Mayan Temples Trip - Safe?

[classicrb]

For 25 years, I have traveled alone camping throughout the US and Canada. Counting on the kindness of strangers, who also love camping and travel, to keep me safe. This year I would like to take a couple of months and explore the Mayan Temples in Mexico, Guatemala and Belize. For the first time, I am unsure whether this adventure would safe to do alone. I would appreciate any comments to help me decide what to do. My plan is to go from mid October to mid December, so if fellow travelers are recommended then I need to start looking now.


Truck: 2017 Ford F250 4X4
Camper: 2017 Adventurer 89rb

[qtla9111]

Belgique wrote:

qtla9111 wrote:
I'm not sure why, but when rvers have come to visit they are reluctant to ride in my car :h

We resemble that remark:) (But we adjusted because you were able to show us so much in a short period of time)

You're a good man! I have to admit, I am slowly changing my ways. I'm down to about 120 kmp so maybe by the time you guys return it will be around the speed limit 🙂

[Belgique]

qtla9111 wrote:
I'm not sure why, but when rvers have come to visit they are reluctant to ride in my car :h

We resemble that remark:) (But we adjusted because you were able to show us so much in a short period of time)

[qtla9111]

It's 80 kph on the highway from my town to Monterrey. I drive 140 kph. Keeping up with traffic.

I drove down to SMA on Tuesday. It's posted on Hwy 57 between 80 and 100 in some parts. I stuck to 120 kph all the way.

I'm not sure why, but when rvers have come to visit they are reluctant to ride in my car :h

[Wm_Elliot]

I have gotten a safe to pass left turn signal in Quebec from a trucker,,, once, maybe it's not just a courtesy in Mexico.
We've taken six trips in Mexico since 2013 on a motorcycle, logging in over 20,000 miles in Mexico on a motorcycle.
Although I'm a fairly fast rider in the US and ride the same in Mexico I always notice how much faster people drive in Mexico. A 60KPH speed limit in Mexico might be driven at 60MPH. Speed limits are much lower in Mexico but most Nationals drive much faster than the posted speed limit.
Many Nationals are very skillful drivers, fast and sometimes impatient, but skilled.
In all the years we've traveled in Mexico - first in an RV and now on a motorcycle the only time I felt overwhelmed was in Acapulco about 5 years ago. We just revisited Acapulco this March and I felt much safer than I did then.

[bighatnohorse]

classicrb wrote:

bighatnohorse wrote:
The biggest dangers will be the Mexican speed bumps (everywhere) and the Mexican "left turn signal" quirk that Americans and Canadians are not used to.

Thank you for your insights. What pray tell is the "left turn signal" quirk? 😄

Example:
You're on a two lane road and there's a huge farm truck loaded with cane just creeping along just ahead. The truck turns on it's left turn blinker. . .means it's safe to pass.
If the truck turns on the left blinker (or possibly the emergency flashers) and driver sticks his arm out the window, chance are that he intends to turn left.

If you're driving your truck camper and plan to turn left, stick your arm out the window, turn on the left blinker and/or the emergency flashers and slow down.

[Yosemite_Sam1]

Talleyho69 wrote:
I think what he is referring to is that the left turn signal often means it's clear to pass a vehicle.

We live on a fairly busy hilly road with lots of beach traffic. We have to make a left turn into our driveway/garage. We have learned to, yes, use the left blinker, but also to put our left hand out and give the "slow down" signal. Also to really really watch the cars behind us!

Generally, driving in Mexico is easy. Different, but easy. Little things like the left blinker, but as safety goes, if there is a hazard ahead of you, on go the flashers immediately. If you are on a two lane road, oncoming traffic will flash their lights and wave their arms if there is something ahead, be it a cow, a slow down, whatever. Never see those things done in the US.

How about those intersection traffic lights that generally means -- it's just a suggestion.:E:B

[Talleyho69]

I think what he is referring to is that the left turn signal often means it's clear to pass a vehicle.

We live on a fairly busy hilly road with lots of beach traffic. We have to make a left turn into our driveway/garage. We have learned to, yes, use the left blinker, but also to put our left hand out and give the "slow down" signal. Also to really really watch the cars behind us!

Generally, driving in Mexico is easy. Different, but easy. Little things like the left blinker, but as safety goes, if there is a hazard ahead of you, on go the flashers immediately. If you are on a two lane road, oncoming traffic will flash their lights and wave their arms if there is something ahead, be it a cow, a slow down, whatever. Never see those things done in the US.

[classicrb]

bighatnohorse wrote:
The biggest dangers will be the Mexican speed bumps (everywhere) and the Mexican "left turn signal" quirk that Americans and Canadians are not used to.

Thank you for your insights. What pray tell is the "left turn signal" quirk? 😄

[bighatnohorse]

The biggest dangers will be the Mexican speed bumps (everywhere) and the Mexican "left turn signal" quirk that Americans and Canadians are not used to.

[classicrb]

Talleyho69 wrote:
Do lot of homework and use this board. It picks up closer to the winter season and many many of our members travel here a lot.

Will do that. You are the one that gave me confidence to go it alone.

[Talleyho69]

Do lot of homework and use this board. It picks up closer to the winter season and many many of our members travel here a lot.

[classicrb]

Thank you for all your responses. I feel better about going based on your comments.

[Tripalot]

Times are changing (and not always for the better). I think a lot depends on your own confidence and comfort level. Things happen everywhere - doesn't matter where you are. You can be in the wrong place at the wrong time anywhere.

[Talleyho69]

On that note.......

Absolutely! We spend more than 25 winters exploring the pyramids of Mexico, Belize and Guatemala. What an amazing thing to do! You will find that you won't be the only solo traveler and when traveling in Mexico and Central America, everyone shares their information.

Yes, you are safe here. Check the US State Department list of states that there are advisories on and make your decisions. We live in a Guerrero, a Do Not Travel state, and feel perfectly safe, more so than we did in a small, tight community in California.

Do your homework on ruin sites and keep your plans loose. Two months, at least for us, would only give us enough time to visit a couple of major sites and a number of smaller ones if that. For example, 1985, in a tent, we figured we could see Chichen Itza in a day or two. A week later we moved on and have returned several more times. There are a number of very small sites that have some extremely important, extremely different things.

So Jealous! We will be traveling again soon and our first stop will be Palenque.