Mexico

After more than six unforgettable weeks on the mainland of Mexico it was time to say goodbye in Chetumal, at the southeastern end of the country. After a surprisingly pleasant ferry crossing from La Paz to Mazatlàn we started the second part of our Mexico adventure at the beginning of December.

The first week was intense and excessive. Two great new Canadian friends with the same ideas of life and travel dream (Panamericana). And a reunion with two friends from Switzerland, who made it possible for us to have a great holiday away from life in the van. Zysset, Marc's long-time roommate and friend, who has been here for a few months, was able to introduce us to Puerto Vallarta. Not only mezcal and tequila, but also the best tacos al pastor (pork from the skewer with pineapple). After that, we went further south. A route along the dangerous coastline that took us through three out of five states declared "do not travel" by the U. S. State Department.
For reasons of time and mobility we decided against the route via Guadalajara and Mexico City. We save these interesting cities for another time without our van.

Of course, there was a certain narrowness, but the experiences were unforgettable and surprisingly beautiful. However, it requires good preparation and adherence to some basic rules. We never drove at night and always knew in advance where we could spend the night and where to find the nearest gas stations. To avoid the traffic chaos, we have bypassed Acapulco. Great surf spots, lonely beaches, in the hammock under palm trees, very friendly and heartfelt people and terrific views on the curvy and more than bumpy road - felt over 1000 "speed bumps" (here called "Topes") - to Puerto Escondido.

Marc left the van to me and Anouk, my long-awaited visit, for a week. While he spent his time in Puerto Escondido on the waves and the nightlife, we spend precious time together. In Barra de La Cruz we celebrated Christmas with a Gerber fondue on the gas cooker and Marc did not miss to surf the next day for a last time. Because now we continued our journey towards the Caribbean coast.

In Tuxtla Gutierrez my sister Madlen joined us. Our first stop together should be an unforgettable one. In San Cristobal de Las Casas, a colourful city in the central highlands of Chiapas, inhabited mainly by Mayans and visited by tourists, we let the Mezcal flow to toast the trip to the four of us. A few hours later the ordeal began. Either there was bad ice in the mojito or bad meat in the burrito. For several days we couldn't move away from the spot, because it had left all four of us flat with a heavy food poisoning that also weakened us considerably the following weeks.

In Palenque, large Maya pyramids will be able to admire and climb the jungle, the screaming of the "Howler Monkeys" is unimaginable. Further east we visited the places Miguel had recommended us in San Felipe. Bacalar and Mahahual, brighter colors can't have lake and sea. In Tulum it had paid off to get up early in order to snorkel all alone in a "cenote" (a huge waterhole) with the clearest water and to admire the sunrise over the sea at the Maya ruins on the beach without other tourists.

Since Belize, with one of the longest reefs in the world, can best be explored on an island, which turned out to be rather expensive and complicated with the van, Mahahual and Xcalak were a Belize substitute for us. Relaxing on the white beach, gliding over the reef by kayak and discovering coral, fish and rays snorkeling.

In Chetumal we had the best fish taco and had to say goodbye to a great and unforgettable time in Mexico. Anouk needed to go home and Madlen would accompany us to Guatemala via Belize for another week.
At the farewell we all agreed: Mexico we will come back!