Tulum, Quintana Roo, Mexico

Defining Adventure:

I remember going to Mexico with my parents when I was young. A true American vacation: airport transfers, queen beds at the Holiday Inn, chlorinated swimming pool overlooking the ocean. They would go out for dinner at the local Mexican restaurant while I stayed back and ordered a room service meal of club sandwiches and french fries - salsa was not part of my vocabulary. So now as I take my young children to Central America I have to smile as I reflect on the differences between vacations and adventures.

We woke up last Tuesday at 2:30 am to a waxing moon and several inches of falling snow. As we drove two hours towards the airport, the kids sat wearily in the backseat cuddled up with the one toy they were allowed to bring on our season-long journey. Too tired to talk, but too excited to sleep, we slowly began our 22 hour adventure south to Tulum, Mexico. We endured grueling layovers, vertical naps, a packed lunch of goldfish crackers and sunflower seed (our peanut butter was labeled as a potentially hazardous "paste" and confiscated by checkpoint security). Nothing was easy, but nothing worthwhile ever is.

As hour 21 of this character building adventure approached, I noticed three European girls in their early 20's taking photos of each other with their iphones while standing in the isles of our bus. I struggled to understand what they were photographing until I heard the blonde one say in broken english, "No one will ever believe we took a 2nd class bus!" I giggled outloud. My 7 year old, world-traveling daughter looked up at me as if to ask 'what's so funny?' I just hugged her and said, "I am so proud of you guys." And she hugged me back and said, "We are proud of you too mom!"

We enjoyed six sandy days in Tulum. We made our second visit to the city's name-sake ruins, we cannonballed off the sacred Mayan cliffs of Cenote Escondido, we sucked on cool, sweet treats from the Michoacan, we dressed up in heels and skirts and ate fine local cuisine at Don Cafeto's, we shared Christmas Day with Mexican families in the Central Plaza, and above all else, we chased, tackled and wrestled wave after wave, day after day, on the ever-enchanting Caribbean Sea.

Treasures in Tulum:
Our hotel - www.hotellamariposatulum.com
Natural food restaurant - www.azafrantulum.com
Local eatery - Don Cafeto (Ave Tulum y Orion Sur)