Travel to Mexico - looking for advice

[hawkeye]

Later this year, my girlfriend and her best friend are going on a trip to Mexico in August. It is an arranged tour, so they are not exactly going to be roughing it, but they are going to be hiking outdoors a lot.

Specifically, they are going to be in the areas of:
Guadalajara,
Colima (checking out ruins and an active volcano),
Cuyutlan (where they are going to learn about sea turtles at the ecological center and take a boat tour),
Michoacan (where they are going on some nighttime hikes to observe sea turtles laying eggs, and helping relocate eggs and release newborn turtles),
Telaquepaque (to do some shopping before returning home).

I want to provide them each a little survival/first aid kit. I am collecting bits and pieces to assemble these kits and looking for advice, both general and specific with regards to that area of the world. I have little to no knowledge of, and no experience with, that area.

They want to pack light, and neither are really "tool types" so I want to just give them a few simple items that may be useful if they or someone in their tour group needs help.

So far I have:
Flashlights - "fauxtons" and probably Fenix E01s or similar
Photon "Scorpion finder" (Blacklights)
Water purifier tabs
DEET
Sunscreen
bandana
mylar "space blanket"
sewing kit
Leatherman micra or SAK (don't know about knife laws there. Any ideas?)
A few feet of 550 cord and niteize "figure 9"s
Some small bungies
Flint firestarter and tinder
"SERE" folding saw and folding razor from county comm
FAK: cloth adhesive bandages, antiseptic pads, alcohol pads, trauma bandages, quickclot pads, neosporin, benadryl, tylenol, immodium AD, dramamine, visine, moleskin blister pads, gauze pads, instant ice pack.

Any suggestions and advice are appreciated. :)

[Mark123]

Sounds like you have all the bases covered. I'd focus on the more common emergencies: theft, diahrea, minor cuts and scrapes. They can probably leave the flint and tinder and folding saw at home. Tylenol and the immodium AD are great to include: what about more practical items like color copies of their passports, IDs etc...


Colima, Cuyutlan, AND Michoacan-sounds like it will be a great trip. :)

[hawkeye]

I like the idea of the ID copies! Thanks!

As for the primitive fire kit, well she specifically asked for that. I think she's been watching too much Man Vs Wild and Survivorman, but I figure that stuff is small and light enough to include if it makes her feel more prepared. Heck, the bus could break down in the back country and she could be a hero! :)

[jag-engr]

Leatherman micra or SAK (don't know about knife laws there. Any ideas?)
...
"SERE" folding saw and folding razor from county comm


According to the State Department's website (http://tijuana.usconsulate.gov/tijuana/warning.html), Mexico has a habit of classifying all pocketknives as weapons. Granted, this is probably in some of the more corrupt areas (i.e., Tijuana & Spring Break destinations), but, as hard as it would be, I think I would have to leave all knives at home.

[JB in SC]

My best advice is to not carry anything they can't afford to lose. Nothing that can be classified as a "weapon". Not wanting to frighten, but Mexico has become a lot more dangerous than in years past.

[hawkeye]

Ok, well it looks like the best I can do is probably a small pair of scissors for first aid uses. As for the rest, yeah, nothing expensive is going in the kits. I really hope they bring all the stuff back (meaning I hope they don't need to use any of it), but I won't be out any kind of fortune if they lose anything to theft or inattention.

I appreciate all the input. I have a few more months before the trip, so I welcome any more info if anyone thinks of something.

[RoisonDubh]

Having spent several summers in Cuernavaca, I would suggest getting several of the single use packages of toilet paper. Public restrooms in Mexico are rarely hygienic and most often do not have toilet paper available. I would also suggest a hardy supply of Immodium and pepto just in case.

Make sure they keep the tourist papers they will receive its a bit of a headache if you loose it.

As to knives and such you'll only have a hassle if a corrupt cop starts giving you grief about a "multa" aka a bribe. Heck I bought several SAKs there in Cuernavaca.

[LLCoolBeans]

According to the State Department's website (http://tijuana.usconsulate.gov/tijuana/warning.html), Mexico has a habit of classifying all pocketknives as weapons. Granted, this is probably in some of the more corrupt areas (i.e., Tijuana & Spring Break destinations), but, as hard as it would be, I think I would have to leave all knives at home.


The problem with Mexico is that if a "policeman" there decides he wants to take you to jail, he can just take you to jail. If he decides he wants to beat the tar out of you and leave you for dead, he can just do so. Traveling in Mexico can be a lot of fun, the beaches and mountains are absolutely beautiful, but it's pretty scary sometimes.

[MedusaOblongata]

Unless things have changed in the few years since I've been there, there is a huge variety of cheap daggers and switchblades for sale in shops in Tijuana. If there are knife laws, they are enforced very selectively.

[RockyNomad]

Take bribe money to buy your way out of trouble should you find yourself in such a predicament. Cops down there are poorly paid and easily bribed.

[jp2515]

Just remember to bring some spare cash stashed somewhere in case your wallet gets stolen. Theft seems to be a big thing down there so I've heard. Can't hurt to carry a larger medical kit just in case.

[MedusaOblongata]

Take bribe money to buy your way out of trouble should you find yourself in such a predicament. Cops down there are poorly paid and easily bribed.
I know several people who have bribed their way out of trouble down there, and one who was assaulted by the police and arrested because she didn't bribe them enough.

[DiabloSc(+)pe]

Most of the problems in Baja Mexico / Tijuana ,Rosarito , San Felipe .......Thefts / Police corruption are Slowly dropping .. New Mayor of Baja Region is beefing his plan to abolish those mentioned ... has taken firarms from police officers . they cant even have tasers looking abck on homicides and connections w/ robberies Homes That police officers have , that they couldnt have afforded ....Stings have been made by the military to catch them ... yes it is rough there . if you know a little Spanish and stand your ground . and if you didnt do anything wrong ,and not under the influence of anything . and they say "give me money" for the redlight you didnt run. you Tell them write me a ticket, ill pay it later " i have to go to the bank in the states... Believe me I know !! they will Let you go !!! and yes always keep a $20 on you in your sock . and keep the rest hidden in your pants ? wherever, wifes purse pockets .......... and if it comes down to it you pull it out of your sock in front of them , "Thats All I Have " Just Dont Go To The PLaces where ther is trouble Dark Alleys in the middle of the night . long roads between ensenada at night local clubs . stick to the normal clubs Tillys , Senor Frogs , Papas & Beer, you know Populated ones !! Oh Ya !!!! and dont Dirink The Water, Pure tabs dont work .. Bring your own !!! Tequila / Beer OK !!! .....................................

[Stelth]

Having spent several summers in Cuernavaca, I would suggest getting several of the single use packages of toilet paper. Public restrooms in Mexico are rarely hygienic and most often do not have toilet paper available.  I would also suggest a hardy supply of Immodium and pepto just in case. 

The problem with Mexico is that if a "policeman" there decides he wants to take you to jail, he can just take you to jail.  If he decides he wants to beat the tar out of you and leave you for dead, he can just do so.

...it really sounds like a blast, but then again, maybe just skip mexico altogether

[Nephiel]

I was in Mexico in August 2006. Two members of my family used an ATM in Playa del Carmen, and when we were back at home we discovered that both of them had their credit cards cloned and used to retire funds from their accounts (luckily our bank entity had the means to detect and deal with those kinds of scams, so we lost no money). Try to avoid ATM machines, and carry local currency.

Oh, and when you go out, take a hat and a bottle of water. You'll definitely need them, but the hat might also come in handy for other uses... I remember when we were in a group of tourists visiting the Tulum ruins, the guide was giving his lecture, and suddenly a huge, horned, metallic-green beetle flew right toward the middle of the group, buzzing like a Dremel. Most of us backed away, but there was this guy that, with a calm and smooth gesture, simply took of his hat with one hand and covered the beetle with it. He lowered the hat to the ground, the beetle landed, and when he lifted the hat, the beetle just walked away leaving us alone :laugh:

[ohmygoat]

I was down at Laguna San Ignacio (Baja California) a few months ago, and a person in our group got a serious case (is there a such thing as a non-serious case?) of Traveler's Disease (aka Turista, etc.). Fortunately, my friend's husband is a doctor and got some Cipro (Ciprofloxacin) for the unfortunate patient (careful where you eat!) and it helped clear the bugs out of her gut after a few days. From all appearances, not a fun experience. I'd second the vote for packing some toilet paper and get used to disposing of "used" tissues in a trash can - not down the toilet (where the facilities can be reasonably clean, to downright scary). Being in central Baja we had no law enforcement issues, plus we lucked out and didn't have our vehicle searched by the military on the highway North out of Loreto. Possibly the worst part of the trip was spending the night in the town of San Ignacio on the week before Easter. Turned out they were having Carnivale in the town square featuring the pounding beat of Banda music from oh... 10pm 'til about 3am. A real joy when you're coming off a long travel day on 4 hours of sleep from the night before. Note to self, never travel around a holiday.

[jonny8642]

I went to Mexico last March. The thing I can suggest as far as food goes is eat were the locals eat. avoid any major chains you're liable to get sick eating there. At least that is what happen to us. We ate a shack and had tacos never got sick, but we ate at the TGIfridays in downtown Toluca and we all got sick. Bring plenty of water and money when you go out between corrupt police and souvenirs you'll need plenty. I brought one of my SAK when I went and I had no issues going into Mexico, but coming back I couldn't get it in the state, so just buy a cheap one down there.

[gw812]

+1 to the Pepto chewables and small TP rolls (make your own to save money). No matter how hard you try you're gonna get the cholos.
Personally, I'd avoid travel to the US/Mex border, especially along the borders in Texas and New Mexico. Too dangerous.