22.1.19

07.30: My phone is in my room upstairs so I can’t tell the exact time, how millenial of me. I should get a watch now I am an adult but I don’t like wearing jewellery at all these days. Silicone ear plugs are the way forward, there was a full on party going on last night and I didn’t hear a peep. The morning sounds of the birds and the long leaved palms blowing in the wind made me grin from ear to ear. I am in my happy place. I cannot wait to get out and explore. The weather forecast is terrible but I don’t give a shit.

23.1.19

07.22: I wake up each night at about 03.30 expecting it to be time to get up and then every hour until 06.45 when I decide I can’t lay still anymore. Yesterday I pottered about making friends and drinking coffee before I took myself out on a run. The scenery kept me going despite my lungs and legs wanting to give up. The plants are so diverse, massive leaves, tiny leaves, vast bushes and an array of different greens. The wind is currently blowing my hair around so ferociously that I feel like some sort of mythical serpant queen. It rained intermittently yesterday and I think today will be the worse, the clouds look dense and ominous. A few of us went to a tiny beach but it was too cold for us to pretend we were enjoying ourselves so we gave up pretty quickly. I went to a fish market restaurant with two others from the hostel for lunch. THE HEAVENS JUST OPENED. The weather forecast was right. Balls. Anyway.... Fish market.... yes. The oddest eating experience of my life. Everything was done by weight, there was no menu. We were asked to pick the fish by sight from huge tanks of lobster, shrimp (the so called social fish, made me laugh) clams and the catch of the day; which were all laid out staring into space with their mouths wide open. The inner awkward British in me wanted to turn around and walk out, but the uspoken loyality to the other two anchored me to the spot. We ate octopus. YEP, OCTOPUS. I am still trying to come to terms with that. It was actually pretty delicious but I think that was owed to the marinade as opposed to the animal itself. I won’t bore you with a list of the other fish but you can see pictures on instagram.

After lunch I got the bus to town and wandered around the markets. I am already feeling this is not rural enough for me, feeling the need to get to the jungle as soon as I can.

17.52: In comparison to yesterday, today has been somewhat uneventful but to me it was perfect. A nice long day on my own. The intermittent rain has made me wary of going to far away from the hostel, not that I really had any plans to at all. I played guitar whilst sat on a swing on the rooftop terrace, watching the clouds roll over the ocean. The guitalele is the perfect travel companion (thanks dad). Bought some snacks, made it to the beach during a break in the downpour, managed to only burn the tops of my feet; I really am a grown up now!

I have booked hostel in Tulum for tomorrow. I’ll pack my bag once i’m up and make my way to the bus station.

To the next chapter.