Sunday, May 25, 2025
Early this morning, Jane and I both woke up at 5:30 a.m.—even before our alarms went off—as we prepared to depart Mexico. Jeff and Comeka had already left around 4:00 a.m., driven by the son of a local contact Jeff had met on a previous trip. Jeff had arranged for the father, Israel, to pick us up later and take us to the León/Bajío International Airport. With no traffic on the road and Israel driving confidently, we made the trip in just 20 minutes—much faster than the 35–40 minutes we had been advised to allow.
Check-in was easy since we were traveling with carry-ons only, and we passed through security without a hitch. With time to spare, we stopped at Starbucks for a quick breakfast before heading to the gate for our 9:41 a.m. Aeroméxico flight to Atlanta. After a short wait, we boarded smoothly and were soon on our way.
—— León/Bajío International Airport ——
The flight to Atlanta went smoothly. We’ve come to appreciate the Embraer 190s—no frills, no seat-back screens, but comfortable seating and surprisingly generous legroom. After landing, we breezed through Global Entry, moved quickly through TSA PreCheck, and caught the train to our departure terminal. There, we marked our return to American soil with a classic burger (veggie, of course) and fries—a simple but satisfying homecoming meal.
The ATL–RDU flight also went according to plan, though we spent about 40 minutes sitting at the gate before takeoff. Before long, we were in an Uber ride heading home. As the driver pulled away and we stepped through our front door, we felt a warm mix of emotions: full of wonderful memories from our Mexican adventures, yet comforted by the return to familiar surroundings. We’ll be staying put for a little while—but we know it won’t be long before the siren call of travel beckons us once again.
—— Reflections ——
Although we’ve traveled extensively—visiting all seven continents—this was our very first trip to Mexico, our vibrant and fascinating neighbor to the south. We’re not quite sure why it took us so long to get there, but we’re glad we finally did. We were thoroughly captivated by the country: its rich archaeological heritage from ancient civilizations, the blending of Indigenous and Spanish traditions, the remarkable diversity among its cities, and the beauty of its varied landscapes.
The people we encountered were consistently warm, welcoming, and helpful. Jane felt at ease using the Spanish she had learned as a teenager in Ecuador, which made our interactions even more meaningful. Contrary to some common perceptions, we felt surprisingly safe throughout our journey—never witnessing or hearing of any crime. While we’re aware that cartel activity exists in parts of the country, locals assured us that it tends to remain confined to those specific regions.
Now that we have good friends to visit in Mexico, we fully expect to return. However, we’ll definitely plan that trip during a cooler season—several locals mentioned that May is one of the hottest and driest months to visit. We learned that the rainy season typically begins in June, bringing welcome relief from the heat and transforming the landscape. Next time, we hope to explore even more of Mexico’s natural beauty and delve deeper into the enduring ruins of its ancient civilizations.