The random things you find on a Mexican road!!!

So I don't feel like writing too much right now, it's not because I have nothing to write about, I might just let my photos do most of the talking!

Last Sunday, Gigi, Carlotta, Alecia and I hired a car for 2 days to check out some more of Mexico....and what a glorious country it is. Some of the most boring roads to drive down, like nothing just jungle (which might sound exciting, but it's not) but seeing the clear blue sky makes it all the worth while! Oh and a few other random things in/on the roads, like trees growing out of the middle of the road (yep), speed bumps randomly appearing when you're driving down the motorway (yep), children walking and riding there bikes down the motoway (yep), dogs in the road, dead dogs getting eaten by crows in the road, and even police dogs just randomly running out into the road in front of you...but don't question it, this is Mexico. On the Sunday we headed to Tulum and the Maya ruins there, about an hour south of Playa Del Carmen. And on the Monday we headed to Chichen Itza and the Maya ruins there.

Tulum

The beast

Sunday evening on a beach about 20-30 minutes north of Playa

The following day....

Chichen Itza

I dunno what all the Western world was thinking was gonna happen in 2012, cos the Mayans clearly didn't think the same.

Stopping off at Valladolid on route back to Playa

Also on Sunday, Alicia and I moved into our now homestay, we didn't speak with the family much that week, they were a bit antisocial, but it was still an experience, living in the real Playa Del Carmen, a lot less touristy. No one spoke English in the area which was good, and it was only a half an hour walk to school, or Solexico. A great Spanish school, they put me in the beginners class, which I was a bit P'ved off with at first, but it kinda filled in a lot of the gaps that I've missed (as my Spanish is about 95% self taught). Real helpful and friendly staff there, really good teachers, nice people and great to tell you about Mexican culture. And more salsa lessons, this time it was solo so it was a bit easier, but still a great laugh.

Our homestay

This is how cheap this area was, this half chicken was about £1.50

...And my washing with well over two weeks of clothes was about £3

One of my classrooms

Alicia's free fiery birthday shot

Playa Del Carmen translates as Calm beach, which is pretty true, when I went in the sea I swam out for a long distance and could still touch the bed, but the blues of the sea are amazing. Had a few runs along the beach as the sun was setting. Real nice area.

We then headed up to Cancún on Saturday as it was closer to the airport.....we got an amazing surprise upon arrival .....CARNIVAL!!!! Half naked girls, dancers, £1.75 litres of beer, cheap drinks, wrestling, shows, food, good spirits everywhere. We weren't in the touristy area either, everyone there was Mexican, and again didn't speak English. I only went to Cancún because I had to, it ended up being an amazing way to spend my last night in Mexico. And I got to watch Saints for the first time this year.......ah yeah. COYR!!!!

My hostel 

Para mi papá

CARNIVAL

"What happens in Carnival...."

...how to finish your carnival"

"Discover...

Mexico, you are amazing, you really are. You're people are so friendly, but my god you really don't care. When we first got there and Gigi said that they're accents were hard to understand due to them having a lazy slur, but I didn't get it, but now I'm in Peru I can understand their Spanish so much more clearly. They really do have an attitude of "It doesn't effect me, so I don't really see why I should care"....but it's Mexico, I'm not criticising it or them at all, this is what makes Mexico what it is! Don't expect people to go out of there way for you here, but do expect them to be friendly and have an amazingly epic time with you in this beautiful land. And never ever ask for directions, you WILL be told completely different things by everyone you ask! But it adds to the excitement of travelling, right?!?!?!?! And be expected to see some pretty random stuff!

I flew out of Cancún, Mexico early Sunday morning  and arrived in San Salvador, El Salvador in the afternoon before heading onto my next destination, Lima, Peru! After just over 6 weeks away, I returned again to the Southern Hemisphere and back to summer!

Flying over Mexico....

...And into El Salvador

First off, thank you Jorge for your massive message full of local knowledge and advice, shame you couldn't make it down to your homelands, but still awesome and thank you very much. I stayed in 151 hostel in Miraflores District, great spot, great hostel (really the staff are amazing there, I'm gonna stay there again on Sunday night when I return to Lima. I got there fairly late Sunday, hooped in my taxi, got to my hostel and chilled with the owner and his friend there.

A 10-bed dorm all to myself.

The following day, Monday, yesterday, I planned my week, booked my stuff, before taking a self-tour of the Miraflores District of Lima. Following, again, some of Jorge's recommendations!

It really didn't start out too clear yesterday...great lookout!!! ? !!!

Turn less than 180 degrees on this road....

....and this appears! 

Huaca Pucllana

A hairless, harmless guard dog!

It did clear up though!

I left Lima last night on a 12 hour bus ride, arriving in Chiclayo, where I did some tours today, and I am staying tonight. More tours tomorrow, before heading up to Chachapoyas, and eventually back down to Lima.

Museo De SitioTúcume

Museo Tumbas Reales Del Señor De Sipán

A once alive Warrior at Museo De Sito Huaca Rajada - Sipán

A priest with all of his skeletons that were sacrificed

Two months till I am back in England, actually starting the last leg of my travels now (unlike when I said I was when I started in Central America!), 2 months is a long time to be away, but where I've been gone so long 2 months really feels just around the corner....crazy (for me anyway).

I've only been in Peru for just over two days now, but I kinda like it already. What I've seen of the scenery is amazing. Lima is awesome, not too sure about Chiclayo (where I am at the moment, seems a bit more hectic than Lima). The Peruvians I've meet though have all been so friendly and so helpful (except maybe our tour guide today, I've never known anyone to make it so obvious that they wanted to go home), and hardly anyone speaks English here so I've been really having to speak my broken Spanish, and I think I'm slowly getting there, they're very patient with me here too whilst I try, and I've even been having a few conversations. Really looking forward to the rest of my time here! And it's kinda nice being on my own again, another new continent to spread Mikeish!

...And that still took my ages to do!!!!