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We've given up our jobs, home and the cats to sail the seven seas until there are no horizons left to sail and the rum is gone! Read more
  • Ruth SnowSouth & Central America
    Day 187

    Another day, another island

    November 9, 2015 in Mexico ⋅ ⛅ 30 °C

    Typically, after deciding to leave, we wake up to beautiful sunshine! We had our final nutella pancakes, walked along the beach, packed our bags and got the 1pm ferry to Chiquila (100P), got on the waiting Mayab bus (100P) and 2.5 hours later were in Cancun.

    After a short hunt to find an ATM, we got a taxi to Puerto Juarez (80P) and jumped straight on a boat (146P return). During the twenty minute trip, we were serenaded by a great guitar player, which was a vast improvement on the lively but terrible guy on the first boat (though he did sing El taxi which earnt him bonus points).

    We arrived at Isla Mujeres and easily found Hotel D’Gomar (700P; reduced to 550P for extra days we stayed) as it's directly opposite the ferry terminal. It's one of the cheapest hotels on Booking but seems nice and clean if a bit tired and lacking any character.

    We dumped our bags and then set off to explore. It's a complete contrast to Holbox - very built up due to it's proximity to Cancun; paved roads (though mainly golf carts and mopeds), fancy restaurants, very clean and shiny and rammed full of Americans - it feels like we're in the US! All the workers speak to us in English and are happily surprised when we speak back in Spanish.

    The restaurants are much cheaper than feared. There are several beach-front ones which are surprisingly similar or cheaper than the masses on a long strip a few roads back. We went to Vinales, a deserted authentic Mexican place with a good veggie range. We both had yummy burritos, mine veggie, Anna's seafood plus a Corona and Jamaica tea (220P). Afterwards we continued exploring and found a really good gelato place which sadly closes tomorrow for a month :(

    Despite it being very touristy our first impressions of Mujeres is good...and fewer mozzies :)    Read more

  • Ruth SnowSouth & Central America
    Day 186

    Anna kicked a racoon

    November 8, 2015 in Mexico ⋅ 🌧 5 °C

    Another drizzly day :( We went out for yoghurt in the rain, had to hide for a 2 min downpour, and then had it with granola and bananas for breakfast in our room (plus Anna ruined my healthy breakfast idea with a chocolate muffin!)

    We stayed inside reading and it eventually brightened up a bit. After lunch we headed out with the aim of walking along the beach around to Paraiso island. After 5 minutes of walking the beach was deserted and looked beautiful. We carried on, wading in the shallow waters around a few buildings where necessary. Then the mozzies came! Just a few at first. Then Anna said she looked up and saw a dozen on my back. I tried to shake them off but they were persistent. I wrapped my sarong around me and we headed off, batting them off. They seemed to multiply until literally a swarm was surrounding each of us.

    We were determined to carry on, having seen barely anything of the island yet and getting a bit cabin feverish. We came across a lagoon and about 20 bright pink flamingos. We waded towards them to try and escape the mozzies but they followed. The zoom on my camera decided this was a good time to stop working so I figured I'd wade out further to get closer to the flamingos but Anna had had enough of the mozzies and shrieked it was time to leave. We tried to run but the sand was covered in sharp shells so it was more of a quick shuffle as the swarms chased us.

    We both killed a good many of the buggers each but they kept on coming. We both had quite a lot of bites, though probably not as many as we expected. The swarm lessened but didn't leave us until we got back to the main beach which doesn't seem to suffer until nightfall (possibly because it is free of seaweed). We were both hot and itchy so went straight back and jumped in the hot shower. From experience, this plus a thorough soaping seems to reduce the itching; or we've become more immune to the bites.

    We hung out in the room but the banging from some renovations drove us out. We tried the Caxton card in the ATM, which I discovered still had a bit of money on it, and success! Along with our emergency dollars we have enough to avoid the paypal charges.

    We went for dinner at our usual breakfast haunt as we'd noticed last night it did dinner as well. Anna had a lovely salad with hibiscus dressing (85P). I asked for something veggie and got a ton of veggies, beans and rice plus a basket of tacos for just 65P. Amazing! We've discovered that most places don't have many veggie options on the menu but will usually make something up if we ask. This place is the only cheap eatery that does great food that we've found.

    We were due to stay another night here but the weather, building work and mozzies have put us off. We'd love to discover more of the island but after today's adventure we've ruled out any more exploring and the tours are quite pricey. So we've decided to leave early and head back to the Caribbean and if we don't like it there either we'll go back down to Akumal for a few days. We'd had a lot of recommendations for Holbox so we're pretty disappointed in our experience of it. I can see it's potential... we've just been unlucky with the weather. We hope to come back in dry season and see the whale sharks - it's such an easy trip from Cancun I'm sure we will.

    We picked up two more posh beers for Anna and headed back to play some chess. The drunkard beat me :( Anna went out to feed the stray cat that appeared yesterday and a racoon tried to steal it’s food. Anna instinctively kicked the racoon away to protect the cat but she needn't have worried, the cat held its own. The racoon continued to try and swipe the cat’s food but she hissed at it (the cat, not Anna). So we gave the racoon some cat treats and he happily gobbled them up. He was very tame and let us touch him but we didn't want to get too close in case he had any diseases. We've seen them before on the streets but never quite so close :)    Read more

  • Ruth SnowSouth & Central America
    Day 185

    Biting fish and scratched knees

    November 7, 2015 in Mexico ⋅ ☀️ 19 °C

    It was drizzling most of the morning but we braved the rain to head out to share a fruit salad and more nutella pancakes. By midday the rain had turned to cloudy sunshine and I headed straight to the beach. Within an hour, just as Anna joined me, it became more overcast, but was still pleasant enough to stay and read / snooze for a few hours.

    Anna went in swimming but didn't last long as she said a fish kept slapping and then biting her! She then went off in search of cheetos but soon came back traumatised by a small scratch to her knee from slipping over in a puddle. I had to do the lunch run instead as she said she couldn't possibly manage now she was injured!

    We went for a long walk up the beach and were rewarded with the most magnificent sunset skies on our return. Absolutely stunning.

    For dinner we went to an Italian: Edelyn’s, where I had a huge bowl of tomato spaghetti served with a basket of about 6 slices of bread! Anna had some fish served with a huge basket of tacos plus a disgusting beer drink served with spicy tomato juice (240P). There seemed to be 2 different music tracks playing plus a band practising upstairs making our heads up funny.

    We noticed that the ATM was finally working but alas our card didn't work. Looks like we'll have to pay our hotel by paypal and incur a hefty fee :(

    Anna saw a small black scorpion on her way upstairs to collect some water. Apparently they are harmless. But if you see a white or yellow one: run!!!    Read more

  • Ruth SnowSouth & Central America
    Day 184

    Time to start on the Ark

    November 6, 2015 in Mexico ⋅ ⛅ 29 °C

    I was woken up at about 7am by the pouring rain and Anna jumping outside to rescue our drying sarongs - now drenched. After some more sleep we went back to the same place for breakfast. The roads were even more flooded today so getting anywhere was a bit of an obstacle course.

    Yesterday the cafe was empty, today it was packed! We waited outside a while until a table became free and then ordered 2 lots of pancakes (called hot cakes in Mexico). Instead of a small jug of nutella, the lady brought out an entire tub for us! Needless to say she received a good tip!

    We changed rooms to a non-superior one...but it still seems quite superior to us…instead of one huge bed we have two doubles and nicer soaps; but no hammock to swing in.

    The sky was still overcast so we figured we’d give it a while before deciding what to do. I fell back asleep (cramps day :( ) and shortly after waking, it started to pour with rain again - crazily heavily with a bit of thunder and lightning for good measure.

    When the rain eased up we ventured out for an early dinner and ended up at the market where Anna had a huge plate of ceviche and tostadas and I had some veggie soup and we shared a litre of pineapple juice (100, 60, 40P). The soup was quite plain but delicious and lovely to have a ton of goodness after the last couple of nights of cheese overload.

    We went back to the room and read the night away. It continued to rain on and off. The main road outside the hotel is now a complete river. If this continues I think we may need to start building an Ark!    Read more

  • Ruth SnowSouth & Central America
    Day 183

    Day of the Dead beer

    November 5, 2015 in Mexico ⋅ 🌙 16 °C

    After a lie-in we went to a small place called Lemoncito by the main square for breakfast. Anna had 3 pancakes with nutella AND maple syrup. I had a huge bowl of fruit with yog and granola, of which I swapped a bit for a yummy pancake. With coffee, and Jamaica tea for me, it was only 60P each.

    As we were walking to breakfast, Anna noted she had a scratch on her sunglasses. I commented that we'd done very well to last our whole travels without breaking them...less than a minute later, as I went to take them off inside, mine suddenly snapped for no apparent reason!!! Luckily I have some fetching blue tape so they'll hopefully survive the last fortnight. My flip-flops are also on their last legs :( As are most of my clothes!

    It was a bit overcast so we had a very lazy day of swinging in the hammock in our room and reading. We ventured out for an ice cream and cheetos but that was about it. As it brightened up I went to lie on the beach for some late afternoon sun. Anna came out to join me an hour later and the sun promptly disappeared! We went for a long walk along the beach and then as the sun went down we used the wifi which is only available in the common areas and were attacked by mozzies :( I think they are worse here than Utila!

    We went to the same place for dinner. I had quesadillas, Anna had a sort of Mexican fondue which was essentially a massive load of cheese, some bacon and soft tacos.

    We tried the only ATM on the island but it was broken. We then found the holy grail of beer for Anna, a Day of the Dead Porter beer! She was very very excited!!    Read more

  • Ruth SnowSouth & Central America
    Day 182

    Isla Holbox

    November 4, 2015 in Mexico ⋅ ☀️ 11 °C

    We said goodbye to Dona and went to the bakery - everything at this one was about 6P (compared to 35P at the other one) so we stocked up! Then we got the 8:10am bus (ADO; 272P) to Chiquila, which took 3.5 hours. It dropped us off right at the dock and we all jumped on the ferry (100P), which left shortly after. Twenty minutes later we were at our destination: Isla Holbox (pronounced holbosh), which is north of Cancun, in the Gulf of Mexico.

    I think the bus journey is a new route; Holbox used to be more of a mission to get to, which means it's still very underdeveloped. The island is 40 by 2km and only a small part is inhabited. There are no big hotels and no cars on the sandy streets, just golf carts. From mid July to mid Sept they have whale sharks...and according to a diver on Roatan, there are tons of them, it's guaranteed to see them during this time so we'll definitely be back to do this!!

    We got a taxi (a pimped up golf cart) for the short journey to our hotel as it was so hot (30P). The roads are full of huge puddles / lakes as there's been a storm recently. We checked into Casa Del Viento (750P) which took a while as the wifi was down so the lady wasn't quite sure where to put us. She ended up putting us in a superior room which is huge and beautiful with a hammock inside!!

    We went for a wander to wake Anna up with a huge iced coffee at Colibri (30P), got me some ice cream at Porque no? (Why not?; 20P per scoop; average taste) and then some cheetos for a bargain 5P per bag and some stale pretzel m&ms.

    Anna swung in the hammock whilst I went to read on the beach just down the road from our hotel. It is beautiful and seems to be unaffected by the seaweed plague. Anna came to join me once it had started to cool down and then we went for a sunset walk. We stopped to chat to a tour guy and as soon as the sun was gone the mozzies came out in force and we ran back to the hotel - they must be loving the stagnant puddle water!

    I had a lovely long hot shower (only cold at last place) in the huge shower and then we went out searching for dinner. Dona and the secretary had recommended a place but it was closed today. Most of the other places seemed overpriced and touristy. We ended up at Taco Queto, a fast food type Mexican eatery, full of locals. I had a mushroom quesadilla which was lovely but small so had a second. Anna ordered the big nachos and had a huge dish with half a pig on top! (165P). We grabbed some dark choc m&ms (also out of date!) and a beer and retreated for an early night.

    I had just started to doze off when Anna’s screams woke me up...a flying ant had startled her! I got up to find a swarm of them by the door and bathroom. I tried to shoo them out with a towel but to no avail, then I tried to batter them with the towel but they are resilient little buggers. I decided the zapper bat was the most humane method and fried the poor things. The room then smelt of barbecued ants! We then spotted a firefly flashing green on the wall - we let him be as he was pretty and not trying to crawl on us.    Read more

  • Ruth SnowSouth & Central America
    Day 181

    Akumal Bay & Dos Ojos cenote

    November 3, 2015 in Mexico ⋅ ⛅ 31 °C

    We got up at 7am and jumped in one of the collectivo minivans that run regularly from Tulum to Playa del Carmen, mainly for locals. At 30P each, I think they likely overcharged us but it's still a bargain and far cheaper than taxis. They dropped us off on the exit road and we walked the 5 minutes to Akumal Bay.

    I was worried it would also be ruined by seaweed and be a disappointment compared to our last visit but it was as beautiful as ever. There is a ton of seaweed, but they work hard to clean out the rubbish and the water is still very clear and blue and there's no bad smell.

    As soon as we arrived on the nice and empty beach a tour guide pounced on us and told us we had to hire life jackets to be allowed to swim in the marked bay (new since our last visit). We refused and Anna went in first and swam around the boats instead, which was a little risky with some moving about. As she came out the lifeguard came and told her to swim in the marked bay and the life jacket rule was nonsense. By this point I'd also seen some locals go in without them on (the tour boys don't try it on with the locals funnily enough).

    Whilst I lay in the cool morning sun, Anna went back in and saw some turtles and stingrays. Then I went in for an hour and saw about 9 turtles, some rays and some pufferfish. The water was lovely and clear. Anna went back in and saw a small eagle ray which let her follow it for ages (sadly she’d forgotten the camera that time!).

    The beach soon filled up with people and lots of tour groups came and went - none stayed very long. Why you'd choose to swim in a huge group and surround the poor creatures rather than get a 1-on-1 experience where you won't disturb them is beyond me. Several times a lazy tour guide would see me with a turtle and yell at the top of his lungs and a swarm of splashing lifejackets would appear. But mostly I managed to avoid them and as the day went on it didn't get much busier - the tour groups were well spread out.

    By 11am we were starving and went to Turtle Bay bakery and shared a cinnamon roll and coffee / pecan cake. Anna filled up on coffee whilst I downed some cool iced tea. Afterwards, we both went back in but the visibility wasn't as good and more seaweed had moved in.

    Just after 2pm we walked back to the highway and got a collectivo to Dos Ojos cenote (20P), which was about 1km from the hotel we stayed in last time (we had no idea this treasure was there then or that there were so many cenotes nearby). We paid our 200P fee and were then told it was a 2.5km walk away! Hot and mozzy-bitten by the time we arrived, we jumped straight into the first of 2 pools. One is a lighter pool, the other is darker but they are quite similar. Both are big pools within caves with stalagmites and stalactites and huge pieces of rocks under the water as if there’s been an earthquake. And some bats. And a few small fish. The freezing freshwater is crystal clear and absolutely magical where shards of sunlight hit it. The cave system is huge and we saw only a small part of it. You can venture into it further with a guide and flashlights, or you can dive through some of the caves.

    By 4:30pm we were done and started the walk back. Thankfully, a lovely guy in a pick-up yelled at us to get in the back and gave us a very bouncy ride to the entrance. There, we got a collectivo back to Tulum (25P).

    Starving after our ton of exercise and fuelled only by cheetos, we headed straight for dinner. We went to a tiny place we'd seen by the bike shop that gave us soup, falafel and a Jamaica (hibiscus) tea for 70P. It was all amazing! Then she gave us 2 skeleton biscuits for 15P each which her friend had made - we were very excited as we'd failed to find these elsewhere. We then headed for our final ice creams before heading back for an early night.

    Sadly we haven't seen much in the way of public celebrations or parades for Day of the Dead. Everybody we ask says they don't have a clue if / when / where any celebrations are being held. There are some parties but it's more for Halloween and we can only assume that any DOTD celebrations are more private affairs.    Read more

  • Ruth SnowSouth & Central America
    Day 180

    Coba ruins

    November 2, 2015 in Mexico ⋅ ⛅ 18 °C

    After a quick breakfast of melon and granola and chatting to D & R, we rushed to the bus station and got there just before a huge queue of people turned up and got our tickets just as the bus was turning up (10:10am; ADO; 66P each way).

    Forty five minutes later, we arrived at the Coba ruins and paid the 64P entry. There are 3 main groups of structures, spread out over about 6km. You can hire bikes or men to cycle you around but we chose to walk. The ruins are set in the jungle, the shade providing welcome relief from the sun but it was still very humid.

    They are a big set of ruins, which are usually overlooked due to the proximity of Tulum and Chichen Itsa. You can climb to the top of the main temple which gives an amazing view of untouched jungle as far as the eye can see. Going down is a bit more scary as the steps are a bit slippery, especially in my worn-out flip flops! Luckily there is a rope to hold onto if needed. Apart from the usual pyramid temples, there is a small ball court, a few short tunnels (one with a tiny bat inside) and some sculptured stones which have mostly faded.

    After 3 hours we were done and went for lunch at the restaurant which is surprisingly reasonably priced. I had quesadillas and Anna had a salad made less healthy by lashings of bacon, cheese and croutons! (180P).

    We got the 3:10pm bus back (there's only one bus back), had an ice cream and washed off the jungle sweat. We had dinner at the same place as last night, looked around the shops and saw some kids dressed up forming a procession behind the ice cream car which was blaring music. Apart from a few small altars here and there, there were no other festivities. Apparently a lot of Tulum’s residents weren't born here so there is less of a family feel which is what the festival is all about.    Read more

  • Ruth SnowSouth & Central America
    Day 179

    Tulum ruins and a ton of cycling

    November 1, 2015 in Mexico ⋅ ☁️ 11 °C

    We got up earlyish (8am) and went to a bakery to get a coffee and croissants - I had a chocolate one which strangely had cheese and ham in it?! Then we went to the bike shop Dona had recommended us and we'd checked out last night but it was closed so we walked to another one and got a nice upright, no brakes (pedal backwards) bike for 80P each. After I nearly flattened Anna (she suddenly stopped when there was no traffic to stop for), we got the hang of it and cycled the 10 mins to Tulum ruins.

    We paid the 64P entrance fee and wandered around. Last time we came it was stiflingly hot and we ran from one shade patch to the next. Today was very windy so it was much more pleasant to wander around, even if the sea didn't look as stunning. They are beautiful ruins right on the cliff-edge - definitely some of my favourite. The tide was in and the waves were crazy so swimming below the ruins was off limits :( didn't look at all inviting!

    Then we went in search of our ‘original’ coconut, which started our obsession. Success! We found our man and had one each for 50P, which he then chopped and mixed with salt, chili flakes and lime juice - as amazing as we remembered. We also saw the crazy Mayan ‘maypole’ men which I had somehow missed last time - 4 men climb a pole, wrap rope around themselves and swing round and round upside down, whilst playing their instruments.

    We got back on our bikes and cycled the 10km along the beach hotels (where the rich people go) to the other end of the beach where Dona said there was a free cenote. Turns out it wasn't free (50P). I had a quick peek and it looked like a mosquito-ridden mangrove swamp! We went next door which was a nicer spa place at the same price (or free with a $90 massage!) It was the same swamp and whilst the water did look clear, it was deserted and Anna noticed a sign saying beware of the crocs! Despite being hot and sweaty, we weren't that desperate! We stopped further down the road for a quick drink to keep us going and come up with a new plan.

    We cycled back to town for an ice cream. We had planned to go the Gran cenote which was 4km away but there was no cycle path on a busy road. Instead we ditched the bikes, went to the supermarket and collapsed back at home exhausted, with slightly pink arms and tender bums! (Even though the saddles were old-school and nicely padded). We chatted to Dona’s husband Rodrigo who was feeling poorly. He told us the seaweed had been an on-off problem for 8 months and is a Caribbean-wide problem with the tourist industry starting to suffer. We've been lucky to not really suffer badly from it on our travels up until this point. Apparently most of the Caribbean islands are knee-deep in the stuff! We introduced him to Marmite which he wasn't overly keen on.

    We looked at a load of places for dinner including a Mexican buffet that had burgers and spaghetti in it and not a taco in sight! We ended up at a cheap, busy, brightly coloured quick street food type place called La Chiapaneca. I had 3 veggie tacos and ruined them by adding far too much hot sauce. Anna, the piggy, had 3 pork tacos and 2 pork tostadas. With drinks, it was only 86P - very cheap and very tasty! To cool my burning mouth we had to get an ice cream. I had ferrero rocher flavour which I wasn't so keen on whilst Anna had a pistachio one dipped in chocolate and crushed pistachios which was amazing.

    We couldn't see anything public going on for Halloween but there were lots of kids dressed up trick or treating around the restaurants, including one vampire who flew through the door rather dangerously on a scooter. Some of the beach hotels hold parties but I think they are more for the tourists. We have higher hopes for the next 2 nights which is when the Mexican festival begins.    Read more

  • Ruth SnowSouth & Central America
    Day 178

    Tulum: spoiled by seaweed

    October 31, 2015 in Mexico ⋅ ☀️ 12 °C

    After a bit of searching for breakfast, we chose a mid-range place where the local policemen were eating: La Querida. Anna had a stack of 3 huge pancakes whilst I had a humungous fruit platter (168P). Absolutely stuffed, we looked in a few shops and then sought refuge in our aircon room.

    We headed out again and had some fabulous proper gelato - spicy chocolate for me, Cappuccino for Anna - from Panna e Cioccolato (35P each). Then we went to the bus stop Dona had told us and there was a bus due and people waiting, however it didn't turn up, so we went onto the main Avenida as we'd seen tons of collectivo vans but they were all going to Playa del Carmen, not playa, the beach. We walked back to the bus stop and there was a bus waiting. We hopped on and paid 10P each to the grumpy driver. After 10 mins he indicated we should get off. We were in front of the sea but there was no beach. Unsure which way to go, we decided to head back the way we'd come in search of one of the public beaches on the map. After almost an hour of walking in the heat, we found Playa Paraiso, which means paradise…but there was no paradise...where were the white sand beaches and turquoise sea we remembered?? Instead there was a huge strip of thick brown seaweed lining the shore, mixed with rubbish. The sea looked a bit cleaner but not overly inviting. According to various internet reviews, the seaweed has been plaguing the area for quite a while and they can't use heavy machinery for fear of disturbing turtle nests :(

    Deeply saddened, we went in search of a coconut - Tulum was where our coconut obsession began 3 years ago so we had high hopes. The first boy tried to charge us 70P! We stalked off in disgust. The next man tried to charge us 50, saying they don't have many naturally growing in the area. We got him down to 40 which is still more than we’re used to paying. It was pretty disappointing...hardly any water and a bit fizzy. He chopped it open and added lemon juice and some sweet spices but it wasn't great :(

    Determined to improve on the day we found a bit of beach where most of the seaweed has been cleared and lay out our towels for a spot of sunbathing. Five minutes later it tipped it down and we ran for cover under a nearby parasol :(

    The skies looked stormy and we thought about heading home, but a rainbow appeared and then within 10 minutes the sun was back out and we had an hour of lying in the sun. We both braved the sea briefly but it wasn't that nice.

    We got a taxi home (70P), showered and then headed to El Rincon Chiapaneco, a cheap place recommended by our host. I had a veggie quesadilla which was nice, Anna had a carb fest of nachos which were a bit sloppy and some weird cheese on toast thing. We couldn't argue with the price (95P) but we were a bit disappointed with our first taste of local, Mexican fare...for starters, it wasn't very spicy!!

    Afterwards, we went to the main square where there was an exhibition of beautifully decorated altars for the Day of the Dead celebrations. Some ladies dressed up as Catrina the skeleton went around to each one and seemed to bless each altar. There was a lovely atmosphere with many girls having painted faces, a big crowd and games of football and basketball in the background. We had a Marquesita (20P), which is a very thin, crispy pancake rolled up (sugar, water, flour) - we had nutella on ours; she tried to convince us to have cheese in it as well but we said no!

    On our way home we picked up a huge thing of water (5L) for 20P - cheapest yet. There is a ginormous water container at the house but it's empty and our hosts have been at work all day.    Read more

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