Living the dream in Mexico
I don’t know why it’s taken me so long to write about my whirl-wind trip to Cancun, Mexico. I guess I’d been putting it off because I knew I had to do a presentation about it to my work. You see, this wasn’t just any trip to Cancun (even though there’s not really such a thing, coming from Australia), but this was a work trip. A work trip entitled ‘Flight Centre’s Global Gathering’ – a “conference” that takes place in a different exotic location each year and is attended by the company’s high achievers.
Last year it was in Singapore, the year before – Pairs. This year the legendary debauchery, international acts and charter flights were set to decend upon Cancun. And I was chosen to be apart of it. Little old, Mexican-loving me. As soon as I found out (after a few joyous tears) it was all I could think about. That and running away with a Danny Trejo-type once I got there.
I don’t know what excited me more, the fact that this four day trip was all expenses paid; that for the past year I’d been dreaming about Mexico and it’s beaches, cacti and drug cartels (thanks Sons of Anarchy) or the fact that I would finally be able to swim in a magical cenote – the kind of swimming hole a mermaid like me dreams about and google image-searches her whole life.
Looking back it was like a dream. A surreal couple of days that will always stay with me forever. The international music act was Pitbull. The international speaker – Michael Phelps. But for me it wasn’t even about the fame. Or the alcohol. Or the food (although I did drink and eat my fair share). Or the opportunity to wear my high school formal dress ten years on. Or the fact that I was in a room of thousands of people from all over the world cheering for the hard work they had put in that year – like some sort of corporate olympics.
For me, it was just to be in Mexico. To fly over the thickest jungle I’ve ever seen (they actually call it savannah). To stay at the amazing avatar-style Paradisus and after a long long-haul flight, scream with glee at my amazing beachside view. To breath in the humidity-drenched air (at some points, it was 100%). To dive into the dream-like Chichen Itza cenote and look up as vines and water cascaded down. To swim in the crystal blue waters of the Caribbean Sea. To dance in a sea of people, under a starry sky. To look into the bright blue eyes of a native Mayan and hear stories of ancient culture, gods and legends. To go for a midnight dip, cocktails and friends in tow at the incredible party thrown at the Four Seasons. To see the sunset over Cancun’s crocodile infested lagoon (crocodile’s are their main roadkill!). To wander amongst ancient ruins of which my mind is still trying to comprehend. Just to be apart of it all.
It may have only been four days but it was one of the most surreal four days of my life. I lived a dream. A dream in Mexico.