Soulful Travel

Soulful Travel: Mexico Pt 5 - When the Cartel Calls

In this two-part finale, we wrap up Mexico like a spicy burrito! Riding on Halloween’s thrills and into Día de Los Muertos, we face a cartel scare, meet a mushroom abuela, and stroll through skeleton-lined streets. From heart-pounding threats to mystical magic, Mexico reveals all its wonders.

Freequency

02 Nov 2024 — 8 min read

THE SERIES FINALE:

In this two-part finale, we’re wrapping up the Mexico adventure like a big, spicy burrito! Riding on the spirit of Halloween and into Día de Los Muertos we dive into spooky trouble, mystical experiences, y mucho más (and much more). First, a heart-pounding cartel scare that made us question everything, followed by an encounter with a wise mushroom abuela (grandmother), a stroll through skeleton-filled streets, and all the magic Mexico has to offer. (Note: sorry, Mom—this is what I didn’t tell you!)

This adventure was way too wild for just one bite! So here we go in two parts: first, the cartel scare, then our meeting with a mystic healer. Buckle up for the ride!

Until brain chips let us project the movies in our minds, we'll settle for GIFs to tell the story! And as Cubans on the island taught me, there's no better way to handle a bad hand than with a dose of levity—and laughter at even scary situations.

Continuing from Episode 4:

One morning in the Butterfly Castle, as Ania and I were getting ready to pick up Erandi—our talented Mexican Nuvo Chica from the last post—her call came in, voice quivering with panic. The Cartel had just rung her up. A man on the line had threatened her over her Airbnb business, demanding a payout. His message was chillingly direct: pay up, or face kidnapping and disappearance. To prove he wasn’t bluffing, he recited the exact address of her beachside cabana, making it clear they were watching.

For Erandi, who had already fled from a place where this kind of menace was daily reality, it was like staring down a ghost she thought she’d left behind.

person holding assault rifle — Photo by Gerson Martins / Unsplash

As the wave of danger rolled over us, it was like we could hear red sirens blaring in our minds. Ania, a Croatian war refugee, had seen true danger up close, and I’d faced my own monsters, yet here we were, sharing a look filled with disbelief. We steadied ourselves, gulping down breaths to keep the edge of fear at bay.

🔴

The Red Alert: The Freequency Response When danger confronts us, our minds and bodies react instantly—cortisol, adrenaline, every signal priming us to flee, fight, or shut down to block incoming pain. But if a threat isn’t immediate, cooling that red-hot impulse is critical. The basic instinct for safety—what we call “Red energy” at Freequency—demands balance. Staying centered, grounding with breaths, and reassuring ourselves can be the smartest way forward.

Our thoughts spiraled from calm contemplation to mental gymnastics worthy of a 007 plot.

We tried convincing ourselves it was just a scare tactic. But even the faintest chance it was real demanded our full attention. What did “smart” mean here? Should we pack up and flee? And if we did, how far would that get us?