Isla Mujeres, Part Two

My return to Isla Mujeres was part of the plan even before I extended my trip to the 29th of March. I also made plans to meet Cindy (NED) here shortly after hooking up with Pam & Co. in Playa. I was happy to return, as the day spent here earlier was far too short to appreciate the island.

It is easy to forget that Isla Mujeres is only a 30-minute ride from Cancún. The island is far more relaxed than places on the mainland coast, and has more of a small-town feel. And the town is small - in fact, you can circle the whole island in under an hour. One place that is not so small, however, is Poc-Na Hostel. This hostel is teeming with travellers from across the globe, all of whom are either starting or finishing their travels. Poc-Na has its own bar and restaurant, which fills with people and their stories about thirty minutes after sunset.

I was one of about five travellers who succumbed to what I now call Manañitis; symptoms include staying out late, not packing your bag, and lounging in hammocks well past check-out time. It was because of the people I met at Poc-Na that my intended three days on Isla Mujeres turned into five. It is amazing how quickly you can become close friends with people halfway around the world.

I met Kathryn (London), Kathy (GER), and Victoria (Wales) on the night I won the pool tournament. The three of them met on a GAP adventure, and I came to their table trying to give away my meat dinner as Victoria and Kathy were working out the type of apartment they wanted to find together in Cologne. Over the next few days, we spent hours moving between hammocks and picnic tables, stayed up far too late, and became close by imagining and filling out top-5, top-10, and top-20 lists.

The island spell broke when I returned to Cancún with them, wanting to both move on and catch one more night with them before we all went our separate ways. I was rewarded with a great dinner in the park and karaoke. Notable songs included Fernando, I Will Survive, and Livin' On A Prayer (Note: Bohemian Rhapsody should never be attempted on only one microphone). I was very sad to see us all part ways in Cancún not three days later, but we exchanged emails and hopefully will keep in touch.