6/12/19: lazy gets lazier...

I'm writing now from Zipolite, a beach town an hour or so down the road from Puerto Escondido. I've been here for the past few days, enjoying the empty beach after staying in a full, lively hostel in Puerto Escondido.

The last few nights could not have been more different from the P.E. hostel. I'm staying at Shambhala, which is kind of like a hippie treehouse. $6 for a bed with a mosquito net in the dorm, really more like a porch. That's been really lovely, actually, since no one else is staying in the dorm and I can hear the ocean loud and clear from my bed. Last night was a little concerning, though -- a big storm rolled through, and suddenly the treehouse thing seemed a lot less romantic. Fortunately, the building's still standing, and I'm still in one piece.

I took another boat tour yesterday, after a bit of a delay for the Mexico - South Africa game. Snorkeling was on the agenda this time. I've only been snorkeling once before, on a 6th grade field trip in the San Juans. I remember not being impressed. It was cold, it was dark, gross slimy plants kept touching me. Mostly it was cold. Not so in Mexico! The water is warm and clear! The fish have colors! Whole different ball game. I saw a decapitated shark's head, a bunch of little neon guys, a swordfish, some angelfish, and I even held a puffer fish for a few seconds before he squirmed away.

I think I'm ready to be around people again now, so I'm taking the nght bus to San Cristobal de las Casas tonight. It's supposed to be an easier trip than the Oaxaca - Puerto Escondido route, but I'm still a little nervous. I'm coming prepared this time, though -- dramamine, plastic bags, and crackers are on hand. Wish me luck.