It was only Sunday that we were sat in the sun in Guadalajara getting mild sunburn and now (Wednesday) we find ourselves in Flagstaff under two inches of snow. It's really quite bazar.Anyway our trip from Guadalajara to Phoenix was a little stressful. We arrived at Guadalajara airport only to find I had read the time wrong and we had an extra hour to wait, which actually went quite quick. After a full bag search and some dodgy mexican playing with our torches for a while we got to check in. Whilst in duty free we found some Tequila with a worm in so we bought that straight away. We then got to the plane to find that it was the smallest jet ever and it was also the bumpiest, which was fine for me but Samantha got a little stressed until she got her red wine.We finally got to Houston with less than an hour to clear immigration and customs and get onto our connecting flight. After running from one plane and then to the next, we made it with 10 minutes to spare.Phoenix was pretty uneventful with a single night in a local motel and a nice greasy breakfast in the local waffle house. Then it was off to Flagstaff to the snow!
We had an excellent last day in Guadalajara, it was sunny and warm and we lounged around on our balcony sunbathing all day, before having some really nice mexican food in the evening.To sum up Mexico overall, we found it a massive culture shock to start with and very overwhelming. However, once we adjusted we agree that Mexico City and Guadalajara are definitely well worth visiting.Take a look at the Picasa photo album as we've posted some of our Mexico City photos. We'll put more on soon.
If you have been reading any other of the blogs linked to our blog, you might have seen "Aussie beer of the day", bought to you by Big Rich (aka Lisa´s bloke) whilst he is in Australia.
So as a tribute to Big Rich we are bringing you Mexican beer of the city!
A quick catch up:
In Mexico city we enjoyed Corona with and without lime.
We also enjoyed Sol especially as it was 6% in some restaurants.
In Guadalajara we have been tasting Estrella. It tastes very similar to an english lager, but comes in 940ml bottles for less than a quid - rock on! Haven´t had a hangover -yet!
Look out for future postings of "beer of the city".
Yesterday we went on the tour to Tequila (Sharon its an actual place, where they make the Tequila), it turned out to be a very interesting day. We were told it started at 10am but true to Mexican time we didn´t set off until 11.30am. Then we walked to the local bus station and hopped on the bus, 2 1/2hrs later we arrived! But the town of Tequila is very nice and we had a bit of a mooch around before our guide hailed the tourist bus to take us to a Tequila factory.We learnt quite alot about the blue agave cactus (which is the one they use to make Tequila), thankfully there were a few people on our tour who spoke spanish and english and they were able to translate what the factory guide (who spoke no english) was telling us.After looking at how they make Tequila and sampling some of the cooked cactus (which is very sweet), we got on to the good bit of tasting some.We both tried the clear stuff, it was absolutely rank (Alan says it was like paintstripper) but the gold stuff was much nicer - yummy. They also had some nice flavoured ones - I think they are getting on the flavoured vodka bandwagon!I was also slightly starstruck yesterday when I saw Jose´s place! Didn´t manage to get a piccies with me and the Jose sign and it was a bit to far away.We had dinner in Tequila at one of the restaurants, where they served us margarita´s which were very heavy on the tequila. The food was absolutely delicious and very tasty, I think the best Mexican food we have had so far.We were absolutely exhausted when we got back, but still found enough energy to go out and get a few beers. Off to look at the cathedral today and have another mooch around Guadalajara.
Well yesterday we left the delightful Mexico City for Guadalajara. We were slightly unsure about getting a bus, not being able to speak the language but it was really easy. We just rocked up to the Prinera Plus ticket booth and got tickets for a bus that was earlier than expected.The bus trip was really nice showing about 3 1/2 films, the first two of which were in English with Spanish subtitles which made it easier to watch. This made the time fly by and we were soon in Guadalajara.My first impression of Guadalajara are that is much more modern and affulent than Mexico City. However the hostel is not so great! We booked using a website only to find nearly all the details are wrong - there´s no bar, no balcony and no restaurant as described. All the other details were just wildly exagerated still we´re backpackers so hey!Well my trip to Guadalajara was slightly different as for the past couple of days we had been suffering from mild altitude sickness - not very pleasent, it consists of shortness of breath, dizziness, nausea, headache etc.Anyway we had to go up a few mountains before we finally started to descend into the valley, so I thought I was going to die, I couldn´t breathe and had chest pains. But it only lasted about an hour in total and have been fine ever since. I was bored after the first film which was a hospital drama - I´m trying to switch off from nursey mode! But the journey went reasonably quickly.Guadalajara itself is very nice and alot less polluted than Mexico City, the hostel however, is a very different story. But we´re only here until monday!Off to Tequila tomorrow x
We moved hostels on monday, only to the other side of the cathedral, but it was still quite a walk with heavy backpacks. I should have got mine properly fitted before we left, as my back aches a bit today.The new hostel is really nice, it doesn't have a bar but after sunday night we could do with a couple of drying out days before we arrive in Guadalajara. Our room has a window to the outside which is really nice after the stuffiness of the Moneda. We just lounged around on monday, relaxing and taking things easy.Today we have been up the mirador tower, which is 42 floors high and one of the tallest buildings in Mexico. The views of the city were amazing, we get to go back tonight and have another look when the city is all lit up.Off to Guadalajara tomorrow x
Now I have recovered from running up and down pyramids on Saturday, I thought it was time to write about them.Before arriving at the pyramids we stopped off at a little shop where they showed us how they made different types of Tequila and some other murky mildly alcoholic viscous liquid. All of which had supposed property but one was for energy which I think helped in my speedy ascent of the two pyramids. Having climbed both pyramids with a fellow traveller (not Sam, as she had a few problems with the large steps) and be completely shattered, we found that we had to walk about 10 miles down to the exit in the hot sun with no shade. This was aptly name the walk of death. I really think the Aztec's should have invented something like the conveyor belts you find in airports to help them get around.Anyway not satisfied with all the Aztec stuff from Saturday's trip we decided to visit the Templar Mayor on Sunday, the main Aztec ruin in the centre of Mexico City (mainly because it was free on a Sunday and it was too far to go to any other museum). After three hours we were property Aztec´d out. I don't think I need to see anymore Aztec remains or Churches after we leave Mexico!Sunday night we met up with a number of friends in the bar for a few beers (or more) and a game of cards or two. Later in the evening we found that if we bought the barman a beer he would give us free Mezcal (Tequila), which was great until I found later when I bought another couple of beers that the barman was knocking back the Mezcal himself and was away with the fairies and couldn't work out what change I needed, although after some help from a friend who speaks Spanish I did get the right change.Luckly when Monday morning came I was hangover, just as well as it was moving day and we had to change hostel.
We left the hostel at 9am and went 15mins down the road to Tlatelolco, which are some Aztec ruins which were torn down by the spanish catholics when they arrived in Mexico, the spanish built one of the biggest catholic churchs in Mexico with the remains of the aztec pyramids after they had destroyed them. It was very sad to see what had happened but very interesting listening to the history. Then we made our way to Guadalupe's shine, it consists of a church thats sinking so is being heavily supported on the inside with scaffolding, a new modern church which must of contained a good couple of thousand people participating in a service when we went in to have a look. There is also a waterfall and mountain temple which we had a look at whilst sitting down at the bottom of the mountain - didn't really have enough time to get up and down before leaving.I'm still not entirely sure who the Guadalupe virgin is yet, she could be a mexican virgin mary.Then we stopped for a very nice mexican lunch of fried cactus, cheese and bean taco things with a spicy guacamole sauce, it was very nice, Alan ate 3 1/2 of them and I had 1 1/2. We also had complementary almond tequila, mescal {which is like the Jose stuff} and pulcaq {which was 2% and thick lime flavoured liquid, nice but couldn't drink alot of it}. Then it was off to the pyramids.The pyramids are like nothing I've seen before, totally different to the egyptian pyramids. We took lots of pictures and video footage which we are still trying to get on to the online photo album and blog. There are 2 pyramids, a large one for the sun and a 20metre smaller one for the moon, there are steps all the way to the top for you to climb.Well, I climbed the Lunar {moon} pyramid, only to the first level, mind you and hanging on to the handrail for dear life all the way up as it was quiet step. I had a loss of confidence about 3/4 of the way up but looked up and saw I was nearly there so carried on. It only took a few mins but it was very high off the ground. Alan on the other hand sprinted up, stopped for quick drink and photo with me and then sprinted up to the top.I came down on my bum through, shaking all the way and being coaxed by Alan because he told me they wouldn't organise the local helicopter to come and air lift off the pyramid.I didn't venture up the larger pyramid, I left that to Alan and some of the other people on our tour. I watched from the bottom.We have settled into hostel life now and made a few friends, some of whom we might see again in NZ. We have found if you take a pack of cards up to the bar, you attract brits. Right off for a shower and some food, Alan will post his comments later x
Well we made it to Mexico City, despite the traumas at the airport. The only thing I'm really going to say about our flight was premium economy leg room - very nice and highly recommended on long flights.It didn't take us to long to get through immigration, customs and even to find a taxi which you pay for up front and get a ticket to give to the driver. So far, so good I thought but 5 secs into the journey I said to Alan quietly - F**K he's trying to kill us! Mexican cab drivers are crazy or F1 drivers in the making, he didn't really know what indicators and brakes were for and when we nearly crashed into a tree because the cab driver was having an acute attack of road rage, I even saw Alan go a bit paler.My first impression of Mexico city when we arrived at our destination or dumped in the middle of the plaza with the cab driver pointing at a vauge direction of where our hostel might be, was that it smells like the rubbish tip or my green bin in Bicester - so not pleasant at all.I got out the trusty lonely planet guide and found where our hostel was, luckily I wasn't going to listen to Alan as he was going to send us in the wrong direction. But we found the hostel okay, stepping through all the rubbish and I'm sure I saw a few Mexicans snigger at us trying to carry our backpacks with just the shoulder strap.We have been here 2 days now and it still smells like a rubbish dump although I'm getting used to it a little more now. I haven't had a proper cup of tea in days as Mexicans are really into their herbal teas {so mum you would love it, peppermint tea every morning}, so its lemon tea for breakfast.We walked on our own around the Centro Historico yesterday, keeping the cathedral in sight so as not to get lost. But today we have just completed a 3hr walking trip around a different part of the Centero Historico - we are completely shattered now and probably off to our room shortly for a lie down as its quiet during the day. Our room is right next to the stairs and underneath the bar which opens every night from 5pm til 1am. So unless we are wearing ear plugs then you really don't get alot of rest, 'we're getting some rather nice bags under our eyes.Off to see the Pyramids tomorrow, which we are assured is fantastic even though you feel you might die as its high altitude.We have got some piccies but need to work out how to get them from the camera to the blog.Note to dad - I've nearly used all the clothes in my backpack that you said I wouldn't need x
Well despite rumours that I was never going to actually write on our blog, I now feel it's time first my first comments - now the tour has begun.The first day started badly at Heathrow after waiving off the parent and joining a long queue I decided to use the electronic check rather than waiting and the machine ate my ticket. I found someone to help me and they retrieved my ticket and checked us in on their computer. This is when the problems started NO SEATS TOGETHER.After a lot of stress and not wanting to go we got to the departure gate and I set about getting better seats. After asking every man and his dog of flight crew, a very nice steward called Dave found us two seats together in premier economy - a nice upgrade with miles of leg room.Things then got much better with Samantha finding that big planes are better to fly on and I found that 11 1/2 hours on a plane went really quick.When we arrived we found that mexican driver are mental and after closing my eyes and hoping not to die we soon arrived at our hostel and when straight to bed as we were still running on GMT and it was 2am.It's now Thursday morning and breakfast was reasonable so it time to go exploring.
Well the departure date is almost here and we are almost ready. Still a few jobs to do like having a haircut, redirecting the mail (even though we moved out on friday - the bicester post office were very "Little Britain - computer says no!"), changing our addresses at the Halifax (they are almost doing a bicester post office in that they need a signature to change your address) and last but probably the most important, packing the backpack!My Dad is giving me a hand with packing my backpack as I've been trying to ram in all in and he's been taking it all out again and repacking it. We are taking soooooooooo much stuff, even with all the diabetic supplies, I still don't think there will be room for many clothes, maybe a few pairs of knickers, a t-shirt and some socks is all I have room for at the moment. But I do have a very extensive first aid kit!!!!!!The lesson we have learnt throughout all of this is travel when you don't own a house, it has to be a lot less stressful. I could whinge on for a good couple of months about our letting agent but I'm trying and almost succeeding with forgetting about them.Exciting/Terrifying thought:- the next time I or maybe we write on this blog we will be in another country 11hrs 40mins away from the UK!
Good news is that the house is now very empty, we are sleeping on the floor on an airbed which is sort of comfy. But we have no sofa, so sitting in an empty lounge on a couple of picnic chairs and eating our dinner off plastic plates. The Jones/Monks Removals service did us proud on saturday and we removed 100% of our furniture and 90% of our stuff in 2 van loads.The Oxford leaving party was absolutely brilliant! 25 of us went out for dinner at Zizzi's and then 19 of us went on drinking for the rest of the night. We ended up in Ocean&Collins (the old chicago rock) and I was there for probably no more than half an hour before I slipped on a step and ended up on my behind. Luckily these days I have a bit of padding around my behind so I've escaped with a bruised bottom and twisted ankle. Still quite painful, but no permenant damage done.We have the Gloucester leaving do this weekend, so I'm going to sit down and not move all night. I think I need to be wrapped in bubble wrap until I check in at Heathrow on Wednesday.Well we move out on friday and are going back to our respective parents for the last 4 days. Our backpacks are sitting, looking at us and waiting for us to pack our stuff, which is lying on the floor around them. Better get on as our spare room still isn't quite yellow.
