Trip report. Long! Boring details!

[Beiji]

Great report and I liked your pics. I always wondered if a gringo could get on the collectivo buses. I figured the taxi drivers wouldn't allow it. I am sure that is why they dont run to the hotels.

I have to look for the luggage drop off at the ferry. I have yet to see that. I am quite sure they schedule the buses so you can rush to the dock and watch the ferry depart. Happens to me EVERYTIME..... I do like the travel details. What did you negotiate as a rate with the bicycle guy?

I can just hear the bus driver, "No, gringo, no puede pasar!" I tipped the bicycle guy $10 for taking our bags to Casa Mexicana. I think a taxi would have been $5! When we left, we just walked to the ferry and saved ourselves a few dollars.

Great trip report! I appreciate your insights and share some of your feelings comparing the boutiques to SCC, both have their pros and cons! Thanks for sharing

Thanks, baystr!

Because the very powerful taxi unions won't allow it. Many here would love to have island-wide bus transportation -- even if it ran infrequently during the day. Cancun runs buses in its hotel zone and the taxis can compete because fares there are pretty reasonable. The taxi fares here are very high and the union aims to keep 'em that way.

That makes sense. Everywhere else I've been in Mexico there has been ample public transportation.

Did you dive Colombia Shallows? I try to make it there a couple of times on every trip (on a two week trip a few years ago we went there 5 times!). There is usually little to no current there and it's shallow - 30' max - and some of the coral heads get to within 10' of the surface. I take a magnifying glass with me and go into macro mode, looking for tiny creatures.

I did Columbia Deep but not Columbia Shallows. One of my favorite spots is Chankanaab Shallows, but this trip I only dove Chankanaab Bolones, which was a lot of fun too. I enjoyed the night dive at Paradiso also. The problem is that a lot of people don't like to do the shallower dives and prefer to do the ones with the more dramatic coral formations. Since I'm on my own, I'm only one vote on the boat.

Glad you guys had fun. sounds like a really good trip.

Did you bring your "puny" with you? I think that would be nice to have if you were separating from the group or did you have a buddy with you when you went over the top of the swim throughs?

"I'm not young", "I'm not very strong", "if you're tired and don't do the swim throughs", "help me". You can't fool me. Anyone that dives in Skaneateles when you can't get down the access road because there's two feet of snow on it is tough as nails!! You won't see me in the water until at least May.:cold: I'm a wimp. I enjoyed reading your trip report.

I did take my "puny" bottle (13 cf)! I forgot to mention it. I had no trouble getting it there or getting it filled. Quite a few people asked me questions about it. I didn't use it but was glad to have it with me since I'm so accustomed to diving with it. When I went over the coral I was by myself but only for a short time. I followed the bubbles of the other divers who went through the swim throughs. And there were a couple times when I surfaced away from the group, and I was very glad I had my SMB and air horn with me. I didn't use the air horn above water, but I did use my SMB multiple times.

No, it's true! I am a wuss! Plus, they shovel the road to the boat launch at Mandana. Glad you enjoyed the report.