Country: Mexico.
City: Mexico City.
Currency: 1Euro = 10.2 Mexico Pesos

Arrival Date: Jan 16th.

I made it across the border and into Mexico to a town called Palenque, in the state of Chiapas!! woo hoo!! I´m excited to be here and kinda sad too cos it seems like the end of another part of my journey!! In a week or so I´ll be heading out of Central America and up to the States!! Anyway I got to the town of Palenque and to be honest I was kinda disappointed!! It was more developed then I was expecting and had a lot of tourists walking about! I guess it´s funny how you tend to get used to and like the more remote places even if they are really shitty, they seem more real or something!! hehee anyway the good thing about being in a tourist town I guess is that the internet is a LOT cheaper here then in the more remote places!!

Later I checked out the town a bit, moved into a hostal and bought a ticket for the Mayan Ruins, some of which are shown below, then the waterfall "Misol-Ha" and the Cascades called "Agua Azul" for Friday morning. I just took it easy for the rest of the day cos I was pretty tired after getting up and travelling for 8 hours to get to Palenque. I was in a room with Clinton from Oz, Leo from Switzerland, a guy from Korea and another from Japan that I can´t remember their names and even if I could I probably wouldn´t be able to spell them right anyway!! So I had checked out my mail and ate before heading back to the hostal where we all just chatted for a while before going to sleep.

Date: Friday the 17th, 8pm

I got up this morning and headed off to Las Ruinas with the Japanese guy who only spoke Spanish!! Which I thought was kinda weird but there you go!! We kinda communicated a bit and walked around the ruins for a little while together before heading off to explore on our own! There were pretty much the same as the ruins in Tikal but you could actually go inside some of these Temples and explore which was pretty cool!! I walked all around all the sections and different "groups" where the Mayans lived through the jungle all by myself this time which was really cool. I had a guide for Tikal so I knew pretty much what everythign was and what it was used for so exploring on my own this time was fun!

It`s really beautiful there and they had a much more extensive water system then in Tikal. There were huge waterfalls in the middle of the jungle where they channeled the water all over the complex!! It`s just amazing there and the views again are just spectacular!! Not as much as Tikal though I think! So on my way back out to the entrance to check the one and only map of the place to make sure I didn`t miss anything I bumped into Leo (the guy from my room) so I walked back in for another hour with him before heading out to meet the bus to bring me to Misol-Ha.

So at about 12.30pm we headed off in the bus to Misol-Ha a huge waterfall which was really impressive to see but not really that special. I guess you start to become a bit used to seing these sights when you see a few they don`t appear as spectacular. But it was still really beautiful. We only stayed there for a half an hour before heading out to Agua Azul which was spectacular!! It was a huge big river that has loads of huge cascades flowing down the rocks and you can walk all the way along the river past the cascades for ages! I walked all the way along for about 20mins and just before heading up there I bumped into Yada and Svia that I had hung out with in Roatan!! They were just walking back and were about to get on their bus! Mad how that happens!! So I chatted with them for a few minutes before heading up the the river.

We stayed there until about 5pm and hopped on the bus and got back to Palenque at about 6.30pm. I went and got something to eat and then just updated the site and checked some emails before heading back to the hostal. Clinton and Leo had gone but the Asian guys were still there. I was pretty tired so I just went to bed as I had to get my bus to San Cristobal de Las Casas at 7.45am. So off to sleep!

Date: Saturday the 18th, 5pm

I`m here!! In San Cristobal de Las Casas and finalled up to date with my diary!! woo hoo!! If you see below there's where I crossed the Usumacinta River from Guatemala and arrived in Palenque to then travel down to San Cristobal. So now I only have a few days updates from Belize that I need to update but I have that written down so I can do that whenever. The bus journey was pretty nice for $7 it took about 5 hours to get here this morning. I arrived at about 1pm and tried to find the Youth Hostal that Leo said to go to. I asked one or two people for directions and a look at their maps from their guide books as I don`t have one for Mexico!!! So far travelling without a book has been fine cos everyone else has one!!! hrehehee So I walked to the general area where the hostal was and found it! Or at least a place I thought was it! I checked in and I`m in a really nice big room with eight beds really spaced out, no bunk beds which is nice and windows on all sides of the room!! Because we`re up on the third floor there is a really nice view of the whole city!!

It`s very beautiful there for only 40 pesos it`s great!! It`s called Posada Mexico and had a kitchen, TV, music, library and a really nice courtyard on the roof for sitting out in the sun!! I went out for a walk around the city then and did some sightseeing for a few hours. Got something to eat, did some shopping, checked my mail and then bumped into Paulo and Julia a couple from Italy that were on the tour in Palenque with me!! hehee Then as I was walking along some street somewhere I saw the ACTUAL Youth Hostal where I was supposed to go to! So I dropped in and found Leo who was staying there as well!! So tonight we`re gonna head out for drinks and maybe try out a Cuban place that I saw somewhere!! Well I have no guide book or map so I just wander about and try to find things by remembering them!!! heheee It`s fun though! So I`m off!! Will update again soon! Hopefully the Cuban place will be good tonight!!

Date: Monday the 20th, 8pm

Well we went out the other night and tried the Cuban place which was pretty good! I ended up dancing with a Mexican guy and having lots of fun before we headed off to another club that was recomnmened to us called "Las Velas" !! It was great but had the most varied mix of music I´ve ever heard in my life! We were planning on trying out a few other places but then when we ordered some drinks they came out two for one all night!! So we ended up staying there for the night and well into the morning!! I got up at about 11.30am Sunday very tired!! But managed somehow to organise myself for leaving that night for Oaxaca at 10pm before checking out and Leo called over.

We were going to get a few things done during the day like get some photocopies done and then make a trip out to see some sights outside the town. Only thing was it took us so long to find a place that was open on Sunday and that could photocopy a book that it was too late to go anywhere by the time we had done that so we just sat in the park instead!! While we were there some kids asked us for money for their school (which was a scam) but Leo gave one girl some money...bad idea... cos then they ALL wanted some! When he didn´t give them ALL money, they shouted at him and called him names!! It was really bad and a lady sweeping the streets beside us saw the whole thing and started talking to us after they left.

We had a really nice chat with her for ages and she told us how she worked 7 days a week for 8 hours a day for about 1000pesos a month, which is about 100Euro!! She had eight kids and her husband has left her! So we chatted to her about everything, how the Mexican kids are spoiled by tourists giving them money nowadays and how she lived her life and looked after her kids. She told us that they started work themselves after the age of about 12!!! You really feel priviledged to be able to work in a good job and live in a nice house and have the ability to save and travel to places and see how other people live! It really makes you appreciate what you´ve got!! Later we chatted to an american lady who owned a book shop there and that was really interesting too!! After we went and got something to eat before going to the cinema to watch Minority report, I´d already sen it but figured I´d go watch it before getting my bus to Oaxaca at 10pm.

City: Oaxaca.

So I made it here to Oaxaca this morning at 11am after a very long overnight trip for about 12hours!! I think I slept most of the way bus wasn´t very comfortable for some reason! Maybe cos I was sitting up in a bus!! boooo !! Anyway I found my way to the Hostal that a few people recommended to me and checked in. I was pretty tired so decided to take a rest for a while and woke up at 3pm!! Doh! but no harm cos I´m going to stay here until Wednesday before heading to Mexico city so I have all day tomorrow to check out the town and relax! Well I´m heading back to the hostal now to rob someone´s guidebook for an hour as I dont have one for Mexico!! It´s been going ok travelling without one so far, I´ve been finding places easily enough...I even walked from the bus station today and found the hostal no problem!! well til tomorrow! good night!

Date: Tuesday the 21st, 4pm

Well last night was great fun!!! I headed upstairs to the rooftop terrace and found two guys from Colorado Chris and Josh, Wendy from The Netherlands and a guy from Bristol Mark Giordmaine (see I told you you´d get a mention Mark! heheee) So we all arrnaged to meet up later as I went to get something to eat and drink first. When I finally got back and went upstairs there was about 15 people on the roof all playing guitar and singing songs!! This singing and drinking Mezcal (bad idea!) was really great fun though and went on til about 3am when most people disappeared off to bed then! I think I got up at about 12 today and spent the day lazing about, hanging out with Mark, walked about in Oaxaca, went sightseeing, ate and bought my ticket for Mexico City for Wednesday morning! Today was a real lazy day though but a really great day too!! It was so nice to just chill and not make any decisions about where I was going or what I was doing! heehe Very Nice!!

City: Mexico City.
Date: Wednesday the 22nd, 9.45pm

The bus journey from Oaxaca was about 6 hours today which wasn´t too bad as it was nice and comfortable. It was funny seeing the difference in the landscape from Palenque where there was just rainforest and then up to San Cristobal where it turns more into forest, then in Oaxaca it changes again to cactus!! After that it was kinda palm trees and a differnt type of cactus of some sort the rest of the way to Mexico City!! The mountains were just amazing though!!! Anyway I made it to the city, hopped in a taxi and got to the hostal Moneda which was full so I tried the next one on my list Hostal Cathedral!

It´s quite a nice place right in the centre of the City behind the Cathedral and there is a rooftop terrace with the most spectacular view of the main square "Zocolo" and the Cathedral and the rest of the city for that matter!! Here you can check out a few Pictures of the city. There is a kitchen with all mod cons even a microwave!! (the first one I´ve seen in a hostal!!) Then there are only four to a room and you get a keycard to get into the building and into your room too! There are lockers in the room as well for your pack and a sink, toilet and shower with hot water!! woo hoo! There is internet access and a bar downstairs. You get nice clean sheets and breakfast is included all for 10 dollars!! Not Bad if I say so myself! But that was with my youth card...if you´re an old fogie then you pay 12!! hehehe

So I sorted myself out in my room and headed around the city just seeing where stuff was and kinda looking for somewhere to eat too for a few hours before it started to get dark so I got myself one of those fantastic giant fruit smoothies again and headed back to the hostal where I bumped into Wendy from The Netherlands that I had met in the hostal in Oaxaca!! We hung out for a while and chatted to a few people before heading to bed cos I´m pretty tired and we have decided to go to the Pyrimids for the day tomorrow!! Excellent!!!

Date: Friday the 24th, 6.40pm

WOW!!! the Pyrimids were just amazing yesterday!! I spent the morning organising myself to stay another few days in Mexico city as two days just wasn´t enough! So I managed to get a hold of the AA desk who were useless in trying to change my ticket!! In the end I had to go to the office itself in "Zona Rosa" before we went to the pyrimids. I went with Wendy and Paul from England, we took the metro which is really easy to find your way about and got to the office where in about 60seconds flat I had a new ticket for Sunday!! Woo hoo!! I get time to meet a friend of mine from the City now and go out for the next few days sightseeing!! cool!!

Well we got the train to the bus terminal and the bus out to the pyrimids and back for a total of 50pesos instead of taking the tour for 150!! Well what can I say about the Pyrimids!! WOW!! They are amazing!! How they managed to construct the Pyrimid del Sol and Luna without the Wheel, pack animal or tools!! Unbelieveable!! They had to be the most spectacular site I´ve been to yet! We spent the day there and saw all there was to see and walked to the 2 mile long "Avenue of the Dead" before getting the bus and train back to the city at 5pm. After a spot of shopping we found the "House of Turkey" "Casa de la Pavo" and I had the yummiest dinner of roast turkey and fried potatoes there before grabbing and ice cream for desert and heading back to the hostal for a drink! Wow it was a long tiring day!! But a great one!

Today I got up and met Paul at breakfast as well as Liz from England too!! We went to the Anthropology museum which is huge and took the whole day almost to get through!! We did about two hours of checking out all the artifacts, clothes, potery etc..etc..there was so much there so see and read about! But then we took a break for lunch after which we headed back in for another two hours!! At this stage I couldn't take in any more information about the Africans or the Mayans or the Mexicans any more so we decided to call it a day in the museum and head to the zoo for the rets of the day. I thought to myself oh it'll be great cos I hadn't been to a zoo in years!! But it was rather depressing actually...the monkeys and lions and tigers were just pacing up and down in their cages and there was a black panther that had a big fat stomach that was wondering about in it's little enclosure too!! It's was really sad to see them there like that! So off back to the hostal then and tonight we're all going to meet a friend of mine Vianey and head out dancing!! woo hoo!!

Date: Sunday the 26th, 10.10pm

Oh the dancing was fantastic on Friday night!!! Vianey and her fiends came to pick us up. We all squashed into their car and headed off to another part of the city that we never would have found by ourselves (that's the great thing about knowing someone who lives in a city you're visiting!!) to a place called Mama Rumba's and it was great!!! There was salsa music there all night and I met a Cuban instructor called Edel and his students, who were out for the night too! We danced a lot and had a really fun night only for the fact that the place was so crowded and you were all squashed in this little dancefloor! But they did have a live band playing and it was great fun dancing with Vianey's friends too!! Later Edel told me about the Mexican National Salsa Championships that were being held the next day at 4pm and so he gave me the address if I wanted to go!! Did I want to go!! Are you kidding!!

We got home at some stage after 3am or so and went to bed!! Saturday morning I decided to take a stroll about the city centre for a change from seeing stuff far away and as I still hadn't been to the Cathedral I though I better do that first! I met Paul again and Julie from Boston at breakfast and we all went together to the Cathedral which was just amazing!! It was huge!! It had two 30ft (or something like that...pretty tall anyway!!) organs in there that they still played! The most amazing ceiling, altar, paintings etc...Then we went across the road to the Zocalo and then into the National Palace where they had the famous Mural by renowned Mexican artist Diego Rivera. The murals depict Mexican history from the time of the conquest to the revolution of 1910.

Later I got ready and met up with Vianey, her sister and her friend Edgar who drove us all to the Salsa Championships but it took us that long to find the right place that the salsa part was actaully over when we got there!! We did however get to see the National Mexican Dancing Championship final!! This was great!! I though so anyway! Vianey and Edel weren't too impressed with them! There were loads fo couples all dressed up in the National dress of each state and wearing cowboy boots and hats and some had sombreros and the whole lot!! They even danced to the typical Mexican music that I would associate with the country!! I though it was really great! hehehee So after that was over they presented the Salsa medals and then we got to see the first, second and third place winners dance so at least that was something! hhehee

Later we went out to dinner and then headed to a club called Bailleros just a few blocks from the hostal where I got to dance with Edel again!! It was fantastic to dance with such a good dancer again but a bit too complicated for me sometimes! hehee It seems I'm not up to scratch after three months of slacking off the salsa!! hehehe Myself and Vianey headed back to the hostal then at about 1am as we were both pretty tired and off to bed I went!! This morning I got up and packed up my stuff to check out by 10am! Then Vianey called over to say goodbye to me!! You know what she is one of the nicest people I've met!! The hospitality just goes beyond what you would expect!! I'm soo glad we managed to meet up and hang out together and we'll definitely have to meet up again whenever or wherever!!

So I said goodbye to everyone and hopped in a cab with a guy I just bumped into at the hostal that was also going to the airport! ok ok so some people say you shouldn't get a cab in Mexico City on the streets, but at the hostal they were telling us 120pesos EACH!!! to get to the airport!! I'm sorry but it's Definitely not that much!! especially each! So off we went to the street outside and got a perfectly nice taximan who dropped us straight to the AA part of the airport for 70 Between us!! Hello!! so we gave him a tip on top of that too! And now my time in Central America and Mexico comes to an end!! AAAwwwww It's kinda like coming to the end of a holiday or something but just to go on another one!! hehheee Somewhere where they have flushing toilets and you can actually flush the toilet paper too!! How Bizarre!! Well check out the Dallas section to see what happened next! Adios Mexico! I'll be back!

Here are the photos!!

(Back to my Itinerary.)