Leaving Oaxaca

Early start to be at airport for flights: first to México City then onto Cancun where we will transfer to Tulum. By road, this would be a distance of 1400 kms.

Arrived Cancun after 2 flights about 1:30 p.m., then a 2-hour drive to Tulum (130 kms south of Cancun).

We have lost an hour, so 16 hours difference. Dual highway - mucho traffico. Immediately much warmer and humid; we are at sea-level now and pass many very expensive-looking resorts.

We came to a screeching half at one point (near Playa de Carmen) with a car stopped in the lane - it's bonnet had come off and the driver was out of his car walking back with it - traffic whizzing around!

When we arrived we felt pretty whacked - no breakfast or lunch, bar some biscuits and nuts on the flights. And we'd lost an hour so when we went to order some lunch it was closer to 5 p.m. than the 4 p.m. we initially thought (BTW prices are less Mexican here!).

We 'snagged' a table overlooking the beach. We are at the Hip Hotel and 'hip' it is. It is very different from anything else in México we have experienced - very resort-style: turquoise ocean (Carribean Sea), glorious sandy beach, lovely breeze, people swimming and lying on the beach, jogging, couples smooching - you get my drift ...

We had a hamburger and margarita for lunch - which will also do for dinner, given the hour.

I bought a lovely looking blueberry muffin from a girl selling them on the beach - for later if we need it. And set off for a long walk along the beach towards the setting sun - remember, it sets early here (anything between 6 & 7).

We have arrived back at our hip hotel and are lying on one of the very comfortable cabanas on the beach with a lovely warm breeze blowing over us.

Eat your hearts out!