Good To Be Home

After 30 days, 16 flights, and sleeps in several different beds... we're finally home.  It seems a little odd to be calling Salluit, Quebec home... but for now it's as close as it gets.  I'm only going to be here for a week before heading back to Winnipeg for some planning meetings, and there's no telling what the future has in store for us after that.  That being said... I'm pretty sure that there should be some changes coming soon.  I haven't really had a chance to sit down and consider what I want to say about our vacation or our future, so for now I'll just make everyone aware that we made it back safe and sound.

Stay tuned.

One Last Mexican Blog

Today's our departure.  We made one last trip to the beach, took some pictures, and had our last meal here at the resort.  Now we're finishing the last of the packing, and preparing for a long day of airports and jets.  You hate to leave, but while not wanting to admit it, it already feels like it's time to head home.  As nice as a vacation is, and you always say that you wish it never ended, the truth is that you need to go home eventually and return to some sort of structure.  I believe that us humans need that sort of thing.
Hopefully all goes well.

Stay tuned.

Not As Planned

Our last day in Mexico didn't go completely as planned.  The tour guide and the tour operator obviously got their wires crossed, because we waited patiently at the lobby shown on our ticket while the tour guide went to another lobby, got tired of waiting for us, and took off.  On the upside, we got our money back, and got to spend most of our last day on the beach.

Our maid is always fairly creative with the folded towels that she leaves, but this one was the best.
We spent the afternoon/evening in Playa del Carmen, doing the local shopping thing.  One more thing to put onto our list of things to never do again.  Too many people, too much haggling, too pushy, too hot, and too much pure crap for sale!
Tomorrow... maybe a quick stop at the beach, and then the long flight back home (or some semblance thereof).

Stay tuned.

Day of Rest

Today we didn't accomplish much (except for what you're supposed to do on vacation).  Tomorrow is booked with an ATV tour, and some shopping in Playa del Carmen.  The day after that we leave, so we knew that this was our last day to do precious little.  And we did.

This is a shot of the Coba ruins that we climbed on Tuesday.  Going up was not too bad (if you didn't look back), but going down seemed horrifying to someone who hates heights.  Below, is a shot down from the top.

I still remember being half way up a small rock hill by Flintabbatey Flonatin (statue in Flin Flon) on a grade five student exchange program, realizing that I'd have to get back down, and peeing my pants.  Way too old to be wetting yourself on a small hill with all of your friends around!  I was thinking about that the whole time that we were catching our breath on the top of the stairs, contemplating the trip down.  But... we slid down step-by-step, on our bums, and made it out alive.
Tomorrow should be full of adventure.

Stay tuned.

One Day of Fun

Today we went to an amusement park of sorts.  We started off the day with some zip-lining.  2.4 miles with 14 lines!  Awesome.  The scariest part for Fran was a couple of suspension bridges that were between the towers.  Then we drove a slow side-by-side around a trail, and went on several little trips through some caves on rafts, or just swimming.  The meal was good, and the day was full.

Today the internet allows me to add a picture, so I thought I'd go straight to the important stuff in case it stops working again tomorrow.  What could be more important during a sunny vacation than enjoying a local cigar and a cold beer while relaxing by the ocean?
If it works again tomorrow, I'll throw in a shot of the ruins that we climbed.

Stay tuned.

Coba Ruins

Today we were at the Mayan Ruins of Coba.  I also got an internet cable, so that everything actually works in our room.  Sadly, with these hectic days of seeing the sights, relaxing in our room and spending some time on the computer is about as relaxing as we want to get.  The night life days are just a little bit behind us.
This crazy Mexican internet still doesn't allow me to add any pictures, but at least when we get back, I'll be able to keep reliving the adventure while going back to the photo archives and show you all the places that we visited.  I'll still try to cover some of it in words for now.  First we paddled in a canoe, did a small hike, and then zip-lined over the water, and paddled back.  I got the impression that this only served the purpose of being able to say that this adventure included a zip-line.  Then we got blessed by a Shaman prior to entering a cenote (sink-hole filled with water).  Apparently you have to get blessed first because the sinotte is part of the underworld, where the Mayan wouldn't enter.  You had to repell in, the water was freezing, there were visible bats on the ceiling, and there were almost 200 skeletons in the water (that you could see) and that we weren't told about until we got in there and he shone his flashlight down.
Then we went to the actual ruins.  The ruins at Coba are the oldest, and cover the most square miles.  They are only the second highest, but it is the only one left that you can still climb.  I didn't think that Fran and I would actually do it (since both of us don't enjoy heights that much), but we scaled it and then slid down on or bums.  It was too hot, took too long, but had to be done.  You still have to absorb some of the culture, instead of spending the whole time playing.
Tomorrow will be nothing but a fun day.

Stay tuned.

Mexico is Awesome!

5 star treatment is even better! I had asked for some bells and whistles, but I never expected this! We have a reserved area at the beach, our own waitress there (so that we never have to run for our own beer), and our own butler at the hotel (so that we don't have to run for our own anything).
They claim that there's internet in our room, but three days of trying has come up with nothing.  There happens to be one spot in the lobby where I can connect with the hotel's system, but the connection is still terrible.  I've tried to put up a picture, but the system is too weak.  I can't get onto my email either, I thought that this would be easier.  At least I can do some straight print, to let everyone know that we arrived safely, and are having an awesome time.  So far we have just been enjoying the beach, and our lovely secluded cabana, but tomorrow we are going to the ruins of Coba where we will get blessed by a Shaman, before dropping down into an underground river, and zip-lining into a lake.  Should be great!  In case I can't get on to the web tomorrow, Wednesday should include a whole day of zip-lining through the jungle in a brand new amusement park.  I'll take some pictures, and hopefully I can get one of them in.
The food is terrible, but I expected that.  Since everything else has been better than expected, I'll try not to complain.

Stay tuned.

One Night in the Peg

Our flight to Mexico leaves at 7am, we have to be at the airport at 5:30, which means that we would have to get up around 3:45 and have somebody give us a ride pretty early in the morning, or drive ourselves and pay over $100 to store our car at the airport.  As a result, we felt that the best idea was to get a ride to the airport a day early, and stay at the hotel right across the street.  That way we can get up at 5am, and walk across the street straight into the airport.  Then it's just a few short hours until arriving in Mexico!  Fran is pretty excited.  Everything should be awesome.

Stay tuned for Mexico.

Back in Steinbach

We actually did make it back to Steinbach several days ago, but we are staying at a place that doesn't have an internet connection, so communication is limited.  I'm at my parent's place right now, and they have just recently signed up for the internet, so I thought I might as well try to catch up on some of the basics before it starts being too long between blogs, and I start forgetting what has already been said, without missing too many of the important details.
All of the flights were good, and Rory picked us up from the airport.  It took us a couple of days to touch base with most everyone, but we got it done.  This is the first day that hasn't actually been hectically planned.  We've been to the dentist, the vet, the doctor, clothes shopping (apparently we don't sell many Mexico appropriate clothes in the arctic), liscensing the car so that we can get around, and liscensing Fran so that she can drive herself around.  She's catching up with her sister right now, so that gives me a chance to head on over to my parent's to catch up on emails, baseball's season openers, and the last week of hockey's regular season (Fran's parents don't have a single sports chanel).  This lack of sports seems traumatic, but I'll get by.
It's only two more days until we start making our way towards our southern destination, which I'm sure will be fantastic.  In the mean time I signed up for a temporary pass at the gym (all these welcoming meals, with precious little excercise are catching up to my waistline very quickly).  We've also been spending some time in the tanning beds.  My Mom had some extra minutes left over from her last trip to Mexico, and we have been taking full advantage.  I realize that one week of tanning beds will not really prepare us for the equatorial sun, but at least our skin won't be virgin white.
Anyway, that's probably it for now, and the next one will probably be from Mexico.  I'll try to make sure that I post some pictures.

Stay tuned.