October 28 2004, Thursday: On United Airline Flight to San Diego (with a stopover at O'Hare Airport in Chicago). Just realised that the airline does not serve any food for short haul flights anymore. If you like, you can purchase the food at $10 (ouch!) from au bon pain. Your choice - chef's salad or a turkey/cheddar sandwich. The information counter is the best place to check with on arrival. There is a bus going downtown at $2.25 (exact change required) right outside the arrival hall. Checked in at hostel, usahostels.com. Dorm beds cost only $17 (to get this price you have to book online; otherwise the price is $19). Nice but if you like a quiet peaceful night, get a room away from the main road. Click here for pictures.

October 29 2004, Friday: usahostels.com offered special deals to a few attractions in San Diego. You can get a day of unlimited rides of buses and trolleys at $5. Purchase ticket at the machine by any trolley station. If you have only a couple of days in San Diego (like myself), I would recommend you the San Diego Zoo; it is a very well maintained and informative zoo. The $21 entrance fee was worth it (click here). The old town is another good place to go. You can find a few nice places to eat. I found a candy store which was rather nice (click here).

October 30 2004, Saturday: If you like shopping, go to Westfield at Horton Plaza - it was near the hostel on Broadway. Seaport Village by the waterfront is beautiful. A Greyhound bus to Tijuana cost $7. A trolley to the border of Mexico (San Ysidro - last stop) cost $2.50. Your choice. I took the trolley. Journey was about 40 minutes (click here). Just follow the crowd and the next thing you know you are in Tijuana, Mexico. A walk to the center of town (where the infamous arch is located) is about 20 minutes. (click here). Hotels range from US$15 to US$35 and above. Got a single room at US$20 (click here). Nothing much to get here at Tijuana - quality is just so-so and things can be pricey. Beer is cheap though US$0.99.

October 31 2004, Sunday: Checked out at hotel and took a walk to the cultural center. Saw an interesting shop that makes beautiful lamp shades among other things (click here). A taxi from downtown to the airport was US$6. A driver would ask for US$10 so you may have to bargain with him. Spent a sleepless night at Mexico City airport as my next flght out to Merida was morning the next day.

November 1 2004, Monday: Arrived in Merida. Took a taxi to Zocalo (the main square). Cost US$11. Checked in at Reforma Hotel (click here). Single bed is 305 peso (US$27). A very good deal. Tourist information is located at the Governor's House at the main square. The city is really congested and traffic is bad. However, once the traffic died down (after 7pm) it was nice (click here).

November 2 2004, Tuesday: I woke up at 4 am - had to catch the bus (first bus leaves at 6 am) at the main bus station to Uxmal. One way fare is peso 32 (US$3). The journey is about an hour. Entrance is 88 peso (US$8). You have to get there early as the sun can be very hot after 10. The whole trip to Uxmal cost about US$24 ( I had a continental breakfast at one of the hotels nearby - the Lodge - which cost about US$10). A tour which include lunch is 300 peso plus the entrance fee. It may be a better idea to join a tour as one has to walk out and wait for the bus in order to head back Merida by the roadside (I waited an hour for the bus). This can be confusing as too many buses go by. Click here for pictures.

November 3 2004, Wednesday: Woke up at 4 am (again!) to catch the first bus to Chichèn Itzà. Cost 49 peso and the journey is about 2 1/2 hour. Entrance is 88 peso. The sun is very hot in the day. Bus stops in front of the site, so it is better to take a bus there instead of joining a tour. It gets very busy as the day goes by (click here). A lot of souvenir stores nearby. You will have to bargain at least 70% off the asking price. If you have not had a Yucatan lime soup before, this would be your chance to try one while in Merida (click here). It's delicious.

November 4 2004, Thursday: Checked out from Reforma. Checked in at Margarita (US$10 for a single). Nice hotel. But do not get a room way back in the hotel on the second floor. I made a mistake as the room can be very hot and stuffy at night (click here). Room is not air-conditioned.

November 5 2004, Friday: Took a taxi to the airport (US$8). Arrived back in Tijuana and checked in at Pepe Hotel (US$15). A much better hotel than the one I had before (click here).

November 6 2004, Saturday: Walked back to the border in San Diego. Took the trolley back to usahostels.com. Did some last minute shopping at Seaport Village. Found a few nice things - definitely better in quality and value than in Tijuana (click here).