Enjoying the heat!
Trip Start
Aug 05, 2007
1
17
Trip End
Aug 05, 2008
Palenque, Central Mexico and Gulf Coast, Mexico
Saturday, July 5, 2008
Greetings from sunny Mexico!
Here is the lastest. It has been awhile since my last blogg, sorry things have been really busy! plus time has just flown by, time flies when you are having fun, yeah! so much has happened! I will start off from where I left my last blogg.
When my parents left I returned back to work which was great. It was so good to have a break but it was also nice to go back, being greeted by the boys asking where I had been. They were so interested to hear whether mum and dad liked Mexico.
Shortly after this I unfortunality became ill, not nice being in Mexico! But you will all be pleased to hear that I back to normal now, fighting fit! Thank god after having a month of hell! The Mexican bugs and the lack of nutrition finally caught up with me. I had bugs living in my stomach, how gross!!! something I would not recommend.
In the beginning of June I went traveling for two weeks in the North of Mexico. I have many stories to tell, the funniest being thrown off a horse into sewage whilist riding in the copper cannon, silly horse!. I have photos of this to amuse you which I am going to put on the internet.
My trip started off at Los Mochis which is the start of a 12 hour train ride through the copper cannon. As you can imagine this was absolutely amazing. Through the cannon was lush scenery, lakes, streams and waterfalls.I never thought Mexico could be as green! I think the staff on the train thought I was mad because I did not sit down for hours. There was so much to see and take photos of and if you go to the end of the carriage you can photos without a window, hence why I was on my feet for hours. Ah, it was well worth it!!!
My next stop was Creel. This is a tiny village which was a great a stop for horseriding. I asked for muy tranquilo caballo (very calm horse). I was assured this could be arranged, ha! was this a Mexican ressurance??? I had no choice but to wait and find out. To start off with it was alittle trickly as the rules of riding here are different. If you pull the rains more than once (meaning stop in England) it means go here! My horse took off several times before I realised this, but not as much as another person I was riding with, ha! I remember him shooting past me, asking me how to stop, I advised him to pull the rains, opps!!! he had never horse riden before, bless!
We rode into one of the cannons and saw a big waterfall, amazing! On the way back we were heading through the forest when it started to rain preceeding with sleat! I had a flaskback I was in England on the Quantocks!!!! We then came to a stream which looked pretty wild. I was behind the leading horse, lucky me! The leader went through, I was not so sure, nor was my horse (Toņia), who was behaving at this point! I managed to stop her and then the leader shouted to me and my horse to come, with this she went crazy as she was scared. I knew I was doomed when she went up onto a high bank. I remember looking down at this running water thinking, no!!!! again I tried to stop her she had understood what the leader had said and was off! She jumped into the stream, oh no! When in the stream I could see and smell lots of sewage coming. The rain had obviously cleared the drain, nice!!! In the middle of the stream trouble started, Toņia being in a panick fell over, with me on her up to my waste in sewage. She was stuck, did not know where to go, despite my trusting instructions! She was rearing an freaking out, just a tiny bit! I knew I was going to come off at somepoint as she was not a happy bunny. I lead her to the side and she threw he off, half in the sewage and half on the back. Phew at least I was ok and not being swept through the south of Mexico in a stream! She continued to be abit carzy after that so yeah after 4 hour ride I was pleased to see the shower!, Naughty Toņia! so yeah the Mexican meaning of calm is different to mine, ha! It was all part of the adventure though!!! I would not change my first experience of riding in Mexico.
After the excitment of Creel I heading to Chihuaha, cowboy land! I did not stay here for long as it was so hot and I did not feel at ease, but I did stay long enough to purchase a pair of cowboy boots!!
My next stop was Zacatecas. I stayed here for 4 days as it was just so nice, very clean and relaxed! Meet some really nice people and the hostel I stayed in was so cheap. The weather was perfect and lots to see. Many fab art museums among other things.
I then returned to Mexico City for my final week of work. I went back to work into the centre after I was ill as walking in the heat allday was too much. It was great to be back in the centre as I knew the routines and could spend my last few weeks with the children. Having learnt more spanish, I could now understand everything that was going on, great! I appreciate knowing more spanish, makes life easier and fun!. On my last day one of the boys was in a bad mood. I gave him too much toothpaste or more than what he wanted and he asked why whether he had teeth like a donkey! ha, ha!!!
I finished work on Tuesday which was very sad, I did a presentation and the boys did some speeches which were lovely. I am going to miss the boys and it feels funny to be leaving it all behind but of course I am excited about my travels!
I am traveling now until 24th July as I am going back for the huge party in Mexico City before I fly home which is 2nd August. After leaving the city my first stop was Tobassco. Here there is some archeology and not much else so just a quick stop to break up the 18 hour bus journey.
At the moment I am in Palenque which again is known for archeology among other things. I went to some ruins this morning. Yesterday I went to some lakes and waterfalls, truly amazing!. It is so pretty here, another one of my favourite places, partly because of the accomodation. I am staying in a little hut located in the jungle in alittle village 6km from Palenque. The village is very earthy, it really reminds me of glastonbury, Lisa and Tess you would love it!!! I was going to sleep in a hammock in the jungle but have decided against this as I am being eaten to death by insects, they really like english blood. Plus it rains alot because it is so hot. So yeah have stayed an extra day here as I like it so much! Tomorrow I am heading to San Cristobol with is another part of Chiapas. Not sure of my exact plans after Chiapas apart from from Oaxaca. A good thing about traveling, you have no plan!
I hope everyone is well. I am going to try and attach a few photos now, hope it works.
Take care and I will see you all in under a month!!
Gemma x :)
