For our first
vacation together, to celebrate my 30th birthday and to celebrate our
engagement, we decided to go to Mexico. Days before departing for Mexico, yes
days, Richard and I booked our vacation. We ended up booking the Riu Yucatan
Resort in Playa del Carmen, which was located just south of Cancun. We ended up
getting our vacation package for 50% off for booking last minute. Talk about
lucky!!!
Richard and I had to
be at the airport dark and early Saturday morning, after partying the night
before for my birthday party. It was hard! I only had an hour nap before we
were up and out the door. I used that extra couple of hours after partying and
before napping to do some last minute packing. Richard and I decided to travel
light and I was trying to be VERY good about not packing too much!
When we go to the
airport, check-in was a breeze! We found a nice poorly lit area and Richard
crashed for another nap as we waited for our flight. I forgot to take a photo
of Richard sprawled across the seats. He drank a lot of wine the night before
at Salt...hehehe
Flight was not
impressive. The seats were old. There were no individual tv consoles. The only
good thing about the flight was that we were near the back and we had all 3
seats to ourselves to stretch out. We were tired, but we just couldn't sleep
for any serious length of time on the plane. At least they fed us 2 warm meals,
though I can't remember what it was anymore. So at least I know it wasn't bad,
even if it's not impressively good. Richard managed to nap!
It was warm when we
arrived at the Cancun Airport. Richard was happy it was warm! For me, I wanted
it hotter! Since we didn't check our luggage, we headed straight out, ignoring
the solicitators, and headed directly to our SunWing Travel group who had arranged
for us to be bussed to our resort. Everything was so familiar to me, since I
was there just a few years before, except last time we got suckered in by the
solicitators for a while. I fell asleep once the bus was on its way to our
resort, we were the second last stop, so there was time to nap.
Upon arriving at Riu
Yucatan, we were greeted with roses for the ladies and drinks for all. I fell
in love with the Coco Cabana drink they served us! Yummie!
Our room was nice
and cold. There was a bunny already there to greet us, as we checked out the
room.
The mini bar was
loaded with all the drinks we'd need for our week there. Too bad that they were
a Pepsi resort :( But that is easily corrected...
After a quick glance
around the room, we headed straight to the Hacienda Buffet and started pigging
out. After being stuffed, we took a stroll around the resort and down to the
beach, before heading back to our room to crash. We had to get up early the next
morning for an orientation with SunWings.
First morning was
hard, we were still very tired from yesterday and probably from Friday too. We
took a quick morning stroll to check out what might be available for breakfast,
but ran out of time and headed to the orientation area. They gave us more drinks
and reminded us that the remedy to everything is a shot of tequilla. And when a
shot of Tequilla didn't work, another shot helps!
After the morning
orientation and breakfast at Las Margarieta off to the beach we went...though
Richard did have a run in with Iggy. Iggy wanted a drink and Richard had one in
his hand!
The water was
refreshing. The beach was gorgeous fine sand! We spent the rest of our first
day and the next couple of days on the beach. Though we did sneak out to Playa
del Carmen 5th Avenue to window shop. It was a funny experience. So many pushy
vendors who wanted you to come in and check out their wares with an offer of a
good deal to "honeymooners", "Canadians", etc.
We did leave the
resort and the beach for tourist stuff. We lucked out and got an awesome tour
bus and scored the seats with tables!
We ended up going to
Chichen Itza, Yucatan, to see the Temple of Kukulkan.
Richard was a smart
ass, trouble maker, during the tour, and our tour guide suggested that we
sacrafice him. What an interesting idea...hehehe See! That's what happens when
you try to climb the temple!!!
The Temple of
Kukulkan was amazing! Our tour guide was great. He was so great, that when he
offered to tour us further on to the Observatory for another 30 minutes,
everyone stayed with him.
After touring around
Chichen Itza, we headed to lunch then to a cenote for some swimming. When we
purchased the tour package, we were not informed that we would be going
swimming, so we were not prepared. Richard and I scrambled around every place
that we stopped at to try to pick up a pair of swim trunks for him and I. At
lunch, we managed to find a little shop that had swim trunks for both of us!
The only problem, we were a little short on cash. Richard made me leave most of
my money back in the hotel safe so that we wouldn't spend too much. Luckily,
the couple sitting with us on the bus, who would be going home on the same
flight with with spotted us a few US$s.
Swimming in the
cenote was an awesome experience! loved it! Even though we had to wear these
funky green swim trunks...hehehe
The next day, we
decided to go parasailing on the resort. Richard really wanted to go
parasailing! I wasn't too keen on it seeing how I have a fear of heights. I
squee'd and eek'd all the way to the boat and as we launched off the boat. But
in the end it was sooo worth it and not so scary at all!
The feeling was
amazing because it felt as though you were floating in a swing (the harness was
like a swing seat).
We spent the rest of
the week on the resort enjoying the beach and ocean. We did sneak off to 5th
Avenue in Playa del Carmen to catch a Canucks game and Richard snuck off to the
Lobby of the Resort to stream the other Canucks games that we were missing. Oh
and we did take a boat ride south to go snorkling for the afternoon.
Did I mention during
the time on the beach, we also attempted to catch fish? There were these white
fishes that swam around us while we were playing in the water! It was a bit
freaky because they kept swimming right up to you!
Mexico was a great
trip. We didn't want to have to leave. Till our next trip together!!!
BTW...Richard and I
survived a vacation trip together...hehehe
