You dirty robbing bastards

Sun, 12:15. In the 'white museumy building' area which now is definitely the main CI entrance, waiting for a bus to Merida.

The fuckers at the hotel have overcharged me by about 23 quid. Even at their own exchange rate of MXN12.5/dollar, the bil didn't match what I expected. Even applying the 10% discount I suspected they forgotten it seemed to much. (Of course, it doesn't help that hostelworld.com don't make it obvious which currency the booking is formally made in.)

I mentioned the 10% I'd already paid. The guy said there was a n% tax. Of course the bill showed nothing of this. But what the fuck could I do? I will write to hostelworld and if I can pursue this and claim the money back I will, although I am not optimistic. Man, that fucking hotel has just got on my wick in every way possible.

After all that I didn't want to ask the guy at the desk to call me a taxi. I was rather sullen to be honest. Fortunately there were some waiting down the street.

Man I am hacked off. I expect the bill to clearly show the fucking taxes, and the 10% I paid up front. Maybe I should have stayed and really argued the toss (ideally remaining calm but firm, digging out my laptop to check the hostelworld e-mail, etc) and at least wasted their time before coughing up. But I didn't.

While I'm still hacked off, I suspect the lessons here are:
- make sure I know what currency the deal was made in (if hostelworld.com doesn't show this, they should) and have the details in that currency on hand (here I had noted down USD, not sure if that was my choice or all hostelworld.com showed me, and they were billing in MXN)
- if there's some sort of strange tax or other surcharge which wasn't included, I want it on the bill in black and white before I pay it
- if the numbers don't match, I want my 10% upfront payment on the bill before I pay it
- make a commitment to myself I'm going to argue for at least 15 minutes before I cave in

Absolute fuckers.

12:30. There is a truck with a big cage on the back which has just pulled up and an enormous group of people are jumping out of the back. We are talking cattle truck kind of rammed here. A lot look very young and I might suspect it's a school party (though on a Sunday?). Weird all the same.

Chitchen Itza, Saturday

12:00. Woke up about 6 but ultimately got up about 11 & left 11:30. Walked 2.3km down the highway (next to no footpath, I kept on the left to avoid being hit by a car in the small of the back) with a vague idea of going to Ik-Kil park. Have instead come to Dolores Alba hotel opposite for food (there is supposed to be a buffet at Ik-Kil but I made a call anyway). The guy at the desk said the restaurant was open til 1 and seemed a bit dubious. But it's 12!? Even your clock shows it. The place is deserted but they are serving me anyway. Yay, proper food!

Vague plan after is to continue walking another 2-3km to the caves. I could visit Ik-Kil but I don't want to swim (and I didn't bring towel etc with me) and the caves sound more interesting. I hope to get a cab back but if not at least I know I am capable of walking it, since that's how I got there.

14:00. At the caves (grutas de balancanche, they seem undecided if it's spelled like that or balankanche), got here about 13:10. I was the only person here, two more just turned up. It's minimum 6 for the tour so it's quite possible it won't happen. I must say that seems a little crap, you might think they'd say eg 'we will do a tour ever 3 hours if there is anyone at all waiting', given the guides are presumably being paid to sit around on their arses regardless and any incoming cash is better than none.

Been round the small museum until just now, it only took so long as I read the Spanish as well as English and used my dictionary thoroughly. The English and French translations are often half the size of the Spanish and clearly omit information.

Two more people just turned up.

I haven't had a chance to ask if any climbing is involved in these caves but I have to assume it is not like the mine tour. Guide book says it can be a little claustrophobic and hard to breathe due to temperature but doesn't particularly lay it on thick.

Tours apparently also take place only on the hour, alternating between Spanish and English. So I guess given it's now 14:04 we will not being doing a tour til 15:00 even if twenty more people turn up now.

The 15:00 tour is due to be in English. It would not surprise me if they are sufficiently uptight about their precious rules that even if every single person present at 15:00 was a native Spanish speaker they would insist on giving the tour in English.

There is a cheery notice on the wall saying 'Debido la formacíon natural de esta gruta no es recomendable el acceso a las personas con PADECIMIENTO CARDIACOS, RESPIRATORIOS, NERVIOSAS, CLAUSTROFOBICAS, así como a los MENORES DE 10 AÑOS Y MAYORES DE 60. Queda bajo la responsibilidad de los visitantes los riesgos que implica la inobservancia de la presente disposicíon.'

It doesn't say anything about arachnophobics and I am assuming I am not that claustrophobic. As I say, my main concern is that I will be expected to scramble up or down some dodgy slope.

Oh, to be anal, the tours don't alternate English-Spanish, there is a solitary French tour at 10:00 which interrupts the alternation.

Parking is free here, to give them credit.

Oh, I have walked 4.55km so far today. There were a couple of taxis on the road which beeped their horns as if to say they were free, but I suspect I will end up walking all the way back. That's cool really, 9km is not excessive, the last tour here is at 4pm and finishes no later than 4:45 and it doesn't get dark til at least 7:30. It should be a bit cooler by then too, although it wasn't too bad even around midday.

Oh, I have a fair number of presumably mosquito bites which are itching slightly. Including one on my foot. I can only assume these happen when I'm in bed but that seems weird.

I am totally out of the DEET spray I brought from the UK, I wrung the last few drops out this morning on the offchance and will finally throw the damn thing away. I never got to use most of it, it mainly leaked all over the place. And of course the obstreperous gits at Panama City airport threw away my somewhat ineffective aerosol.

I will try to buy some more once I get out of Chichen Itza into a proper town. I don't feel an enormous need but it would probably be prudent.

I am probably going to have loads of time at the hotel tonight, I expect to be back about 6 or 7. I will plan ahead, I am thinking about drawing up a rough itinerary as far as say Guanajuato to get some idea of how long it might take.

If I am not really pushed for time I am tempted to stay in Merida tomorrow night. One night might be enough, since I could well be there about 2pm even leaving her at midday. It would reduce awkwardness with buses and give me a bit of time in a big town (Palenque sounds quite small) to make purchases, go to bars, eat in restaurants etc. It also sounds quite a nice place anyway.

14:55. Group of three just turned up and bought tickets so I did too. I think at least one of the earlier groups of two will be returning shortly so looks like we are good to go.

15:00. They just asked us what language we want. Just me and the three so far. They are apparently from the Czech Republic. I didn't say anything but they asked for English.

15:35. Just come out. We only had a group of 4., so obviously their rules are not that strict and I don't know what happened to the other people who turned up around 2.

Cave was pretty cool as a cave, mildly cool as a known Maya site and not particularly cool as a place to see Maya artefacts (they replaced most of them exactly where found after taking them out for study), it was too dingy (despite being electrically lit all through) and to a non-specialists the artefacts just weren't that impressive.

The soundtrack was, as described in my guide book, which seems to have scored a hat trick on this place, in English but largely inaudible. It evidently consisted of a conversation between a Maya father/chief and his son, but what with walking during it and the quality not being great it was almost just an annoying distraction.

No claustrophobia issues, it's all paved with steps and never gets that narrow. I did feel a bit short of breath, which the guide book said you might, so maybe this was the exertion/heat rather than supressed panic.

There were bats in there, which I thought was cool but I could imagine it bothering some people and I think they should have mentioned it up front. I mean, I wouldn't have been happy if there had been a lot of spiders in there they hadn't mentioned.

The actual guide himself said little more than 'be careful' or 'we have a few minutes here'. No problem. We were only in there about half an hour.

Bought a coke and a bottle of water as I left for MXN12 each. I added the water after (thinking it never hurts to get more) and when I paid for that they said I hadn't paid for the coke. I could swear I did but maybe I didn't, it's an extra MXN12 so sod it.

Oh, when I say it was paved, there were still steps, some slightly steep and uneven ones at one point with a slightly crappy rope handrail in places and in other bits you could hold onto the rock walls. Nothing to write home about in terms of difficulty, but I wouldn't like to imply it's completely flat

19:55. Walked 9.74km by GPS today. Been back at the hotel for a while, surfed until battery died, now back in my room re-packing to try to get my suitcase to shut more easily while the laptop recharges.

21:50. Booked a hostel for two nights in Merida. I asked the guy at reception and he says I can get a bus from the main entrance to Chichen Itza, so if I have to checkout by midday I should be at the hostel by 3pmish.

As a trivia fact, my camera (over its lifetime, not on this trip alone) has now taken more then 10,000 photos. I think it tipped over today.

Have shifted maybe a gigabyte of photos over to my PC back in Skegness over the last couple of nights and just burned them onto a DVD over there. I may still try to get some DVDs burned locally if it's easy - it's kind of faster - but this does take the pressure off a bit.

Photos from the caves today are up on flickr. I still need to upload the photos of Chichen Itza and the tiny quantity of token photos I took in Cancun. (I never visited the hotel zone where the beaches are except via taxi the night I arrived. I would have gone for a look but since the weather was pretty crap while I was there there seemed little point in the expense or inconvenience.)

22:00. Just been told they are shutting, I have ordered three more beers before paying. I think this may have discretely amused the staff but sod it. MXN170 something, I gave 200 with the tip. I am rather low on smaller bills than 500s now, I may have one squirreled away which I shall have to see if I can dig out for the taxi to the main entrance and the bus tomorrow.

Was deserted out here but two women just turned up with their own bottle of coke (and are calling to some other people who may join them). Fair play to them. It seems excessively dead here at night. I don't expect a hostel-style (or stereotypically hostel-style, anyway, my experience is not that way) party in somewhere a bit pricey, but I am surprised even semi-middle aged vacationers aren't having a drink or two a bit later than 10pm.

23:20. Laptop battery nearly dead and I have a beer left. Ended up wikijumping to my old university, of which I have no fond memories beyond being young (not their fault, to be fair). My old tutor, Howell Peregrine, both has a wikipedia page and it turns out died in March 2007. I can't pretend to be gutted (with no disrespect, as undergrand and professor we just weren't that close) but it is a bit weird to find out all the same.

This has triggered off a burst of pseudo nostalgia. And regret at wasted opportunities. Oh well. We do what we can when we can. And you know, Mary Schmich was right. Not just about the sunscreen.

23:30. Laptop battery just about dead so I have hibernated it. Will finish the last beer with the aid of a Sherlock Holmes story or two on the phone. (I am still intending to finish Les Miserables, and for that matter The Voyage Out, but I diverted away a day or two to less demanding mental fare.)

00:05. Nearly finished my last beer. To bed shortly. I assume checkout is at midday so there's no rush, though all other things being equal the sooner I get up the better as it will give me more time in Merida tomorrow afternoon.

Chichen Itza, Friday

5:10pm. Currently sat on the hostel terrace with the laptop being completely ignored by the staff, who have not offered me a menu or asked me if I want a drink. Fuck you guys.

Got up later than I originally planned as I just couldn't face the apparent effort of visiting Chichen Itza. Eventually made it out of the hotel at 11:15 or so, which was still not bad for me, and I did briefly call my Grandad to wish him a happy 80th before leaving. I asked at reception and they said the entrance was to the right. This did at least make sense as the Mayaland is down there and I saw from the map in the guide book it (and in fact my hotel, under an older variant of the name) is near one entrance. I walked over and the entrance is not particularly obvious, but I managed to ask someone.

The sound and light show is on every night and I think it starts at 8pm tonight, so I was advised by the guy at the ticket office to be there about 7:30pm. I was planning to get something to eat back at the hotel first but it doesn't look like that's an option.

I left a bit after 4pm (it shuts at 5pm) and I think I pretty much managed to see everything. They didn't give me any leaflet or what have you describing the site but I took my guide book (the Mexico one, the Central America one - despite explicitly covering the Yucatan pensinula - has about two pages on Chichen Itza) and the slightly crappy map and list of things at the site make me fairly confident I saw everything I could. I found the auditorium the museum mentioned in the guide book is next to, the museum appeared not to exist but there was a plausibly "in the process of renovation" looking room next to the auditorium so I suspect I didn't miss anything.

I found a few kiosks and slightly bigger huts selling snack-y food and drink and as I had trouble following the map in the guide book I thought they were the snack bar mentioned on the guide book map. I had a couple of ice creams and a biggish packet of crisps. It was only when I tried to find the museum around 4pm that I went over to the west (main) entrance and realised there is actually a small cafe there. It wasn't obvious if they were still open or not and I couldn't see a menu anywhere so I decided not to try and take my chances back at the hotel.

Although I didn't see it from the outside today, I suspect the "white museumy building" where I got off the bus yesterday was the outside of the main entrance to the park. (The east entrance, the one near the hotels, appears to exist mainly to serve the three nearby hotels and certain coach parties. It has none of the facilities of the west entrance.) I suspect I was vastly overcharged for the taxi ride between the probable west entrance and my hotel on my arrival yesterday, but they had me over a barrel. At least I slightly did the bus company as going to Chichen Itza costs MXN4 more than going to Piste, which is what I paid for. Well, if they can't be arsed to TELL ME WHEN WE'RE IN PISTE, what do they expect? And of course, to be fair, the driver didn't say anything.

The site itself is pretty cool, although to be honest what impressed me most were the iguanas. :-) Sadly you cannot climb on any of the structures nowadays. This includes not being allowed into the passage inside El Castillo which leads to the inner building or whatever. My 2006-ish guide book says you can not climb on most stuff but does say you can go into that tunnel. I suppose the restrictions do make a certain sense but it is a shame, especially about that tunnel.

I am intending to go to the sound and light show tonight, especially as I think it has zero additional cost. My vague plan was to revisit tomorrow, trying to get there early to see the place when it's a bit less busy, not that the other tourists were insanely intrusive today. The only other attractions mentioed in my guide book nearby are some caves and somewhere you can swim. Since I can't, the latter isn't of that much interest. The caves do sound potentially worth a visit, though it's about 5km away and I suspect potential taxi problems on the way back, if not on the way out. I may try to revisit Chichen Itza tomorrow morning and then go to the caves later. On the other hand, it seems a little bit silly to go back to CI when I have basically seen it all. But then it's not like I have a huge amount else today, if I do get up early then it doesn't really cut into my time to see the caves and the price of a second entrance ticket is negligible compared to what I've spent getting here in the first place. I suppose I can also get something to eat there now I know about the west entrance and it's associated cafe.

While digging the guide book out at the site to see what else there was to see, I kept accidentally turning up bits for other nearby places. I have a vague idea I will have to go onto Merida from here, which is about an hour, though whether I spend any significant time there remains to be seen. Vague idea is to go onwards via Palenque (if my memory hasn't mangled that, I don't have the guide book on me right now) where there are apparently some cool ruins, then to Oaxaca City. Those are both 8-9h-ish trips and so may be doable overnight or failing that are not too crap to do during the day. Looking further head, I suspect I will have plenty of time in hand when I reach Guanajuato, so I could make then push further west to reach Guadalajara/Tlaquepaque. I may even have time to spare after that, I can imagine I will end up flying back to Mexico City rather than trying to complete the tour by bus.

I wonder if I am being ignored in part because I didn't tip the guy last night. Well, fuck him. I probably would have done if he'd just had the commercial competence to have change for a 200 peso note, as it was I was sort of "jolted" and tipping just didn't occur to me, it wasn't even a deliberate decision.

6pm. Still no acknowledgement of the bare fact of my existence from the staff here. I know I am being a stubborn fucker and I could just try to attract attention, but screw you guys, two can play at the same game.

9pm. Just got back from sound and light show. Come out to the terrace again, apparently all the dining tables are reserved. I have been punted over to some plastic table with no cover, I hope it doesn't rain. I was going to ask to see the menu but since I've been uncermoniously dumped over here, fuck you guys again. I did at least get a beer. At least if all those tables are reserved, unless we've got some Banquo's Ghost situation going on here, those ultra-important people haven't turned up yet and they won't close the bar at 10pm. While I'm not out for ultra tranquility on the other hand, I don't relish the prospect of a large party of presumably 20 or so diners all gabbling away practically in my ear.

The sound and light show was not bad. I didn't fork out the MXN39 for the gadget that would let me receive an English translation, partly as no one else did, partly as I figured it was good practice and partly as I doubted the light effects would really have much to do with the commentary.

As it turned out I maybe understood about 50%, maybe more. I couldn't concentrate properly as a wide variety of FUCKWITS kept talking FLASH PHOTOS of a LIGHT SHOW. Maybe they just got excited about the visual effects and wanted to join in. It was genuinely distracting in itself and then I kept getting worked up about it as well. You'd think they might make an announcement up front or something.

Let me enumerate the problems here, people:

• Firstly, you're being arrogant, selfish bastards. I appreciate a lot of the time that behaviour serves you well and you, let's face it, get a much better quality of life than me, continually worrying as I do about offending people or behaving unreasonably. But you really have no excuse here, because:
• Secondly, your puny camera flash is not going to significantly illuminate a 30 metre high pyramid at a distance of around 100 metres. So you're spoiling the show for everyone without even doing yourself any good. And it gets worse, because:
• Thirdly, the effects you are photographing are due to COLOURED LIGHT being emitted from a projector, not white light being reflected off a pigmented surface. So adding your own white light will at best make no difference and at worst actually wash out the effects you are trying to photograph. Plus, the chances are your camera will decide to underexpose the photo as it detects the flash reflecting off the back of the heads of the people in the row in front of you, further spoling your photo. So you're even hurting yourself by behaving in this way.

Cunts.

I did see the appearance of the serpent down the side of the pyramid, which is moderately cool. I had the idea it was supposed to move, but I suspect I just misinterpreted the term "descending" in the guide book - it does look like a serpent descending the pyramid, in the same way a photo of a man getting off a bus would look like a man "descending" from the bus but would not actually move.

It was slightly creepy walking back to the hotel, the path is illuminated up to the entrance gate but one you get past the Mayaland hotel proper it gets a bit dingy. I also followed the crowd into the Mayaland grounds and had to double back on myself to find the road. I had my GPS but it wasn't that useful because I only had the hotel as a target and the Mayaland hotel was on the straight line path between the gate and my hote. Still, I managed OK.

9:20pm. FUCK. Some whitish creature (I can't tell, there's no direct light out here in under-valued guest territory, but I think it was white) just walked in front of my laptop. And it was a fucking spider. Not an enormous one, maybe half an inch long, I don't know. But fuck. No no, I don't mind being stuck out here. My skin is crawling, although I think I just keep getting flies landing on me.

Oh, the "reserved" tables are still unoccupied. Quite a lot of the huge number of other tables seem to be occupied, maybe those guys reserved and then decided they'd sit somewhere else. No harm done.

9:25pm. Oh no, they just turned up. So I will have an audience when I jump up, knock the table over, smashing my glass, bottle and laptop at the same time, when I find some fucking tarantula crawling up my leg.

I did see some huge group arrive when I was being ignored at the table earlier. There must be one or even two tour groups in, plus perhaps a few other guests. I do wonder why it was so quiet yesterday, I can imagine a bit of unevenness in the guest quantity but to go from practically deserted to this seems crazy. If I overheard the conversation between waiters correctly they are Germans, so it doesn't seem that like they would turn up on a Friday as it's handy for a four-day weekend.

I have to at least reference the inevitable beach towel joke given the fuckers reserved all the tables.

9:40pm. OK, I just ordered a second beer and asked for a bit of lime to go with it (to squeeze into the glass, though I didn't say that). I bet they think I'm a right tourist. But I really don't care what the bunch of overcharging under-serving gits think.

9:45pm. FFS. There are now some people doing noisy vaguely tap/clog dancing on the terrace right next to my table (and the adjacent one which is also occupied). Maybe they'll tread on that fucking spider if it's decided to stop doing laps of my table (it came back round again!). No sign of any lime, or anyone coming back to say "sorry, we don't have any lime". I wouldn't normally be that picky about the service but these guys keep rubbing me up the wrong way. And while not super expensive, at USD70/night (my rate, no idea what the rack rate is), it's not exactly cheap either and they clearly consider themselves a moderately classy joint.

On a completely different note, I am a bit dubious about leaving here. I suspect I will have to get a bus to Merida and I won't be able to eat beforehand. Merida is only an hour away and even if I just get another bus straight out of there I may be able to get something at the terminal in Merida, but I am not too optimistic. I suppose it will be fine, worst case is I end up getting grumpy, but it doesn't appeal much. I am also a bit dubious as I suspect it's an eight hour onward trip from Merida so I will probably arrive in P-whatsit after dark and my guide book makes it sound very slightly dodgy (though I think it is referring to trying to pick up buses in some nearby out-of-the-way place rather than the town itself). At the risk of being stuck without a hostel I think I will look into this tomorrow night - assuming I don't decide to do the light show again tomorrow (which I will only do if go to Chichen Itza again tomorrow and hence have a free entrance) I will have the whole night to plan in and I do already have these vague ideas so that should be OK. I will be able to get a hostel somewhere but booking a day in advance may force me to go somewhere different or maybe stop overnight in Merida or try for an overnight bus. We will see I guess. I'm not sorting it out tonight, I am not in the mood. At least tomorrow I will have made sure I've eaten (which in itself pushes me to visit Chichen Itza tomorrow, just so I can use the cafe there) and may be less hacked off as a result.

10:25pm. The big reserving group left en bloc ten minutes or so ago. There are about ten people out here still but much clearing up is going on. So I feel my next beer is a bit dubious. I hate that. Especially when last night they just dumped the bill on me instead of asking if I wanted to order anything before they shut. Maybe I could have asked for that, but I shouldn't have to. (I mean, "make it easy for people to give you money", anyone?) One group does seem to be ordering food - or at least something complex enough to require the waiter to have a pad out - so I guess I shouldn't worry. But I oh so much hate being suddenly surprised by a lack of beer availability. It suck(ed/s) in the UK but at least you pretty much know where you stood/stand.

I am necking this one so as to order another, which sucks. It is pure UK with the added uncertainty. I probably shouldn't be what with not eating properly, but I've had three small bottles, even another two is not really going to tip me over the edge, and I suppose for once the fact it's calorific is actually a good thing.

10:50pm. Just got a fifth anyway. One group is leaving, we are down to two other guests at a table. Doubt there will be a sixth but at least I've had a better innings.

Just had a bit of friendly banter from the leaving group about me working away (because I'm here using my laptop). Nice to actually not despise something about the place. (Mostly joking.)

I hope they will take a MXN200 note for five beers (the last still hasn't turned up yet) which I expect to be about 150 plus tip. I am running low on smaller notes which is worrying, if I as probably will (if only for the food, but it would be cool to be there early when the place is deserted, there was a bit of that tonight walking to the sound & light show) I go to CI tomorrow I will try to pay with a 500. They must get so much custom (and I suspect everyone pays cash) they can surely not plausibly claim to be unable to break a 500.





11:10pm. Amazing. Waiter just asked if I wanted to put it on the bill or pay cash (don't know why that option wasn't offered last night), I said I didn't mind but could I get one more. He brought it and said it was 170ish, I gave him 200 and said keep the change. He said I'd had five and I make it six, but while I am not usually dishonest, I am not so certain and not so enamoured of the place as to argue. This isn't really about taking cadvantage, there is an element of uncertainty. I am probably unfairly a bit unhappy with certain aspects of the place (I suspect my personal irrationalities have kicked in) but I am not deliberately taking advantage. In the past (even on the trip, not just in places where I might want to return) I have been very honest when mistakes have been made in my favour. If I am right and they're wrong, I'm MXN4 short ignoring the tip (6*170/5-200). I may tip a bit generously tomorrow night to make up for it if there is a mistake but I don't feel the worm of guilt knawing at my vitals much. A bit, but my count could well be wrong.

I am the last guest out on the terrace but it's not the typical bar situation. It's not like I have to leave before they can lock up and shut down for the night and the table can easily be wiped down and so forth tomorrow morning, so I'm not being pressured away, even if I feel a bit guilty for being here (never mind the money issue). I have about 30 mins of battery left so I will stay out for it, since I can't use the net in my room. Even with a quick shower, getting up at 8amish to see CI again early will be mainly a question of willpower rather than tiredness.

Chichen Itza, Thursday

It's 9pm here. I've managed to get a little bit more of a perspective on things.

I went for a brief walk. In one direction is the ultra-sprawling and ultra-expensive Mayaland hotel. There was a sort of coffee kiosk hut on the grounds but it was half open and I don't know which direction it was moving.

5-10 minutes walk in the other direction is a junction with what looks like the main road (this one just has three hotels on as far as I can tell) and a sign pointing to Chichen Itza, obviously aimed at traffic. I vaguely hope to do a bit of research on the web now (I wanted to come here, but all my reading so far was aimed solely at deciding how to get here and where to stay) and I will ask at reception tomorrow morning but I might hope I can walk over by following those signs. Given the web site says this place is a 10 minute walk away I suspect that is a different route.

The wifi doesn't work in my room (which sucks really, but to be fair they may not have claimed it did on their web site) but I am on the - deserted - terrace by the swimming pool with the laptop now and that works. The two staff (who I half suspect are both a couple and the owners) have served me a beer (god knows how much it will cost). I was offered a menu but as I wasn't planning to eat tonight I stupidly waved it away rather than taking the chance to have a surreptitious glance so I know where I stand.

The hotel advertises some rather pricey looking tours by reception. I hope to at least wander over privately tomorrow but I guess they provide a fallback option if I can't find the damn place or some bits are inaccessible.

9:15pm. Just had a look at wikitravel. If that can be believed you go over the site on foot anyway, and you can hire a guide at the entrance. So if I can get there, I may be OK.

The sound and light show in the evening may be a problem in terms of getting there (and especially back) but I have two nights to play with (Zheyla seemed to think they don't do the show every night, but we will see - the general impression I get from other sources is that they do, but I haven't seen anything authoritative yet) and hopefully I will get a clearer idea once I am there tomorrow. The hotel does a tour to see that so subject to time limits on booking or simply not being back at the hotel in time tomorrow, that is always there as a fallback.

Oh, there is one couple and one group of three on the terrace with me now. But it is hardly busy. I almost wish it were busier.

10:05pm. Didn't expect a late one but they just asked for money. MXN105 for three beers. I initially thought they said MXN150 and only my true British stiff upper lip stopped me flipping out. They didn't have change for a 200! Fortunately I had MXN105 on me. Only my third beer, a bit disappointing to be clamped down on so soon but that's got to be a downside to the place being so damned empty. At least this isn't on the bill when I check out.

I didn't tip, I don't know if I should have done but somehow it didn't feel right.

I hope they don't want to turn the lights off out here and really get rid of me, but I assume they have to have them on for safety reasons to some extent and since the wifi doesn't work in my room they can fuck off if they think I'm willingly moving. Some sort of aircon noise just stopped and there is much shutting of door type noise. I don't know if reception is 24h here but it is genuinely a non-issue for once.

10:15pm. It's a bit eerie out here. But sort of cool all the same.

Bus wafflings

Thu, 13:00. On the toilet-less bus about to leave Cancun for Piste. The guy who took my suitcase (I did at least get to see him put it in the baggage compartment) asked me where I was going to said something incomprehensible when I told him I was going to Piste. I nervously confirmed it was the correct bus and the driver also checked my ticket. I just hope the luggage guy didn't say anything important. I didn't get a receipt for the suitcase either, but I think that's OKish.

Bus is fairly empty.

Got up at 11:45 and checked out just on time. Got to bus terminal about 12:05, having just missed (tho no big deal) the midday bus. Bought a bottle of water and a couple of Snickers at a kiosk at the terminal, then in the apparent absence of any kind of cafe I left the terminal (still wheeling my enormous suitcase), fought my way through the horde of taxi drivers and managed to spot a 'Chicken Factory' across the road.

The street outside the bus terminal is lined with diagonally parked cars and taxis to ensure there is no chance of you crossing the road at the point you want to if you have even the smallest item of luggage. You have to go down to the end of the street. Here crossing is facilitated by six-inch high kerbs and a couple of fast food stands.

The woman in Chicken Factory was very pleasant but they clearly cooked my (somewhat overly crisp) two pieces of chicken and chips to order. I only had about 30-35 mins by the time I got over there and I think it took about 10 for the food to be ready, maybe even 15. And of course as it was freshly cooked it was damn hot. So I wolfed it down as best I could, washed my hands in their toiletless bathroom and fought my way back across the road to the terminal.

I would have gone for a piss at the terminal (not that I am desperate, just as a precaution) but apart from the fact they charge you and I was a bit pushed for time, it is helpfully upstairs. With today's anti-gravity suitcases that is a snap, but it must have been a nuisance back in ye olden days.

We have left anyway. Bus is pretty empty. I have a nasty feeling they will not tell me when we get to Piste but who knows.

I also have a suspicion this is one of those buses that will acquire more passengers en route.

While it lacks a toilet (which I did suspect would be the case) the bus is OK. It's air conditioned and it's more of a coach than a bus really, I have just got into a bad habit of calling everything a bus.

Stupidly spent a little time listening to music when I go back last night, it was actually light outside when I went to bed (about 6?). Still, no big deal. I got up OK. I sort of hope I don't want to sleep on the bus due to doubts about them telling me when we get there.

Oh, I oddly have two lumps which I assume are mosquite bites, one on my arse and the other on the small of my back. I have to assume the damn things managed to get under the sheet overnight, although I find that a bit implausible.

While fending off the cab drivers I caught myself saying 'no' in the English way. Man, it's hard to break the habit.

14:20. If I didn't already mention it, I could have got a nicer and faster bus, but there's one a day and it leaves at 9am. So even if I hadn't been out so late, no chance. I'd rather have a slower journey starting at a civilised hour.

I just hate the uncertainty in knowing when to get off. I am safe for about an hour more and then I think it will really start to prey on my mind.

14:25. Technology to the rescue. I just dug up the latitude and longitude of Piste on the web and put them on my GPS, so although I am still slightly dubious, I can now have some kind of clue as to where we are. We are currently 134km away which seems a bit close given I have a vague idea this is a four hour plus trip (though I didn't ask, that is based on my guide book). But maybe the bus is going to take a very indirect route which will waste time.

I finally took off the peeling screen protector which has been on the GPS since I got it. Amazing how sharp the display looks now.. :-)

15:20. Bus about half full, so having a double seat to myself starts to feel a bit awkward. I am getting hacked off by people continually shuffling up and down the aisle (not always the same people of course). I don't mind the frequent stopping and starting too much but now the bus is fuller the flow of passengers is more intrusive.

Fired the GPS back up, a bit over 100km away so I reckon I'm 'safe' for at least another hour.

16:05. 67km away. Feeling a bit tired and cold. Think I did drift off for 15 mins, woken by an enormous jolt as we drove over some kind of speed bump. It's raining quite heavily, I hope I am not going to end up in the middle of nowhere. I suspect there's still at least an hour to go but it becomes a little less comfortable to assume it.

Jesus. The street in this smallish town (maybe Chemax, judging from a few signs) we are stopped in is about an inch deep in water. There are waves on the surface FFS.

16:45. We just pulled into Vallo-whatsit bus terminal, it actually had a sign (though I can no longer see it). We are 40km from Piste according to GPS.

Engine turned off, I trust this is just a toilet kind of stop and not a mandatory one. I don't need to go and I'd rather not leave the bus somehow. It's probably an hour absolute tops to Piste now. Man, I am so not looking forward to that. Horrific visions of no taxis.

This place is not tiny by any means, either based on recollections of my guide book or just looking around. So I guess if push comes to shove I can probably flag a bus down and come back here tonight. Really don't want to as I'd probably manage to forfeit my rather expensive hotel room while still ending up paying for it. But it's good to have options I guess.

Valladolid. That's it. It just will not stick in my memory though.

18:00. OK. This bites. I am at the hotel.

Naturally the bus didn't stop in Piste, or if it did we stopped for 5 seconds in some hole of a town where no one got on except an itinerant vendor. We pulled up at some vaguely museum-y structure where I noticed a sign saying 'taxis to Piste' so I got off there. I could swear the driver said 'Merida'. I have no idea where that place was. Maybe it was Chichen Itza. I doubt it because Chichen Itza doesn't seem to exist in any definite place.

I got a taxi OK for 70 pesos, or damn near as much as it cost me to come all the way from Cancun to the weird white museumy building..

Driver knew the hotel and was nominally helpful but told me all sorts of incomprehensible stuff which just worries me. He also seemed overly keen to sign me up for tours but I wasn't being taken in while disoriented.

The ruins may be 3km from the hotel. Something is 3km from somewhere, 5km when you add a bit extra on, according to the taxi driver. According to the hotel web site the ruins are a 10 minute walk.

Of course the ruins are fucking enormous so I have no idea how you manage to see them all when you don't have a car or tour.

The hotel is foul. It's way too fancy and has "gouge you for cash at every opportunity" written all over it. The room is OK if not fantastic, and the door won't lock from inside. there is no keyhole or bolt. Just one of those 'allow the door to open a bit and no more' security gadgets.

The guy at receiption took a blank signed imprint for my credit card. That seems dubious but maybe it's just the low tech equivalent to them taking the card as a deposit. I wanted to pay today but he said to pay tomorrow. Because yeah, I want to dick around with that tomorrow morning. Some incomprehensible crap about paying any restaurant bills at the same time. I mean, that makes sense but at the same time he said they had some special offer which included (if I remember rightly, I was drowning in information and a sense of financial insecurity at the time) breakfast and dinner for some number of pesos that flowed over me but you have to buy a ticket for that in advance at reception. Why can't that go on the bill?

The hotel seems near deserted (not that I came here expecting to meet people), a couple of languid and rather offensively something twats lounging around.

I have no idea what I am going to do about food. I have no idea how far Piste is but if it's that hole which is the closest habitation the bus passed through I cannot eat there, it looked the sort of place where the only dining places are intimidatingly local. And of course it would probably cost 50-200 pesos at a guess to get a taxi there and back.

But I don't want to eat at the hotel, it is too fancy and I don't expect any of the food to be edible.

I don't think there are any food places at Chichen Itza either although I didn't really understand what the taxi driver told me.

And of course the hotel is in the middle of nowhere and I am far from convince Piste will have a regular grocery store, so even making do with biscuits and the like seems dubious.

I am sure I'm just reacting badly but I really do feel frankly stranded and lost. I am not even sure how the fuck I get out of here, since Piste probably doesn't run to a bus terminal. I suppose I would have to get a taxi from the hotel to the white museumy building, wait there for some random bus to turn up and then try to make a connection from wherever it takes me. I suppose I could maybe go to the optimistic extent of assuming I could get a bus to the unmemorisable Val-whatsit place and connect there.

So it's 18:10 and I have nothing to do and no reliable prospect of anything to eat tonight. The latter is no major deal but it's annoying. I'm lugging enough reserves around on my waist not to have any severe worries and I have those Snickers bars I picked up at the terminal and I did already eat once. I think I am going to go for a sullen walk out at the front of the hotel and see if I can see any signs of civilisation.

Oh, fuck knows if there is a bar here. I dare say it will be ridiculously overpriced but at least beer is beer and they can't wankify it up to make it undrinkable as they can with the food.

Cancun, Wednesday

03:00. OK, I stupidly indulged in a bit of music and meditation. Don't get me wrong, I am very much looking forward to meeting Z tomorrow, but I couldn't resist. Anyway, to bed and I am sure it will be cool. It will suck waking up tomorrow but it always does. I guess waking up tomorrow beats the alternative. :-)

It's odd, my supply of drinking water (never mind my probably realistic distrust of Mexican tap water, the tap water here has an eggy quality) is a 5 litre bottle I bought the other night, and swigging from it reminds me of the Salar de Uyuni trip.

Anyway, really to bed.

Making a mockery of that, the aircon unit is noisy as hell. But I will leave it on. I feel I must fall asleep soon and I'd rather not wake up dripping with sweat.

Already in bed, but to sleep (perchance to not dream :-) ).

Thu 04:15. Well. Met Zheyla at about 12, she kindly offered to let me burn my photos on her laptop but the USB drive is oddly fucked and the photos were invisible on her laptop. We arranged to meet at 8pm.

Went for lunch and popped over to the bus station to confirm I can get a bus at any time I like tomorrow (Zheyla inadvertently put the wind up me with some web searches we did on her laptop).

Went back to the hostel and surfed the afternoon away, then met Z and her mother at about 8:30. We went for lunch at Perico's (frankly a little naff but in a cool way I guess), then Z and I went for a drink and her mum went home. We were going to go to La Taberna but (not realising it was our planned destination) I said I had been there last night and didn't like it much, so we ended up at La Jarra (at Z's suggestion) where I was last night. Right next door to Perico's as it turned out.

Had a frankly excellent conversation in a mix of Spanish and English (her English is definitely better than my Spanish though) with Z. We left about 3:30, being the last ones there, and she has to be up at 7 as she is taking her mum to swim with dolphins.

Being a weak-willed git I have come down to Chikito's which is still open and if not super busy at least not deserted. I am not really drunk and I don't have to check out til midday, even if I might prefer to leave at 11am to ensure I get to Piste to face minor taxi hassle onto the hotel in daylight, tho I am sure it will be fine even if I leave the hotel at midday.

Ordered a beer and got three but I will drink what I want and leave the rest. And if the other night is anything to go by this is as cheap as just ordering one.

Oh, Z tells me Zuhamy's name apparently means 'captive princess'. The more I think about it the more I feel I already knew that, but it had certainly slipped my mind and I may be imagining I had been told it already. It would in part explain Zuhamy's princess fetish. :-)

Among other things, Z told me I should be careful not to say 'no' in an English way, that being a source of humour to locals. Fairly easy to fix but glad someone told me.

Just got the bill while I finish the third. Indeed only MXN62 for the three. Bargain. I am sure I am not sober but I am far from off my face so have no major worries about getting up tomorrow.

Cancun, Tuesday (part 2)

14:15. Only got up about 1, v slack. Left 15 mins ago, gave my laundry in at hostel from desk, didn't get a receipt, I hope I am not going to regret that.

I think the area I found last night probably is the little cluster recommended by the receptionist. Loads of bars/clubs all shut. It doesn't seem that off to want lunch at this time but everywhere seems deserted. I have come into some restaurant on the offchance and they say they are open, but the place is deserted.

18:05. Having a slack surf back at the hostel. Had serious phone difficulties but managed to get hold of Zheyla in the end, I am meeting her at midday tomorrow.

It's absolutely pissing it down.

I am just slacking now, I will try to make plans (book hostels etc) to visit somewhere nearbly (eg Chichen Itza) in the next hour or two, then may pop out for a few quiet beers if it's not raining.

It was spitting earlier but I came back here to see if I had any e-mail and didn't leave as I was being slack. I wasn't forced home by the rain

20:40. Have come out to the little cluster of bars near the hostel. At La Taberna. The staff almost won't allow me to speak Spanish and there's something about the atmosphere that saps my ability to even do so.

Popped into a grocery store earlier, they accept a dollar at MXN11 and this bar accepts it at MXN12.

Booked a hotel at Chichen Itza for Thu-Sat nights inclusive.

MXN43 for a probably half litre of draught beer here. That seems a bit pricey. I suppose, being cheap, since you can (and I did) go to the bar to get served, there is no need to tip, which makes it a bit cheaper than it seems.

It was weird talking to Zheyla on the phone earlier. She speaks good English but it was a bit like talking to her sister. A stupid thought kept flickering at the back of my mind that they were playing a trick on me and I was actually talking to Zuhamy. I don't know if they do have similar voices or if it's just that I'm not used to hearing English spoken with a Mexican accent (a kind of audio version of my brief "every other woman looks like Zuhamy" experience on my first visit here in 2006).

They really could do with more beer mats here. I am sick of resting my beer on a soggy paper napkin.

21:20. Just about finished my second beer. I think I'll leave, this bar is neither particularly matey (not that I am particularly anxious to meet anyone) nor particularly pleasant.

21:25. OK, down the road at Las Jarras sport bar. Rather dead but in a passable way. The dollar fetches MXN13.50 here! I could swear that's above spot. I wish I'd brought one of my spare twenty dollar bills now. Maybe the beer is overpriced to compensate, I hope not. Of course, if so I wish even more I had brought my dollars. But the place seems fairly quiet and I suspect the small number of customers are locals, so I might hope the prices in pesos are fair.

There seems to be a sort of mariachi bar down the road, I avoided it as it looked a little hokey. But I can hear the odd burst of trumpet over the football commentary.

I seem to be struggling to remember they drive on the right here when crossing the road. This is odd, I am not drunk nor fresh out of the UK, but there you go.

Got what looks like a large beer, maybe even a litre tho I am far from sure. I think I may be overestimating. No idea what the price is as it's waitress service. No problem though

I am sat in the middle of the moderately large terrace and in some odd way it feels uncomfortable. Yet it's not as though I think moving would help. I think it's that it's quiet enough that I don't feel like I'm in a crowd but with enough people that it feels awkward to have stuff going on behind my back. All the tables near the edges are taken or (most common) too near someone else for me to feel comfortable sitting there when it's not rammed and any table goes. (It would be almost like sitting next to someone on the train if they were the only person in an otherwise empty carriage.)

I think this must be a half litre. I do miss ordering a beer and knowing how much I've got. I guess if you're a local you may get to recognise the sizes of glasses.

The hotel at CI is apparently a 10 min walk from the nearest entrance. So if I can get up early I can get there on foot before the place gets busy and with minimal taxi or bus crap to face. I just hope I can get there OK. I gather there are hourly buses from here taking 4.5h. Plus one express first class bus taking 2.5h but which rather craply leaves at 4:30pm. This is based on my 2006ish guide book. I suspect I will just go to the bus terminal post checkout on Wednesday and get the first second class bus going. I'd rather arrive during daylight if possible so waiting for the express bus seems a bad idea. I assume I can take my suitcase on the second class bus, if not I may change my mind.

22:30. Karaoke is starting. I have no plan to sing. I can't see it working as there are maybe 10-20 customers but we shall see. It might be diverting anyway. I can't be out too late as I need to meet Z at midday, on the other hand there is no point going home too early as I just won't get to sleep anyway.

Oh, the hotel she is living at is amazingly forward thinking enough to have GPS coords on their web site. I put them on my receiver earlier and (I couldn't fire it up indoors) this bar is 770m from there. I don't know how far I am from my hostel and whether the distances cancel, but that should mean I can walk over there fairly easily. (She said it was nearish to my hostel, but I would not have cared to trust myself to navigate there via map, not that I have one I can put in my pocket anyway.)

22:50. Major shortage of staff now I want another beer.

23:00. Yes, it was about 10 mins. I went to the bar myself. The waitress was sat at the table behind me, she popped up to collect my empty glass when I returned. I am not generally one to accuse people of slackness but that seems a bit off. Have a chat by all means but there are limits.

23:25. Just been to the bog. I hate it when I get confused by push/pull signs on doors and do the wrong thing. FFS, I should be able to master these basic elements of the language... I mean, even going beyond that, surely I should *remember* I pushed to go in so I should pull to come out. Oh well.

23:45. While I have a list of things I might like to see and places I might like to visit (from that Project Gutenberg book on Mexico), I am thinking my vague plan from here will be to make my way overland to Guanajuato, taking in as much cool stuff as I can. I would like to revisit Guanajuato, I have fond memories of it as my first visit to Mexico, and it's just far enough away that it probably offers prospects of seeing cool or at least obscure stuff on the way. If I get there with loads of time to spare I can do something else, but I think it would be a good goal to add some structure to 'where exactly am I going next', by imposing a vague direction.

I would like to go to Cuernavaca, which is pretty much on the way, but I have an idea it is not conveniently on the bus routes. We shall see. Similarly I would very much like to revisit Guadalajara (or at least Tlaquepaque, I have much fonder memories of El Parian than central Guadalajara) but that may be a little off the track I am proposing. We shall see. I do think a vague drift towards Guanajuato is a promising idea.

Randomly harping back to my problems getting in touch with Zheyla earlier, and also (probably sharing a cause) my problems calling Claudia in Mexico City, the phone situation here seems complex. I may be overlooking something but I do think a foreign visitor to the UK, given a UK number to call, would be able to call that number successfully from a payphone. Wikipedia and Zuhamy and some guy I met in the street imply there are some wierd prefixes to be used here.

Weird Spanish language cover of "I only want to be with you" playing now. Inferring from the music, I can't understand the words that well. But what I can understand is plausibly a translation.

00:20. I don't feel that drunk but my thoughts are flowing freely and I have a nasty (in multiple senses) suspicion it is alcohol lubricating them. I seem to be drinking a lot more quickly lately as well. It seems a bit alcoholic that this happens (the flowing thoughts, tho I suppose drinking quickly may be related). Oh well. I do plan to change my lifestyle once I am back home (Julie London's version of "There'll be some changes made" will probably be my unofficial anthem - because her version includes the "change my whole psychology" verse, at least as far as my youtube knowledge of the song goes. It annoys me I can't remember the other singer who is associated with the song. I know on youtube Frank De Vol's orchestra provides the tune, but I cannot remember the singer's name right now. And she is so famous I should.)

It annoyed me enough I spent fuck knows how much looking at wikipedia on my phone. And the Wikipedia article is a stub. Sigh. Still bugging me. I can see pictures of the singer on the youtube video stream singing into one of those big fat 1930s microphones but the name eludes me.

00:40. OK. I've hit the point where I feel drunk. Albeit I can still type so I'm not that far gone. I will have one more and that's probably not wise, but being wise isn't always wise. :-) While I suspect I am taking him out of context, I can't resist quoting Alfred Adler - "The chief danger in life is that you may take too many precautions". I really should actuallly read some of his writings rather than just quote him second hand. The guy sounds like he had something to teach me.

Man, I hope that is an Alfred Adler quote and I am not that fucked and have got confused. My mind is my best feature, so I would hate it to be wrong. :-) I am still smarting from my "There'll be some changes made" uncertainty.

I am suddenly struck with apprehension about my laundry. I wish I had demanded a receipt. I suspect it will be OK but all the same it is shit. I don't for a minute think the hostel is out to rip me off but I have this horrible vision of losing most of my clothes due to miscomunication. It feels like without a receipt the clothes will disappear without trace. Especially since I said I would collect them at 3pm ish tomorrow but I will be out of the hostel before midday to meet Z. I guess I will ask when I leave but it seems so shit having to go to reception sans receipt and say "I left some clothes here yesterday to be washed, do you have them?".

Really, I am sure it will be fine. It's not like the hostel would have a serious incentive to steal my clothes. The resale value must be close to zero. I guess I just have (puke) "major trust issues". And if worst comes to worst, it isn't the end of the world. Although in the short term it would be annoying as I doubt Chichen Itza is replete with department stores where I might purchase replacements.

As a random yet true observation, even when I am stone cold sober turning the aircon on back at the hostel is an effort, requiring perching myself on one of the two beds in the room. I hope I don't break my neck turning it on tonight. :-)

I wish I could get the bill now but I am sure I won't get any attention til my glass is empty. I guess I have to hope - not that it really matters - I won't seem as drunk as I feel.

01:15. Just got the bill. The waitress shone a portable light on it in a way I can't help feeling was a bit objectionable. Nonetheless, it appears my seven beers come to MXN144, which seems very cheap. Paid with my last 500 as a matter of convenience. Yeah, just got change and seems plausible. I have a nasty feeling I am too drunk to be reasonable but sod it. The change seemed slightly short but have left 20 and if they don't like it fuck them.

"Piano Man" just came on. I will stay for this and if they don't like it fuck them. The singer has no clue but kudos for trying to sing in English.

01:30. Writing this in the street. That was amazingly cheap the more I think about it. Have walked past loads of open bars. Not that I left because of closing times. I am seriously tempted to have one more. I do need to be up to eet Z but nonetheless. I am struggling. I may well have one more. As per above, I am not wise.

Ok, call me a twat, because it's official. Back at Chikito's, as one of the nearer bars. Tried to get a michelada cubana but they seem not to do it. Some second waiter just came up and seemed to be offering me the three beer deal but even though I have irrationally (if not unexpectedly) sobered up I am not that unwise.

My beer comes with lime (cool) and salt on the rim (less cool). Oh well, I can live with that and I did order a michelada. I think I downgraded from a michelada cubana to a michelada.

Oh, and a straw. Now that is odd. I assume it's for stirring, otherwise the salt on the rim would be irrelevant.

This is clearly dumb as I could have stayed at the earlier bar. Oh well. I already knew I was an idiot. I just hope I get up OK tomorrow morning, well, today morning now.

It is odd that I felt so drunk earlier and now feel less so. But such is life and I don't think it's the first time.

01:45. I have passed that initial stage of really feeling drunk. Am vaguely tempted to stay here but I am now typing very slowly. Definitely a good idea to go home given I have plans for tomorrow. Drunkenness is a funny thing. I know I am drunk now but the feeling is less intense than it was before. Ah well, we live and learn, and I probably won't live long regardless.

01:55. Just asked for the bill. Just got it. MXN38. Shit. Oh well. I am in that state of mind where I wake up and realise I am home and it's OK and I am not still out. Yet I am not That is an exaggeration but it vaguely conveys the feeling.

Man, that was/is ridiculously expensive given I had seven (SEVEN) beers for 150ish. Sod it. Will leave now and really all I want is to be in my bed. (Don't get me wrong, I'm not off my face. But enough to aspire to sleep.)

I do have a suspicion I could have had three beers for the price of that one, the 'card' on the table implied it was 43 for 3. But sod it, too late to worry about that now, and although logically I should have ordered three and left the last two I doubt it would have worked like that.

I do feel like a drunk idiot now (I am writing this in the street on the way home) but sod it. It is what it is. At least I'm not puking my guts up.

02:10. Just got 'home'. It's all cool. I should hate myself less. :-) I've been drunk all over Latin America so why should it suddenly be a bad thing? :-)