Arrival in Cancun, Mexico

The trip to the airport in Mexico City was a doddle thanks to my friend K, who drove me all the way and showed me where I needed to go to get the tickets.

I had arrived with only an hour spare time, so basically I just checked in and then after changing over my remaining money from Costa Rica and Honduras, I went through the security gates and waited to board the flight.

The flight itself was short and was without a movie, but I expect this was because the flight was only a couple of hours so once you deduct the time taken to take off and land then what you have left is hardly enough time to watch anything anyways.

Arriving in Cancun I was not sure what to expect, but whatever I had in my mind I was not prepared for how modern, glamarous and touristy the place was. The airport was the picture perfect place with a large room dedicated to tourist information with plenty of brochures, no hard sell and both thick guides and maps for the surrounding area all free, such a relief and a boon it was hard to graps how it could have been any better.

I didn't want to waste money getting cab to the city centre, and the bus terminal was just outside with several different places where you can buy tickets and for only 30 pesos the price was affordable, even considering that it was a half hour ride and the bus had recliner seats and airconditioning.

Once I got out of the bus terminal, which again looked like something right out of an architects manual, it was then a quick taxi to my hostel, that had I know I could have walked as it was really only about a five minute walk once you knew the route.

I checked into my hostel without any fuss, found a room overlooking a big plaza and chatted happily to the couple of other guests who were there til I went to get some more cash for the weekend ahead.

On my way back I took a stroll around the place to see what else was around there, and I was amazed at how many 4 or 5 start hotels there were all in such a close area, along with the thousands of restauants and gift stalls. All I can say is that once the hurricans damanged the region they didnt waste any time in rebuilding and renovating what was there to make it look fantastic.

I overheard one American say that it was just like Vegas but without the gambling, and that is to say that it was birght flashy lights and huge boarding adverts just about everywhere, even more impressive at the moment than New York.

I stopped at a sports bar and grill and had a nice pizza and coke before I headed back to my hotel in order to get a good nights sleep before a full day tomorrow, where I had an early trip to Chichen Itza.