Leaving Tulum

Well as usually happens when travelling I have lost all sense of time so I can´t date anything.
Currently in Flores in Guatamala. Getting here was an adventure. Left Tulum several days ago (I think Sunday here this side of the international date line) on an overnight bs to Pelanque, an 11 hour trip. Though it wasn´t too bad, in fact more comfortable than the Qantas flight; there wasn´t the ubiquitous fat American sitting beside me. Palenque is still in Mexico and was our steppinp off point into Guatamala.

Only stayed one night but it was enough to introduce Lucas to pina coladas. Fortunately these were less lethal on me than the margeritas in Playa del Carmen.

One thing noticeable was the evening promenade of people; the street were añive with people, all dresed in their best. We had dinner near the town centre/park and were entertained by both the people and a live salsa music concert. The perrennial Christmas song Í´m dreaming of a white Christmas´sounds much better in salsa than the crooning Bing Crosby version. Come to think of it all the Christmasy songs sound better in the salsa version.
Signed on for a 2 day transfer for Guatamla, this involved 2 buses and a boat and seeing ruins of Yaxchilan and Bonampak and having a night in a Lacadon village.
The ruins were awesom, especially Yaxchilan which involved a boat trip in a large motorised dug out canoe type of boat. The boat trip took about 40 mins down a river with the primordial rainforest growing down to the edge of the water, the further we went along the river the more back in time we appeared to be going.. I do have photographs but don´t have the camera with me at this exact moment so will post them soon.
The area is not safe at night time as it is a major transportation route for drugs and guns from Guatamala. We had not long left the Bonampak ruins and were heading to the Lacadon village for the night when we were stopped by an army checkpoint. They made everybody except 3 (including myself) get out.) I looked at Lucas and the others who had to get off the bus,standing in the hot sun surounded by armed soldiers with these huge guns with fingers on the triggers while our luggage was searched. Nada was found and we were allowed to go on our merry way.
I know in Australia we can be stopped by police in e.g. random breath tests, but it was a cultural shock to be randomly stopped by the army and searched.
The night in the Lacadon village was interesting, in the middle of nowhere in traditional huts with the sounds of wildlife surrounding us (apparently jaguars are in this area).
Next morning headed for the river which forms the border between Guatamala and Mexico. Rode in a canoe up river for about 30 mins till we reached the border crossing.
The trip to Flores where we currently are was only supposed to take 3 hours but took more than 5 along a stony road due to a semi flat tyre. It was a hot and dusty trip. What was noticeable along the way was the amount of jungle clearance to provide pasture for cattle. Sad. What was also noticeable was the obvious poverty that many people in this part of the country live in. Really sad.
Flores is an island in a lake and we are in a hotel overlooking the lake…magical. The town, more like a village, looka like the small towns that nestle in the Spanish hills and mountains, with narrow houses and cobblestoned narrow streets.
Today we left at the ungodly hour of 5am to go to Tikal. Words can not express the magnificence of this site that was once a Mayan city state. Again, I took photographs will post these later.
Tomorrow we are heading north towards the Honduras border on a bus. Once in Honduras we´ll head to the Bay of Islands and SCUBA. Shpuld be fun.

P.S. the beer is pretty good

Cenote

Cenote snorkelling was so much fun. Although I almost chickened out. We had a practise in a small cenote and when I entered a small passage I became a tad agitated and went back to the jumping platform.

Anyway, as my friend Deanna so succintly put it – adventure before dementia – so gave it another go. After the practice went to a larger cenote that had a number of channels leading to other underground caverns filled with water (well not filled all the way to the top, but in some areas the water depth would have been at least 20m.) At times these passages were so narrow had to snorkel sideways with only about half a metre between the top of the water and the ceiling of the cavern.
There were heaps of little fish – tetris – Lucas tried to catch some with his hands though they were too fast.

We snorkelled for approximately 500m till we reahed the bat cave. Not named after the part of the famous duo, rather after the bats hanging from the ceiling.

I was scared beforehand but it was so much fun.

Picture of the practice cenote, isn´t the water a magnificent colour?

Picture: ´bush´ (jungle around the cenote. Monkeys are found here, so too are jaguars and ´pigs´(think he meant pecaries), though we saw neither

Distant shot of the cenote opening

Still at Tulum

Don´t know what it is, but Mexican locks to hotel rooms have us beat. So ended up leaving it unlocked this morning….wasn´t worth the aggro.
Tomorrow should be interesting. Signed up for snorkelling in a cenote. As I have an unbridled fear of drowning and confined spaces, I believe that if I can successfully enter an underwater cave (where headlights are necessary) then I can do just about anything.
Can´t help but notice the school children here; immaculate uniforms imcluding shoes, not a runner to be seen.
Tonight might inyroduce Lucas to pina colasas. Introduced him to margaritas at the Playa del Carmen and the result was sort of unfortunate – for me not him.

At Tulum

Imagine, if you can from Gilgandra, white sand, coconut palms, water the colour of turquoise. Well that is Tulum.
We are staying at a cabana right on the beach.
Heaven
Try and send photographs, if I can rouse myself from this blissful lethargy.

Moving on

Today (02/12 in Mexico) we are moving on from Playa del Carmen to Tulum. Playa del Carmen was different to what I expected; it caters very much for the tourist trade. So lots of bars, lots of shopping etc. Though the food was great.

We´ll stay at Tulum for about 5 nights. Tulum is a beach place, has ruins and cenotes, though hopefully not as touristy as Playa del Carmen, and it is on the way to Guatamala. Yes we are going overland, though I must admit with a faint (very, very faint) feeling of trepidation. According to the bible of travellers, Lonely Planet, there are several places where they warn against machete wielding robbers and in one case, advise you carry a machete yourself, though only as a deterrent.

Yes, sure. I can just imagine it, either Lucas or myself will probably chop our own leg or other body part off or do something equally disasterous to the other.

So no machetes.

It should make things interesting.

Will sent post from Tulum and hopefully photographs

Playa del Carmen

Had a quick 100 mins flight from Miami to Cancun on the Yucatan Peninsuls in Mexico. This is very much a tourist area with sun lounges on the beach and lots of tourist orientated shops everywhere.
Not withstanding all the tourists i.e. is short stay-lets whoop it up type of tourists, this is a beautiful spot. The Caribbean is the most beautiful blue and everthing is green unlike Gilgandra.
We are spending a few days here as I´ve yet to decide how to proceed south to Costa Rica. My natural inclination is to go with my original plans i.e. to go overland through Guatamala and Honduras. I met other travellers in Miami who have recently completed the reverse journey and they had no trouble.
Will visit some of the Mayan ruins like Tikla in Guatamala which are magnificant.Also we´ll probably head out to Utilla in the Bay of Islands, Honduras, for SCUBA
Its really strange how things have changed. before when travelling Lucas was dependant on me, now I am sort of depending on him as he speaks enough Spanish to get around.

Long flight

Well finally arrived in Miami. Blainey was so right when he wrote of the tyranny of distance. What a flight! Now I understand what is meant by ‘cattle class’. Cramped, and even for me, no leg room. Not to mention the food. Well its best not to mention the food (nor the screaming babies for most of the 18 hours flight). I reckon if a plane door was opened I would have jumped! Had a layover of 3 hours at LAX and spent the whole time asleep on the floor. Every step of the way was required a big security check. I had no problems though Lucas kept forgetting to take his mobile out of his pocket so the detector kept bleeping. Arrived Miaimi International at about 10.30pm on 26/11 which also happened to be Thanksgiving, so not much opened in the way of food. The sight of Miami at night from the air was quite beautiful, the lights made the city look like a panorama of gold and silver.The hostel is full of beautiful young people travelling the world…..and me.  We are in a mixed, 4 bed  dorm, think the other 2 guys got a bit of a shock when they saw me. They survived. Spent last night after getting in carousing with 2 young Germans and a guy from Oklahoma. Bud beer is not exactly my choice in alcoholic beverage, but it was cheap. Wandered around a little this morning, and yes peple do rollerblade on the streets. Lucas is still crashed. Do you realise you can buy alcohol and cigerettes at a pharmacy? The coffee was great. Today will probably be a getting over the flights day. Leave again tomorrow at about 9.30am for Mexico.

Hello world!

This is my first blog and a test to see if it all works……

Well, have had the glass of wine, been entertained by the feral offspring, read a book and will be jetting off to exotic climes in 3 days 6 hours and some minutes. Yippee