“Muere lentamente quien no viaja, quien no lee, quien no oye musica, quien no encuentra gracia en si mismo.”

— Pablo Neruda

Welcome to DDAALLDAY's first blog!

If you are reading this I welcome you with the utmost excitement and gratitude! This website + blog has been in the works for many years. A big part of me has been yearning to document my travels and connect with those who share my same passions. 2018 is the year where it begins. My re-birth. My revolution. My life. Join me on my travels and see the world through my big ass hazel eyes.

On my first featured adventure I traveled to the Yucatan Peninsula with my roommate. It is in the southern most part of Mexico, also known as the Quintana Roo area. The travel bug always gets me! I can never quite shake it (& hopefully I never will). Every time I get back from a trip, I'm already deep into planning the next one. It's an crazy/beautiful habit that takes over my mind, grasps my heart, and tears apart my wallet. This particular trip was a bit spontaneous. We wanted to go somewhere tropical and relatively close to Los Angeles. A little background on me...I recently graduated college in May, 2017. This adventure was a graduation gift to myself. A little bit of paradise to counter the hell of finals. Another fun fact, my roommate Genesis and I are notorious procrastinators. And although we live in praise and self-love, it is a quality that we have come to learn can make travel plans seem a bit hectic and disorganized. Yes, we knew we were going, but we didn't start to plan until about a week before we were set to depart!

Whenever planning a trip I tend to focus more on what we are going to do rather than where we are going to stay. I'm not big on fancy hotels and luxurious accommodations. Sure, if I could live in five star hotels I would. We were looking to travel more on a gypsy budget however. You can almost always find me in a cozy hostel connecting with other travelers and getting advice from the locals. I don't need a huge room with a mountain of pillows I'm not even going to use. Give me culture, color, adventure, and I'm a happy girl.

We picked a week in August to take off. We booked four days, five nights, and didn't have the slightest idea of where to begin. Our research started with books, articles, and included conversations with those we knew who had traveled to the area before. What do we NEED to do? What do we HAVE to see? These were the questions that guided the recommendations and advice we received from others. A few things on our list that were a MUST for us:

Isla Mujeres
Playa del Carmen
Tulum
Cancun
Xcaret

Day 1: So it began. Initially we wanted to stay on Isla Mujeres for the first night, but after multiple suggestions that stated we should do otherwise, we decided to make that destination our first day trip instead. We booked a car rental through Enterprise and drove into Cancun and directly towards the ferry to Isla Mujeres. The ferry was super fast and easy. You park your car in the guarded lot and pay 43 pesos per person to cross to the island. The ferry is bright yellow, super cute, and overflowing with locals and tourists alike. The boat was packed to the rim with people eager to reach the sacred shores of the island. There was even a live band positioned directly in the middle to entertain us at sea. Fifteen minutes after departure we arrived on the sleepy island of Isla Mujeres. When we purchased our tickets for the ferry we also purchased a golf cart rental to drive around the island in style. As soon as we got off the ferry we walked in towards the tiny town and followed the cobble stone streets down three blocks and to the right until we reached the rental spot. An old looking, kind-of janky golf cart awaited our arrival and we hopped on like two excited little girls and took off. The guy who rented us the cart pointed us in the direction of Playa Norte, which is the islands best beach. Now, I've been to paradise before, and trust me when I say I have seen some amazing beaches. When we pulled over to park the cart, a coconut fell from the tree and landed in the street right next to us, signaling to us that we were right where we were supposed to be. Signs from the universe leading the way. Believe me when I say that when we were walking up our mouths were wide open and tears of joy were forming in the corners of my eyes. The palm trees, the white sand, the infinite shades of blue water reflecting the blue sky were all more than any postcard could have shown. We had arrived and only three hours after we had landed and we were on this tropical island in awe.

First thing's first: Tequila shots! Two shots of Corralejo reposado for me y mi amiga por favor! After that was taken care of we found a spot in the sand, dropped our bags, and ran straight into the warm waters of the Caribbean Sea. The crystal waters welcomed our bodies and soothed our minds. Isla Mujeres, island of the Mayan Moon goddess Ix Chel; we felt her vibes and loved every minute of it. We had to rip ourselves out of the water and back onto our cart to continue the island expedition. "Mi Gente" by J. Balvin blasting on our phones was carried through the wind back into town as we sped off from the beach and continued our ride around the tiny island. On the other side of the island we followed signs and drove up to the turtle sanctuary that helps thousands of baby turtles find their way into the shores. These sea turtles are protected and rescued when necessary and are considered sacred animals on the island.

Check out the Aquarium Tortugranja (Turtle Farm) for only $2 day pass.

A little further down the road we found a quiet resort called Villa Silva with a pool and restaurant so we could have drinks on the beach. We stopped, ate, lounged, and refueled.

We had this private beach to ourselves for a couple of hours and after our meal and multiple shots we both fell asleep on lounge chairs positioned right on the ocean's edge. If it was not for the quick rainstorm that broke out upon us we would have slept for a couple's of hours longer, for sure. The rain reminded us that our day was not over, and we thanked mother nature for her wake me up. We said our goodbyes to the amazing staff that fed us and hopped back on our golf cart, this time making our way back towards the other side of the island. Our wet and sandy hair blowing in the wind smacked us in the face as we sped over the cobble stone streets. Houses in every tropical color imaginable lined the streets and their familiar neighborhood strays protected their hood with a stern glance as we rode by.

We were determined to make it back for the sunset. Pedal to the medal as we pushed our cart to a whopping 25 mph. We were pushing it's limits by the sound of it. Gas was on low as we returned our cart and began our walk back towards the ferry. I found myself wanting to enter every little shop, admire each unique artesania, inquire about every hostel and meet it's guests, but we continued on towards the shore. Everybody tries to sell you what they've got. A deal here, a compromise over there, which one will you choose? We got anchored in by one guy finally, but only because he came with the promise of tequila.

"Ven, come and try my tequilas," he said.

Pero like, how could we resist. Now let me prep you when I tell you that we must have tried at least eight different kinds. Fruity, smooth, reposado, some kind of hazelnut mix, one straight up too strong, and a couple award winning tequilas. I had to turn down the last one as I politely reminded the man that we were not indeed going to buy a bottle. He laughed and seemed to get it as he began putting the top back on his most highly suggested bottle. I pulled Genesis by the sleeve and told the man we needed to catch the sunset. We took off our shoes and walked onto the white, powdery sand until we got very close to the water and laid our bags and towels to rest. What a day it had been. I don't believe I have ever been so sweaty, or sun kissed, but oh man that sunset that lay before us was worth every bit of the travel struggle.

Approximately eight hours into paradise and our day on Isla Mujeres was over. I see why those who gave us advice suggested that we make this island a day trip instead of making it an overnight one. The island is small, and quiet with not much to do besides eat well, soak in the sun, take a nap, and drink until tomorrow. If you ask me it is heaven on earth. A place where you can come to connect with the tides, and dance under the moon with all the good energy it brings. I want to return to this island in love, and sleep on the beach until the stars greet me. Island of the moon and the divine feminine, when I return will you be ready for me?

#DDAtravels

Stay tuned for more adventures.