Just checking in to give you an update on my travels. I'm doing this update for the first time in an internet cafe which is a bit different.
Well it has been nearly 3 weeks since I arrived in The Yucatan, Mexico and I'm loving the warm weather. I spent the first couple of days waiting for my mum to arrive because she had problems getting out of the UK due to the snow and then got held up in Miami overnight. That gave me the time however to complete my visa application, well the first part anyway. Once mum arrived we traveled by bus to Merida and spent a couple of days in the city. We took a day trip to Uxmal, one of the Mayan sites which was really impressive.
On Saturday 7th we traveled back to Cancun and met up with my friend Karen from Nebraska and headed out to my timeshare resort. The place was pretty impressive. There were staff everywhere to cater to your every need from the bell boys to shuttle bus drivers and room service to chambermaids. The first night we went out to get some shopping. When we arrived back the bell boy took our bags and loaded us and them into a shuttle bus and took us to our room. When we got inside we found that the night chambermaid had been in to turn down our beds and left us chocolates on the cover!
We took it easy on the first day and chilled by the pool and treated ourselves to massage and reflexology at the spa. It was pretty easy to get into Playa del Carmen so we checked out the town and had dinner.
On Monday we took a trip over to the island of Cozumel and rented scooters and snorkling gear. 
We were busy bird spotting as well but there wasn´t much to see out to sea.
We had a few too many Margaritas on the way back and had great fun on the ferry. We had another chill day on Tuesday and then on Wednesday we left early to visit Tulum. Tulum is a real beach bum destination and we stayed the night in a cabana on the beach. We visited the Mayan ruins and took a Sunset Birding boat tour into the Sian Ka'an reserve.
(Our Cabaña on the beach)
(Sunrise over the ocean)
On Friday we took another tour to more ruins at Coba and had fun zip-lining and rappelling.
(getting ready for our zipline and then we rappelled into a cenote)
(Photos from Cobá)
The week went by so quickly and Mum left on Saturday to return to England. Karen however didnºt want to leave so moved her flight so she could stay another week.
At the beginning of this week we came back to Tulum to an eco-resort in the Sian Ka'an reserve. When we visited here last week we befriended our tour guide, Rene. He offered to take us out kayaking so we booked into one of their Cabanas. The kayak trip was amazing. There were only 4 of us on a private tour (it was actually René's day off). We paddled around the lagoon visiting bird nesting sites. We went right up to an Osprey nest that had 2 chicks. We saw Rosette Spoonbills, egrets, herons, all sorts of species.
(Paddling up to the Osprey nest)
Both Karen and I both felt really comfortable at the resort and decided to book in for another night. The resort is right on the ocean and our cabana looks onto the beach.
(Photo from the deck of our first Cabaña on the Sian Ka'an Reserve)
(An alternative view from my hammock)
(The view from the Main building - where we ate)
There is only salt water at the reserve so we are getting used to showering and brushing our teeth in the stuff. That extra night also got extended and we are actually still here! We loved the place so much that we are staying the whole week. We hired a car yesterday and have been out visiting cenotes and biological reserves where there is some great birding. The beaches here are beautiful, fine white sand, turquoise blue ocean, what more can one ask for? Iºve had some days relaxing in the sun and the tan is nice and established now. Iºm kind of living in my bikini which seems the way here. We were out partying last night with Rene so are all feeling a bit delicate today. We were flying last night though and dancing in a roof top bar!
(How could you not be happy here?)
We hired a car for a few days and visited Punta Laguna, a great place for birding and seeing spider monkeys.
(Can you guess why this is called the fertility tree?)
Only another 2 days until Karen leaves and I head down into Guatemala. Iºve booked into a Spanish language school there and will be spending 3 weeks brushing up my Spanish.
(Karen and I with René, one of the guides)
(Our second cabaña overlooking the beach)
(Karen and I with Miguel, another of the reserve guides)
(Karen and I with Orlando, one of the waiters who looked after us)
I hope you are all well wherever you are. Drop me a line and let me know what you are up to or leave a comment on my blog. I always enjoy hearing from people at home.
Take care everyone and I will be in touch soon.
Nikkie
........
Three days on and how things have changed! I have left the ocean behind and spent the day country hopping. I left Mexico at 5am this morning and slept through most of Belize before entering Guatemala. I arrived in Flores, deep in the jungle and on the edge of a large lake at about 2pm after a 9 hour bus ride. I´m doing my chores this afternoon before meeting up with a Spanish school in the morning. I will meet the Guatemalan family I will be spending the next 3 weeks with and am preparing to get brain ache from 4 hours spanish lessons a day.
I´ll post you another update soon to let you know how I´m getting on.
Nikkie
