Comalcalco

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We left the delightful Carmelita who looked after us really well at our beach camp spot and headed towards Tonala where we needed to cross the river to leave Veracruz and enter Tabasco.

There are no ferries across the river so we were relying on being able to take a lanchita for the crossing. We got to the water's edge and were debating how to use our limited Spanish to persuade the boat owner to take us across and avoid being overcharged. He simply beckoned us forward and charged 30 pesos (about £1.50). As it happens we need not have worried about getting our bike on as the next person to turn up for a crossing was on a 125cc motorbike.

Once on the other side, the road was incredibly quiet. Only the occasional motorbike passed us. We could take in the sights of coconut palms growing, cattle up to their bellies in flooded fields and some amazing bird life. This is a Montezuma oropendola and it's call is as spectacular as its plumage.

This really is a tropical paradise. It is hot and we were glad of a strong breeze of the sea. 

The road crosses several islands that separate the sea from huge lagoons. This is surely part of the world that will vanish as sea levels rise as it barely above water at the moment. (The highest point we reached over two days was 22m ASL)

The sea looked very benign while we were there but it clearly has a lot of power at certain times of the year as large sections of tarmac had been washed away. If you zoom in, just above my hand you will see the end of the tarmac. The remaining sand has been made passable for local traffic by laying palm fronds down to make a surface of sorts.

Finding a camp spot was easy - we simply found a bit of beach we liked and put the tent up. It is always a sure sign of a tough day when a swim in the sea leaves us feeling less sticky then before we went in.

More of the same the next day. The road just carried on through coconut palms and the odd fishing settlement. There were large sections where there was no remaining tarmac and we did a lot of hot pushing.

Yes, that pile of coconut husks is 'the road'. 

Our route took us away from there coast as we are heading for the capital of Tabasco, Villahermosa (lit. Beautiful town), and we stopped in Comalcalco. We found a place to camp on a chocolate farm. We hope to be able to do a tasting tour in the morning ...

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