stringfellow’s thread

Damn, Mexico is HOT!

We arrived on friday to Cancun after a .. long journey from Belize city via Chetumal. Got there at about 2330 and then had to find our hostel! Lots of very emphatic pigeon spanish/pseudo spanish/arm waving and donde esta’s happened. WE got there ok though.

Had a day on the beach and a night on the town, which was less enjoyable than expected, but a good laugh still. The end of the night saw me going home on a bus on my own as Kim had ‘Vanished’.. which got me so worried by 1030 the next day I was making my way to the police station. after lots of translation issues and so forth I arrive back at Charlie and Issy’s hostel in a police-mobile to find Kim sitting there… having had a night of debauchery. Which perhaps I should have guessed, but llast week I was being told about a girl who got raped and murdered whilst travelling and going off on her own so… whatever.

So after those fun and games we had a hangover day which turned out pretty well - there was a random hip-hop festival in the center of downtown right near our hostel which appeared to be called “Guerra de Castes” - a name also given to the mayan vs spanish type thing in belize. There was ‘live’ graffiti, and a breakdancing comp, and lots of festivaly stuff. Wicked!

Then to Chichen Itza, met up with Lucy, AL and Lou again and did the ruins. Stunning, but way too overcrowded. In the evening on the way to the light and sound show atthe ruins we started to see lightning which got closer and closer - then during the show we got a better show from the lightning behind the ball-court ruin. Stunning - so many people were watching the human created show when the natural one was way more amazing. After we went exploring off the lit track and sat on top of the watch-tower ruin (probably not entirely wise) and then got lost on the way back - very cool but very scary! Got soaked on the way back but our palapa was nice and dry after a little bit of rethatching on Kim’s part! The storm lasted about 7 hours!

Left Chichen and headed to Tulum - staying at Lobo Inn and went out for food with Alice and João (our room mates). V cool place. To the ruins today and the beach, then a LOOOOOONG journey early in the morning to Flores in Guatemala! woo!

Getting music from my server one track at a time… wow. its like being back in the 90’s.

Hasta Luego

So I’ve finished my Jungle expedition. All went well, bar a few minor setbacks - we completed the externals, facia and roofing/thatching of both ablutions blocks, but the plumbing and tiling will have to be left for the local workers to do.

One of the (almost finished) ablutions blocks. Unfortunately my camera died before the end of the expedition. Unfortunately supply issues meant we were behind schedule, and the plans changed as we went along (this seems fairly typical of the Belizean way of life!) ANyway, they are ready to go and we are all really happy with our work and how it will benefit the area - ecotourism will increase and mountain pine ridge will be better protected! Winners.
After a few mad days of getting horribly drunk, sleeping on desert islands and generally not sleeping (ooh and winning BZ$500 at a casino… without betting… !!!) I am now on Caye Caulker, ready to go diving. . . well, after some sleep….
Hopefully these photos will work and you can all see what we’ve been up to!
Co-trekkers in Guat; - I’m missing you all already. :’-(