Thankful to arrive before dark I had booked a night at Three Monkeys Hostel, the reviews spoke of chilled vibes, a good place to meet new people and enjoy the rooftop views. Perfect and just what I was looking for. I said my goodbyes to my travel companions and was back on my own. After…
Author: aimtowanderlust
Be the change you want to see in the world - Gandhi
the land of the eternal spring
Teaming up with a couple of girls, the border crossing from San Ignacio, Belize to Flores, Guatemala was fairly straightforward, although we forgot all the research and planning as the hawkers at the border zoomed in on us to change money and offer taxi rides. On the other side the English speaking comfort was gone…
a gift to pop wuj
100 days on the road and I’m not going to lie it’s been more than I ever could have imagined. I’ve seen some absolute beauty, met some incredible people and had experiences that have filled my heart and soul. However off the tourist track, I’ve also seen some things that have made my heart break….
go slow but keep moving
My first border crossing that required an immigration process that didn’t involve an airport was fairly smooth sailing. However as I was buying my ferry ticket they explained I needed proof that I flew into Mexico and a print out of the ticket highlighting specific departure taxes. This I did not have and I certainly…
an all inclusive hostel and the mexican finale
Tulum is a famous stop for many along the backpacking trail. We had a got wind of an all inclusive hostel that sounded too good to be true. Imagine on a backpacking budget suddenly being able to drink, eat, and play as much as you wanted for the one inclusive price. For around $40 NZD…
playa & isla número tres
Playa Del Carmen (or just Playa as it’s commonly referred to as) is about a 45 minute colectivo ride south of Cancún. I decided to stay at The Yak Hostel thinking it would be a good place to recharge and detox for a couple of days before heading across to Isla Cozumel. This lasted one…
island magic – uno, dos
The beach was calling my name once again so jumped on yet another bus, this time to Chiquilá, then a 30 minute ferry across to Isla Holbox, a small island at the top of the Yucatán Peninsula. Lisa from Germany was heading the same way and so our island adventures began. Isla número uno: Isla…
off the beaten track and the most touristy place yet
Before finally leaving the beautiful town of Mérida for Valladolid, I thought it would be fitting to frequent Marlin Azul for a third and final time. Taking some new friends from the hostel we went all out with ceviche and tacos and fish fillets. Muy deliciosa!! Teamed up with Carlos who was also leaving for…
the safest city in Mexico
Mérida is a place less heard about on the backpacking trail but it seemed a logical place to spend a couple of days before heading closer to the Yucatán Coast. A planned couple of days turned into 8 days but for me it was a welcome retreat away from being a tourist. The hostel was amazing…
jungle everywhere
I heeded my fellow backpacker’s warnings about the night buses through the north eastern Chiapas region (I know I already did a night bus and sure it would have been fine but when you hear first accounts of stories you learn along the way), and opted for an early 6:00am bus to get to Palenque…
the fresh mountain air
A super air conditioned night bus from humid Mazunte saw me arrive to a very different climate (almost 10-15° colder) in the mountainous state of Chiapas, in the beautiful colonial town of San Cristóbal de las Casas. Arriving bright and early the town was not yet awake except for some street cleaners. I made my…
get me to the coast
Time to leave the lovely city of Oaxaca and head to the Pacific Coast of Mexico. I decided to skip on the more touristy Puerto Escondido and head to a small hippie town called Mazunte. It was a windy 6 hour trip through the mountains but I was lucky to get the front seat of…
aimtowanderlust 