Cruise–Cozumel

On a previous cruise, we went to Cozumel, Mexico. Let’s just say that nothing about that day was a good experience. From being sick, kids having diarrhea, exhausted from throwing up all day the day before, it was just doomed from the start. The kicker, though, was that we hadn’t brought enough cash, and ended up stiffing the braid lady because we thought it was cheaper than it was. A LOT cheaper. Anyway, it’s left a bad impression of Cozumel.

But, this is many years later, and we weren’t planning on being sick or having hair braided, and we planned ahead and brought cash. Our friends really wanted to do a jeep tour of the island. Sounded fun. Four of us in a jeep, and we get to drive it ourselves? We signed ourselves up.

When we got off the boat and found our group, it was a 10 minute walk through town to the jeep rental place. Imagine our surprise when they loaded us into a NEW loaded jeep. It was like a test drive!

We took off in a caravan, with a guide in front of us and in the back. We drove about 20 minutes through town, then turned off onto less traveled road through the jungle. Ryan was driving, and he was so excited!

The road got more rutted and rocky as we went deeper into the jungle. Some of it was sandy,some of it was rocky, and we even drove through a “puddle” that was at least a foot deep.

Ryan was so sad when we stopped to see the Mayan ruin.

As far as ruins go, it was not one of the major ones. We had kind of expected it to be like Chichanitza or Talum. Smaller. But still interesting.

We learned some of the history of what kind of building would have been here, and that it was like a hurricane warning station with doors and windows that would make whistle when the wind blew through it to alert the people that a hurricane was coming.

But they had no problem with us climbing on the ruin and taking pictures.

After visiting the ruins, we drove a bit more, then stopped on a beach, where there were umbrellas all set up and people were making lunch. It was unreal! So beautiful!

Sitting on the beach, playing in the sand, listening to the waves. It was truly wonderful. AND they fed us tacos! So amazing!

When we had to leave that place, we at least got to drive the jeep again. This time Gardner drove back, and I think he took it a little slower than Ryan, but it was still bumpy. After we returned the jeep we were back near the ship, but decided to do a little shopping. It was then that I discovered that I had no driver’s license. Somewhere between entering the jeeps and exiting the jeeps, I had lost my license. Whoops. Probably bounced out.

I tried not to worry about the consequence of not having my ID while we shopped. It was raining by then.

The worst case scenario would be that Ryan would have to go and get my passport to let me get back on the ship.

But no one even asked for my ID besides my ship card when we got back on. There were two Royal Caribbean ships parked there when we came back. Ours is the one on the right.

So, all in all, I would say this Cozumel trip was MUCH better than our first experience. Who knows, maybe we’ll go again someday.

And if you’re a fan of shaky Jeep videos: