Mexico – August 2001 January 25, 2006

As normal, a 2 week holiday during the summer school holidays. Hottest weather and highest prices and, as normal, leave it to Kuoni to sort out the details such as transfers.

The flight was BA direct to Cancun. We couldn’t believe how many young honeymooners were on the flight and how much they could drink. There was one incident of someone lighting up in a toilet but more worrying was that they ran out of alcohol, even the champagne etc that were not free. The steward told us he’d never known a flight run dry before.

Having survived the sweltering queues at immigration we were whisked off on a week’s tour of mostly ancient Mexican culture: Tulum, Chichenitza etc. It rained so hard the first day and the humidity was so high that both the video and digital still cameras shut down. It didn’t help bringing them out of a really cold air-conditioned coach into hot, humid conditions.

An interesting tour, some lovely hotels, a good group of people (13 of us in a full-size coach) and a very good guide. Lots of steps to climb, chilli dishes to try and two fascinating sound and light shows – a pity there was no English version available on the headphones and at one site it gradually got further and further behind the action on ’stage’.

One of the last stops was Merida. Here we are by the 12th floor roof-top pool. A few minutes later a wind got up. Clothes, sunbeds, tea trays, cups and glasses flying everywhere. We abandoned it to the barman.

We were already pretty brown.
The second week was pure luxury: fully inclusive at the Aventura Palace. Cocktails, snacks and meals virtually 24/7. Apart from sunbathing and swimming we walked and cycled to the nearby port where we swam with dolphins.

What an experience!

We also took the courtesy bus to a sister hotel to visit their zoo and snorkel in their lagoon.