Posts Tagged ‘adventures’
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Entry from: Isla Mujeres, Mexico
Entry Title: “Island adventures”
Entry:
“Woke up sunburn today everywhere except my face, neck and feet. I guess I won´t be spending the morning by the pool as I hoped. Today is checking out day so packed my bags and spent the morning checking out the town again trying to hunt down an information office shown on a map in my guide book. The office must have closed down and moved or be pretty well hidden because I didn’t end up finding it. I’m trying to check out hotels on Island Mujeres where I am off to today. After a while I give up and decide to work it out when I get there.
When I jump off the buss back from town I’m about to cut though a shopping mall when I’m hailed by an American bloke standing by the entrance. He gave me a bit of a tale about being mugged 2 days ago in a town down south. He said they took all his money and passport and it took him 2 days to hitch hike to this spot (which was meant to be the American Embassy). Apparently the embassy was able to cancel his passport but he was going to have to travel to Medira, a state capital to have a new one issued. This is a drama as he can not get any cash tranferred until he has a passport. The embassy won’t give him any money so he wants me to give him some money. He’ll pay me back if I give him my contact address.
The weird thing is I got a story almost exactly the same last year from an Australian in Cambodia last year although this time he said his bags were stolen from the bus he was traveling on. The guy in Cambodia did look a bit like a junkie and was missing most of his teeth, where as this bloke looked genuine. I gave him 200 pesos (only about $20) which would just about get him there and said don’t worry about paying me back, I just hope it gets me some good karma.
If anyone can tell me if an Embassy can just leave you stranded like this I would be very interested to hear. I am a sucker for this type of story and end up giving out large sums of money (sort of) to Americans and Aussies when I have no urge to give money to local beggars who could live for weeks on that sort of cash.
Check out my luxury 5 star hotel and catch the ferry to the island around 2, but not before chilling out with some $2.50 Coronas at a cool little bar on the sand by the ferry jetty. The boat is fast and modern, the seas are pool table flat and the water is crystal clear with a pastel blue color like one of Lek’s t shirts 
After a quick bite to eat on the Island & start the task of hunting for some (cheap) accommodation. As luck would have it I spy a tourist office just across the road & ask them for a place to stay under $500 pesos (about $50 aussi), but still with air con and attached bathroom. I am handed a map and another page with hotels listed. She circled a few and told me the pick of the bunch. Unfortunately, it’s just off the edge of the map but she assures me it’s only a few blocks walk south.
After walking around in the hot sun for about an hour and still seeing no sign of the hotel or even the street it’s on (not even the gps on my phone showed any sigh of it) decide to go for the hotel least recommended by the tourist information office as it’s the only one I can see on the map. When I made it there the front desk is unattended. Must be siesta time and all the wise locals are relaxing in the shade while I’m walking around with all my gear on my back. Luckily I split my luggage and have only brought enough clothes for 2 days plus my snorkeling gear.
Not wanting to walk any further I check out the hotel next door which is only $450 pesos per nite. The guy shows me the room. Air con: check, Shower and toilet: check, Minibar: check, I’m checking in.
The minibar is not plugged in so I plug it in to be greeted by one of the loudest compressor motors produced ;(
After a quick cold shower and change I go and check out the beaches. Nice white sand, clear water, palm trees, bars and restaurants lining the sand. This island has a really nice relaxed feel about it with only a few thousand people living here and not many cars. Most tourists here are day trippers from Cancun who are already starting to leave. They all seem to come straight off the ferry, rent a golf cart and go putting around the small paved streets.
There is a nice strip …”
Read and see more at: http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/phat_gringo/3/1244434200/tpod.html
Photos from this trip:
1. “for AU$5″
2. “North beach”
3. “Christian photo”
4. “Jetty”
5. “A couple of boats”
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