1. Itinerary | 2. Chichen Itza | 3. Merida & Ruta Puuc | 4. Uxmal | 5. Ek Balam | 6. Tulum & Coba | 7. Playa Del Carmen | 8. Cancun
2011 had been an extremely busy year work wise, I had quite a few breaks including a decent holiday in Thailand over summer, however I still found myself wanting to get away again by year end. The fact that by second week December it was bitterly cold did not help I guess. On the 13th December night I started toying with the idea of getting away. However we already had plans to visit a family friend in Skipton. I did call him to finalise plans but did not get hold of him. This was the only excuse I needed. Took it as a sign and seriously started looking at flights to Mexico, it had long been on my radar.
The flights though were quite expensive as it was peak season and my leave started within 4 days. Going to bed on the 13th night I thought to myself maybe I have left it jut too late this time. Had an uneasy night’s sleep, as my mind was already set on going to Mexico, so woke up in the early hours of the morning and on an impulse booked the flights. Luckily there are some direct flights from London Gatwick to Cancun, and that helped sway me. Could deal with 11 hours in a direct flight, but 17 hours non-direct flight would have been just too much for a bit of Sun. That’ what Mon told me, but it’s not just a bit of sun, is it?
The flights I had booked, now started the anxiety regarding hotels as I was travelling with two little kids. But by 14th evening managed to book hotels in Chichen Itza and Uxmal, and by 15th I was all sorted with a hotel in Playa del Carmen as well as a rental car, not to mention getting hold of the rough guide to Yucatan.
We were flying out on the 19th and returning on the 27th Decemeber. Thanks to Lynne’s suggestion we stayed over at the Cop Thorne at Gatwick on the 18th night as it was an early morning flight, only a 10 minutes taxi drive from the airport and since on arrival in Cancun, I was going to drive straight out to Chichen Itza which was a 200 kms drive, I thought, a night’s sleep was essential.
So here is the Itenary I had planned:
19th Dec: Arrival around 4 pm in Cancun International Airport, drive out to Piste and overnight at Hotel Chichen Itza.
20th Dec: Chichen Itza site seeing, Light and Sound show in the evening and overnight at Hotel Chichen Itza.
21st Dec: Drive out to Merida, and then after the morning drive down to Uxmal, overnigt at Hacienda Uxmal
22nd Dec: Uxmal in the morning, Ruta Pucc sites in the afternoon and the light and sound show in the evening, overnigt at Hacienda Uxmal
23rd Dec: Driving day – to Playa del Carmen, overnight at Holdiay Inn Express
24th Dec: Mayan ruins at Tulum and Coba, overnight at Holdiay Inn Express
25th Dec: Spent Christmas day on the beach relaxing in Playa Del Carmen, overnight at Holdiay Inn Express
26th Dec: Drive down to Cancun in the morning, and see what is all the fuss about, and board flight in late afternoon.
27th Dec: Arrival in London Gatwick in the morning.
1. Itinerary | 2. Chichen Itza | 3. Merida & Ruta Puuc | 4. Uxmal | 5. Ek Balam | 6. Tulum & Coba | 7. Playa Del Carmen | 8. Cancun
