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The Americas
  • Greg Clayton
  • Daniel Tarpey
  • Greg Clayton
  • Daniel Tarpey

The Americas

A 149-day adventure by Greg & Daniel Read more
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  • Trip start
    February 21, 2024
    The Americas

    Arriving in Cancun

    February 21, 2024 in Mexico ⋅ ☀️ 26 °C

    Today my solo travel ended so I thought now is the right time to start a new trip on here!

    Danny and I were reunited to start our adventure through the Americas at Cancun airport!

    Before the formalities of 'how are you' etc we set about working out how to get the bus into Cancun, which proved to be a struggle, especially since every person we spoke to told us a different story and pointed us in a different direction. We therefore decided on a tactical reset and went back to an old trusted method if gathering information, Google. We were then able to book a bus with a reputable company within 5 minutes. Hallelujah!

    After arriving at out hostel we headed straight for the top floor bar for cocktails, beer and wine. That we if you could manage to get the attention of the barman who was too busy trying to do tricks with a large plastic bottle.

    After a good few drinks we settled down at around 1am for our first sleep in a two days.    Read more

  • The Americas

    Cancun Beach

    February 22, 2024 in Mexico ⋅ ☀️ 25 °C

    First up we had an exciting morning of formalities such as sorting a SIM card, withdrawing cash, buying water and a lovely brunch. We have a total of zero photos from these activities.

    We then headed to our hostel for a quick change before boarding the trusty R61 bus to the beach! We were treated to live music from a Mexican man with a guitar so no complaints there!

    The best beaches are located in the 'hotel zone' which is a huge man made piece of land from the 70's. Super impressive considering how long ago it was constructed!

    After around 30 minutes on the bus we arrived at Playa Delfines, a beach which can only be described as stunning! We topped up (made a start on) our tans and enjoyed a swim in the vibrantly blue waters.

    We then caught the bus back into town at about 4:30, taking in the colossal hotels that dominate the man made 'hotel zone' of Cancun.    Read more

  • The Americas

    Evening in Cancun

    February 22, 2024 in Mexico ⋅ ☀️ 24 °C

    This evening we headed out to the surrounding area for some food and drinks. We kept things suitably Mexican. Me with a burrito and tequila, Danny with Tacos and beer.

    Good vibes all around!

  • The Americas

    Coco Bongo

    February 23, 2024 in Mexico ⋅ ☀️ 26 °C

    So, this morning was another life admin morning. Rising at around 9am I had to do some laundry and we also did a grocery shop. We established common ground on groceries to buy which will serve us well for the rest of the trip! What didn't go so well was the laundry as after 45 minutes on the dryer almost all of our clothes were still wet (too scared to up the temperature and shrink them), so our bunks became a makeshift clothes maiden.

    After then sorting out some banking related items and a pub to watch Everton tomorrow we were then set for the day ahead.

    For the price of $35USD we were off to Coco Bongo!!! Which can only be described as a spiritual experience.

    We started off with an hour of bible study, on this occasion being excerpts from the gospel of John. Next up was hymn practice with songs such as 'our God is a great big God' and 'here I am Lord'. The time was flying by but we still managed to finish with some individual reflections and a confession.

    We were offered wine but of course we would never drink alcohol before 6pm so refused and stuck to soft drinks only.

    After this we took a jam packed bus back to the hostel for a few games of pool, basketball and table tennis in which we may have consumed alcoholic beverages (unconfirmed reports).

    A very wholesome and tame day if you ask me! There were definitely no free bars, foam parties, dancing dwarfs or rasping techno music.

    Good night 🙏👼😴    Read more

  • The Americas

    Everton & Leaving Cancun

    February 24, 2024 in Mexico ⋅ ☀️ 25 °C

    This morning we were up, fed, packed up and out early doors to head to a nearby bar to watch Brighton v Everton. We'd made our reservation the day before with a specific request for the match do we (Danny) were delighted to arrive with the match already on the big screen. We were the only people in the place for the entire 2+ hours despite them having 5+ staff on. Our orders of water, Fanta and fries kept them busy!

    After the disappointment of Brighton's 95th minute equaliser we headed back to the hostel to pick up our bags before waving adios to Cancun and heading to the bus station.    Read more

  • The Americas

    Arriving in Playa del Carmen

    February 24, 2024 in Mexico ⋅ ⛅ 29 °C

    An hour and 20 mins on the coach took us to Playa Del Carmen, the somewhat less touristy coastal town. What immediately struck us was its comparative calmness and authenticity compared to Cancun. We think we're going to like it here!Read more

  • The Americas

    Playa del Carmen Beach

    February 24, 2024 in Mexico ⋅ ⛅ 29 °C

    With a few hours remaining of the afternoon, we naturally headed down to the beach! Just a 2 minute walk away. We almost immediately encountered a Central American international beach football tournament, which immediately brought us back to the standard of watching Everton just a few hours ago.

    We then found a spot to settle down and enjoy the last few hours of the days' sun.    Read more

  • The Americas

    Downtown Playa Del Carmen

    February 24, 2024 in Mexico ⋅ ⛅ 27 °C

    On our way back from the beach we took a stroll along '5th avenue', a hive of activity full of bars, restaurants and souvenir shops. A place we knew we must return to in a few hours time!

  • The Americas

    Evening in PDC

    February 24, 2024 in Mexico ⋅ 🌙 25 °C

    After a quick refresh at the hostel we headed up to the hostel rooftop bar for our free drink, so it was a tequila sunrise and Cuba libro a piece.

    On the hostel doorstep are heaps of restaurants and bars so we were spoilt for choice! We settled for tacos and burritos once more as we're of course in Mexico!

    Some live music was next in store which we found in due course to enjoy cover music from traditional Mexican artists such as Amy Winehouse and Dua Lipa.    Read more

  • The Americas

    The Rest of the Day

    February 25, 2024 in Mexico ⋅ ⛅ 24 °C

    Other activities for the day included the Carabao Cup final which went on for longer than we would have liked. A drunk Mexican guy (at 10am) kept trying to make conversation with us throughout the whole first half despite him speaking less English than we do Spanish.

    We also bought pastries, worked out how on earth to get a local colectivo bus, passed an incredibly small McDonalds, had delicious pizzas and drank $40 peso Margaritas at Bar Loco. We then finished the evening with a game of Chinese rummie, which it's fair to say I'm still getting a hang of the rules.    Read more

  • The Americas

    Cenote Azul

    February 25, 2024 in Mexico ⋅ ⛅ 26 °C

    Todays main activity was Cenote Azul! There are hundreds/thousands of cenotes all over Mexico, caused by asteroid strikes many years ago. The water was super clear and made for a great spot for relaxation.Read more

  • The Americas

    Final Morning in Playa Del Carmen

    February 26, 2024 in Mexico ⋅ ☀️ 24 °C

    For our final morning in Playa Del Carmen we headed down to the beach to soak up some sun (once the clouds had cleared).

    We then took a walk around the bustling central area for one last time to explore the few avenues we were yet to venture down.Read more

  • The Americas

    Arriving in Valladolid

    February 26, 2024 in Mexico ⋅ ☀️ 28 °C

    At 2pm we left Playa Del Carmen on a lovely ADO minibus as we headed to Valladolid! The in bus entertainment was Spider Man in Spanish however I opted to look at my big trip spreadsheet and Dan did some Duolingo and slept.

    Despite the journey being 2.5 hours, we arrived at 3:30pm as we moved back an hour on the short trip.

    We took the short walk to our hostel. Rated 9.5 on HostelWorld we knew we were in for a treat and we weren't disappointed! Like the town it sits within, the hostel is vibrantly colourful and has all of the amenities you could desire. A great start to our time here!    Read more

  • The Americas

    An Evening in Valladolid

    February 26, 2024 in Mexico ⋅ ☀️ 28 °C

    It's fair to say Valladolid has captured our hearts immediately. Every street is totally unique and filled with colour. Every building is rectangular shaped yet no two shops, restaurants or houses look the same. We were even delighted to pass a few bars with the stereotypical saloon doors.

    For dinner we sat upon a fountain filled with fish and enjoyed more Mexican cuisine!

    After this we returned to the hostel and enjoyed more Chinese rummie in the garden. I improved my score against Danny from yesterday by 43, which is management speak for 'I got battered, but by less than the first time'.

    Nothing wild tonight as we have an early start tomorrow for a big trip highlight...    Read more

  • The Americas

    Templo de San Servacio

    February 26, 2024 in Mexico ⋅ ☀️ 28 °C

    The centrepiece of the town is Templo de San Servacio which can be best described as an old church. It's evident age adds much to the charachter of the building as it towers over the central city square. We even stopped by here again after dinner to take it in once more!Read more

  • The Americas

    Chichen Itza - El Castillo

    February 27, 2024 in Mexico ⋅ ☀️ 26 °C

    This morning our alarms went off at 6:15am as we wanted to beat the rush of the crowds to our first wonder of the world, Chichen Itza.

    We enjoyed the free hostel breakfast before heading for the local 'Colectivo' bus. After waiting a little while we were on our way! Upon arrival there was a bit of a queue to get in but we made it into the site just after 9am.

    The centre piece of Chichen Itza is El Castillo (the castle), famous for the visit of Karl Pilkington around 15 years ago, but also served as a temple for the Mayan people who resided in the village of Chichen Itza.

    Although this structure is the one that people associate with being a wonder of the world, it is actually the entire archaeological centre of Chichen Itza which holds the title of wonder of the world, with El Castillo being just one structure within it.    Read more

  • The Americas

    Chichen Itza

    February 27, 2024 in Mexico ⋅ ☀️ 27 °C

    Chichén Itzá was and is a sacred city and Mayan pilgrimage center founded in the 5th century.

    The name Chichén means "mouth of the well" and Itzá refers to those who founded it, the Itzáes "water witches", around the year 435.

    The Mayan's were defeated, and Chichen Itza abandoned in 1441, but the site remained as a place of pilgrimage for the Mayans.

    Found within the site are temples, a ball court, columns, a cenote and various platforms which play roles in relation to the planets, stars and the sun.    Read more

  • The Americas

    Afternoon in Valladolid

    February 27, 2024 in Mexico ⋅ ☀️ 31 °C

    After arriving back into Valladolid and having some lunch we set off down Calzada de los Frailes, a quaint and colourful street lined with restaurants and shops. It was around 33 degrees at this point so we thought we'd have a rest in the shade of the square and do some reading on our Kindles.

    This evening we headed back to the same street for more Mexican food, soaking up the evening atmosphere before finishing the night with yet more card games!    Read more

  • The Americas

    Valladolid Free Walking Tour

    February 28, 2024 in Mexico ⋅ ⛅ 31 °C

    This morning we set off for what is always the best thing in any new place, the free walking tour!!!

    Not wanting to be the only people on the tour we waited until a suitable crowd had gathered before revealing ourselves to the tour guide.

    We wandered through the streets to the main square, cathedral, cenote and market with some smaller stops in between.

    There were many interesting facts shared under the baking heat such as the cathedral having to be rebuilt to face north as punishment from the Vatican for a murder that took place within its doors! Making it the only church in Yucutan not facing towards the Vatican.

    We were also treated to many free samples in the market from fruits to spices which we just about stomached without breaking a sweat.    Read more

  • The Americas

    Cenote Zaci

    February 28, 2024 in Mexico ⋅ ☀️ 33 °C

    Next up was a trip back to the market to pick up a mixed fruit serving and a couple of coconut bars. Delicious and only $55 pesos!

    This was eaten overlooking Cenote Zaci before heading for a dip. You had to wear a lifejacket at all times which was great as it meant you could float around with ease.

    There were no lifeguards present but there was a policeman ensuring that life jackets were being worn at all times. Prevention beats reaction every time.    Read more

  • The Americas

    Final Evening in Valladolid

    February 28, 2024 in Mexico ⋅ 🌙 27 °C

    For our final evening in Valladolid Dan was in for a treat as we headed to Le Kaat, a veggie and vegan restaurant #backstronger.

    Dan went for a veggie burger and like any man who only really eats veg you'd find in a roast, I chose a three cheese pizza. The food was great and there was some lovely live background music on guitar however the experience was severly dampened by us not scoring 100% on naming the 2012 Chelsea side to beat Leeds in the League Cup, due to the fact that we forgot Cesar Azpilicueta at right back. A man who has made over 300 appearances for Chelsea since then.

    We then took one last stroll past the two lit up religious sites before heading back to the hostel for another game of Chinese Rummie!

    Tonight I improved my score yet again by another 76 points! And if you exclude our first 7 practice* rounds, I actually won the 6 final proper rounds by 83 to 8!

    A very successful evening (Azpilicueta incident aside) as we leave Valladolid on a high!

    *practice according to me    Read more

  • The Americas

    Leaving Valladolid

    February 29, 2024 in Mexico ⋅ ☀️ 29 °C

    This morning we waved goodbye to Valladolid as we boarded the 10:10am service to Chetumal.

    It was a 6 hour journey however we were kept entertained by podcasts about Everton's points deduction reversal, Spanish movies and researching bars with happy hours in Caye Caulker.

    We were rudely interuppted towards the end of the journey when the bus slammed on and went over a series of massive potholes way too fast. We were bounced up out of our seats for a number of seconds and must have been inches from the roof. Once the bus had settled we couldn't stop laughing at our sudden turbulence.

    Upon arrival in Chetumal we realised the bus station was 2.5 miles from our hotel, so we jumped in a $70 peso taxi (bargain) to our hotel, treating ourselves for a night.    Read more

  • The Americas

    Final Night in Mexico

    February 29, 2024 in Mexico ⋅ ☀️ 28 °C

    Our final night in Mexico was operation spend all of our remaining pesos. Thankfully we'd budgeted well so we each had a nice salmon pasta and soft drink on the waterfront, with some change to take home as a souvenir.

    Now back at the hotel watching some live football in the CONCACAF Champions Cup.    Read more

  • The Americas

    Leaving Mexico

    March 1, 2024 in Mexico ⋅ ☀️ 26 °C

    This morning we were up and out bright and early to catch the ferry to Belize. It was about a 3 hour trip in total with a stop at Belize immigration in between.

    We'd heard mixed reviews about the journey with some people saying its a rough crossing whilst others say it is calm and smooth. All's I'll say is that the latter group must live in a washing machine as within 5 minutes the boat was continually bashing over the top of the waves. Thankfully it was at a high speed so any sea sickness was averted but it wasn't the easiest on the spine.Read more

  • The Americas
    1

    Arriving in Belize

    March 1, 2024 in Belize ⋅ ☀️ 27 °C

    Our boat journey was broken up by a stop in San Pedro where we passed through immigration and officially entered Belize! Although the area we waited once we'd been stamped was exactly the same place as where we got off the boat so it didn't make much difference.Read more

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