A Week Alone in Mexico: What to Expect and What it Costs
I’ve traveled alone to some far-flung places, but for whatever reason, Mexico freaked me out. I wasn’t even going to the border, I was going to the Yucatan Peninsula – the tourism hub! Maybe it’s because years ago, my parents requested that I never travel to Mexico? (Seriously. Fortunately, I think they forgot.) In hindsight, it was ridiculous to have any fear. I blame the overly cautious and paranoid American news media. So, what is it like traveling alone in Mexico for one week? First of all, here’s a goofy video to illustrate. I was never actually alone. That’s usually the case when you travel by yourself! I met great people because I was alone. I’m especially grateful I joined my hostel buddies for a tour of Chichen Itza. I was very underwhelmed by the whole thing (if you’ve been anywhere with ancient ruins, they’re probably better. Tulum’s ruins are more easily accessible and just as interesting, in my opinion). Our camaraderie and propensity to goof off made it memorable. I would’ve been miserable alone — even our tour guide was so bored, he yawned the entire time! People travel Mexico alone… a lot! Mexico isn’t any different from the rest of the world. People travel Mexico alone ALL THE TIME, and from all over: Australia, Brazil, Canada, the Netherlands were just a handful of countries represented at the places I stayed. The majority were solo travelers, too. My trip was far shorter than most due to work obligations. Most solo travelers spend two weeks to several months in Mexico, and cover a lot more ground. I’d love to return and spend more time explore more of the Yucatan– such as Isla Holbox and Isla Mujeres. And then there’s Mexico City, the ruins of Teotihuacan, Puerto Escondido, Guanajuato, Sayulita… I’ll be making return trips for years to come. Where I Stayed Playa del Carmen I had an interesting time in PDC: Despite being a popular tourist spot, Playa del Carmen was without running water for two of the three nights I was there. If you were on the main street of the city that caters to tourists, you weren’t affected, but I stayed in a hostel on the edge of the local neighborhood, and it WAS a problem. We couldn’t take showers. The staff managed to fill the toilet with rain water so that we (all six of us in the dorm) could flush twice per day. I’ve peed in some dodgy places — a hole in the ground in Vietnam that I had to pay to use — but this was disgusting. And the humidity and lack of ventilation in the bathroom didn’t help. Yuck. ...
What’s Going On Around Here in 2017
I must apologize for the extremely sporadic posting schedule around here. You may have noticed if I’m busy with work, I won’t post for… months. Not a great way to maintain a following, but it speaks to the demands of a job in the entertainment industry! Let’s do a hard reset. Here’s what’s up. Work 2016 was a solidly good year for work — it was the most diverse and fruitful year I’ve had. I worked in a variety of capacities: field producer, segment producer, script supervisor, truck reels producer, and even camera op! This year’s off to a sluggish start, but that isn’t unusual for the dead of winter. So far, I’ve worked on one small project from home that had a lot of prep but only two shoot days. It’s been a welcome break from 2016, which was a bit chaotic for several reasons. Coming up: There’s a few potential projects flying around. I loved the diversification of last year and would love to work on several short-term projects for multiple companies again. I’d also like to figure out more ways to diversify myself — the entertainment landscape is changing, and I’d like to earn a living that isn’t solely dependent on the survival of cable networks. Travel 2016 was the first year I made it out of the country twice in the same calendar year! I finally took a last-minute trip to the Yucatan Peninsula, something I’ve been meaning to do for years. I had zero expectations, but guys, Mexico is AMAZING. There’s so much to explore around the Yucatan — I hit up Playa del Carmen, Tulum, Chichen Itza, and Akumal — but I can’t WAIT to get back there, specifically to visit Isla Holbox and Isla Mujeres. And then, in August, I got sent back to the exact same spot in Mexico for work. It was extremely convenient that I’d inadvertently pre-scouted for the shoot eight months earlier. (I would write that first trip off as a “scouting trip”, but when you only spend $200 in airfare, $15/night in hostels, and eat 5 cent tacos– all for “work”– the IRS looks at you funny.) So, of course, the first time I traveled overseas twice in the same year was to the same place, but I did knock out a huge bucket list item: Travel abroad for work. I’d love to combine both these loves (and skill sets!) more frequently… are you listening, future employers? I’ve traveled independently to fifteen countries, and I have six years of producing experience! Coming up very, very soon: CUBA! With no acceptance of American credit/debit cards, limited Wifi, and no cell phone data, it is going to...
10 Safety Tips for Backpacking Southeast Asia
Southeast Asia is worth the hype. It’s one of the most spectacular, bizarre, and beautiful places I’ve ever been. As comfortable as this laid back atmosphere is, lax laws means fewer safety standards than here in the Western world. Traveling to Southeast Asia will be one of the highlights of your life — it just requires a bit of heightened personal responsibility. This is the land where they’ll sell you cheap beer for hours on end and think nothing of sending you into a kayak in deep, murky waters at nightfall without a life preserver. No one means to cause you any harm– safety just isn’t high on the list of priorities. Not all will tell you there are mosquitos carrying malaria or dengue in a particular area– they’ll just laugh and say “there are no mosquitos.” It’s a cultural thing to have a bright outlook on everything rather than take precautions. If you or someone you love is about to jettison off to this corner of the world, particularly if it’s their first overseas adventure, here are some backpacking safety tips for Southeast Asia. Watch out for scams. This is true of every major city everywhere in the world. 99.1% of the people in Southeast Asia, particularly Thailand, are fantastic people and will drop everything to help you. But there are still the occasional scams on unwitting tourists — particularly in the tourist areas of cities. Different regions will have different scams, so read up before you arrive. A few of the common ones in Bangkok: Taxi drivers not turning on the meter; telling you an attraction like the Grand Temple is “closed” and taking you somewhere else for a “private tour” with their friend where you’ll have to spend an exorbitant amount. Hanoi has its own set of scams, including one where “shoe cleaners” will throw gum on your shoe and try to clean it off for you in exchange for a fee. (Just keep going.) Bonus Tip: In Bangkok, take the MRT from the airport (BKK) instead of a taxi — the rush hour gridlock is fierce. Ask: Where is the Closest Decent Hospital? It is 2017, but that doesn’t mean a world-class hospital exists in every heavily tourist locale. Thailand has some of the best health care in southeast Asia, whereas hospitals in Laos and Vietnam are dicey. Within Thailand, Koh Tao is one of the hottest destinations for backpackers, but there isn’t a full-fledged hospital there. There are clinics, yes; but for anything serious, you’ll need to be transported to Koh Samui, which is an 1.5 hour journey by ferry. I always take a kit with over the counter medicine with me to save myself the hassle of finding it abroad....
Thailand and Vietnam: The Ultimate 1 Month Itinerary
I love the hub of cities, the serenity of the countryside, extraordinary cuisine, beaches, and limestone karsts. Southeast Asia has it all, and more. I wish I’d had several months to enjoy this region, but it’s hard to be a full-time traveler when your other love is working 50 hours a week in television. If you’re also short on time and want to take in the spectacular scenery of Thailand and Vietnam, you’ll LOVE this 1-month itinerary. It’s a diverse mix of some of Southeast Asia’s highlights at a manageable pace. It includes two major cities (Bangkok, Hanoi), beautiful beaches (Railay, Koh Tao), countryside (Mai Chau), and SPECTACULAR limestone karsts (Khao Sok, Halong Bay, La Han Bay). Yes, there are a zillion blog posts about how to travel this area! However, packing lists and itineraries differ from traveler to traveler, and I always love reading those details as they inspire ideas of my own. Let’s get to it! Bangkok: 4-5 Days Everything you’ve heard about Bangkok is true: It’s humid, crowded, chaotic…but completely electrifying. Spend Day 1 getting acclimated to the time difference and readjusting to being on land after 30+ hours in transit. I met two other people at my hostel and tagged along with them to a charming floating village. It was completely by chance, but it’s the perfect first day in southeast Asia. Spend Days 2 and 3 doing the touristy things: visiting the temples, sampling street food, drinking coconut juice out of a bag, and shopping at Pantip Plaza. Enjoy the nightlife, and be smart about it (don’t drink more than you can handle, don’t accept drinks from strangers, don’t walk back to your hostel alone, etc). Spend Day 4 hanging with any new friends or checking out another place you’ve heard of through word of mouth. A few awesome activities near Bangkok: bicycle safari of the countryside or a day tour of the ruins of Ayutthaya, a smaller version of Siem Reap. Where I Stayed: In a Box Hostel, which fit all four of my criteria: Clean, quiet, close to the metro, and NOT on Khao San Road. If you’re going to splurge, Bangkok is the city to do it: there’s plenty of plush accommodation at reasonable prices. Travel Day: Bangkok -> Koh Tao There’s a bus and boat combo straight to Koh Tao from Bangkok, which takes about 10 hours. The overnight train/ferry option takes 13 hours. You can also fly direct from Bangkok to Koh Samui and take the ferry to Koh Tao, but it’s pricey. (When I did this trip, I spent two disappointing nights on Koh Samui. Some people love Koh Samui… maybe it’s good for luxury getaways and honeymoons, but from my perspective as a flash packer, it fell flat and...
Travel Tips for Doing Comic-Con on a Budget
I’m a little bit of a closet nerd, and I’ve secretly always wanted to attend Comic-Con in San Diego — but I could never justify the cost. Last summer, I ended up planning a trip to San Diego during the middle of Comic-Con, less than 2 weeks before the convention started. It was a little tricky– but in the end, I spent less than $500 on travel and accommodation. Since my trip was so last minute, I was unable to purchase a badge, but I still loved roaming the streets and absorbing the atmosphere. If you’re looking to go to Comic-Con without spending thousands on airfare and accommodation, here are a few easy tips. Fly for EXTREMELY cheap by signing up for an airline rewards credit card. We’re still far out enough from Comic-Con where you have time to sign up for an airline credit card, meet the spending requirement, and use the mileage benefits to purchase your ticket. How to meet the required spend? Easy. Pay all monthly expenses with your new credit card. Cell phone, cable/internet, electric, car insurance, health insurance, gasoline, groceries, etc — you should be able to hit the the spending limit in less than two months. Southwest is currently offering two promotional deals: Spend $1000 and receive 25,000 bonus miles, or spend $2000 and receive 50,000 miles. Cost: $69 OR $99 annual credit card fee + $5 fee to cash in miles with Southwest. Fly into Los Angeles (not San Diego). I despise LAX with the fire of a thousand suns (if purgatory exists, LAX has to be it), but it can offer substantially lower airfare options than San Diego. And, if you use tip #1, it could mean cashing in fewer of your precious miles. Additional Tip: If you do fly into LAX, drive to San Diego early in the morning or late at night. Traffic before Comic-Con on I-5 is a nightmare, or park in a town just north of San Diego and take the train in. For car rentals and last-minute flights, use Priceline’s name your own price tool. For car rentals, like most people, I find pretty good deals through price comparison sites. For last minute flights, if I don’t have any miles to spend, I look at current roundtrip flight prices via Kayak or Momondo, and then try to buy a ticket for 40% less using Priceline‘s Name Your Own Price tool. It requires extreme flexibility — the caveat is you can’t choose your arrival or departure times, or airline– but I’ve saved a TON of money booking last minute travel. If naming your own price makes you nervous, Travelocity has bare-bones flight...
A Glimpse into Vietnamese Life in Mai Chau
There’s charm beneath the frenetic and chaotic surface of Hanoi. But after a few hours of wandering the cold, rainy streets and dodging motorbikes endlessly beep-beep-beeping, I was ready to explore the real reason I came to Vietnam: the countryside. Mai Chau is a community three hours away from Hanoi. It’s a flat land of endless rice fields, surrounded by mountains. It’s picturesque; it’s quiet– the only sound you can hear is the occasional motorbike scuttling down a distant road. It was also the best weather I had while in northern Vietnam (note to self: mid-March was sadly not the best time of year to visit this region). The scenery was stunning, but the best of Mai Chau were the locals, who either smiled at visitors or barely gave an unimpressed glance. They continued going about their business as we walked by, and I loved this glimpse into Vietnamese life. Yes, tourism is creeping into Mai Chau — there’s an entire area devoted to selling tasty sugar cane juice and trinkets to tourists (not all those silk scarves are made locally by hand you guys) — but it’s years away from being as overrun as Sa Pa. There aren’t any children trying to sell you bracelets — the kids are just being kids. If northern Vietnam is overwhelming you… visit Mai Chau. And go soon — before it becomes the next Sa Pa. —– Pin...
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I'm Laryssa, and when I'm not working in film or television, I'm attempting to travel -- or I'm here, providing resources for working in film or travel. Read more Elsewhere on the internets
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