So today we arrived in Cancun, Mexico after two flights from LA via Dallas. US airports are a nightmare, even moreso after all the terror threats that the Brits prevented, which by the way on US news they are taking a lot of the credit for and speaking about Britain as if it's overrun with terrorists trying to kill us all. Anyway, end of rant. The security guard told us we had to leave our padlocks open in case they wanted to search our bags, and then went and lost one of the padlocks. Very annoying. On top of which, once you check in at a US airport you have to carry your bags to a security check, rather than just leave them at the check-in desk. This means queueing again, before then another queue to go through security for your hand luggage. The whole process takes over 2 hours, which means generally we haven't had time to eat or have had to run and grab a quick burger on the way! So, Mexico. We were a little apprehensive to be leaving the US and English-speaking people (to a fashion, ha ha), and even moreso to be leaving our rental car behind. We might actually have to start carrying our bags now! On top of which although I (Rich) speak a bit of Spanish, I can barely understand a word anyone says back to me! We arrived at Cancun airport, discovered our padlock was gone so went to complain to a brainless American Airlines employee, had no joy so got a taxi to the hotel. The hotel was right on the sea-front and our room had a beautiful view across the Atlantic (pictures in the photo album). From what we've heard Cancun is the place American students go for p1ss ups, so a bit like a Tenerife or Kos for the Brits. Luckily they seem to go for Spring break, so it wasn't full of too many drunk American students, but still it was full of people trying to drag you into their bars with offers of cheap drinks, which generally turn out not to be what they are telling you. After arriving late we had some dinner, a few drinks then headed back to the hotel. The next day we had booked a tour for Chichen Itza so had a 6am start. After getting up at 6am, we didn't get onto the bus to Chichen Itza until 9am, as they leave you in their shop full of tourist tat for an hour first. After trying on a number of Sombrero's (as if...), we headed off to Chichen Itza. Chichen Itza is the Mayan ruins near the Yucutan Peninsular. The Mayan's were the indigenous peoples of Central America, who mysteriously died out about a millenia ago, leaving some amazing ruins covered by jungle, that have often only been discovered in the last century. The most famous building is probably the pyramid at Chichen Itza (attached), which you used to be able to climb until tourists carved their names into the rock, and stole parts of the building. The pyramid was built to depict the calendar and seasons, etc. by the Mayan people, who had developed immense astronomical knowledge. The guide unfortunately rambled on about mathematics for about an hour though, so it was all a bit confusing and we can't tell you any more than that. From one side of the pyramid, if you stand between it and another structure opposite and clap your hands, you can hear the cry of a Mayan diety, which unfortunately the guide rambled over again so we didn't hear which animal it was, but it does sound impressive. The guide insisted the Mayan people built it as the first recording of a sound.....being a bit more sceptical we think they built it and discovered they could make this sound, then realised it sounded a bit like a birds cry, but who are we to disprove a thousand year old myth!? I forgot to mention the heat! Central America has more humidity than we have ever felt. It truly is unbearable! After following the guide around for hours we were absolutely soaked (especially Rich, who made a friend in this strange French girl who kept looking at his sweaty t-shirt and smiling insanely)! Even the girls (who of course always look immaculate) had sweaty backs! After the guide left us we went to lunch, where we had locals doing some strange dances whilst balancing trays of drinks on their heads. Still, the lunch was good as it meant we could eat something other then burger and fries for the first time for six weeks. We also had a peacock strolling around the tables whilst we ate. We strolled around the site for another few hours nearly stepping on numerous lizards that camouflage themselves in the rocks, then got the bus back to Cancun for another night of hassle and cheap drinks. The ruins are impressive, although you get the feeling that if they were in England or the US more would have been done to preserve and maintain them, and there is not much to read about the history, so without a guide (who do ramble a lot of unintelligible nonsense from time to time), you won't know what you are looking at. Still, well worth a visit, although maybe not in August.