If you’re looking for a super chilled out place in Mexico with nothing to do other than laze in the sun, swim, read, snooze, eat delicious fresh food and oh, veg out, then Zipolite is for you, specifically El Alquimista. You can leave your worries, work, cares and… er, clothes… behind you and slip into Alquimista time where the drift from sunrise til sundown is a delicious slow crawl (Which goes by distressingly more quickly with each passing day – Ant)…

Another dawn greeting, this time from pint-size Ernesto (or Papa as they like to call him around these parts), who patrols part of the beach making himself known to all that pass. Cute as a button with his ‘cola doblada’ (bent tail) he yaps and yaps but really he’s a softy at heart, a complete roll over.

I have to say the people that we’ve encountered on our journey so far in Mexico, with particular reference to Oaxaca, have been some of the friendliest people anywhere. We haven’t heard one bad word, a raised voice in anger or any hostility against anyone whatsoever – anywhere. (Smiles and helpfulness – and pride – Ant).

Tomorrow we head back to Mexico City via Puerto Escondido, overnight then fly down to Chile, where perhaps Spring has sprung – here’s hoping! We get to finally unpack our suitcases, air and wear our clothes.