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Travel Tips

These tips help you avoid a few pitfalls of traveling to and from Mexico.

Take the Minimum

Take the minimum with you. If this is your first trip to a Mexico beach location, you will be astounded at how well you will do with only a couple of bathing suits and tops. Everyone navigates in "flip-flops" (called "chanclas" in Acapulco). If you need a pair, they sell for a dollar or two at the super markets and other stores all over town. There is no need to import a bunch of them. You may want a couple of "nice" changes of clothes for less casual outings, but that's about it. Use the hotel laundry every couple of days, and you will be fine. Unless a formal event has been planned (like a wedding or an upscale business meeting), men will not need a jacket and tie. Women can leave long dresses and high heels behind. The most that even the fancy nightclubs require is "elegant casual" (cocktail dresses for the ladies and neat trousers and crisp shirt for the men). If you are boarding an airplane in a cold climate, try to leave your overcoat in the car and "tough it" to and from the terminal. There's no need to schlep an overcoat all the way to Acapulco and back again. The benefits of minimalist thinking are: less to carry on the way down, and more room for stuff you might buy to take home.

Secure Your Money and Documents

Money and documents need to be secure. Take with you (or buy) a secure bag (with zipper closure) or "waist pack" (called a "cangurera" in Acapulco). Take your passport, a credit card and your bank debit card. Your drivers' license may be useful as an ID, so you can leave the passport under lock and key in the hotel. Take photocopies of everything, front and back, and keep them in a separate place. Be sure to call the credit card company in advance and advise them of your destination and the length of your stay, so they will not decline your charges, thinking the card has been stolen. You should travel with enough cash to get to the hotel safely and a little more besides, just for peace of mind. (Once settled in the hotel, use the bank card to get more cash as you need it. ATM machines (called "cajeros") are plentiful in Acapulco. They accept a broad range of credit and debit cards.) Once you clear customs, consciously put your documents in your secure bag or pack and transfer them to your hotel safe deposit box (or in-room safe) when you arrive at the hotel. You can change a small amount of money at the hotel to pay for taxis, if they are unhappy taking dollars. After that, just withdraw money from the ATM machines (which will give you pesos) to last a couple of days. There is no safer place for your cash than in your bank, and you will receive your money at a more favorable exchange rate than that charged at money exchanges. Pay for things with the credit card whenever possible. You will get an even better exchange rate on credit card charges than on changing dollars to pesos.

Take Your Money With You

Money, plastic and cash can not be left lying around in the hotel room, even in the fanciest hotels. The in-room safes and hotel safety deposit boxes are secure, but nowhere else is. If you use the front desk safe (rather than a safe deposit box), ask for a receipt. If something is stolen from the room, there will not likely be a big investigation. Cash and plastic are more secure on your person than anywhere else except the in-room safes and hotel depositories. If you plan to be on the public beaches or riding the city buses, take a minimum of cash and no plastic with you. Armed robberies are more infrequent in Acapulco than in the larger US cities, but there is no reason to take unnecessary risks on your vacation.

Sunscreen, Sunscreen, Sunscreen

If you’re not lucky enough to sport a shade of Mexican brown or black on your skin, but rather show the pasty white, dead fish color of the far North, do not venture into the sun for more than five minutes without sunscreen. Also remember to use sunglasses that block all forms of harmful ultraviolet light. Remember, Acapulco is located well inside the Tropic of Cancer. Sunscreen can be bought all over town and on the beach in all types and shades. For the balding or receding hairline, a hat is a must. Even the scalp where the hair is parted can sizzle quickly.

Ten Pesos is Worth a Bit Less than One Dollar

When converting between pesos and US dollars for small purchases, just drop a zero and deduct a bit more. Even though the exchange rate may be at around 11 or 12 pesos to the dollar at the moment, this allows for quick math. If you're from Europe, Britain, Canada, Australia or New Zealand, well, you'll have to do it the old fashioned way and do some real math. At 12 pesos to the dollar, $30 pesos is $2.50, $50 pesos is about $4, and $100 pesos is $8.33.

Always Bargain

Your favorite word should be "demasiado" (day-mah-see-AH-dough), which means "too much". It's a well known fact that there are two prices for just about everything in Mexico; the tourist price and the regular price. The key to getting the latter and avoiding the former is to know what the real price of things is and when you should bargain. With the exception of the supermarkets, restaurants, and "big box" stores, you'll need to bargain for most goods or services. Before entering a taxi, ask what the fare is to where you are going. If the driver sizes you up and says "50 pesos," the fare is probably $40. And so on.

Asking for the Check

When in a restaurant and ready to leave, wave to your attendant and do one of two things: either say (or mime) "la cuenta, por favor" (pronounced la-KWEN-tah-pour-fah-VOHR); or just make a hand gesture as if writing on an imaginary piece of paper. This is universally understood in all of Mexico for "bring the check."

Saying "No" and "Go Away"

In all places, the presence of tourists attracts others looking for an opportunity. The key is to say "no" without being offensive. If someone offers your something you don't want, a polite "no gracias" with a smile will normally do. If the individual persists, a second "no gracias" might be in order, perhaps with just half a smile. If this does not work, say "no gracias" sternly for a third time and use a most useful hand gesture: a slow, side-to-side motion with your index finger (palm down), the way grade school teachers used to do. This is also the best signal to use on the street when a taxi driver or other person out of earshot honks or waves to try to get your attention. Almost always the issue will be resolved at one of these three levels. In extreme cases, change tactics to the more direct "no moleste" (NO mo-LES-tay), or if to more than one person, "no molesten" (NO mo-LES-tayn). Both mean "don't bother me."

Montezuma's Revenge

Most likely if anything is going to go wrong on your trip, other than a bad hangover or a sunburn, this will be it. Montezuma's Revenge can be mild, or it can put you right down in bed with grinding stomach cramps. If you get a really mild case, you can just ignore it. If it threatens to take you out of action, look for Lomotil at a pharmacy. It is a "slow you down" pill that does not require a prescription. For worse cases, see a doctor right away. Early treatment makes for an earlier cure, and salvages more vacation time. You are likely to be advised to take a quinolone antibiotic like ciprofloxacin (Cipro) 500 mg twice daily or levofloxacin (Levaquin) 500 mg once daily for three days.

Just Say No

In Acapulco, the one thing you do not want to be accused of is taking illegal drugs. It is a free-wheeling sort of place, and you might see some people doing things that you might think is tolerated. It is not. Being detained with as little as a joint will spoil your vacation. Getting caught with anything more serious can spoil your whole year or even longer. Given the intense scrutiny for drugs at the borders, departing the US with any illegal substance is idiotic. Buying illegal substances once inside the country is lunacy. Just say "no."

Where to get more info

For more information, stay right here at RealAcapulco, naturally. There is a wealth of info hidden in the nooks and crannies of RealAcapulco that you're likely to find useful. Even it if it's not all that useful, it might be interesting.

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