The onward journey to Mexico, Yucatan started early in the morning. The flight from Costa Rica was short and the border control went quickly. However, it took 2 hours to check the luggage. Extremely many people arrived in Cancun. I quickly found the place where I could pick up the rental car. I also waited about 1.5 hours there. Finally, I was able to take the VW Passat, my companion, for the next 2.5 weeks.

The two-hour journey to Pisté near the Chichen Itza started. I enjoyed the ride with good music. Soon I found out that the Mexicans were not so strict about the rules and lanes here. There were also many speed pumps and the speed limit changed very often. Over the time I got along with that. The current problem was that I hadn’t had the opportunity to withdraw Peso in cash from an ATM. I hoped to find an ATM on the way. However, I didn’t find one. Arrived at the first freeway toll stop, I was able to pay with my remaining USD. At the second toll stop, I didn’t have any cash. So, I was there without money. The employee there was so nice, he wrote down his number that I should top up his mobile credit for the money he lends me. After I checked in at the hotel, I did it right away. The hotel with the pool and hotel room was very nice. I walked around the village and ate a couple of tacos with a beer.

After a delicious breakfast outside by the pool, I went to the famous Chichen Itza temple as early as possible. However, I was not the only one with that idea and the parking lot was already full. I was able to park a few hundred meters away from the entrance. Fortunately, I didn’t have to queue that long. However, there were extreme many people here. Anyway, the Mayan temple complex was very impressive and I enjoyed a few hours here. In the afternoon I felt like to go for a swim. So, while driving around I found a nice small Cenote where there were almost no tourists. A Cenote is a limestone hole created by the collapse of a cave ceiling and filled with fresh water. Bathing here was very refreshing. I went to a small grill for dinner. There was just the daily menu which was really delicious.

The next day I went further north to the sea. To Rio Lagartos. At first, I was stopped at a police control because I didn’t have a car license plate in front. Who checks whether the rental company has a license plate at the front and back? I will definitely do this in the future. After the shock I went to a beautiful beach. Later I drove to the famous Pink Lake. Fortunately, I spoke some Spanish. That helped me with the police control as well as here. People are a little more open-minded when you try the local language. And since I am learning the language anyway, it worked out very well for me. After lunch I checked into the small hotel by the sea. I had a beautiful balcony with a sea view and enjoyed it for the time being. Rio Lagartos is a nice little town. I paused on my walk and enjoyed an iced coffee and had a delicious fresh fish for dinner.

The trip to Merida took a little longer. I also had to refuel the car for the first time and couldn’t find the stupid button to open the fuel cap. The nice employee of the gas station helped me with that. You just had to click on the gas cap and it opened. Well. I am blonde, a tourist and nobody knows me here … After he had filled my car (the petrol stations here are served for everybody), I continued. The streets are great to drive. Not too much traffic and only a police check every now and then. Except when you come to the city of Merida. Here it turned out again, street lines and speed boards are only for decoration. At least they keep a lot of distance from the car. Somehow, I arrived at the hotel. However, there was no parking space here. So, I just stopped at the roadside in front of the hotel. They organized me a parking lot nearby. So, my car was safe for the next two days.

It was a little colder here in Merida. With a jacket I went for a walk in the city and finally found a barista. The first good coffee since New Zealand. After I enjoyed my Cappuccino I continued walking around in the capital of the state of Yucatan. Since it was already evening, I quickly found a place to have dinner with a glass of wine and a margarita.

The next morning after my breakfast with granola and fresh fruits, I continued walking around Merida. I visited the cathedral, the plaza Grande and the market. I really love markets in every country. I have the feeling of experiencing life and people here much closer. Here I also bought some snacks such as fresh fruits and nuts. In the evening before dinner, I trained a bit in the hotel room. Since I didn’t feel completely safe alone in the city at night, I didn’t go out and went to bed after the late dinner.

The drive to Uxmal was very short. I arrived before noon. The people at the hotel told me that they have a huge group of tourists and that is why the upgraded me to the lodge opposite the street. I was allowed to move into the room already and the concierge explained to me that the temple complex was directly across the street. I also had a view of one of the temples from my room. After I ate my banana, nuts and crackers for lunch, I went on a discovery tour. The ruins here and the whole landscape was impressive. Besides that, there were almost no tourists here. I also visited a chocolate museum across the street. This told the story of cocoa and how it came to Europe from Central and South America. They also demonstrated how the right cocoa drink from that time was brewed here. Since it was really only cocoa, the drink was relatively bitter. Traditionally you could spice it up with sugar and chilli. It tastes different than you know it but I definitely liked it.

After my beloved breakfast, I trained a bit and took it easy. After a two-hour drive, I arrived in the city of Campeche. First, I had lunch at the seaside. Since my car was parked in the middle of the sun, the nice gentlemen there had covered my window from the car with cardboard and had taken it away as soon as I came back. Sometimes it is nice to be a woman. With my Spanish I could at least ask for the parking lot, check in and ask about the sights. I went to the cultural centre (that is called like this) and on to a street with many cafes and restaurants. There I drank a traditional Mexican chocolate and enjoyed the warmth and sun. In the evening I enjoyed the sunset by the sea and watched the cormorants. I really liked Campeche. It is a quiet city with colourful houses. Unfortunately, I only had one night here. So, my journey went on the long way to Palenque.

After two hours I arrived at a gas station somewhere in the middle of nowhere. I switched off the engine, the employee refilled the tank for me and a car full of police men waited behind me to be able to refuel too. I wanted to drive away … and the engine didn’t start. I tried several times until one of the policemen came to me. He asked me where I came from and where I wanted to go. The other police officers also came. They looked at the engine from my car and told me that everything looked fine. The cooling also works. The engine and petrol are probably just too warm after the long journey in this heat. So, I waited a few minutes and the police got into a conversation to calm me down. After a while I tried again and the engine started. So, I went on with the fear that my car might not start again at some point on the journey. Nevertheless, I stopped for lunch at a restaurant in Villahermosa.

To be continued…

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