On Mexican Time

We already knew this about ourselves, but we just don't enjoy spending time in All-Inclusive resorts. Therefore, after spending the past 2 nights in a nice, safe resort in Tulum, Mexico, we decided to rent a car and head up the coast to Playa Del Carmen (one of our old favorite spots). We arrived in Playa a few hours ago and cannot be more thrilled! We used to come here a few times a year - we loved it that much. It has been almost eight years since we were last here, though, and we cannot believe how much it has changed! The growth is unbelievable. If it weren't for a few familiar restaurants, it would seem like a completely new experience for us.

We found a small, cheap hotel for tonight and have already booked the next three nights in another. It is just a block from the beach and on the northern end of the town. When we came here when Henry was a baby, we stayed somewhere nearby (even though we can't find that hotel because everything has changed so much), and we really came to like this end of town. It is a little off the beaten path and away from the noises of the town. It is, however, still close enough to walk to everything. Depending on how we like the hotel, we may just stay there until we have to leave on the 31st to head to Cancun for Matt and Jackie's wedding.

We feel relieved to be away from the deep jungles (and bugs) of Belize, but our experiences there were invaluable. We saw so much and learned so many new things - about ourselves and about others - that it will be an experience we all treasure for years to come. We are ready, though, to relax a bit into a life that is a little less "work." Being in Mexico, I need to remind myself that everything is done at a much slower pace and that things (like phones and WiFi connections) don't always work the way I think they should. Somehow, though, it all works out and we enjoy ourselves enough to keep coming back.