Kashgar - China, Varanasi - India, Peshawar - Pakistan, and now Tuxtla Gutiérrez - Mexico. All places where I've experienced food poisoning. I'll spare you the more intimate details, they need to stay in the baño, and I'm glad to have put this nasty episode behind me. After a sleepless night and countless dashes to the toilet, I was forced to stay on in Tuxtla for an extra day to rest up and regain some strength. Fortunately my Iranian dorm mate was a sympathetic soul and Facebook messages/e-mails cheered me up. Thank you!
The next day, I was still not that well, lacking energy as I was unable to eat much, but I decided to press on. I was desperate to reach San Cristobal de las Casas, an attractive town in the mountains, for a proper break. Only 38 miles to cover, a short distance, but this involved a climb of 6000 ft. Ouch! It was hard work, not an enjoyable ride but I made it by early afternoon after a 6am start. On arrival I went straight to bed!
It's not been an active four days in Las Casas, the priority has been to rest and get over the sickness. Nevertheless, in its own quiet way, my stay here has been one of the highlights of the trip. It's fascinating to just walk the streets people watching. Everywhere, all times of day, women from local indigenous groups peddle their wares to the visitors; Mexican tourists and foreigners appear to be here in equal measures.
Up in the m ountains tthe climate is pleasantly chilly. I have been enjoying the lower temperatures knowing that soon I will be enduring the heat and humidity of the Yucatán penisula.
More street scenes. Any moments of self pity about feeling ill are quickly banished by a walk in the streets. Though Mexico is far from the poorest country I've ever visited you do see a lot of kids working informally in the streets selling gum, cigarettes or shining shoes. That seems more unjust to me than having to endure a stomachache.
My bike relaxing in the hostel gardens. Beautiful little hostel - Los Camellos - with a very laid back, hippy vibe. This is the low season so not many visitors and the hostel has been blissfully quiet. Truly my mountain retreat!
Markets full of local handicrafts. I would have loved to pick up a few things but it's not really practical to carry stuff on my bike and I'm not sure how much I trust the postal service. Anyway, my focus in this trip/life is more a passport full of stamps than a house full of things.
The town has a very prominent left field, alternative culture with, for example, meditation/Buddhist centres....
...and a grassroots biking community.
Yet more street scenes, more street hawkers.
May not pass a British MOT....
Purposeful Sunday morning at the hostel - shaved as best I can with blunt razor, washed (freshened up) some laundry, cleaned my chain, and listened to some podcasts. My appetite is now whetted to discover the Mayan ruins of the Yucatán, a culture quite separate and distinct from the Central Mexican Aztecs.
This is the home of a Danish explorer/archaeologist , Hans Blom, who mapped the jungle of the local area in his search for Mayan ruins and a better understanding of modern Mayan culture. Working in the 1950s, the groups he encountered were living very primitive lifestyles, untouched by the modern world. Since then the usual suspects have wreaked havoc - logging, agriculture and tourism.
After a few days of gentler eating my appetite is coming back and I think I will ride on tomorrow (Monday). Next destination - Palenque, two days downhill through the jungle. Getting sick was a bit of a 'trough' in the trip, so what comes next must be a 'peak'!
Kashgar - China, Varanasi - India, Peshawar - Pakistan, and now Tuxtla Gutiérrez - Mexico. All places where I've experienced food poisoning. I'll spare you the more intimate details, they need to stay in the baño, and I'm glad to have put this nasty episode behind me. After a sleepless night and countless dashes to the toilet, I was forced to stay on in Tuxtla for an extra day to rest up and regain some strength. Fortunately my Iranian dorm mate was a sympathetic soul and Facebook messages/e-mails cheered me up. Thank you!
The next day, I was still not that well, lacking energy as I was unable to eat much, but I decided to press on. I was desperate to reach San Cristobal de las Casas, an attractive town in the mountains, for a proper break. Only 38 miles to cover, a short distance, but this involved a climb of 6000 ft. Ouch! It was hard work, not an enjoyable ride but I made it by early afternoon after a 6am start. On arrival I went straight to bed!
It's not been an active four days in Las Casas, the priority has been to rest and get over the sickness. Nevertheless, in its own quiet way, my stay here has been one of the highlights of the trip. It's fascinating to just walk the streets people watching. Everywhere, all times of day, women from local indigenous groups peddle their wares to the visitors; Mexican tourists and foreigners appear to be here in equal measures. 
Up in the m ountains tthe climate is pleasantly chilly. I have been enjoying the lower temperatures knowing that soon I will be enduring the heat and humidity of the Yucatán penisula.
More street scenes. Any moments of self pity about feeling ill are quickly banished by a walk in the streets. Though Mexico is far from the poorest country I've ever visited you do see a lot of kids working informally in the streets selling gum, cigarettes or shining shoes. That seems more unjust to me than having to endure a stomachache.
My bike relaxing in the hostel gardens. Beautiful little hostel - Los Camellos - with a very laid back, hippy vibe. This is the low season so not many visitors and the hostel has been blissfully quiet. Truly my mountain retreat!
Markets full of local handicrafts. I would have loved to pick up a few things but it's not really practical to carry stuff on my bike and I'm not sure how much I trust the postal service. Anyway, my focus in this trip/life is more a passport full of stamps than a house full of things. 
The town has a very prominent left field, alternative culture with, for example, meditation/Buddhist centres....
...and a grassroots biking community.
Yet more street scenes, more street hawkers. 
May not pass a British MOT....
Purposeful Sunday morning at the hostel - shaved as best I can with blunt razor, washed (freshened up) some laundry, cleaned my chain, and listened to some podcasts. My appetite is now whetted to discover the Mayan ruins of the Yucatán, a culture quite separate and distinct from the Central Mexican Aztecs.
This is the home of a Danish explorer/archaeologist , Hans Blom, who mapped the jungle of the local area in his search for Mayan ruins and a better understanding of modern Mayan culture. Working in the 1950s, the groups he encountered were living very primitive lifestyles, untouched by the modern world. Since then the usual suspects have wreaked havoc - logging, agriculture and tourism. 
After a few days of gentler eating my appetite is coming back and I think I will ride on tomorrow (Monday). Next destination - Palenque, two days downhill through the jungle. Getting sick was a bit of a 'trough' in the trip, so what comes next must be a 'peak'!
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