Mexico?

[MU82]

this can't be good for business-14 murders in 36 hours in cancun-

https://www.thesun.co.uk/news/6024568/cancun-murders-mexico-drug-gang/

Thanks for that. We'll be there soon. I bequeath all of my Hanna-Barbera DVDs to you.

[rocket surgeon]

Thanks for that. We'll be there soon. I bequeath all of my Hanna-Barbera DVDs to you.

just do like all the hollywood big shots do and hire some heavies with the heat

       now what would i do with another set of HB DVDs

[mu_hilltopper]

Another front page story from the Milwaukee JS ..

https://www.jsonline.com/story/news/mexico-blackouts/2018/04/11/travel-companies-fail-warn-tourists-risks-mexico/495145002/

And a nice TLDR page of ~50 tourists, nicely tagged, "blackout", "assault" .. "Hospital" .. "Extortion" .. "drugging" ..

https://projects.jsonline.com/topics/mexico-blackouts-investigation/#stories-anchor

In conclusion, Arby's.

[jsglow]

Another front page story from the Milwaukee JS ..

https://www.jsonline.com/story/news/mexico-blackouts/2018/04/11/travel-companies-fail-warn-tourists-risks-mexico/495145002/

And a nice TLDR page of ~50 tourists, nicely tagged, "blackout", "assault" .. "Hospital" .. "Extortion" .. "drugging" ..

https://projects.jsonline.com/topics/mexico-blackouts-investigation/#stories-anchor

In conclusion, Arby's.

I have many issues with the Journal and their sloppy and biased work over the years but their excellent reporting on this important story has been at the forefront of what is still an underreported subject nationwide.

[MU82]

OK ... so what should Mrs. 82 and I do?

Should we cancel our 4-night vacation to Cancun that precedes our daughter's wedding in Cabo? Doing this would cost us some money but it wouldn't be too bad; maybe we could even claim that the airlines and the resort weren't forthcoming with the problems in Cancun and get our money back (but surely not without a fight).

But what about the wedding in Cabo, which takes place in only about a month? My daughter has been planning it for a year and she just called us last night to tell us how excited she is. Should we tell her to cancel it, something that would be at considerable expense and inconvenience to her and to all the guests who already have booked travel?

Or do we look at all this as "caveat emptor," be as careful as we all can and hope that everything turns out not just OK but wonderfully?

These stories are alarming, and Mexico certainly wouldn't have been my first choice. But for every person who is hurt in some way, aren't there literally thousands - maybe tens of thousands or hundreds of thousands - of tourists who have a great time on their vacations?

Is it more like cruising, where risk of norovirus is on every boat but the vast, vast, vast majority of vacationers have a fantastic time? We have cruised 10 times. A week before one of them, there was a huge norovirus breakout on two different ships on the cruise line we were about to take. It was very tempting to cancel, but we were glad we didn't.

Very curious what folks would do in our shoes.

[mu_hilltopper]

It's a dice roll.  I'm guessing 5000 people arrive in Cancun each day .. only a handful have issues.   Do you roll quadruple snake-eyes?  Maybe.  Good odds not, though. 

The end is .. there are safer places to spend your dough.

(BTW, as a cruiser, we got back from one over Easter.  The amount of hand-sanitizer stations on the ship was unreal.  We used them 20x a day, easily.  Going to eat?  There's a gal you need to get by who is going to squirt your hands.)

[Spotcheck Billy]

This is just an assumption but those murders likely are crook-on-crook killings.

If MU82 can avoid the heroin trade while in Cancun he should be fine.

[MU82]

It's a dice roll.  I'm guessing 5000 people arrive in Cancun each day .. only a handful have issues.   Do you roll quadruple snake-eyes?  Maybe.  Good odds not, though. 

The end is .. there are safer places to spend your dough.

I agree there are safer places to spend our dough. If you were me, would you call your daughter, tell her to postpone her wedding that's one month out, and suggest rescheduling it at time when a different, safer location could be arranged?

I am being 100% serious here. I am not looking for an argument.

[jsglow]

82.  I think you're okay, especially at it pertains to Cabo.  Just be smart and careful, just like they tell the Frosh up at Marquette. 

Would I make new plans to go? No.  But would I follow through on existing.  Probably.

[MU82]

I was Mr. Jokester earlier in this thread, but I have to admit that I am becoming legitimately concerned. A pretty large portion of my family will be in Cabo, though only my wife and I are going to Cancun.

I am going to talk about all of this with my wife over the next couple of days.

One of my problems now is that I am an infamous second-guesser. Should anything bad happen, I probably would never forgive myself.

[jesmu84]

I was Mr. Jokester earlier in this thread, but I have to admit that I am becoming legitimately concerned. A pretty large portion of my family will be in Cabo, though only my wife and I are going to Cancun.

I am going to talk about all of this with my wife over the next couple of days.

One of my problems now is that I am an infamous second-guesser. Should anything bad happen, I probably would never forgive myself.

As you know, we are planning a Cabo vacation. We are going through with it. Spring of 2019.

We just got back from a week in Cabo at 2 different resorts. Never felt the least bit uncomfortable in Cabo. We didn't leave the resorts.

I honestly think you're fine in Cabo. Maybe move your Cancun trip to Cabo as well as I think there's more shenanigans in the central/eastern portion

[rocket surgeon]

I was Mr. Jokester earlier in this thread, but I have to admit that I am becoming legitimately concerned. A pretty large portion of my family will be in Cabo, though only my wife and I are going to Cancun.

I am going to talk about all of this with my wife over the next couple of days.

One of my problems now is that I am an infamous second-guesser. Should anything bad happen, I probably would never forgive myself.

if i had to choose between cancun-cabo, cabo would win hands down every time.  not only is is a little prettier, but i believe the violence has been among warring cartels, snitches(get stitches) and people who generally fack up.  i used to be a big fan of cancun-been there 4-5 times, including honeymoon, kids vacay, couples, stops on cruises(cozumel).  but now, when i go on a vacation, i want it to be as stress-free as possible.   the part about cancun that makes me weary is the drive from the airport to the resorts...unless i could bring my "little friend"

[Babybluejeans]

OK ... so what should Mrs. 82 and I do?

Should we cancel our 4-night vacation to Cancun that precedes our daughter's wedding in Cabo? Doing this would cost us some money but it wouldn't be too bad; maybe we could even claim that the airlines and the resort weren't forthcoming with the problems in Cancun and get our money back (but surely not without a fight).

But what about the wedding in Cabo, which takes place in only about a month? My daughter has been planning it for a year and she just called us last night to tell us how excited she is. Should we tell her to cancel it, something that would be at considerable expense and inconvenience to her and to all the guests who already have booked travel?

Or do we look at all this as "caveat emptor," be as careful as we all can and hope that everything turns out not just OK but wonderfully?

These stories are alarming, and Mexico certainly wouldn't have been my first choice. But for every person who is hurt in some way, aren't there literally thousands - maybe tens of thousands or hundreds of thousands - of tourists who have a great time on their vacations?

Is it more like cruising, where risk of norovirus is on every boat but the vast, vast, vast majority of vacationers have a fantastic time? We have cruised 10 times. A week before one of them, there was a huge norovirus breakout on two different ships on the cruise line we were about to take. It was very tempting to cancel, but we were glad we didn't.

Very curious what folks would do in our shoes.

Go on both trips and don't think twice. Be smart. Have fun. I'll be in Cabo in early May and can't wait. (Then again I've chosen to travel to some dangerous places so perhaps take it with a grain of margarita salt.)

[Benny B]

This is just an assumption but those murders likely are crook-on-crook killings.

If MU82 can avoid the heroin trade while in Cancun he should be fine.

At least one of the most recent 14 murder victims in 36 hours was a Canadian woman.  So not all crooks.

[BrewCity83]

I just spent 9 days in Playa del Carmen in March and if I hadn't known about the trouble going in, I would never have known anything was off.  We were super vigilant, but there really wasn't anything going on that even raised our defenses.  The hotels, restaurants, bars, shops, beaches, and tourist attractions were all full of vacationers.  It all felt 100% normal.  Considering that this is a family wedding, I say go, keep your eyes open, have fun, and hope for the best.

[mu_hilltopper]

MU82, I'd go on the trips, but get a commitment from the group that if anyone dies, they will haunt your daughter forever. 

Not Casper stuff .. real Poltergeist kind of haunting.

[MU82]

Helpful (mostly) responses.

I am leaning toward not only going but keeping all of this to myself, as I don't want to breed panic. Trying to decide if I even want to discuss it with my wife.

If this were 6 months before the event, it would be a lot easier to decide!

[4everwarriors]

Look at it dis wey, Nads. Ya had a good run, hey?

[MU82]

Look at it dis wey, Nads. Ya had a good run, hey?

I actually said that earlier in the thread.

But yes, my run has improved even since then.

Give me another 60 years or so, and my run will be perfect.

[nyg]

Cancel Cancun.  Why waste the money, you gonna just stay in the room with an occasional elevator trip down to the pool?  No outside dining, sight seeing, etc., because you are afraid to get assaulted, robbed, continually getting asked by strangers if you want to buy drugs, and the likes.

Place is just not safe, period.

Cabo, per others, is safe for now, but I assume in years to come that will change.  Like I said before, Mexico just a terrible country to be in. 

[MU82]

Cancel Cancun.  Why waste the money, you gonna just stay in the room with an occasional elevator trip down to the pool?  No outside dining, sight seeing, etc., because you are afraid to get assaulted, robbed, continually getting asked by strangers if you want to buy drugs, and the likes.

Place is just not safe, period.

Cabo, per others, is safe for now, but I assume in years to come that will change.  Like I said before, Mexico just a terrible country to be in.

I appreciate you being brutally honest in your viewpoint.

[nyg]

I appreciate you being brutally honest in your viewpoint.

Appreciate it, if your not sarcastic, just my opinion/thoughts on welfare of family.

I guess on a vacation, you would want to venture and visit the town for dining, shops, etc.  Well, its obvious something is going on in Cancun right now.  Lets say you go into town and want to have a dinner, believing its safe and nothing going to happen to us.  What you don't know is that some drug gang leader is having dinner at the same place and here comes the rival gang.  I know, just a scenario, but do you really want to be thinking about such things when the city is in complete turmoil.  Best of luck with your decision.



 

[Juan Anderson's Mixtape]

MU82-

Do you have any travel insurance?  I always buy when going international.  I prefer TI that has liberal cancellation and refund policies.  If you did buy TI, I'd suggest looking at your options.

[mu_hilltopper]

Save your money on travel insurance.   Rent some body guards!

[jsglow]

Appreciate it, if your not sarcastic, just my opinion/thoughts on welfare of family.

I guess on a vacation, you would want to venture and visit the town for dining, shops, etc.  Well, its obvious something is going on in Cancun right now.  Lets say you go into town and want to have a dinner, believing its safe and nothing going to happen to us.  What you don't know is that some drug gang leader is having dinner at the same place and here comes the rival gang.  I know, just a scenario, but do you really want to be thinking about such things when the city is in complete turmoil.  Best of luck with your decision.

I don't think folks actually go 'to town' in Cancun for dinner.  The city itself is a bit of a distance from the hotel zone.  Now admittedly it has been years.

MU82-

Do you have any travel insurance?  I always buy when going international.  I prefer TI that has liberal cancellation and refund policies.  If you did buy TI, I'd suggest looking at your options.

Travel insurance anytime you leave the USA?  We haven't routinely done that.  (Have once or twice.)