Mexico – Day 7: To Tulum

Today is already day seven! Which means we are halfway. It feels like we have experienced so much already that the trip would have been worth it even if it ended right now.

But now comes the part my partner in particular has really been looking forward to, namely the diving.

So that is what we set in motion today.

I have to say, time zones cause me trouble on every holiday. The flight went from 09:00 to 12:00 with one hour of time difference, and I assumed it would take four hours. It was only two. I had been wondering.

So we flew to Cancún and were picked up by the transfer and driven to Tulum.

The service went to great lengths to describe our arrival in precise detail. My partner ran the whole thing through ChatGPT. 😀

Our room was glowing hot at first. We initially messaged the host to ask whether something was broken, but it is simply the top floor, the walls are very thin and the air conditioning isn't strong enough. We will see, we may complain tomorrow if it doesn't improve overnight.

Then we sorted out a scooter and rode off to dinner.

That was the first mild disappointment, I have to say. Flavour-wise they had this particular fungus, huitlacoche, which neither of us liked much.

But the location, and what they did with the corn and the sauces, was pretty brilliant.

Afterwards we did a big grocery shop and transported it all home on the scooter.

Since I don't have much to report today, here are a few observations:

Bins are missing everywhere here, presumably because otherwise people would dispose of their household rubbish in them. Compare that with Tokyo, where the fear is that bombs will go off inside them.

The electricity meters hang on the outside of the houses. Super practical. I would like that at home too.

The mirrors all hang too low for me, since the average Mexican is shorter than the average European.

And in taxis my head is up in the headliner on the back seat.

I only ask ChatGPT one thing now: "what should I eat?" Plus a photo of the menu.

My partner always gives it very complicated context. I might as well roll dice. That said, it simply always recommends what is typical for the region, which I like. I do want to try something new.

But it is striking how much travel has changed from last year to this one thanks to ChatGPT.

Broadly speaking, a pleasant cuisine. Not a single cucumber so far. I hate cucumbers.

I have even learned to love avocado. That I like it was news to me as well. At least with the ones at home. Here it is hard to avoid. So I tried it right from the start.

Tipping is a thing here in the service business. Very much influenced by the US. Honestly, I am always deeply relieved that I didn't get ripped off, so I am happy to tip. But I have never once had the feeling of being ripped off.

As I wrote last time: everyone here is incredibly kind.