Sep 2020 – Jan 2021

Mexico

Auryn and I are going to live and travel in Mexico for up to six months! Read more

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Day 74
Tuesday, December 8, 2020 at 4:39 PM
⛅ 21 °C
Altitude: 10 m
Mexico Progreso 21.286671, -89.66832721°17’12” N 89°40’6” W
Progresso Day Trip
December 8, 2020 in Mexico ⋅ ⛅ 21 °C
Today we head to a beach town called Progresso with our Dutch friend Hengky (Hanky).

I have deemed this day the "Day of Dead Animals."

Firstly, I see my very first and very squashed dead flamingo on the bus ride (that I of course get very motion sick on).

Once we get off of the bus we head immediately to the beach where Auryn proceeds to run into the cold and rough ocean so that he can go pee. 😂

As Hengky and I are standing on the beach watching Auryn unmagesticly battle the waves and wind, I look over and see my very first and very decomposed dead sea tortoise. 😅

We hangout on the beach for an hour or so. Progresso is known to be windy and today is also a particularly cloudy day which leads to us shivering on the beach. 😅

So decide to warm up with a walk around the town where we find a group of stray cats! 😍 As I am taking a picture of this black cat I pan out and see that it is standing next to a dead one. 😐

As I've said. Today was the "Day of Dead Animals."

We headed back to Mérida around 5:30 pm and watched a beautiful sunset. 😊

Cost Breakdown:

Bus tickets x 2 with Return = 84 pesos.Read more
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Day 75
Wednesday, December 9, 2020 at 11:47 AM
⛅ 24 °C
Altitude: 14 m
Mexico Mérida 20.97333, -89.6320°58’24” N 89°37’48” W
Auryn's Ankle
December 9, 2020 in Mexico ⋅ ⛅ 24 °C
One evening Auryn is going down a set of stairs and twists his ankle. 😫

Our Chinese friend, Fred, said that he learned a healing technique called "Origin Point" while he was in Taiwan. So he takes Auryn to our bedroom lays him on the bed and starts aggressively poking him all over his leg, butt, and back as Hengky and I stand there watching. This turns out to be absolutely excruciating! 😰

Fred insists that despite how much it hurts, it will help him heal. Auryn is mentally and physically out of it after each session and needs to lay in bed to recover. Fred continues this treatment several times over the next week and a half.

Auryn thinks it helped to a degree, but he is definitely in pain after the sessions. He says it's some of the worst pain he's been in his life.

Fred is very sympathetic to his pain because he said that he's had this treatment himself and says that it was incredibly painful. This doesn't, however, stop him from squealing with contagious laughter as he's elbowing Auryn's butt. 😂Read more
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Day 76
Thursday, December 10, 2020 at 3:55 PM
☀️ 25 °C
Altitude: 13 m
Mexico Catedral de Mérida 20.96833, -89.6233320°58’6” N 89°37’24” W
Centro de Mérida!
December 10, 2020 in Mexico ⋅ ☀️ 25 °C
I took a solo walk around central Mérida while Auryn was at the hostel recovering from his twisted ankle and 'Orgin Point' treatment.

Mérida is stunning! So many colourful buildings!

It's very common to have a temperature checks and use hand sanitizer before entering a store. Masks, or in Mexican Spanish "cubrebocas," are required in most public places. Downtown Mérida goes an extra step with sanitization stations that are essentially a tent frame with spouts that mist sanitization spray onto your body.

On my way back from town I made, yet another, kitty friend! 🐈Read more
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Day 77
Friday, December 11, 2020 at 3:07 PM
☀️ 27 °C
Altitude: 26 m
Mexico Mérida 20.97333, -89.6316720°58’24” N 89°37’54” W
Rooftop de El Tigre
December 11, 2020 in Mexico ⋅ ☀️ 27 °C
Most days we hangout on the rooftop here at our hostel, El Tigre. It's a pretty sweet spot. Beautiful views. Great people. Space to hoop dance, play cards/dice, and watch impromptu live shows from our friends!Read more
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Day 84
Friday, December 18, 2020 at 12:08 PM
⛅ 26 °C
Altitude: 14 m
Mexico Mérida 20.97333, -89.6320°58’24” N 89°37’48” W
Saying Goodbye to El Tigre
December 18, 2020 in Mexico ⋅ ⛅ 26 °C
After two amazing weeks at El Tigre in Mérida we decide it's time to move on and head to Campeche.

We loved this place. Great people (Fred even helped us carry our stuff to the bus stop!), great amenities, location. The kitchen was always clean and well stocked, we had reliable wifi and hot showers! We even got free coffee, peanut butter, and jam. 😍

This place felt like home for the last couple weeks and I'll definitely miss it, but I'm excited to see where we head to next. Our current plan is to spend Christmas is San Cristobal and then bus into Guatemala in the new year. We'll see how well we stick to that plan. 😅

Cost Breakdown (Approximate):
Bus from Mérida to Campeche = 480 pesosRead more
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Day 84
Friday, December 18, 2020 at 7:38 PM
⛅ 22 °C
Altitude: 12 m
Mexico San José 19.83833, -90.5419°50’18” N 90°32’24” W
1
Campeche City and Laundry Fiasco
December 18, 2020 in Mexico ⋅ ⛅ 22 °C
Today we arrived in Campeche! We haven't done any exploring yet, but we've settled into our AirBnb by doing some sink laundry and making potatoes (both of these things save lots of money).

Our AirBnb is perfect so far! Great space that's clean, good amenities, hot shower, good wifi etc. It's also very psychedelic; every surface is a different colour, pattern, and texture. 😂 🌈

Auryn found out today that there are no liquor sales after 6pm, or on the weekend in the state of Campeche due to the pandemic! So we're going to have a beerless weekend! 😯

*Update* my easy sink laundry turned into quite a fiasco! Firstly, it didn't dry overnight where I originally hung it up, so I tried to position it better under the air-conditioner. It still would not dry, so I hung it upstairs on the roof. Once it finally started to dry it began pouring rain out of no where! So it is now hanging up all over our bedroom once again. 😅Read more
Traveler Trying to spread my laundry out so it'll dry faster. 😅
12/19/20Reply
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Day 85
Saturday, December 19, 2020 at 1:21 PM
⛅ 29 °C
Altitude: 13 m
Mexico Puerta Tierra 19.84167, -90.5366719°50’30” N 90°32’12” W
Zona Centro de Campeche
December 19, 2020 in Mexico ⋅ ⛅ 29 °C
Zona Centro is beautiful!

Other names: San Francisco de Campeche
Historic Fortified Town of Campeche

The city was established in 1540 by Spanish conquistadores. In the 1600's it endured what is believed to be the largest pirate attack in history! During the 17th century, the colony spent 50 years constructing an enormous fortress around the city's perimeter to protect it from the incessant pirate terrorization. The Spanish lived within the walls whereas the indigenous people were left to live outside them. San Francisco de Campeche became a UNESCO world heritage site in 1999.Read more
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Day 85
Saturday, December 19, 2020 at 1:55 PM
⛅ 29 °C
Altitude: 14 m
Mexico Centro Cultural "El Palacio"19.84667, -90.5366719°50’48” N 90°32’12” W
Cathedral in Zona Centro
December 19, 2020 in Mexico ⋅ ⛅ 29 °C
Our Lady of the Immaculate Conception Cathedral.
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Day 85
Saturday, December 19, 2020 at 2:54 PM
⛅ 29 °C
Altitude: 18 m
Mexico Independance Square 19.84833, -90.5419°50’54” N 90°32’24” W
Malecón in Campeche
December 19, 2020 in Mexico ⋅ ⛅ 29 °C
A beautiful ocean side walk!
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Day 86
Sunday, December 20, 2020 at 3:36 PM
⛅ 29 °C
Altitude: 84 m
Mexico Francisco Escárcega 18.60667, -90.73518°36’24” N 90°44’6” W
Escarcega
December 20, 2020 in Mexico ⋅ ⛅ 29 °C
We stopped in Escarcega for two nights so that we could go to the Calakmul ruins nearby.

Escarcega doesn't have much to offer, but out AirBnb was very comfortable during our stay! 😊
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Day 87
Monday, December 21, 2020 at 11:42 AM
⛅ 27 °C
Altitude: 249 m
Mexico Calakmul 18.365, -89.8916718°21’54” N 89°53’30” W
Drive to Calakmul!
December 21, 2020 in Mexico ⋅ ⛅ 27 °C
It took Auryn a ton of research to finally find an option to get to Calakmul ruins for a reasonable price. It turns out that it's quite expensive to get to because it is deep in the jungle and there are little to no options for public transportation. We almost gave up on Calakmul, but my parents graciously gifted us some money to find reliable transportation as our Christmas present!

Our AirBnb host connected us with his friend who personally drove us to and from Calakmul. The drive took about 5 hours total, and the entire day took about 11 hours total. Once we turned off of the main highway we drove another hour on this winding road through the jungle! Our driver was quite... speedy... but he was really good about stopping to see animals. There was only one instance on the way there, and one on the way back that we thought we were going to crash. 😅😅😅Read more
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Day 87
Monday, December 21, 2020 at 1:08 PM
⛅ 27 °C
Altitude: 256 m
Mexico Calakmul 18.11, -89.8033318°6’36” N 89°48’12” W
Calakmul 1
December 21, 2020 in Mexico ⋅ ⛅ 27 °C
After a long drive we finally reach the ruins!

Construction of Calakmul started around 550 BC and became a UNESCO world heritage site in 2002. The central area occupies 1-2 square kilometres and has approximately 1000 structure; "Structure 2" being one of the tallest structures in the Mayan world measuring at 45 metres tall. The outlying 20 square kilometres contains over another 5500 structures that were primarily used as residences for the cities estimated 50 000 people. This outer area contains five water reservoirs, some of which are the largest in Mayan history.

Calakmul had over twelve centuries of some of the most influential Mayan control on regions of up to 150 km away. The Kingdom has a tumultuous history with its neighboring Kingdom of Tikal located 100 km away in what is now known as Guatemala.

The area is tranquil and lush. There were barely any other tourists there (I think we saw maybe 20 other people). We also got to climb to the top of the ruins where we overlooked the dense jungle and other ancient structures.

There are a ton of animals too. We saw howler and spider monkeys, birds, coatimundis (Mexican raccoon), lizards, and bats!

We didn't get to see any jaguars, but we saw plenty of 'jaguar crossing' signs.Read more
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Day 87
Monday, December 21, 2020 at 1:54 PM
⛅ 27 °C
Altitude: 268 m
Mexico Calakmul 18.10667, -89.8118°6’24” N 89°48’36” W
Calakmul 2
December 21, 2020 in Mexico ⋅ ⛅ 27 °C
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Day 87
Monday, December 21, 2020 at 1:58 PM
⛅ 27 °C
Altitude: 268 m
Mexico Calakmul 18.10667, -89.8118°6’24” N 89°48’36” W
Calakmul 3
December 21, 2020 in Mexico ⋅ ⛅ 27 °C
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Day 87
Monday, December 21, 2020 at 2:10 PM
⛅ 27 °C
Altitude: 278 m
Mexico Calakmul 18.105, -89.8118°6’18” N 89°48’36” W
Calakmul 4
December 21, 2020 in Mexico ⋅ ⛅ 27 °C
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Day 87
Monday, December 21, 2020 at 2:50 PM
☁️ 27 °C
Altitude: 278 m
Mexico Calakmul 18.105, -89.8118°6’18” N 89°48’36” W
Calakmul 5
December 21, 2020 in Mexico ⋅ ☁️ 27 °C
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Day 87
Monday, December 21, 2020 at 2:55 PM
☁️ 27 °C
Altitude: 268 m
Mexico Calakmul 18.105, -89.8083318°6’18” N 89°48’30” W
Calakmul 6
December 21, 2020 in Mexico ⋅ ☁️ 27 °C
Animals!

Spider Monkey
Ocellated Turkey
Bats
Vultures
And a Lizard!
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Day 87
Monday, December 21, 2020 at 3:16 PM
☁️ 26 °C
Altitude: 286 m
Mexico Calakmul Biosphere Reserve 18.10333, -89.8083318°6’12” N 89°48’30” W
Calakmul 7
December 21, 2020 in Mexico ⋅ ☁️ 26 °C
This is Structure 2 which is the second highest Mayan pyramid standing at 45 metres tall! I got to hula hoop on the top! 🥳
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Day 87
Monday, December 21, 2020 at 3:28 PM
☁️ 26 °C
Altitude: 286 m
Mexico Calakmul Biosphere Reserve 18.10333, -89.8083318°6’12” N 89°48’30” W
Calakmul 8
December 21, 2020 in Mexico ⋅ ☁️ 26 °C
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Day 87
Monday, December 21, 2020 at 3:49 PM
⛅ 26 °C
Altitude: 262 m
Mexico Calakmul Biosphere Reserve 18.10833, -89.8118°6’30” N 89°48’36” W
Calakmul 9
December 21, 2020 in Mexico ⋅ ⛅ 26 °C
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Day 87
Monday, December 21, 2020 at 5:51 PM
⛅ 25 °C
Altitude: 228 m
Mexico La Unión 18.52333, -89.8233318°31’24” N 89°49’24” W
Volcano of Bats!
December 21, 2020 in Mexico ⋅ ⛅ 25 °C
Up the road from Calakmul is a Cenote (sinkhole in limestone bedrock) that is filled with an estimated 3 million bats! Every night from about 5pm to 9pm the Cenote erupts into a vortex of bats! There are supposedly only two places in the world where this happens!

Normally this site is free, however, there were a group of scammers at the beginning of the short trail insisting that we needed to pay a 200 peso 'tour' fee because of the pandemic and because it was dark (they said they were there to monitor numbers of tourists, and guide us through the dark). We are almost certain that this was not legit, but we were already there so we paid the 200 peso fee anyway. The site was very interesting, but unfortunately the sun had set during the fee deliberation at the beginning of the trail, so we couldn't see much of the vortex. 😔

I was able to take a couple videos, but I don't think that they do this natural wonder much justice.Read more
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Day 89
Wednesday, December 23, 2020
☀️ 27 °C
Altitude: 77 m
Mexico Tikal 17.51469, -91.9908617°30’53” N 91°59’27” W
Pitstop in Palenque
December 23, 2020 in Mexico ⋅ ☀️ 27 °C
We want to spend Christmas in San Cristobal, but in order to get there we first have to travel from Escaresega to Palenque. On December 22 we took a fancy ADO bus to Escaresega. Then on December 23 we took two small colectivo rides through beautiful winding mountains to San Cristobal in Chiapas state.

We would have loved to spend more time in Palenque, but we decided that San Cristobal would be the best place for us during the holidays.

I didn't get to see much of Palenque, but Auryn went on a short walk to the grocery store and said that the city seemed very authentic. After some research we found out that Palenque is the poorest major city in Chiapas state. Just under 40% of the population live in houses with dirt floors, and around 20% is illiterate. Approximately 40% of the population belongs to an indigenous group called Ch'ol and speak the cultures native Mayan-rooted language. The Spanish speaking residents have a unique dialect, and 20% of the population does not speak Spanish at all.

I wasn't able to get many photos during this part of our travels. It was a very busy and exhausting time. 😅

I did, however, manage to get a couple of videos while on the road. 😊Read more
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Day 90
Thursday, December 24, 2020 at 8:15 PM
🌧 13 °C
Altitude: 2,149 m
Mexico Nueva Esperanza 16.74167, -92.6316716°44’30” N 92°37’54” W
Christmas Eve in San Cristobal!
December 24, 2020 in Mexico ⋅ 🌧 13 °C
We made it to San Cristobal just in time for Christmas festivities!

San Cristobal is cold!!! Christmas day is forecast to have a low of 4 degrees Celsius and a high of 11.

We joined people at our hostel for some Christmas Eve snacks and a traditional Mexican Christmas drink called Ponche Navideño which a hot festive fruit punch. It's delicious!

Auryn and I then walked around the city centre and watched tons a children lighting off fireworks. Fireworks are an enormous part of Christmas culture here. At midnight the entire area started lighting them off continuously for about 45 minutes!

Our hostel arrangement is quite... Unique. Our hostel didn't have enough space for us in their main complex, so we are sleeping in their second complex in a cute little cob hut. We have to go outside and around the back of another building to access the bathroom and then we have to go around the block to the primary complex to access the common social areas and the main kitchen. 😅 The hostel is lovely other than the incontinuity of the living space.Read more
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Day 91
Friday, December 25, 2020 at 11:00 AM
🌧 11 °C
Altitude: 2,149 m
Mexico Nueva Esperanza 16.74167, -92.6316716°44’30” N 92°37’54” W
Christmas Day in San Cristobal!
December 25, 2020 in Mexico ⋅ 🌧 11 °C
🎄🎄🎄Merry Christmas!🎄🎄🎄

First we woke up to some delicious breakfast at the hostel. We then pressed some tortillas and made delicious cheese quseodillas!

We spent the afternoon going for a walk around town to find some Christmas cookies and coffees.

In the evening we video chatted with both of our families! This was my first Christmas away from home, but everyone at home couldn't see eachother anyways due to the pandemic. So we had our family's Christmas gathering on video chat; we had Auryn and I in the first screen, my parents and brother in the second screen, my aunt and two cousins in the third screen, and my grandparents in the fourth screen. Talking was a bit of a fiasco sometimes, but overall it worked well and it was great to see everyone. 🥳

Finally, we went back into town for some wine and tapas only to discover that it was closed! So we decided to order a pizza and have a bottle of wine and stay warm in our little hut. 😊Read more
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Day 92
Saturday, December 26, 2020 at 1:59 PM
⛅ 16 °C
Altitude: 2,145 m
Mexico San Cristóbal de las Casas 16.73833, -92.6366716°44’18” N 92°38’12” W
Boxing Day Wine and Tapas!
December 26, 2020 in Mexico ⋅ ⛅ 16 °C
Today we went to an amazing tapas bar!!! 😍

We ordered 25 peso glasses of wine with tapas and it was delicious! We spent a few hours here throughout the course of the day and tried lots of their food, all of which is delicious and very well priced!

We also tried Pox (pronounced posh) which is a traditional liquor of Central America, but is particularly popular in this part of Chiapas. It's made of corn, sugar, and wheat and has a very smooth and floral taste.

I tried vino caliente (hot wine) for the first time and it was so tasty and festive! I think I might like it more than regular wine.

After a heavy day of drinking I began to not feel so well.... So I took it easy for the afternoon before rejoining our friends back at the tapas bar where I rehydrated with *water* (no more booze for me), and had a proper meal.Read more
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