Mexico Day 8-9: Si’an Ka’an and Departure
Si’an Ka’an
I did not sleep well, the burns being uncomfortable. The swimming did JJ in though, so he decided to sit out of the morning plans for Si’an Ka’an. This time lathering plenty of sunblock on and wearing clothes over my burns, Herr and I drove twenty minutes south to Muyil ruins. They weren’t much to look at, but it was quiet and the “castle†structure is the tallest in Quintana Roo.
Behind the large temple is a sacbe, and following a path that paralleled the ancient road brought us to an entrance for Si’an Ka’an Biosphere Reserve, a UNESCO heritage site. For 50 pesos each, we entered and followed a raised boardwalk through the wooded jungle. A guide would have been useful as we were unable to appreciate much of the flora and fauna (the interpretive signage was minimal). Halfway along the walk is a watchtower. It has a slightly rickety feel to it, but we climbed up “at our own risk†(like most activities in Mexico, it seems to be their motto). The stairs were more effectively ladders, but the view rendered was decent. Herr brought along binoculars and found them useful here. The lagoon was visible, but mostly we saw treetops, so I was perplexed what the watchtower was used to watch.
The remaining walk to the lagoon was short, and after puttering around the docks (we decided against taking the recommended two hour boat tour due to extensive exposure to the sun – the boats were not covered). So we walked back the way we came, saw a few more ruins, and drove back to the hotel.
By this point I was lightheaded and not well. After attempting a nap, my health worsened; I stayed behind as the others went for lunch. Between intense stomach pain and sunburns, there was no comfort. I made one final excursion to pick up a few gifts, then I was done. I did manage to pack after a few hours, but when the guys went for a late dinner, I had to decline again. Liquids were barely staying down. At this point, I was considering sun poisoning. That night was horrible. An intense nightmare of Mayan rocks that I couldn’t escape. The feeling is hard to explain but terrible to endure. At 2:30 a.m., I was finally able to get some relief and a little sleep.
Departure Day
Our last day in Mexico, and I still did not feel good. In fact, the symptoms suggested seeking immediate medical care. Good times. I managed a light breakfast, but the 1.5 hour drive was quiet as talking made it worse. We dropped JJ off first for his earlier flight then returned the car. Returning it took considerably less time.
We arrived nearly four hours before our flight. The time seemed to fly though, moving at turtle speeds to keep breakfast down. We found JJ on the inside and hung out for a while until his boarding. Our boarding went smoothly.
The beach always seem like a fun place, but it rarely works out that way for me.