Traveling for a Concert: Bad Bunny in CDMX
Puerto Rican rapper Bad Bunny performs on his last night during the Debí Tirar Más Fotos tour in Mexico City.
Credit: Alfredo ESTRELLA / AFP via Getty
I scored the concert ticket of the year; a floor ticket to the record breaking Debí Tirar Más Fotos World Tour on the last day of Benito’s Mexico City stint. After 4 hours of waiting in digital queues and not getting a ticket I managed to get my hands on a reasonably (almost) priced resale ticket. The only problem: It was in a different country and I would be on my own.
I do my fair share of solo travel and I have been to Mexico City before, so it wasn’t as daunting as all that, but never on my own and I had never been to a concert by myself either. But I would be damned if I let that stop me.
City distances
I started my research into the city and the concert. The concert would be held in Stadium GNP, the largest stadium in the city and a bit out of the way of the regular tourist areas. Getting to the concert on my own, whether via taxi or subway, left me uneasy so I decided the first order of business was finding other people to go with me. With over 65 thousand attendees per show, there was bound to be at least a few others doing it alone.
Check out Hostelworld on your next (or first) solo trip!
For those unfamiliar, Hostelworld is an app/website that helps you find accommodation. The special thing about it is that it puts you in a group chat with all the other travelers that will be in your city during your stay, making it easy to meet up for activities.
I picked one of the most centrally located hostels I could find, an especially social looking hostel called Apapacho, since the main goal was to meet people who would want to socialize. The hostel ran me about $15/night in a shared dorm. Once I booked, I checked the Mexico City chat to find it already filled with people looking for others to join them at the concert, or selling and buying tickets.
By the time I arrived in Mexico City I was in a group chat with 25 travelers who would be going to the concert on the same day as me and at least 4 who were staying in the same hostel. I arrived the day of, so I was already rushed, as per usual. Traffic getting to the hostel was pretty terrible but Uber prices were decent, costing only $10 to get from the outside of town to my very central hostel. Once I checked in, I quickly started getting ready while I monitored the texts from the others who would be going. We had all agreed to meet on the hostel terrace for drinks and maybe get dinner and split an Uber to the stadium.
I went up stairs and found my group. Three of us decided to go at the same time, opting to arrive around 7pm. One of the girls, Valeria, would be in the same section (A) as me so we would try to stay together, the guy, Hummza, would be in section B, lucky guy, as the second stage, nicknamed ‘la casita’ was smack dab in the middle of section B and supposedly offered the best views.
Hostel vibesss
We had our drinks and watched the sun set over Mexico City and then walked across the street to a taqueria while we waited for the Uber to show up. Loaded with our tacos and the last swigs of tequila, we were having a fantastic ride, singing, laughing, getting tipsier by the mile.
Once we got closer, the Uber driver explained how this would work. He would drop us off on a side street, not the main entrance, and we would walk for 10 minutes. Better than making us sit in the car while he inched along in the traffic. We got out and hit up a corner store to get a tiny bit more alcohol before heading in. Research showed that a beer inside the stadium was $15 so we were doing our best to pre-game. We headed towards the stadium as others clad in their best Bad Bunny/Puerto Rico outfits, complete with tall straw hats. Once we got closer to the stadium we started seeing stalls, rows of people selling food and any Bad Bunny related items you could think of. We looked around as we joined the line into the stadium.
Views, sections, my new friends and La Camarita that lid up during specific parts of the concert
Once inside the first gate we saw even more, rows and rows, almost never ending, of merch stalls. Blankets, t-shirts, hoodies, jerseys, sunglasses, hats, bandanas all of it with Benitos likeness. We browsed the stalls, buying a few things here and there as we drank our horrible tasting rum and made our way to the second gate. Further in there were several bars set up for people to hang out in, however they were now all closed as it was 7:30 and the masses were being directed into the stadium itself. We got to our entrance and said farewell to our friend, as he went to find his entrance. Me and Valeria got drinks and headed towards the crowd.
The stadium was massive, mostly full as the rest of the concert goers found a spot along the edges, we made our way towards the center back, hoping to get a good view of both stages and finding a spot that worked. The excitement was palpable and the people cheered, occasionally chanting, with the higher rows doing the wave. There would be no opening act so we had nothing to do but wait for Benito to come on around 9. Finally, the lights dimmed and the screen turned on. Showing the faces of two kids sitting on the sidewalk. The crowd went wild.
Intro to La Mudanza - first song of the night
We cheered, we danced, we sang. My view of Benito was not great, at 5 feet even my view at concerts never is, especially in a stadium with so many people. But the screens and the top of his head were enough. Valeria had to leave for the bathroom on the third song and we promised to find each other after, we did not. We saw Benito cry playing Baile Inolvidable, we saw him fall while he danced in La Casita, and reunite with J Balvin, his surprise guest, and watched as they apologized and rekindled their friendship. I hoped to be picked out of the crowd and be brought up on stage but to no avail. The concert flew by. Before I knew it the fireworks were going off and he was walking off the stage, the bright lights turned off and the crowds dissipated. I followed along getting swept back out towards the merch stands. Long lines of people haggling down prices extended in every direction. I texted my friends and tried to find them while I shopped. After 30 minutes of calls and texts we finally found each other outside the stadium, sitting down to eat at one of the taco stalls and exchanging stories.
Hunger and then exhaustion had us. It wasn’t even midnight yet and we had discussed going out after, potentially until 5am, but as we walked to the Uber that would be taking us home, my legs felt like lead. The ride back was silent and I think someone was asleep. By the time we got out we were all standing awkwardly, yawning and shuffling. “Should we just go to bed?” Sighs of relief, followed by a vehement ‘yes’ and exclamations of exhaustion as we hugged each other goodbye and headed to our respective hostels. I went into my room, finding the light turned off with people already in their beds and I snuck to the bathroom to change and get ready for bed. Happy, excited and exhausted.
Images from Hummza’s POV cause he had a way better view
I woke up the next morning hungover and slow. Our group had agreed to go to breakfast together and explore the city so I peeled myself out of my bed and started getting ready. I met the guys in the lobby and we got a taxi to Roma Norte, one of the hip trendy areas, and found a little mom and pop restaurant to have breakfast in. A blessed breakfast of Chilaquiles with Cafe de Olla, sweet breads, and orange juice all included. We ate and got to know each other better. Valeria was from San Francisco, Hummza was from Scotland. We wandered around, looking in on some cute boutiques and stopping for fresh juice and more coffee on our way to the Parque de Chapultepec, the large urban forest in the heart of Mexico City. After a 30 minute walk we arrived to find it closed, a lot of things are closed on Mondays we found out. We headed back and opted for a walking tour to learn more about the neighborhoods and after freshening up at our hostels we headed out to dinner. We decided to dine at a fancy restaurant in the historic city center. The chef is said to be one of the best in Latin America and we wanted to treat ourselves. We got wine, and ate well. Ending the day happy and giddy that we had found each other, promising to meet up and keep in touch in the future. I was to leave the next day. Hummza’s parents and cousins would be arriving then as well, ending the solo portion of his travels. Valeria would be heading on to other parts of Mexico.
Exploring the City
I had come for a concert but I found friendship in strangers and a welcoming city full of lively people. I had never been to a concert alone before but I am so happy that I stuck it out and went on this adventure. Absolutely one to remember and one I can recommend.
