2 weeks of sunshine and hell

2 weeks at the Eldorado was going to be good. We did very little the first week as we decided to do the sightseeing in the 2nd week. So we relaxed in the sea and pool, around the bars, met other people from the USA and Canada which we have kept in touch with. Went to a natural lagoon called Cel Ha (pronounced  SHELL-HA). Paid to go in but was well worth it.

Then during our 2nd week we were hit by the Hurricane Wilma. We were evacuated from this beachly heaven further up the coast to Tulum, some massive hotel complex used by Thomas Cooke and other cheap holiday companies. It was full of Scot's(no offence if you are Scottish), and Italians, Spanish Dutch and Germans, and probably any other denominations you can think of.

It was like a massive Butlins, Pontins and army camp all in one. It was that big and inpersonal it had 5 swimming pools in our complex alone. And there were three complexes to each sit, and there were three sites to the hotel complex !

Anyway it was storm proof, or at least the apartment blocks were.36 rooms to a block, 18 front, 18 at the back. We had a room on the sheltered side. The facing side rooms got flooded, from the Friday morning till the monday night we were without Electricity, running water, toilet facilities and food. All we had was what the hotel staff could throw into our foyers in each apartment buildings. It was either a bit of fruit or a half sandwich with a half bottle of water per person. we didn't have any change of clothes, as we had to leave all but ourbasics in the Eldorado Hotel in a safe area, to be collected later.

The temperature even during the storm was always in the 30's, rain made it humid and damp. We had no fans or A/C. The water to flush the toilets was dragged up in buckets from ditches around our appatments that had filled to 6ft with rainwater. During which time the 175mph winds never ceased.

We were delayed an extra 6 days. Trying to get flights out of Cancun. But the airport like the roads were wasted by the storm. Thousands of nationalities were trying to get home. During the storm all the Italians started looting the storage buildings looking for booze, water, food, towels etc.. it was scary i now understand how everybody loses control under stress situations.

Anyway we are back to tell the tale, even after been diverted to Amsterdam then onto Manchester.

Would I go back to Mexico ?   -  Yes, not in October, and to see the Ruins of the Mayan's, perhaps see how the brilliant Mexicans have rebuilt Cancun, playa del carmen, cozomel and Tulum. The people are  so nice ..they deserve better .