Hola to all!

[animaskid]

Just registered! Been lurking around this forum for a while... and, certainly not a newby to Tulum. First visit was in '80, and many times since. However, every year until now, my trips have mostly been to PDC. Time to move once again further south, and can't wait to see and meet all of you guys for a couple of weeks in July. And by the way, a special thanks to you, Margo, and the prompt return emails. Look forward to meeting you, and sharing those namesake drinks we discussed! :cool:

[JunkyBurrittos]

Anima,

Congrats on your migration south. I think you're going to like it! It might just ruin PDC for ya, though, so hope you're ready! ;)

[animaskid]

I am SO ready! I've had great times along the way in PDC, but the crowds and All-Inclusives are more than I can stand anymore. Look forward to hearing more about your recent stay at CT.

[tbpeaceful]

Hola! :wave: and welcome from lurkdom . I can appreciate the bravado used to log in and post.

This is a strange and beautiful world. :sun:

[beachreader]

Welcome, animaskid! :wave: Fun name, happy to have another one of you highlanders around here. Seems like next to MN, we have a lot of Rocky Mt. types!

[minniemex]

Welcome out of lurkdom!

Do you have any old pictures you can share with us?

[dorado dave]

ahh , a dirt road boy from way back. welcome to the new world of tulum international airport.
1980? Really?

[animaskid]

Yes, really. I wish I had pictures I could share. Lost those to an ex of long ago. Tulum was so different then, and yes, the road south from Cancun was mostly gravel, paved in parts, and a very narrow two lanes with jungle close on both sides. Kind of like the road to Coba was 10 years ago, or so. Meeting the old Ruta Uno busses to Chetumal back then was more than just scary, it was downright dangerous. I remember the parking lot at the ruins of Tulum was dirt. Nothing else was there. You could drive up, park by the wall, pay a very nominal fee, and walk right in. Guides were few and most didn't speak English anyway. When the movie, "Against All Odds" came out in '84 I was ecstatic! That movie still gives one a good perspective of how Tulum, Cozumel, and Chichen Itza looked when Cancun was just becoming a new tourist destination. The Tulum beach had the "old" Cabanas Tulum, I remember. No electricity, of course, and several Camptels.

Chichen Itza was much the same way. Drive up nearly onto the grounds of the ruins. Just a few vendors. I'll never forget the freshly made hand-ground corn tortillas a beautifully dressed Mayan lady was cooking on a hot stone. Delicious! Valladolid was then, as now, a beautiful colonial city, where we stopped and rested on our 4 hour bus ride from Cancun. Oh, and the Cancun airport? Wow! I'll save that description for later. No terminal! And now Tulum is getting an airport? Unbelievable!!!

Later,
Animaskid

[Westybchbum]

wowow, what a description AK.... if only we were all so lucky to have known the area then!! Welcome to our little slice of heaven and hoping you still find pleasure in Tulum 30+ years later... .when is the last time you went???

[animaskid]

Thanks for the welcome!!! I was in Tulum last summer...but only to the ruins. To bring my new fiancee to the Yucatan for her first time. We stayed at Luna Blue in Playa. She absolutely loved it. I told her just wait until this summer when we will spend 9 days of our honeymoon at CT in Tulum. I have returned to the Mayan Riviera almost every year since '80. Always staying in Playa in cabanas and boutique hotels (never AI's), while venturing out with day trips to Valladolid, Paamul, Akumal, Coba, S.Ka'an, and Tulum. Now, I just can't take the crowds anymore. So, Tulum, here we come!!! Can't believe I've waited so long. Great memories, and fond times of the past in PDC, have been hard to let go of.... Thanks again, Westy.

[Westybchbum]

In that case we hope for an amazing trip and even more amazing trip report when you return! Oh, and congrats on the engagement, did you say this trip will be a honeymoon? Have you gotten married yet or will be by the time you go? Just wondering from a fellow newlywed. :)

[animaskid]

We'll be getting married here in beautiful Colorado where we live. Then, honeymoon for a couple of weeks in the cool of the mountains, before heading off to the Yucatan for two more weeks of jungle, surf, and sun!

[beachreader]

Awesome! And don't forget your red lens for your flashlight if you'll be using a light on the beach at night. Though July 15 is the full moon, so you'll probably see the turtles in the amazing moonlight! Check with Om about their full moon parties, not sure if it'll be on the actual day of or more on the weekend, but I've heard they're pretty cool.

[animaskid]

Wow! Thanks, Beachreader. My new bride was just asking me yesterday if there would be a chance of seeing the turtles. So, being a backpacker here in the mountains of Colorado, I'll have the headlamps packed and ready to go! Will check out OM as well. And a special shout out to Anna who does the bookings for CT and La Tortuga in PDC. Super Lady to work with!

[beachreader]

Do your headlamps have red lenses? I know some of them do come with that option, but I've yet to find one, so if you have that and can tell me where you got it, that would be great, thanks. The turtles don't like white light so they ask that anyone using light on the beach use red light. Compliance isn't perfect, either from visitors or from the hotels, but they do a pretty good job considering. Some folks just use red plastic wrap and a rubber band.

When I've been in August and September, we basically took long beach walks every night after dinner (or later), looking for the tell-tale tracks of the mama (they look very much like snowmobile tracks to me) coming up out of the water. If they're only one-way, you can follow them up and see her doing her thing. Once Susan and I saw one actually coming out of the water for the first time, that was cool.

You should stop by Nueva Vida de Ramiro, where they have a protected turtle nest area (the turtle patrol gathers eggs from nests in risky areas, either not high enough on the beach or in high traffic areas; otherwise they leave them where they are) and ask them if there will be any hatchings that night.

But you may be lucky and see a hatching wherever you are, since the turtle patrol leaves many nests in situ. So you may be walking along the beach and notice a hundred tiny little critters scrambling to the water. It's the coolest thing ever!

[animaskid]

Sounds cool! Will do. Red? Definitely. Check out Spot Headlamps by Black Diamond at REI. Its what I use. A little expensive, but backpacking and camping in the mountains, mine gets lots of use. And you get what you pay for. Here's the link: http://www.rei.com/product/807913/black-diamond-spot-headlamp

[beachreader]

Cool! Thanks so much! I love that it's water-resistant, too.

[beachreader]

One quick headlamp question: is the "low" white light setting actually pretty low? I've had a few things where the "low" is basically like just a tiny bit less bright than the "bright" setting, and I found that too bright to read by when it's pitch dark in the room. I've gotten around it by using covers and such, but it would be nice for something to have the setting already done.

[animaskid]

The Spot dims down pretty low on either of the "white" settings. Just hold down the button, and it will dim down to whatever brightness suits you best... from bright to low or anywhere in between.

[animaskid]

I use it to read in the pitch-black dark of a tent. Good battery life, too.

[beachreader]

Awesome, thanks so much. I think I'm ready to hit "Buy Now"! REI should give you a little piece of the action.

[animaskid]

I think you'll like it.

[animaskid]

Tulum, here we come! Leaving our Colorado home at 4:00 AM! Valladolid, Ek Balam, Coba, and Tulum for two weeks!!! See ya soon, Margo!

[beachreader]

Have a great trip!!! :wave::sun::palmtree:

[utmck]

When the movie, "Against All Odds" came out in '84 I was ecstatic!

Were some of the scenes of this movie shot in the Tulum area?

[JunkyBurrittos]

Yeah!!! Have an incredible time! I can't wait for what I know will be a fabulous TR! Safe travels.

[animaskid]

To all...Thanks! To utmck... yes. Tulum, Chichen Itza, and Cozumel. Pretty good flick from '84.