The Final Frontier

Trip Start Oct 01, 2008
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Trip End Apr 01, 2009


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Flag of Mexico  , Yucatan Peninsula,
Sunday, March 29, 2009

Jon didnīt dive the Blue Hole in Belize.  After his initial experience on Roatan when BOTH regulators failed he didnīt want to do a deep dive in shark infested waters (the dive companies encourage feeding the sharks!!) with a bunch of strangers - and I donīt blame him.  He did snorkelling instead.  Verdict - not as pristine as Roatan.  No surprise really - the cruise ships, which are huge business in Belize, are destroying the reef.
Now weīre back in Mexico, it cost US$19 to leave Belize and itīll be another US$25 to leave Mexico again!  Itīs such a scam.  Weīll have paid nearly US$100 each in border fees in the past 4 weeks.  I can understand airport fees but this is taking the Michael big time.  Still I donīt suppose Iīll be doing a trip through every Central American country again, though Iīd like to visit Nicaragua and El Salvador again 
Weīre staying in Tulum, about 2 hours south of Cancun airport.  The Mayan ruins here are right beside the beach a couple of miles out of town.  Unfortunately I didnīt get any fab pix because we were eaten alive by sandflies and it completely ruined the ruins.  Fewer flies on the beach thankfully. 
When I was in Tulum 5 years ago there was a bus stop, a backpackers hostel and a couple of cantinas between 2 roundabouts.  Now it almost rivals Playa del Carmen for hotels, restaurants and shops.  Shame the highway runs right through it.  The alternative is staying at the beach, where the hotels and restaurants cost 50% more and thereīs no internet but plagues of sandflies.  No contest really.
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