Episode 13 – Choose Your Own Adventure

Having not spent more than 3 nights in any place since leaving Sydney, it was time to move on - even if it's just for one night. Feet, buses, taxis, boats and feet again saw us save approximately $2 in transit and again afforded our fortunate luggage a comprehensive final tour of Playa Del Carmen, but we soldiered on buoyed by the allure of our destination - the 'Island of Women' does sound like fun!

Equipped with a scooter within minutes of arrival, we're set for some 'Power Touring' (long distance, high speed) and 'Pirate Snorkeling' (self guided tour). The most detailed map of the island looked like it was painted by a 5 year old, but from this, some visible aquatic navigational markers and a lighthouse, I deduct that there is indeed a reef that will be suitable for our snorkeling tour!

The 'pirate' element of the snorkeling occurs well before we plunge into the water, whilst looking for a safe place to hide the scooter and our clothes in some bushes at the end of the road, I comment to Sam that the surface we're riding on looks remarkably like clay. No sooner than the words leave my mouth, the bike's wheels leave the surface and we indeed realise that the clay is fortunately quite soft - very handy as we dive roll off the moving bike. But with minimal paint and skin loss, the now camouflaged bike hidden, we dive into the ocean at last, with the spirit of Jacques Cousteau guiding our furious kicking. After clearing the busy channel and beating the strong current (twice), we find ourselves surrounded by exotic sea life, free of charge - result!! 'Ahhh me hearties, there be treasure a plenty in these waters...'

Now it’s a Pirate’s favourite time of the day – Happy Hourrrrr. We take the afternoon off extreme sightseeing, and indulge in the quintessential Mexican beach holiday pastime - cocktails on a sunbed on the beach, watching the sun sink toward the horizon, indulging in fantastic fresh food - all without having to move a muscle… Bliss. We do decide to move eventually however, but purely to better our vantage of the sunset. And then another move to sample the cocktail list of the next bar, and then because the music sounds good at the next bar, and then for a tropical night swim, and then a drink to warm-up, etc. etc. Eventually we have circumnavigated 1/2 the island, and we are swinging very merrily on the final beach bar's rope swings. The Island of Women is indeed a fabulous discovery, but what solidifies the experience and makes if perfect is that I am with the only woman in the world that I would want to be there with...D