Wednesday, July 18, 2018

Tulum - Part of Your World

I really want to talk a bit about Tulum.  Like every other place I have been to in Mexico I fell in love...but not right away.

I spent most of my time diving cenotes, doing my dive certification and going out a few nights. 

Ive met some good people...the staff at the hostel again lol...as I spent so much time in Tulum...10 days, I kept extending...mostly to do with my certification as it took me longer than I expected - which you know from the previous blog.

This past weekend I canceled my flight and decided to take some time to clear my head.  So Saturday night I had some drinks but came home and went to bed by 130am.  I was out with my British roommates...we all got to know each other because three of them were playing a question game about geography so I piped in with an answer and then the other roommates got involved and we all became friends after that.  We sat in the room answering questions about world geography laughing ... it was nothing overly special but it's moments like this that are part of what traveling is all about.   That same night my friend Anais - this is the third hostel we have been at together but didn't really talk until the one in Holbox and became close in Tulum - who is volunteering at the hostel asked me if I wanted to go with her the next night to a private party in a cave at a cenote.  "Hells yes! Screw the beach party!"

The next day (Saturday)  Ana (Anais) her guy Sebastian and I went for lunch to this nice little restaurant.  Honestly, Tulum has so many great restaurants to choose from.  The main street is lined with shops and restaurants and street food.  The hostel is situated pretty much in the centre so everything was in walking distance including my dive school and the main bar street that we went to at night!  I don't know the name of this street but I love it!  Bars line both sides of the street, they are all lit up at night with music pumping out, culumpios (swings) at the bar and people just out on the street drinking, dancing and having a good time - no cars! It's got such a great vibe to it and it makes me happy just being there - which is why I went there more than twice...maybe three times I can't remember, but that's not the point, the point is that everything was so close to the hostel.  The ruins, the cenotes, the Oxxo, banks, groceries even the ADO (bus) station was in walking distance.  I walked around on my own without fear, feeling free and comfortable there and no longer worried...I was beginning to like it in Tulum...then it all changed after our lunch. 

We were having a great time!  Lunch was great and the three of us had a really great vibe going and having a great laugh.  We decided to go to the beach.  Ana said she went to a private beach club for free she would just buy a drink from the bar and that was it so we hopped in a cab. 

Sebastian said the day before he had gone past the beach clubs to the end where the nature reserve was and ended up at an empty beach so we changed our minds and just kept going.

OMG!!! How had no one told me about this part of TULUM.... IN LOVE I fell instantly.  A small street with overhanging trees that gave you a jungle feeling, beautiful boutique stores with clothing that I just wanted to stop and touch and look at, beach clubs, restaurants OMG!!! Stop the cab!!! Haha but no we were going to the beach...I planned to come back the next day (Sunday) - which didn't happen, you will find out why so keep reading.

After what seemed like an eternity down a shitty road with jungle on either side Sebastian told the guy to stop.  We asked to him to be back for 5pm and made our way into a private beach club - for free!

The first thing we see is a straw hut with hammocks...amazing!!!  We walk past it and up a flight of stairs and down to a beautiful empty beach.  We played around in the water for a bit but the seaweed was gross - though not as bad as Cancun - so I went back to our stuff and laid out in the sun and collected my thoughts about my up coming dives on Monday.  I was still stressed about going back out into the water and as much as I really wanted my PADI I wasn't sure if I could go back out there and do it.  I thought about how I felt when I was out there and how I reacted and what I could do to not panic when I went back out.  I went over everything in my head that Justine (my instructor) had taught me... I needed to just trust in myself and my knowledge... I needed to trust the Ocean....but how?

We went up to the beach bar/restaurant which was a big open concept hut with a sand floor and some tables.  It over looked the beach.  We had Michelada's and guacamole - the guacamole in this country is to die for, it's always made fresh - and enjoyed the view of the beach.

It was almost 5 so we needed to go out and meet our cab.  He wasn't there!  "Let's hitch-hike." Sebastian said.  "It's literally 5pm," I said "give the guy a few minutes to spare, I'm not keen on hitchiking."  However, Sebastian already had his thumb up and within seconds a car stopped.  A middle aged couple hopped out moved all their stuff into the trunk of the car and told us to get into the back...yes mom, we hitch-hiked and they were awesome. 

The couple told us they were celebrating their anniversary and were driving back to Cancun... all in Spanish of course.  Sebastian is from Colombia so he not only speaks Spanish fluently, he is fluent in English and French as well so it is helpful having him around.  They were very sweet and didn't seem to be bothered to have 3 hitch-hiking backpackers in their car.

At one point I leaned over to Sebastian, and whispered "He's drinking a beer." He looked at the man driving and started to laugh "You Canadians are so funny." 

When we got back Sebastian and I went and grabbed all our munchies and alcohol for the party and Ana got ready for work - she is bartender at the hostel bar.

I went to bed to try and sleep but my roommates were going out to get their stuff too - I had told them about the party and they were able to go as well - so I went out with them to grab a few more things and finally fell asleep when we got back.

What is that soft angel -like touch on my arm? I opened my eyes. "Emmie, we leave in 20 minutes."  Ana was waking me up because I didn't wake up.  "Shit, okay... I will be down, just let me get ready."

I had a really bad feeling.  I didn't want to go.  I was actually having an anxiety attack.  I felt like something really bad was going to happen and I didn't want to be there when it happened...I had had a bad dream the night before and thought it was something to do with the party and I was just really freaking out.  I still got into the van and I sat between Sebastian and Ana.  I had a drink - yes in the van - and started to relax after about 10 minutes. 

For those of you that don't suffer with anxiety your thoughts are not always logical and you can be scared for no reason at all...it's not a very nice feeling and can be extremely uncomfortable when you are with people you don't know very well.  However I was really lucky to have Seb and Ana, they were great and really reacted right away when they saw something was wrong and that alone really helped me.

The party was amazing.  It was pretty open which isn't what I was expecting. I was expecting going a bit of a ways into a cave which was one thing that had made me nervous...this was more like a cavern that you had to walk down into. Not a lot of people which was nice.  Awesome lighting, good music and a great vibe.

As we walked down into the cave I saw a friend of mine from Cancun - my friend I had gone to the beach with to surf.  "Hey, Emmie! What are you doing here?"  " I've been in Tulum for about 10 days what are you doing here?"  "My friend owns this place.  How did you hear about the party?"  "I'm friends with the staff at the hostel."  "Ah okay.  Awesome"  And it was awesome!  It was really nice to see a familiar face and be at this awesome party.  It happens like once a  year and it's pretty much invite only so most travelers don't get this opportunity.  We were having a blast dancing, drinking and talking.

Ana and I had worn one piece bathing suits as we were told we could go swimming in the cenote.  Never again ... next time it is a bikini.  Being in the bushes in a one piece in the pitch black is a fucking mission ... peeing on my foot the first time was unavoidable and we literally had to get naked.  Ughhh not a smart idea, but I guess part of the experience.  We were quite envious of the dark silhouettes standing up and going pee very easily.

Ana, Sebastian and a few of the other guys left around 5 in the cab that had waited for her - she knows a driver who drove my roomies but waited for her to leave around 6.  I said I wanted to stay, that I was fine with my roomies.  So she left and I stayed.  I don't usually party super late or got to rave like parties and to me this was a once in a lifetime thing for me so I wanted to stay and enjoy it. 

At one point I needed to go to the bathroom, really bad, but bushing it wasn't working.  I asked a girl there if she knew where a bathroom was...guess what ... there was a bathroom the whole time...it would've been nice to know earlier on hahaha...oh the adventures and more difficult roads I like to take.

My friend from Cancun dj'd for a bit and when he was done he asked if I wanted to go to an after party at his friends.  So me and the Brits (roomies) hopped in the car with them.

Before we hopped in the car I went to the bathroom again - which I might add had a huge tarantula painted on the wall and I don't want to know why - and when I came out someone was holding the cutest little kitten in his hands. "OMG! Please let me hold her!" I said.  OMG... IN LOVE!!! She was super friendly.  I looked at my buddy "I think you need a kitten for your new apartment." "Emmie, I am allergic to cats"  "I don't believe you, and she is super cute."  "Emmie you can't take the kitten, you need to give her back." Just then I looked down at her, she looked at me, she reached up and touched my face and then licked me.  Oh no, please don't do that. She snuggled me. Oh please no. I looked at my friend "But..." "Emmie give her back, give her to that girl over there."  So very sadly I walked back but the girl said she didn't want her.  I looked back at my friend.  "Emmie, no." 
"I'm so sorry.  I love you little kitten." I gave her a kiss and put her down and walked to the car.  "I can't believe you made me do that."  "Where did you put her."  "On the ground."  "You put her there to die?!?!"  "Your an asshole." I said laughing.

I had to lay across the Brits as we were driving out and then they hopped out and got a collectivo back.

Collectivo's are an awesome source of transportation.  They go between Cancun, Playa and Tulum.  You can travel from these places and as well travel with them locally and they are super cheap and safe... I love them.

I have no idea what time we got to sleep but we did sleep for a few hours.  My friend had to drive back to Cancun for work so I took a collectivo back meaning I didn't even get back till about 3pm.  I felt pretty good and wasn't tired and wanted to go for lunch.  I saw Sebastian and said I wanted to go for lunch.  He said he was just waiting for Ana but he was up for girl talk.  Lol, Sebastian is awesome and he laughs like what you just said is the funniest thing in the world which makes you laugh too.

We went for a nice lunch but my hangover started kicking in.  Ana was not feeling the greatest.  She drank more that morning because it was the World Cup finals and France one so she got drunk again and went back to bed at about 2pm and slept only an hour. 

Due to my late return I didn't make it to the beach street we were on the day before.  I had planned on renting a bike and heading that way but with a hangover in the heat there is no way I was going to do it so I just chilled.  The next day I was doing my dives and leaving for Bacalar.

I felt pretty calm about my dives at this point and didn't feel stressed but after I finished my classes the next morning I was debating if I truly wanted to do them.  Maybe I should just cancel and accept the fact that diving isn't for everyone and I'm part of that group.  I didn't do that though.  My instructor had quite the company and was coming back just to do my dives with me.

I was calm but nervous.  We got on the boat which was much better than the last one and it was just me and Justine.  She told me our first dive we were just going to dive, no exercises.  She just wanted me to get down and feel relaxed.

 We got out to the site.  Honestly, sometimes if you ask you shall receive.  It's like the heavens heard my prayers. I could not have asked for better conditions.  The water was so calm compared to last time and I could literally see down 14 meters from the boat!  I got this. We got in the water and swam to the boy that had our line to get down.  I took a minute to get my bearings and take a few breaths.  She gave me the OK sign, I nodded and she did the sign for down and down I went, and down, and down and down.  I made it to the bottom with no problems and no stress.  OK she signed.  OK I signed back and we swam.  I looked up.  I could see the top, it didn't feel that deep at all in fact, I felt really safe and knew if I absolutely needed to I could swim to the top.  There was also another dive group so that made me feel even better.  Though,   I did panic a little.  My goggles kept filling and I was getting salt water in my nose she grabbed me looked at me and told me to relax... so I did and got them emptied.

Honestly, it was amazing.  We saw crabs, massive coral, trumpet fish, blue fish that looked like they had a light on in them because they were so bright, barracuda, parrot fish ... it was awesome.  It was amazing at the fact I could swim really low and look at them really close up and then swim higher and see everything from the top angle, I felt like an astronaut in water. 

Now...when I first dove in the cenote I sang Part of your World from the Little Mermaid in my head.  this time it was full blast hahaha.  I couldn't get it out of my head.  I would love to have music playing while diving so why night make my own soundtrack to the Little Mermaid. The thing is, I did feel like I was part of the world of the fish and the coral.  I was so excited I wanted to cry... I couldn't believe I had done it!  We came up.  Hopped on the boat and went to another site for my second dive.  I loved this one!  Instead of swimming around this one you had to swim up and down because this one was set up in rows, but it also had some caverns which we couldn't swim through while getting the Open Water certification but I did make myself comfortable for a minute on my knees so I could look underneath and see all the fish.  I swam below,  beside and above the coral swimming backwards to look behind swimming down to get a closer look.  It felt fantastic and I had no issues emptying my goggles this time.  I was so happy I wanted to jump for joy!  I gave her a big hug and cried a little when we got to the top!!!  I did it!  I fucking did it!!!  I wasn't scared anymore, I had felt so safe and calm in the water!  Another thing I can check off my bucket list.  This was a huge challenge for me so getting my certification was such an accomplishment that I am very proud of and so excited for what the diving world will bring me.  It opens up so many more opportunities... so much so I have decided to extend my trip one more time hahaha.  For two reasons one is obviously because I want to dive but the second is because this is my true test.  I need to know that I can actually do this and that I am okay and that my fear isn't going to come back.

Justine hooked me up with her friend who does dive trips so I have booked a dive for Friday in Akumal! Then I am going to Cozumel.  I know I know but I just need a bit more time before I come home.

I am currently in Bacalar, a place that has been on my list and just absolutely in love with it here.  I am just waiting for Ana as she is meeting me here today, but; Bacalar is another blog so you will have to wait for this one.

Take care and dive safe.



                                                           - Mi Vida Hermosa -


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