Cancun

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We took a first class bus from Merida to Cancun and were met at the bus station by our Norwegian friend Gunlaug that we had previously met in El Salvador and traveled to Guatamala with. We took a taxi to our accommodation which was a room in a private apartment next to the Plaza America's shopping mall.

We met our host and then headed out for lunch at a restaurant he recommended nearby. The food was great and we enjoyed catching up with Gunlaug. We spent the afternoon looking around the market downtown and enjoying a drink on the roof terrace of Gunlaug's hostel.

After breakfast the next day we went to the supermarket to buy food for lunch as we were planning to visit the beach. While we were sitting at the bus stop the sky got darker and darker. Eventually we decided that it no longer looked like beach weather so headed back into the shopping mall. Before we could get back to the apartment the sky opened up and the rain came, at this point we were extremely relieved we were not at the beach or on the bus. We ended up spending the day in the apartment and doing a little shopping in the mall.

The next day we again tried to go to the beach and had a bit more success. We stood waiting for the bus but again it didn't arrive, we decided to walk towards the road heading out to the beach and hoped we would get a bus along the way. Unfortunately for us there wasn't a bus stop for the next 3km! But we did make it to the beach.

We stopped at playa las Perlas for a quick look as it was right there and then caught the bus down the road to Playa Langosta as the description in the Lonely Plane sounded nice and we were not sure how long the sun was going to last. We found a spot in front of a fancy hotel and made ourselves at home enjoying the sun and the calm, warm Caribbean sea.

Eventually we decided to go and check out another of the beaches and we headed to Playa Marlin. The access to the beach was much more difficult to find as the hotels and private developments have taken over nearly all the area between the road and beach. We stopped in a little convenience store to buy a drink and snack and asked for directions. I'm so glad we asked as there was no sign and I'm sure we would have missed the entrance. The colour of the sea was unbelievable with its different shades of blue. Here there were some reasonable waves so Gary enjoyed bodysurfing while I made the most of the sun on the lovely fine white sand beach.

We walked back along the beach about 2km past many fancy hotels to Playa Chac Mool where we eventually found access to the road. Here there was a market so I decided to take a look but we pretty much just walked straight through as the sales people were rather in your face and wanted to sell us crappy Cancun t-shirts. I much prefer the more traditional markets as this one just felt like a tourist trap.

We caught a bus back towards to mall but it didn't go all the way so we walked the final bit.

Next stop Mexico City.

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Comments

[taracloud]

The lap of luxury!
After all your backpacking, how great to enjoy a first-class bus and time in up-scale Cancun. The beach looks gorgeous, and what a contrast this is to the wild, wonderful madness of D.F.--good luck!