Mapping Adventures

I made arrangements for a taxi driver friend to pick me up at the airport. When I arrived in Cancun, I found that he had taken a few days off to personally escort me around, and he brought his personal car...a Volkswagon beetle. Now, there's nothing wrong with a beetle, except for the fact that I travel with a bicycle and enough computer/camera equipment for a small office. About a half hour later we had miraculously stuffed everything into the bug, and we headed out for the jungle roads south of Cancun. Raul evidently thought his car was a dune buggy, and the VW was quickly dubbed with the knickname "The Mule" for its ability to tackle any terrain.

  Our first destination is an area with small Italian resorts. They lie at the end of a long washed-out road that cuts through a vast Mangrove swamp. Maximum speed should be about 5 kilometers per hour. The Mule however, tackles this terrain at about 40 kilo's per hour. Lizards run for their lives as we race haphazardly toward the beach. One pothole in the road resembles a small pond, and I barely catch my GPS computer as it bounces from the glove-compartment door that I'm using as a desk, toward the open window. We stop, I grab duct tape from my bag (I'm equipped for about anything!) and the GPS finds itself strapped to the
glove-box door like Hannibal Lecter to a gurney.

  At the end of the road are several gorgeous little resorts with beautiful beaches. The workers speak mostly Italian, and you can only book these resorts through travel agents in Italy. We head north along the beach and find new construction on a quaint little hotel. Bother the construction workers for about a half-hour until they finally gather together and come up with a name for us--"Mayan plus del Caribe". Whether this is the real name or they just wanted to get rid of us I don't know. But that's the name you'll find on the map.

  It's back to the highway as we head for cabanas Aca Maya. This tiny place has two small buildings holding four rooms. They have a restaurant, but you have to order the day before so they can go out and purchase some food. Aca Maya is home of the "pen stealing monkey". This trip I hid the pens, although I am now missing my ATM Card. The young Mayan girl who works here speaks no English and very little Spanish. Her native language is Mayan. As we are leaving a man emerges on the balcony of the main building. His dress, mannerism, and a smoldering cigar remind me of Clint Eastwood in all those old western movies.

  It's starting to get dark so we head back toward Cancun. At this point I realize there is only one thing scarier then bouncing through the jungle in "The Mule" and that's flying down the highway--with a bus on your bumper--in "the Mule". As we are approaching Cancun, Raul questions where I am staying. I tell him my friend Xavier has a hide-a-bed waiting for me. Raul offers me the spare room at his mother's house and even offers to pick up an air-conditioner at a friends house so I am more comfortable. Mexican people are amazingly kind!

  We arrive at Xavier's and the three of us (Xavier, Raul and I) head out for dinner. In Xavier's car (the VW is stuffed with my bike and bags, and we're not quite sure how we are going to get them out). We go to La Placita in downtown Cancun. I have grilled fish with garlic butter, Raul has some type of cheese fondue with habanero peppers, and Xavier just dives into the chips and salsa. Dinner, four beers, and three cokes later, I fork over a mere 80 pesos (about $8 U.S.) and we head back to Xavier's. It takes about a half-hour to get my bags out of the VW. After E-mailing Laura and telephoning Chris (another friend in Cancun), I put the bike together, then crash on the hide-a-bed. It's close to midnight. Tomorrow Raul and I plan to start at 7am and head for Puerto Morelos.

  I'm really excited about testing out the new "Map Bike". It's a suspended mountain bike with enough gadgetry to make the Mexican Tourism Office jealous. The only things I can't do while on this bike are watch Oprah and make Cappuccino. Raul picks me up at 7am and we go through the torture of wiggling a bicycle into the back of the Volkswagon.

  First stop is Crococun Crocodile Park, but we're too early, so we head farther south to Puerto Morelos and a small resort called Caribbean Reef Club. I fail to tell Raul that this place is clothing optional, but he finds out soon enough when a rather well endowed woman strolls past. As I wait for someone to show us the hotel, Raul wanders off. We catch up with him a few minutes later doing some official map surveillance behind several potted palms.

  This hotel is quiet and nice. If it weren't for the adult theme I would love to bring the family here for a week. We thank our guide (who seems to find humor in Raul's newfound interests) and we head back to "The Mule" (the nickname for Raul's VW beetle). Raul pulls that old car-won't-start-trick and claims that we'll have to stay here for the night : )

  Back at Puerto Morelos I pull out the Map Bike. This is the part that I truly love. There is something about being thousands of miles from home, speaking a foreign language and riding the streets of a small Mexican town. Raul waits for me near Pelicano's restaurant, as I take GPS readings throughout the town.
  We have lunch at Pelicano's and order the shrimp. I'm not sure if they were really shrimp or just small lobsters--these things were huge! They were cooked to perfection and accompanied by some great rice, and awesome salsa. This place is fantastic!

  Leaving Puerto Morelos, we head south along the highway to Jardin Botanico (Botanical Garden). The park is closed on Sunday, so I vow to return later (big mistake). We head back north to Crococun Crocodile Park. It sounds like a silly thing to visit, but it's actually an interesting place. The guides educate you on native animals, and let you hold baby crocodiles, boa constrictors, and parrots (great photo opportunities). After much coaxing, I convince Raul to touch a baby crocodile. Getting him to put a Boa Constrictor around his neck was out ofthe question.

  Next, the real challenge of the afternoon. Scouting a new all-inclusive resort called Bravo Club El Mandarin. All-inclusive resorts are extremely difficult to get into. It has become somewhat of a game for us, and the managers have no idea what pros they are up against. I'll spare you the details but this was one of the most difficult we've ever encountered and we almost gave up. After an hour of pouting, whining, making pretend cell calls to the minister of tourism (actually Xavier), and being a major pain in the rear, I got permission to map the place.

  El Mandarin is huge and it takes me another hour to get all the information that I need. It's a beautiful place. Although security is tight, everyone was very kind. And you can trust me...guests will not be bothered by outsiders!

  Although it's late when we reach Cancun, I must keep working. I hop on a bus and head from downtown out to the hotel zone. My destination is an area called Punta Cancun. This includes several major malls  including the Forum mall (home to Hard Rock Cafe) and Plaza Caracol mall. At about 1am I finish mapping the area and decide to call it quits for the evening.
Go to Day #3