Posted on 09/28/2014 6:05:57 PM PDT by Freedom56v2
Daughter is traveling to Mexico City, and I am looking for some useful travel references...some first-hand Freeper info/advice, or books/websites that have a "step-by-step" account of what to expect when she arrives at the airport.
She has never traveled to a Mexico (or any other country forthat matter), and it has been a long time since I traveled to Mexico, so I am looking for the latest information to provide to her. Thank you for your help.
Told her about bottled water, i.e. asking for bottled water, etc. and brushing teeth in bottled water.
Did not think about produce being washed in local tap water tho...good point.
Hmmm I ate fruit at hotel when I stayed there years ago...maybe not safe now...
Wonder about the food/water at this fairly high-end reception. There are actually 2 meals...one full course meal early, and one lighter meal in the evening.
Plus there is a rehearsal dinner and a dinner at home of the family...wonder if they drink bottled water???
Thank you!! Some great ideas :)
If she’s an adult how on earth can she be prevented from going?
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If you can afford it why not send a large muscular male friend that knows self defense with her.
Thanks, this is very helpful in the event that her flight or meetup delayed, etc. like last week at O’hare airport with 2000 flights delayed, etc.... so she can get a Taxi at airport. Hotel is a business-class hotel, I am providing a map to hotel from airport. Once she is at hotel, I will rest easier.
I have no plans on vising Mexico but that website is very informative.
Glad I took a peek.
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She is doing a Firearm training class — CCW, and I mentioned that I wish I could find an ex-marine to go with her....seriously, I did think about this....I am not thrilled that she is going...not at all, just trying to do what I can to make trip safer....
I am hoping that it is somewhat like CHicago, people live and work there and conduct business there, and it is not 100% bad as bad as media reports, tho I do think it is a place where you have to be very very careful.
eh, to clarify one of the guys from the class—
Can you, or a trusted (preferably male) friend/family member go with her?? Will she be arriving there alone, as it is?
Thanks for your assessment. I truly agree. Sadly, I knew when she befriended this girl, her “home town” would be “problematic”
I will share this post with her...She will be there for 6 days, 2 are traveling, so I am really hoping that with good advice, logistics, etc. she will be OK
Suggestions?
Fly!
Agree with your entire post.
We grew up vacationing in Mexico. It was relatively safe, if you stayed together, went to common places, stayed at well-known hotels and stayed away from backroads, etc.
Now days? No way. We’ve not traveled there in over 15 years. None of our friends go, anymore, either. And, we knew one couple that owned property there and would go several times per year. They no longer go. Just not worth the worry.
“Most of the info I have seen here, I have already passed on.”
The best advice is to just not make idiotic choices. I don’t care what city a person is in, trouble is not hard to find if that’s what you’re looking for. Just keep your wits about you, get back to the hotel about the time the sun sets and don’t go in parts of town where trouble lurks. It’s not that hard.
It’s good that your daughter is going to have knowledgable people providing transportation - use it without fail!
You have been given good advice,pass in on to your daughter, put her in God’s hands,and stay calm.
She’ll be fine.
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wife is from Mexico City. Without more detail of your daughter’s trip - I’d say at least these things
1. Have converted pesos BEFORE she goes - say about $100
2. carry anything valuable on carryon bags - refuse to have them checked.
3. Watch her bags when she gets them AT ALL TIMES - if she has to use restroom BRING BAGS IN WITH HER. Tell her NOT to turn her head away from bags for a second. My wife - who thinks she’s all-wise/savvy had her gym-bag w camera and few other things stolen right out from under her when she turned to find her brother.
4. Do NOT take any old taxi out in front - try to set up driver ahead of time with some reputable company to pick her up. Set up some type of signalling/identification.
5. Where’s she staying? She should go right to hotel or where she’s staying directly from airport and drop her stuff off.
6. When she ventures out - use reputable driver again - have hotel get one if they’re a major chain - this is no guarantee though
7. look like a plain Jane - don’t wear anything flashy or that shows ‘money’ - nice purse/jewelry/watch.
8. Hopefully hotel will have safe box in room - put all credit cards except ONE or maybe two in there. Just bring those one or two - ideally she should get like a Chase Liquid card or Amex with pre-filled amount so all that’s lost is say a few hundred. a Chase Liquid for instance can be refilled on Chase’s website from main account.
9. Know where US Consulate is - I think it’s near the World Trade Center (yeah they got something like that too.
I’ll think of more - but if you can give more details of her plans - in a safe way here - or freepmail me - that would help.
Nothing recent but the family did Mexico City 7-8 years ago...I’m thinking our impressions are still valid.
Mexico City is HUGE. 22-23 million people live there, another few million drive in each day to work. Smog was bad.
Traffic was awful and we spent hours in it. We initially were going to rent a car but changed our minds before we even left home. Too many cars are stolen...rental company was going to put a several thousand dollar deposit on the charge card.
Figured we’d just do public transportation. Wrong. Good luck figuring that out. Good place to get robbed, too.
First day there, checked into the hotel. Decided to set up a Grayline tour for the next day. They’d pick us up at the hotel, take us back to the tour office to start the tour. On a map, we didn’t look that far from the office, but it took us an hour and a half to get there. Driver wasn’t running a scam because we compared his route to the map and it was a straight shot. The drive in was a friggin’ struggle. Traffic was that bad.
We finally did the tour (general city tour), and enjoyed it. The main thing we learned...if we did this trip on our own, we’d spend most of our time lost. Did I mention Mexico City is HUGE? Throw in the traffic, very poor street signage, feeling like a target...it was pretty daunting.
Long story short, we talked to Grayline office manager and got a good price on a package of tours for the week we were there. First thing the manager did was change our hotel. Better hotel, closer to the center city, and cheaper. I cared less if he got a kickback out of it.
We basically turned ourselves over to the company for the remaining 5 days...and had a blast. Drivers/tour guides were great. Tour vehicles were usually minivans. They took us to a number of places that were “off tour”. We saw so much (including out of the city tours), learned a lot, and really enjoyed the trip.
Bottom line, I would never try to navigate the city by myself. I’d hire somebody to help me.
Thanks! Wonderful advice :) Putting or have put all into practice. Thank you again!
Unless someone is meeting her at the airport that knows the dangers in Mexico City and where not to go and what not to do the answer for your daughter is very simply. Stay the hell away.
Be sure to check the State Department web site for travel alerts in Mexico.
http://travel.state.gov/content/passports/english/alertswarnings.html
Kidnappings for ransom are common in Mexico City. If they see her and want her, nothing will stop them.
I agree with the general consensus that it’s best to avoid going — Mexico is a third world $**thole. The police there are so corrupt they can’t ever be trusted.
” Nearly 70 kidnappings of U.S. citizens were reported to the U.S. Embassy and consulates in Mexico between January and June of 2014.”
http://travel.state.gov/content/passports/english/alertswarnings/mexico-travel-warning.html
Thanks! You confirmed my qualms...She will be taking pre-arranged transportation to all venues possibly except from the airport to the hotel...
Altho any airport/customs information would be helpful.
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