travel – Page 2 – The Lost Girl

Cancun

I don’t know what I was really expecting of Cancun. I had heard such mixed reviews from other travelers coming down from the resort town that I was really unsure of what I might encounter.

Seared in my brain as the place of Spring Break parties since my mid-teens, Cancun is definitely equipped for sun, sea and clubbing. The huge stretch of beaches, bars, resort hotels and night clubs lies on a strip some way out from the town of Cancun, and buses run regularly to and from the zone.

One of the few (blurry) pictures I have of the Cancun nightlife

If I’m being perfectly honest, the town of Cancun isn’t great. Busy roads and large shopping centres hardly create a picturesque and cultural feel that can be experienced in other towns of the country. Going clubbing there is expensive too, with some of the top clubs charging $65 for entrance on big nights. Although this includes an open bar, I know that I won’t be able to drink back my money’s worth. I spent one day with a huge hangover and the next leaving – there’s not actually much to do here apart from partying.

So I tried it once, had a good night out, probably wouldn’t return, but at least I can say I have stepped foot in the famous Cancun. Now it’s time to explore some more of the real Mexico away from the resort-lined east coast.

Best Travel Music

So I’ve been thinking about doing a post about this for a while. Music is something very important to pretty much everyone on the planet, and given that I spend a lot of hours alone on buses, my iPod has been one of my best friends this entire trip.

Before coming out here I uploaded a fair few songs which I thought would be uplifting to a solo traveler. A lot of them are classics, but I’ve thrown some of my random favourites in – I should add the disclaimer that I have what I would call a very “unique” taste in music.

On the Road Again, Willie Nelson

I’ve Been Everywhere, Johnny Cash

I’m Gonna Be (500 Miles), The Proclaimers – I absolutely love this song, not least because it reminds me of How I Met your Mother when it gets stuck in their car record player. So very uplifting!

Forever Young, Alphaville – I get unreasonably emotional when I listen to this; it reminds me how the present is fleeting and something I have to appreciate now in all its entirety, whether good or bad.

The Cave, Mumford and Sons – quite a recent song and not particularly related to travelling, but it reminds me of the philosophical problem of Plato’s about – when prisoners inside a cave think that shadows they see on the cave wall are real and only when they are released are they able to understand that reality is far more complex beyond the cave. Dare I employ a parallel between coming out of a cave and leaving one’s country to experience the many different realities which are lived by people all over the world?

Don’t Look Back in Anger, Oasis – I had to include it; I am one to ruminate and forever regret my past choices. Travelling is a very personal time where you are able to put at least some things in your mind into perspective. This song reminds me that I needed treat my past self with anger – it can’t be changed and maybe it really was the best decision for myself at the time.

Boulevard of Broken Dreams, Greenday – I cannot explain how important I feel it is for one to understand themselves and be connected with themselves before they can connect truly with other people. A quote from The Picture of Dorian Gray which I have been reading whilst travelling explains this beautifully – ‘ This song is great for reminding me that it is ok to be alone, that it isn’t strange that I’m halfway across the world without friends or a boyfriend and that understanding oneself is something hugely important.

Leaving on a Jet Plane, John Denver

Sweet Disposition, The Temper Trap – I will always associate this with wide spanning movie shots of a sunny open road, I don’t know why.

Fast Car, Tracy Chapman – A classic, I remember listening to this trying to get to sleep in my dorm room in the first year of university. It always reminds me what it’s all about.

I Miss You, Blink-182 – just reminds me of my friends and how much I miss them sometimes – and how that is good because it means they mean a lot to me.

Pure Shores, All Saints – This song will forever remind me of The Beach, how much I love Leonardo DiCaprio and how much I want to go to Thailand.

How Far I’ll Go, Auli’i Cravalho – another cheesy one from the recent movie Moana, but this song has a depth to it about following your heart even if everyone around you is telling you not to.

A Horse with No Name, America – Just reminds me of GTA

The Day we Caught the Train, Ocean Colour Scheme

Livin’ on a Prayer, Bon Jovi

Dog Days are Over, Florence and the Machine

When You Were Young, The Killers

Mr Brightside, The Killers – one of my favourite songs of all time

Every Breath You Take, The Police

Creep, Radiohead – cannot explain how much I empathise with this song!

Youth, The Naked and Famous – A bit random, but I find this song always puts me in a good mood.

Closer, The Chainsmokers – I got addicted to this song travelling through Croatia last October, it always reminds me of travelling ever since.

Get Lucky, Daft Punk – Likewise, this song was all the rage back in mainland Europe 2013 when I was interrailing with school friends. It has reminded me of that time in my life ever since.

Hurt, Johnny Cash – Again not particularly applicable to travelling, but I truly identify with this song and feel it has been so important for me to listen to out here on my own for my personal growth

The Zephyr Song, Red Hot Chilli Peppers – Just because sometimes I really wish I had a zephyr to carry me away

Demons, Imagine Dragons – Again, not really about travelling, but I identify so much

Bailando, Enrique Iglesias – reminds me of a summer I spent in Spain between my first and second year of uni and is always guaranteed to get me in a party mood, even if that means getting up the courage to go to a bar on my own…

Wuthering Heights, Kate Bush – I adore Kate Bush, make of that what you will…..

Cake by the Ocean, DNCE – reminds me of one of my best friends from uni, and of being by the ocean

Life Itself and Youth, Glass Animals – always upbeat and these songs never fail to cheer me up

Have Love, Will Travel, The Sonics

Don’t Stop Believin’, Journey

Big Jet Plane, Angus and Julia Stone

Girls Just Want to Have Fun, Cyndi Lauper

I’d better stop now, I could go on forever. The take home message is that music can be very personal to a traveler, especially when you are on our own and it is the only one who can keep you company on a cramped shuttle bus from Lago de Atitlan to Flores. One can find meaning in songs far deeper than they ever supposed and this in itself can be rewarding and very fulfilling.

Oh but wait, just one more thing! In case anyone is interested in getting a taste of the music in Central America, please give the following a listen – they play on repeat ALL the time, EVERYWHERE you go…

Despacito, Luis Fanis & Daddi Yankee feat. Justin Bieber

Adios Amor, Christian Nodal

Reggaeton Lento, CNCO

Dile tu me Quieres, Ozuna

El Amante, Nicky Jam

And now I really must stop, because alas, the Cancun nightlife is calling me.

Playa del Carmen, Mexico

Just north up from the coast from Tulum and I found myself heading deeper and deeper into the world of American holiday resorts.

Playa del Carmen is again another step up on the tourism scale. A prime beachside resort, the majority of bars and restaurants reside along 5th Avenue, the town’s busiest street. It was the first time I had seen a H&M out here, which I got unreasonably excited about, and several Starbucks for that matter. I also had my first experience in a Walmart which turned out to be pretty much as I expected; a big supermarket.

At night the place is brimming with people and the party scene is evident – two men approached me asking if I wanted “blow or smack” to which I politely declined.

A bustling open-fronted bar on the strip

The beach itself is reasonable, though far better reviews are heard from Akumal beach where one is actually able to swim with turtles and other marine life. Cenotes such as the El Jardin de Eden are also reachable from here, with crystal clear waters and cavernous rocks to explore.

The typical resort beaches at Playa del Carmen

Continuing my interesting and extremely thought-provoking tour along the resort trail, my next stop will be the iconic Cancun, a place which I am very curious about owing to the many mixed reviews I have received from other travellers. Me in Cancun alone on a Friday night, what could possibly go wrong?

Tulum, Mexico

I took a chicken bus from Belize City all the way north to Chetumal in Mexico. There is an annoying exit tax when crossing from Belize – $20 US in fact, which I wasn’t too happy about. From Chetumal it was an uncomfortable second class ADO bus to Tulum, arriving at dark to a very chilled out hostel.

Me relieved to have finally got to the beach!

Tulum is an odd town, not what I expected at all. The google pictures of it show sprawling beaches, which there are, but they are about 5km out of town – believe me, I walked it! Most people hire bikes which I would probably recommend as the best way of getting around, though collectivos and taxis are available.

Also the most obvious difference from any other part of Central America that I have travelled so far is the tourist trade. Even volunteering in Monteverde – a town that lives for tourism – I felt it more authentic than the coastline with resorts and hotels fencing every bit of sand.

There are ruins in Tulum, and they are quite impressive being directly on the coast. It is recommended to get here early (as with any tourist spot) and there was a random road train ferrying people around, though I have no idea of its origin or destination.

The town itself mainly lies along a long strip of busy road consisting of tourist restaurants. Mexico is cheap in comparison to Belize and towards the less busy end of the road I found an extremely nice street-food style burrito shop Burrtito Amor. This place has a great atmosphere and fast service, not to mention amazing burritos at a very cheap price; my hefty portion of a cheese and bean burrito cost me less than $3.

Burrito Amor, for a good, cheap streetfood style experience

But alas, it is time to move further north, delving ever deeper into the lands of the American tourist.

Caye Caulker, Belize

Off the shore of Belize lie a number of Cayes, or small islands with their own communities and rich marine life. I took a ferry from Belize City to Caye Caulker, a very small Caye with only one main street.

My time here was mixed. Some of the locals act a bit oddly towards tourists – some of them were high and drunk some of the time and one got very angry when I refused a spliff at two in the afternoon.

The beach is small, but the water is clear and beautiful and very refreshing to swim in. Lots of snorkelling tours go out from the island with chances to sea sharks, dolphins and even manatees among other colourful coral fish.

The island is quite expensive compared to the rest of the country, but I did have a great time going out to the Sports Bar on Saturday – where most of the island seems to go. Furthermore, I met a very hippy, spiritual guy in my hostel room who played a ukelele with whom I stayed up to about 4am talking about everything, from experience of consciousness to how his father reacted when he chose to move to the jungle. Very weird, very surreal, I was somewhat relieved to get back on the mainland and continue my journey north to Mexico.

Into Belize – San Ignacio

A public bus from Flores and I arrived at the Guatemala-Belize border which was quite easy to cross in comparison with the Costa Rica-Nicaragua.

Belize feels very different to Guatemala. A former British Colony and situated on the Caribbean Sea, there is a distinctively Caribbean feel. Indeed, although many can speak Spanish, many people around here speak with a beautiful Caribbean tone. It is also very green and flat, reminding me a lot of some places in Europe.

My first port of call was the town of San Ignacio about 20mins or so from the border. This small town is nestled in the middle of rolling countryside and there are plenty of cave tours and Mayan ruins to see. For me, I took the time to walk to a river crossing where you could swim.

I also made friends with some nice waiters at Tandoor restaurant on the main road. Glenn was fantastic to talk to and they all made me feel very welcome.

A good stopover city, but now it is time to head for Caye Caulker on the Caribbean Sea.

Flores and Tikal Ruins

A long journey north, through the many twisting mountain roads of the Highlands and cramped into many a local shuttle bus, I finally made it to Flores. A small island in Lake Peten Itza joined by a causeway to the mainland, Flores is a peculiar little place with little much going on and some moody shop keepers. There’s a square and a cathedral up on a hill, and some nice places to sit out and eat your lunch looking over the waters, but apart from that there’s little else to do.

It was interesting to watch a thunder storm brew over the lake though – I caught glimpses of actual veins of electricity darting through the night sky. And the hostel Los Amigos is definitely recommended with a good atmosphere, fairylights, a good many and cocktail list.

The real reason I ventured here was to head to Tikal, one of the finest Mayan civilisations that has been preserved. Tours can be booked across the island for sunrise, though it can be expensive and not always worth it if it’s cloudy. Indeed entrance to the park alone costs 150 Queatzales after 6am.

Tikal literally means “Place where the Gods Speak” and is a vast set of ruins stretching over an area of 26km squared. The main square in the middle has two great temples – you are able to climb up the Temple of the Queen which is little effort and gives you good views.

Furthermore, if one stands in the plaza and claps, the echo from the pyramid buildings sends of an odd “ca-caw” sound which is peculiarly similar to the national bird the Quetzal which was worshiped by the Mayas.

Mayas are famous for their human sacrifice and there are many stone circles present at the sight where the sacrifices apparently took place. Mayas also tend to build their temples in pairs facing east to west – the civilization was very astronomical and aligning their holy places with sunrise and sunset was important to them.

Perhaps the most impressive view from the top of a pyramid was from Temple 4, also the furthest away from the park entrance. When at the top, the view is spectacular across Tikal whch is now mainly reclaimed by forest – much of it is green but for the two other peaks of the main plaza peaking through.

Well worth a visit, this set of ruins is a treasure trove for discovery about a once great civilisation that fell to the hands of the Spanish invaders in the late 1400s

Lago de Atitlan, Guatemala

About 3 hours west of Antigua and you get to Lago de Atitlan, one of the most visited destinations on the Guatemalan backpacking trail. Indeed my guidebook tells me that Aldous Huxley, the author of one of my favourite dystopian novels Brave New World described it as one of the most beautiful lakes in the world, and coming down the mountainside on a chicken bus from Solala, it is easy to see why.

Two of the three volcano peaks on Lake Atitlan

The lake is vast – there are a number of destinations which one could visit. I found a cheap room in Panajachel, but had I had more time I think I would have ventured further – I have heard good things about San Pedro and hippy things about San Marcos.

The lake itself is not the best for swimming – especially around the town it was quite full of rubbish. But I went on a 20min boat ride from the jetty which gave me good views of the three volcanoes the lake is famous for. As it was Easter Sunday, the place was buzzing with locals and the shore side was filled with vendors – people trying to sell tourist items, but also locals frying up tortillas and various pieces of indescript meats on smoky BBQs.

Kayaks are available for hire on the lake with the morning being advised as the water is less choppy. I also saw paragliders from the boat – if only I were a billionnaire…

A short stay at the lake, but it was time to head north through the highlands to the ancient centre of the Mayas

Antigua – Semana Santa

Finally getting a chance to explore the town, I spent much of the Easter weekend in Antigua.

Antigua is a beautiful colonial city founded in 1541. The place is far more popular a visit for travellers than the sprawling Guatemala City and although it is perhaps a little touristy, the place does have a lovely atmosphere.

The city is laid out on a grid system – as are most cities in Central America, and as there are actually road and avenue numbers here, which have been somewhat vacant in a lot of the towns I have previously visited, I found it pretty easy to navigate.

The centre of the city is the lovely Parque Central. Once again more a square than a park, I found the area a very relaxing and peaceful place to sit and write. Vendors dressed in colonial clothes often come up to sell, and indeed the city itself is very well equipped with beautiful markets and stores where you can purchase a wealth of stunning colonial materials.

The busy street of 5 Avenue Norte is well worth a saunter, leading under the arch of Santa Catalina to the church of La Merced. The Choco museo is about halfway up this street and is great if you love free samples like me!

View from a hill overlooking Antigua – Volcan Agua towering in the background

Visiting in Semana Santa, the place was inevitably packed. The celebrations here are extraordinary – a full weekend of processions where floats depicting different parts of the Easter story are carried on shoulders throughout the town’s cobbled streets. A brass band and drums accompany the wealth of people marching and the smoky incense burners carried by some of the people in the procession add unquestionably to the atmosphere.

One of the many processions to commemorate Semana Santa

Furthermore, a live singer was present outside the cathedral as the Crucifixion procession passed. All in all, the celebrations were spectacular to see.

Residents laid beautifully coloured flower designs on the cobbled streets

Cathedral lit up with purple – a colour associated with Semana Santa

A very popular activity when coming to Antigua is to climb volcanoes, and a number of tours exist – some offering overnight stays on active volcanoes so that you can awake to watch the sun rise over clouds.

Alas, my funds do not stretch that far.

I did however find myself out drinking with Australians at one of the main night spots in the city Lucky Rabbit and also La Sala where the owner offered me a job as bar maid. Furthermore, I somehow managed to end up at La Piscina, which was advertised as a pool party, but was very different to what I imagined. About 15-20mins out of the city (we got a lift in the pick up truck of an American) we reached an abandoned pool which was empty of water. The DJ and the dance floor was literally in the empty pool basin. It was the most surreal experience as towering around you are the peaks of about 3 volcanoes – one of them even started spewing lava in the dark. It was six in the morning before everyone found their way back to the hostel, and by that time the sun had risen clearly over the volcano peaks. I would have never have imagined a night out like that…

Now it is on to Lake Atitlan!

Antigua – Santa Maria de Jesus and Volcan Agua

Having reached Antigua earlier than expected and wishing to sample more of the city that weekend when it would be Semana Santa (Easter weekend), I took a chicken bus out of town on my first day and visited the nearby town of Santa Maria de Jesus about 30mins away.

The town is charming itself. Many of the women wear traditional colonial dresses, huipiles, which are constructed from the most beautiful patterned material which gives the town a very distinct feel – that and that the town was completely void of other tourists, I believe I was the only gringa there.

Sitting high above the town is Volcan Agua, a distinct peak rising more than 3500m above sea level. The volcano is very impressive and is covered in the most beautiful green foliage. Attracted towards a good hike as I always am, I headed towards the base of the volcano to find a guard standing at a dilapidated church near the start of the volcano track. He told me I needed to pay 40 Quetzales for a guide, I told him I only had 3 Quetzales and I just wanted to look. He said that was ok.

The base tracks of the volcano were filled with farmers, horses, mules and stray dogs. The volcanic soil makes the place a very fertile place to plant crops and it was rather intriguing seeing all these people in colonial dress carrying what looked like extremely heavy sacks on their back. They were all very nice and greeted me “buenas!”

The track was dusty and strewn with rubbish, and I followed a sign pointing me towards a “crater”.

I don’t know when the idea to climb the volcano popped into my head. I had originally planned to only walk for an hour or so and return. This turned into a 5-6 hour trek up a very lonely hillside.

The tracks began to get steeper and steeper. And suddenly I was out of farmland and into the deep, dark wilderness. Well, not quite, the track was actually quite nice, bordered by green trees which shaded me from the sun. I even managed to purchase a banana at about 2500m from a Tienda which consisted of a shack and a very nice old man.

Honestly, I have to admit that climbing this volcano on my own without much water or food was one of the stupidest things I have ever done. I carried on up the mountain and soon found that I was the only one on the tracks – the farms disappeared and so did some of the groups of Guatemalans who were also hiking the volcano. But I kept on going. “You can’t stop now” I thought, “almost there”.

It got very cold at about 3250m and the air got quite thin. The view was the most extraordinary thing, I literally felt so high up and I think I was slightly delirious which made it all the more impressive.

Becoming slightly hysterical at around 3550m, and realising that it was actually quite late and I needed to get back to the town before the last bus left to Antigua, I called it quits. Coming down again, I met a lot of the groups I had passed before – they were going to camp out overnight, so I didn’t feel too bad for ascending and descending as far as I did all in one day. I basically ran most of the way down too, slipping and falling sometimes. To put it in perspective, Snowdon, the highest peak in Wales is 1500m. Indeed the guard at the dilapidated church was very impressed with my efforts and congratulated me upon my return.

Passing back through the sweet little town, I ran into a procession with a brass band and drums for Semana Santa, but unfortunately could not stay long to watch it and had to run for the chicken bus.

Upon reaching my hostel back in Antigua with aching legs, I decided to look up Volcan Agua. About the third result down on google was a post on the Lonely Planet Forum “DON’T HIKE VOLCAN AGUA – ROBBERIES”.

It turns out Volcan Agua is known for its robberies – machete wielding thieves who target hikers. Although the post was from 2009, it is still not advised to hike the volcano alone. Especially a solo girl; who knows what could have happened. Soldiers aim to shoot and kill the robbers, but the place is still not completely safe.

Hiking Volcan Agua alone with little water and no food – pretty much the stupidest thing I have ever done. And I have done a lot of stupid things.