OR, ALL TOO EXPENSIVE, TRASHY AND BUSY FOR A WEARY OLD BIRD.

My arrival in Merida was as one so travel weary and on the point of collapse that any hovel would have done to rest my head but I had booked what looked like a fair old style hotel. I had been travelling for twelve hours on two coaches, and my having had a rough last nights sleep in the cabana at Xpuhil added to a hideous fatigue. Boy the Mexicans like to party and play live music really loud all fucking night! Getting out of Xpuhil proved quite tricky and at one point I felt like I would never leave that little dust covered town. It had made an excellent base for archaeology but the escape was hard with very few buses and at horrific and dangerous times at night! One option had meant getting the 4a.m. bus to Campeche! I did consider it but then decided to opt for a safer route via Chetumal.

I’ve changed my travel plans so many times now I barely know where am when I awaken each morning. It’s scary and never been as bad as this before. This ever changing weather was mostly to blame at the beginning then my bad sunburn. Then the bad advice to go to Bacalar after Tulum that cost me a fortune hence cancelling a beach trip. Then staying the extra day in Xpuhil in my loud but lovely cabin. Then changing my route from Xpuhil to Merida via Chetunal rather than via Campeche. It had all been very confusing and hard work and frankly at times awful. Such is the beast of any travel, but when it’s solo it’s much harder. Much gnashing of teeth and hanging around between the super busy clambering of ruins. Many highs and lows. Much disappointment in the new Mexico and lamenting the old.