Photo of the Day
The day Lauren’s luck ran out.
Photo of the Day
The little mermaid gets what’s coming to her. Sadly no one told these backpackers they had to buy the candy separately :p
Photo of the Day
He’s smiling but that snapped board just cost him about $100.
Photo of the Day
Oaxacan dove.
Photo of the Day
Having a huge digger come off the road right in front of us only slowed us slightly. More enterprising people cleared a path on the left and everyone carried on as normal.
Photo of the Day
Who needs a surf board? A local boogie boarder shows off his moves. 
Photo of the Day
Bags of semi-precious stone in a Mexican Market.
Photo of the Day
The dog challenges the dead fish for the prize in the manky competition. 
Photo of the Day
A chance encounter with a street parade in the Mexican Capital shows the variety and colour of the local dresses. 
Photo of the Day
When its hot and the beach is dangerous, even a budget traveler is well advised to get a place with a pool.
Photo of the Day
Poke! Fun on the beach in Mexico.
Photo of the Day
Near Zipolote, Mexico is a swamp and refuge for the much maligned crocodiles. Here at least they are safe from the locals, and their own kind. 
Photo of the Day
Insects form in important part of many cultures diet. Piles of ruby red bugs await hungry Mexicans in a local market.
Photo of the Day
Mayan skulls in one of Mexico Cities museums.
Photo of the Day
Hello! A local dog pops his head up to see what all the clicking is about.
Photo of the Day
Toy guitars and giant spoons.
Photo of the Day
In Mexico Cities biggest market the animals face a grim future but at least these chicks are still alive. Many of the cages were filled with dead animals and few had water in the searing heat.
These ruins are ruined!
Bamamku Ruins, Mexico
More ruins? I was reaching saturation point by now but these were just over the road from the campsite and quick to get to. So why not?
I then only had 200 km to get to Chetumal where I could spend one night before heading into Belize. It rained on and off on the way and I picked up some replacement car fuses for the ones I had blown the previous night. My AC adapter worked too, for a while. Then it overheated and started melting. I’ve bought three of these damn things, lost one and 2 don’t work. Its getting rather annoying.
ruins/some rain/fuses/melting adapter/last day on the border
Tags: damn thing, cars, jungle, borders, trousers, Travel, photographer, belize, bam, campsite, photo, mexico, fuses, blog, rainTemple climbing
Calukmul Ruins, Mexico
late start to ruins/mosquitos/tallest maya temple/low battery/bugs in resterataunt/fuse problems/
All in a days driving
Kalukmul, Mexico
I said farewell to Palenque and headed up the very straight road to some more ruins. I abandoned my plan of skirting the Guatemalan border which is just as well because its pretty dangerous down that way. Would have looked nice on the map though (which is the main thing :p). I was a bit concerned when I had to pay a toll, but it was only 18 pesos, but then they usually charge you a peso a kilometer and it was about 300 to the Belizean border. That was where I decided to go instead of Guatemala first.
First I would stop off at some more ruins, ones that most people miss because its hard to get there without private transport. No suck problems for me though. I stopped at a nearby campground where I pitched my tent for only 50 pesos and had a go at tidying my van up…. again. It never ends :p
In need of a tidy
The place was soon inundated with Mexican ATV drivers who pay a fortune to come and tear up a wildlife reserve. How they get away with I don’t know. Happily a Belgian couple who spoke English also turned up and I ate dinner with them and we arranged to go to the ruins together the next day.
drive to kalukmul/straight/rain/camping for 50p/strange dinner/motorbikers
Tags: nearby, palenque, Guatemala, Travel, 50 pesos, private transport, mexico, straight road, belizeMore ruins
After breakfast I took advantage of the break in the weather to finally see the nearby ruins of Palenque. It was pretty quiet up there, I just wandered around on my own, happily snapping away.
When I got back I changed accommodation to the Jungle Lodge. There was no difference in price to Rakshitas but at least the rooms were well screened. That evening I met up with Angel again, a English woman I had chatted to briefly in San Cristobal. She was just about to get a bus to Northern Yucatan but I guessed I might meet her again in Belize or further. She left me to entertain a girl called Amy and we had a few beers and watched the drums and fireshow while waiting for the rain to stop. We waited for quite a few beers 
breakfast/lift to israeli couple/park up – clean van?/wandering the site/HDRs/change to jungle village/dinner with angel and Amy/salsa?/fire show-drums
Tags: jungle village, nearby ruins, salsa, fire show, girls, belize, jungle, waiting for the rain, nearbyRain in the rain forest
Palenque, Mexico
It rained all day. I woke up, it was raining, I went back to sleep. I woke up later and it was still coming down. Hard. I had only my sandals and no coat or umbrella. I watched movies and fasted. Still it rained. On about movie number 4Â the sun went down and still it rained. About 8pm there was a bang. The Electricity went out and I didn’t have a torch. I read the Spiderwick Chronicles until the battery died and went back to sleep.
I was wondering if it was raining in San Cristobal or wherever Leigh was. She was fun.
Tags: palenque mexico, mexico, rain forest, sandals, electricity, umbrella, san cristobal, palenque, rain, ella, sleep, eve, spiderwick, torch, sun, TravelDriving a robbers highway
Palenque, Mexico
Time to go. I got sorted out and got the van. Gladly it was still there since I had parked on the street. My luck was still holding. The road North was Zapitista country, the local rebel groups in the state of Chaipas. Tourist had been kidnapped here before but not for a few years. Hopefully my luck would still hold.
It did for a while.
I got to Aqua Azul, a series of spectacular waterfalls which were very photogenic and great for swimming. After paying 2 entrance fees for a total of 30 pesos (and getting stopped by the local banana mafia with a rope across the road) this is the photo I took 1 minute after I got into the car park:
I parked up and it started raining. I waited 5 minutes and then carried on to Palenque. It rained for the next 3 hours so I made the right choice.
I had dinner with the Belgian couple I met in Zipolite and then had an early night. Tomorrow, more spectacular ruins. As long as the weather didn’t spoil it…..
Tags: car park, right choice, photos, blog, thumb, banana, mafia, palenque, photo, aqua, zipolite, rain, locals, cars