Thursday, May 10, 2012

Mickey Mouse, The Hunger Games, and Perception, Part III


Part III

And Now, The Moral of Our Story

This week I saw yet another disturbing story out of Mexico.  Warring drug cartels are playing their own version of The Hunger Games right out in public.  The result is an epidemic of torture and death on all sides.  So who is up for a vacation in Mexico????  Well, I am!

Nuevo Laredo is a town that sits right at the border of Mexico and Texas, south of San Antonio.    Let’s take a look at some numbers.  You all know I am a Math geek, and this is how I make sense of the world.

One of the most popular Mexico vacation destinations for North American travelers is Cancun.  To give us some frame of reference, think of Mexico as an upside down cornucopia; its large mouth at the top where Mexico meets the U.S., the small pointy end curves down and to the right.  Cancun is all the way down to the tip of the pointy end.  The Gulf of Mexico is kind of cradled by Mexico on its west and south sides. 
Here is a little map that might help:


Now, the driving distance from Nuevo Laredo to Cancun is 2,545 km, or about 1,582 miles.  Cabo San Lucas on the Baja peninsula is also a very popular destination for Americans and Canadians.  Nuevo Laredo is separated from Cabo San Lucas by 1739 km, approximately 1082 miles.  The current red-headed step child (no offense to those of you who are either/or/both) of Mexico according to the U.S. media is Mazatlan, which sits about even with Cabo San Lucas on the western edge of Mexico proper, across the Sea of Cortez.  The distance from the violence?  1110 km,  690 miles or so.

Yesterday we determined that Walt Disney World is 1100 miles from New York City.  Yet Laura Beth, your friend and roommate, was very anxious about visiting WDW because of the violence in New York City.  And you gently helped her to understand that just because she sees stories of violence concerning NYC, there is no direct correlation between that violence and her family being harmed if they visit Disney World.

Likewise, in spite of the sensationalistic news stories we see regarding violence in Mexico, Cancun, Cabo and Mazatlan are still very safe destinations.  Who wants to see you get hurt less than you do?  The resorts!!!  They want you to feel safe, comfortable, pampered and confident about their destination so that you can come home and tell your friends.

The bottom line here is please don’t be afraid of Mexico.  You will be in good hands, your family will be protected.  Abide by the guidelines you offered to Laura Beth above.  Use your brain, don’t do stupid things, and there is left only a slight, miniscule, Lilliputian possibility that your family will be troubled by violence.

These three destinations and others, like Central Florida, survive by tourism.  They are hurting.  They need our business and support.  Due to that fact, pricing is incredible right now. 

If you are looking for a safe, fun, all-inclusive option for your family’s vacation this year, do yourself a favor and let me investigate Mexico for you.  I’ve personally been to Mazatlan, Cancun, Cozumel and Puerto Vallarta.  I missed the call at Cabo San Lucas because I had to stay on the cruise ship with a sick girly, but my husband and older daughter say that Cabo is their favorite Mexico destination.  (It is the home of El Arco, Land’s End.)

As a teaser, check this out:


Then give me a call!  719.683.8733, 888.87LEGACY
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Thank you for allowing me to serve you as Your Favorite Travel Agent.  My family appreciates your business, your trust and your loyalty.  99% of my new business comes through referrals.  If you have friends or family looking for help in planning their travel, I’d love for you to pass them my name.  Referrals that result in a completed booking are nicely rewarded!

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