So obviously that wasn´t the whole week.

Great new, I have an apostrophy/ee button.

I am currently very cold, odd - since I am finally out of the cold. But it is only 7am and all the

windows in this place are permanantly open.
The lady is mopping under my feet as I speak. She is warm - knowing to wear her jeans and jacket. But that is okay because TONIGHT....

OFF THE TO CARRIBEAN OCEAN! At last, the time has come.

But sorry, now we are backtracking.

FIRST: Where I left out was San Cristobal.

I arrived on an overnight bus from Oaxaca, this took about 11 hours. We changed hostels and then were off to the market. Solo for veges coz none of us could be ARSED (hanging with the Irish) doing much but eating. We made a pasta and befriended a British lad, Martin, Asian-British .,. which is of course what excited me - never met an Asian-decent person with a semi cockney accent!

That night we had a bonfire... they are supposed to have them everynight at 8pm but they are also supposed to have Salsa on Mondays and Tuesdays and that didn´t happen.

But I had bought marshmallows and Roisin found some kind of meat skewers, we sat enthusiastically by the empty fireplace until about 30 mins after 8 when a girl went up and asked for us.

Because, Child - it was COLD. This place is ABOVE the clouds. It is beaut during the day, but run for a llama when the sun sets.

Interesting fact: LLAMA is one Spanish word that Euros fail to correctly pronounce. In Spanish, double L is a Y. We have succeeded with this rule for Tortillas.

The bonfire was a great success. These 2 middle aged couples (Canadians aye Ma) who are travelling the world on their motorbikes (not all at once though... but they came from Toronto and were in South Mexico 4 days later... IMPRESSIVE) anywho. They had bike NZ (probably in half a day, but the Interislanders speed may have screwed that up) and guess what was their fave city... NELLLSSSOOOOnnn.

They mentioned it before me! Did you know that in the new NZ Lonely Planet they have ranked ABEL TASMAN NAT´L PARK as the top thing in NZ??

I have been spreading this gospel since I got to Uni.. I should´ve got paid for this....

Anyways, they were all ¨I could live there¨ and then I dropped the ´I´m semi-oneofyou, my Ma is Canadian aye´ and they weren´t suprised that a Cancuk was in Nelson. Then they wanted her story and the whole KFC-working-TableTennis-Playing-Illegal-Accountant Father came in to the story. I have always wondered if my reasons for my father being in Bermuda are true... but never wanted to ask for clarity incase I have had the marvellous tale incorrectly in my brain for years.

That night we headed to a crepe place for dinner. Well, they did. Unfortunately, I was called across the road to a place with my FAVE Churros (stick doughnuts) and these were Rellenos aka Filled aka you pick a sauce and they pour it in! Sooo good - and clever. Once I had Choc sauce I also needed icecream so a choc-vanilla sundae with Caramel sauce helped that. All traditional mexican, of course.

The next day we hit up this river in a boat. It is the attraction that Chiapas is known for. It was beautiful because of the huge clifts. But we saw about 100 crocs, some beaut waterfalls and even 2 monkeys. I am starting to love monkeys again after a traumatic chasing in Cambodia.

They dropped us in town so I walked up towards this church on a hill. My Irish friends had tried this walk already, only to be greeted by to little ´´Money for the school¨ Oliver Twists.

They came out 29 pesos short. But i knew better because of them. The boys get you to write your name, then make you pledge an ammount... their English is only ¨Your name¨and ¨Money for the school¨. I rejected them both individually, then on the way down asked if it was for the school - the boy was saying ¨Siiii¨ in this way grown men say it, SO convincingly - he must´ve learnt it from his papa because his face scrunched in a very adult-manner.

Anyways, on the way up I came across a girl I had met at school in Oaxaca, Veronica. This was weird because although travellers (who all take the same route) bump into each other frequently... she had left Oaxaca a week earlier for Mexico city and then Cancun, and I was supposed to be heading off in the opposite direction.

After the one church, I spotted another on the other side of town(it had a GREAT view) on another hill so trekked up their. I walked down a closed off tourist street where almost every shop and international restaurant was run by expats. I was in a 2nd hand book shop, run by an American lady, and she had an oven at the counter - she was baking AMAZING SMELLING Cookies and Brownies... with Icing of course. I stood their staring at her thinking ´´This is actually my dream¨.

The other church was beautiful and had great views again.. .everyone described SC as ¨A pretty little town´´ but the place is HUGE. All these people, up above the clouds.

Unfortunately, either on the bus or the street, me Irish lost their camera. The company of course, was no help with this. I wonder who has it now?

So dinner was a bit of a downer, but we all followed Roisin to a Pizza place, where they were playing Anaconda movie in Spanish. That is one bad movie with some bad graphics.

Next day we rose, had our AMAZING included breakfast (the hostel was 119 a night... about 12 dollars NZ), AMAZING was used because I saw and used a toaster for the first time since I was staying in the OC aka Amanda´s house week one. It was toast, coffee, yogurt, fruit... wow. We got on what was supposed to be a 5 hour bus ride to Palenque. The whole trip was through small villages with about 500 speed bumps (was in the bathroom for a whole run of them, getting tossed around viciously). We wondered why all the villagers were staring like they´d never seen a bus before, when buses to Palenque were frequent. Turns out, they may not have.

The highway was closed, so the 5 hour bus ride was almost 8 hours.. I was urked. But, we did see a lot villages and Mexican life. We passed about 100 schools, most with one room - some with 2. They all had full sized basketball courts. I guess this is where the Mexican basketball teams come from, since everyone else is playing Soccer.

We arrived at Palenque and booked the tour for the next day. The hostel here was SO beautiful... actually, all the hostels have been - they are all sister hostels. I wish I had taken more photos but at this stage my camera was full. It was resort style (without pool unfortunately)... so clean too. We were happy to be back inthe heat, especially after the freezing AC they insist on shooting outof the buses here.

The tour was unique. We had an ass of a driver - a bit of a prick... I could tell from the 1st second. He did not want to be there. We went to the Palenque ruins first, which was beautiful... photos say 1000 words I guess. Our Mexican student IDs got us off the 51 peso fee - although I am sad to not being able to hoard the tickets. But I think my stingyness outways my hoarder tendencies... RA may not agree. Gaz would, traits from him. We are proud tightarses.

The bathrooms were also free - a rarity for Mexico.

I got whistled down by a man for being a badass and walking on this grass. We were up on a building and he was all

The tour guide said we were to meet him back at the cafe at 12. We were SO hungry so practically ran to the ´´cafe´´at about 11:30 (we got to the ruins about 8:30)... only to find 20 tables, a coffee machine and a half filled snack machine.
The thing is, if they put a cafe there - they would RAKE in the money. About 100 people came trhough looking for food in the hour we were there. Yes, hour. One hungry hour.

The tour guide didn´t even come back... another bus driver had to call him for us. We got on the bus (us 3 and 3 turkish guys we met -THE FIRST TO RECOGNISE MY ACCENT!! Turkish Guys!! really), to discover a mexican couple and American trio who had joined the tour... One of the Turkish guys mentioned in a friendly manner to the driver that he was late... the driver didn´t care. I said ¨no one tip him¨ and the american girl hollered ¨I´m with ya sister¨ (on the tour in San Cristobal we had virtually no choice about some tippings...the guy on the boat was like ´Now everyone gives me tips... usually 10 pesos each¨, which everyone was willing to do coz this guy found animals and such... effort was involved. The driver of the bus wanted tips too - only one lady did.. you gotta work for your money! He didn´t say a word...and potentially stole the Irishmens camera).

The American girl was already fuming about the driver... I donñy know what haapened but she was not happy. His driving was NUTS.. he went to pull out infront of a truck with 10 people hanging off the back, but had to swoop back behind after we nearly a corner. Everyone screamed (and swore) and the people on the back of the bus were screaming at him and he didn´t move his eyelids from half way down his eyes. Didn´t apologise... well, as expected the American lady (with fluent spanish) went NUTS... she did a great, rapid speech about how we don´t want to die. The tension became awkward until we got to the next stop, a huge waterfall you can walk around.

We got out and the driver wanted our funds (you have to pay extra money on tours ALL THE time ... for entrance fees and here Zapatista fees for the rebels too), the American lady wanted him to produce tickets, because she knew he would keep the money. We stood their as they raged at each other, then her 2 male friends got involved... I wanted to take some photos of it but didn´t want her rage on me.

We were so hungry, so we broke from the action (but continued to watch it, especially as multiple mexican drivers got involved to try and calm her) in the cafe.

The waterfall was beautiful - only needs about 5 mins, but you walk under/behind it onthe rocks - get sprayed. I was falling everwhere coz I was in my crocs.

Next stop was Agua Azul... a river of the MOST BEAUTIFUL COLOUR,unfortunately the phots just don´t do it justice. There we swam for a few hours until the rain turned us cold.
We got back to the van, all shivering. Our driver was asleep but we had to wait for the mexican couple so we all got fries.
Here I learnt that the film NACHO LIBRE, from the Napolean Dynamite director, was based on a Oaxacan story and filmed in Oaxaca. So that´s the first thing I am going to watch on my way home!

Right now, gotta run - we are going to CHITCHEN ITZA; the most fmous ruins in Mexico.

Apologies for only writing about a few days here.. more will come!

Where to go? Oct 9th?-16?

So,

I do not know If I have mentioned it before, BUT I was going to have an exam in Nov.

After a month in Oaxaca and a day of walking around in a panicked-daze, where I sat on the corner of a highway trying to think for half of it.

But I ended up here. Where is here?

Once again, a bit of explaining to do.. and now I have a certain learn-to-sing tune from Sound Of Music in my head.

On Saturday night I met up with the last time with my Mexican friend, as I was leaving the next day. We got Esquites.. this hot corn and various other ingreds soup... which I am now in love with. I could do with some right now....

I was under the impression that I had to pay about 270 dollars US to take an international spanish test. Last sunday, when I was taking a bus out that night (but I didn´t know where) I went to a internet cafe (well, hotel since in was Sunday... this is a Catholic country) I learned that A- I was supposed to sign up in person in on of the offices in the main city (there were only for das of registration left, and I was heading to one of two small towns). B - The exam is actually 4 hours long... WHHAATTT?

Originally i was urked because i had been in Oaxaca for a month, was finally leaving when I realised I couldçve done this easily weeks ago but now I had to stay another day.

Then I was urked when the 4 hours came back to me.. I wouldn´t say my Spanish can even last me 4 hours.. that is 5 different exams... talking, listening, writing, word recognisation and one other. And, this exam is only taken on 2 days in the entire year. So I was going to take it on

Nov 19th. In little over a month.

Although I wanted to have the ``I can do anything!` mentality, I knew this was impossible...

if I managed to study and learn enough I knew the stress of it all would eat me alive.

So that is why I was sitting on a corner.

Then I couldn´t work something out... the girls who have returned from Spain couldn´t remember jack, so I KNOW they couldn´t have taken this exam.

I went on the internet to try and get more info from my school website. Not a big success.

I emailed my Exchange man who I report to when I am away from school. A big stressed email,

to which the reply was

^Yep, you have to do it. Hope this clears things yup* or something as equally frustrating.

THe good thing was, it was now 6;15pm, I was on the internet for 15 mins and he happened to be online. If he hadn`t been.. I would still be in Oaxaca, significantly poorer and more stressed.

But he added an attachment.. alas, this attachment told me there was another way.

That way is to be tested, in any language, at a school in Adelaide. I think that the DELE, the international spanish exam, was actually higher than the level of the rest... if you go to a Eurocentre, I know the option was lower, because they compare with the DELE on the site.

ANYWAYS,

This exam costs $125 Aus.. so I could fail it and take it again and I am still paying less.
This way too, I can go to the school for a few prep lessons... I don´t feel like I have any help or

proper prep methods here.

Anyways, this option had not be presented to me (see above line email from man), but I am glad within those 15 minutes (while writing a panicked email to my parents.. as you do), it occured to me that the school exam CAN NOTbe the DELE exam. Just to check I emailed back adelaide and he rang the school to check.

I got the reply ``You can take the exam any day in the year....^^

THANK HEAVENS. IT was now 7pm, and I within seconds I decided that I was going to follow me irish lads to San Cristobal on a 9pm bus (a town ABOVE THE CLOUDS... donçt read about those temps in the Lonely PLanet... actually, you would. But I guess I donçt associate Mexico with cold).

I sent an email saying ``not coming ... wap, wap, wap``then just before logging off.. ``Cancel that, see you soon!```

I tossed the money to the attendent and ran home. Then I got my money and ran (full of adrenilin) to town... I was tossing up whether to run for a ticket or run to pack and then just get a ticket when i got there... but after full buses in PV, I wasn´t about to do that.

So I ran to town, bought my ticket (in the end the bus wasnçt half full...) and ran home to pack. This was about 7:30 now and I had furiously gathered my things and showered (something I have come a bit lazy at in oaxaca), and at about 8:10 Iwas standing on the main road flagging a taxi.. I could`ve taken longer if I hadn`t taken the ticket ladies `Get there 30 mins early` advice seriously. I don´t know why I did-- I guess I am waiting for the day when being early in Mexico is required..

Side story: I ran to the theatre last night to catch a 7pm show of Hairspray (YESSSS), only to hgave the curtain raise at 7:45. I could´ve had dinner and showered team!

I was at the station by 8:26 and all happy and excited, but not really believing that this exam that have thought I was taking for the past 2 months, was not necessary.

I managed to sleep on this overnight bus a few times.. I was the only one awake when the driver turned on the lights and announced there was a 30 min break in the middle of no where... and 3.30am!

On Saturday me and the Irish lads had run into a `British girl, who I started talking to because we wanted to know how much she paid for a painting (these guys are around selling them ALL The time... this is the first time I witnessed a`purchasè.

She wasn`t liking Oaxaca... she had just come on the overnight bus from San Cristobal in Chiapas where she said something about it being `the most GLORious place in the world`` and how we MUST stay at this hostel where there is a wizard who lives in the roof and a guitar for singalongs and HUMMINGbirds in the yard. Now it seems clear that she was a mix of over-enthusiastic and crazy.. but that didn´t get us at the time.

Only when i showed up to the hostel where Roisin and Padraic were woken by my voice as I walked in did it hit me. The man pointed me to the room (which was metres away from him... without a proper roof, and the first thing Roisin said was `We are NOT staying here.`
They already had, for a night, which was not the initial plan, but they showed up at the beautiful colonial house they saw on HostelWorld to find in barred up with wood, graffitied and smelling of urine. That was all outside... because there didn´t seem to be a way in.

That´s okay, they thought, we can go to the MARVellous place the Brit spoke so fondly of.

So this is where I fould them now, in a freezing, loud room half painted red and half purple, with a wonky U2 poster on the wall. They couldn´t sleep because two girls were singing french songs outside their room for half the night.

The kitchen was an old, filth-pit but inside we found ``the wizard``. An 60-something american man with huge white hair and a great beard (suprised?) with two Mexican amigos sitting with him, laughing at everything he said.

One he cracked was when I told him I was `studying at the moment` and he said ``Really, coz I thought you were standing there`` and CRACKED up with the same force as a Gary Williams Sneeze before I had even processed his funny.

He told us his South/Central american tales (he seems to have been travelling around, living at hostels for years, but has never worked in any of these countries...) and when we told him about the British girl he was very enthusiastic ``Ohhh yaaaa, It´s great when you hear about little gems. This is the best hostel I have ever stayed at in the whole world``--- this is when

wee realised that everyone has a different definition of what a good hostel is... this one cost $60.00 pesos.. about $6... most in Mex are $120.

When we saw him later on in TOwn he was in a huge Mexican jersey that they sell at the markets, had cut off, tight jean shorts only going mid-thigh, with sandals made from Rope.

He was luging his guitar with him and carrying a snack.

``What have you been up to?`` I asked. His reply ``Just eating some bread and cheese``.

Awkward pause. ``Is it good?``

``YAAA you should get some.. (then gave vauge directions to the bread shop and cheese shop).. Is it two blocks? it might be three....`` his directions were wrong. we didn´t want his amazing snack, but we did stumble across the the shop. Awkward pause.

``Were you busking??``

Awkward pause.

``NOOO, (capitals showing aggression) I don´t play for money. I just play to be free``- I don´t know how we weren´t laughing, but I was a mixture of happy and disapointed that my brother Guy wasn´t there.. it was good he wasn´t coz he would be in stitches... but at the same time I wish he had met him (who we know only as the wizard).