Overland in the Americas: Tulum with a view

Sian ka'an biosphere preserve, just south of Tulum on the Carribean coast comprises 1.3 million acres of savannah, mangrove, dunes, beach and marsh (although you can only really access the marsh). We spent our tropical Christmas here in very fancy tent on stilts accommodation right at the beach. The sea was so loud and felt so close I was convinced we were going to be swept out to sea in the night. Christmas didn't feel right without the darkness, grey and cold. Ralph thought there's no need to have a feast to cheer yourself up when its hot and sunny outside. It didn't seem as though Christmas day was very important in Mexico, pretty much business as usual.

This spiny tailed Iguana was always very relaxed and would sit with its back leg stretched out in the same spot everyday from 11am onwards - we thought he looked a bit like our guinea pig Waffle.

View from the posh tent on stilts

Christmas dinner

A termite trail across the path, someone broke the surface of their tunnel and rows of soldier termites lined the edges to keep the central stream of termites safe while repairs were made.

We took a high speed bird tour. The boat driver went full pelt through the lagoon and mangroves flushing birds left right and centre, shouting out the name as each one flew off, not exactly what we had in mind!

Can you spot the boat billed heron lurking in the centre of the picture

Back from the boat trip

I think this must be a moth that mimics a bee, it has huge bottlebrush legwarmers.

A pufffer fish - I loved the way the water distorted this pic, making it look like it was wearing a corset

This spider looked like it was a ceramic that had been made by someone.

Bit of a squeeze in the hammock

Litter picking. It was very depressing to see so much plastic on the beach so we did a clean up operation, most of what we found was bottle lids, plastic cutlery, shoes, straws and lollypop sticks, and in Ralphs case, doll parts. There was so much of it and the guy at the reserve said its particularly demoralising when you spend ages and then a whole load more arrives on the next tide.