Just down the highway is the town of Akumal with a beach renowned as a turtle breeding habitat; intrigued we hop the collectivos bus and after ten minutes we are dropped by the side of the road in the blistering heat. A little confused as to where to go, we completely miss the very obvious pedestrian overpass and dodge traffic on the road bridge. This is made some what more difficult by my insistence on wearing my favourite flip flops ... of which the left is now severely broken... by this I mean the toe-post has completely escaped the sole!
Needless to say we both end up walking (or should I say hobbling) along the gravel-ly road.
We arrive at the beach, a beautiful palm lined lagoon enclosed by reef and cool off with a coke at a little bar. Then for the real task... renting snorkels and feeling very penguin like we attempt our way into the sea to find these infamous turtles!
We are not graceful! The swimming is haphazard as tipping your head the wrong way or a larger than average wave sends salty water straight down the snorkels breathing tube... cue spluttering and temporary panic!
We go out three times in all; it is beautiful by the reef with many fish and we do eventually find turtles (or maybe they find us as we are aimless swimming in circles ;) )
Turtles.. well amazing, beautiful, graceful! They really glide, I manage to touch one and it is silky smooth with an embossed feel to its shell. Safe to say my attempt to hitch a ride is met with great mirth from D and complete contempt from the turtle concerned, who proceeds to dive down deeper and start nonchalantly eating on the sea bed while I float in awe above. I loved it.
Swimming so far and with D does hit home a little as I realise quite how unfit I have become. I hate feeling weak and am so afraid of being weaker. However on the bright side I do remember swimming in a pool in March and still experiencing a lot pain in my (12") abdominal surgical scar (dating from Aug the prev year) which is now absent so I suppose that silver linings are the way forward!
LIVE LOVE LAUGH. VX
On a side note I know I am very behind with this blog but I will catch up so keep an eye over the next week and I will do my very best to catch up!
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