by Land & by SEA

10/19/2010

We awake and head down to breakfast its a basic break fast of Rasin bran, bannana, and toast. Take showers and make our way to Akumal.  Getting directions to bus station from the associate at the Tanaka Hotel e find its only 4 blocks away, this was a relief considering my pack weighs in at 55lbs I'm also not in the best shape then you add in high temps and humidity and im sweating like crazy.  We purchase our tickets to Akumal at the ADO terminal and walk toward the waiting area our bus departs in 10 minutes.  Boarding the bus we experience the glory of air conditioning its nice Im soaking wet mind you.  We arrive to Akumal in short order and the bus drops us along the highway.  We walk into the town and find a local restraunt with American Mexican cusine :) Ben and I both order beef tostadas we clean our plates.  We find that the resteraunt has free WiFi and Ben checks his email and finds an email from Zac he is on Caye Cauker and island off Belize he wants us to meet him and Marike below are the directions he gives us.

"Ben,

Yo yo. Sorry this email has taken so long. Hopefully this finds you well in Mexico. We are on Caye Caulker island in Belize. It is amazing!! And would recommend coming down. We just paid for five more nights here, at 20.00 Belize total per night. Which means, it will cost you and Eric, 5.00 USD per night to stay here. Maybe less, he said he would cut us a deal. So here are the in and outs of getting here. Its a bit of a journey.

Bus From Wherever you are, Playa Del Carmen, Tulum??) Direct to Chetumal. Make sure you get a second class bus (Segundo Classe). All the buses charge about the same, but Mayan, or Cristobal Colon may be a little cheaper. It will coast about $25-30 I think USD, so about 280 pesos?? something. Dont really remember. But its about five hours straight south.

From the Chetumal bus terminal, take a taxi for 20 pesos, to the MAIN PIER. There is only one. You will have to describe in spanish though. Belize Water Taxi. They may be confused and try taking you to the road crossing, if they think you want to go to Belize?? But anyway. The water taxi is fairly expensive. 360 pesos. About 40 USD. The water taxi will go through San Pedro. and then continue to Caye Cauker.

There is only one boat to San Pedro and Caye Cauker per day, and it departs at 4:00 mexican time. so maybe try planning the bus, so arrives just a little earlier. Nothing really to see in Chetumal.

Note: DO NOT PAY ANYTHING, NOTHING, NOTHING, ZERO PESOS, TO THE CUSTOMS GUY. THERE IS NO EXIT FEE, TAX, NOTHING. AND YOU PAID EVERYTHING INCLUDED INTO YOUR AIRLINE TICKET. DO NOT GIVE THEM ANY MONEY. EXPLAIN YOU HAVE BEEN IN MEXICO LESS THEN 7 DAYS, AND YOU DO NOT PAY.

Once here, you can exit the dock, and turn right. Walk all the way down, there will be a guy selling paintings on the right. Just past him, is a place call called PEDROS. ON THE LEFT SIDE. It will be dark, because the bar is not open yet, but wander around and look for the owner, and he will be able to find us. OK. The internet here is fucking outrageous expensive. Hopefully that gives enough info. See you on the island. PEACE\

Zac" 

We discuss our options at this point and decide it would be best to meet with Zac and Marike sooner than later and hope that thye might be better at spanish than we are.  We ask about a bus to Chetumal and are told to go back to the road.  While at the bus stop a small bus stops and the driver explains that you must go to Tulum to get a bus to Chetumal so we get on this packed full bus of which our packs barely fit.  We pay 20 each for this taxi and then pay 132.00 each from Tulum to Chetumal.  we sleep most of the way to Chetumal and once in town hail a taxi outside the bus station.  We are taken to a unnamed turquoise hotel and a 2 bed room with no AC is presented for 230.00 a night.  Score...we drop or bags and take a stroll to see if any thing intrigues our appetite.  I settle with a Coca cola and Giro cookies (OREOS) Ben scores a 40oz Sol cervesa and we head back to the room to decompress.  Its amazing to think that this is our life for the next 8 months or longer.  I'm excited and scared at the same time.