Three nights in Havana was well enough, in fact I was done after I'd arrived. Unfortunately a bum steer in the location and place where I stayed attributed to the lack of enjoyment I had in the city. Understanding now the area I should have stayed, places I should have visited; if known earlier, I could have possibly been quite taken by the place. The next destination was Vinales. My stresses were already lessening on the 7 hour bus ride as we rode through some of the most green and luscious fields and mountains I'd seen. Upon arrival we were flocked with women at the bus station hounding us to stay at a room in their house. This was actually a favourable event, as it took the search out of our hands and was right at our feet. We went with one woman who was relentless and it turned out to be an alright place. The owner was a real kook, but it made us laugh everyday at her strange behaviour.
The following day we rode horses through Vinales mountains. We stopped at a cigar farm, coffee farm, waterfall and a lake. It was a pleasant experience. The scenery reminded me soo much of Borneo. The next day we were on the road again, next stop Ceinfuegos. Not a lot to report on the place, we ended up staying just the one night as the attractions were all long distances away and very expensive, and we could see much the same at the next place. I bought a nice pair of sandals to replace ones that broke, that was my highlight of the town. On the road again, we took a bus to Trinidad. This is the place we were all mostly looking forward too. Same deal upon arrival, and I nominated to go and pick from the screaming crowd which one would be our home for our stay. A young woman with a nice smile who first took my attention was the winner. We were incredibly pleased with our rooms, and we had a reasonable stay whilst there. In Trinidad we spent a few hours at the beach one day, we rode horses to some waterfalls on another. Met up with some lovely Sydney gals and had some drinks on the steps at Casa De La Musica. We also went to a nightclub inside a cave which provided interesting entertainment (the put my friend on a table and lifted it with their mouths whilst she was blindfolded holding a snake). We ate some great food whilst there (especially for Cuba) and enjoyed the charm of the cobblestone roads and horse and cart transport. Of course, we encountered many issues as you do in Cuba, with constantly being asked for money (entrance fee, tip for waiter, tip for each individual band and dance act that performed, pay for the revolting toilets....shall I continue!) stopping a tour and asking for more than the agreed price or we would be turned around, paid twice the price for water from stores which were labelled, simply because you were a tourist. We experienced not being given change from a $20 for one drink, being hassled upon leaving the casa for an extra $15 per night... It was endless. We were becoming very exhausted by the constant battery. It was so unfortunate because I think Trinidad could have been such a highlight, but as with everything in Cuba, there was just so much low light.
Our next and final destination was Veradero. A lot of travellers skip this place because it is "touristy" aka for holiday makers, but this was by far the most pleasant of places we stayed. We had a man scoop us up upon arrival and take us to his Casa just a few metres away. We had our own private room, with bathroom, kitchen and balcony. We were 100m from the beach and in the centre of the town. We really scored well with this one, with the most accomodating and kind hearted owner, even changed all our linen half way through our stay, provided drinks upon arrival and would bend over backwards to ensure we were happy and comfortable. It was so refreshing. There was an international bank close by where changing cash was quick and hassle free. Okay food and prices, and easy transport system with a tourist sight seeing bus which ran up and down the town, hop on hop off for $5 a day. We spent days wandering and laying at the beach, reading and I did a dive trip whilst there. It was a quite underwhelming, but it was another country I could add to the list, that I have explored both above land and below sea.
I had purchased a new flight to head back to Mexico a week early, on the same one with the two girls. there was no way in hell I was doing another week alone, let alone being able to afford it. An unfortunate extra expense, but necessary one. Flying into Cancun was incredibly exciting, and I was bursting at the seems to get off that plane. Straight onto a bus to Tulum and I was smiling ear to ear the whole time. As the bus neared the station I was already in the aisle with my day pack on my back, ready to jump out the door before it had opened. I didn't wait for my bag to be handed to me, but grabbed it and was just short of running back to my home of "chill in" hostel. I opened the door where all my friends from the hostel were, I threw my bags on the floor and embraced them with overwhelming happiness. We drank beer and chilled and caught up on the two weeks that passed while I was away.
I spent four nights back in my home which was enough for me to reconnect with my pals, eat delicious foods, and enjoy some new unexplored sights. There were four of us one day and we hired scooters to travel 40km to Cobá. It was so much fun. We swam inside a spectacular underground cenote, visited the ancient Mayan site and climbed a pyramid. We stopped for meal before headed back where we got rained in for over an hour. When we got on the scooters in light rain, we were soon caught in torrential rain. We stopped and took cover under an alter at the front of someone's house, completely drenched and huddled in with out little helmets, laughing hysterically at out situation. This happened twice again before I braved it and drove the rest of the distance back to the hostel. I had a moth fly down my dress whilst riding, rain pelting so hard it felt like rubber bands being flicked at my chest, could hardly see through the water in my eyes, was freezing cold, longing for warmth. However, it was the most fun and funny experience, where I have laughed so incredibly hard, and have such a fond momeory with the three others I shared it with that day.
Still struggling with being without my friend, I determined it was time to move on, and have a change of scenery. Perhaps that would lessen the reminders. I travelled solo to Bacalar which is known for its seven coloured lake. I met a lovely girl who shared a cab with me to the hostel where we got the last rooms in the house. And by rooms I mean miniature sized tents, and by house, I mean yard. It was a nice setting, where you spend your time sitting on the jetty, swimming in the lake and chilling in a hammock. It was pleasant, but the vibe in the hostel wasn't completely gelling with me, and on my second day when the torrential rains hit and flooded my tent, I took a mattress to a dorm where I became friends with the crew, and slept on the floor and high tailed out of there the next day.
I was prepped, and surprisingly headed out of Mexico! I absolutely loved what I saw and have soo very much more to see, but with a cup of concrete for breakfast, I was headed for my first boarder crossing into Belize...
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