As I exit the plane in Atlanta, I expect to see Caroline waiting for me at the gate, as she should have arrived at least an hour before me, but she is nowhere to be found. I switch on my phone... no message & worse, no connection.. I scan the terminal, paying particular attention to the bars and restaurants, and put out an APB on the tannoy. Still no Caroline. Did she make her flight? Has she taken fright? Is this trip doomed to end before it begins?
No, of course not. Caroline is eventually discovered chatting up the locals in a bar in another terminal! After celebrating the big reunion with extra large margueritas & a few Coronas to wash it down in the bar the flight to Cancun passes quickly. Even though its already dark when we land, the stifling heat hits us as we exit the airport where our shuttle is waiting for us.
We have decided to treat ourselves to a few days of luxury to acclimatise before hitting the road for the big trip, and La Tortuga hotel in Playa Del Carmen does not disappoint. After a small hiccup with room allocations we are upgraded to our own duplex suite with Jacuzzi on deck... We collapse on the sumptuous beds and sleep till dawn!.
By day 2 we have adjusted to the time difference and are looking forward to a trip to the island of Cozumel where the snorkelling and diving is supposed to be excellent. We are still struggling with the heat and humidity so a morning at sea should provide some welcome respite. The white sand and turquoise waters of the Caribbean look very inviting and on the ferry crossing to the island we are serenaded by a live band on board playing everything from Mexican folk music to Queen and Santana, making for a great start to the day.
Another mix-up in our reservation means there is some negotiation before we can board one of the dozens of small , glass bottomed boats waiting to take the thousands of tourists out to the coral reefs just off shore. As we head along the coast we pass close to 3 enormous cruise ships tied up in the harbour having disgorged their contents into the eager arms of the local retailers, waiting to relieve them of their hard earned pesos in exchange for authentic Mexican chilli sauces, tequila or traditional hand carved masks and local pottery.
The time passes quickly as we move from location to location, spotting the different corals and fish and in no time we’re back on dry land, trying to rinse the salt from our hair and bodies in the sink of the nearest public conveniences.
The heat is unbearable and with our trusty Lonely Planet to guide us we go in search of refreshment. After wandering up and down the appropriate street a few times and failing to locate it, we are put out of our misery by a local who laments the fact that the establishment we are seeking closed 3 years ago. However, the aforementioned local is happy to recommend a suitable alternative less than 100m away. And so we enter this modest, unassuming, seaside bungalow, pass through the lounge and the kitchen before moving into the back garden, where there are a few plastic tables and chairs nestling under the trees in the shade. We are the only customers and it feels as though we have been invited into somebody’s home rather than a restaurant. We look at each other quizzically, wondering what lies in store. A beer to cool us down , followed by a delicious typical soup and the grouper in white wine sauce is fresh and delicious. We are reluctant to leave this peaceful and pleasant oasis and head back into the heat to take the ferry back.
Despite copious application of high factor sun cream the sun and the sea have taken their toll on Caroline’s fair Irish skin and we are forced to spend most of the evening cooling off in our deck Jacuzzi.
The next day is Caroline’s birthday but rather than chilling by the pool, we have a hot date with Chicken Pizza, so it’s up early and off we go. Our guide for the day is Jose, who entertains and educates us on Mayan culture, religion, history, language and math during the journey to the ancient Mayan site of Chichen Itza with its amazing pyramids, fascinating football field and ancient, but accurate observatory. One of the 7 New Wonders of the World, we can only stare in awe from beneath the shade of a tree as our guide explains the significance of the mathematical relationships between the number of steps, the heights and top structures, the Mayan calendar, the resonance and the shadows created at certain times of the year and day.
The pyramid was constructed with a resonance to ensure that all the people could easily hear their King or God at the top of pyramid for miles around. It was on the top of this pyramid that Sarah Brightman broke the Guiness world record for the distance a voice could be projected naturally without a microphone or amplifier.
Incidentally, for those of you who have been worrying that the Mayan calendar predicts the end of the world on 21st December 2012, fear not. It will not be so. It is just the end of the 420000 (approx) year calendar which will start again on the 22nd December, 2012.
The location is fascinating and there is much to see and absorb, but the heat is unbearable and the hawkers outnumber the visitors, so it is with some relief we board the cool, air-conditioned coach to make our exhausted way back to our hotel.
The next day we are supposed to leave our luxury and move a few blocks down the road to the hotel which marks the official start of our adventure through Central America, but after a lengthy, heated, heart searching debate over breakfast Caroline and I agree it makes no sense to move 300m for one night and we will spend an extra night of luxury in our soft, sumptuous beds, taking full advantage of the Jacuzzi. Yay.
No, of course not. Caroline is eventually discovered chatting up the locals in a bar in another terminal! After celebrating the big reunion with extra large margueritas & a few Coronas to wash it down in the bar the flight to Cancun passes quickly. Even though its already dark when we land, the stifling heat hits us as we exit the airport where our shuttle is waiting for us.
We have decided to treat ourselves to a few days of luxury to acclimatise before hitting the road for the big trip, and La Tortuga hotel in Playa Del Carmen does not disappoint. After a small hiccup with room allocations we are upgraded to our own duplex suite with Jacuzzi on deck... We collapse on the sumptuous beds and sleep till dawn!.
By day 2 we have adjusted to the time difference and are looking forward to a trip to the island of Cozumel where the snorkelling and diving is supposed to be excellent. We are still struggling with the heat and humidity so a morning at sea should provide some welcome respite. The white sand and turquoise waters of the Caribbean look very inviting and on the ferry crossing to the island we are serenaded by a live band on board playing everything from Mexican folk music to Queen and Santana, making for a great start to the day.
Another mix-up in our reservation means there is some negotiation before we can board one of the dozens of small , glass bottomed boats waiting to take the thousands of tourists out to the coral reefs just off shore. As we head along the coast we pass close to 3 enormous cruise ships tied up in the harbour having disgorged their contents into the eager arms of the local retailers, waiting to relieve them of their hard earned pesos in exchange for authentic Mexican chilli sauces, tequila or traditional hand carved masks and local pottery.
The time passes quickly as we move from location to location, spotting the different corals and fish and in no time we’re back on dry land, trying to rinse the salt from our hair and bodies in the sink of the nearest public conveniences.
The heat is unbearable and with our trusty Lonely Planet to guide us we go in search of refreshment. After wandering up and down the appropriate street a few times and failing to locate it, we are put out of our misery by a local who laments the fact that the establishment we are seeking closed 3 years ago. However, the aforementioned local is happy to recommend a suitable alternative less than 100m away. And so we enter this modest, unassuming, seaside bungalow, pass through the lounge and the kitchen before moving into the back garden, where there are a few plastic tables and chairs nestling under the trees in the shade. We are the only customers and it feels as though we have been invited into somebody’s home rather than a restaurant. We look at each other quizzically, wondering what lies in store. A beer to cool us down , followed by a delicious typical soup and the grouper in white wine sauce is fresh and delicious. We are reluctant to leave this peaceful and pleasant oasis and head back into the heat to take the ferry back.
Despite copious application of high factor sun cream the sun and the sea have taken their toll on Caroline’s fair Irish skin and we are forced to spend most of the evening cooling off in our deck Jacuzzi.
The next day is Caroline’s birthday but rather than chilling by the pool, we have a hot date with Chicken Pizza, so it’s up early and off we go. Our guide for the day is Jose, who entertains and educates us on Mayan culture, religion, history, language and math during the journey to the ancient Mayan site of Chichen Itza with its amazing pyramids, fascinating football field and ancient, but accurate observatory. One of the 7 New Wonders of the World, we can only stare in awe from beneath the shade of a tree as our guide explains the significance of the mathematical relationships between the number of steps, the heights and top structures, the Mayan calendar, the resonance and the shadows created at certain times of the year and day.
The pyramid was constructed with a resonance to ensure that all the people could easily hear their King or God at the top of pyramid for miles around. It was on the top of this pyramid that Sarah Brightman broke the Guiness world record for the distance a voice could be projected naturally without a microphone or amplifier.
Incidentally, for those of you who have been worrying that the Mayan calendar predicts the end of the world on 21st December 2012, fear not. It will not be so. It is just the end of the 420000 (approx) year calendar which will start again on the 22nd December, 2012.
The location is fascinating and there is much to see and absorb, but the heat is unbearable and the hawkers outnumber the visitors, so it is with some relief we board the cool, air-conditioned coach to make our exhausted way back to our hotel.
The next day we are supposed to leave our luxury and move a few blocks down the road to the hotel which marks the official start of our adventure through Central America, but after a lengthy, heated, heart searching debate over breakfast Caroline and I agree it makes no sense to move 300m for one night and we will spend an extra night of luxury in our soft, sumptuous beds, taking full advantage of the Jacuzzi. Yay.
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