Mexico

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Well the start to Mexico was a slow one, as it took 2 hours to get through immigration and my battles with the American Airways continued as the gentlemen at the lost baggage counter could hardly speak English. I got to the hostel and was in a mixed room with 3 English girls and Parko who was to arrive later. The girls were great and gave me some good tips for my travels. Parko was a lot quicker through immigration and arrived at the hostel at 1.30 after arriving at 12.30.

Tuesday we took a look around the city after a bit of a sleeping, which meant we missed out on our free breakfast, mind you the salad rolls and water we got cost us $5 between us. There was an open air bus tour which covered a lot of the city which was great. We got off to have a look at the Zoo as it was free entry and it was free for a reason, they may have had a lot of animal displays, but in many of them the animals were no where to be seen or they were just alive and laying on the dirt enclosures. So after this unpleasant stop off, we jumped on the bus and headed back into the city to roam the streets. We then headed back to the hostel of free tea and a few beers. We meet up with a few German guys as well a Mexican who were keen for a bit of Texas hold em. The buy in was $50 peso(less than 5 cents assize) but it was taken quite seriously, I myself was up and down, but hit a couple of straights and took out the game, raking in a whopping 5 or 6 bucks, which I just used the money to buy the boys a beer.

Wednesday was pretty much a day planning our Mexican trip in the morning and shopping in the afternoon to find some new clothes for me to travel with for the next few weeks till I get some funding from American Airways or my travel insurance company. That night, the 2 German boys, along with a Swedish fellow and English girl (Carol) drank at the hostel. All of them could speak pretty fluent Spanish after spending some months travelling the area. The bar at the hostel was nice, as it was on the roof of the building and you get a great view of parts of the city.

The next day we had to get up early to get organized to catch our first of many long bus trips around Mexico. The bus trip was 6 and a bit hours to Oaxaca (wa haca). Carol was also on the same bus and had a Lonely Planet of Mexico, so that helped greatly finding our hostel. We were planning on spending 2 nights, but we were to keen to get to the beach, so after touring the city in the afternoon and evening, we headed to back to the hostel for a few beers and re-arrange our trip. On Friday morning we but our stuff in storage and went on a guided tour to Monte Albain, a massive archeological site a few kms out of the city. It was an impressive site built in or around 500BC, 300 years of that was flattening the top of a mountain so they could build atop of it. It was a good tour, as it was only me and Parko as noone else was doing the same tour that day. We also saw a local wood carving family that did some amazing work and a Monastery that was built in 1555.

After a long day in Oaxaca we had another 10 hour bus ride to Puerto Escondido. It was not a ride that I would like to do many times in my life, but I got a bit of sleep in patches. Unfortunately for Parko he gets motion sickness and it was a pretty windy road so he did not get much rest. We arrived in P/E just after 7 am and went and checked out a few of the hostels. After finding one we liked (Mayflower) we dumped our bags and we went for a dip in the ocean. With 6 foot plus waves breaking on the rock and 2-4 foot sucky shores, it became a bit of a rough and sandy swim, but god it was good to get back in the ocean after a 5 month lay off. After that we went for some breaky. We found this great place where we had breakfast at each day - for 49 peso ($4.50 US) we got an OJ, Coffee or Tea and a Bacon, Ham & Cheese Omelette on toast, so good. The temperature was at least 30-35 degrees during our time there, so after looking around town we headed back to beach for a walk and swim for a few hours. The hostel was a pretty hot place to hang, but there was a terrace area with pool table that caught a bit of the sea breeze, so we just chilled there most arvo´s with a few beers and a bit to eat. Being a sat night every one was up for a drink, I was introduced to Mescal, with was made in the Oaxacan State and is quite similar to tequila. It was a messy night in the end as one of the German boys ¨D¨(hilarious space cadet) and an American chap both had a bottle of the stuff, so it was a good night out. Sunday was a slow start but we did our breakfast and swim for the day before heading up to the supermarket for beers and lunch/dinner. Once again every one was up for chilling and drinking on the terrace. As many of people have or are travelling the same routes as you, it’s good to get tips and ideas of places to go and stay. Monday was once again sleep in, breakfast, beach (but we headed around a couple of coves to a quieter beach). It was good. The water was great for swimming and playing around in and there was a lot of the hostel there. After a long day at the beach we had to pack our gear for a 12hour bus ride to San Cristobal.

We got into San Cristobal in the morning. It was a bit more pleasant ride for me and Parko, getting some quality sleep in. S/C was a lot cooler than most of Mexico which was great and we got a bit of rain when we were there, so for the first time in a while jumper and pants where required, but I have no complaints about that. It was a nice little town and could have stayed longer, but we were keen to get to Cancun a bit earlier to do more time at the beach. So we spent the day looking around the local markets and streets. We were able to get on a 6am mini van bus to Palenque, so after a bit of tea it was early to bed. A couple of English boys in our dorm where also on the same trip.

SO it was an early start for Palenque in the morning, quite a fresh one, but that did not last long. There was one other couple on the trip and the van was pretty good. As for the driver and the roads that was another story. It was like driving around the Great Ocean Road at 100 k's per hour and over taking 3 cars on blind corners. But we got to Palenque on the time he said he would get us there; we did how ever have a few stops on the trip to see some amazing waterfalls. We spent the night in a cabana in the rainforest. It was stinking hot there and no sea breeze to enjoy like P/E. We had a nanna nap in the arvo and found a great place for tea and beers. There were some local drummers and guitarist playing which was great, but the fire twirlers during the music was amazing, the best I have ever seen. On Friday we checked out at midday and dumped our bags with the English boys who stayed at a different set of cabana and we headed off to see the Mayan Ruins in the Rainforest. I am not one for Ruins but I have enjoyed all of them so far. It was stinking hot and a lot of stairs to walk up, down and around to see these ruins but it was quite amazing in the size and detail of these building and the tombs that are found within them. We chilled out with Steve and Andy (the English boys) for the evening before we jumped on 11.35pm (in the end 11.50) over night bus to Merida.

The trip to Merida was all right and we got in about 8 and checked into the hostel before wandering the streets and chilling out in hammocks for the morning. The town seemed nice enough but was really just a place to spend the day and night before we headed to Cancun via the Chuchen Itza ruins, So after a lounge around during the day we headed out for another wander and to get some tea. It was an early night after a few beers with some English lads. Had to be up earlyish for our mini bus shuttle to the ruins.

The bus trip was with a couple of older Spanish speaking husband and wife and one of there sons and daughter in laws, so it was not the most exciting trip, the drive spoken in Spanish and would then translate to us touristas in English. The Ruins itself were impressive but not the best I have seen, but its the details in which the main ruin was built which was quite amazing. It had 91 steps on each side, so 91 times by 4 is 364 plus the main platform equals 365, total days in a year. The Mayan people were obsessed with time and there were a number of other facts about the ruin. Other interesting facts were that they use to break the back of a virgin 6-14 year old girl or boy then cut their heart out whilst alive and drop the heart into a sacred well, so that the gods would give them rain. (something that the Ballarat council should think about, even though it hard to find a virgin of 14 in the town). Another was a spiritual sports game where the winning captain would get beheaded and the losing captain booed.

We arrived in Cancun in the afternoon and found a hostel that looked like a winner but had no real atmosphere at all, so we headed to the supermarket for beers and then headed out to the main Cancun strip to see the clubs. For 20 bucks all you could drink, it was game on for me and Parko. After a bit of podium dancing for me and Parko having difficulties keeping his dinner down and out the taxi window, we made it back to the hostel alive.

The Sunday was a slow start but we both had a few things to do, like change flights, find malaria tablets and assorted chargers. After some of that was complete we headed out on the ferry to Isla Mujures. Beautiful little island off Cancun, where we stayed at a hostel that Matty Torney recommended, great place backing onto the beach and a minutes walk to the main beach and streets. We had a great time there. The Sunday night was pretty chilled out and the Monday was beach and look around the streets during the day. Monday night was a big one. We had a volleyball game for beers with a couple of Israeli guys, one of whom was nearly 7 foot, so our chances were slim, as was the rest. But at 3 for 2 beers it was worth the challenge. After that the hostel has a bar within the gates which is open till 11 and a bar on the beach that opens at 11 till 3 or 4. So it was a long one with 2 for 1 cocktails. We drank the night away with an Irish and English chick. One of our room mates was spotlighted by the cops going at it on the beach with a young lass and was then ask for $100, which he produce $100 peso (10 bucks) but was told that a hundred US was what they wanted, but thankfully got off as he only had the 100 peso and did not come back to pay them as they asked him to do.
Tuesday was very slow; we got the ferry back to Cancun and ran a few more errands, which I had not been able to do on the Sunday. After that it was time for me and Parko to part ways as I was heading south down the coast to Tullum and he had a flight to St Louis in the states for his summer camp. It was a world wind trip the two of us had, but still great fun. I caught a bus to Nullum in the arvo which took 4 hours and cruised around the hostel, where a few of the guys from Puerto Escondido were which was good. On Wednesday I planned to be active, get up early for free breakfast and hit the beach, but I decided to chill out and stay around with Rich and his girlfriend Lucy to watch the Champions League Soccer Final. Was a great game with Rich's team Man U winning off penalties. Thursday I did get up for breakfast and beach. It was good to get back in the ocean. But I am also now sporting a hot pink board short tan line where I hiked up my shorts. I am sitting in the Chetumal Bus station waiting 4 hours for my connecting bus to Guatemala, which will take a further 8 hours.
So the highlights of Mexico were mainly the coastal towns of Puerto Escondido, Isla Mujures and Tullum. But the ruins in both Oaxaca, Palenque and Chichen Itza were also quite amazing. The driving in Mexico at times has scared the crap out of me and the topes (speed bumps) have driving me up the wall some times, I have never seen as many on some patches of road like I have anywhere else, well except Strathmore/Domain road these days.
As I chill out in the bus station I hope you’re all well who ever you may be reading this lengthy ramble and I will keep you updated shortly on my adventure to Guatemala and Belize in the next few days before I fly out to Peru on the 27th.
Mick Lewis

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