Cozumel & Cancun

I was sad to leave Tulum. It was my favorite stop of the trip because of the authenticity. We passed several barber shops and restaurants the locals operated within their homes. We were getting like 3 tacos for $1. It was amazing but it was time to move on. We drove back to Playa del Carmen to park the car and take the ferry to Cozumel, a small island in the Caribbean Sea. As we walked to our hostel, we passed a bar and to my surprise someone was covering Pearl Jam! This means two things. One, I was ecstatic. Two, this is a tourist trap. I’m in Mexico. Where are the authentic Spanish tunes?

Our Cozumel hostel, 2tank dive hostel, was a one-stop shop for us. The staff were all PADI certified divers so upon check-in they gave us the option to upgrade and include a discovery dive in our visit. I ended up paying $79 for my dive and stay! The rooms were equipped with bunk beds and lockers. The bathroom was co-ed and shared among everyone in the hostel. I never had any issues and felt very safe.

The next day we grabbed some coffee at COZ Coffee Roasting Company. Their coffee was delicious and it’s made right there on the island! If you have any interest in visiting their “roasting room” they offer free 30-minute tours between 10AM-3PM.

Daniel and I continued to roam the streets of Cozumel. The deeper and farther away we ventured from the main strip, the more local culture we were exposed to. I was a little intimidated at first but felt confident with Daniel leading the way. After-all he’s an experienced traveler and knows what he is doing. Everyone was very kind and we had some of the best food while exploring the streets. Not only was it better than the “touristy” restaurants but also drastically cheaper. The locals were very patient with us while ordering which can be frustrating with the language barrier but they appreciated our efforts! Hand gestures and facial expressions are everything, my friends! We learned this in radiology school as well. Your mood is worn on your face and represents your attitude. Look happy and be kind. In most cases, you’ll receive the same in return.

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We finished the day along the beach, had a couple beers and watched the sunset.

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Okay, on to the discovery dive. By now you’re probably aware of my fish fear. Was diving really something I wanted to do? Although this was a huge concern of mine, the instructor encouraged me to at least try. She used to have the same fear. Cozumel has the second largest reef in the world. I hope one day I can make the time to get PADI certified to check it out. The discovery dive was not in the reef. (I’m editing this several months later and it makes me smile because I am now PADI open water certified. I received the certification in Thailand. Believe in yourself and magic will happen!)

We arrived at our dive location and received a quick tutorial on how to properly assemble the gear. We then walked into the water and had another tutorial on hand signals, how to properly use the gear underwater and to ensure we felt comfortable. One of the craziest moments is when you’re underwater and take in your first breath. YOU’RE BREATHING UNDERWATER! I mean 71% of the earth is water-covered and now I am able to explore this part of the world I’ve never seen.

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My instructor was right. While diving, my fish fear vanished. I actually felt like I was swimming with them and they didn’t bother me. We ended up diving 9.4 meters which is a little over 30 feet deep. The dive was a gratifying introduction to the underground world. I encourage you to give it a try!

We ended up making a lot of new friendships at our hostel. On our last day we played several drinking games which led to us missing our ferry ride back to Playa. Daniel is very spontaneous and goes with the flow. Me on the other hand; I’m a planner. I carry an agenda with me daily so letting loose and going with the flow was new. I had a great time and we were still able to catch the later ferry.

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We spent the last day and a half of our trip in Cancun. The first night we stayed at The Mermaid Hostel near the beach. We had a cheap but pleasant dining experience at a local tent along the water. They literally went out on a small boat and caught our fish before serving it. The next morning we searched for breakfast near the hostel. Daniel ended up guiding us to this run-down abandon-looking mansion that was covered in trash but had a random kitchen table in one of the rooms. At this point, I was getting hangry and frustrated. It was the first time Daniel and I were not getting along LOL. We split up for a bit; He took a nap and I went to the beach. When we regrouped, we were fine.

The remainder of our time was spent in a Cancun resort, The Royal Caribbean. I got an awful massage by the beach. Yeah, I know I sound like a snob but it really was awful. I cannot believe I paid for that. The day was spent ordering over-priced drinks along the beach and swim-up bar. The view was beautiful but I gotta tell ya…Cancun is a tourist trap. Venture out to Tulum, I promise you won’t be disappointed.  

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