Walking Down the Puerto Vallarta Malecon1.2 miles To Aura Spa for My Massage
1. "Running Errands" Gets Us Walking For Our Health
Shopping for a Bedspread Required a Lot of Walking
In Old Town Puerto Vallarta and La Penita to Find the "Right One"
Walking to the Huarache Store in Old Town
To Pick Up Jon’s
Repaired Fanny Pack
2. We See So Much More and Discover New Places
Christmas Decor on the Puerto Vallarta Malecon
The Puerto Vallarta Muelle (Pier) Lit Up
Finding That Birria Taco Stand I've Been Wanting to Try
3. We Decrease Our Cost of Living by Eliminating Automobile Expenses (Initial Purchase, Fuel, Insurance, Upkeep)
Riding the Bus to Vallarta Botanical Garden
Is 50 Pesos, Under $3.00 US Each Way
Uber to the Gallerias Vallarta Shopping Mall from Old Town
Is 70 to 120 Pesos (Around $5.00 U.S) Each Way
Riding the City Bus To Home Depot, Costco, Wal-Mart, or
Anywhere in Puerto Vallarta Costs Only 10 Pesos (50 to 60 U.S.Cents)
4. Decrease Our Carbon Footprint on the Earth
Riding the Sayulita Bus in 2016
We
get big points on the Ecological Footprint Quiz when we use public
transportation, plus it's relaxing to let someone else do the driving! Read
more in my earlier blog, ECOLOGICAL FOOTPRINT: 10 Ways We Reduced Ours When WeRetired in Mexico. 5. Eliminate Frustration about Finding a Parking
Space
Puerto Vallarta and La Penita Taxis are Inexpensive
We catch a ride or ...
Christmas Decor on the Puerto Vallarta Malecon
...we walk and enjoy the scenery.
Read more about life as an expat in Mexico in my Healthy Living in Mexico 5-book series.
I couldn't agree more. In the 2.5 years we lived in Mexico, we had no desire to buy a car. It helps to live in a city, as it was much easier to live the car-free lifestyle in Playa del Carmen than on the Yucatan gulf coast. We could hardly ever flag down a combi or tuk-tuk from our location (they were always already full of villagers), and to walk to the closest village was 1.5-3 miles, depending on which one we went to. In the sunshine, heat, and humidity. Ubers were not very common, since we were so far from a larger city. We loved to ride our bikes to local fruit/veggie stands, but if we needed to get to Progreso or Merida, we almost always had to walk to a village to pick up a combi. Once in Progreso, we could take a bus to the big city of Merida and shop at stores like Costco and Home Depot, but the three separate rides in each direction made for a very long (and hot) day. We were lucky to have a best friend who did have a car, and she frequently invited us to ride along with her into Merida for shopping and lunches out. I didn't have any desire to drive in the Merida craziness, though, so even though it was sometimes inconvenient, not having a car worked for us, since we had bicycles and a helpful friend. We loved not having the cost and upkeep of a car plus the lower carbon footprint.
ReplyDeleteYou mentioned avoiding driving in the craziness of Merida--Puerto Vallarta traffic and driving laws are crazy, too. So Benefit #6 would be: A Less Stressful Life! Yes, I agree, living in the city or a small city like Sayulita works better without a car than living in a rural area. We had the same problem when we stayed in Pau Mul outside of Playa del Carmen. We had a towcar at the time and had to use it often to go to the city. That's part of the reason we decided to live in a city or town that is walkable. We road bikes, too, until Jon's unsteady balance became unsafe. I don't think riding bikes in the crazy PV traffic is safe, either😅. Walking and busing now that the weather is cooler is perfect. Take care!
DeleteYes, all great points. In Playa we mostly rode on bike paths and just a few roads to get to them; there were definitely areas that were too busy to bicycle on. Not to mention the horrible metal topes/speed bumps that terrified me! On the gulf coast, we were riding on rural roads, sand and paved, and it felt much safer. Hope you two (three with pup!) have a wonderful holiday season!
DeleteEmily, It sounds a little like you miss living in Mexico. Do you think you ever will move back? We don't miss the U.S., other than family and some of our favorite campsites on the Rogue River. We consider visiting family in Oregon, but it's hard to leave this beautiful country. We hope they will come visit us soon.
DeleteWe do miss Mexico, for sure. But family obligations (elderly parents, sibling with special needs) just won't allow us to move back now, and by the time those obligations are behind us, we'll very likely be too old to make such a major life change. Plus, we built a comfortable (small) house on wooded rural acreage here and are enjoying this lifestyle as well. We're mostly sheltered from a lot of the madness here in the US! We have a big garden and are learning about native plants so we can help the pollinators, we feed birds, we hike on our trails, and the cycling is much better here as well. I also like seasons, especially spring and fall, and the places we lived in Mexico were very hot and humid; I don't miss that part of it. I do miss the people, the vibrant culture, the friendliness, the food, the colors, and the vibe there and hope to visit again, but probably not live there.
DeleteIt sounds like you found a good way to enjoy the U.S. Liking the seasons is important. I'm fine being warm or hot all year, but not cold.🥶
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