Not since the 1981 movie ‘Escape From New York‘ had I known such a dramatic departure from a desolate place as I did when leaving Isla Mujeres. I became the Australian version of Kurt Russell, without the eye patch but with one eye fixed on my destination, mixed with the ruggedness of Paul Hogan in the subway scene of the movie ‘Crocodile Dundee’…pulling his huge outback knife (well a black camera with a rather long lens) on anyone who got in the way.

As I write this I must admit these fruit cocktails seem not to have any tequila in them…waiter…another double please!

So snaking into Cancun late at night was not too soon!

This place had so much going for it…power, running water, working sewage system and people that seemed to understand they didn’t own the place, yet probably could. It was interesting to be at a Mexican beach resort town that had cemented out any form of history…oh wait…masked characters outside a bar, I stand corrected. They are referred to as ‘personajes enmascarados’ apparently, I just referred them to my “Kurt Russell – I just save the President with one eye” look and they funnily enough never bothered me.

Here the floating drink holders from Sunnylife were a hit in the pools, with many asking after them. I would reply that I brought them from Australia and that would perplex the American’s as they would ask where in the States that was, while the rest would say that was a long way to travel for them…I did try to explain that they were not real and came in my bag, to no success. Ahh the land of drunken delusion and it was only 10am…can I stay please?

These few days allowed pondering the impact of success on places…from the untouched magic of Isla Holbox, to the temperamental make-up of Isla Mujeres, to the unabashed over population of Cancun…like an intoxicated giant of civilisation stumbling from place to place as crowds cheer for more, the outcome would bring a hangover that no taco buffet could fix.

Cancun, the land of the gold snake, well the gold filling that is for sure and I had my fill so time to say Adios and see you soon like we all do at awkward goodbyes, but the truth be told I wouldn’t be back to Cancun in a blue moon.