AfricaMexico 2024
The flight out
Saturday 9 March. Well… not the best of starts.
After the ‘Boarding’ message appeared on the screens we made our way to the gate only to find there was an issue with the plane and boarding had been delayed. After a couple of hours we finally boarded and after another couple of hours we were told we weren’t going anywhere and we’d have to overnight at Gatwick. It brought back memories of our 2009 trip to Mexico when exactly the same happened.
We were only travelling with cabin bags so didn’t need to wait for suitcases and were first to arrive at the check-in desks where we had to collect our hotel voucher - for the Sofitel. I’m guessing most of the passengers were taken to the Hilton which is where we stayed when we were travelling in economy. We walked back to the North Terminal where we used the £15 meal vouchers in Starbucks picking up a coffee and toasted sandwich each plus some chocolates to make up the balance. Our evening meal was a buffet which seemed a little wasteful given the handful of guests.
The flight out, continued
Sunday 10 March. The following morning we had a light breakfast at the hotel before heading back to the South Terminal to check-in. We once again had a very nice eggs royal in the lounge.
We kept an eye on the screens trying to figure out what was happening with our flight and also that of today’s scheduled flight to Cancun. We finally got the message that the flight was boarding and proceeded to the gate but it was once again premature. After well over an hour sat at the gate we finally boarded and were airborne a little before 12… more than 25 hours late.
At best we figured there was a 50-50 chance that our booked transfer would be waiting for us at the terminal in Cancun when we arrived. As it turned out we found the transfer company and they were able to take us to Mayakoba, however, our travel agent had kindly arranged for the Fairmont to collect us (likely in a more luxurious Lincoln Navigator) but without data roaming on we hadn’t seen the message.
Our 'villa'
By the time we arrived at the Fairmont it was getting dark and I wasn’t going to have the opportunity to meet my (rather low) running distance target for the week. We checked in and made our way to our room. We were a little surprised to find it was an actual ‘room’, in a building next to the lobby, and not a villa like we’d had on our last stay. Tammay returned to the lobby to replace one of our key-cars that wasn’t working and soon retuned with the news that we were being moved to a villa. The room was very nice but the marble floors in the corridor outside echoed the slightest noise of guests passing by and I’m guessing that would soon be irritating.
After settling into our new room we walked down to the beach and had dinner at the seafood restaurant. I wasn’t hungry in the slightest but nonetheless found myself eating 3 courses!
Morning exercise
Monday 11, we started the day with a tour around the resort. I was running and Tammay had collected a bike from the bike station across from our villa.
After breakfast we walked across to the adult-only pool located next to the restaurant. We spend all morning there under a parasol.
Relaxing on the balcony
We then relocated to the veranda of the lobby bar but soon decided it was a little too warm. The seats just inside and next to the bar were far more comfortable. We sat there for a while with our books and a couple of drinks. We also ordered some sushi plates for lunch and what arrived was significantly larger than we were expecting but we nonetheless managed to finish it!
Our villa
When we got back to our room I realised that despite applying copious amounts of sunscreen on my legs/arms/neck I had forgotten to do my face and I had caught the sun as a result.
We had a drink and couple of games of cards in the bar next to the lobby before walking down to the steak restaurant where we had dinner. I ordered the fillet (rare) and it was super tender. Before the end of the week I’d end up having this 3 times.
Another early start
Tuesday 12, another 7am run/cycle around the resort, this time a little shorter. After breakfast we returned to our villa and relaxed in the balcony that overlooked one of the canals.
It was back to the lobby bar for lunch, this time ordering a little less sushi. We stayed there with our books for a while before returning to our balcony.
That evening we returned to the bar of the steak restaurant and enjoyed a couple of their coconut and lime sorbet cocktails (which we’d discovered the previous evening) over a game of Rummikub. We had dinner at the Italian restaurant which was ordinary at best.
Breakfast
Wednesday 13, we were doing well and managed another sunrise run/cycle around the resort, this time taking a route through the Rosewood resort. After breakfast we relaxed on our balcony with a couple of take-away coffees from Cafe Maya and our books.
Lunch
As the sun came around the villa we started to lose our shade but it was a good time to relocate to the lobby bar for lunch.
A walk on the beach before dinner
That evening we went down to the beach and took a short walk along the sand. We had about an hour before our dinner reservation so had a couple of drinks. It was quite windy and therefore not ideal conditions for either a game of cards or Rummikub!
The beach
Morning exercise
Thursday 14, we tried to complete a full run/cycle loop of Mayakoba but were scuppered by a closed path.
After breakfast we once again relaxed on the balcony with our books. Tammay made a trip to the bar to pick up a couple of strawberry daiquiris.
After another sushi lunch and a spell reading in the bar area we went to Cafe Maya and sat in the beanbags looking out over the pool.
Cocktails
That evening we had another game of Rummikub over cocktails in the bar. This was followed by dinner at the steak restaurant.
The lobby
Friday 15, another attempt at the Mayakoba full loop and finally some success!
We stuck to the usual routine the after breakfast returned to our balcony. As the sun came around we retreated to the bar for yet another sushi lunch, ordering a little less than the day before! Tammay was now well into her second book (from the Slough House series) but I was happy that I was starting to near the end of mine.
Once again the evening consisted of a game of Rummikub over cocktails followed by dinner at the steak restaurant. As I was getting ready for bed I noticed I’d caught the sun a little from our time on the balcony.
One last run
Saturday 16, we managed another run/cycle around the resort to complete the clean sweep! Fairly sure that’s never happened before.
After breakfast we once again retreated to our balcony. There was a boat that passed by just after midday each day collecting the leaves floating on the canal... it had become a familiar sight.
The lobby
We had a final sushi lunch and waited for our taxi. We had a smooth journey to the airport and check-in was fine but there wasn’t a BA lounge. We instead had to wait in a shared lounge next to the check-in desks meaning we still needed to get through security so couldn’t cut it fine.
In the end security was quick and we weren’t waiting at the gate for very long. As we taxied out to the runway I finished off my glass of Champagne along with my book. Perfect timing!
Sunday 17, for the first time in history the M25 had been closed in both directions (between junctions 10 and 11) for the whole weekend. I had prepared a couple of different routes back to the Cotswolds that avoided the M25 and hoped that the Google’s real-time traffic information would give me a good idea which to pick (or suggest another!).