Thinking back to when times were simpler and the world wasn’t suffering through a pandemic, there I stood so young and care-free. I wasn’t bombarded by assignments or classwork as it was the middle of summer break of junior high. My family and I were off to Cancun, Mexico for the next couple of weeks. This was my first time traveling outside of the country and it will be one I won’t forget.
As we arrived and exited the small aircraft, I was immediately hit with the blazing humidity. I could only bare it for so long as I craved the air conditioning inside the airport. Shortly after grabbing our luggage, we made our way to the Mayan Resort Palace where we would be staying for our trip. I couldn’t contain my excitement as younger Meghan was incessantly talking and starting arguments with my brother about who would get to do what first. Once my parents had just about had enough of us, they dropped us off at the resort pool the next day and we all went our separate ways. The rest of the day we hung around the resort and relaxed as we got used to the time difference.
Although the resort was lovely, we also planned activities that required us to leave and explore. Our first destination was famous Mayan ruins, Chichen Itza. This complex of ruins contained historical architecture and in the middle of it all, an enormous towering step shaped pyramid. The geometric buildings were a sight to see and this landmark is one of the 7 Wonders of the World. I was truly blessed to be standing on such sacred ground and to see these monuments for myself.
The next day was also filled with adventure as we headed to the cenotes. Cenotes are underground caves that contain fresh water and allow for tourists to go swimming and see its beauty. However, these attractions are very hard to find and must be accessed through a tour guide company. My family and I were a part of a tour group that provided dune buggies to these remote locations that contained the pools. The drive was around 15 minutes through thick, dry bush, and by the time we arrived I looked over at my Mom and she was covered from head to toe in dust. We then took a large flight of steep stairs down into the first opening to the cave of the cenote. We were told not to touch any of the limestone that covered the walls as the oils from our skin could damage the stone and could ruin this beautiful landmark in the future. However, my brother and I had the time of our lives swimming through crevices and deep into the water.
This was just the start of the many trips to Mexico that my family would eventually embark on. Traveling is an opportunity I never take for granted and being able to experience new cultures and places with the people you love makes it all worth it.
