Planes, Buses, Ferries and Boats

A lot of time has passed since I have posted a travel blog. For those of you who follow us, you already know that our world trip was cancelled in 2020 due to the Covid pandemic. It has taken us an additional five years to finally catch up and start making part of our dream trip come true.

It is hard to believe that our long-awaited trip has finally begun. We arranged the perfect flight which was to leave early in the morning. However, air travel is unpredictable and our impecible planning skills were quickly tossed aside with a significant flight delay out of Calgary. We finally arrived in Cancun, Mexico at about 6:00pm. We learned that 98 flights landed in Cancun that day, explaining why we could not leave on time. We were grateful to have the first leg of the journey complete and we prepared for the second by purchasing our bus tickets before leaving the terminal. The ADO bus company offers a one-hour ride to Playa del Carmen where you can then catch a ferry to Cozumel. Waiting for the bus was a good opportunity to buy a beer and soak up the warmer temperatures.

Acquiring tickets for the ferry turned out to be a little bit stressful. Once you get off the bus in Playa, you have walk through the public square and find the ticket office. Being a Saturday night, the square was packed with people with music blaring, signifying a wonderful fiesta. If we could, we would have stayed a while but it was already 7:50pm and were getting tired and hungry. The first ferry company told us we could not depart until 9:00. Thankfully, there was a kiosk for the second ferry company who told us we could get on their 8:00 if we "ran like Forrest Gump." We might have had 130 pounds of luggage, but we were motivated. We boogied through crowds, went through security, checked in, ran along the pier, got our large bags checked, and boarded the ferry. Whew! We were ready for a margarita. It sounds crazy and chaotic but everything always happens as it should in Mexico. It is like they posess a certain type of magic that just makes everything alright. We always remind ourselves that we have to trust the process...and it works!

One of the main reasons for us returning to Cozumel is the scuba diving. The current is a bit unpredictable and you never know if you will have a nice, slow drift dive or if you will be taken for a ride underwater where you are powerless to turn around and take a longer look at something. What is guaranteed is that you will see amazing things including corals, colourful sponges, and a large variety of fish. Cozumel is within a marine park and, for the most part, the reef is in very good condition. In our first week, we have been treated to sightings of several large barracuda, blue parrotfish, a wonderful sleeping turtle, and a variety of rays. One of our all-time favourites is a spotted eagle ray. They are black with white circular spots and can have a wing span of six to eight feet. Watching them hunt in the sand and "fly" through the water is mesmerizing.

Spotted Eagle Ray with a Palometa pompano

Our diving was interrupted for a couple of days due to a weather warning. The predicted lows were 22 degrees Centigrade. It was not a hardship for Canadians who left temperatures 30 degrees colder than that but I have to admit, it did feel cool and I had to wear long sleeves! The day the storm hit, we were below the surface on our second dive. By the time we boarded the boat, it was a tempest with cold, lashing rain, strong winds, and big waves. Our poor captain had to bring us back with the driving rain hitting his face full on and, when we returned to our hotel, his eyes were not just bloodshot, they were entirely red. I have to admit that we were grateful to get off the boat that day.

Cozumel is as we remember it. The local people are friendly, helpful and, in our opinion, some of the most genuine people we have met. The island is busy, but tranquil at the same time. The cruise ships are numerous and come and go daily. The people watching is non-stop entertainment and free of charge.

One thing we like to do when in Cozumel is go to shops or restaurants that are out of the tourist areas. A few days ago, we went to a restaurant, Kondesa, that we first discovered in 2019. We were settled at our table and enjoying some wine when the hostess came full of apologies. Apparently, she sat us at the wrong table. The seats we were occupying were reserved for a couple who were getting married that day. She asked if we would mind changing. Of course, we said yes. The funny part was that our alternative table was only six feet away! No problem, how could we possibly ruin the happy couple's day? When they arrived, they were full of smiles and showing off their rings. It was a lovely evening.

Here is a taste of some of the things you can see around Cozumel. More photos will be added to our next post in about a week's time. Enjoy!