Sun 2145 Just done bloody Duolingo after seeing reminder e-mail. (I dont have the app on either of my phones and am using the web browser version.)
Anyway, lets leave terrace and go clean teeth and go to bed etc.
Mon 0737 In bed, I hadn't slept up brilliantly, kept waking up every few hours, not in a really bad way but just did keep waking up. I thought it had rained at some point and I didn't really think and then a few hours later I woke up and I thought it rained some more. So I got up in middle of the night and I went to the toilet after taking down the underwear from the line outside the tent. I don't think it had rain, I suspect it was like dry leaves falling on the canvas above the tent or something.
I had the fan on a bit during the night for the novelty as much as anything it wasn't tremendously hot anyway it was sort of nice I couldn't really angle it but in such a small space the breeze bounces around I thought it might keep mosquitoes down it's not like I'm seeing a lot of them but I do feel I've got a few bites and I thought it might help I don't know.
Forgot to say yesterday there is actually a Limones-Chachoben station on the Tren Maya. I haven't actually checked the timetables yet but I think I had a quick look at where the station is and yeah it is in Limonos so it's like it's an additional option compared to going by bus but it doesn't necessarily help that much because if there's nowhere to stay in Limonos and I couldn't find anywhere then so what and I don't think the train is going to run so frequently or so absolutely reliably that I really want to be getting a taxi (I assume) over to the station here in Bacalar, doing a day trip to Limones and then getting a taxi both ways to and from Chachoben. Maybe something to check up on again later.
As I say, I'm still in bed and I don't really want to decide now, but I'm kind of leaning towards the camping five kilometers outside town. It's a bit of an adventure. The sunrise might be nice. It might be a bit captive audience for food. Food might be a bit problematic given how picky I am, but it does sound kind of cool. Of course, going to either of the places here isn't incompatible with trying to do something to see Chachogan, but I'm kind of thinking, although I might look into Chachogan a little bit more, I'm losing a bit of faith that I can do it, and in any case, going to one of the places here, probably the one five kilometers out of town, is obviously fairly easy from here, and I can still, if I find something out or talk to someone, I do some more research or have a brainwave, I can always try and get to church open afterwards.
I think you can probably see these last few paragraphs have been very slack with voice typing. I'm not making such an effort to go back and put punctuation in or fix the spellings of places or whatever and they're a bit waffly. But this is just a quick note from bed and I thought better to get this out even in a slightly crappy form than to forget to mention it again later on or something like that.
0811 I should probably get up. I'm kind of lying in bed and it's not super enjoyable. It's kind of nice but not great. You know, I'm feeling a little bit what to do exactly blah blah.
On the bus here, as I think I said, there was that superhero eternals kind of film. And then there was some trolls film about a boy band. I did sort of half-watch that as well. This is playing on a screen at the front of the bus and the sound is on the bus speakers. And I was actually very well positioned to see the screen, including the subtitle. It's all in Spanish, but dubbed in Spanish and subtitled in Spanish. Actually, it's not all subtitled. I think it's subtitled in Spanish when there's English or foreign language text on screen or something so maybe most of it is just spoken, because there were one or two bits I didn't catch and that's probably why, whereas if there'd been subtitles I probably would. I can't actually remember now.
Anyway, after that was a film about Mexican wildlife that I didn't really watch very much, but I did see there was some footage of tarantulas doing a sort of courtship dance thingy, and it was actually quite interesting.
I should probably not try to give a blow-by-blow account, but maybe it will help my thinking if I just say this. I'm kind of wondering if probably not today given it's not late but not super early, I should maybe check the bus timetables and or the train timetables and go over to Limones. And then get a taxi from there over to the ruins and back maybe try an Uber or something like that. I'd need to check that Chachoban was actually open that day. I hope there's an official website for that. I'm flip-flopping, on the one hand, it's like, as long as I know I can get back to Baccala where my accommodation is, I might waste the day travelling and burn, you know, double digit pounds on buses and most likely on taxis. But maybe I'd get to see Chachoban and it would be a bit of an adventure. On the other hand, especially if there is no accommodation there I find it only too easy to see myself getting over there and getting stranded or being at the pyramids and not being able to get back to limones in time because I'm struggling for transport because no one goes who isn't on one of these cruise oriented tours from Costa Maya.
0929 on terrace. Looking re chac. https://www.locogringo.com/things-to-do/mayan-ruins/chacchoben-ruins-costa-maya is clearly old with its 2015 update, but it makes it sound a bit like the site will be overrun with cruise groups.
Haven't found an official page about the site at all. ADO has a terminal in Limones near the train station, the train ticket booking site seems to be down so I can't check the timetable. I suppose I could look at ADO timetables and see the feasibility of popping over to Limones to see how the land lies. I am not likely to be going today.
It is quite grey and pleasantly cool but a tiny bit miserable looking and it may rain - not checked forecast but did see it yesterday when checking UV before I went to swim.
Looking at weather.com forecast, it looks like it could well be pretty cloudy for next day or two, which is obviously not great wrt seeing sunrise I guess.
Right hip hurts quite badly for first time in a while. Maybe the swimming or maybe I slept on it badly.
0949 right, ado site shows no seat availability today or tomorrow to Limones. I suspect this just means there is no bus between here and there. There is a bus from here to Xpujil (sp) but it leaves at 2355 and gets in at 1 or 2 am. There are regular buses from here to Tulum all day. (The big fucker with the onscreen keyboard is that the autocorrect will just irreversibly destroy meaning by turning Tulum into Tokyo or MXN150 in a price note into some random word if you don't watch it like a hawk.) I think there are no buses from here to Campeche.
I am feeling I may have painted myself into a bit of a corner in terms of onward travel it isn't the end of the world, worst case is I have to waste time and money going back to Tulum and on from there. Maybe Tren Maya will help.
I think rather than being down some of these sites are just blocking my VPN in an unclear way, which isn't helpful.
1001 OK, there are loads of services to Christmas, which is what I meant instead of Campeche. ADO have loads. So *maybe* that would be a good next stop or I could change there for a service to Xpujil. R2r says the only direct services here to Xpujil are late night and I'd really rather not do that.
Breakfast not bad.
Seriously torn about just trogging over to bus terminal now and seeing if I can get a bus to Limones and see what happens as a day trip. But it feels horribly rushed.
1006 if r2r is to be believed - and this is a n obscureish route - the next bus to Limones is 1240 today. There are (again if it is correct) buses back quite late, including after dark (tolerable at a pinch - push comes to shove I could get a taxi or uber right to hostel door if dogs are a problem).
If I pretend - and this is a way over-simplified Ott version of my dont hate round idea and taking vague inspiration from slow travel mocement (I am not "one of them", I just read some stuff when trying to find philosophy etc) - I have all the time in the world, it feels a bit like I ought to stay here Tue night (given I don't rate chances of sunrise in next day or two, negating a lot of value in the two alternate hostels nearby, which I might consider later), have a semi puttering day here, maybe swimming and going over to bus terminal to see what I can find out, and then tomorrow strike out earlyish for a day trip to Limones. If I can get to chac that is great, if not is might be nice to wander around linones which must have at least a restaurant or something given it has an ado terminal etc.
Chac may or may not be worth it even if I do get there but this whole process of going may be a kind of adventure. It would also maybe fill in a little time while I see if the weather improves re sunrise viewing.
FWIW I just checked uber and right now there is no option for service limones to chac archeological zone, so if I did go it would probably have to be a taxi or (unlikely) some sort of local bus or tour (but I doubt such exists, given you'd expect a tourist business like that to have some online presence).
Am I going to have deathbed regrets I maybe "waste" another 2-3 days hanging around in Bacalar and environs? No. It is also valuable experimentation and experience with not charging around like crazy. Am I quietly enjoying it here? Yes, I guess so. Free coffee would be nice but if I did nothing else (and not saying I would) I could go out and buy myself a jqr of instant and boil water on kitchen stove or go out and get a big bottle of soft drink and spend the day sitting on the terrace reading or planning or studying.
FWIW while better to spread it out than do it say after day then not for weeks, being here also let's me swim and anything is better than nothing wrt keeping up.
I will probably *not* ask about extending another nifht just yet. Gut feeling is I am going to go put shoes on, head out and see if I can book a boat tour - I am not that desperate and I suspect it is a bit tedious but it is about seven quid and it would be something "done" with the day and it might be cool - and also probably wander over to bus terminal and see about buses to Limones or chetumal or wherever.
1020 booking. Com shows 2 tents (maybe more) and 8 dorm beds free here for a check in tomorrow for one night, so I dont expect to have trouble extending in a few hours time.
1939 on terrace. Today actually quite successful except I think I made myself I'll. I a going to take this easy and just write up what I can.
Left hostel a bit after 11. I walked over to area with bus terminals. Ado seemed shut. One guy just didn't seem interested in selling me anything. Despite an unpromising start (he just wandered off and I wasnt sure if he was going to come back) a guy at Forneos told me there was a service (perhaps a minibus, not sure) to Limones every 40ish mins and it is about 60-70 (I can't remember) each way. I asked if chac was oflpen and about getting a taxi there from Limones and he didn't really know but wasn't entirely dismissive, just not going to come himself.
So I started to think I might have a good at a aolo chac trip tomorrow. I still might but going to wait and see how I feel and I probably won't set an alarm.
1946 so I then having seen it on map and looked at net (probably all really out of date info) and walled down lakefront rowd right past cenote negro/black. Could not find any pedestrian access, let alone free aa suggested. Did at least spot a couple of hotels nearby doing kayak rental. This fy a bit of a failure but since I did look at it probably is the case there is just no public access any more I could not have done any better. There is some possibility of going down there one day to try hiring a kayak but I am far from sure.
I then came back into town and spoke to the woman that the tourist booth near the fort selling boat tours. I asked her about it - two chances to swim about 2-2.5h, different boat types have different cover bit tourbis aame. I either but having been told {and has seen thos before) that there are no tours wed and I did kind of have time, I booked for the 400 boat (should have been 450, cheaper boat is 350) at 1500 - about 1.5h in future, 1400 seemed too soon and I was thinking 1500 better wrt uv given not allowed sunblock.
PH, I got four bananas at whop near bus terminals and ate them during walk down to cenote negro. Glad I sis.
El valiente was closed when I walked back from booking tour (I paid a 100deposit BTW} so couldn't go in. I paid for an extra night (the night) at hostel when got back and ditherily prepped and headed down to kiosk where hqs arranged to meet for collection at 1450.
Quite nice chat with woman, also despite feeling nervous I tried to imagine the face in the fort tower was being smoly for me. Worry was mainly about getting back for diner before dark.
A slightly suspicious but actually nice oldish battery gut came up - istr he said his name was marquestita, as he had just finished (a career)? Selling them - it is a local desert. I was feeling bit edgy but talked oniahly with him @ns bervea were more general than about him.
I asked woman about xhac and she said there is a tour wed sat and sun! 800 per person if more than one, 1200 for one person I can in theory go and talk to her about this tomorrow. I was thinking I would probably try it solo tomorrow and if that falls through maybe see about this tour.
A guy came to pick me up in truck to take me over to boat, we chatted a bit (he in English me in Spanish to practice for both of us) and then we got pnboat. Captain Antonio I think, boat was something like Ketzal (with a K) - may have a picture. About four English speakers (actually German couple and some other solo guyof unknown nqtionqlity) andmaybe 5-6 Spanish (mostly mexican I think) speakers.
It started to piss down when i was driving with that guy over to boat. Tried to be cheerful and mostly succeeded butlong story short I felt wet and frezingnost of the time and I suspect I was hunched up and havecramped a lot of muscles etc. I did go in the water (with lifejacket - likemoat people) at each of the two stops though only about 10-15 mins at first (I did crappy breast strokebround boat twice and floated and kicked a bit) and about three mins at final one (didn't want to waste opp plus I thought some exercise might warm blme up given water is not actually that cold, albiet not super warm.)
I stupidly didn't take rain coat or fleece or trousers (for after) etc - otog I don't seen to remember doing this during panama Kuna trip but maybe it was somehow warmer. I tried to dry myself off etc and the captain saw I was shovering a bit and gave me a dry life jacket at one point. We has a bit of fruit after the first swim.
Tipped 50 at end and put wet but had tried to wrong it oushirt on ansttrogged off through lgight rain to hostel. I waant feeling awful but not terrible - exercise prob helping. I got back and think lot of people chatting on terrace but I just wanted to get into a hot shower. I took a while edore my dingers stoppedbfeeling vaguely stiff.
Ice had a sort of small wound on tip of right Second to little finger for a few days and fumbling for stiff in day-pack during tour I ended up somehow getting some green pus to come out. To be fair it actually perhaps huts less than it sos. Just may not some germolene on.
When got back the rain picked up a bit so I crawled into tent feelingmildly shit and musxle crampey but didn't want to go out for dinner in rain (could have put jacket etc on but wanted to keep thesry for maybe trip tomorrow). To give myself credit I was being reasonably positive, all part of tourist experience etc but was feeling quite ahit.
Rain alowed down and asked owner chap where I could go for f{od and he told me about the piZa place and this time it was open. I was caredul not to gorgeyself and make myself sick, but I ordered a xhica pizza and I think (me\uring with hand span and finger) it was a 12". I ate half of it and got the rest to bring back in a box - was roying with oddering it to people but no one was or has been on t erra e since I got back and Ice put it in first. I asked if woman could change a 500 and she could so for that pkuabsaving me from dying ogunfer i tipped her 40. I also got a 600ml full day coke to bring back and it is in fridge now.
My muscles ache a bit and I don't feel great but not too bad. I may have some of the coke in a minute. Probably earlyish night. I am not going to set an alarm and I will play it by ear what I do tomorrow. I made an effort today and while I would like to try limones chac solo I need to treat myself with respect and not force myself if I stilfeel shit tonorrow as i sont want to get run down. Deliverately not thinkg about it. If l want to I can maybe splurge on the tour I found out about or I can try it on my own on Wednesday - uvhavw time and don't need to fuxk? yself level by charging around I'd I feel under the weather. That isn't slack, it's just smart.
Since I got sick I haven't checke|s tonight as I pka! Es but 90% sure I can fet an easy frequent bus here to xhetunal and either put in a night or two there or change same say for an onward bua to say xjpil.
No problem walking back from pia (ONLY ABOUT TWO BLOCKS) after dark, albeit nega Kate. Walked in nisskeishofbroqs ("middle of road" to show what I am facing wrt onscreen keyboard) but moved for the odd car, more against dogs than muggers.
2009bhavingbbit of xoke. Yay for b instead of space. Not feeling great but not terrible. Kudos for bashing all this out ak I am not falling behind with blog.
Took o6 k boat in case it got lost rho p7 is non-inally waterproof somifht have been better given rain spray on screen causingprpvlems, but was a mistake worried about losing ot overboard.
Didn't really speak to anyone during tour but don't think anyone else who wasn't already with someone did either sis aay goodbye to everyone as I acaepered off the dock to get home.
If I didn't already say I probably wasn't going to suffer long term I) e%ects from feeling so cold, but it did *feel* pretty bad. I did fairly well trying to be poaitivebans upbeat and eg look forward to hot shower and make the most of it etc and not freak out about food and rain and dark.
Of, on way back to hostel after bookifntour I tried to break an old 500 in willys and they just flat declined it. I went in a tinylittle alborote? Shop and straight out showed the nice-ish oldish local woman the note and asked if she could change it. She tested it and said yes I asked if she had change as I didn't want to buy a lot and she did disappear off with note after this but she came back. I picked a few not great snacks (with a view to taking them to chac tomorrow on self tour and also, foresightedly, in case I couldn't eat tonight hot after tour) for about 35 or maybe 60 and a boy had come up to counter and told me what they came to and I said thelady hasny note and he asked I'd I was English and what the word for caballo was (I knew yay) in English and I explained the note was old because it was from when I was here 12 years ago (althis on spabiah) ans he seemed genuinely somehow impressed i asked him how old he was and he was 11 so maybe that explains it though I might expect a 11 year old to be more cynical. I got my change and (at least such was my intention) thanked him (saying it to both of them) for talking to me and left and that felt oddly nice, even though the snacks I'd got were a tiny bit expensive and not really what I wanted. Maybe a little memory for me, and I'd like to imagine he got the lady (presimably his mum) to show him the old note after.
All my laundry outside tent got soaked un downpour during tour. Rookie mistake *esp* after seeing weather fotecaat other day when i waa thinking about seeing sunrise over lake. But cant be helped. I have left it out tonight outaide tent and if it doesnt rain in night maybe it will dry (not just the two tops i wshed yday but also damp clothes from tour today). If not dependinf how i feel and what i do and when i get up i may see if i can hang it under cover round by the clothes washing sink tomorrow morning.
The autocorrect seems to hace just gone shit. I am sober, to be clear. OK, I has somehow accidentally switched to Spanish mode. Not going back to fix up, think it is mostly readable. OK did fix it up a bit.
We saw cenote negro on tour and I think captaon said all the houses round it are on airbnb and I didn't see any obvious public access from road. It is also a tiny bit forbidsing looking with the black water and being 90m deep (not sure about edge) and being open to the lake (all the cenotes here are apparently open not closed) and this is another reason why I am reluctant to follow up on poss of doing kayak in cenote negro from one of those hotels nearby I saw on this mornings tour, and why I suspect info i found online was outdated rather than me making mistakes.
2030 OK had half coke and going to clean teeth and go to bed. Feel OK if still bit achey and a touch chilly, though it is really quite pleasant out and just wearing trousers, dull shoes and socks and long sleeved top (no fleece).
2048 in bed.
Sun 2145 Just done bloody Duolingo after seeing reminder e-mail. (I dont have the app on either of my phones and am using the web browser version.)
Anyway, lets leave terrace and go clean teeth and go to bed etc.
Mon 0737 In bed, I hadn't slept up brilliantly, kept waking up every few hours, not in a really bad way but just did keep waking up. I thought it had rained at some point and I didn't really think and then a few hours later I woke up and I thought it rained some more. So I got up in middle of the night and I went to the toilet after taking down the underwear from the line outside the tent. I don't think it had rain, I suspect it was like dry leaves falling on the canvas above the tent or something.
I had the fan on a bit during the night for the novelty as much as anything it wasn't tremendously hot anyway it was sort of nice I couldn't really angle it but in such a small space the breeze bounces around I thought it might keep mosquitoes down it's not like I'm seeing a lot of them but I do feel I've got a few bites and I thought it might help I don't know.
Forgot to say yesterday there is actually a Limones-Chachoben station on the Tren Maya. I haven't actually checked the timetables yet but I think I had a quick look at where the station is and yeah it is in Limonos so it's like it's an additional option compared to going by bus but it doesn't necessarily help that much because if there's nowhere to stay in Limonos and I couldn't find anywhere then so what and I don't think the train is going to run so frequently or so absolutely reliably that I really want to be getting a taxi (I assume) over to the station here in Bacalar, doing a day trip to Limones and then getting a taxi both ways to and from Chachoben. Maybe something to check up on again later.
As I say, I'm still in bed and I don't really want to decide now, but I'm kind of leaning towards the camping five kilometers outside town. It's a bit of an adventure. The sunrise might be nice. It might be a bit captive audience for food. Food might be a bit problematic given how picky I am, but it does sound kind of cool. Of course, going to either of the places here isn't incompatible with trying to do something to see Chachogan, but I'm kind of thinking, although I might look into Chachogan a little bit more, I'm losing a bit of faith that I can do it, and in any case, going to one of the places here, probably the one five kilometers out of town, is obviously fairly easy from here, and I can still, if I find something out or talk to someone, I do some more research or have a brainwave, I can always try and get to church open afterwards.
I think you can probably see these last few paragraphs have been very slack with voice typing. I'm not making such an effort to go back and put punctuation in or fix the spellings of places or whatever and they're a bit waffly. But this is just a quick note from bed and I thought better to get this out even in a slightly crappy form than to forget to mention it again later on or something like that.
0811 I should probably get up. I'm kind of lying in bed and it's not super enjoyable. It's kind of nice but not great. You know, I'm feeling a little bit what to do exactly blah blah.
On the bus here, as I think I said, there was that superhero eternals kind of film. And then there was some trolls film about a boy band. I did sort of half-watch that as well. This is playing on a screen at the front of the bus and the sound is on the bus speakers. And I was actually very well positioned to see the screen, including the subtitle. It's all in Spanish, but dubbed in Spanish and subtitled in Spanish. Actually, it's not all subtitled. I think it's subtitled in Spanish when there's English or foreign language text on screen or something so maybe most of it is just spoken, because there were one or two bits I didn't catch and that's probably why, whereas if there'd been subtitles I probably would. I can't actually remember now.
Anyway, after that was a film about Mexican wildlife that I didn't really watch very much, but I did see there was some footage of tarantulas doing a sort of courtship dance thingy, and it was actually quite interesting.
I should probably not try to give a blow-by-blow account, but maybe it will help my thinking if I just say this. I'm kind of wondering if probably not today given it's not late but not super early, I should maybe check the bus timetables and or the train timetables and go over to Limones. And then get a taxi from there over to the ruins and back maybe try an Uber or something like that. I'd need to check that Chachoban was actually open that day. I hope there's an official website for that. I'm flip-flopping, on the one hand, it's like, as long as I know I can get back to Baccala where my accommodation is, I might waste the day travelling and burn, you know, double digit pounds on buses and most likely on taxis. But maybe I'd get to see Chachoban and it would be a bit of an adventure. On the other hand, especially if there is no accommodation there I find it only too easy to see myself getting over there and getting stranded or being at the pyramids and not being able to get back to limones in time because I'm struggling for transport because no one goes who isn't on one of these cruise oriented tours from Costa Maya.
0929 on terrace. Looking re chac. https://www.locogringo.com/things-to-do/mayan-ruins/chacchoben-ruins-costa-maya is clearly old with its 2015 update, but it makes it sound a bit like the site will be overrun with cruise groups.
Haven't found an official page about the site at all. ADO has a terminal in Limones near the train station, the train ticket booking site seems to be down so I can't check the timetable. I suppose I could look at ADO timetables and see the feasibility of popping over to Limones to see how the land lies. I am not likely to be going today.
It is quite grey and pleasantly cool but a tiny bit miserable looking and it may rain - not checked forecast but did see it yesterday when checking UV before I went to swim.
Looking at weather.com forecast, it looks like it could well be pretty cloudy for next day or two, which is obviously not great wrt seeing sunrise I guess.
Right hip hurts quite badly for first time in a while. Maybe the swimming or maybe I slept on it badly.
0949 right, ado site shows no seat availability today or tomorrow to Limones. I suspect this just means there is no bus between here and there. There is a bus from here to Xpujil (sp) but it leaves at 2355 and gets in at 1 or 2 am. There are regular buses from here to Tulum all day. (The big fucker with the onscreen keyboard is that the autocorrect will just irreversibly destroy meaning by turning Tulum into Tokyo or MXN150 in a price note into some random word if you don't watch it like a hawk.) I think there are no buses from here to Campeche.
I am feeling I may have painted myself into a bit of a corner in terms of onward travel it isn't the end of the world, worst case is I have to waste time and money going back to Tulum and on from there. Maybe Tren Maya will help.
I think rather than being down some of these sites are just blocking my VPN in an unclear way, which isn't helpful.
1001 OK, there are loads of services to Christmas, which is what I meant instead of Campeche. ADO have loads. So *maybe* that would be a good next stop or I could change there for a service to Xpujil. R2r says the only direct services here to Xpujil are late night and I'd really rather not do that.
Breakfast not bad.
Seriously torn about just trogging over to bus terminal now and seeing if I can get a bus to Limones and see what happens as a day trip. But it feels horribly rushed.
1006 if r2r is to be believed - and this is a n obscureish route - the next bus to Limones is 1240 today. There are (again if it is correct) buses back quite late, including after dark (tolerable at a pinch - push comes to shove I could get a taxi or uber right to hostel door if dogs are a problem).
If I pretend - and this is a way over-simplified Ott version of my dont hate round idea and taking vague inspiration from slow travel mocement (I am not "one of them", I just read some stuff when trying to find philosophy etc) - I have all the time in the world, it feels a bit like I ought to stay here Tue night (given I don't rate chances of sunrise in next day or two, negating a lot of value in the two alternate hostels nearby, which I might consider later), have a semi puttering day here, maybe swimming and going over to bus terminal to see what I can find out, and then tomorrow strike out earlyish for a day trip to Limones. If I can get to chac that is great, if not is might be nice to wander around linones which must have at least a restaurant or something given it has an ado terminal etc.
Chac may or may not be worth it even if I do get there but this whole process of going may be a kind of adventure. It would also maybe fill in a little time while I see if the weather improves re sunrise viewing.
FWIW I just checked uber and right now there is no option for service limones to chac archeological zone, so if I did go it would probably have to be a taxi or (unlikely) some sort of local bus or tour (but I doubt such exists, given you'd expect a tourist business like that to have some online presence).
Am I going to have deathbed regrets I maybe "waste" another 2-3 days hanging around in Bacalar and environs? No. It is also valuable experimentation and experience with not charging around like crazy. Am I quietly enjoying it here? Yes, I guess so. Free coffee would be nice but if I did nothing else (and not saying I would) I could go out and buy myself a jqr of instant and boil water on kitchen stove or go out and get a big bottle of soft drink and spend the day sitting on the terrace reading or planning or studying.
FWIW while better to spread it out than do it say after day then not for weeks, being here also let's me swim and anything is better than nothing wrt keeping up.
I will probably *not* ask about extending another nifht just yet. Gut feeling is I am going to go put shoes on, head out and see if I can book a boat tour - I am not that desperate and I suspect it is a bit tedious but it is about seven quid and it would be something "done" with the day and it might be cool - and also probably wander over to bus terminal and see about buses to Limones or chetumal or wherever.
1020 booking. Com shows 2 tents (maybe more) and 8 dorm beds free here for a check in tomorrow for one night, so I dont expect to have trouble extending in a few hours time.
1939 on terrace. Today actually quite successful except I think I made myself I'll. I a going to take this easy and just write up what I can.
Left hostel a bit after 11. I walked over to area with bus terminals. Ado seemed shut. One guy just didn't seem interested in selling me anything. Despite an unpromising start (he just wandered off and I wasnt sure if he was going to come back) a guy at Forneos told me there was a service (perhaps a minibus, not sure) to Limones every 40ish mins and it is about 60-70 (I can't remember) each way. I asked if chac was oflpen and about getting a taxi there from Limones and he didn't really know but wasn't entirely dismissive, just not going to come himself.
So I started to think I might have a good at a aolo chac trip tomorrow. I still might but going to wait and see how I feel and I probably won't set an alarm.
1946 so I then having seen it on map and looked at net (probably all really out of date info) and walled down lakefront rowd right past cenote negro/black. Could not find any pedestrian access, let alone free aa suggested. Did at least spot a couple of hotels nearby doing kayak rental. This fy a bit of a failure but since I did look at it probably is the case there is just no public access any more I could not have done any better. There is some possibility of going down there one day to try hiring a kayak but I am far from sure.
I then came back into town and spoke to the woman that the tourist booth near the fort selling boat tours. I asked her about it - two chances to swim about 2-2.5h, different boat types have different cover bit tourbis aame. I either but having been told {and has seen thos before) that there are no tours wed and I did kind of have time, I booked for the 400 boat (should have been 450, cheaper boat is 350) at 1500 - about 1.5h in future, 1400 seemed too soon and I was thinking 1500 better wrt uv given not allowed sunblock.
PH, I got four bananas at whop near bus terminals and ate them during walk down to cenote negro. Glad I sis.
El valiente was closed when I walked back from booking tour (I paid a 100deposit BTW} so couldn't go in. I paid for an extra night (the night) at hostel when got back and ditherily prepped and headed down to kiosk where hqs arranged to meet for collection at 1450.
Quite nice chat with woman, also despite feeling nervous I tried to imagine the face in the fort tower was being smoly for me. Worry was mainly about getting back for diner before dark.
A slightly suspicious but actually nice oldish battery gut came up - istr he said his name was marquestita, as he had just finished (a career)? Selling them - it is a local desert. I was feeling bit edgy but talked oniahly with him @ns bervea were more general than about him.
I asked woman about xhac and she said there is a tour wed sat and sun! 800 per person if more than one, 1200 for one person I can in theory go and talk to her about this tomorrow. I was thinking I would probably try it solo tomorrow and if that falls through maybe see about this tour.
A guy came to pick me up in truck to take me over to boat, we chatted a bit (he in English me in Spanish to practice for both of us) and then we got pnboat. Captain Antonio I think, boat was something like Ketzal (with a K) - may have a picture. About four English speakers (actually German couple and some other solo guyof unknown nqtionqlity) andmaybe 5-6 Spanish (mostly mexican I think) speakers.
It started to piss down when i was driving with that guy over to boat. Tried to be cheerful and mostly succeeded butlong story short I felt wet and frezingnost of the time and I suspect I was hunched up and havecramped a lot of muscles etc. I did go in the water (with lifejacket - likemoat people) at each of the two stops though only about 10-15 mins at first (I did crappy breast strokebround boat twice and floated and kicked a bit) and about three mins at final one (didn't want to waste opp plus I thought some exercise might warm blme up given water is not actually that cold, albiet not super warm.)
I stupidly didn't take rain coat or fleece or trousers (for after) etc - otog I don't seen to remember doing this during panama Kuna trip but maybe it was somehow warmer. I tried to dry myself off etc and the captain saw I was shovering a bit and gave me a dry life jacket at one point. We has a bit of fruit after the first swim.
Tipped 50 at end and put wet but had tried to wrong it oushirt on ansttrogged off through lgight rain to hostel. I waant feeling awful but not terrible - exercise prob helping. I got back and think lot of people chatting on terrace but I just wanted to get into a hot shower. I took a while edore my dingers stoppedbfeeling vaguely stiff.
Ice had a sort of small wound on tip of right Second to little finger for a few days and fumbling for stiff in day-pack during tour I ended up somehow getting some green pus to come out. To be fair it actually perhaps huts less than it sos. Just may not some germolene on.
When got back the rain picked up a bit so I crawled into tent feelingmildly shit and musxle crampey but didn't want to go out for dinner in rain (could have put jacket etc on but wanted to keep thesry for maybe trip tomorrow). To give myself credit I was being reasonably positive, all part of tourist experience etc but was feeling quite ahit.
Rain alowed down and asked owner chap where I could go for f{od and he told me about the piZa place and this time it was open. I was caredul not to gorgeyself and make myself sick, but I ordered a xhica pizza and I think (me\uring with hand span and finger) it was a 12". I ate half of it and got the rest to bring back in a box - was roying with oddering it to people but no one was or has been on t erra e since I got back and Ice put it in first. I asked if woman could change a 500 and she could so for that pkuabsaving me from dying ogunfer i tipped her 40. I also got a 600ml full day coke to bring back and it is in fridge now.
My muscles ache a bit and I don't feel great but not too bad. I may have some of the coke in a minute. Probably earlyish night. I am not going to set an alarm and I will play it by ear what I do tomorrow. I made an effort today and while I would like to try limones chac solo I need to treat myself with respect and not force myself if I stilfeel shit tonorrow as i sont want to get run down. Deliverately not thinkg about it. If l want to I can maybe splurge on the tour I found out about or I can try it on my own on Wednesday - uvhavw time and don't need to fuxk? yself level by charging around I'd I feel under the weather. That isn't slack, it's just smart.
Since I got sick I haven't checke|s tonight as I pka! Es but 90% sure I can fet an easy frequent bus here to xhetunal and either put in a night or two there or change same say for an onward bua to say xjpil.
No problem walking back from pia (ONLY ABOUT TWO BLOCKS) after dark, albeit nega Kate. Walked in nisskeishofbroqs ("middle of road" to show what I am facing wrt onscreen keyboard) but moved for the odd car, more against dogs than muggers.
2009bhavingbbit of xoke. Yay for b instead of space. Not feeling great but not terrible. Kudos for bashing all this out ak I am not falling behind with blog.
Took o6 k boat in case it got lost rho p7 is non-inally waterproof somifht have been better given rain spray on screen causingprpvlems, but was a mistake worried about losing ot overboard.
Didn't really speak to anyone during tour but don't think anyone else who wasn't already with someone did either sis aay goodbye to everyone as I acaepered off the dock to get home.
If I didn't already say I probably wasn't going to suffer long term I) e%ects from feeling so cold, but it did *feel* pretty bad. I did fairly well trying to be poaitivebans upbeat and eg look forward to hot shower and make the most of it etc and not freak out about food and rain and dark.
Of, on way back to hostel after bookifntour I tried to break an old 500 in willys and they just flat declined it. I went in a tinylittle alborote? Shop and straight out showed the nice-ish oldish local woman the note and asked if she could change it. She tested it and said yes I asked if she had change as I didn't want to buy a lot and she did disappear off with note after this but she came back. I picked a few not great snacks (with a view to taking them to chac tomorrow on self tour and also, foresightedly, in case I couldn't eat tonight hot after tour) for about 35 or maybe 60 and a boy had come up to counter and told me what they came to and I said thelady hasny note and he asked I'd I was English and what the word for caballo was (I knew yay) in English and I explained the note was old because it was from when I was here 12 years ago (althis on spabiah) ans he seemed genuinely somehow impressed i asked him how old he was and he was 11 so maybe that explains it though I might expect a 11 year old to be more cynical. I got my change and (at least such was my intention) thanked him (saying it to both of them) for talking to me and left and that felt oddly nice, even though the snacks I'd got were a tiny bit expensive and not really what I wanted. Maybe a little memory for me, and I'd like to imagine he got the lady (presimably his mum) to show him the old note after.
All my laundry outside tent got soaked un downpour during tour. Rookie mistake *esp* after seeing weather fotecaat other day when i waa thinking about seeing sunrise over lake. But cant be helped. I have left it out tonight outaide tent and if it doesnt rain in night maybe it will dry (not just the two tops i wshed yday but also damp clothes from tour today). If not dependinf how i feel and what i do and when i get up i may see if i can hang it under cover round by the clothes washing sink tomorrow morning.
The autocorrect seems to hace just gone shit. I am sober, to be clear. OK, I has somehow accidentally switched to Spanish mode. Not going back to fix up, think it is mostly readable. OK did fix it up a bit.
We saw cenote negro on tour and I think captaon said all the houses round it are on airbnb and I didn't see any obvious public access from road. It is also a tiny bit forbidsing looking with the black water and being 90m deep (not sure about edge) and being open to the lake (all the cenotes here are apparently open not closed) and this is another reason why I am reluctant to follow up on poss of doing kayak in cenote negro from one of those hotels nearby I saw on this mornings tour, and why I suspect info i found online was outdated rather than me making mistakes.
2030 OK had half coke and going to clean teeth and go to bed. Feel OK if still bit achey and a touch chilly, though it is really quite pleasant out and just wearing trousers, dull shoes and socks and long sleeved top (no fleece).
2048 in bed.
Anyway, lets leave terrace and go clean teeth and go to bed etc.
Mon 0737 In bed, I hadn't slept up brilliantly, kept waking up every few hours, not in a really bad way but just did keep waking up. I thought it had rained at some point and I didn't really think and then a few hours later I woke up and I thought it rained some more. So I got up in middle of the night and I went to the toilet after taking down the underwear from the line outside the tent. I don't think it had rain, I suspect it was like dry leaves falling on the canvas above the tent or something.
I had the fan on a bit during the night for the novelty as much as anything it wasn't tremendously hot anyway it was sort of nice I couldn't really angle it but in such a small space the breeze bounces around I thought it might keep mosquitoes down it's not like I'm seeing a lot of them but I do feel I've got a few bites and I thought it might help I don't know.
Forgot to say yesterday there is actually a Limones-Chachoben station on the Tren Maya. I haven't actually checked the timetables yet but I think I had a quick look at where the station is and yeah it is in Limonos so it's like it's an additional option compared to going by bus but it doesn't necessarily help that much because if there's nowhere to stay in Limonos and I couldn't find anywhere then so what and I don't think the train is going to run so frequently or so absolutely reliably that I really want to be getting a taxi (I assume) over to the station here in Bacalar, doing a day trip to Limones and then getting a taxi both ways to and from Chachoben. Maybe something to check up on again later.
As I say, I'm still in bed and I don't really want to decide now, but I'm kind of leaning towards the camping five kilometers outside town. It's a bit of an adventure. The sunrise might be nice. It might be a bit captive audience for food. Food might be a bit problematic given how picky I am, but it does sound kind of cool. Of course, going to either of the places here isn't incompatible with trying to do something to see Chachogan, but I'm kind of thinking, although I might look into Chachogan a little bit more, I'm losing a bit of faith that I can do it, and in any case, going to one of the places here, probably the one five kilometers out of town, is obviously fairly easy from here, and I can still, if I find something out or talk to someone, I do some more research or have a brainwave, I can always try and get to church open afterwards.
I think you can probably see these last few paragraphs have been very slack with voice typing. I'm not making such an effort to go back and put punctuation in or fix the spellings of places or whatever and they're a bit waffly. But this is just a quick note from bed and I thought better to get this out even in a slightly crappy form than to forget to mention it again later on or something like that.
0811 I should probably get up. I'm kind of lying in bed and it's not super enjoyable. It's kind of nice but not great. You know, I'm feeling a little bit what to do exactly blah blah.
On the bus here, as I think I said, there was that superhero eternals kind of film. And then there was some trolls film about a boy band. I did sort of half-watch that as well. This is playing on a screen at the front of the bus and the sound is on the bus speakers. And I was actually very well positioned to see the screen, including the subtitle. It's all in Spanish, but dubbed in Spanish and subtitled in Spanish. Actually, it's not all subtitled. I think it's subtitled in Spanish when there's English or foreign language text on screen or something so maybe most of it is just spoken, because there were one or two bits I didn't catch and that's probably why, whereas if there'd been subtitles I probably would. I can't actually remember now.
Anyway, after that was a film about Mexican wildlife that I didn't really watch very much, but I did see there was some footage of tarantulas doing a sort of courtship dance thingy, and it was actually quite interesting.
I should probably not try to give a blow-by-blow account, but maybe it will help my thinking if I just say this. I'm kind of wondering if probably not today given it's not late but not super early, I should maybe check the bus timetables and or the train timetables and go over to Limones. And then get a taxi from there over to the ruins and back maybe try an Uber or something like that. I'd need to check that Chachoban was actually open that day. I hope there's an official website for that. I'm flip-flopping, on the one hand, it's like, as long as I know I can get back to Baccala where my accommodation is, I might waste the day travelling and burn, you know, double digit pounds on buses and most likely on taxis. But maybe I'd get to see Chachoban and it would be a bit of an adventure. On the other hand, especially if there is no accommodation there I find it only too easy to see myself getting over there and getting stranded or being at the pyramids and not being able to get back to limones in time because I'm struggling for transport because no one goes who isn't on one of these cruise oriented tours from Costa Maya.
0929 on terrace. Looking re chac. https://www.locogringo.com/things-to-do/mayan-ruins/chacchoben-ruins-costa-maya is clearly old with its 2015 update, but it makes it sound a bit like the site will be overrun with cruise groups.
Haven't found an official page about the site at all. ADO has a terminal in Limones near the train station, the train ticket booking site seems to be down so I can't check the timetable. I suppose I could look at ADO timetables and see the feasibility of popping over to Limones to see how the land lies. I am not likely to be going today.
It is quite grey and pleasantly cool but a tiny bit miserable looking and it may rain - not checked forecast but did see it yesterday when checking UV before I went to swim.
Looking at weather.com forecast, it looks like it could well be pretty cloudy for next day or two, which is obviously not great wrt seeing sunrise I guess.
Right hip hurts quite badly for first time in a while. Maybe the swimming or maybe I slept on it badly.
0949 right, ado site shows no seat availability today or tomorrow to Limones. I suspect this just means there is no bus between here and there. There is a bus from here to Xpujil (sp) but it leaves at 2355 and gets in at 1 or 2 am. There are regular buses from here to Tulum all day. (The big fucker with the onscreen keyboard is that the autocorrect will just irreversibly destroy meaning by turning Tulum into Tokyo or MXN150 in a price note into some random word if you don't watch it like a hawk.) I think there are no buses from here to Campeche.
I am feeling I may have painted myself into a bit of a corner in terms of onward travel it isn't the end of the world, worst case is I have to waste time and money going back to Tulum and on from there. Maybe Tren Maya will help.
I think rather than being down some of these sites are just blocking my VPN in an unclear way, which isn't helpful.
1001 OK, there are loads of services to Christmas, which is what I meant instead of Campeche. ADO have loads. So *maybe* that would be a good next stop or I could change there for a service to Xpujil. R2r says the only direct services here to Xpujil are late night and I'd really rather not do that.
Breakfast not bad.
Seriously torn about just trogging over to bus terminal now and seeing if I can get a bus to Limones and see what happens as a day trip. But it feels horribly rushed.
1006 if r2r is to be believed - and this is a n obscureish route - the next bus to Limones is 1240 today. There are (again if it is correct) buses back quite late, including after dark (tolerable at a pinch - push comes to shove I could get a taxi or uber right to hostel door if dogs are a problem).
If I pretend - and this is a way over-simplified Ott version of my dont hate round idea and taking vague inspiration from slow travel mocement (I am not "one of them", I just read some stuff when trying to find philosophy etc) - I have all the time in the world, it feels a bit like I ought to stay here Tue night (given I don't rate chances of sunrise in next day or two, negating a lot of value in the two alternate hostels nearby, which I might consider later), have a semi puttering day here, maybe swimming and going over to bus terminal to see what I can find out, and then tomorrow strike out earlyish for a day trip to Limones. If I can get to chac that is great, if not is might be nice to wander around linones which must have at least a restaurant or something given it has an ado terminal etc.
Chac may or may not be worth it even if I do get there but this whole process of going may be a kind of adventure. It would also maybe fill in a little time while I see if the weather improves re sunrise viewing.
FWIW I just checked uber and right now there is no option for service limones to chac archeological zone, so if I did go it would probably have to be a taxi or (unlikely) some sort of local bus or tour (but I doubt such exists, given you'd expect a tourist business like that to have some online presence).
Am I going to have deathbed regrets I maybe "waste" another 2-3 days hanging around in Bacalar and environs? No. It is also valuable experimentation and experience with not charging around like crazy. Am I quietly enjoying it here? Yes, I guess so. Free coffee would be nice but if I did nothing else (and not saying I would) I could go out and buy myself a jqr of instant and boil water on kitchen stove or go out and get a big bottle of soft drink and spend the day sitting on the terrace reading or planning or studying.
FWIW while better to spread it out than do it say after day then not for weeks, being here also let's me swim and anything is better than nothing wrt keeping up.
I will probably *not* ask about extending another nifht just yet. Gut feeling is I am going to go put shoes on, head out and see if I can book a boat tour - I am not that desperate and I suspect it is a bit tedious but it is about seven quid and it would be something "done" with the day and it might be cool - and also probably wander over to bus terminal and see about buses to Limones or chetumal or wherever.
1020 booking. Com shows 2 tents (maybe more) and 8 dorm beds free here for a check in tomorrow for one night, so I dont expect to have trouble extending in a few hours time.
1939 on terrace. Today actually quite successful except I think I made myself I'll. I a going to take this easy and just write up what I can.
Left hostel a bit after 11. I walked over to area with bus terminals. Ado seemed shut. One guy just didn't seem interested in selling me anything. Despite an unpromising start (he just wandered off and I wasnt sure if he was going to come back) a guy at Forneos told me there was a service (perhaps a minibus, not sure) to Limones every 40ish mins and it is about 60-70 (I can't remember) each way. I asked if chac was oflpen and about getting a taxi there from Limones and he didn't really know but wasn't entirely dismissive, just not going to come himself.
So I started to think I might have a good at a aolo chac trip tomorrow. I still might but going to wait and see how I feel and I probably won't set an alarm.
1946 so I then having seen it on map and looked at net (probably all really out of date info) and walled down lakefront rowd right past cenote negro/black. Could not find any pedestrian access, let alone free aa suggested. Did at least spot a couple of hotels nearby doing kayak rental. This fy a bit of a failure but since I did look at it probably is the case there is just no public access any more I could not have done any better. There is some possibility of going down there one day to try hiring a kayak but I am far from sure.
I then came back into town and spoke to the woman that the tourist booth near the fort selling boat tours. I asked her about it - two chances to swim about 2-2.5h, different boat types have different cover bit tourbis aame. I either but having been told {and has seen thos before) that there are no tours wed and I did kind of have time, I booked for the 400 boat (should have been 450, cheaper boat is 350) at 1500 - about 1.5h in future, 1400 seemed too soon and I was thinking 1500 better wrt uv given not allowed sunblock.
PH, I got four bananas at whop near bus terminals and ate them during walk down to cenote negro. Glad I sis.
El valiente was closed when I walked back from booking tour (I paid a 100deposit BTW} so couldn't go in. I paid for an extra night (the night) at hostel when got back and ditherily prepped and headed down to kiosk where hqs arranged to meet for collection at 1450.
Quite nice chat with woman, also despite feeling nervous I tried to imagine the face in the fort tower was being smoly for me. Worry was mainly about getting back for diner before dark.
A slightly suspicious but actually nice oldish battery gut came up - istr he said his name was marquestita, as he had just finished (a career)? Selling them - it is a local desert. I was feeling bit edgy but talked oniahly with him @ns bervea were more general than about him.
I asked woman about xhac and she said there is a tour wed sat and sun! 800 per person if more than one, 1200 for one person I can in theory go and talk to her about this tomorrow. I was thinking I would probably try it solo tomorrow and if that falls through maybe see about this tour.
A guy came to pick me up in truck to take me over to boat, we chatted a bit (he in English me in Spanish to practice for both of us) and then we got pnboat. Captain Antonio I think, boat was something like Ketzal (with a K) - may have a picture. About four English speakers (actually German couple and some other solo guyof unknown nqtionqlity) andmaybe 5-6 Spanish (mostly mexican I think) speakers.
It started to piss down when i was driving with that guy over to boat. Tried to be cheerful and mostly succeeded butlong story short I felt wet and frezingnost of the time and I suspect I was hunched up and havecramped a lot of muscles etc. I did go in the water (with lifejacket - likemoat people) at each of the two stops though only about 10-15 mins at first (I did crappy breast strokebround boat twice and floated and kicked a bit) and about three mins at final one (didn't want to waste opp plus I thought some exercise might warm blme up given water is not actually that cold, albiet not super warm.)
I stupidly didn't take rain coat or fleece or trousers (for after) etc - otog I don't seen to remember doing this during panama Kuna trip but maybe it was somehow warmer. I tried to dry myself off etc and the captain saw I was shovering a bit and gave me a dry life jacket at one point. We has a bit of fruit after the first swim.
Tipped 50 at end and put wet but had tried to wrong it oushirt on ansttrogged off through lgight rain to hostel. I waant feeling awful but not terrible - exercise prob helping. I got back and think lot of people chatting on terrace but I just wanted to get into a hot shower. I took a while edore my dingers stoppedbfeeling vaguely stiff.
Ice had a sort of small wound on tip of right Second to little finger for a few days and fumbling for stiff in day-pack during tour I ended up somehow getting some green pus to come out. To be fair it actually perhaps huts less than it sos. Just may not some germolene on.
When got back the rain picked up a bit so I crawled into tent feelingmildly shit and musxle crampey but didn't want to go out for dinner in rain (could have put jacket etc on but wanted to keep thesry for maybe trip tomorrow). To give myself credit I was being reasonably positive, all part of tourist experience etc but was feeling quite ahit.
Rain alowed down and asked owner chap where I could go for f{od and he told me about the piZa place and this time it was open. I was caredul not to gorgeyself and make myself sick, but I ordered a xhica pizza and I think (me\uring with hand span and finger) it was a 12". I ate half of it and got the rest to bring back in a box - was roying with oddering it to people but no one was or has been on t erra e since I got back and Ice put it in first. I asked if woman could change a 500 and she could so for that pkuabsaving me from dying ogunfer i tipped her 40. I also got a 600ml full day coke to bring back and it is in fridge now.
My muscles ache a bit and I don't feel great but not too bad. I may have some of the coke in a minute. Probably earlyish night. I am not going to set an alarm and I will play it by ear what I do tomorrow. I made an effort today and while I would like to try limones chac solo I need to treat myself with respect and not force myself if I stilfeel shit tonorrow as i sont want to get run down. Deliverately not thinkg about it. If l want to I can maybe splurge on the tour I found out about or I can try it on my own on Wednesday - uvhavw time and don't need to fuxk? yself level by charging around I'd I feel under the weather. That isn't slack, it's just smart.
Since I got sick I haven't checke|s tonight as I pka! Es but 90% sure I can fet an easy frequent bus here to xhetunal and either put in a night or two there or change same say for an onward bua to say xjpil.
No problem walking back from pia (ONLY ABOUT TWO BLOCKS) after dark, albeit nega Kate. Walked in nisskeishofbroqs ("middle of road" to show what I am facing wrt onscreen keyboard) but moved for the odd car, more against dogs than muggers.
2009bhavingbbit of xoke. Yay for b instead of space. Not feeling great but not terrible. Kudos for bashing all this out ak I am not falling behind with blog.
Took o6 k boat in case it got lost rho p7 is non-inally waterproof somifht have been better given rain spray on screen causingprpvlems, but was a mistake worried about losing ot overboard.
Didn't really speak to anyone during tour but don't think anyone else who wasn't already with someone did either sis aay goodbye to everyone as I acaepered off the dock to get home.
If I didn't already say I probably wasn't going to suffer long term I) e%ects from feeling so cold, but it did *feel* pretty bad. I did fairly well trying to be poaitivebans upbeat and eg look forward to hot shower and make the most of it etc and not freak out about food and rain and dark.
Of, on way back to hostel after bookifntour I tried to break an old 500 in willys and they just flat declined it. I went in a tinylittle alborote? Shop and straight out showed the nice-ish oldish local woman the note and asked if she could change it. She tested it and said yes I asked if she had change as I didn't want to buy a lot and she did disappear off with note after this but she came back. I picked a few not great snacks (with a view to taking them to chac tomorrow on self tour and also, foresightedly, in case I couldn't eat tonight hot after tour) for about 35 or maybe 60 and a boy had come up to counter and told me what they came to and I said thelady hasny note and he asked I'd I was English and what the word for caballo was (I knew yay) in English and I explained the note was old because it was from when I was here 12 years ago (althis on spabiah) ans he seemed genuinely somehow impressed i asked him how old he was and he was 11 so maybe that explains it though I might expect a 11 year old to be more cynical. I got my change and (at least such was my intention) thanked him (saying it to both of them) for talking to me and left and that felt oddly nice, even though the snacks I'd got were a tiny bit expensive and not really what I wanted. Maybe a little memory for me, and I'd like to imagine he got the lady (presimably his mum) to show him the old note after.
All my laundry outside tent got soaked un downpour during tour. Rookie mistake *esp* after seeing weather fotecaat other day when i waa thinking about seeing sunrise over lake. But cant be helped. I have left it out tonight outaide tent and if it doesnt rain in night maybe it will dry (not just the two tops i wshed yday but also damp clothes from tour today). If not dependinf how i feel and what i do and when i get up i may see if i can hang it under cover round by the clothes washing sink tomorrow morning.
The autocorrect seems to hace just gone shit. I am sober, to be clear. OK, I has somehow accidentally switched to Spanish mode. Not going back to fix up, think it is mostly readable. OK did fix it up a bit.
We saw cenote negro on tour and I think captaon said all the houses round it are on airbnb and I didn't see any obvious public access from road. It is also a tiny bit forbidsing looking with the black water and being 90m deep (not sure about edge) and being open to the lake (all the cenotes here are apparently open not closed) and this is another reason why I am reluctant to follow up on poss of doing kayak in cenote negro from one of those hotels nearby I saw on this mornings tour, and why I suspect info i found online was outdated rather than me making mistakes.
2030 OK had half coke and going to clean teeth and go to bed. Feel OK if still bit achey and a touch chilly, though it is really quite pleasant out and just wearing trousers, dull shoes and socks and long sleeved top (no fleece).
2048 in bed.
Sun 2145 Just done bloody Duolingo after seeing reminder e-mail. (I dont have the app on either of my phones and am using the web browser version.)
Anyway, lets leave terrace and go clean teeth and go to bed etc.
Mon 0737 In bed, I hadn't slept up brilliantly, kept waking up every few hours, not in a really bad way but just did keep waking up. I thought it had rained at some point and I didn't really think and then a few hours later I woke up and I thought it rained some more. So I got up in middle of the night and I went to the toilet after taking down the underwear from the line outside the tent. I don't think it had rain, I suspect it was like dry leaves falling on the canvas above the tent or something.
I had the fan on a bit during the night for the novelty as much as anything it wasn't tremendously hot anyway it was sort of nice I couldn't really angle it but in such a small space the breeze bounces around I thought it might keep mosquitoes down it's not like I'm seeing a lot of them but I do feel I've got a few bites and I thought it might help I don't know.
Forgot to say yesterday there is actually a Limones-Chachoben station on the Tren Maya. I haven't actually checked the timetables yet but I think I had a quick look at where the station is and yeah it is in Limonos so it's like it's an additional option compared to going by bus but it doesn't necessarily help that much because if there's nowhere to stay in Limonos and I couldn't find anywhere then so what and I don't think the train is going to run so frequently or so absolutely reliably that I really want to be getting a taxi (I assume) over to the station here in Bacalar, doing a day trip to Limones and then getting a taxi both ways to and from Chachoben. Maybe something to check up on again later.
As I say, I'm still in bed and I don't really want to decide now, but I'm kind of leaning towards the camping five kilometers outside town. It's a bit of an adventure. The sunrise might be nice. It might be a bit captive audience for food. Food might be a bit problematic given how picky I am, but it does sound kind of cool. Of course, going to either of the places here isn't incompatible with trying to do something to see Chachogan, but I'm kind of thinking, although I might look into Chachogan a little bit more, I'm losing a bit of faith that I can do it, and in any case, going to one of the places here, probably the one five kilometers out of town, is obviously fairly easy from here, and I can still, if I find something out or talk to someone, I do some more research or have a brainwave, I can always try and get to church open afterwards.
I think you can probably see these last few paragraphs have been very slack with voice typing. I'm not making such an effort to go back and put punctuation in or fix the spellings of places or whatever and they're a bit waffly. But this is just a quick note from bed and I thought better to get this out even in a slightly crappy form than to forget to mention it again later on or something like that.
0811 I should probably get up. I'm kind of lying in bed and it's not super enjoyable. It's kind of nice but not great. You know, I'm feeling a little bit what to do exactly blah blah.
On the bus here, as I think I said, there was that superhero eternals kind of film. And then there was some trolls film about a boy band. I did sort of half-watch that as well. This is playing on a screen at the front of the bus and the sound is on the bus speakers. And I was actually very well positioned to see the screen, including the subtitle. It's all in Spanish, but dubbed in Spanish and subtitled in Spanish. Actually, it's not all subtitled. I think it's subtitled in Spanish when there's English or foreign language text on screen or something so maybe most of it is just spoken, because there were one or two bits I didn't catch and that's probably why, whereas if there'd been subtitles I probably would. I can't actually remember now.
Anyway, after that was a film about Mexican wildlife that I didn't really watch very much, but I did see there was some footage of tarantulas doing a sort of courtship dance thingy, and it was actually quite interesting.
I should probably not try to give a blow-by-blow account, but maybe it will help my thinking if I just say this. I'm kind of wondering if probably not today given it's not late but not super early, I should maybe check the bus timetables and or the train timetables and go over to Limones. And then get a taxi from there over to the ruins and back maybe try an Uber or something like that. I'd need to check that Chachoban was actually open that day. I hope there's an official website for that. I'm flip-flopping, on the one hand, it's like, as long as I know I can get back to Baccala where my accommodation is, I might waste the day travelling and burn, you know, double digit pounds on buses and most likely on taxis. But maybe I'd get to see Chachoban and it would be a bit of an adventure. On the other hand, especially if there is no accommodation there I find it only too easy to see myself getting over there and getting stranded or being at the pyramids and not being able to get back to limones in time because I'm struggling for transport because no one goes who isn't on one of these cruise oriented tours from Costa Maya.
0929 on terrace. Looking re chac. https://www.locogringo.com/things-to-do/mayan-ruins/chacchoben-ruins-costa-maya is clearly old with its 2015 update, but it makes it sound a bit like the site will be overrun with cruise groups.
Haven't found an official page about the site at all. ADO has a terminal in Limones near the train station, the train ticket booking site seems to be down so I can't check the timetable. I suppose I could look at ADO timetables and see the feasibility of popping over to Limones to see how the land lies. I am not likely to be going today.
It is quite grey and pleasantly cool but a tiny bit miserable looking and it may rain - not checked forecast but did see it yesterday when checking UV before I went to swim.
Looking at weather.com forecast, it looks like it could well be pretty cloudy for next day or two, which is obviously not great wrt seeing sunrise I guess.
Right hip hurts quite badly for first time in a while. Maybe the swimming or maybe I slept on it badly.
0949 right, ado site shows no seat availability today or tomorrow to Limones. I suspect this just means there is no bus between here and there. There is a bus from here to Xpujil (sp) but it leaves at 2355 and gets in at 1 or 2 am. There are regular buses from here to Tulum all day. (The big fucker with the onscreen keyboard is that the autocorrect will just irreversibly destroy meaning by turning Tulum into Tokyo or MXN150 in a price note into some random word if you don't watch it like a hawk.) I think there are no buses from here to Campeche.
I am feeling I may have painted myself into a bit of a corner in terms of onward travel it isn't the end of the world, worst case is I have to waste time and money going back to Tulum and on from there. Maybe Tren Maya will help.
I think rather than being down some of these sites are just blocking my VPN in an unclear way, which isn't helpful.
1001 OK, there are loads of services to Christmas, which is what I meant instead of Campeche. ADO have loads. So *maybe* that would be a good next stop or I could change there for a service to Xpujil. R2r says the only direct services here to Xpujil are late night and I'd really rather not do that.
Breakfast not bad.
Seriously torn about just trogging over to bus terminal now and seeing if I can get a bus to Limones and see what happens as a day trip. But it feels horribly rushed.
1006 if r2r is to be believed - and this is a n obscureish route - the next bus to Limones is 1240 today. There are (again if it is correct) buses back quite late, including after dark (tolerable at a pinch - push comes to shove I could get a taxi or uber right to hostel door if dogs are a problem).
If I pretend - and this is a way over-simplified Ott version of my dont hate round idea and taking vague inspiration from slow travel mocement (I am not "one of them", I just read some stuff when trying to find philosophy etc) - I have all the time in the world, it feels a bit like I ought to stay here Tue night (given I don't rate chances of sunrise in next day or two, negating a lot of value in the two alternate hostels nearby, which I might consider later), have a semi puttering day here, maybe swimming and going over to bus terminal to see what I can find out, and then tomorrow strike out earlyish for a day trip to Limones. If I can get to chac that is great, if not is might be nice to wander around linones which must have at least a restaurant or something given it has an ado terminal etc.
Chac may or may not be worth it even if I do get there but this whole process of going may be a kind of adventure. It would also maybe fill in a little time while I see if the weather improves re sunrise viewing.
FWIW I just checked uber and right now there is no option for service limones to chac archeological zone, so if I did go it would probably have to be a taxi or (unlikely) some sort of local bus or tour (but I doubt such exists, given you'd expect a tourist business like that to have some online presence).
Am I going to have deathbed regrets I maybe "waste" another 2-3 days hanging around in Bacalar and environs? No. It is also valuable experimentation and experience with not charging around like crazy. Am I quietly enjoying it here? Yes, I guess so. Free coffee would be nice but if I did nothing else (and not saying I would) I could go out and buy myself a jqr of instant and boil water on kitchen stove or go out and get a big bottle of soft drink and spend the day sitting on the terrace reading or planning or studying.
FWIW while better to spread it out than do it say after day then not for weeks, being here also let's me swim and anything is better than nothing wrt keeping up.
I will probably *not* ask about extending another nifht just yet. Gut feeling is I am going to go put shoes on, head out and see if I can book a boat tour - I am not that desperate and I suspect it is a bit tedious but it is about seven quid and it would be something "done" with the day and it might be cool - and also probably wander over to bus terminal and see about buses to Limones or chetumal or wherever.
1020 booking. Com shows 2 tents (maybe more) and 8 dorm beds free here for a check in tomorrow for one night, so I dont expect to have trouble extending in a few hours time.
1939 on terrace. Today actually quite successful except I think I made myself I'll. I a going to take this easy and just write up what I can.
Left hostel a bit after 11. I walked over to area with bus terminals. Ado seemed shut. One guy just didn't seem interested in selling me anything. Despite an unpromising start (he just wandered off and I wasnt sure if he was going to come back) a guy at Forneos told me there was a service (perhaps a minibus, not sure) to Limones every 40ish mins and it is about 60-70 (I can't remember) each way. I asked if chac was oflpen and about getting a taxi there from Limones and he didn't really know but wasn't entirely dismissive, just not going to come himself.
So I started to think I might have a good at a aolo chac trip tomorrow. I still might but going to wait and see how I feel and I probably won't set an alarm.
1946 so I then having seen it on map and looked at net (probably all really out of date info) and walled down lakefront rowd right past cenote negro/black. Could not find any pedestrian access, let alone free aa suggested. Did at least spot a couple of hotels nearby doing kayak rental. This fy a bit of a failure but since I did look at it probably is the case there is just no public access any more I could not have done any better. There is some possibility of going down there one day to try hiring a kayak but I am far from sure.
I then came back into town and spoke to the woman that the tourist booth near the fort selling boat tours. I asked her about it - two chances to swim about 2-2.5h, different boat types have different cover bit tourbis aame. I either but having been told {and has seen thos before) that there are no tours wed and I did kind of have time, I booked for the 400 boat (should have been 450, cheaper boat is 350) at 1500 - about 1.5h in future, 1400 seemed too soon and I was thinking 1500 better wrt uv given not allowed sunblock.
PH, I got four bananas at whop near bus terminals and ate them during walk down to cenote negro. Glad I sis.
El valiente was closed when I walked back from booking tour (I paid a 100deposit BTW} so couldn't go in. I paid for an extra night (the night) at hostel when got back and ditherily prepped and headed down to kiosk where hqs arranged to meet for collection at 1450.
Quite nice chat with woman, also despite feeling nervous I tried to imagine the face in the fort tower was being smoly for me. Worry was mainly about getting back for diner before dark.
A slightly suspicious but actually nice oldish battery gut came up - istr he said his name was marquestita, as he had just finished (a career)? Selling them - it is a local desert. I was feeling bit edgy but talked oniahly with him @ns bervea were more general than about him.
I asked woman about xhac and she said there is a tour wed sat and sun! 800 per person if more than one, 1200 for one person I can in theory go and talk to her about this tomorrow. I was thinking I would probably try it solo tomorrow and if that falls through maybe see about this tour.
A guy came to pick me up in truck to take me over to boat, we chatted a bit (he in English me in Spanish to practice for both of us) and then we got pnboat. Captain Antonio I think, boat was something like Ketzal (with a K) - may have a picture. About four English speakers (actually German couple and some other solo guyof unknown nqtionqlity) andmaybe 5-6 Spanish (mostly mexican I think) speakers.
It started to piss down when i was driving with that guy over to boat. Tried to be cheerful and mostly succeeded butlong story short I felt wet and frezingnost of the time and I suspect I was hunched up and havecramped a lot of muscles etc. I did go in the water (with lifejacket - likemoat people) at each of the two stops though only about 10-15 mins at first (I did crappy breast strokebround boat twice and floated and kicked a bit) and about three mins at final one (didn't want to waste opp plus I thought some exercise might warm blme up given water is not actually that cold, albiet not super warm.)
I stupidly didn't take rain coat or fleece or trousers (for after) etc - otog I don't seen to remember doing this during panama Kuna trip but maybe it was somehow warmer. I tried to dry myself off etc and the captain saw I was shovering a bit and gave me a dry life jacket at one point. We has a bit of fruit after the first swim.
Tipped 50 at end and put wet but had tried to wrong it oushirt on ansttrogged off through lgight rain to hostel. I waant feeling awful but not terrible - exercise prob helping. I got back and think lot of people chatting on terrace but I just wanted to get into a hot shower. I took a while edore my dingers stoppedbfeeling vaguely stiff.
Ice had a sort of small wound on tip of right Second to little finger for a few days and fumbling for stiff in day-pack during tour I ended up somehow getting some green pus to come out. To be fair it actually perhaps huts less than it sos. Just may not some germolene on.
When got back the rain picked up a bit so I crawled into tent feelingmildly shit and musxle crampey but didn't want to go out for dinner in rain (could have put jacket etc on but wanted to keep thesry for maybe trip tomorrow). To give myself credit I was being reasonably positive, all part of tourist experience etc but was feeling quite ahit.
Rain alowed down and asked owner chap where I could go for f{od and he told me about the piZa place and this time it was open. I was caredul not to gorgeyself and make myself sick, but I ordered a xhica pizza and I think (me\uring with hand span and finger) it was a 12". I ate half of it and got the rest to bring back in a box - was roying with oddering it to people but no one was or has been on t erra e since I got back and Ice put it in first. I asked if woman could change a 500 and she could so for that pkuabsaving me from dying ogunfer i tipped her 40. I also got a 600ml full day coke to bring back and it is in fridge now.
My muscles ache a bit and I don't feel great but not too bad. I may have some of the coke in a minute. Probably earlyish night. I am not going to set an alarm and I will play it by ear what I do tomorrow. I made an effort today and while I would like to try limones chac solo I need to treat myself with respect and not force myself if I stilfeel shit tonorrow as i sont want to get run down. Deliverately not thinkg about it. If l want to I can maybe splurge on the tour I found out about or I can try it on my own on Wednesday - uvhavw time and don't need to fuxk? yself level by charging around I'd I feel under the weather. That isn't slack, it's just smart.
Since I got sick I haven't checke|s tonight as I pka! Es but 90% sure I can fet an easy frequent bus here to xhetunal and either put in a night or two there or change same say for an onward bua to say xjpil.
No problem walking back from pia (ONLY ABOUT TWO BLOCKS) after dark, albeit nega Kate. Walked in nisskeishofbroqs ("middle of road" to show what I am facing wrt onscreen keyboard) but moved for the odd car, more against dogs than muggers.
2009bhavingbbit of xoke. Yay for b instead of space. Not feeling great but not terrible. Kudos for bashing all this out ak I am not falling behind with blog.
Took o6 k boat in case it got lost rho p7 is non-inally waterproof somifht have been better given rain spray on screen causingprpvlems, but was a mistake worried about losing ot overboard.
Didn't really speak to anyone during tour but don't think anyone else who wasn't already with someone did either sis aay goodbye to everyone as I acaepered off the dock to get home.
If I didn't already say I probably wasn't going to suffer long term I) e%ects from feeling so cold, but it did *feel* pretty bad. I did fairly well trying to be poaitivebans upbeat and eg look forward to hot shower and make the most of it etc and not freak out about food and rain and dark.
Of, on way back to hostel after bookifntour I tried to break an old 500 in willys and they just flat declined it. I went in a tinylittle alborote? Shop and straight out showed the nice-ish oldish local woman the note and asked if she could change it. She tested it and said yes I asked if she had change as I didn't want to buy a lot and she did disappear off with note after this but she came back. I picked a few not great snacks (with a view to taking them to chac tomorrow on self tour and also, foresightedly, in case I couldn't eat tonight hot after tour) for about 35 or maybe 60 and a boy had come up to counter and told me what they came to and I said thelady hasny note and he asked I'd I was English and what the word for caballo was (I knew yay) in English and I explained the note was old because it was from when I was here 12 years ago (althis on spabiah) ans he seemed genuinely somehow impressed i asked him how old he was and he was 11 so maybe that explains it though I might expect a 11 year old to be more cynical. I got my change and (at least such was my intention) thanked him (saying it to both of them) for talking to me and left and that felt oddly nice, even though the snacks I'd got were a tiny bit expensive and not really what I wanted. Maybe a little memory for me, and I'd like to imagine he got the lady (presimably his mum) to show him the old note after.
All my laundry outside tent got soaked un downpour during tour. Rookie mistake *esp* after seeing weather fotecaat other day when i waa thinking about seeing sunrise over lake. But cant be helped. I have left it out tonight outaide tent and if it doesnt rain in night maybe it will dry (not just the two tops i wshed yday but also damp clothes from tour today). If not dependinf how i feel and what i do and when i get up i may see if i can hang it under cover round by the clothes washing sink tomorrow morning.
The autocorrect seems to hace just gone shit. I am sober, to be clear. OK, I has somehow accidentally switched to Spanish mode. Not going back to fix up, think it is mostly readable. OK did fix it up a bit.
We saw cenote negro on tour and I think captaon said all the houses round it are on airbnb and I didn't see any obvious public access from road. It is also a tiny bit forbidsing looking with the black water and being 90m deep (not sure about edge) and being open to the lake (all the cenotes here are apparently open not closed) and this is another reason why I am reluctant to follow up on poss of doing kayak in cenote negro from one of those hotels nearby I saw on this mornings tour, and why I suspect info i found online was outdated rather than me making mistakes.
2030 OK had half coke and going to clean teeth and go to bed. Feel OK if still bit achey and a touch chilly, though it is really quite pleasant out and just wearing trousers, dull shoes and socks and long sleeved top (no fleece).
2048 in bed.
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