Return to Cancun

 

My husband and I first went to Cancun, Mexico for a belated honeymoon in winter of 2022 and it immediately took a place in our memory as the best vacation we have ever had. 

When traveling can be so unpredictable and stressful (delayed flights, bad weather, uncomfortable hotels, and many other things to worry about and anticipate) our whole trip to Mexico was so easy. Everything seemed to fall into place for us and we were truly able to relax and do whatever we wanted to while we were there. Food and drinks were limitless. We were able to go on fun excursions. But we were also able to spend plenty of time lying out by the beach, enjoying the sunshine comfortably while a snowstorm was raging back home.

As soon as we came back to the monotony of our every day lives we started dreaming of returning to our new happy place. If either of us had a stressful week at work and needed some mental reprieve, we would start to talk about what we would do when we would once again be back in Cancun. 

There was no official timeline in our minds for when we would go back. But we were determined to get back to that beach one way or another.

So much has changed in our lives since that first dream vacation to Cancun. I feel like a completely different person than I was two years ago. I've grown in my career. We bought our first home. We had a baby. With all the changes and responsibilities I was honestly worried that it would be decades before we would ever have time to go on a vacation again. 

It's so easy to keep talking about doing something, but actually making a dream a reality is harder. However, my husband lovingly pushed for us to actually put it on our calendar and book the hotel and flights so we couldn't back out. 

Going back to Cancun was everything I hoped it would be. It almost felt like we had never left, and I could let myself relax and forget all the responsibilities I had waiting for me at home.

Of course, there were some differences.  The biggest one was missing my baby. We left her with her grandparents, and she had a wonderful time with them. However, I kept wishing she could be there with us. That she could feel the sand on her feet and see the ocean for the first time. I hope a day will come when we will be able to take her traveling with us, but I know that it wouldn't have been possible for us to bring her this time.

Coming home also wasn't as hard as it was the first time we traveled to Mexico. Not because we didn't enjoy ourselves as much as we did before, but because I think we both felt a sense of closure. There's something special about traveling to the same place over and over again. You learn it well, and any stress associated with making the trip goes away when you know what to expect. There's always so much to learn about the places we travel to, but there's rarely enough time to experience it all. 

This second vacation to Cancun was the extension we needed to fully soak in everything we didn't realize we would miss when we went the first time. We got up early to eat breakfast while watching the sunrise. I read a whole book by water. We walked along the beach every day. And I am so grateful for all of it.

Because of that, I feel like Cancun can finally rest peacefully in my heart and memories. I am inspired and have room in my catalog of dream for new places to travel and new, beautiful experiences with my family.