Jun-2014
#Instatravel from Guatemala to Mexico
This morning I crossed the Guatemalan border to Mexico and it was quite a sad goodbye. However, I took many photos with Instagram so that I could share my beautiful journey through the farmer lands of Guatemala into Mexico.
I like to call it the That Wanderlust #instatravel!
Leaving Flores for a pretty mountain view. It was a sad goodbye because of my new travel-friend, Jolanda, who headed for Belize while I left for Mexico. Luckily the sights early in the morning were stunning and I had a great time being in the travel-mode just gazing out of the window at 5am.
The bus driving on the bumpy road to Palenque. People over 6ft should perhaps get a helmet on this journey… It was going to be a bumpy road all-the-way!
Giant tree in Guatemala. Beautiful.
Piggies on the road, spotted in a little town center.
Crossing the road with a lot of holes filled with water in Guatemala.
The sun clearly did her job well today. It got pretty hot inside the van, but luckily we had open windows and a nice cold breeze.
Feliz viaje! Adiós Guatemala! Hasta la próxima!
Bethel – Migracion Guatemala, where the customs tried to fool me…
What actually happened:
I gave my passport to get the exit-stamp and once the guy walked back to return me my passport with the stamp he told me I had to pay 40 Quetzales. I refused because I was told it was only 20 Quetzales. But… then I realized that there was no sign anywhere to be found saying that you have to pay. Asking for a official receipt was enough to annoy mister border protection and he quickly threw my passport back at me. He could not show any official paper saying I had to pay and did not get lucky this time. However, many tourists will get fooled because it is an “official” telling you that you should pay him… Don’t do it!
Leaving Guatemala… Sad, sad goodbye to those pretty houses.
The journey continued by a 10-minute boat ride to the Mexican side of the river. The boat was quite unstable, so moving our weight just for a little bit could capsize the “lancha”. We did make it dry to the other side of the river, but we did sit very, very still!
It did feel as if we were being smuggles into the country, but I felt a sense of home-coming!
Changing buses in Mexico at the border. New destination, new bus.
My luggage safely placed on top of the the van protected against some possible rain 🙂 Chicken-bus style!
I have just arrived again to my promised land!!!! Me so happy!!!! Mexico, why have we not seen each other this long?!
Arrived! My bed for tonight at the dorm of Posada Nach’an Ka’an in Palenque for a very good price; 6 euro per night!
My personal “Bienvenida en Mexico” treat in Palenque with La Michoacana. Yummy!
Farmacias Similares… It’s just too typical 😉
I am coming home! Almost there Huatulco! One more week and I will be able to hug all my dear Mexican friends again.
What were my travel-costs?
Keep in mind that the van I took was not air-conditioned nor that comfortable, but well enough for us backpackers 😉 The van-boat-taxi-van transport from Flores (I got picked-up in front of Hostal Los Amigos where I also booked the transport) to Palenque (the van left me at the ADO bus-station) was 220 Quetzales.
The exit and entry fee for the customs should be for free, but if you find it hard to discuss with these officials you might end up loosing 20 of perhaps even 40 extra Quetzales to the customs dude giving you a simple passport stamp.
I had some Quetzales left anyway, so for the last 15 Q that I had I bought a nice, kind of local, Fanta Orange.
The entire trip from A to B cost me…. drum roll please…
235 Quetzales, which is about US $31 or €23. Not that bad for an 8 hour trip, huh?
I hope you enjoyed my trip from Guatemala to Mexico. Please do let me know if you would like to experience something else during my travels via Instagram and I will keep my iPhone on stand by!
PS.
The effects I used on Istagram are “RISE” and “HUDSON”.
Tags used are #florestopalenque #guatemalatomexico #instatravel.
About Renate Rigters
Ever since I left my home country I felt at home at any other place I went to. I enjoy getting to know more cultures by talking to strangers and hearing their philosophy about life. Speaking with gestures when you can not find a shared language, finding places only the locals go to and learn about their customs and values. Hanging out with local people makes me happy. The experience of every new place is a step out of your comfort zone where I like to wander around until it feels like a second home.
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