Ancient Mayan Lookalikes

Can you see this image hanging on your wall?Buy a Print

Ok, so maybe this is just a modern Mayan couple wearing period clothing. But it is cool to see what was worn 2000-4000 years ago. I met Wili & Isela Canché Chan as they were posing for tourist photos outside the ancient Mayan ruins of Ek’ Balam in Mexico . He is dressed in a traditional cotton breechcloth, while she wears a wraparound skirt called a traje. But when work is over for the day, they both change into jeans & polo shirts like everyone else.

Abandoned Building on Isla Cozumel

Life moves a bit slower on an island. Hitchhiking is a marvelous way to enjoy this slower pace, meeting some interesting new friends in the process.

Even if you don’t know much about Mexico, you may have heard of Cozumel before. Why? It’s on the Cruise Ship route.

Everyone knows someone who’s been on a cruise ship (or 3), and they’ve probably stopped here at some point.

This is plainly evident by all the jewelry shops and touts that line the main street near the docks. But don’t let this short description of Cozumel get you down, because it’s easy to travel to the far side of the island where you’ll find almost no buildings and some beautiful empty beaches.

Can You Guess What This Means?

Cozumel on a Budget

Cozumel Island lies only 6 miles off of Mexico’s Caribbean coast, and can be accessed by regular ferry service from Playa del Carmen. The trip takes about 45 minutes, and costs $13 one way.

The island is well known for it’s fantastic SCUBA diving and snorkeling, as there is a protected marine park/coral reef along the coast. But if you don’t feel like spending money on these activities, there are also some Mayan ruins and plenty of pristine beaches to check out.

My friend Morgan was visiting me from the States that week, and we decided to venture over and explore Cozumel on the cheap.

Getting Out of Town

After disembarking from the ferry, we wandered into the heart of San Miguel and bought a couple of $1 cans of beer to drink along our walk.

It can be extremely frustrating to hitchhike around any type of town. There is no point in sticking out your thumb for a ride on busy streets, where people are a lot less likely to stop or even be headed in the same direction as you are.

So we walked. For over an hour in the hot sun.

Hitting the Road (by Morgan Rocchio)

Hidden Neighborhoods

Eventually a colectivo came by, and we jumped in with some locals. It wasn’t going very far, but it got us out of the sun and further down the road for less than $1.

The van also took us through some local neighborhoods that we never would have seen on our own.

Hundreds of simple concrete low-income homes where many local tour industry people lived. Resort staff, street vendors, and others who make their living off the thousands of cruise ship passengers who pass through on a regular basis.

Argentinian Travelers

Dropped off back on the main road, we were finally in a more rural area that was perfect for bumming a ride. After a few failed attempts, it didn’t take long until a car stopped for us. I think it helps a bit when you’re traveling with a woman in short-shorts…

Morgan and I crammed into the back of the small sedan with 3 travelers from Buenos Aires.

Our saviors Matias, Thomas, and Victoria had rented an old beat-up car and driven it down here from Mexico City. They were headed for the beaches on the far side of the island.

Sounds like a plan!

We were ready to get out of the scorching sun and into the water. So off we went.

Island Beach Paradise (by Morgan Rocchio)

Quiet Beaches

The Eastern side of the island is pretty barren. Luckily there is very little development, so the beaches are still tranquil and inviting. Occasionally you’ll find a small bar/restaurant, or a group of thatched-roof souvenir shops, but that’s about it.

We stopped at a nice beach with an outdoor bar, thanked our new friends for the ride, grabbed another beer and went for a swim in the crystal clear water.

Cozumel is primarily made up of limestone, so there are plenty of cool rock formations along the beach for the waves to crash against.

Fish Tacos on a Cliff

Swimming will make anyone hungry, so we walked down the road for a bit to Coconuts Bar & Grill for some tasty fish tacos to snack on while sitting on top of a beautiful cliff overlooking the ocean below.

It was starting to get late now though, and we still needed to find a ride back towards town to catch the ferry.

Hitchhiking in the dark is never very productive — the clock was ticking.

Making New Friends Hitchhiking

Drunken Americans

On the road again, we spied a gringo couple in the parking lot with a bright-red rental jeep. I ran over to ask them for a lift.

It turns out they were just arriving, not leaving. But the woman said if we waited around for 30 minutes, she’d be happy to let us tag along.

But one look at her husband, and we quickly nixed that idea. He was completely wasted! Like “hospital emergency room time” kind of drunk. They obviously didn’t read that road sign earlier…

We politely declined and decided to hoof it for a while.

Six People & A Dog!

After a few drive-bys with no luck, we spied a tiny hatchback full of people. We stuck our thumbs out anyway, just for the fun of it. They looked sorry they didn’t have any room and kept on driving.

But 5 minutes later, we found the same car stopped on the side of the road with someone waving us over! Our new friend Miguel offered to sit in the trunk area so we could both squeeze into the car with the 4 of them and their dog.

How’s that for Mexican hospitality?

It turns out they also hitchhiked frequently, and didn’t want to leave us stranded.
Just more proof that people who hitchhike are awesome.

We arrived back to town just in time to catch the last ferry back to Playa del Carmen.

Travel Tip Brought to You By: Travel doesn’t have to be expensive! Planning a trip to Cozumel, London, Shanghai, or somewhere else? You should try staying in a hostel rather than a hotel. Check out Hostel World to find some nice low-cost accommodation on your next worldwide adventure. Hostels are also a fun way to meet fellow travelers.

Tasty San Blas Lobster

Can you see this image hanging on your wall?Buy a Print

Every day, freshly caught lobster from Panama’s San Blas Islands is sold by the Kuna Indians at Panama City’s central fish market. This dish is called Langosta al Ajillo (Garlic Lobster), created at Basque Restaurant which is located inside the fish market building. After you order, the chef just walks outside and buys what she needs to make your food. The only way it gets fresher than this is if you pulled the lobster out of the ocean yourself!

Anyone Need a Lift? The Lamborghini Gallardo

Total gas! Total gas! I obeyed Memo’s command and punched the accelerator to the floor. Our car rocketed up to 120 mph in a matter of seconds.

I promise this travel blog isn’t turning into “Lifestyles of the Rich & Famous”. I am neither rich nor famous. Far from it.

You’ll still find me living out of a backpack, eating road cheese, smuggling monkeys over the border, and hanging out at garbage dumps.

I’m also a big fan of public transportation, especially the rooftops of school buses.

Yet living my life as a vagabond, I will always take full advantage of ANY interesting opportunities that come my way. I’m definitely not going to pass on a chance to try something new.

Driving Lessons from a Professional Racer

Addicted to Adventure Travel

Crazy new experiences are exactly what an adventure travel junkie like me lives for!

So when someone at Exotic Rides Mexico gave me the keys to a $200,000 exotic luxury car and told me to drive it as fast as I could around a race track, you can guess my response:

“Thank you tiny infant baby Jesus.”

Well of course I’m now going to share what that experience was like.

I know, I know. You’re probably thinking:
“Matthew, you are way too generous to us. We don’t deserve this unselfish act of love.”

Don’t say I never did anything nice for you.

Driving a Lamborghini Gallardo

This is actually not my first time driving one of these cars. In my previous life, I worked a bit as an exotic used-car photographer at dealerships around Miami. Bet you didn’t know that job existed, did you?

Often I’d need to drive the cars to a separate location for photos. So I’ve driven some pretty incredible machines — like the Rolls Royce Phantom, H1 Hummer, Bentley Continental, Ferrari F430, Aston Martin Vantage, and of course the Lamborghini Gallardo (very popular in Miami).

One time I even got to drive Paris Hilton’s custom $600,000 Mercedes McLaren!

But all of these driving experiences were at normal speeds on city streets. The real fun is driving high-end cars on a track, something I’ve never done before. Until now.

Childhood Video Games Turned Into Reality!

Exotic Rides Mexico

You don’t need to be a rockstar to experience what a luxury vehicle is capable of. At Exotic Rides in Cancun Mexico, even a schmuck like me can race around pretending to be Ricky Bobby in a ridiculously expensive super car!

You have your choice between a few different models, including the Ferrari F430, Lamborghini Murcielago, Audi R8, and Mercedes-Benz SLS AMG.

It was tough to choose, but I went with the 500 horsepower Lamborghini Gallardo.

After a short 15 minute class on proper driving position & safety (sit close with easy control of pedals, hands on steering wheel with thumbs up, braking at cones before corners, etc.) it was time for a few test laps in a Camaro to learn the layout of Cancun’s 2 kilometer race track.

The track isn’t just a big oval like you see at NASCAR, but an eclectic mix of wide turns, sharp s-curves, and straightaways.

Only 2 Rules…

With the recognition laps done, I strapped on my helmet and jumped into the driver’s seat of the Lamborghini. My instructor’s name was Memo. He’s a professional race car driver.

In fact the next day he had to fly to Mexico City to compete in a race. I was about to learn from the best!

Before we sped off, he told me the rules. There were only two:

Rule #1: Have fun.
Rule #2: Don’t frighten me.

I decided not to tell him about all the vehicles I’ve crashed in the past. There was that motorcycle incident in Nicaragua, and a messy volcano boarding experience that ended with blood.

The less he knows the safer he’ll feel with me behind the wheel…

Cancun Race Track in Mexico

Off to the Races

I hit the gas and we launched the bright yellow Lamborghini like a missle. Throughout the course Memo told me when to speed up, and when to hit the brakes.

Some strategically placed cones aided me as a visual reference. The key to racing is braking before the curves, and accelerating through them.

The whole track is used while driving. Starting wide and rocketing around the corners as close to the edge as you can get.

The Lambo’s tires would screech around turns at 50 mph, and we’d push the car up over 110 mph on the straightaway.

If the track was a bit longer, I could have easily gone faster in this powerful machine. But by the time you hit 110/120 mph, you need to brake again for the curves.

Incredible Adrenaline Rush!

We did 5 laps around the Cancun race track in the Lamborghini that day. I was able to improve my lap time by 3 seconds using Memo’s expert driving advice.

I stepped out of the car with a giant shit-eating grin on my face, adrenaline still pumping through my veins. It was everything I hoped it would be and more.

Do you smell something crispy & delicious? It’s not the tailpipe you’re smelling.

It’s a little bit of… SHAKE & BAKE! Shake & bake all day long.

Special thanks to my friend Elizabeth for some of the photos!

Watch the Video: Racing a Lamborghini

Specific Details

Location: Cancun, Mexico
Company: Exotic Rides
Total Cost: $388
Notes: Prepare for one wild roller-coaster ride! They also offer drifting, strip racing, ride-alongs, and even full speed go-kart racing for only $23. If you just want to go fast, there is something for every budget.

*My driving adventure was organized by Exotic Rides Mexico. However all posts are based upon my own personal experiences and opinions. They are not influenced by any person/organization.

Brought to You By: New York is another city where you’ll often find Lamborghinis, among other popular attractions. Search for cheap flights to New York before your next trip to save money on airfare. Travelers will discover all sorts of adventures waiting for them in The Big Apple.

Green Sea Turtle at Akumal Beach

Can you see this image hanging on your wall?Buy a Print

South of Playa del Carmen, in Mexico’s Yucatan Peninsula, you’ll find the quiet beach town of Akumal. Green Sea Turtles live in the bay there – munching away at the vegetation on the bottom in about 10 feet of water. Just strap on some snorkeling gear and you can go swimming with them for free! At one point we had 3 big beautiful turtles around us. The younger ones will swim away from you, but the large older turtles like this one (he’s almost 5 feet long!) will let you swim close enough to touch them (which you should never actually do). An incredible underwater experience!

Sunday Night Dancing in the Streets

Can you see this image hanging on your wall?Buy a Print

Sunday nights in the small Yucatan town of Valladolid, Mexico are alive with music & dancing. The cobblestone streets are filled with sharply dressed local men & women moving to the beat of live latin music. Mayan families gather in the town’s central park to watch the festivities while vendors walk through the crowd selling snacks. Who needs TV when you have entertainment like this!

Islands of Fiji

My journey to Fiji has been postponed due to severe weather & flooding on the islands.

The magical sunsets and crystal clear waters of Fiji will have to wait for now. Bad flooding due to heavy rains, combined with Tropical Cyclone Daphne passing close by has killed at least 6 people and forced over 11,000 people from their homes on the main island of Viti Levu at the beginning of April.

A state of emergency was declared for the Republic of Fiji, and the international airport at Nadi was closed down. For these reasons my trip to the country was postponed until the Fall.

The people of Fiji are now in the process of cleaning up and repairing damage to homes & businesses. My thoughts are with all the families who lost their homes & loved ones.

I am still looking forward to visiting Fiji and discovering all it has to offer later this year.

Video of Fiji Floods

Brought to You By: If you plan on traveling to Fiji, you should check the Fiji weather forecast to help you plan what to pack. A holiday to the beautiful islands of Fiji can be an incredible experience.

Hitchhiking in the Darien Gap

Can you see this image hanging on your wall?Buy a Print

After 3 days of trekking through the jungle in Panama’s Darien National Park, my friend Gabriel & I hitchhiked to the village of El Real in the back of this pickup truck — along with a local man and his horse. Large vehicles like this are pretty rare, as they need to be brought to this location by boat. There is no direct road access due to the many rivers that wind their way through the Darien. Piragua canoes are the primary source of transportation out here.

These Little Guys Need Your Help

When I learned there were penguins living in South Africa, I knew what I had to do. Kidnap as many as possible to take home with me and sell to friends.

Arriving in Cape Town, one of our first stops was Boulder’s Beach. This beautiful stretch of white sand & turquoise blue water is home to a large colony of African Penguins.

They sit on their eggs in the hot sand, jump into the ocean for a little fishing, and waddle around over the rocks looking cute.

I had to have one!

But why stop at one? If I managed to kidnap a bunch of them, not only would I have a funny new pet, I could sell the rest to my friends! We’d be the coolest kids on the block. Just imagine all the phone numbers I’d get from women wanting to play with my pet penguin!

Our guide Shaheed from Escape to the Cape shared a story about a Chinese tourist who attempted to kidnap a penguin from the beach, but a driver caught him with it stuffed under his jacket.

Poor tourist. I know what it feels like to get caught smuggling animals under your clothing…

Fresh Fish for Lunch

Saving Penguins at SANCCOB

Not wanting to get arrested for abducting penguins from Boulder’s Beach, I was excited to learn about a penguin rehabilitation & breeding center outside of Cape Town called the Southern African Foundation for the Conservation of Coastal Birds (aka SANCCOB).

Breeding Center = Baby Penguins!

Cute fuzzy babies would be much easier to stuff inside my backpack.

Arriving at SANCCOB, I was overwhelmed with all the penguins running around the complex. This was going to be easy! We met with Margaret Roestorf, marketing director for the facility, who proceeded to tell us all about these incredible birds.

It turns out that the African Penguin was recently listed as an endangered species. Oil spills, overfishing, and loss of habitat are drastically reducing their numbers.

The primary mission at SANCCOB is to rehabilitate sick, injured, and orphaned penguins along with other seabirds, releasing them back into the wild when they are ready.

Long-term volunteers come from all over the world to help care for them.

Attempting to Kidnap Rocky...

But I Still Want One!

After hearing about the plight of the penguins, I began to have a change of heart. Maybe I shouldn’t be kidnapping these beautiful endangered animals after all…

But then I saw him. Rocky the Rockhopper.

He must be mine!

Rocky is a local celebrity & the mascot here at SANCCOB. He washed up in South Africa on his own, thousands of miles away from his home in Antarctic waters.

While he’s not an African Penguin, Rocky is a part of the team now, making his rounds at the rescue facility to ensure everything is running smoothly. Someone has to keep this army of volunteers in line!

Unfazed by his extreme popularity, I attempted to snatch Rocky when no one was looking. But being a Rockhopper, he easily hopped his way out of my grasp.

Finally admitting defeat, I joined the rest of the group to learn how SANCCOB has treated over 85,000 birds since 1968. We watched the volunteers clean, feed, and care for orphaned baby penguins as well as adults.

The seabirds at this rescue facility are in very safe & competent hands.

Tuxedo Dress Code at the Penguin Party!

Kidnapping Alternative?

At the end of our fun & educational tour with SANCCOB, everyone was asked if we’d like to adopt a penguin for ourselves or a friend. You can guess what my answer was… sign me up at once!

Why kidnap a penguin illegally, when I can just adopt? For a $60 donation, you become the proud father (or mother) of your very own African Penguin. When you adopt a penguin from SANCCOB, the money goes towards feeding & caring for him. You can also name your penguin whatever you want!

I decided to name mine King Bubbles the III. Very majestic sounding, don’t you think?

Once King Bubbles the III has been rehabilitated at the facility, he’ll be released into the wild to join his friends and live happily ever after. Obviously he’ll then become King of the Penguins, claiming his birthright.

His Majesty King Bubbles the III

Adopt Your Very Own Penguin!

Letters are sent to new “parents” that include a photo and short history of your penguin. While you won’t actually get to meet him in person unless you visit SANCCOB, rest assured that he’ll be well taken care of there.

Best of all, if you adopt a penguin right now, your penguin can hang out with King Bubbles the III. They can be pals. He may even appoint your penguin to his royal court…

While not quite as fun & profitable as kidnapping, adopting your own penguin won’t land you in jail. Do it today! You know you want to. Penguins are a perfect Mother’s Day gift.

Click Here to Adopt Your Penguin!

No penguins were harmed in the making of this article. Please do not attempt to kidnap a penguin, or King Bubbles the III will banish you from his kingdom…

UPDATE: I’ve just learned that someone didn’t listen to my advice! Some morons actually decided to kidnap a penguin in Australia instead of adopt. King Bubbles the III has issued the following proclamation: “Off with their heads!”

Specific Details

Location: Cape Town, South Africa
Organization: SANCCOB
Notes: Did you know that SANCCOB is primarily run by volunteers? Visit the website to learn how you can work as a volunteer — feeding & caring for penguins and other seabirds.

*My trip to South Africa was organized by the South African Tourism Board. However all posts are based upon my own personal experiences and opinions. They are not influenced by any person/organization.

Brought to You By: When you travel, searching for quality accommodation shouldn’t be difficult. Spend less time worrying about your hotel, and more time enjoying your vacation!

Beach in Playa Del Carmen

Can you see this image hanging on your wall?Buy a Print

I’ve been living in Playa del Carmen for about a month now. Found a cheap studio apartment away from the tourist area, but only two blocks from a beach. This beach. Because I’m away from the hotels, it’s quiet and low-key here. I share this beach with a few locals, and the occasional topless European girl. About 300 yards out, there is a coral reef with pretty good snorkeling too. Last week a giant spotted eagle ray swam less than 5 feet away from me.