back south

And so another journey to Central America has commenced! After my US student visa expired on June 17^th, I flew Austin- Cancun and the 2-hour trip landed me in a different world altogether. I’ve never been to Florida, nor do I really see the appeal (I get it, but it’s not attractive to me). Even boarding the flight to ‘CUN’, I knew this wasn’t the Mexico that I’d visited before. The plane was mostly white people, all jabbering in loud American about their holiday plans. A few Mexicans sat quietly on the edges. The air hostesses spoke English, all the immigration forms were in English. Right from the get-go there just wasn’t that challenge that comes with the deep-end. But it definitely a good way to start the trip. I’m in Central America by myself for a month- the first solo travel I’d done. I was a biiit nervous, I’ve travelled before, but always with others taking the edge off it.  So the touristy place was probably the best place to get my bearings.

I got into Cancun and realised that it wasn’t yet 9am Monday morning Australian time and so my money hadn’t been transferred onto my card and so I had no money. NOT A GREAT WAY TO START!!! I got to downtown, tried to get money out, realised I couldn’t, tried to get a cab to my hostel, realised I couldn’t, and thus commenced the sweaty walk with my loved/hated backpack and the full brunt of the early afternoon Carribean sun and the sensitivity to light from my malaria tablets. Euuugh. Along the way I was greeted by a Mexican tour guide who offered to walk me to my hostel and then offered to go nightclubbing with me in the evening. Pass. He walked me to my hostel and then wanted money ‘for a soda’. But I couldn’t! Pass! Ha. I spent the afternoon watching Mad Men and drying not to die from heat. I found a potluck event on couchsurfing at a nearby hostel so ended up buying some Modelos and tostadas and Laughing Cow Cheese and heading down there (luckily, Parentals’ credit card worked at the supermarket).  That hostel was a hoot so I booked in to stay there for the next few nights.

The next day I took a ferry out to Isla Mujeres, a little island about 20 minutes from the Eastern side of Cancun. I found a snorkelling trip for the afternoon and got on it. Noice snorkelling there- we checked out an old ship wreck, plenty a fish, coral, etc. We also went to an Underwater Museum which was sculptures maybe 5 metres down on the ocean floor which you could snorkel above. There was one with all of these figures- similar style to the Chinese warriors- and they were covered with seaweed and algae. Cool/eeiry. We then had lunch and I found some people from Philly and New York to share a few beers and chat about their travels.

The next day I took the plunge out to the Zona Hotelera, the reeeeeallllly touristy part of town. I found me a nice spot on the beach under an umbrella, got out my Huckleberry Finn and began some serious easy chillzen for a few hours. Chatted to a Mexican guy trying to sell food – we ended up talking in-depth about Maté, strangely. Next to me was also a fatty old Russian woman who got me to take photos of her posing on her deck chair (euuughh) and then didn’t know where Australia was.  She also didn’t speak English or Spanish so I have no idea how she managed.  She brokenly asked where I was from and I answered her and she gave me a confused, wincy look. ‘London?’. ‘No, further south’ I replied. ‘Brasilia?’ wincy look again. ‘No, around the other side of the world’. She winced and shrugged her shoulders and went back to reading. Priiiity funny. No big deal, I guess.

All was well until a mother of a storm started a-brewin, the storm front spanning 180 degrees along the whole coast quickly getting darker and plumper. I packed up and found the closest hotel and almost made it inside (made it to the blonde American families in the beachside pools with designer bathers and their cocktails, at least) and it just started pissing down. Found myself inside the fanciest place I’ve ever been and spoiled myself to a Coca Cola and read more Huck Finn. Then got myself home, ate some pasta and prepared for one of Cancun’s ‘Biggest Nights of the Year’, a pool party at one of the hotels. Needless to say, it was messy, no one was in the pool, there was a bikini contest, and I lost my shorts. Not in a suss way though, don’t worry. Usually I shun people all hanging out in their hostel groups but it’s kinda nice when you don’t know anyone and it means you can party without having to worry about stuff. So anyway, that happened.

Theeen, the next morning, I awoke after 2 hours of sleep to catch a bus to Tulum with some Danish girls from the hostel. They both are legends at Spanish, so it was good practice to chat with them. Though sometimes I’d be like ‘WHY CAN’T I GET WHAT THEY’RE SAYING’ and then realise they were speaking Danish. Not to worry. We stayed in a Cabaña to ourselves at a weird hostel with an old fat leathery blonde sunburnt American with an open Hawaiian shirt and a waxed moustache called ‘Pepe’. He had a Mexican wife who didn’t speak English and he said he’d lived there for 35 years and still his Spanish was un disasteur. We didn’t do much that afternoon, just went for a walk around town and bought some groceries and cooked up a delicious bruschetta and pasta. I chatted with Pies and then we read and chatted and wrote in our journals. All very nice.

The next day we woke up early to hire some bikes and head out to the Tulum ruins. We got there at about 8.30am and already it was busy but not compared to when we left at 11.30, just huuuge groups of buses spewing in- a full operation. It was a bit drizzly, but nice because it was so humid. The ruins were beautiful and the Danishes had studied a bit of Mayan culture in their Spanish classes so it was good to learn from them about los dioses and la serpiente plumada. We don’t learn about Mayan culture at school at all, eh? Even at uni, not sure if any classes run on it. So much to learn but!

Then we parted ways and I went on a snorkelling tour of los cenotes, which are big underground caves with water in them. That was amazing. You can also dive it, but alas I do not yet have my license.  But we got all the gear and also a torch cause we went pretty far underground, through open caverns and spaces where only two people could fit. There were plenty of stalactites, some that went underwater too, and some that had turned into columns.  It was bizarre when you’d be going along and the ground underneath you drops away to 6,7 metres deep but right above you you have to be careful cause there’s stalactites 20 centimetres from your head above the water. A few times people bonked their heads and the yells echoed all through the caves.

My only downpoint on this voyage was entering a really confined space- that space where only 2 people could fit. The distance between the water and the roof would be only about 30 centimetres, just enough to fit your head out of the water. And the air in there was so thick, there just wasn’t enough oxygen. I went in there and was like ‘WHOA my heat’s going crazy’, and I was mentally trying to slow it down and be calm, but it just didn’t happen. I thought it was a psychological thing but there was just no air. I was in there with an Israeli girl who told me that she was scared and she was really panicked. I held her hand and tried to calm her down. Plus it was dark! Anyways she goes ‘What do I do?’ and I told her just to duck under the water and follow the light of our guide on the other side of the pool. But you had to dive under this rock wall to get there. Anyway she got there, though I think she bumped her head on the way out which did not help the situation at all. She got back to her boyfriend, but they sat the rest of the trip out. I gave her a big hug when we were out in the open again! Phew! I got out and had a throbbing head (lack of oxygen, no?)  but felt fine. Sooo anyway, NOT TO WORRY, but it’s just so easy to get panicked and work yourself up. My down to earth nature really helped in that situation though, so go me. No one worry I’m fine!

Last night I was super tired after all that so I found a Vietnamese place and got takeaway and chatted with an English couple at the hostel and had a few beers and then went and read up on my next destinations but generally took it easy. There was a band playing across the road, and it sounded fun, but I was just totally spent. My hostel was called the Weary Traveler and indeed was fitting last night.

Today I high-tailed it out of Tulum and now find myself on the island of San Pedro, Belize. I took a bus to Chetumal, on the Mexican/Belize border, and then a ferry out here. It’s a funny place, already. Bigger houses, plenty more whiteys, and also Black Carribeans. English is the national language, and there’s more wealth here. I just arrived and found a room for $US20 a night (expensive for these parts- but cheap in the US) and it’s my first double bed of the trip.

The weather’s been cloudy for a few days and I REALLY hope it clears up cause it’s paradise- white sands, crystal blue waters, coconut trees everywhere. Seriously.  San Pedro’s ‘Lobsterfest’ is in full swing (from what I hear) and there’s a ‘Lobsterfest Block Party’ tomorrow night which will be a hoot.

I might go take a walk now, suss the place out. I’ve heard there’s a place called ‘Rose’s’ which is a noice place to eat. Might try a lobster, just cause I’m here and all.

In summation: Things are going great, I’ve hardly spent time alone and when I have it’s been super enjoyable, health is good, mental health gr7, love travelling!

So much love to ya’ll, be in touch.

Chau chau chau. Xo g