We hired a two-man canoe and after a minimal briefing from Dave (the driver - who enjoys a good fig) we paddled off on the 31 mile canoe trip through Escalante and Dominguez Canyons. Part of the enjoyment of adventure is not knowing who or where your decisions will lead. This is what I was thinking when Dave waved us off without any safety briefing, and just the vague arrangement of picking us up from the side of the river bank in two days time. The next 3 days we spent paddling down stream and parking up where we fancied, taking [View Full Entry]

---

---

On the drive out to the canyon Rich wanted to introduce me to a friend of his who lives on a bus in the middle of nowhere. This guy lives soley off solar power in a renovated school bus. He cooks in a solar oven and has none of the trappings of conventional life except a little table and chair set for visitors out the front. Unfortunately, he was out when we passed by so I didn't get to meet him, but what a way to live eh? Black canyon is so named because of the black volcanic rock and the [View Full Entry]

---

---

We set up camp as soon as we arrived and got on with the task of looking for firewood, basically anything dry. Then I set about putting up the tent and unpacking everything from the car whilst Rich built the fire. 10 mins later, just as Rich was about to light the carefully constructed fire, the storm clouds decided to give us everything they had. For the next two hours we sat in the car, with some candles, waiting for the storm to pass. Later that night, Rich cooked an amazing spicey bean stew on the fire and we went to [View Full Entry]

---

---

I arrived in Denver with chronic toothache. After getting myself to an emergency dentist who gave me a prescription for a whole load of painkillers, I could finally take in my surroundings. The drugs prescribed were expensive and strong. Tylenol - that famous US painkiller. Even though I welcomed the pain relief, it still seemed frighteningly easy to load myself up with pharmaceuticals. After a pill popping night, and waking up in probably the largest bed I have ever slept in , I marvelled at the perfectly clear blue skies, and set off to explore the city a little before heading [View Full Entry]

---

---

We arrived in Merida for party month! Whether this was just an excuse to dance a lot and listen to a lot of music or whether it genuinely was an official anniversary of something, I never found out, I just liked the idea of celebrating for a whole month! You couldn't go to any Zocollo (main plaza) without some sort of live music playing and folk dancing. And it wasn't really the young who were out shaking their butt, it was Mum and Dad, Grandma and Grandpa. And they weren't shy. Also it was great to see that alcohol wasn't needed. [View Full Entry]

---

---

This was a beautiful place. Located high up in the mountains where there seems to be a fresh, sunny climate all year round. And for a small indigenous village, there is a suprisingly wide choice of accommodation and bars with live music (we actually saw an excellent jazz band). The people are reserved but incredibly helpful so there is no problem about catching lifts or transport to explore some of the lush, nearby jungle. Unfortunately, it seems that most people opt for tours where everything is sewn up and subsequently contact with locals is minimal. We took a lot of collectivo's. [View Full Entry]

---

---

This place was Weird, with a capital W. At the bus station in Campeche a guy recommended "this vegetarian camp with hammocks and gardens, close to the ruins." That sounded Ok to me, so I decided to scrub staying at the hostel and check his place out. I arrived as the sun went down, there didn't seem to be any real reception area, just a bar and open plan restaurants. So, after waiting for a bit I enquired about beds. The guy brusquely retorted that the place was full. It was dark, I wasn't about to trudge back to the entrance [View Full Entry]

---

---

Laguna Bacalar This place was gorgeous, helped out by staying in a proper hotel ie not a car, with a view of the laguna from my bedroom window. It's a quiet place to stop for a day or two, in fact, I could have stayed longer. The laguna, which is freshwater, clear and aqua as the Caribbean sea, has huge fish that get up to 2metres long. Apparently snorkelling is wonderful. We didn't have time to go but I forgot to say in the last entry, in Tulum, we did manage some snorkelling, and in a cenote, which was pretty damn [View Full Entry]

---

---

Anywhere with a zona hotelera should be avoided, unless Disneyland is your second favourite place on earth. Saturated with Burger Kings, Starbucks and all things American, including the language, I was confused as to where I was. It's true I wasn't in Central America, Mexico is in fact part of North America, but it's also definitely a different country. Mexico definitely has a different language, a distinct culture, a Mayan history and indigenous people. Didn't it? Doesn't it? So, we quickly left Cancun, but not before spending a couple of hours fighting with hotel security to get onto [View Full Entry]

---

---

So, my year here has come to an end. I never indulged in a psychologist, I never referred to BA as the "Paris of Latin America" and I never bought those ridiculous shoe/socks that were so popular. But, I did take a little bit of BA away with me and a little bit of me will stay in BA. It is a city that seduces you and induces loyalty. I find myself defending it to anyone, not from BA, who might criticise it. Yes, there are things that could be worked on, such as the still, fanatical tie to Maradona and [View Full Entry]

---

---