Choose Adventure

Safely Navigating the Challenges of Third World Travel

Mexico Compendium
Mexico Compendium 480 640 Greg Ellifritz

Now that we are outside of hurricane season for Mexico’s Caribbean coast, it’s time to post some travel guides to Mexico.

 

I’ve been to Mexico more than 25 times in the last 15 years.  I lived in Playa del Carmen for two months last winter.  It’s close, cheap, beautiful, fun, and has no Covid restrictions.  I really think it’s one of the best places for Americans to travel this winter.

 

I’ve compiled a list of the best articles on the internet for visiting and/or moving to Mexico.  If you are curious about life south of the border, you’ll find all the information you need in the links below.

 

Riviera Maya (Cancun, Playa del Carmen, Tulum)

 

26 Unexpected Things to Do in the Riviera Maya, México

 

 

The Ultimate Guide To Nightlife In Playa Del Carmen

 

 

19 Things Travelers Need To Know Before Visiting Tulum

Playa Del Carmen: The absolute guide for gay travelers

 

 

Digital Nomad Communities Booming In Playa Del Carmen, Tulum and Cozumel

 

 

5 Things You Should Know About the Hotel Zone of Cancun

 

How To Get To Cozumel – Cancun To Cozumel

Everything You Need To Know About Traveling To Cancun This Summer

 

 

The Best Time To Visit Tulum

 

 

Other Areas, Trips, and Travel Tips

 

Travel Tips For Mexico

 

 

The 24 Most Beautiful Places in Mexico

 

 

Complete Guide To Visiting Chichen Itza, Mexico

10 Best Mexico Cities (and Worst) to Work Remotely in 2021

 

Solo Female Travel in Mexico – Your Essential Guide

 

Best Mexico Tours: Ancient Ruins, Sun & Spicy Food!

 

Mexican Food Bucket List: 60+ Traditional Dishes to Eat from Mexico

 

Top 7 Places To Visit For Adventure Tourism In Mexico

 

Living in Mexico

 

Living In Mexico City: A Guide (For Digital Nomads)

 

 

15 Pros and Cons of Living in Mexico

 

 

Digital Nomad Guide to Living in Playa del Carmen

 

3 Things I Wish I’d Known Before Moving to Mexico

 

I hope you enjoy Mexico as much as I have.  Please contact me if you have any questions.

 

 

Vacation Emergency Gear
Vacation Emergency Gear 703 401 Greg Ellifritz

The answer is absolutely “YES”.  I really like the ice bucket idea here.  Going to start filling mine at every hotel as an always available emergency water source.

 

Should You Pack Emergency Gear While on Vacation?

Insulting Hand Gestures
Insulting Hand Gestures 680 508 Greg Ellifritz

How to insult people from every country.

 

The Global Guide to Hand Gestures

 

 

 

Hotel Safety
Hotel Safety 965 543 Greg Ellifritz

Generally good advice here. I’m not particularly worried about being bugged, but keeping radio and tv on makes it appear that the room is occupied, thus discouraging petty theft.

I don’t copy the fire escape routes, but I do check the escape routes. They will often be blocked or locked in third world countries.

 

A Hotel Safety Checklist for World Travelers From a Former CIA Operative

Checkpoint Bribery
Checkpoint Bribery 630 418 Greg Ellifritz

While I don’t think this is a good plan in our current policing culture (it will likely get you arrested anywhere you try it in the USA), I have used some of these techniques in foreign countries where I’ve traveled. It’s good to have information like this “just in case.”

 

How to Bribe at Checkpoints – Prepper Negotiation Skills

 

 

Long Haul Flights
Long Haul Flights 645 363 Greg Ellifritz

Good advice for optimum comfort on a long haul flight.  I’ve made several 22+ hour flights to Asia and Africa, along with dozens of 10+ hour flights to South America.

 

My advice to you is to pay for the business class upgrade.  It’s worth the money.

 

How to Make the Best of a Long Haul Flight

 

 

Travel Meds
Travel Meds 150 150 Greg Ellifritz

Although written from a “survival “perspective, this list of medications is ideal for travelers as well.  The list (including his runners up) is pretty much what I carry with me when I travel to remote areas around the world. I also include Augmentin (an antibiotic) that is specifically indicated for animal bite wounds and Doxycycline (another antibiotic) that covers bioweapons, tick borne diseases, and can be pressed into service as an anti-malarial as well.

The only other things missing are an antibiotic for anaerobic infections like giardia and dysentery (metronidazole or tinidiazole) and a muscle relaxer (I carry Flexeril).

But I’m not a doctor so you shouldn’t take this as medical advice. In my personal experience, these drugs have proven to be very useful in remote areas over many years.

 

What meds would you want in your personal SHTF pharmacy?

 

Thoughts on Kidnapping
Thoughts on Kidnapping 500 253 Greg Ellifritz

This guy is a security specialist in Mexico. He has a very good perspective about the violence that occurs in third world countries and how travelers can better protect themselves. Here are some of his thoughts about kidnappings.

https://edpoint.tumblr.com/post/114604883143/its-a-difficult-thing-to-imagine-far-away-from

Most Dangerous Countries for American Tourists
Most Dangerous Countries for American Tourists 700 633 Greg Ellifritz

 

A deep dive into the statistics about total tourist deaths, tourist deaths per capita, and how US government travel warnings don’t often tell the whole story about which countries are “safe” to visit.

 

For what it’s worth, I’ve traveled extensively in 15 of the top 25 countries where American tourists most commonly get killed.  I am obviously still alive.  Most of these countries are no more dangerous than any big city in the USA, some are much safer.  As a tourist, you are far more likely to die in a car crash than be killed by a terrorist or criminal.

 

The most dangerous countries for American tourists, ranked

Comparing Worldwide Murder Rates
Comparing Worldwide Murder Rates 240 161 Greg Ellifritz

You’ll often hear that the United States has the highest rate of gun violence in the “developed world.”  It turns out, how you define “developed” changes the equation.

 

The Mistake of Only Comparing US Murder Rates to “Developed” Countries