Colour was one of the themes of my trip in Cuba and Mexico, from the classic cars of Havana to the bright walls of Puebla. San Cristóbal de las Casas continued the theme, with colourful markets, crafts, cars and food. Despite the very different feel to this mountain town, I still found it equally beautiful to those we had seen before.
Almost a week into our whirlwind trip, Mexico was far from the sun-drenched desert I had pictured in my mind. We’d experienced the vibrancy of Mexico City, the colours of Cholula and Puebla, and the incredible ruins and food of Oaxaca. Now, we were heading into the rainforest! The state of Chiapas is home to the stunning Sumidero Canyon, where we stopped off for an exhilarating speedboat ride on our way to San Cristobal.
The premise of my Cuban and Mexican extravaganza was simple – reunite a bunch of uni friends to celebrate our 30th birthdays, halfway between our respective homes of Auckland and London. Given the spread of birthdays, I just happened to be the lucky one who had their birthday on tour! And what a birthday it was – featuring street art, chocolate milkshakes, the incredible ancient ruins of Mitla, and tequila’s bad-ass cousin mezcal!
The super cool rooftop at Skylight in Tobacco Docks
I love London in the summer sunshine, although it’s not always plentiful even in July. When it was I made the most of it, on rooftop bars and open-air concerts. And to guarantee some sunshine I left London – heading to Zurich to visit my sister Zoe and her boyfriend Tom, where they definitely aced the local guide business!
