After crossing the border we boarded a bus bound for a not so sleepy coastal town called Tulum. A stark contrast from the chicken bus we had caught to the boarder, the fresh, clean, allocated seatedness of the Mexican bus was like swimming in champagne. This also unfortunately reflected in the price. After 6 hours of rolling pleasure, the four of us retired at a hostel on the main street. The following day we moved to Weary Traveller, another hostel we had heard a lot about. After leaving our bags we boarded the shuttle to the beach. The next few days were spent sipping Coronas on the sunkissed, white sand beach or the Carribean coast. Our energies were saved for numerous large nights that entailed copious rum consumption, shithead recruitment and general tardiness around the towns night spots. "Good Times" reached an all time peak and my last night in Tulum, with Nat, John and Maximus was a blur or vodka, rum, beer and Sanchez´ moon walks. My lasting memories of that boy include finding him outside our room talking to himself at 4am. Being responsible enought to escort him to bed I still couldnt stop laughing after his third attempt up three stairs to our bedroom door. As with all his finest hour´s in the previous month, Sanchez had no recollection of what happened the following morning.
We dragged ourselves to the beach for one more afternoon and peeling himself away from the hammock I bid farewell to Nat with a promise that it wouldnt be another 2 and half years. I then boarded a night bus to the town of Palenque.
After hearing numerous reccomendations from fellow travellers about the jungle town of El Panchan, I jumped a taxi straight there upon my early arrival. What awaited was more of a jungle desert. The four accomodation options were all run down, damp and about 5 years past their time. My dormitory room was hot + humid and the flimsy roof had gaping holes for hungry mosquitos awaiting my blood. The villages only saving grace were an amazing tribal band and fire poi dancers at night. This in itself was nowhere near enough and I couldnt wait to leave.
The ruins of Palenque (4 kilometres from el Pachan) were themselves quite interesting. My collectivo broke down on the way so I had to walk uphill for 1 and half kilometres in the stiffling humidity before I had even reached the gates. I was told this was how the Mayans would have seen the ruins (not along a tarmac road of course but up this enormous hill) so I convinced myself I had a more authentic experience.. The ruins were in better shape than Tikal and the site itself was more suited to tourists with numerous maps and general information.
Having had my fortnightly ruin fix I jumped another bus the following day for my fortnightly fix of colonial towns. San Cristobal sits high in mountains between the regions of Oaxaca and Chiapas. The town itself was very similar to Antigua, cobblestone streets, colourful buildings and amazing churches. San Cristobal was a lot less touristy (which I liked) and going out to any bar at night wasnt like stepping into and English pub (the nightlife in Antigua can get very repetitive).
Katrina (an American girl I had met) and I both decided to head to the small village of San Juan for the local Sunday markets. The markets themselves werent all to interesting however there was some interesting things going on at the nearby church.
A Sunday ritual for as long as people can remember local families descend upon the church to perform weekly rituals to ward away evil spirits. This involved lots of chanting, candles and the eventual sacrifice of a chicken. Tourists are permitted to watch however photos are strictly prohibited. Following the untimely death of the chicken the family toast each other with Coke (dont worry Emma, some of them used a local cola alternative).
We soon departed San Juan and decided to hitch a lift back to San Cristobal. A lovely couple picked us up and took us to their nans house where we picked fruit for the rest of the afternoon.
Sensing my Spanish was going nowhere quickly I decided to head back to Guatemala to take a week of lessons.
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