IN THERE LIKE SWIMWEAR

After some hot sweaty days getting ruined we were ready for the beach. First up was Isla Holbox at the Northern end of the Yucatan. The island was really quiet and peaceful with lots of lobster pizza on offer. On the boat back we visited a fresh water spring. It was like swimming in Evian Water. The captain made jokes about Cocodrillios, otherwise we would have stayed there all day. Sure enough, 100yrds downstream was a fat crocodile basking in the sun. 

Happy as a pig in...

Trainin' in paradise

Onwards we went to Cancun where we had a couple of nights at the Queztal Hostel for our first time in a dorm on bunk beds. Surprisingly, we slept really well though we made sure we were wearing earplugs. We also got some training in at Warrior Fitness. Having no one to fight with for two months was making me slightly grumpy but these guys helped me get it out of my system.

Cancun was just a stepping-stone to Isla Mujeres. It’s all about the big nightclubs and all inclusive beach hotels, neither of which is our thing. We rolled Trisha onto the ferry and set up the palace (the big tent) for some days by the beach. It was good to relax a little after all the driving. We managed to do a couple of dives and some snorkeling but our main reason for coming was to pay Richart Sowa a visit.

Isla Mujeres

As Ben and Moon had told us in Palenque, Richart Sowa has built an island from scratch using plastic bottles. The type you see tourists drinking from all the time. He groups them up in little net bags, then uses pallets and plywood to cover the bottles and then finishes it off with sand. Mangroves and other saltwater plants are grown through to help tie the island together. It’s one of the most mental things I’ve ever seen but we loved it. The bottles don’t decompose as they’re protected by the sun. He’s built his own mini palace with a shower, toilet, two beds, kitchen, solar oven, rooftop Jacuzzi!

The island has featured on Ripley’s Believe it or Not and MTV Extreme Cribs but his main motivation is to provide an alternative way of living that will adapt to rising sea levels.

Richart's floating island

We talked extensively about planetary issues, aliens, the history and future of mankind. He was a very lovely and interesting man with big plans to grow his island into a completely self-sufficient province floating in the Caribbean sea. No man is an island, unless your name is Richart Sowa. Hopefully one day we’ll be back to see him!

There’s a lot of alien talk around these parts, especially as it’s argued the Mayans had relationships with aliens. On our way south we stopped at Puerto Morelos and chatted to another guy about his numerous alien abductions. He just casually dropped it into the conversation.

We were there waiting to do a skydive but after three days the weather conditions still weren’t safe. It was glorious sunshine on the beach but apparently the winds at 10,000 ft were dangerous. Another time we thought, I was ecstatic with relief. (FK – I actually think Neil paid them off.)

Southwards we pressed until we hit Akumal, a small beach town known for its Turtles. We snorkeled in a pristine lagoon where freshwater meets salt before finding somewhere to pitch the tent. Akumal seemed typical of the Mayan Riviera in that pricey resorts and Cabanas lined the beach. After asking around we were introduced to an Argentinian named Carlos who took us up some dirt roads to his jungle ranch with his wife Alma, 5-year-old daughter Matilda and Mayan guard dog Compadre who kept trying to piss on our tent.

Crystal

The Ranch had two Cenotes in its grounds and was only a five-minute drive from the beach. Perfect. We spent the next few days having fun with Carlos and his family. At Akumal beach you can walk straight out and snorkel with huge turtles chomping on sea grass. We’d spend hours snorkeling and then head back to the ranch or Carlos’ Pizza place for a few beers. It was a very relaxing time and we formed a great friendship with Carlos, Alma and Matilda.

Pizza n beer with Carlos and Alma

Fi and Matilda -  best mates

Neil and Compadre - best mates

All best mates

Crazy frog going cave diving

Matilda going crazy

After some emotional goodbyes we continued south to Tulum. We’d heard great things about the place so we were pretty excited. It failed to meet expectations. Again, like big parts of the Mayan Riviera, it was too tourist crazy. Part of our issue with Tulum may have been the four-hour drive we took down the peninsula on a terrible dirt road to a place called Punta Allen. It was a nightmare of a drive but we kept saying: “It’ll be worth it, I bet the end of this road has something amazing.” It wasn’t so we turned around and headed up the same shitty dirt road. Poor Trisha had her 4x4 status put to the sword.

After some radgy bickering with each other along the way we helped a hippy Spanish couple that had a flat tyre. It felt unusual but satisfying to be responsible adults that actually had the equipment available to help someone by the roadside. We hope they got back OK.

On our way back we were almost rewarded with a spectacular moonrise. The picture doesn’t do it justice.

Moonrise

Fi was looking for a place to fly camp on the beach but everywhere seemed taken by resorts so we ended up at some hippy commune in a damp bed.

With that wretched day behind us we hit the road again until we reached Bacalar, a fresh water lagoon with the most amazing crystal clear turquoise waters. This was much more our style. We set up camp in the Magic Hostels garden and enjoyed yet more swimming (it’s keeping us fit).

Beauty of Bacalar

It was here we met Captain Demando. We can’t use his real name; Captain Demando is the name Fiona gave him, which he loves. He’s an old rock star and he was about to completely turn our trip upside down.