Our Travels

I need to stop starting off posts with “well,”

Well, one day until our trip! Jenn has packed pretty much everything, and for the record no…I did not help much…yes, I am a bum.

Well, the countdown has officially started.

So we will be leaving April 9th for our trip. Here is a brief (and Jenn was sure to mention this is extremely brief. She has things planned down to the nanosecond) description of where we are going, and what we are doing:

Thursday – Arrive in Las Vegas
 
Friday – All day in Vegas baby
 
Saturday – Another day in Vegas just to make sure we have no money left
 
Sunday – Leave Vegas early for Hoover Dam (I will find the secret base referenced in Transformers), then to the Valley of Fire, and arrive at Zion National Park in the evening.
 
Monday – Spend the day at Zion National Park
 
Tuesday – Spend the day at Bryce National Park
 
Wednesday – Drive through Page, Arizona on our way to the Grand Canyon South Rim
 
Thursday – Grand Canyon South Rim
 
Friday – Sedona, AZ
 
Saturday – Sedona, AZ

Sunday – Return to the cruel reality that is life.

Well, it’s been a good 2 years since we wrote about our trip to Riviera Maya. To be honest, we didn’t realize that this blog was still active and were looking to start a new one. To our pleasant suprise, this one still existed :o)

So here we are, March 24, 2009. We are 16 days away from a trip we have been talking about for a long time, and I think we thought might never happen. But we figured now was a great time to vacation. The economy is great and the US dollar is super strong….

Anyhoo, we are calling this our ‘Out West’ vacation. With the exception of a quick guys weekend in Vegas, neither of us have been further west than Wisconsin. And even though Wisconsin is an amazing state full of natural wonders (cheese is a natural wonder right) I’m thinking this trip just might top it.

So, we got up again to see the sunrise at 6am. But again mother nature foiled our plans. There were high winds and cloud cover….so no sunrise pics. Not a big loss as we got to sleep more 🙂

We woke up for the second time around 6:45 and met John and Libby at the buffett one last time for breakfast. Before going to the buffett we walked the beach and looked out at the Mexcian Caribbean one more time.

Breakfast was good, but felt a little empty knowing we were leaving.

After breakfast, we went back to our rooms and made sure nothing was left behind and rang for the bellboy. The bellboy arrived and we gave the room one last look and headed out for the lobby.

Our van arrived promptly at 8:30am. The driver packed our rediculous amount of luggage in the back and we were off for Cancun International Airport. The trip took about an hour and 40 minutes. Passing through security was uneventful and left us with 2 hours before our 12:30 flight. So we ate again….only this time we had to pay. And we paid through the nose! Our brunch was $248 pesos…or $23.00. For a hot dog and burger….ouch!!!

The flight from Cancun to Charlotte was uneventful despite the crew being MIA until 5 minutes prior to boarding.

We had other worries though. Assuming the flight arrived on time, it still only left us 1 hour and 15 minutes to deboard, clear customs, claim our bags, recheck them with US Air, get through security and find our gate.

As luck would have it we did arrive on time, but Charlotte Airport is constructed in a way that it takes 20 minutes for the plane to reach the gate.

Long story short, John and Libby got their baggage quite a bit before us so they went ahead to try and make the flight and put in a good word for us.

By the time we reached the line for the security checkpoint we had 15 minutes until the plane was to depart. It had begun boarding 15 minutes earlier.

We made it through security without incident with approx. 7 minutes to departure. However, we were not even to our termial yet let alone the correct gate.

We made it to terminal B. The first gate was of course B1 and we were B16. So the running began. I never wanted to be one of ‘those’ people running and pleading not to leave without them. But there we were. In the middle of Charlotte Airport running and dodging trying to make it.

As we approached our gate the ticket agent yelled out asking if we were the Cole’s. We replied more with a wave as we were winded from our run accross the airport. The agent of course pointed out that we barely made it in a scolding tone. I wanted to ask him why US Air had connecting international flights spaced so close together if this was the result but I am too out of shape and needed to catch my breath.

As we boarded at 5:31 we were in th very last row, so we had the pleasure of walking by every single passengar that was seated and staring at us as the cause of their late departure. We were seated next to john and Libby who also had to run as John had left his camera bag at security and had to go back!

Luckliy for all of us there was a last minute ticket mix-up so the blame for the late departure shifted back to US Air…..yay!

Weather delayed us further and by the time we took off we were about 40 minutes behind.

We landed in Columbus in one piece and that ended our mexican vacation.

Thank you all 7 of you who read this 🙂 It was fun to write and share our trip with you!!

Well, I don’t know if anyone will read this…but we wanted to finish what we started.

After packing most everything Jenn and I headed down for one last swim in the pool. It was about 3:30pm and we could feel the trip coming to a close.

Despite being ready to go home there is always a certain sadness when you know you will be leaving a place likely for a lifetime.

We tried to soak it all in…as well as a few Captain & Cokes 🙂

Around 4:30 we went back to the room to get ready for our last dinner.

We were ready to go around 5pm, but before dinner I took some photos of John and Libby out on the beach. After our little photo session we headed back to the room and met up with Jenn.

From there we went to the Italian restaurant. We we worried the wait would be long as there was a large group outside the door, but to our suprise we were seated immediatly.

On our way to the table however, the resort lost power. We were seated and had only the candlelight and warm glow from the orange curains to light the table. It was actually a very nice atmosphere! The waiter took our drink orders and we browsed the menu. We decided to go all out since this was our last ‘included’ dinner.

We all started with antipasti. Jenn and Libby got a cesear salad, I got pan fried shrimp and John got mussels. For our next course Jenn, Libby and John all got fetticini alfredo, while I got a spicy penne dish. For the NEXT course Jenn and Libby had a chicken dish, John had salmon and I had pork tenderloin. Needless to say, we were all about to pass out by the end.

We left the restaurant and loosened our belts. From there John and Libby had their henna tattoos refreshed while me and Jenn tried to hold in all the food.

We visisted John and Libby’s room for a bit before heading back to our room so that they could grab the laptop to email home since our cell phones weren’t working. Sometime Friday a tower went down or something as we had no service.

After John and Libby collected the laptop I went outside for a few dusk pictures of the resort. I then got the bright idea to try and get some ‘artsy’ shots of the palm trees. That turned out to be a big mistake.

I realized the lighting was too low for a handheld shot, so I decided to get creative and leave the camera on the ground facing towards the sky to get a shot of the palm trees. In doing so I was steadying myself with my elbow on the grass. After a minute or so I became aware of a stinging sensation on my arm. I at first thought it was the prickly grass irritating my skin and continued adjusting my settings. But the sensation increased in intensity so I got off the ground and looked at my arm.

My elbow was covered in tiny ants that were apparently not happy I invaded their turf and were gnawing my arm like corn on the cob. I brushed them off and went back to the room to find my elbow already swelling. Jenn applied some medicine to my arm, and I laid down sure I was just infected with some terrible venom of the killer mexican ants 🙂 Actually….I just wanted out of helping pack the remainder of the suitcases.

So that ended our Saturday. We stayed up and watched TV for a bit, but both preoccupied with the upcoming day of travel.

After our night of heavy drinking Jenn and I still managed to wake up for sunrise. We set out for the beach around 6am. We found a nice spot and I shot a couple pics to get my setting right. Check ‘em out:

So we waited…and waited….and the cloud cover seemed to move with the sun just to spite us. While we were waiting we both realized we had to use the restroom. Initially it was just me and I jokingly complained. But then I realized the situation was getting more serious. As I was contemplating my next move it struck Jenn and she was immediately in code red. She took off and left me behind in a run for our room.

I quickly packed up my camera as I realized I was also near the point of an embarrassing scene. I reached the room just in time and swiped my card through the reader, but the deadbolt was locked! So I ran around to the sliding patio door just as Jenn was emerging from the bathroom. We traded places and agreed that we would never again speak of the horrific scent we created. At this point we took pepto, laid down and watched a 48 hours mystery before falling asleep.

The phone woke us around 9:30 and it was John and Libby. We met for breakfast at the buffet and then hit the pool. The ‘quiet pool’ had sand everywhere in the bottom from the wind storm the night before.

After swimming for a couple hours John and I took the kayak out for a bit. John unfortunately got motion sick so we turned it around and I picked up Jenn. We went back out for one last trip through the Mexican Caribbean.

When we got back we headed to the room to begin packing:( Actually, we are all ready to come home. We miss our families and our kids! I do not miss work and Jenn is trying not to rub it in that she doesn’t have to go back:)

Maybe I will be a teacher………

Today was another example of gluttony and complete relaxation. In other words it was great! We got up for breakfast around 8:15 and hit the world café yet again. You just can’t beat the buffet!

After breakfast we went straight for the pool. Floating around in the pool is going to be sadly missed. While JEnn and I were floating like algie John and Libby borrowed the laptop to go email home.

While floating I inexplicably freaked out about work. I just ‘knew’ I had forgot something and would be in deep s*** when I got back. So We met up with John and Libby in the lobby just as they were finishing up their emails.

They went on to their room and I logged in to my work email.

And to my relief no major meltdown had occurred. At least that I could see via email. I did have a huge banner produced that management needed changed while I was gone…so that sucked. But other than that I had approx. 100 emails with various items to research or work on when I got back. No electronic pink slip…..yet!

After my freak out session was over we went straight back to the pool…this time armed with beverages.

We played in the pool until lunch time, and went back to El Patio…our favorite lunch destination on the resort.

Despite our better judgment Jenn and I kept our Corona IV in and continued the unobtainable quest for the perfect buzz.

After entirely too much food we went to yet another restaurant as John has developed a fetish for the ice cream they serve at the Seaside Grill. After our stomachs were ready to pop, we collectively determined the only logical thing to do was take a mid-day nap.

In our opinion napping is one of the single best things you can do on vacation. There is nothing like a midday nap with the wind softly rustling the palm trees and ocean waves in the distance.

We woke up around 4 and took a few pictures of the restaurants and bars. Check out some pics:

Before long we had to get back in the pool. It was almost 100 degrees and the humidity was near 100.

The poolbar was stupidly crowded but it did not deter us. We are fighters. Well, at least I (Mike) am. Jenn went to take a dip and I waitied a good 15 minutes to place my order. So naturally I doubled it once I was served. I wasn’t about to wait another 15 minutes!

When I walked over to the pool I could not spot Jenn anywhere. I calmed myself and kept looking but could not find her! Just before panic set in (for anyone who thinks I am overacting there is a hut 100 yards from the resort where we saw people hacking something with a machete yesterday) I saw Jenn…. but with a guy?! No wonder I didn’t spot her. I was looking for a SWF (single white female.)

As I approached I got a look at the gentleman who was all blinged out in silver jewelry. I had seen him earlier in the day and thought he looked like trouble. Turns out he wasn’t so much trouble as an EXTREMEMLY intoxicated Brazilian who knew little English outside of bad pickup lines.

He introduced himself as Marcello, or something close. He was slurring so bad you could pick 10 close variations and he would likely answer to any of them. His teeth were terrible. Think hollow bamboo and that’s about what they looked like. His eyes were so bloodshot I was surprised he could see us.

But he continued to talk on my arrival asking me a variety of questions including my marital status. I was less than friendly given his increasingly close proximity to both me and Jenn…and the fact he liked telling Jenn how fit her body was. While that’s is very nice….I didn’t need a drooling Brazilian stealing my thunder.

He finally went on his to way….to the bar of course. But somehow an iron table and chairs had been placed in his path. We seriously can’t figure out how this happened. It’s almost as if the staff saw this drunk guy coming and placed in his path just to see what would happen. And the expected result did in fact occur. He went crashing into the table flipping it upside down and sending all the chairs flying in different directions. Within 5 minutes he was passed out on a beach chair…..if only I had my camera for this one.

Shortly after we left the pool and got ready for the beach party. The resort holds this event once a week and sounded like a lot of fun. And it was. They had a lot of good food and drinks, but it was very windy. So much so, that towards the end it was practically a sandstorm.

Prior to the winds getting that bad John convinced me to go out and Limbo with him. By this point we had both consumed multiple shots of 80 proof liquor and our balance was less than stellar. We were both eliminated on our first try. But in our defense as we approached the bar they decided it was time to lower the bar levels….oh well. It was still fun.

After dinner we returned to our room and realized we were all pretty drunk….although Libby still seemed ok….if I remember correctly.

So Jenn and I called it a night and John and Libby walked the grounds for another hour or so before heading to bed.

Todays entry will be pretty short. We pretty much hung out most of the day between the beach and the pool.

We went to breakfast at the Seaside Grill for a change. However, we all got the same thing we did at the buffet so it wasn’t much of a mind blowing experience. What was different was the view we had…check it out:

Not a bad background for French toast and orange juice:)

After breakfast we hit the beach for a while. Jenn and I went out on the kayaks the resort offers. It was a really fun experience.

The guy handling the equipment gave us no instructions or restriction so we just went out wherever we wanted. It was quite the workout! It took us a little while to get in sync, but once we figured it out we were cruising around and looking down into the reefs for any signs of turtles or other large species. No luck on that front, but it was a blast.

We returned the kayak, went to lunch at El Patio and took a nap.

After a couple hours siesta we met up with John and Libby at the pool and began our little ritual of hitting up the poolside bar before dinner. After a couple hours floating, joking and drinking we went our separate ways to prepare for dinner.

Dinner was the Seaside Grill and it was very tasty.

We all had a different variety of steaks and everyone enjoyed their meals thoroughly. After dinner they were having an extravaganza in the main courtyard.
John and Libby purchased some souvenirs and that rounded out the evening. Keep in mind this is what we know. John and Libby stayed up later than us every night expect one…so they probably have more to tell!