Island of Women

Its been nearly two weeks (?) three countries and two continents since Rome but I have finally managed to pull myself off my little piece of the carribean and find an internet cafe.

As luck would have it, I find myself on the Island of Women. (Isla Mujerres).

Not sure what the attraction was initially either, but certainly a beautiful little piece of paradise to finish off the trip and work on the tan. (not that it needs it after 4 months of summer and a trip back home to get some more).

Julie and I left Amalfi and the local constabulary and found our way back to Pompeii and then Rome. As always, I managed to find myself on top of St Peters (with Julie, and the twelve aposltes who are covered in electric wire to keep the pigeons away) and it was raining. For me it was just a flying visit to Rome (2 Days) before leaving Julie and Europe and taking what seemed the worlds oldest Jumbo Jet to fly to Miami. But only just....

As usual, a funning steat of Italian Administrative excellence nearly floored me.

I had to get the 5.56AM Train to the airport (the first train of the day) and to make sure I got this right had a trial run the night before to make sure I knew which platform the train left from. All was good. Follow the BIG signs to that say AIRPORT TRAIN and you can´t go wrong - right? Err, this is Italy.

Arrived at Roma Termini station at around 5.30 to find that the train waiting at the AIRPORT TRAIN platform didnt leave until 6.30. Too late for my flight. Only other passenger was a short rotund indian man with a trolley full of luggage (probably off to sell fake Louis Vuitton handbags or plastic Llamas - i thought). We both discussed that we had come the night before to make sure that the 5.56 train left from here.

I had an inclination to look at the posted timetable which all italian stations have, that show departure platforms. Sure, the 5.56 train left ok, but from platform 13. We were on 25. Its now 5.45. (and thats a lot of numbers for one sentence). Luckily, luggage man and I managed to do the 600M sprint to platform 13 just in time. A little tired but made our flights.

Miami had Miami attitude and I was glad I was only there for a few nights before I set off for Cancun.

Now I knew this was going to be an interesting choice of destinations, but my fears began to surface when the clutch (is that the collective term) of American 20 something teen-queen pageant participants (well thats what they looked like) began to squeal with delight as we passed every american fast food chain outlet known to man on the way in from the airport.... Its sort of true that Mexico is like the 51st state.

But all in all Cancun was pleasant enough and staying in the downtown area away from the hotel strip was a much more pleasant experience and a bit more ´real´. Spent a day at Chichen Itza which was incredible...

I leave Mexico tomorrow, after 15 countries, and 110 odd days and some fantastic memories. I have one night in Dallas on Tuesday and then arrive back in Aus on Thursday AM.