Back in Mexico and reunited with Katie who flew in from Heathrow for three weeks on Wednesday. So far we've spent the first night in the city, too tired and jet lagged to get out much, explored Tulum and the beach and moved on to Playa del Carmen. Playa has a gorgeous white sand, turquoise water beach, in stark contrast to Monterico, and my only complaint is it's a little too crowded for taste. In truth, it's extremely touristy with mainly US dollar cash machines and all you can drink tourist shows such as the infamous coco bongo. For the first couple of nights we stay at Hostel Rio, which has giant dorm rooms and a chill out bar/pool area on the roof, before moving to the friendly vibed Yak Hostel just down the road. Two days at hostel Rio and I've met more English people than on this entire trip. A journalist, a maths teacher, a consultant and a student, and on Saturday night we all head out to a few clubs together. Looking back through the photos there's an abundance of club selfies and of us wearing majestic Mexican sombreros with the slogan 'Viva Mexico' stamped suitably across the brim.

In the interest of being cultural and simultaneously indulging our cultural interest, we also book a day trip to a cenote, or underwater cave, Ikil, followed by the seventh wonder of the world; Chichen Itza, another ancient Mayan ruin site. Swimming in the partially underwater but spacious cenote was gorgeous and Chichen Itza itself was majestic and enthralling. The grand square has been designed so as to amplify sound and bounce it off the walls for speeches and gathering purposes which our guide demonstrated to us by standing at various points of the arena and clapping. Stand directly bellow Chichen Itza's most famous temple and clap and it vibrates all the way up the impressive steps and returns as a strange whistling bird call type sound. It's amazing.

Though Cancun, Tulum and Playa del Carmen have all been gorgeous and treated out traveller souls well, it's time for Josh to fly out to LA and Katie and I to move on the the period hillside setting of San Cristobal de las casas, a speedy 12 hour bus journey away.