Isla Mujeres, Mexico

After escaping the wet, cold misery of Vancouver we found ourselves in Cancun to begin our Central American adventure. We head to Isla Mujeres for a few days which is an island just off the coast of Cancun and one we had previously visited back in 2002. You might say we are locals! It also helped knowing the area given our hasty exit from Vancouver. Stick with what you know!

Isla Mujeres has also been hit hard recently by hurricane Wilma. A lot of damage and not many tourists about. Event day trippers from Cancun have stayed away. We walk to the beach where we stayed in a beach hut on our last visit called ‘Casa Maya Zazil Ha’ but it is completely destroyed. A bit concerned we head back into town and find a slightly more structurally sound hostel. A Canadian guy is wandering around who seems to be managing the place. It’s pretty bare bones and also under some repairs, concrete walls and floors, water dripping and wires hanging about but our room looks liveable and the price is on budget.

The evening comes and we struggle to find a restaurant open so we get some basic supplies and cook up dinner. the power going out constantly which is eerie after dark. The nightclub next door must have its own power as the music blared until 3am even though there was no one in it.

Day 2

Island life. We shrug off the effects of the hurricane and head to the beach for the day. This is the life, one of the best beaches ever. Hurricane or not.

Arrive back to hostel and meet an Aussie girl who has travelled north through Central America so we get a few tips of where to go. A few others have arrived also and we purchase a bottle of rum sitting on the balcony overlooking the main street of the small town. Sitting and chatting with fellow travellers sharing stories as is the way of the backpacker.

Rum was a good sedative as we didn’t hear the nightclub this time around.

Day 3

Not really beach weather today so we find a cafe to chill till lunch time then move to a restaurant for a fajita lunch, chicken, rice and black beans on tortillas. Staple Central American diet!

Back to the hostel and Canadian manager getting very annoying always complaining about this and that. We had an option to perhaps work here for a while until we figured out what to do but not with this guy!

Chat to an Aussie couple headed south like us and also found out from them that Australia made it into the World Cup Football (soccer) finals! First time in 30 years!! We had seen a free beer sign from our balcony so we went to check it out. No luck. Something about a hurricane and all the ‘free’ beer being gone. So we went to bed to enjoy the music from next door once again.