By the sea

Saturday, Dec. 31.
7:30 a.m. - Wow. This is awesome. The resort is quite lovely - and huge - people are great, trees everywhere, big room with a whirlpool tub, probably one of the nicest places I've ever stayed. Certainly the nicest when I paid for it!

A very late arrival last evening meant that sleep took precedence over writing. Especially since new arrivals are expected to meet with their Sunquest agent first thing in the morning to get information about the trip home (already? No!!!!) and the available and recommended tours. Good thing I slept on the bus from the airport.

My room faces east, so right now, I'm sitting on my balcony enjoying my coffee in the warm morning sun and listening to the ocean waves hitting the shore, just on the other side of the trees. The walkway in front of this block of rooms leads directly to the beach and I'm a 30-second walk away from Los Rocas - a small bar next to a natural swimming pool. Score!

11:30 a.m. - Things learned - 1, make sure you pack a lightweight beach bag.

2, take comfortable sandals. Do not under any circumstances go and buy new sandals or summer shoes that you will put naked feet into, try them on in the store with those silly fake stocking feet, then expect them to be wearable two days later in 85 F weather with 95% humidity. Ouch.

3, this is definitely something I need to do more often, go south in the winter. It's worth every penny, and I haven't even been here for 24 hours.

New advantage to travelling alone - you get all 5 cappucino flavored marshmallow treats in the little gift box from the resort. The families with three kids got the same little box. Nyah nyah.

1:30 - After a couple of hours in the sun, exploring, relaxing, drinking, think I'll try to find a different restaurant. The buffet this morning was loaded, but not really the best food. Think I'll stick to the a la carte places, even though they're a lot further. Oh what the hell, I'll take the shuttle. Walked a few miles already today, which might explain the sore feet in new sandals. But it felt so nice to meander around, drinking in the atmosphere and sun and surroundings, being caressed by a delectable warm breeze, smelling tropical flowers, watching the sailboats on the blue/green Caribbean sea... OK,, everyone has heard that before, nothing much new can be said about being in this part of the world. Off to find some food, book a couple of tours (and maybe the pub crawl in Playa del Carmen), then a nap.

6:30 p.m. - Nap? That was more like the dead zone. Feeling better though, and ready for a part-ay royale tonight. What shall it be for dinner? Japanese? Brazilian? Or maybe some real Mexican? Then a show at the resort Teatro and head to the disco for a New Year's celebration. What shall I wish for with each of my 12 grapes? Hmmm, well, first wish will be to get these getaway boots back on more often.

Boots out of closet once again

Well, faithful reader, here I go again. Seems like it's been way too long, so I'm off to the land of Montezuma, hoping to avoid revenge. As I watch the plane taxi up to the walkway, my tummy squirms with excitement. In a few hours, I'll be some place warm, looking forward to a few days of sun, sand, sleep and... lots of photography.
Walking through the airport, standing in line at check-in and through the security line, I noticed so many people who looked at me strangely. At first I thought it was because I had something green stuck in my teeth, but no, it was because I was the only person in line who was both female, and alone. What is up with that? Not the travelling alone thing, but the staring. It begs the question, what is it that people imagine about a middle-aged woman travelling alone?
Spinster? Bitch? How come she's alone? It happens in the movies all the time, but seriously, looking around here at the waiting area by the gate and everyone is part of a couple or group - family, friends, whatever. Good. That means that no one will interrupt my sleep on the sand.
There are distinct advantages to travelling by yourself. Besides the obvious, getting to go wherever you want, whenever you feel like it, or not doing anything at all, there is the advantage of, "oh, if you're by yourself then you can go ahead in front of me", or "i can take just one more person in this line, please step this way". It remains to be seen what kind of advantages one will find at a resort! Can't wait. More to follow.