What a Dent to a Rental Car Cost Me in Mexico

Wherever you go, there you are

I was in a lane of narrowing stone fences in the pouring rain at night after two hours of navigating backroads in the Yucatan. I had just turned into what I thought was our hotel’s driveway. With no more room to go forward, I knew I had to back up. Inching our rental car in reverse, I heard (and felt) a scrape.

Mireya and I had flown into Cancun a couple days earlier. As always, we rented a car and headed directly to the Yucatan, one of our favorite destinations in Mexico.

Our first stop was at the Cenote Choj Ha outside of X-Can where stalagmites and stalactites sandwiched cool, blue water.

Back out on the highway, heading west for the town of Homun, the rain started. Our faith in Google Maps began to wane as it took us off the cuota (toll road) onto the libre (regular free highway), then to no-shoulder two-laners. It was pouring. We were tired. Which is why relief flooded over me when we finally saw the sign to our rural hotel’s entrance. Minutes later, relief was replaced by anger aft…