Click on a photo to enlarge it.
On Monday we got up early and started the long process of trying to get everything dry - boards, mattress, bed sheets,
carpet etc. We also used Peter and Irene's porta loo to empty our black and grey water because the dump station wasn't
accessible - a very steep slope upwards and we couldn't get Winnie close enough to reach with our hose!
Fortunately, it was a hot and sunny day, so we managed to get most things dry. We were using our electric heater
inside to dry the mattress out. In the afternoon, Kirsten cut Helen's hair and also gave Peter a trim. By the evening,
we were trying to dry out the carpet at the back of Winnie with our heater and spent the evening working on the
computer.
On Tuesday, we spent the morning on the computer and getting Winnie ready to drive off. We also had to spray the
outside of Winnie with some strong detergent to try and stop an ant trail from getting in through our kitchen window.
That meant that we had to clean Winnie's outside as well!! Plus, we didn't manage to stop all of the ants from
getting in and they really are a devil to get rid of!
We finally managed to leave at 2-15pm and drove the short distance south to Tulum. On the way we stopped at a very
expensive water park to have a look around and at Hidden Worlds, where you can go snorkelling and diving in the
Cenotes.
We had hoped to meet Peter and Irene but we couldn't find them. In the end we drove to a beach camping spot for the
night. On Wednesday, the sea was too rough for Kirsten to go snorkelling so we decided not to stay for another night.
After doing some shopping and even catching some of the Champions League highlights on TV (we haven't seen any
football for months!), we handed in some of our washing to be done for the next day. It was too expensive to get all
of our washing done!
Then we drove back north to Hidden Worlds and Kirsten booked herself on a snorkelling tour for the next day. We also
asked if we could park on the car park for the night, which wasn't a problem.
On Thursday, Kirsten went on a 3 hour snorkelling trip. She was driven off with two others in the back of a buggy
where the whole engine was on display! It looked like it was going to be a rough ride. But she came back saying she'd
had a wonderful time and that Imax had actually filmed there.
In the afternoon we collected our washing and then headed south. We drove down to Cenote Azul at a small place called
Bacalar. We arrived at about 5pm and Helen went for a swim - a great way to cool down. One of the waiters started
throwing tortillas into the water for the fish but Helen wanted to try and catch one for herself!!
That evening we parked in the town next to the fort. We could hear some kind of band playing and so we went to take
a look. It turned out to be a school marching competition!
On Friday we drove back to Cenote Azul, had breakfast and then went for a swim. We left at 11-30am and drove south
near to the Belize border and then headed west towards the ruins of Calakmul. We stopped for petrol and couldn't
fill up because of our old problem. We couldn't get the air hose off and so the petrol pump attendant did it for us.
He also reattached it after we'd filled up!
Further along the road we stopped at the ruins of Chicanná where Kirsten went for a quick wander around.
It was about 5pm when we finally got to the turn off for the ruins and we saw a sign saying that there was a charge
to drive through - $12 for us. There was a barrier across the road but no one in sight. We used our horn but still no
one came. So Helen got out and lifted up the barrier and we drove through, thinking that we would be asked for the
money either at the ranger station or at the ruins themselves.
12 miles (20km) along the road we came to the ranger station where there was supposed to be a camping area. It was
fine for tents, but there was no way that Winnie could drive up onto the steep and rocky slope. So we parked in the
road just behind the barrier and chatted to the two rangers in our broken Spanish for a while.
We even got surrounded by colourful pheasants who were quite loud. But fortunately, they were quiet overnight and we
managed to get a good nights sleep.
We left early on Saturday to do the 75 minute drive along a windy road down to the ruins. We spent nearly 3 hours in
the ruins and did a lot of climbing. It was extremely warm and humid and our T shirts were soaked after 10 minutes,
before we'd done any climbing! But at least we got good views from the top of one of the pyramids where we could see
the buildings surrounded by jungle.
Between AD 250 and 695, Calakmul was the leading city in a vast region known as the Kingdom of the Serpent's Head but
only a fraction of the buildings in the 100-sq-km expanse has been cleared. It was only discovered in 1931, not
surprising seeing as it it right in the middle of thick jungle.
We got back at 1pm and sat outside for lunch. Then Peter and Irene arrived. We thought they were somewhere still on
the Caribbean coast. So we chatted to them for a while and arranged to meet up later at a restaurant about 60 miles
(100km) away.
Peter and Irene went into the ruins and we started the long drive back to the main highway. When we got there the
barrier was open, so we just drove through. We drove to El Centenario and managed to find the restaurant.
We ordered chicken and chips and then went to find a spot to park Winnie. Whilst we ordered a group of 4 women and 2
men came and sat at the table next to us. Our food came along with a bottle of beer that we hadn't ordered - a gift
from the next table. So whilst we were eating our food - which was very good - we bought them a beer in return.
We thought they were just being friendly, but then they insisted that we dance with them - the women, not the men.
There was something not quite right with this group which we realised a bit too late!! The 2 men were police officers
and the 4 women were prostitutes. They obviously thought that we were men, probably because we have short hair, and
wanted to do their own version of "Dirty Dancing" with us! It got even more uncomfortable when they said they wanted
to marry us!!! Boy, were we glad that Peter and Irene turned up!!!
We rushed out to greet them with open arms!! Fortunately, we were left alone as the four of us sat in the restaurant
whilst Peter and Irene ate. Not long afterwards, the group left looking for the next place to party.
On Sunday, we drove in convoy with Peter and Irene and got to the campground in Palenque at 3pm. Unfortunately the
there were only cold showers and the water only came out in a dribble, but otherwise the campground was fine. It's
quite a hippy type of place and behind the campground there is a large area with hammocks under thatch style canopies.
Obviously, the people staying there at the time were not big on tidiness. What a mess!
There was also a restaurant at the campground with live music every night. We went there with Peter and Irene to listen
but one of the residents decided to make a complete fool of himself, doing some kind of drug - crazed dance (there are
a lot of magic mushrooms here!) which spoilt the ambience somewhat!
