Mexico

I use to say that hotel points were the only benefit to my husband’s near constant travel.  I’ve now found an additional benefit . . . a “business” trip to Mexico.  We left on Wednesday and returned on Sunday.  It was pretty sweet even though I came back with hives.

Highlights:  I had breakfast on our balcony overlooking the ocean every morning.  We went snorkeling in the ocean.  On Friday, we went to the Coba Ruins and snorkeling in a cenote.  Snorkeling in the cenote was actually the highlight of the trip for me!  The water was delightful.  I didn’t have to worry about getting a sunburn and our guide showed us some special sand to use as an exfoliate.  My skin felt quite nice until I developed hives a day later. 

That night we went into Playa del Carmen and I bought Mexican wrestling masks because honestly, what else could I possibly buy.  I tried on all the masks in two stores before I decided on two and of course Lizzy and Jake wanted the same one so I told them they could wrestle for it.  I made the driver bargain with the shopkeepers in Spanish because I lack bargaining skills.  Really.  When we have garage sales I undercut myself and when people ask me for prices I start saying everything is free.  I figured that if I tried to bargain with anyone in Mexico I’d end up paying more than the original price. 

On Saturday, we went to the Muyil Ruins and on a Float Tour.  (This is actually when my arms and neck developed blisters.  Now that my neck is starting to peel I’m telling everyone that I caught an exotic Mexican disease.)  Then we had a cooking lesson at the hotel.

I think I’m now ruined for personal travel because the office manager was there to arrange everything and I admit that I am lazy enough to really enjoy that.  

But any trip would not be complete without an autism component.  I mentioned to one of the other spouses that Will has autism and she told me she was in the middle of trying to get her son a diagnosis.  They live in Zurich so I couldn’t give her as much advice as I would like but I think she appreciated not feeling alone, since disabilities aren’t the sort of thing most people bring up with strangers especially when they are in the process of getting a diagnosis.