Our room in the trees!
After 3 hours on the boat and another 3 on the shuttle bus, I arrived at hostel Los Mapaches in Tulum around 1pm. The hostel was a few minutes out of town, but they give you free bikes to use for the length of your stay so not a problem. The gardens are lovely filled with hammocks to relax in, and we have a 4 bed room up in the trees which was cozy. I met Catherine who was checking in at the same time and we ventured into the town on our bikes together to look around and get some food. A bit of a wobbly start as I have not ridden in a while now, but we soon got the hang of it again. I had some beef tacos which were awesome, the food is one of the parts of Mexico that I have been looking forward to the most! After eating we did some shopping for souvenirs and wandered around the town. We found a restaurant for dinner which was recommended by the hostel and booked a table for 7.30pm before heading back to get changed and make our way back there again. When we arrived they had given our table away! Bloody cheek, we were only 15 minutes late, or so we thought! After a delicious feast of taco's and cactus, tortillas with dips and even a free dessert on the house, we made our way into town to find a bar to hang out in and enjoy some cocktails! It was here that we checked the time and I had 11pm, Catherine had 12am!!! We asked the girl at the bar for the time and it was then that we realised I was still in Belize time and Mexico is an hour ahead! No wonder they gave our table away, we were in fact an hour and a quarter late!!! We had another drink and then thought it best to head back as it was a bit of a way to go and we wanted to be up early to do the ruins tomorrow.
Tacos and cactus!
Catherine and me enjoying late night cocktails!
I struggled out of bed the next morning a bit worse for wear, and the intense heat here in Mexico was not helping! I made it to breakfast before 9am and then we headed to the ruins on our bikes to try and beat the crowds and the midday sun. We are staying right outside the ruins so should not have been a mission to get there, but we still did not really manage to get there much earlier then everybody else, or the heat of the day…it was unbearable, reminded me of being back in India! We walked around for about an hour or so until the heat became too much to bear and we decided that it was time to hit the beach for a cooling down!
We cycled to Paradiso resort where we found a nice spot in the shade and got straight in the water. Once we had cooled down we ordered some lunch which was superb! I had the ceviche and it was the best I had tasted and far too much for me alone to eat!
Ceviche :)
We then just crashed out in the sun and enjoyed the view. The beach is one of the best I have been to. Powder white sands and crystal clear waters! This really was paradise on earth!
Eventually we dragged ourselves away to get showered and changed for dinner. Our room mate was around when we got back so the three of us rode our bikes into town and we found the bar we went to the previous night as the live bands and cocktails were superb and hung out there for the night.
The next day the girls were leaving, so I chilled out at the hostel for a few hours and then went to see the Grand Cenote. This is a cave of water, filled with fish and terrapins and a home and breeding ground for many birds and bats. It was really beautiful. I stayed for a while snorkelling in the cool, clear waters before making my way back to relax for the evening.
In the morning I took the collectivo, a shuttle bus running to Playa del Carmen, where I changed bus for Cancun to get the ferry to Isla Mujeres. This is a small island off the coast of Cancun and a 15 minute ride on the ferry. I was soon at Poc na hostel where I was staying for 3 nights. I booked my tour with the whale sharks as soon as I checked in for the next day, it was only £50, less than I anticipated and then I went to the beach area of the hostel, found a hammock and chilled there for the rest of the day, having an early night as my trip was leaving at 7.30am.
The next morning was up bright and early. I met another guy staying at the hostel, from Germany, called Semy and he was also doing the trip so we were met by the guide and walked down to the pier to find our boat. I was so excited to finally be doing this, my dream I have had for years to swim with the whale sharks was about to be fulfilled. I could not wait to see these amazing creatures up close and personal!
We boarded the boat and were on our way. The ride was about 40 minutes, we spotted dolphins and turtles along the way, and then we were there. We could see the whale sharks swimming on the surface, mouths gaping open, gulping down the plankton as they gracefully moved through the crystal clear waters of the caribbean. There must have been a hundred or so moving about the waters. They were beautiful, gentle giants slowly swimming past us and around us. We got our snorkels and flippers on and went in two at a time. Semy and I let the others go first and we watched before making our way in once their time was up. I sat on the edge of the boat and waited for one to come near and then the guide told me to jump, and in I went. I paddled furiously to catch up to the shark and then I was there swimming alongside, careful to stay a metre away and keep clear of its tail. It was beautiful!!! I was in total awe of this king of the waters! We swam together for a while and as it swam past me I noticed its babies tucked up under its fins and alongside it. They were so tiny compared to the size of their mother! Every now and again one would rebel and swim away and then quickly dart back to the safety of its protecter. It took a while to sink in that I was really doing this and just being here was an amazing experience. On my second swim with them I jumped in from the boat as one swam towards me. I just stayed still gazing at its face as it came closer…and closer, then as it was almost upon me I felt a sharp tug to the side as I was pulled out of the way. The guide had come to get me. I thought there was room for it to get past, but if you are not used to it, it is hard to judge the distance underwater, and these creatures although they are harmless, will not move out the way for you. I guess it is a case of priority by size, so they win hands down! I then found another one to swim with and as I was swimming alongside it I turned to my left and realised there was another one there and I was sandwiched between the two of them swimming side by side!!! Wow! Semy was beside me filming all this and we were just beaming at each other! The third and final swim, we found one to swim with, but it was fast and we could not keep up for long before it disappeared from view. They seemed to be dispersing now and it was time for us to head back for a bit of snorkelling and some ceviche.
We snorkelled along a reef break but there was not a huge amount to see here. I swam around for a while before getting back on board to enjoy the ceviche, which is a salad of raw fish and lime marinade with coriander, it is delicious and healthy. After we had eaten our fill we headed back to the island where we said our goodbyes. I showered and changed before making my way to the turtle farm.
I walked down to the waterfront and got a taxi to take me the 5 minutes to the other side of the island where the turtle farm was located. It was unbelievably hot and humid!! I don't know how these drivers can be in the car all day in this heat with no air con! Guess they are used to it! Mucho Caliente!!! I exclaim…he gets the idea and laughs. My spanish is still very bad!
When we get there he agrees to collect me in an hour. I say goodbye and head into the one room which holds a few tanks with the turtles and some fish and sorts. The turtles are various sizes ranging from a few weeks old, a month old and then various larger ones. Around the outer walls of the room there are tanks containing a nemo, sea horses, lobsters, lion fish with the funniest face and some other weird creatures of which I have no idea what they are called!
There are so many turtles, but no information to hand as to what they do here and how they will be released. Oh well! Was interesting to visit. I grab an ice-cream to cool down and wait for my taxi. He eventually turns up 15 minutes late!! Mexico time then! I go back to shower and change ready for a few drinks on the beach before bed.
The next day I just walk around for a bit and stroll along the beach, but it is the weekend and it is so packed. I decide to go back to the hostel, find a hammock and chill out with my book! As a storm comes in I pack my things and get ready for dinner to celebrate my final night here. I am treating myself to a glass of wine and a steak! I hope the storm has cleared before I get on the boat in the morning to meet Nicola in Cancun!
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