Shoe polishers everywhere!T

I was then allowed to check in at about 9am so had a shower to freshen up then went for a walk to the Zocalo (main square) and the the markets Mercado 20 de November and Mercado Benito Juarez

Shoe polishers everywhere!

The markets were quite crazy and had everything!

Mole is famous in Oaxaca

I then wondered back through the streets to Naranja Dulce for lunch - the owner spoke some English and I ordered a chicken tortas with a juice for $4.5 NZD. SO CHEAP!

I then wondered back to the hostel for some arvo chill time

The bright colours are very unique - not like anywhere I have been before!

I then chilled before having a very early dinner at Roys Tacos - very close to the hostel as I was quickly fading from the jet lag!

The tacos were less than $1nzd each - $7 dinner with the beer and all the toppings!

Then straight to be - I have the 4 bed dorm all to myself so went straight to sleep - Josie arrived the next day!

We waited at the Santo Domingo church above and met some Aussies that were also waiting for the tour but the guide never turned up so we facebook messaged them and turns out the meeting point had changed. We walked quickly down to the Zocalo to start the tour there. The tour guide was quite informative - the town is full of museums and art galleries!

This dog followed our group around for the entire tour then followed us to lunch - about 3 hours!!

There are some beautiful old buildings a few impacted by the big earthquake last year.

The Santo Domingo church was really beautiful inside and had an impressive amount of gold!!

Family tree on the roof

We then wondered to a local lunch spot as recommended by our guide with our Aussie mates from the hostel. It is hard to word out what everything is in Spanish - need to learn more ASAP!

I ended up with a ceviche tostada which was delish!

We then wondered back to the hostel for a break before dinner.

We were researching all our options for transport to Mazunte a little beach town on the Pacific coast where we were trying to meet Rosa, Lara and Joe. We found a van that goes every 30min and takes 6 hours rather than an 11hr overnight bus. We booked in for 2pm tomorrow giving us time to see the falls tomorrow morning.

We then had some chill time at the hostel before heading to the Contempory Art museum before dinner - 20 peso ($1.8 nzd) to enter - it was quite interesting..

Made with computer boards!

Gold room!

Tires.

We then headed to El Desilado for dinner which was amazing! It was like fine dining Mexican - delish guacamole, carrots, cauliflower and ceviche!

And some mezcal cocktails - a spirit famous in mexico

Then banana cake for dessert!

We then ran back to the hostel as it had started to rain - into bed for an early-ish night as Josie was knocked from her flight!

We then got a taxi to the 2nd class bus stop to get the public bus to Mitla which took a but longer than an hour and only 20 pesos!

We then got on a collectivo to Hierve el Agua which was 40 pesos and about another hour - quite the experience in the back with another group of aussies! The collectivo doesn’t leave until it’s full so we had to wait a while.

Goats passing on route!

We have arrived in cactus country!

The pools are filled by natural springs

The views were amzing and the pools quite beautiful

Local mango and pineapple - delish!

The guacamole for lunch - a bit spicy with green chilli!

We then had to wait for a collectivo to fill up to take us back to Mitla to get the public bus back to Oaxaca city - it was taking ages and we realised we were not going to make our 2pm van. Luckily one of the tour operators was having lunch at the same place and offered to call the van operator and ask if we could get on a later one! It was successful and they said when you turn up we will put you on the next one! Next another collectivo was going back without filling up and offered to take us and bonus we got to sit in the cab rather than on the back!

Cracked screens were common in all cars.. we then got to a bit in the highway that had been closed down for a car race.. so we had to take the dirt path for a bit.. only in Mexico!

We then got on the bus quite quickly which was good timing - it was busier at this time but we had a seat which helped! Once we got to Oaxaca city we got off the bus and into a taxi to take us straight back to the hostel to grab our bags then onto the van station. We made it for the 3.30pm van - grabbed a bag of chips and off we went. The van played Lara Croft in Spanish and we read our books, watched the Guernsey literary and potato pie society on Netflix.

We were pretty crammed in but there was wifi! We stopped in San Jose for what we thought was 20minutes - turns out it was actually for 10mins so we had just ordered dinner when we had to rush out of the restaurant back to the van with whatever the chef managed to make in 3minutes..

The other passengers laughed when we got back on the bus - quite funny - we apologised then off we went again!

We finally arrived in Pochutla then got a 20min taxi to Mazunte - the last part of the journey - we had spent 12 hours in transport today!!!

We arrived at the accomodation Rosa, Lara and Joe had booked us into. Rosa met us and helped us with our bags we then had a quick catch-up before bed. It looked like a beautiful spot right by the water - there were lots of bugs in our room but a net around our bed and a bathroom at least!!! Kinda reminded us of a jail cell..

Time to be at one with bugs..

Our little beach hutsS

Our little beach huts

Smoothie bowl shop!

We saw lots of dolphins that were slightly different to NZ ones - they were spotty! We also saw multiple turtles having sex haha

We then got some breakfast from the bakery and hit the beach - nice to have some waves after the Europe beaches!

We then went to the beach cafe for some guacamole and Kombutcha - Terraza del arquitecto - delish!

We then wondered around the small town - it was really quiet as it is low season. We went to find some yoga we could do the next day

The girls got some fresh coconuts - plastic free straws!

We found a yoga place that does drop-in classes every day at 830am - easy! We then went back to the accom to freshen up before sunset

We read our books and had a beer on the beach

We then walked 10minutes over the hill to the popular sunset spot

Josie, Emma, Rosa and Lara!

We then went for dinner - Josie and I sharing a fish burger and ceviche

Lara, Joe and Rosa taught us how to play a new card game which we played - quite fun!

We then went to bed - big day!

Joe then went with some kiwi guys to Barra de la Cruz ahead of Rosa and Lara as there was better surf there - us girls decided to have another night in Mazunte! We went 15mins down the road in a taxi to another beach called Zipolite - which was actually a nudist beach! Not many nude though!

It was a beautiful spot with dangerous waves - there was only one spot that was safe to swim with lifeguards

We had lunch - tacos and guacamole, delicious.

We then headed back to Mazunte for sunset - going to a different point this time.

It was a beautiful spot - we then went to a recommended pizza place for dinner which was delish with Chimichurri on top! We had some Chilean red wine and tiramisu to share for dessert. We played some cards then went to bed!

Rosa and I didn’t have the best sleep unfortunately!

When we arrived we got a taxi to our accom which was easy to check in then we headed to the beach 2 mins down the road for a swim and to Iread our books!

Yoga ended up being 2hrs 15mins very long!! It was very slow poses but was overall quite relaxing!

We went to the smoothie place on the way back then backed up and went to our favourite cafe on the beach!

We had coffee and amazing chocolate croissants before Josie and I went to Puerto Escondido and Lara and Rosa went to Balla de la Cruz.

Josie and I got a taxi onto the main road then a local collective (shuttle van) 1hr to Puerto Escondido $2 each!

When we arrived we got a taxi to our accom Bonobo Surf Hosel which was epic! Easy to check in, we had a private room, then we headed to the beach 2 mins down the road for a swim and to read our books!

It was really beautiful and I had my first Corona in Mexico! We then went back showered and headed to Pepe’s tacos at 5pm to get the very famous tacos made by one guy in a shack on the beach!

The Tacos did not disappoint!! And neither did the chat he was quite a character!

We met some Mexican locals who gave us some other good food spots which was handy! We also booked in to do a cooking class with Pepe to learn how to make the tacos when Hannah arrived.

We then watched the sunset with Pina Coladas on La Punta beach - really beautiful!

We then walked down the La Puta streets and got a taxi home to bed!

We had our welcome drinks and discovered the cocktail Amm

Beautiful terrace for our morning pilates

We loved the teacher - it was such a good workout - the first we felt we had had in awhile!

We got Kombutchas then walked along the beach to PLaya Zicatela to watch the surfers and check out the shops

Zicatela was quite sleepy town - as again low season but cute little shops.

We then got some cash out at the ATM and headed to Lee Veijo for lunch (as recommended by our Mexican friends) it didn’t disappoint and was delishious!

We then wondered back to our hostel passing the local shops which were awesome. This jewellery shop was very cool - Josie brought a necklace and I got a new chain for mine - it was too thin and all the salt made it snap!

We then stopped at this coffee shop to read our books and enjoy a flat white.

We then went back to the hostel to shower and get ready for salsa night at the hostel! We got some snacks to tide us over!

We had our welcome drinks and discovered the cocktail Amaretto sour which we LOVED!

We had a few waiting for Hannah to arrive and ordered pizza with some others from the hostel for dinner!

Hannah then arrived which was great! We ate, had a few more cocktails then went to another hostel for Salsa lessons before headed to a Salsa club called Congo!

Hannah and Josie started a limbo line in the club haaha

We went home around 2am after quite a funny night - very different to the NZ clubs!

We made the marinade for the fish, the guacamole, beer batter and salsa then put it all together! All alongside some top quality banter from Pepe

Making the guacamole!

Fish in flour, beer batter than cocoanut!

The finished product - delish!

It was a great few hours spent and I am excited to make them again - will need a lot of limes!!

We then taxied back to the shops by our hostel to have a wonder then read our books and chilled before going with a big group from the hostel to La Punta beach for a sunset surf and chill! We took Bonobo the hostels dog.

Hannah and Josie up the big rock

We then all went to a local bar for a few beers. Then Josie, Hannah and I went to Lychee a Thai restaurant that had sushi night on - delicious sushi for dinner which was a nice change.

We then headed back to bed very tired after a long day! Hannah and I had a surf lesson in the morning so needed a good sleep!

We then headed back up to the hostel for a shower and the free breekie!

We then went to meet Josie at a cafe Zicatela beach called Eleohant cafe again recommended by Rosa!

We luckily saw her walking along the road as we arrived in our taxi!

We had smoothies, banana bread and did lots of research and booking for our next destinations! Great place to do some admin - especially once we had a personal fan!

We then went to Playa Bacochofor a swim and this was the place we could release baby turtles at 5pm! The waves ended up being too dangerous to swim but luckily we stumbled across a beach club with a big pool and drinks we could relax at called Club de Playa Villasolat for a couple hours! It was free to use the loungers if you ordered some drinks!

We ordered nachos and a G&T which was delightful!

How goods this selfie!

It was only $100pesos/$8nzd to release a turtle and went to an organisation protecting the turtles along the 27mile beach - they collect eggs out of the nests turtles lay and move them to secured areas so predictors cannot get them. These turtles will then hatch be released to the ocean then 6-7 years later will return to the beach where they hatched to lay their own eggs - how cool!

We then walked back to the hostel to shower and have a few Amaretto sours before dinner at the local Italian restaurant.

We all tried and successfully worked out how to do this hand guesture on our faces which has gone viral (harder than it looks)

We then went to bed as Josie had an early morning start to get her flight to Guatemala and Hannah and I had a surf lesson at 730!

Very local basic place!

We then flew to Mexico City about 1.5hrs and flying in during the day was incredible! The city is HUGE!!

We easily got a taxi to our hostel then went to dinner!

We had a red wine cocktail as recommended by the waiter - couldn’t find Amaretto sours anywhere!

We then ubered back to the hostel and went straight to sleep as we were shattered!

The pastries were Delish and coffees quite great!

We then got a taxi to Zocalo the main square to start the free walking tour at 11am

We first had a look in the Catholic Church

The national palace

Old ruins found - 7 layers as each time a new emperor came into power them would add a layer to show they were more powerful than the last.

No such thing as a drivers licence in Mexico so our guide said Mexicans don’t know how to drive so be careful crossing the road!

15th birthday party big deal in Mexico wear big dresses like a debuton- wealthy family obsession with Paris fashion to find husband for daughter big dresses - still do it signals change from girl to women. Expensive $1000usd for cheap dress (like ones in photo)

The buildings were often designed by fresh, Italian and Spanish architects bringing materials with them!

Opening scene from mates James Bond movie was filmed here

Post office building built by an architect from Florence

This is the national theatre

We then finished at a famous bakery pas eleria ideal - only 2 in Mexico City - that has masses of sweet bread which Mexicans love and is why obesity is such a problem our guide said! This bakery is so popular people come and bulk buy to take back to the wider suburbs!

We then ubered to the Frida Kahlo Museum which was really awesome and had a lot of her art and a lot of their household possessions. Hannah and I had just watched the movie Frida on Netflix which have us lots of context and the story of her life.

Her dresses were amazing!

We then went to Arena Mexico to watch Lucha Libre wrestling- when in Mexico!

It was quite hilarious with all the fights and moves pre planned! The crows really got amongst!

We then headed to dinner at Paramo as recommended by Rosa and we met Alice Kay a fellow kiwi for dinner. We had delicious ceviche and tacos!

It was raining when we left and we ubered back to the hostel to bed!

I found the place through a blog known for doing a great flat white and breaky!

Hannah was brave and ordered a typical Mexican breakfast - I ordered avo on toast and Alice an omelette!

We then walked towards a screen fix place for Hannah’s phone but it was closed so we continued towards Chapultepec park. When we got there it was closed and then researched turnes our all museums, parks some restaurants are closed on a Monday!! But if a mare but we googled some places we could see some Diago murals on a Monday and found Secretaria de Educacion Publica has 3 floors of murals you can see for free during weekdays. We went back to the fix it place to get Hannah’s phone fixed - I also got a new screen cover for free! Then we ubered to see the murals.

Below was a scene from when he was formally condemned to death in Moscow, the Mexican government offered Trotsky refuge and protection, on December 6th 1936 after Diego approached the Mexican president asking to let him come to Mexico.. The Trotskys lived in the Coyoacan area of Mexico City as guests at the Blue House, the home of the painters Diego Rivera and his wife Frida Kahlo. They were both cheerfully promiscuous and Frida took Trotsky to bed, to Natalya’s dismay.

We then walked through the historical area to get Alice a SIM card before stopping at the best Churro place El Moro for lunch!

We got a port Tosda from next door

Mexican hot chocolate and churros with condensed milk and chocolate sauce - AMAZING!

Hannah and I then walked to Alameda Central Park and went to the markets nearby

We tried the local corn dish with lime mayo and chilli!

Hannah then realised she had lost her drink bottle so we back tracked ... passing some beautiful buildings on the way!

We then went back to the hostel to freshen up after a long day of walking around! Then went to Garibaldi square for a drink before Alice caught her bus. The square is known for its Mariachi bands!

I also tried Pulqueria - Pineapple flavour - which is like Kombucha!

We then said bye to Alice and went to a vegan burger place she recommended for dinner - not somewhere Hannah and I would usually go but it was quite delish!

Zucchini flower “wings”

Hannah and I then headed back to the hostel to bed for our last night!

The cafe was quite beautiful and in a cool area! I had the best flat white so far in Mexico! We shared granola and scrambled eggs with sour cream and mushrooms - delicious! We then got some pastries to takeaway for lunch as we would be travelling! Turns out the pastries are provided by panaderia the bakery we went to on the first day!

We then walked back to the hostel and got an Uber to the airport to get our plane to Cancun.

We landed in Cancun and got tickets for the ADO bus to Playa Del Carmen and got some interesting snacks for the bus including these pizza flavoured pretzels..

Walking around Playa Del Carmen was interesting.. very American and touristy compared to the pacific coast!!

We then got some hot drinks from Starbucks - I got a Mexican hot chocolate which came with cream!

We then got the ferry to Cozumel where we are booked onto a dive course for 3 days. The ferry was super rough and I didn’t feel too good .. not as bad as others who were vommitting..!!

Happy at the start...

Then we felt sick... but Hannah is excellent at napping so she fell asleep.. luckily it only took 45mins thank god!

We arrived and the waterfront was quite beautiful!

We checked into our hostel - hostelito - our private room was quite epic with 2 double beds and an ensuite for the next 4 nights!

The hostel was epic with a pool and a nice terrace!

I have been craving a cheeseburger so we found a place - I haven’t been eating much beef so need to up that a bit!

We then went back to our room which was quite loud as there was a party at the hostel bar... so I called Liv Taylor, Rachel O’connell, Max for some catchups!

We then went to the dive school and meet Taco the dive school dog and signed all the papers and paid our fees! It ended up being $521 nzd which is much cheaper than doing it in NZ and many places around the world so we were stoked!

Straight away we got kitted out - look me awhile to get my long wetsuit on! And off in the taxi to Tikila beach to do our first dive!

He gave us about an hr intro and the plan for the dive which was really good! We then got in the water and did a few exercises to practice before heading off to abit 8m deep. We saw heaps of awesome fish along the reef! We were in the water for about an hr then headed back to the dive shop and got an hr lunch break! We had a warm shower, dropped off our laundry and went to a cafe for lunch - yummy baguette and pizza!

We then had an arvo of theory - watching a video and answering questions! Lots to learn it was almost like a science lesson!

We did three quizzes then were done for the day! We headed to the supermarket to buy some fruit and guac incredients. We then went to a local basic restaurant for dinner which was super cheap!

We ordered beef borritos and a pork quesadilla to share. It was really Delish and we also got lemon water - like a natural lemonade quite popular here.

We then went back to the hostel to hopefully get a better nights sleep for tomorrow’s dives!

We then went back to Tikila to do two dives!l in the afternoon. We had to do a few more exercises like along off your mask for 1 minute then putting it back on and clearing it. Quite hard but skills you need if anything were to happen!

We then got back to the dive school and put away our gear. We then booked our bus for Saturday to Isla Holbox! Next walked along the waterfront to a bar the thirsty cougar for dinner and a drink as recommended by the dive school instructors.

The shoreline was quite beautiful

We finally found amaretto sours again after Puerto Escondido! They were made with peach juice which wasn’t as good but still delicious!

The food was delicious we got vegetarian fajitas (only way to increase vege intake) and raja chicken tacos - super delicious!

The shops are very American with Starbucks, Victoria’s Secret and Cartier along the waterfront!

The town square was very clean and flash with a cool sign and a fountain that changed colour, speed and height along to music! Like Coldplay and other classics - very nice.

We then went to bed ready for our big two dives the next day!

We drove for about 1hr then did our first dive down to 18mts! We saw a turtle which was awesome to see them swimming along up close! Lots of beautiful coral! We swam along the reef and saw los of fish! We went under and arch and Hannah and I saw the biggest lobster ever!! Walking quite fast along the ocean floor!

We finished that dive (about 50mins) then went up for lunch while we drove to our next dive location. There was guac, ham, cheese, bread rolls and fruit! The water was soo blue and visibility was amazing!

Our next dive after lunch we saw another turtle and a big green eel! We also saw quite a few barracuda which are massive fish (I initially thought they were sharks..!!) one girl in our class had a GoPro so we got to take a few photos and videos under water which was fun! After the second dive we were officially certified divers!

The crew on our course - most others at the dive school were Israeli

With our dive instructor louis!

We went out for a celebratory amaretto sour at the thirsty cougar bar!

We then went to el muellecito for the sunset and dinner. Louis our instructor met us for a few beers! We then went to a few more bars and got free drinks for ladies night at one!

We had buffalo wings and wedges

Then chcoclate brownie for dessert

We then ended up at a karaoke bar and they put the all blacks game on for us!!

Wethen headed to bed - quite a late one considering we had to be on the 8am ferry the next day...!!

We then went to a cafe I found on the internet recommended called madrez.

I had English muffins with scrambled eggs cheese and bacon and Hannah had a vege bagel

We then set off to the ADO bus terminal to get a bus to Chiquilá which took 2hrs and we both napped!

We then got on the ferry to Holbox which took 30mins

We arrived at Isla Holbox where there are virtually no cars and everyone gets around in golf carts! Even the taxis are golf carts!

We walked through town to our hostel - colourful buildings everywhere and a very chill vibe. We liked it already!

As the roads are sand the rain can’t really escape so there were massive puddles everywhere!

We checked into our hostel Tribu which was recommended by a few people and right by the beach! We opted for a 6-bed dorm with a/c for around $30 each - a lot more expensive than the pacific coast!

We then went down for a swim - the water was soo warm like a bath!

It was quite overcast so we had a little nap on the beach then went to get a snack - a little hole in the wall selling empanadas!

We shared pork and mustard, cheese and onion, mushrooms and broccoli! \240Wet yum and cheap - just over $1nzd each

We then relaxed in the hostels hammock then went to our room for a nap!

It was the night before Independence Day for Mexico and the night they celebrate so the town square was the place to be!

We walked along the beach for sunset which was beautiful!

We then walked to barba negra for dinner which was recommended for tacos! They were just over $1nzd each and delicious! Lots of vegetables which we enjoyed

We then went back to the main square and found a rooftop bar where we could watch the celebrations

Banana and Nutella crepe!

The dresses for the traditional dancing were beautiful - colourful and with heaps of material.

At around 930 we headed back to the hostel via the famous hot corner which is where everyone partys especially at the end of the night!

We went to bed as we were shattered from our night off and had the whale shark tour at 6.50am the next morning!!

It was a long trip with most of the boat nodding off - even I managed to nod! It was quite bumpy at times!

When we arrived I was amazed at the number of whale sharks they were everywhere and HUGE! We also saw Mantarrays which were almost as impressive!

We went in 2 at a time with a guide as the boat pulled up next to one and would yell “go go go!!” You jumped in and had to swim fast to keep up with the whale shark it was AMAZING!! Nothing compared to swimming next to a huge animal! It’s gills, spots and mouth were incredible!!

^just before we jumped in

Massive mouths!!

We got 2 turns each lasting a few minutes - a seriously incredible experience! There were heaps of boats but lots of whale sharks to go around! They feed on plankton so that made it less scary!!

We then went an hr back towards Holbox where we went snorkeling - also amazing seeing heaps of sting rays and more green eels! We even saw a reef shark swimming away! I got stung by something so got out of the water.

Nect we went to a beautiful isolated beach for lunch - fresh shrimp ceviche it was amazing!! Best I’ve had!

It felt like we really were in paradise! We went for a swim and read our books after lunch then headed back to Holbox. We passed the flamingos in the water - unique to holbox!

We got back to Holbox just after 2pm.

We found a spot under some palm trees on the beach to read our books - nice to have some shade after a big day in the sun!

We then went back to the hostel to shower and relax before 6pm yoga and watching the sunset! Very zen!

We then went to Roots for dinner which was recommended for pizza and good vibes by the hostel.

It didn’t disappoint! Delish and cheap beers with a nice live band.

We then went to sleep as we were still quite tired! Especially after our early morning start. Hannah fell asleep quickly even with the light on!

I then went to the recommended Tierra Mia for a breakfast smoothie and coffee!

It was really delicious - I sat and watched the world go by while I updated my journal!

I then met Hannah back at the hostel to do yoga at 11am the instructor had just completed her teachers training and was her first class - she was really good nice to have a big stretch out!

We then went to El Velero beach club for the day - you could use the chairs as long as you got something from the restaurant!

It really was paradise!

I had a tuna tostadas for lunch as recommended by the waiter so delicious!

We were there until just after 4pm! On the way back I saw a massive lizzard!

We then got an empanada snack and some beers to take to Punta coco for sunset

We rented bikes from the hostel and biked 15-20mins to the end point of Holbox

We had to bike through some massive puddles on the way which was pretty hilarious

Mosquitoes everywhere! (Think there is even one on my forehead..!!)

The sunset was beautiful! With a whalf and hammocks in the water further down

It was then burrito night at the hostel which we went to where they took us to a local restaurant. It was yum.

We met some interesting characters including a 55yr old lady who just came from playa Del Carmen where she had been partying with her 15yr old daughter for a few weeks...???

We had a G&T at hot corner with a few people from our hostel. It was good fun then we headed back to the hostel.

Early start the next day to get to Cuba!

We then got to Chiquilá to get our shuttle to Cancun airport - but the shuttle wouldn’t start! It took about 45mins for another shuttle to come so we were lucky we had left enough time!

The shuttle took 2hrs to Cancun airport we then brought our visa for $20US then checked in! We had a yummy ham and cheese Sammy to share at the airport

The flight from Cancun to Cuba was only one hour which was quick! We then got through immigration quickly and got cash out CUC convertible Cuban pesos! We then got a taxi to the Airbnb

We got to the Airbnb and were let in to see Sydney, Kate and Duncan! We had our own room with ensuite. We then went for a walk around to try find a supermarket - when we eventually found it there was hardly anything there - alcohol, juice, museli but no fresh fruit or veges or snacks!

We got some water which was also hard to find then headed back. We bumped into our Airbnb hosts who helped us get wifi cards which ended up being quite a mission! It took about 15mins even with 2 locals communicating with the shop lady (which was behind a locked door in an apartment building!)

We then got back home and chilled for a bit before going down the road to a local cafe Lo de monikthey had some decent food for dinner! I had a hamburger as trying to up my red meat intake as I haven’t had much in the last 2 months travelling!

Josie and Polly then arrived so we went a near by bar with another cocktail - so cheap in Cuba about $4nzd! We then went to bed with everyone tired after travelling!

We then walked towards the Central Park to do a walking tour but it was pouring with rain and the tour was packed! So we looked up and spotted a cool roof top bar!

We then walked to an art gallery that sold prints

Duncan and Kate brought a couple of big prints, Hannah and I brought some small ones - it was a really cool place. The owners were very frustrated they can’t use wifi to sell the prints online to reach a bigger audience. A few people come to Cuba buy the prints then sell them online in America/Canada and France!

^i got a small print of this photo called “no money no photo”

We then walked through Old Havana

^a pharmacy

A lot of graffiti art everywhere

Birds on cages down the streets

Horse and carriages popular with tourists to get around

In another art gallery - note the guy sleeping out the back with a cigarette

So much art around it was really awesome!

We walked through a market with a lot of crochet dresses, bags and bikinis. Art and all the classic nicnaks

We wondered around the waterfront it was quite hot around 30 degrees so we stopped for a water/mojito and snack. Mojitos and dacqaries are popular and everywhere in Havana.

Then we stopped into a thrift market which was really cool!

I brought this small painting for $1.5nzd - the caption on the back says she is the queen of the club

We then walked towards the Central Park to do a walking tour but it was pouring with rain and the tour was packed! So we looked up and spotted a cool roof top bar!

The views over Havana were awesome and it was a delicious pizza and cocktail! It was the grand central hotel

We went home freshened up then headed out for dinner and drinks!

We went to O’rilleys for dinner which was delicious! I ordered lobster for $25nzd which is the cheapest I’ve ever seen it - so yummm!

The park was packed with people connected to wifi as it is so limited to find! You connect to wifi then have to buy a card which costs $2 per hour.

We then walked to another bar - more cocktails and we smoked our first Cuban cigar! The bar staff Ariel was awesome and showed us how to snip light and smoke the cigar. It was a good laugh and actually tasted quite nice!

We then went to a secret bar the Batman had given us a card with instructions

Hannah managed to pick up a bread roll en route from the bakery

We danced for a bit - the bar was smaller than we thought and locals mostly keeping to themselves. We got home ate some crackers and went to bed!

Today’s smoothie was pinapple and mint which was delicious!

We then headed down to rent the old fashioned cars that are everywhere in Havana

They were around $4nzd ($25peso) each for an hr tour which was pretty good!

We went to a few good lookout points one with the big statue of Jesus

A local took some great pics - even this one of me kissing Jesús hahah

Another lookout point back at the Havana CBD and an old canon launch point

We then wondered along the boulevard back towards the Airbnb.

We went to our tried and true cafe for one last time to get some lunch before we got our van to Vinales.

Hannah and I shared the yukas barabas (root vege) and a chicken sandwich! We then got in the van which ended up taking 2.5hrs to Vinales!

It was a beautiful valley! The houses were all colourful and our Airbnb was great! We had 3 rooms with ensuites to share - each room with 2 beds!

The owner taught Hannah how to make the perfect mojito and we sat on the roof top terrace and soaked in the view.

The Airbnb was a big guest house with hammocks and lots of tables around!

^sydney and I a little hot from the sun!

We then went for a walk to explore the town and find a place for dinner

We had some $1.5nzd mojitos and kumara fries (too thin but I had missed Kumara!!!)

The Main Street was super rural!

We then went to Comidas for dinner as the BBQ meat looked awesome

I had the chicken with veges and a very bad red wine!

We then explored a bit more of the town before heading back to play a few games of cards (P&As) before heading to bed! We have booked in a horse trek for tomorrow which we are all very excited about!

Our tour guide for the bourse trek into the outback of Viñales arrived at our Airbnb. It was only $15cuc (about $25nzd) each for about a 4hr trek!

We wondered down the road to where the horses were waiting

We then got on and set off on the trek - our guide didn’t speak much English but we managed on left/right/stop!

We the road into the country mostly walking but getting up to a trot at times (our guide could yell and the grouse would trot on command it was amazing!)

Polly’s horse was always in front and seemed to know the way! The tour guide kept yelling Alisssoon when she needed to speed up to a trot to eat the group moving faster haha

The scenery was really beautiful with lots of Tabacco being grown!

We then stopped at one of the Tabaccodrying houses where a worked explained the process. He rolled a cigar while we watched. We then got to try his which are natural and free of chemicals unlike the big factory ones. He has to ”sell” 90% of his crop to the government.

We dipped the end of the cigar in natural honey which was really nice - dipped in rum is another way the locals smoke them.

We then got back on our horses for a short walk to the lagoon for an option swim and beverage

Hannah had been stung by a bee during the first part of the trek - it was super painful and became quite swollen!

We then went to another farm worker to learn about coffee bean production in the area and about a rum fermented with guava.

He was quite a character making us sit, stand on command and attempt a dance!

We then got back on our horses for the trek home. A storm was coming with the thunder very loud! It also started raining towards the end!

Once we got back we quickly showered and went to lunch - we were starving! I had a questionable ham and cheese pizza wth the dough hardly cooked... food in Cuba has been a low point! My stomach isn’t coping very well also....

I had an ice cream to try settle my stomach with all the different bacteria and water lots of people find it hard on their stomachs!

We then connected to the wifi for a short while then played some cards and I was roped into playing dominoes with the owner and an Italian last at the Airbnb before heading out to dinner.

We found a place that did free mojitos with dinner - score! The food was quite hit and miss!

Polly, Hannah and I then went to check out salsa night at the local square which had a band playing and lots of people doing salsa then a talent show type thing!

Polly, han and I were all taken for a dance with a local with them attempting to teach us...! It was good fun!

We headed back to the Airbnb at around 11.30pm and said goodbye to Josie and Polly who were continuing their Cuba travels for another week. We had a shuttle booked with Sydney Kate and Duncan for 6am the next day...! I woke up at 2am with a very sore stomach. May have to go to the dr in Tulum as other backpackers have suggested if we get sick to test what bug it is!

Hannah’s bee sting was quite swollen today!!

We then decided to do the hop on hop off bus tour around Havana for an easy way to see more of the tour! We were told it was 40mins round trip but it ended up being 2.5hrs!!! We were quite over it by the end and it was sooo hot!!

Hotel nationale

We went back to the hotel for lunch and ordered a banana split to cool down then a Cuban sandwich to share

We then had to head to the airport $25 CUC for a normal taxi or $30 CUC for a vintage... an obvious choice!

We cruised to the airport in style for about $40nzd

He even stopped to grab us and himself some peanuts!

We got to the airport and faces some seriously long lines at check in, passport control and security. The toilets then had no water running and were quite foul so safe to say we don’t rate Havana airport!

Our plane was also late so we got to Cancun airport at around 7.15pm which had long lines for passport control and every bag had to be x-rayed! We then finally got through and divided up to suss transport options bus, van or rent a car. We managed to find a car that was cheaper than the bus and 1hr quicker! We also got it for 24hrs so could use it first our first day in Tulum!

We got a little Chevy hatchback and the road to Tulum was literally a straight highway - too easy!

We went through a few thunderstorms which made it hard to see and stopped for some water and snacks at one point. Other than that quite a simple trip just had to watch out for all the pot holes and speed bumps along the way!

When we arrived in Tulum it was POURING down so we sat in the car hoping it would pass before we went into our hostel mamas home. We eventually got out and ran to find the door but it was locked. We eventually got the attention of some people staying there who let us in to check in and find out where to go for dinner.

We felt like fish tacos and were recommended a place just around the corner El Milagrito - it was delicious and so flavoursome compared to Cuba I was in heaven!

We shared guac a got a fish taco each. We then drove back it had luckily stopped raining to unpack the car and get to bed. We were in an 8 person dorm with A/c thank god! We were both shattered - it had been a long day so fell asleep easily!

We were served French toast with yogurt, caramel sauce and banana - so yum didn’t think I liked French toast until now!

We then got directions to a dr for Hannah’s eye and had the consultation over google translator...

Hannah got some antibiotics and cream which helped reduce the swelling over the day. We also sent photos and the google translate convo to Ron and Tom to confirm what was prescribed and diagnosed sounded right! They confirmed so we relaxed a bit and hoped it would go down soon!

We got some cash out, went to the supermarket which was a dream after Cuba’s lack of produce!! We got some fruit, peanut butter, bread rolls and a few other snacks for lunch. We then cruises off to or first Cenote - cenote crystal.

The water was fresh and cold! But really nice for a dip and we both jumped off the platform!

We read our books for a bit then headed down to Tulum beach

The road along the beach reminded us so much of Bali!

We stopped at the enterance to another cenote to use the bathrooms as to have our picnic lunch

We then went along to a smoothie place and got a juice and a kombutcha and relaxed on the swings

We the drove along the road stopping at a shop/resort that I had read on a blog was worth a visit. It was amazing and beautiful and with swing bridges connecting the bars and restaurants with beautiful rooftop couches!

^sunglasses shop in the resort - filled with insense - quite bizarre!

There is the Tulum beach road with lots of fancy resorts then about 20hectres of jungle before Tulum town (about a 10-15min drive away) where we were staying and our hostel is. Everything is significantly cheaper in the town!

We then went back to the hostel to relax and freshen up before dinner and a recommended pkace called Gitano. It was Mexican fusion and NZ prices and was delicious!

Asparagus with cauliflower, quinoa and chipotle sauce

Kumara with cocoanut and crispy bits of Kumara

Then beef brisket tacos which were out of this world!

We didn’t order any drinks so it all came to about $35nzd each.

We then had a look in the shops which had some beautiful silk dresses and got some ice cream on the way home!

^front of the resort we did yoga at

Rainy season brings up a lot of seaweed on the beach - some resorts clear it everyday.

We then went along the beach to Papaya player project a popular beach club and resort for a smoothie and to do some trip planning.

We then headed to the supermarket to pick up some break for our peanut butter Sammie’s and stopped into hertz to negotiate a price to drop off in Chetumal instead of Tulum.

Then the first Cenote of the day - Cenote Grande

We had our lunch at a picnic table but had an uninvited guest..!

We had to ask a local to scare it off for us haha

We then showered before getting into the water (required to remove excess oils from sunscreen)

The water was beautifully clear

There were sooo many turtles ^ spot them above

There was a cave through to another entry point - small birds were flying everywhere!

We then read our books on the grass before we went to the next Cenote down the road Cenote Calavera. This one had lots of fun jumping points and bats!!

^we jumped down this hole

^great facials....

We then headed back to the beach to look through the shops - Hannah brought a bikini and a full piece

We then went to Ziggys beach club for a 2x1 happy hour and went for mezcal ones since it is the local spirit!

We then drove into Tulum town for dinner at Buritto Amor which was highly recommended - and did not disappoint. I had a kombutcha and a pork boritto

We then went across the road to an ice cream shop recommended by the blog I read and it was amazing!! Campanella cremerie!

We then finally went back to the hostel after a long day out! We sorted out our bags and meet a German girl who was also heading to lake Bacalar tomorrow so we invited her to join our road trip!

The city was called Zoma (dawn) as it is one of the places dawn first breaks in Mexico

After breakfast we headed straight to the Tulum maya ruins zona arqueologica.

The city was called Zoma (dawn) as it is one of the places dawn first breaks in mexico

The main palace looking out over the sea

Note the red handprints decorating the 2nd story

We then headed down the coast towards lake Bacalar - about 2.5hrs

We passed through a massive thunderstorm!!

Once we arrived in Bacalar we looked I. My lonely planet for a place for lunch and came across a winner la playita

A beautiful spot right on the lake for lunch!

I had a tuna tostada

We shared guacamole with Kumara chips!

We then had a bit of a nightmare trying to find somewhere to stay as the good hostels were booked out! But luckily we had the car and eventually after about 40mins Hannah found an absolute gem casa bakal! $38 each to stay right on the water in a 4 bed dorm!

We had delicious banana daiquiris

Then we hopped on the hotels bikes and headed to the town square for dinner

We found a taco place that was recommended by Tessa and had guacamole and fish and shrimp tacos

The batter was a little heavy but we added guac to the tacos which made them yum!

We then biked back to the hostel to chill, play cards and went to bed!

We were expecting more of a large ferry but the boat was quite small! Hannah managed to nap for a bit and we both read our books.

We arrived to Caye Caulker around 6pm went to Bella’s hostel that we had booked through hostel world - private room but shared bathroom. Belize was already soo different to Mexico - the vibe reminded me of what I would think of Jamaica.

We asked for a dinner recommendation at the hostel and ended up at b

We then read our books while the thunderstorms came through with rain pouring down! Breakfast then started at 8 which was delicious pancakes with fruit, condensed milk and honey!

We then made use of the free kayaks and the three of us set off for pirate canal it was about an hour round trip with beautiful clear water!

We then packed up the car and checked out to return to our favourite lunch spot la playita.

Hannah and I had the empanadas and a salad to share

We then dropped Valerie off to get a bus back to Tulum and we continued to drive south to Chetumal the boarder town with Belize. From there we dropped off our car and got stung a bit with the petrol price as we were supposed to get a better deal but as we changed the drop off location that also changed without us being informed! But only $8nzd each so not too big a mistake.

We then got a taxi to the jetty where the boat to Caye Caulker departs. It was expensive about $100nzd each and we also had to pay a Mexican departure fee..! The boat took 2 hrs to San Pedro where you go through Belize customs then another 30mins to Caye Caulker from there.

We were expecting more of a large ferry but the boat was quite small! Hannah managed to nap for a bit and we both read our books.

We arrived to Caye Caulker around 6pm went to Bella’s hostel that we had booked through hostel world - private room but shared bathroom. Belize was already soo different to Mexico - the vibe reminded me of what I would think of Jamaica.

We asked for a dinner recommendation at the hostel and ended up at belizean favour. We ordered the lion fish stuffed with lobster to share as it was their speciality.

Rum punch is a big thing here and we got 2 free with dinner!

Garlic mash was a standout

We then went downstairs to the sports bar for a drink and met some locals who we asked about the dives we could do. The blue hole that Belize is famous for is so expensive at like $350usd for the day!! We decided to do the other recommended dive spot Esmeralda. We went to bed after the drink as we wanted to be fresh for our dive the next day.

We went on the boat about 30minutes to get to the first dive spot. We did our first water entry by going backwards and did our deepest dive at 32meters.

We stopped for lunch and our safety stop between dives at San Pedro

We had guacamole and quesadillas with our dive mates Emma from Sweden and sinje from Germany.

Fresh bag of laundry in hand!

We saw sharks for the first time while diving. It was incredible there were lots of nurse and reef sharks around! The guide was tapping the sand and the sharks would come over for a pat - just like puppies is was crazy. I was too scared to touch them!

We went through the coral reed which was awesome!

We saw a few eels!

Both dives lasted around 45mins and was epic!

We got back and exchanged Facebook details with the girls on our course so we could catchup for a drink or dinner later. We headed back to the hostel to freshen up then got shark hena tattoos (they last 10-15 days)

We then headed to the split for a drink before dinner then headed to the blue beard a French restaurant Tessa Hannah’s Friday had recommended we try. We met the Swedish girl Emmal and her American friend Janelle for dinner which was delicious and very nice to have a different cuisine!

Chicken with truffle oil risotto

Beef balls with potato gratin

And salted caramel crepes! Delicious!

We then went to the sports bar for some drinks and Hannah and I shared a dirty money cocktail which is a mix between a banana daiquiri and an espresso martini - so yum!

It was karaoke night and one guy sang a part of a song to Hannah! We then carried on at a bar called Reggie bar and met Lara and her bf some Australians who were good fun!

I had a bagel with peanut butter, almonds and banana with fruit and Hannah had an egg casserole which kind of looked like a soufflé!

We then booked our boat to Belize city and a bus from there to Flores in Guatemala. Then checked out of Bella’s hostel.

We headed down for one last swim at the Split - the lazy lizzard and ordered some fries. We didn’t check how much they were and spent around $14nzd on them! It was a nice spot to swim anyway....

We then got on the 12pm ferry to Belize City

Once again Hannah’s napping skills making me jealous on the ferry!

We then got on the 1.30pm bus from Belize City to Flores which was old school with seriously comfortable seats! There were only 4 of us on board which was crazy. I managed to sleep which was great

Crossing the boarder was easy with hardly any lines!

We got to Flores at about 7pm after getting off the bus and onto a shuttle to our accom in a nearby town. The whole journey had been very easy! We arrived to the hostel and were impressed! It was so well set up with a restaurant, travel agency, bar, towels!

We booked a trip to the Tikal ruins at 430am to avoid the heat and crowds had some dinner at the hostel (falafel pita and salad to share) then went to bed as we were both super tired and have an early start tomorrow!

We then saw a chameleon- they change colour according to their surroundings!

We smelt the leaves of a plant that was almost like all spice! Hannah even tried the leaf...

We the saw monkeys in the tree! Spider monkeys - quite awesome to see how quickly they move

This was the first plaza of the Mayan people who lived here. The design of the pyramids, temples and plazas is incredible with all elemets adding to 365 - like the days in the year

Lots of the ruins in Tikal are yet to be uncovered like the one below. This is because of the respect for the old city and maybe in 5 years they will do more. Also because of the upkeep to de-weed all the pryamids!

The was the original path with limestone underneath

More raccoon type animals - mating season so there were lots of fights over the ladies

We then got to the main plaza with a few beautiful buildings

We had got packed lunches from the hostel as there are only chips for sale at the park - the vege sandwich didn’t look too appealing but wasn’t too bad

The next temple has beautiful 360 degree views over the jungle around Tikal!

Two guys were caught using a drone which is a big no-no here because of the danger to animals

Our last climb up! Was starting to get quite hot at 10am so we were glad we went for the early tour - it also meant there was almost no one else around!

We then got the 11am bus back to Flores which took another 1.5hrs - we read and napped! We went for a walk around the island - the lake was beautiful!

Bucket full of limes on this ladies head!

We then went back to hang at our hostel Los Amigos - one of my favourites yet!

It was pouring down with thunderstorms so quite nice to be chilling undercover! We then went for a walk and came across a wellness centre - they had some cool clothes with Hannah and I both making purchases - han also got her eyebrows donw

^my new top - v Guatemala style

Had a coke float and guac at a little cafe on the lake

G&Ts at the sky bar!

New earrings -$4nzd

Found a street with 1000s of birds on the wire!

We then went down to the lake front with lots of cheap bars and street food for dinner and shared a platter

We learnt how to play ginrummy and two person 500 which was good fun and will be good to know for the rest of the trip!

Then we went to bed as have an 8hr shuttle to Semac Champey leaving at 8am tomorrow!

Breakfast at the hostel where we made the crucial mistake of having a lot of liquid!

We went across a mini lake in a car bardge thing! We listened to serial a murder mystery podcast which kept us entertained for most of the 8hrs!

Driving into the valley was quite beautiful!

We were picked up on the back on the Ute from the main town to our hostel

It was a seriously bumpy trip but only abit 10min!

The hostel has a beautiful pool and spa overlooking the valley! We went for a spa and swim before dinner.

The hostel had my new favourite cocktail Amaretto sour!

Pizza for dinner then played in a flip cup tournament with our Aussie friends!

We first went to the Kan-Ba caves guides only by candlelight! Our guide Eddy put warrior marks on our faces to begin the cave exploration!

We were fully submerged at some points, went up and down ladders through waterfalls, over rocks it was quite funny with only a candle! We then got to the end of the cave which had a big pool - our guide showed us how we could do a 2m jump into the pool - quite scary and a massive adrenaline hit but Hannah and I both did it - the only girls who did! We then headed back and went a slightly different way which meant we went down a shoot hole into a pool - kind of like a water slide with a waterfall!!

It was such an awesome experience - our candles went out a few times but were quickly let again by others in the group!

Once out of the cave we went to a rope swing which was epic into the river!

We then walked to the waterfalls before lunch (packed lunch from the hostel)

We then hiked 30mins to the view point over the limestone pools - all uphill stairs pretty tough! Amazing view at the top though!!

The limestone pools are formed as the river goes underneath them at this point!

We swim in the pools jumping between them all - lots of fun!

We saw these ants on the track on the way home all carrying a bit of leaf! They get this specific leaf from up the tree then carry it all the way to their home to grow fungi to eat!

We headed back to Zephyr lodge for happy hour $3 G&Ts and a swim in the pool and jacuzzi with our friends from the tour

We then made arrangements to leave the next day to lake atitlan. We had a burger and curry for dinner played a few drinking games then went to bed!

We napped, had snacks and a few bathroom breaks then switched buses before we finally arrived at lake atitlan by 7.20pm the last public ferry was at 7.30pm so we rushed with our bus friends to make it!

The boat driver asked Hannah if she wanted to drive! The bit was packed with people and it was pitch black! We got dropped directly at our hostels pier, checked in and made it to our wee glamping tent! We were sharing with two other girls who we had met in Caye Caulker.

We had the family dinner for $70Q (about $15nzd) for three courses soup boritto and cake!

We then went to sleep but Hannah was unfortunately up multiple times in the night vomiting!

Waking up to this view was pretty incredible and reminded us of NZ!

We packed up then went down to the pier to wait for the next public ferry heading to San Macos - one of the most picturesque villages with a slight hippy vibe with lots of yoga and vegetation restaurants

The trip along the lake was beautiful!

We arrived in san macos and headed to the hostel and they luckily had one private room available with two single beds in it! It also meant we had a kitchen, lounge, bathroom and terrace to ourselves that we had to share with just one other private room.

We had breakfast but han wasn’t feeling well still very nauseous and my stomach was getting worse by the minute..

We had to be horizontal for most of the day and we both felt quite awful. We napped and watched a movie hoping it would pass by tomorrow. We managed to head out for dinner and eat a few pieces of pizza each!

We went to bed at around 8 hoping a good nights sleep would cure all! We think it may have been the boritto we ate last night or a bug from any of the water we have been swimming in.

We were unsuccessful but there is another chance to buy on Sunday!

We wondered back through San Pedro both feeling exhausted and ready for a nap - we definitely were still not quite right!

We had a rest/nap for a few hours in our hostel then went for a wonder around the town.

We then went to Fe for dinner again (one brand has 4 restaurants a guy who moved from London to San Marcos post the GFC).

Is was Israeli food - quite yum

We then went to the famed Dolce Gelato for dessert - I got Kinder flavour a new \240favourite !

We then watched a movie on Netflix and had another early night!

We shared the vegan stack and the granola which were both delicious! I also had my first coffee in quite a long time which was Devine!

We then did a 30-minute yoga session following a YouTube video!

We then headed down to get the ferry to Panajachel where we got a van to Antigua which took around 2.5 hrs..

We arrived at our hostel theee monkeys and relaxed for a bit before venturing out for lunch. We went to a cafe links to the yoga school shakti Shala and shared a beef sandwich. We wondered around the town then headed black to relax at the hostel. The streets were beautiful and reminded us of Oaxaca in Mexico with the cobblestones and colourful buildings.

We then went to Samsara for dinner and had a yummy vege \240stir fry with yellow curry paste and quinoa.

Vegan treat for dessert and kombutcha to drink - trying to get better!

We then headed back to the hostel for an early night.

Walking to breakfast past a row of tubs that the locals still use for washing clothes!

We had a nice flat white at this coffee shop!

Before heading to El local for a delicious bagel!

Hannah then went to the markets with Janelle but I wasn’t feeling great so went back to the hostel and to the dr as it has been a few days of sickness now!

He was a lovely old man who diagnosed my issues as having a parasite. He prescribed antibiotics for 10days - a relief to finally be getting it sorted!

I went to eat Hannah as she probably had the same thing and he also gave her the same antibiotics!

Wenthen went with our friend from the US Janelle to a peanut butter workshop. Organised through a local company that works with local families. It was really nice to have an authentic experience going to their house to learn all about making peanut butter!

We made it from scratch! First step shelling the peanuts

The picking out any bad ones before roasting - no oil or anything

Then cooling the peanuts before rolling the red skin off

Then crushing peanuts without any added salt or oil!

Tough work to get the peanuts into peanut butter!

Lilian was a pro and super strong!

We then got to taste our peanut butter on a tortilla with banana and honey!

We got a free tub as part of the tour then Hannah and I brought a few extra!

Our full tour group!

We then went for some empanadas with our tour friends. Hannah and I then went to sort some admin and plan our next few days! We then had an early night!

We then walked 20mins to Ca

It was nice to have a healthy breakfast!

We then switched hostels as we would be staying a few more days to Barbra’s boutique which was lovely! It had a real homey feeling! We then went to an Internet cafe to sort some CV and job admin. Hannah got a delicious piece of banana bread from Fat Cat Cafe!

We then walked 20mins to Caoba farms for lunch which has massive vegetable gardens and a small market with local sellers!

We had a delicious lunch and enjoyed being out in the country a little!

I then went to Yin yoga for a good stretch out then we decided to book in to do the Acatenango volcano hike the next day. An overnight hike where you climb Acatenango to watch Frugo the opposite volcano erupting! The weather wasn’t looking too good but we really wanted to challenge ourselves!

We booked in then went on a hunt to find all the gear we would need as it was a tough hike and very cold at base camp! We managed to find some woolen gloves and a hat from a local shop and scarfs! Wicho and Charlie (best company to do tour with but they didn’t have a group going on Monday our last possible day to do it) another tour company then gave us a bag and some more gloves and hats. We booked through Tropicana but they didn’t have as much gear!

We then went to bed and set our alarms for 7am to get up and have breakfast at Barbra’s before the hike!

Looking chipper at the start!

It was a super tough hike expected to take about 5-6hrs as it was super steep and basically all uphill!

There were little huts to stop at and we had lunch at the halfway point. Vegetarian wraps provided as part of the tour!

It was quite cloudy on the way up but we were optimistic it may clear when we got to the top!

Great views....

Even in the cold temperatures we were so hot from the steep inclines!!

We made it to base camp in 3hrs 50minutes the fastest time our guide had done it in 4 years! The tents with stretches and sleeping bags were all set up at the top and we were so relieved to get there!!

We put on all our warm weather gear and were quite toasty especially around the campfire!

The cloud cleared for brief moments for us to glimpse Fuego the active volcano!

A less than glamorous long drop!

Cute dog that was up at base camp if you look hard enough you can see some smoke coming out the top of the volcano!

The valley was huge below!

Chicken noodles followed by pasta in need of a good dash of salt for dinner!

Then marshmallows and very sweet hot chocolate!

We then headed to bed early and were given 2 sleeping bags so we were toasty in our tents!! We hoped the weather would clear at 4am when we were scheduled to hike to the summit to watch the sunrise and active Fuego!

We climbed 1,286meters in under 4 hrs!

It was a relief to be down which took around 2hrs! We had to wait awhile for the van which was bringing the next tour to the start but the local family brought our tea and avo with chips!

We got back to Barbara’s boutique at around 1130 after returning all our gear to shower and pack again!

We went to Rico’s chicken for lunch as recommended by our Aussie friends! Cheap local place with yum garlic potatoes!

We then went to the famous choco Museo for some souvenirs and gelato!

Final pictures with the arch before we got an Uber to a hostel in Guatemala City so we were close before our flight from the airport at 7.45am the next day!

It was cheaper to Uber door to door rather than get a shuttle!! It took about an hr to ge to Central 10 our hostel in a nice area of the city as other parts can be dangerous! We relaxed for a couple hours then went to the mall a few blocks away for dinner and to go to the movies to see Crazy, Rich, Asians! It was quite nice to be in a mall and go to the movies!!

We had KFC then popcorn in the movie. Great recovery food post hike... haha

We then ubered back to the hostel to go to bed. Another early wake up 4.40am to get an Uber to the airport!!

We had breakfast at the airport spending our last of the Guatemala currency as it’s a closed currency so you cannot exchange it outside the country!

Then just as we were boarding we were told we needed proof we were leaving Costa Rica.. not ideal so we had to book a shuttle to Bocas Del toro in Panama our next stop however this meant it was way more expensive then getting the public bus!

The flight was quite delayed but we arrived in Costa Rica and got on the public bus to downtown. We then got a taxi to the hostel (Stray Cat Hostel)

We then went to Galeria Talentum for lunch and a look around the gallery

San Jose is a little bit artsy!

We then walked to the national theatre for coffee and cake

The decor was Venice themed

We then walked back to the hostel - there really wasn’t much to see in San Jose and the city wasn’t very pleasant! The walk home had a lot of homeless and we decided to just get Uber eats for dinner and play cards!

We had yet another early start so bed early after Japanese!

There was a lunch stop at a resort along to Caribbean coast which was included and quite delicious!

We got to the boarder at around 3pm and crossed over the bridge into Panama

It was quite confusing so we were glad we were with a company the whole way through!

Hannah had found caramel m&ms at Guatemala City airport which were delicious for the trip down!

We then got to the final stage of our crossing a boat to the island!

There were lots of houses all around the water! We then got to our hostel Selina’s and went for a drink.

We found Nick O’Connell and Joey Greene who were also on the island for the party tomorrow!

We then went for dinner at a delicious Indian restaurant called Om! We meet ya with Hannah’s friend Bridget and her friend Briar. It was a great catch-up and epic food!

We then went to sleep ready for our big day tomorrow

We then had coffee and got our filthy Friday tops on for the island hopping pub crawl!

Great crew of aussies and kiwis!

It was a big day but lots of fun drinking at three bars on different islands!!

We had to walk about 10mins through the bush but then arrived in paradise!

We checked in then had a nap before walking along the beach for an early dinner.

Batter was a tad thick

We then played some card games and went to bed!

Our beds were like in the jungle with mosquito nets over the windows.

We went next door to nachyo mommas taco bar for a coke and some fish tacos - Delish!

It then was a bit overcast for the arvo so we chilled and read our books with a cocktail. We had dinner with a british guy, an America girl and a Dutch girl. Fun convos then a bonfire! It was raining pretty hard and a resident sloth went through the restaurant to find some shelter!

We then had an earlyish night!

The water was so clear and warm - even Mum would love swimming here!

Fish tacos and pina colada for lunch - really hard life!!

We then got a local boat to the town of the island called Bastimentos! We went to sea monkey for dinner.

Very colourful town - not very touristy!

We had delicious chicken wings and pad Thai for dinner!

Followed by bread pudding. Then unfortunately a massive storm came through with a huge ano by of rain thunder and lightening... our plan to get back before dark wasn’t going to happen! It was pouring down with no boats going back to red frog beach.. \240We contemplating staying in the hotel we had dinner at but we had a boat booked at 6.20am from our jetty to get the 7am bus to Panama City! Bit of a nightmare and we really were stuck!! We played cards and read our books for a few hours!! Finally the rain stopped for a brief moment so we ran back through the town to the main wharf to try and get a boat back to our accom. Luckily a boat took us for $10usd each!

It was a scary ride with thunder and lightening in the background and it was pitch black! Once back to the pier we had to walk 10mins back through the pitch black jungle... SCARY!!!

We were so happy to have made it back to the hostel - we had a massive adrenaline rush going so we had a tea before bed. We then set our alarms for a 540am wake up!

It was quite a beautiful morning which was nice!

We got on the bus which was freezing!! 11hrs till we get to Panama City! I read my book most of the time while Hannah napped and watched movies on my iPad. Her phone had unfortunately died - it was on its last legs then the rain really finished it off. The bus stopped at a local place for lunch - I had a delicious spagi bol

We got to Panama City at about 6 and got a taxi to Luna’s Castle our hostel

^the view from our hostel!!

We went and had a cocktail and looking out at the beautiful city view! I had an Amaretto sour and han had a Moscow muel!

We then went for pizza at Barrio and had a beer - both so delicious!!