MEXICO: Journey to & intro to Tucan Tour Group

  Cancun, Mexico
Saturday, April 22, 2006

Hey folks,

It's been a while since the last entry as so much has happened. I am now into the second week of my all inclusive tour of MEXICO having such a ball with amazing people and sights.....

I left last time on the verge of leaving Costa Rica so I will commence from then on............

So yes: had a tough time getting up for my 3am departure on coach to El Salvador still feeling groggy.... This international bus service is awesome - very comfy, hi-tech buses with great staff aboard with food etc... During the first 18 hours of the trip, we crossed 3 boarders with 3 exits/entrances (Costa Rica - Nicaragua, Nicaragua - Honudras, Honduras - El Salvador)...Such a mission with scary poeple at each stop.... security with huge guns, crowds of beggards, loads of dodgy blokes wnating to exhange money etc....the process of crossing went smoothly though.. in some instances, the attendant on board just collected all the passports and rushed off the bus to get them all stamped in 1 go like... in other instances, there were hardcore bag searches and explanations to the point I felt i was in the army on a drill.... The time passed FAIRLY quickly as met loads of people reading the old lonely plante and also locals full of advice... watched shrek, shrek 2, ice age and another film so kept entertained.... hardly slept so felt zombified upon arrivial in El Salvador.

Stayed over in San Salvador, the capital, but was up at 4:30 for the connecting bus to Mexico.. Yay! The remaining 12 hours went vvvvery slowly... El Salvador - Guatemala and Guatemala - Mexico boarders were more intense and so was very glad to finally arrive in Tapachula, Chiapas where I promptly told the taxi driver to take me to the nearest and cheapest hostel so to crash.

On the Wednesday I just chilled in the town and took shelter in the 40 degree virtually 100% humid heat.....Tretaed meself to a fancy Mexican meal which was divine. Thursday I had to be up again at the crack of dawn so to get to the airport to catch my flight to CANCUN baby!!!! There was just no way I was catching 2 buses more to reach there so I indulged in faster comfort transport! There were great fun and games at the Tapachula airport where bags were checked twice, passports checked twice, to-ing and fro-ing etc. palava! The flight was great and I certainly saw some wicked views from the plane.. We passed over Mexico city which was awesome - mountains for miles, strips of concrete outlining the millions of houses and buildings etc...... The altitude of 2,300m above sea level was definitely noticed upon arrival as felt queezy. Connection to Cancun went fine and I finally arrived at my destination at 2pm Thursday.

Thankfully Cancun was fairly subdued due to the 3 day long bank holiday period during easter week, but loads of tourists and mexicans pouring in to make most of holiday time. Just got bearings and checked out the hotel where I would join my tour group. Met a strange Jap bloke in the hostel which I hadnt booked before. Very lucky as was told there was no accommodation left in the city. LIES. Crashed out after dinner to recharge batteries before a funky all inclusive cheap booze cruise to Isla Mujeres, half hour East of Cancun in the Carribean. - Well what a treat!
On Good Friday, the weather was kind, the boat was huge and had an open bar and buffet service with dancing and live music. the water was almost unbelievably crystal clear, not too deap, pale turquoise in colour. I took up the optional snorkelling activity with certain people on the cruiser, since I just could not let the chance of swimming in the world's 2nd largest coral reef barrier slip by. Was out of this world obviously, shame couldnt take pics of that one. What else did we do that day on the small island? bike ride, historical tour on foot and just lounding around on the golden beaches.... That evening I returned to 2 Ozzie lasses in the hostel who took me under their wings, already knowing the area quite welll..... What happened was something along the lines of an 18-30 evening out in the bustling hotel zone of Cancun, famous for hi-school aged yanks pouring in for Spring Break etc... the clubs were well posh and had live music as well as a dance stage etc. òpen bar.... finished at 6am so ruined following day.

On Saturday, just turned up at my tour joining hotel early and made good use of the pool. We had an orientation and welcome meeting at this hotel on Sat pm where I met my co-travellers to be! nice mix of folks really. 1 mid-aged kiwi couple, 1 mid-aged russian couple with Oz residence, then about 4 30plus ozzies and 5 early 20yr old ozzies and brits.... 17 in total. nice number. sharing hotel rooms with 2 guys. we have a GERMAN (stereotyical humour etc) woman as the tour guide/administrator and a cool mexican bus driver with local guides in each city on the trip as well for historical overviews.... won't bore you much more on this as pics will speak louder than words..