around an hour, then we were on our own to get to the actual site of the ruins. Once there, we climbed the ruins & suddenly were above the treeline; it was almost numbing at the top. There was so much beauty that day, from start to finish.
Of course, it's not Mexico if you don't eat a bag of Lay's & have a Coke in bed, right?
The week seemed to fly by, (pun very much intended), and I am so grateful to have been able to experience these views. I cannot wait to plan another adventure soon.
-- Not part of Mexico, but I recently bought, 'Yesterday I Was the Moon', and it felt so fitting to read her words above the clouds. I highly recommend it! As well as, 'Love Her Wild'.
“I want to travel to be away from home so that I can return loving it as much as it deserves to be loved.”
-- One thing that hit my heart hard, was seeing so many people outside of our resort, hurting & not having much. It definitely puts you in check, and reminds you just how blessed you really are. Even in the worst of situations, you are able to come home to a home with walls, which was a lot more than most of them had. If anyone knows of a charity that gives back to the people of Mexico, I would love to hear about it in the comments below!