We’ve all heard the chilling urban legends – a guy was driving in Mexico, got into an accident, and both drivers were thrown into jail until the whole legal mess was resolved. This tale makes it seem so scary and dangerous to drive in Mexico, when really, with a bit of common sense, driving in Mexico isn’t all that bad. However, because “common sense” isn’t always that common, the following is a list of helpful tips for when you plan to drive in Mexico.

1. Don’t drive at night. Unless you are on a toll road, you’ll be driving through towns and villages which always contain at least a few speed bumps (called “topes”) which will remove the entire lower half of your car if taken at speed, and also at least a few donkeys or cows crossing the road, which can do serious damage (to your car and others) if you hit them or swerve to avoid them. There’s also the occasional napping dog in the road that will be impossible to see. You are also more likely to encounter bandits if driving at night. Some roads regularly have a problem with bandidos while others never/rarely do. Whatever the case, the bulk of criminal activity happens at night. Finally, another nighttime hazard that you might not be used to encountering is that numerous people drive without their headlights on. Sometimes this is because they are broken but often it is because the driver thinks they are saving gas by not turning them on. Either way, it's really dangerous!

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We've been living in Zihuatanejo now for over 5 years, and my parents have been to visit us a couple of times a year since we arrived. This time when mom said she was coming to visit on her own, mostly in hopes of spending quality time with our 15-month-old Trinity, I thought it was time to try something different. Over the last couple of years as the road to Morelia has been finalized, I've taken a few trips to various cities in Michoacán, the state just to the north of us. First my husband Andy and I had a romantic weekend trip to Uruapan, then later I took several road-trips to Morelia for shopping. However, my only experience of Patzcuaro was when we were nearly out of gas, and also needed a tire change, and it was closer to stop on the outskirts of Patzcuaro then to drive on to Morelia.

I decided it was time to check out Patzcuaro. I had read and heard much about it over the years, and figured it would be a fun girls' trip for my mom, Trinity and me. And it was fun, quite fun (the American "quite", meaning more fun than just fun), in spite of a couple of misadventures that we had on the way.

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Food poisoning, parasites, salmonella, e-coli, Montezuma’s Revenge! Yikes! These are the things some people worry about before they come to Mexico. For travel to Zihuatanejo, and most parts of Mexico these days, there are simple ways to avoid these illnesses, so you can instead worry about how to order your next beer. My advice may not be foolproof, but I definitely have the world’s most sensitive stomach – my stomach is so sensitive that whenever I left California, even to go on my honeymoon in New Orleans and Savannah, I had tummy problems. (And it wasn’t because of the spicy food, because I’m always cooking from my Paul Prudhomme’s Cookbook!) However, after learning a few simple cautionary steps, I’ve managed to live happily in Zihua for the last several years without anything more serious than the occasional upset stomach.

Before you go: Before you leave for Mexico or any trip, make sure you stock up on acidophilus tablets, and start adding fresh yogurt to your daily diet. I recommend that you do this at least one week before you leave. While on your trip, eat yogurt at least once a day and keep taking the acidophilus tablets to keep the flora in your stomach strong.

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