Day 17 27.07.15
Today was a very adventurous but also relaxed day. We started out after breakfast (yes I yet again had “huevos a la Mexicana”, since I will be leaving Mexico soon!) to got snorkelling in a cenote.
Just before our bus came by to pick us up, I quickly headed out to the lavaderia to get my clothes cleaned. It is very cute here, there are special lanes or walkways for bicycles and on them someone had written little lovenotes.
I got back in time and jumped into the bus. First we went to pick up all our gear (flippers, snorkels and a mask) and then drove off a short way towards the cenote. Our group split up to keep the numbers small when entering the cenote. So my group started off in a small little cenote, apparently the starting point for several scuba diving groups. These would slyly enter the water, emerge into it, and suddenly they were gone, their only trace being large amounts of bubbles and deep parts of the cave suddenly being illuminated by their torches. And we never saw any return…
We tested all our gear, changed some masks and flippers as they were coming off or automatically filling themselves with water, and just swam around a bit, filming, taking photographs and just being plain silly.
We then got out of the water and walked to the other cenote, the “Dos Ojos Cenote”. Here again we all hopped into the water and off we went. Unfortunately for some we didn’t really get a good explanation of where we were going to go and what there was to see. We formed partners and single lines to not get lost and struggled with keeping up, not crashing in the person in front, not getting stuck in the cave and not injuring ourselves on the stalagmites and stalactites and dealing with our masks steaming up. All along trying to see enough with torches that were nearly going out. I definitely used mine to keep track of the person in front and was just happy that the torch of the person in front was a lot stronger than mine, and looking around, so that I could be a passive torch user and just disregard my own one.
We got into “the bat cave” after a maze of stalagmites and stalactites and could see a dark cave, a lot of bats and probably quite a large amount of bat poo swimming around the cave. The next group arrived behind us and so our stay in the bat cave was cut short and we started swimming around the rock formations in the cave. At some point I thought it got more strenuous than rewarding and on our way back I opted for disregarding my steamed up mask, placing it on my head and just swimming along with the group enjoying to see what was above the water instead of what was underneath.
I was absolutely shattered after the snorkelling and fell asleep in the bus back.
When we got to the hotel I headed straight for some hammocks and decided to dry off there and read a book. After some of our group joined and we had some drinks I couldn’t hold back any longer and had a great nap. I woke up with the sun in my face and chose to move position into the shade and to also join the rest of the group who had by now gathered around the pool. You can see where this is going. Nowhere.
We stayed by the pool until it was just about time for dinner. We had our daily meeting and then I realised I had to pick up my clean clothes that night as we were leaving to early to pick it up the next day. After we came back taking a nice stroll through “town” or better said along the highway, the others had waited for us having a couple of drinks and so we snatched ourselves two taxis and headed to the Papaya Playa Club, where I had been with the previous group. This time it was night, the moon was out, lovely music was playing through the speakers, everywhere there were small lights lighting up the night and setting the relaxed mood and of course, the food was great. I had some amazing grilled octopus and vegetables and I just felt so content.
Not only for the food but also for the company and just the plain atmosphere. The waves were crashing in the background and it all just smelt like the ocean (with the occasional wiff of seaweed… :) )
At one point the conversation turned into all sorts of accidents in sports, on trips and with students, and not even that could kill the vibe, and instead helping us to get to know one another and having a good time.
We drove back and after another drink or two went to bed.
