Campeche, Chichen Itza, Tulum & Punta Allen, Mexico

After surviving illness in Palenque we were finally well enough to move on, we had to head north through the Yucatan Peninsula to pick up some vehicle documents in Cancun, so we decided to see the sights and enjoy our final days in Mexico. Campeche was a great little town on the way north, it has a long history of being attacked by pirates so there is an ancient wall, still standing in parts, around the city that used to extend out to the sea. The houses are all so old and colorful and the place has a slow easy colonial charm. The pirate history is all very charming and kind of exciting now, but it must have been terrifying at the time. The city was a wealthy trading port, so it had a lot to offer pirates.

Cancun to pick up our bike documents. Chichen Itza was gorgeous, these proud ruins fill you with a sense of grandeur and awe. We had to fight the crowds but it was impressive nonetheless. Our next stop was Tulum, here we stayed in a greaAfter Campeche we headed off to Merida, but we didn't really get a chance to see it at all as we wanted to make tracks for Chichen Itza thent camping ground called Tribal Village and we met the nicest bunch of people, it seemed that everyone there was from a different country, age group and walk of life. Each night there was a shared meal around a long table under a thatched roof that served as the restaurant and it was great to hear so many interesting stories and get to understand a little about so many peoples' lives. We met a great couple who seemed to be the life of the party there at the "village", they work in the entertainment industry and they had a thousand interesting stories to tell. Another couple were basically professional travelers and they had years ahead of them to fill with adventures and experiences. Meeting people like this is really one of the best things about travel, so many different lives are possible. We also enjoyed the crystal blue waters of the Caribbean and saw a town in ruins right by the sea. Tulum was an awesome stop.

Next we took a dirt road down to Punta Allen. The drive was glorious: stunning beaches totally deserted for miles. Eventually we camped down on this beautiful beach, it was the kind of place that makes you whole again. You just had to relax in this sandy little town the pace was hypnotic and it was here that we turned a corner and really felt ourselves relaxing into this trip and opening up to what it has to offer us.