Hola!

I kind of went into a holding pattern in January. I tend to do that when I have something big coming up, in this case a vacation in Mexico. Also, life, specifically my job, was taking up most of my available brain power and time, and all I wanted to do when I got home was relax, have some dinner, and go to bed.

We just got back from seven days in Puerto Vallarta with our friends John and Leslie, and Kelly and Craig. It was a great trip, very relaxing, really fun. Bob broke his toe a couple of weeks ago running into a dresser in his bare feet, so that was bothering him, and as soon as we got to Mexico he came down with pink eye in one eye. Then the other eye. Things kept happening to him, to the extent that Kelly started keeping a list.

He was out in the ocean fishing with John and Craig, and a wave got him and pulled him under, and he swallowed a bunch of seawater. The list, so far, read:

• Toe injury
• Pinkeye in one eye
• Pinkeye in second eye
• Drowned, vomited in ocean

I got slightly sick the first day, and spent Sunday in bed. I got up and went down to breakfast, and sat outside briefly, but was shivery and unhappy, and decided to give up on trying to be sociable, and went back to bed. I spent most of the day sleeping; Bob and the guys had hired a boat and gone out fishing, and didn't get back to the hotel until around dinner time.

After dinner, he brought me bread and a candy bar, the only things that I could think about eating. The next day I felt quite a bit better, although still not 100%. That day I ate mostly rice, potatoes, and bread, and by the next day I felt mostly fine. Bob's pinkeye was getting better (he had some drops left from the last time he had it), but he had gotten blisters from his sandals.

The hotel was wonderful. It was brand-new, which was a little bit worrisome, but it was fine. Everyone was friendly, and the food was great, better than anyplace we'd been before. This was a very upscale place -- there was premium liquor at the bars, and there were several very nice restaurants on the property; we had a private a jacuzzi on the balcony and a huge freestanding tub in the room. Bob and the guys went out fishing one day, but other than that we only left the property once.

We hired a van and driver to take us on a tour of some of the small towns nearby; we went out for about four hours, stopped a couple of places to do some (very brief) shopping and have drinks one place. It was a great day.

I guess the next day that Bob and the guys were out fishing in the ocean, and a wave got Bob again, and ripped his (prescription) sunglasses off. So Kelly added to the list:

• Blisters from sandals
• Lost sunglasses

The next time he went out, I asked him if he wanted to take his religious medal off and have me hold it, and he said no, that was the only thing keeping him alive!

I got a bit of a sunburn the first day, but it wasn't too bad, and I was very diligent about sunscreen the rest of the week. I guess my own list would have been:

• Sunburn
• Got sick
• Strained shoulder (no real idea what happened there, but it still hurts)
• Couldn't open safe (had to get a security guy to come open it because I apparently messed up when I locked it one night when I was hurrying to dinner)
• Caused tsunami of bath water

But wow, it was a great week in spite of all the stuff. We laughed a lot. I spent the week sleeping, eating, resting, and playing cards, an absolutely ideal, wonderful, relaxing week. Too bad it only happens once a year.

More photos here.

previous | next