Our numbers continued to dwindle until there was three bins of dead chicken and only a couple people in the back of the truck. There has only been a couple times in my life I wished I was dead due to the agony that I felt, my butt hurt, my back hurt, the choice not to eat breakfast (only a mango and some bread), and I was tired from the heat and dust inhalation. I avoided drinking water because I didn’t want to know what going to the bathroom would be like, pulling over on the side of the cliff to pee, no thank you. We were in San Quintín, the driver asked where we were heading, Laguna Miramar. He stopped right at the edge of town where we were to find the tourist location to receive our permits for the hike to the Laguna. My body ached from the truck ride and it was hot not like San Cristobal high in the temperate mountains, on went my pack and with one foot in front of the other we dragged our selves through town asking for directions to the tourist location. We found it relatively easy with only a kilometer walk. We purchased our permits with a small bonus of a canoe tour to some Mayan ruins. The hike in was 6 kilometers, it was around 5:30 when we started. After purchasing our permits a guy that works at the tourist check in area took us to a lady’s house to get something to eat before we took off to Laguna Miramar. Chorizo and eggs, hand made tortillas and refried beans, a classically safe dish. When things are looking shifty at an eating area this is normally an ok thing to order. I try to avoid chicken I if I can, it freaks me out at home not to mention at this place. We then head back to the check in spot. The people of Emiliano Zapata hold this place sacred, it is a beautiful place. Zapatista villages don’t sell thing or trade with the outside world, so this tourism is one way they make money.

one of the nicer bridges we have crossed over

The guide takes us about a kilometer and points us in the right direction, just go straight from here, the heat is present and killing me. Maybe I ate too much at our meal, or it was the lack of water all day, I was feeling horrible. I stopped and dropped my bag and sat on the side of the trail. I either needed to put on my big girl pants and walk the other 4 kilometers that were left or turn around and sleep at the tourist center and leave the next morning. It was a bit of a race against the sun. When I hike I really just like being slow and steady, not stopping much and just go. My mouth was starting to water after hiking some more and my belly ached, then I hunch over and tossed my churzio and eggs, I hoped nothing was going to come and eat that.

yes I do match my bag quite well, barfing time

I felt better. In hind sight I most likely had some heat exhaustion, dehydration and chorizo and eggs wasn’t a good choice after not eating all day. We hiked on through cow pastures, over little creeks, and all kinds of jungle. Mateo was super encouraging, even though I was slow, sweating, and wanted to pass out. I finally saw a mans silhouette against water! Yeah yeah we finally arrived. We checked in and found a camping spot then quickly jumped in the water!

Our first sunset here