Family holiday

Tomorrow my sister and my mum will arrive in Mexico City. I am very excited to see them, to teach them what I know and to explore with them. My sister is an experienced traveller, my mother not so. So I can expect some difficulties, stress and squabbles but most of all I expect it to bring us closer.

It's not until I realised they will be here soon that I allowed myself to realise how much I miss my family. We are close, but in a distant way. My sister and I are constantly travelling, and we haven't lived at home since we were both 18, so we are used to being apart. But at the same time we come from a kind and loving family that have always supported us. So it will be great to spend some quality time together in a new and unique environment.

We haven't been on a family holiday, the three of us, since...... I honestly can't remember. We've had weekends away with family, holidays individually or in pairs but never the three of us. So it will be great to experience a new country together.

We will all have a few days in Mexico City together before my sister goes to Cancun and will work her way through the Yucatan Peninsula by bus, while my mum and I will head to Quetznaltengo in Guatemala to volunteer in a school and learn some Spanish. Then we will all meet in Guatemala and head to Costa Rica for a relaxing week in the rainforest and the beach.

A perfect girls trip! I can't wait!

The underwater world

After Cuba I had some time to fill to await the arrival of my mum and sister so I decided to spent it underwater. That is, scuba diving.

I'd never dived before, but I'd heard only good things from friends so I decided to get my PADI open water dive certificate. I found a great company Scuba 10 in Playa del Carmen and signed up.

The most daunting thing about it is the gear. The more gear you put on, the more alien you look and feel. Big tanks on your back, hoses coming out everywhere and your whole body covered in a black wetsuit, it certainly isn't the most fashionable sport.

But once you're underwater everything changes. The first descent is incredible. as you reach the bottom and look up, it's like you really are in another world. The surface looks like the sky into another universe, and the bubbles that float from your tank slowly climb to the surface and pop away.

Over the course I did five dives, each one gaining more confidence, and spotting more things. (The first few dives you don't notice much of the amazing marine life because you are concentrating too hard on breathing, inflating, deflating, not drifting, following your instuctor and not hitting any precious coral. But after all thats ok, then you can enjoy it!)

We saw an octopus, a rare sight in the day time, and the way it changes from white to grey when it breathes. I spotted a giant lobster, a manta ray, a graceful turtle swimming all the way to the surface and back down, and a shark! It was only a nurse shark, but at the time I didn't know so I was certainly freaked when I saw it staring beadily out from a dark cave.

Being underwater is as unnatural for humans as trying to fly, so I felt priveledged to be able to interact and appreciate the diversity and beauty of the underwater world.

At least now I know once I've explored enough of the globe by land, there's a whole other world down there.

CUBA

CUBA

Too many clichés to describe this fascinating country. But the one I like the best, "You will fall in love with Cuba, wihtout understanding why".

It's confusing, outdated, interesting, closed, anti-capitalist, socialist, cheap, tourist-economy, loud, tasteless, daggy, sleazy and rhythmic.

My naivity before I arrived led me to believe the people would be depressed clones working a picket-line like slaves. Of course that was not like it was, nor should it be. I realised that although it is under a communist goverment, the majority of citizens still have some freedom to do as they please, especially those with money (the majority of their disposible income comes from family abroad or illegal dealings with tourists such as taxis or selling cigars).

I was travelling with a a group of 8 Australians, and with a the majority being blonde we attracted a lot of unwanted attention. Men whistled, blew kisses, called names, complemented us, followed us and continually asked us 'where are you from sexy girl?'...

We visited the towns of Havana, Trinidad, Camaguey, Santa Clara and Viñales.

La Havana is basically broken into three sections, the renovated, tourist-friendly Havana Vieja with the museums, restaurants and art galleries. Centro is the hustle and bustle of Havana, it's loud, busy and confronting. And Vedado is the rich area, full of beautiful old colonial houses, giant hotels that were used by the mafia and tree-lined boulevards.

Viñales is the tobacco-heart of Cuba, This is where the large cigar factories get their tobacco leaves from. In fact, the farmers are forced to give up 80-90% of their tobacco production to these government run factories, left with only a small amount to make their own organic cigars. We visited one farmer who showed us the natural process the use, then we tasted it. The honey, rum and cinnamon flavours combined with the strong tobacco and sent us all into a happy state.

Everyone knows that Cuban food is shit. I won't deny it. The 1 peso cheese pizzas, the dry and overcooked meat and the tinned spaghetti that seem to crop up on most menus certainly didn't stimulate the tastebuds, (especially after the wide variety of flavoursome Mexican dishes). However, we did discover two gems in Havana. A little authentic Chinese resturant called Tian Tan in China town served up delcious soups and noodle dishes. And Los Nardos opposite the Capitolio building was always packed thanks to its extensive menu, big servings and flavoursome Cuban fare. The pushy waiters were the only turn-off. Even the decor was rich and sensitive, as opposed to the usual plastic decor and bright lighting in the majority of government-run restaurants.

During the trip, my friends and I had the constant debate about Cubans, 'do they know what they're missing out on, or are they happy to live like this?' Of course while the government tries to limit outside influence, it is impossible to limit it all. With many Cubans living overseas, they bring foreign products, money and ideas with them when they return. Hollywood movies are shown regulary in Cuban cinemas. The internet is now available for some University students and more and more to those Cubans who have the resources to pay for it. Also the constant stream of interested tourists with comparatively full wallets must make the Cubans think twice about their rationed way-of-life. But on the other hand, they receive virtually free housing, health care and good education, some of the biggest worries and most sought after things in the capitalist economy. They have their own currency, worth a fraction of that of the toursist dollar, however the government subsidises everything from the baseball to phone lines.

One Cuban friend I spoke to wanted to know about travelling. The sensation of flying, exploring an unknown place, however his biggest worry was packing, 'How would I know what to take on holiday?'

He studies economy by day- learning about the capitalist system compared to his own socialism, and by night he tries to meet many tourists as he can (something illegal in itself without a licence) to find out about places he never thinks he will never see. A interesting contradiction.

That's how it is in Cuba.

Everyone says things are changing, slowly but surely. As more private business and foreign capital is welcomed into the economy, Cuba is slowly opening itself up to change. I left knowing I'll be back, but when, who knows.

Southern Mexico roadtrippin PT3

I woke up on Christmas Eve morning with a whopping hangover and a scattered memory. My friends dragged me out of bed to the ferry (not the best idea) to head across to Isla Mujeres. It wasn't till the afternoon I realised it was still in my dress from last night with terribly smudged makeup. All class!

My group of European friends celebrate Christmas Eve so we dined at a delicious courtyard restaurant on tuna steak, hors d'oeuvre, cheeses and Spanish wine. It was certainly different to the normal family BBQ but it was lovely all the same. After dinner, we handed out presents then went into the street and smashed a piñata! So much fun.

Christmas day was my turn for an Aussie chrissy, I taught everyone the apparently compex rules of beach cricket and a picnic on the beach.

We left in the afternoon to Valladolid where we sung karaoke, swam in caves and explored the cute town centre.

The next day we stopped at the disneyland of ruins, Chitzen Itza. It could have been nice if we could've seen past all the gringos swarming the place.

That night we made it to Merida and found a great hostel with a campsite and pool and breakfast and internet called Nomadas. We did salsa lessons, I explored the great central market and we ate at the famous local fare, pork, pork and more pork. I also stupidly, or bravely, depending on which way you look at it, ate a habanero chile. The hottest in Mexico! It put a dramatic end to my night as I retreated to the tent with a stomach ache, burning mouth and general lethargy. And I only took a nibble. I don't know how the Mexicans do it. They smother it over everything. I've even seen some eat it like an apple to wash down some tacos.

After the relaxing Merida, we took a long drive along th Ruta Puuc, visited some of the Mayan ruins along the way and made it back to Tulum by nightfall. We visited our favourtite campsite on the beach and pitched the tent in a great spot. Maybe not so great as all night we wondered when the howling wind would blow our tent over. Luckily it didn't, but safe to say we didn't choose the best campsite.

We spend the days lounging on the beach, playing a bit of beach cricket and eating delicious fresh seafood. We swam around a headland and visited the ruins of Tulum. Very impressive, except for the monton of tours buzzing about.

On the 30th of December we headed up to Playa del Carmen to get prepared for our big NYE celebrations. We met up with a group of three friends from France and two girls from Germany and their Colombian friend in the campsite Las Ruinas and caught up on each others latest travels.

The stage was set for a prefect NYE. A group of 15 friends. A beautiful beach. A party town. Plenty of alcohol. Great weather.

And it was, we partied all night long in Calle 12, dancing to live music overflowing from the crowded bars and eventually moved onto the beach for some skinnydipping to welcome in the new year.

A few more relaxing days at the beach, with the sun and sea nursing our hangovers and then that was it. The road trip was over. The equipo was separated. We said our goodbyes at Cancun airport on my way to Cuba. There were tears, hugs and laughs. I didn't realise how much I loved these guys, and how much I would miss their company.

Our roadtrip had been full of adventure, fun and misadventure. I will cherish these memories forver.