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Best place to be a bum for a month or two
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AjarnErnes



Joined: 26 Jun 2005
Posts: 71
Location: Mexico City, Mexico

PostPosted: Tue Dec 13, 2005 5:25 am    Post subject: Best place to be a bum for a month or two Reply with quote

I plan to arrive in Mexico some time in April of next year. I want to take a month or two to relax and lay around a beach or mountain resort type area... but not too expensive. I'll start looking for work while in Mexico and plan to arrive to live in Mexico City some time in late June or early July. Maybe I'll spend 2 or 3 thousand US dollars for the 2 months. I'll read and draw and maybe take some Spanish or painting classes. I would like the climate to be reasonable, not too humid.

Am I dreaming? Or is this possible to find in Mexico. If it is possible, where would you suggest I go?

Ajarn Ernest
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Guy Courchesne



Joined: 10 Mar 2003
Posts: 9650
Location: Mexico City

PostPosted: Tue Dec 13, 2005 2:18 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

San Miguel de Allende is a haven for artists, if you place preference on the painting. Climate will be nice in April and May...it is inland, so not humid. You might also like Guadalajara.

Actually, we could all probably generate a huge list for you...there are so many wonderful places. Puebla looks like a great place to paint mountains. Taxco in Guerrero too, but you might bore quickly there.

If you have so much time, and a decent amount of $$$ to bum around on, why not a tour of all the central states? Going in a circular fashion starting from DF and moving outward, you could see Puebla, Oaxaca, Guerrero, Michoacan, Jalisco, Aguascalientes, Zacatecas, Guanajuato, Queretaro, San Luis Potosi...all those are fairly mountainous and not humid if you stay in the sierra and off the coasts.
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Ms. Atondo



Joined: 14 Apr 2005
Posts: 72
Location: Back in Canada for now...snackin' on a Pizza Pop

PostPosted: Tue Dec 13, 2005 3:53 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Are you dreaming? No way. This is definately possible and as Guy said there is an endless list of places for you to go. I would start somewhere central and see where it takes you. The only thing I would recommend against is taking any formal Spanish classes. I found them to be very expensive as they are targeted to foreigners on vacation who have some $$ to blow. Try finding a family to help you out or barter your services in some way.

If spent wisely your money should more than last you for 2 months. If not, you can always live of the grid for a while or just start working earlier. Good Luck and keep us posted.
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MELEE



Joined: 22 Jan 2003
Posts: 2583
Location: The Mexican Hinterland

PostPosted: Tue Dec 13, 2005 4:52 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

How about Guatemala?
Much cheaper than Mexico. I don't know current prices, but Spanish classes with room and board included use to go for half of what they did in Mexico. Picturesque as all get out down there, mountains, colors, mist. The only thing is its not very close to Mexico City.

Also I love the Oaxacan coast, but it'll be hot and humid in April.

I also agree with Guy, San Miguel de Allende sounds like it could be your place, but it would be a lot more expensive than Guatemala (look into Antigua and Queztlatenango).
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PlayadelSoul



Joined: 29 Jun 2005
Posts: 346
Location: Playa del Carmen

PostPosted: Tue Dec 13, 2005 8:54 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

I am going to come off as a tad Moonravenish, but I find San Miguel de Allende to be a little too Americanized, especially price-wise.

Guanajuato is really nice, and a little less taxing on the wallet.

At that time of year, you could get a caba�a in Tulum, or nearby, at a good weekly rate.
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Samantha



Joined: 25 Oct 2003
Posts: 2038
Location: Mexican Riviera

PostPosted: Wed Dec 14, 2005 1:50 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

I agree with Playa del Soul. SMA is brimming with elderly (wealthy)foreigners. Zacatecas or Queretaro would be better choices.
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AjarnErnes



Joined: 26 Jun 2005
Posts: 71
Location: Mexico City, Mexico

PostPosted: Wed Dec 14, 2005 3:28 am    Post subject: The logistics of being a bum Reply with quote

I like Guy's idea of visiting a couple of places but I'd rather choose 2 places only, 3 at the most. I don't want my vacation / down time to be more work than relaxing. So maybe 3 weeks in the mountains ( What is Cuernavaca like? Recommended? ), 3 weeks in a large city ( Possible Guadalajara ) and 2 or 3 weeks on the coast. Which town on the coast is cooler and or less humid than all the rest? A nice ocean breeze is a beautiful thing.

The other BIG problem is that I will be moving my entire life from Thailand to Mexico. I will have about 3 BIG suitcases with all my worldly possessions in them. I don't want to be dragging them all around Mexico with me. If I fly into Mexico City, is there somewhere safe I can leave my luggage for a couple of months? Anyone living in MC have a little extra space under the stairs for me to park my stuff?


I'm getting excited and looking forward to starting a new chapter in my life.


Finally, a couple of my favorite quotes:

"We must be willing to give up the life that we've planned for ourselves in order to discover the life that is out there waiting for us."

"One can not discover new land without first consenting to lose sight of the shore."

Amen.

Ajarn Ernest
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Guy Courchesne



Joined: 10 Mar 2003
Posts: 9650
Location: Mexico City

PostPosted: Wed Dec 14, 2005 5:44 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

Cuernavaca is nice, but you'll probably get bored of it quick. This is probably the city with the highest number of Spanish-for-foreigners courses you'll find...some expensive, some cheap, but none cheaper than Guatemala as MELEE notes.

I like Guadalajara a lot...there's more to do there, and Vallarta is the closest beach town. April/May will be hot and humid everywhere on the coasts I think, unless rainy season starts early.
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MELEE



Joined: 22 Jan 2003
Posts: 2583
Location: The Mexican Hinterland

PostPosted: Wed Dec 14, 2005 2:57 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Yes, it the rainy season starts early (and I hope it does because we didn't get enough water this year to last us through Shocked ) instead of being very hot and rather humid, the Oaxaca coast would be rather hot and very humid Razz .

From what we know about our friend Ajarn, I still think he'd like San Miguel de Allende. He did use the word resort after all. Wink

But Oaxaca City might be just right. There is an art sceene and jazz sceene! Plenty of caf�s to while away the hours. Great views to paint and draw. Some Spanish schools, tour companys that organize academic craft village tours. Lots of weekend and day trip options. The coast and interesting 5 hour trip away. And there are furnished apartments available for short term rents. (These places are more expensive, but a good set up for people in your situation.) Check out the Oaxacan Times for classifieds and what's on.
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Guy Courchesne



Joined: 10 Mar 2003
Posts: 9650
Location: Mexico City

PostPosted: Wed Dec 14, 2005 3:09 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Yeah! Oaxaca City is fantastic too...

Quote:
The coast and interesting 5 hour trip away


I took the vomit comet up from the coast to Oaxaca once...I can't imagine going down. Very Happy Spectacular countryside views abound.

Is it possible to go from Huatulco straight to to Puerto Escondido along the coast, or does one need go into the Sierra?
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MELEE



Joined: 22 Jan 2003
Posts: 2583
Location: The Mexican Hinterland

PostPosted: Wed Dec 14, 2005 5:22 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Oh yeah, you can get to PE from Huatulco along the coast. Once a couple of years ago, by sweetie and I did a trip from Pinotepa to Salina Cruz, never staying in the same town more than 1 night and usually visiting two or three different beaches in a day. It was GREAT!!! There are some really awesome little beaches down there. We've also gone straight to Mazunte and never even left the beach for 72 hours, then got right back on the bus home! That was great too!
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snorklequeen



Joined: 16 Jun 2005
Posts: 188
Location: Houston, Texas, USA

PostPosted: Wed Dec 21, 2005 7:25 am    Post subject: Hanging out in Mexico for a couple of months Reply with quote

Yelapa, near Puerto Vallarta, is a fishing village, very laidback, and decent beach, and some local artists -- waterfall pools to swim in, jungles for hiking; there's a language school there called Yelapa English Spanish Institute; there are a couple of nice hotels or you can do a homestay with a local family, or private rental

www.yelapa.info
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AjarnErnes



Joined: 26 Jun 2005
Posts: 71
Location: Mexico City, Mexico

PostPosted: Thu Dec 22, 2005 5:13 am    Post subject: Yelapa Reply with quote

I checked out the web site for Yelapa. It looks like a wonderful little place to visit for 3 to 5 days at most. I think I would QUICKLY get bored.

I have decided to arrive in Mexico City. Then I will move on to Guadalajara for about 2 weeks. I'll explore the towns around Guadalajara. Then on to Puerto Vallarta / Yalapa for 2 weeks. then...?

Since I will be in that area of the country and SLOWLY making my way back to Mexico City, Where would you all suggest I check out that is more or less on the way back to Mexico City from PV / Gudalajara for another 2 or 3 weeks?

Ajarn Ernest
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AjarnErnes



Joined: 26 Jun 2005
Posts: 71
Location: Mexico City, Mexico

PostPosted: Thu Dec 22, 2005 5:22 am    Post subject: Yelapa Reply with quote

I checked out the web site for Yelapa. It looks like a wonderful little place to visit for 3 to 5 days at most. I think I would QUICKLY get bored.

I have decided to arrive in Mexico City. Then I will move on to Guadalajara for about 2 weeks. I'll explore the towns around Guadalajara. Then on to Puerto Vallarta / Yalapa for 2 weeks. then...?

Since I will be in that area of the country and SLOWLY making my way back to Mexico City, Where would you all suggest I check out that is more or less on the way back to Mexico City from PV / Gudalajara for another 2 or 3 weeks?

Ajarn Ernest
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Guy Courchesne



Joined: 10 Mar 2003
Posts: 9650
Location: Mexico City

PostPosted: Thu Dec 22, 2005 2:11 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

There's a highway that runs east from Guadalajara and slowly arcs south east to Mexico City. It passes through the state of Guanajuato, where you could stop in Leon and the city of Guanajuato...good for 2 days there. Then it continues on towards Queretaro, though if you have time, go see San Miguel de Allende and San Luis Potosi. I imagine you'll be bussing around...these are easy hops to make...none more than 4 hours travel time.

You would miss Michoacan going that road though...
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