On the short drive between PLaya Del Carmen and Tulum, I took a short break in order to visit a cenote for some snorkelling. Basically, it´s a half flooded cave with amazing underwater stalegtites and stalegmites. Snorkelling at the cenotes must be about as close as you can come to being on some distant, and probably alien infested, other world. Since some of the caves have no natural light, my guide gave me a torch and it was while he was explaining the importance of swimming slowly to avoid hitting your head on some low hanging stalegtite that he did exactly that. Genius.

After the brief stop, and a briefer bus ride I reached Tulum. Tulum, though so close to Playa del Carmen, couldn´t be much different. Away from the crowds and the cruises it much quieter and far more chilled. After a plain old boring bed in Playa I opted for a hamock on the beach here which meant I was able to wake up to the most amazing sunrise over the Caribbean. With my hammock and the sunrise I felt a jog along the empty beach before breakfast would be thee perfect start to the day. However, the Rocky Theme Tune was only really starting to get going when my ipod fell in the sea, never to work again. The lesson I take from this: No excersize again. Ever.

A day that started with such healthy and active ambitions turned out being one of the laziest on record. In fact, I was so lazy I had to wait 30 minutes, despite being quite thirsty, for my hammock-neighbour to get back from her swim so I could ask her to pass me my water, just out of reach from my hammock. To make up for the non-event of a day I decided to take a stroll along the beach that night. It was all very pleasent until I heard a dog running and barking getting closer and closer. Since I couldnt see anything in the dark and the memories of the big cat in Palenque were still fresh in my mind I was convinced it was some massive beast with a taste for Scottish blood so decided to run into the sea. It wasnt until I was only a floating head in the ocean that I was just able to make out the smallest Chihuahua-like thing standing at the edge of the water wagging its tail, with an old American woman closely behind calling for "Pip," and telling him to behave.

The main attraction in Tulum is the Mayan ruins that sit on the cliffs looking out over the sea. Apparently this ancient city was one of the earliest encounters between the Spanish and the Mayans, living in what are now very impressive ruins. It was at the ruins that I bumped into Mark, an English guy who I´d met in Playa. He was planning on heading South to Belize too so after finishing off at the ruins, we packed up and headed down to the border.