This post was last updated on 2024 April 21
This is an OLD photo from 2007, and one I’m not particularly excited about – but it serves to illustrate the story of how I spent 20 minutes at Chichen Itza.
YUP. 20 whole minutes at one of the New 7 Wonders Of The World.
Really, I’m amazed that I even saw it at all, and I’m grateful just for that. My family and I were on one of those week-long all inclusive trips at a resort on the Mexican Riviera, which is remarkable in itself because we’re not the type of family to do big trips like this (it was to celebrate both mine and my sister’s graduations that year).
And I’m not the type that’s into all-inclusive travel – shocker, right? After one day on the (glorious, gorgeous, thank-you-mom-and-dad-for-taking-me-to-this) beach, I was itching to get out and see more of Mexico. The rest of my family was in bliss mode with absolutely zero desire to leave the beach all week. I still don’t know how I convinced my dad to rent a car and drive us through a foreign country to see some ruins.
My sisters complained the entire day about how hot it was and how bored they were, and how they just wanted to go back to the resort. When we finally got to Chichen Itza, they just moped around and begged for us to leave. Though I was frustrated, I managed to do a lap around the area and see the major ruins.
While not an entirely satisfying travel experience, my excursion to Chichen Itza pointed out a few key things to me, which I’ve since incorporated into the trips I’ve taken:
- If I’m traveling with others, I must do it with people who share a similar travel style. Too much compromise and neither of us are happy.
- I like to take my time when traveling. Quick daytrips where more time is spent getting to/from the destination than actually at it are NOT my thing.
- Tours and trip packages are just not for me. I tried it, and I don’t knock those who love that mode of travel – but for me, it’s immensely more satisfying to travel on my own terms.
And that’s what this blog is all about: slow, deliberate, independent adventure travel.
