If you are a camper and you enjoy a challenge, camping in Mexico could be just the challenge you are looking for. It is a country of mystery and intrigue, but is you have never camped before, leave visiting Mexico until you have a little experience. The last thing you need when on a camping vacation, is to find yourself in the Chihuahuan Desert, believing you can stop at the next Chevron for bottled water, it aint going to happen. The only thing you may find is a muddy puddle, or a Gila Monster if you are lucky.
Planning is essential, and the trip to successful camping is to take everything you need, but not too much! However, no matter how well prepared you are, it is rare that a camping trip to Mexico comes off exactly as planned. If you are the adventurous type, this may just be the vacation you have been longing for!
Yes, prepare for every eventuality, but also be prepared to experience the most amazing camping opportunities. Memories are made of this, but be aware that you have to have a lot of nerve to pull it off, Mexico is not for shrinking violets, so if you are made of sterner stuff, you will be just fine.
Having the clothing to be able to dress for most weather conditions is necessary, you could be in the scorching dessert one day and in the snowy mountains the next. You may even experience tropical storms.
To really enjoy a Mexican camping experience you have to be very flexible and be able to go with the flow. Flexibility is key to your enjoyment of this experience, unpredictability has to embraced, and carefully laid plans, change at the very last minute.
Use camping checklists, you will find these online, they will help you ensure you have everything you need in its most compact form. Shop for your luxuries in the US, while shopping in unfamiliar stores in unfamiliar Mexican towns is fun, if you are a woman and you want a Hershey bar now, you will be in for a long wait. Nachos can never replace your favorite chocolate bar.
Never drink Mexican tap or river water, in fact no-matter where you camp, don’t drink the tap water, you know nothing about it. Camping with dysentery is no fun; take it from me, the idiot who ate fresh oysters from Brazilian waters. Bottled water is a must for drinking and you may have to bathe in a puddle or river water, so take biodegradable toiletries. We all have to do our bit to protect the environment. Make sure you take toilet paper. Remember the Baz Lerman song “sunscreen”, take that too.
A medical kit is vital, and if you don’t know what to put in yours, then perhaps you are not practical enough to be camping in Mexico. My mother suggests, anti-diarrhea and nausea medication, elastoplasts of various sizes, asprin and brandy (her cure all).
