11-13th Jan 2016 - Isla Bonita - San Pedro (Belize)

As soon as we arrived on Isla Bonita by ferry ( only half an hour ride on a speedy engine boat from Caye Calker, 10$) I took a 3 hours walk around the island to check out some places to camp. I couldn't find any suitable place for our tent as the beach was narrow and the golf cars were passing by. I asked at Sandbar hostel about any rooms available and as usual there were none. We were encouraged by the hostel's owner to free camp as all the beaches are public therefore free to be used. Following the advice we put up our tent by the beach near by the hostel and camped there until we've been told on the second night to clear out the beach of the tent. The island's inspectors whose been sent by the police came over and let us know about the Belizean law that on a public beaches we are not allowed to camp. We were ready to leave the following morning. The island is nice like a previous one even better because the amount of people is spread out and it feels quieter and more chilled than the little Caye Caulker. A nice coincidence was when we were having a delicious sea food dinner by a Hungry & Grupe restaurant, we saw passing by just in front of us our friends from Columbia and Argentina: Youlady and Ignacio. We met them in Mexico in Tolum a month ago and it was such a great surprise to see them again in Belize. Since then we hang out together for the evening and following day. I did snorkelling in the second largest coral reef in the world (after Australia) here in Belize in San Pedro. Mexicans are claiming as well that their reef is the second in the world. In fact it's not very far away from the truth as Belize and Mexico are sharing the same reef. However the one from the Mexican side has nothing to do with the one from Belize. I didn't have to do scuba diving to see such a wonderful corals with incredible variety of fish, such as barracuda, different type of snappers, sharks and sting rays including huge turtles. That was such an amazing experience in one go just in 2 and half hour tour (40$) I've  managed to see impossible and only by snorkelling.   As I've mentioned before after the inspector's kind warring we had to leave San Pedro the next day. However we had got a nice impression of the island, rasta men coming and sharing with us peace and love as we had got huge towel with Bob Marley's image. By traveling with tent we attract lots of attention. Locals come over to offer their drugs services or travelers come over to admire fact of choosing such a way of traveling while they are staying in the hotels or rented houses. We've got people passing by and doing interviews and filming. I do yoga by the beach and people would like to join in but we stay only for a short period of time therefore it wouldn't work. Whenever someone joins in, just practices with me. Everyone is welcomed. We met this American guy from New York who was in a golf car with his mixed race son and his Belizean girlfriend. He was offering us some Marihuana's cockies for 5$ each. He run a cleaning company of golf cars on the island and I suppose it's not enough money to survive so he is a drugs dealer...it was sad to see an American guy who was struggling to survive in Belize. It might look like an easy country to make money but apparently it is not. After couple of night we were forced to leave and it was also a time to do so. We took off to the main land of Belize - to Hopkins.

Isla Cozumel 3 Jan 2016

2nd Jan 2016 - Isla Cozumel 

After a weekly stay we left Isla Mujeres, took a ferry to Puerto Juerez and a collectivo (local bus) to Cancun, then changed for Playa De Carmen. Took a ferry to Isla Cozumel. It took as approx 5 hours. The distances are not big but the journey takes always ages. It looks like the Traditional Mexican charm is gone. This place is fully dominated by Gringos (Americans). The food in the restaurants is crap, all junk food. Plenty of price hotels and even a hostel (bed friends) seems to be a hotel. Just for 1 bed is 30$ which is totally unacceptable in Mexico while usual dorms cost 10$. Even if it looked like there is no way we could free camp we found just a perfect spot by the coral sea. We are camping under the palms in a park on the beach near by a very chilled out local bar.  Maybe the one we are lying by is not that local. But still is very relaxing and nicely immersed in the colour of torquiest water and coral rives. Cafe Del mare opens very late around 10.30am therefore if you are an early bird then it's not s place for you to have a breakfast. On top of that the service is very slow and the food average, I would say the Mexican food is not their strength. Definitely I wouldn't recommend the chilaquiles as they were made from leftovers and for a dog rather then for people. Really bad choice in terms of food, but a great choice for a drink and chill out on the mattresses on the beach. The day after each trip we feel tired so we need to chill out and just rest. Swimming, sleeping, sunbathing and eating is our motto. According to what we've been told the colours of water are impressive because of the coral rives. The torquiest warm water is inviting to stay there for ages. The colourful fish and corals are amazing to watch while swimming. It is an island worthy of visit. Tomorrow we will rent a scooter (30$) and will across the island to the spectacular white sand deserted beaches. Apparently there is nobody and nothing but the nature. The beaches are wonderful but a little Cabañas style bars/restaurants are all packed by Americans. We went to one Cenote (natural lake) to catch up with crocodiles and it was nice experience to have just in front of us the crocodile. Thinking that it was a fake one after it opened a big mouth we didn't doubt it any more. The island Cozumel is the biggest one (40km) comparing to the previous ones we visited such as Holbox (4km) and Isla Mujeres (20km). It took us 7 hours to ride a scooter around and stop by the beaches. Puenta Sur - the most extreme southern part of the island was interesting because of a rasta- men Caribbean style Cabañas (hats) and cool all sorts of t-shirts hanging on to the walls and from the ceilings. The charm would be bigger if it wasn't all overtaken by loud heavy drinkers and junky food eaters Americans. Unfortunately Mexicans instead of promoting their lovely traditional tacos, empanadas and quesadillas dishes are taking over from tasteless American fast food. Neither the less there is still some space left to enjoy the most of Mexican experience if someone wants to. Over the Puenta Sur (southern point) there were nice Caribbean white sandy beaches with turquoise water. The characteristic of Cozumel island is the cristal and transparent blue Caribbean Sea colour water with a white sandy beaches on one side and the corals riffs on the other side. The corals side is the most populated, this is where all the cruisers and ferries stop by. The other beaches side is only reachable by bike or car if you rent one. We weren't impressed by the island so far because it hardly looked any different from Florida. All totally developed. We spent 3 nights there and the last morning I was attached by termites. I've ended up with infraction all over body with huge spots and if that wasn't enough day earlier the current was really strong therefore I ended up trapped by thousands of jelly fish with lots of burned marks across my body. There is always some crazy experience on each island and each place we end up. Let's see what's going to happen on the way to Belize down to Bacalar (still in Mexico). 

Bacalar 6-9Jan 2016

Eventually after a nice full breakfast (fruit, cheese and ham omelette, tacos with frijoles - beans, coffee, toasts) in a cabana near our free camp space by a summer residency of a Mexican president we took a ferry and got back to the shore of Playa de Carman. Again this is not our favourite Mexican destination as it's full of Gringos (Americans). After I took a swim in not so clear but still warm  sandy water we took a bus to Bacalar (6 hours drive 10$ each). A. wasn't feeling great as he hurt his back therefore couldn't band at all. Once we arrived in Bacalar it was already dark around 8pm. We took a walk with our backpacks down to Laguna (8 blocks from the town) and then walked around the coast. Finally we stopped by the Three Monkeys hostel where we found a camping space (6$ each including breakfast) just by the water. The lake seems to be surrounded by the balmear areas. It was very hard by night to walk with our bags around the lake and find a spot for a free camping. The hostel is very nice, they offer you a nice breakfast including as big as you wish ball of fruit salad plus toasts, marmalade and coffee. At the end we would spend the same by just having a breakfast in a restaurant while here we also have access to the bathroom, shower and wifi. The place is great with some boats, in fact we are going for sailing midday (3h trip, visiting two cenotes, 15$each). The tours are still worth of prices. This is so cool that you can travel and live in Mexico on a low budget and still having quality life style. 

The sailing was great with such a strong wind. We sailed around the Laguna and get to Cenote (95m depth). Finally I've managed to do a free diving down in the whole. The water was warm and transparent thought you couldn't see through with such a depth. The sun's rays were shining through while I was diving. It was such a magical moment. I didn't have problem with the blood pressure while descending  down which is quite unusual. This made me go deeper and deeper without realising how far down I was. It was a pretty scary to cone back up to the surface considering that in a fresh water lake the time of getting up is much slower thank in a salt sea water. Today is a day of departure from Mexico to Belize - the Cristal water Caribbean paradise. 

Just sitting on the deck of a little dock of Laguna in Bacalar still in darkness waiting for a sunrise. With the music of the birds and frogs writing and contemplating. It's such a magic time when nobody is around but me and the nature. The sunrise here is very late around 7.30am and the colours are amazing.