Here’s the view from where I sit. I think I deserve it.
In the early stages, this trip required no planning; everything fell together like a wish from a fairy godmother. As we got closer and closer to departure, however, it morphed into something like preparing for a 19th century Arctic expedition. It wasn’t the packing and assembling gear that was complicated. Partly, it was the extra-bargain Spirit Airline tickets–less than $450 for all three of us to fly to Mexico!–which seemed like less of a bargain once I applied my math skills to the baggage limits and fees, and then spent hours running around with a tape measure and a little luggage scale, trying to maximize our configuration of gear x bags x fees. And then there was the actual packing of things in bags.
Also complicated was preparing our house for other people to live in while we’re gone. I like to leave the house in good shape whenever we go away, but what’s good enough for us is a little wonkier than other people want to experience. I wanted Karen and Jessica and Jacob to feel comfortable and at home while they’re there, so that meant clearing out great swathes of crap. It turns out there are way more places in the house to tuck away bags of socks than I thought. In the end the house seemed happy with itself.
I forgot, at the time of planning, that October is generally taken up with getting the house and yard ready for winter; clearing the gardens, wrapping the delicate plants, planting bulbs, closing storm windows, retaping gaping holes in the walls, and tasks of that sort. It’s not easy to plan for a Michigan winter and a tropical jungle at the same time. I managed to get most of it done, but I did forget to insulate the two fig trees; if someone feels like piling leaves up around them and wrapping them in burlap, I’d be grateful, as would the fig gods.
Finally everything was ready: house shipshape and Bristol-fashion; bags packed within acceptable airline parameters; immunization, insurance, identification records all tidy in a binder–and plenty of time to get a good hour and a half of sleep before leaving for the airport at 4:15! Yes, that 4:15.
The trip itself was fine, though long. Spirit Air was not so bad, really, and the teeny Fiat we drove from Cancun was perfectly adequate. And now here we are, in our favorite hotel in Merida, the Dolores Alba, relaxing by the courtyard pool while we wait for the kinks to work out of our lower backs.
The van we arranged to buy looks great and as soon as the wire transfer comes through it’ll be ours. But now, it’s nap time.
Elizabeth
Henry
MY BLOG NEEDS MORE VISITORS!!!!!!
Please send me all your impressions of what you are seeing.
Do you have any contact with the people who live there or just
the help? Dare I mention, how are the math studies?
Miss your sweet face. Can you send pictures?
I’m going to put up a couple of posts about things here as soon as I figure out how to get the pictures from my camera to my iPad – not as simple as I hoped it would be. Believe it or not, the math studies are going very well! Henry and Joe spent an hour yesterday working on ratios. We have lots of contact with people; we’re out and about every day while we wait for the wire transfer to come through to pay for the van.
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That’s a relaxed-looking Henry. You sure DO deserve that lounge time and siesta! Keep the photos coming – been thinking of you all a LOT.
I didn’t quite realizing what was up until now. I have a college friend living in Merida if you need any help. She’s from Cleveland, husband is from M’erida.
I lived in M’erida for a while and am jealous.
I wish that you spoke Spanish. Maybe Joe does?
Actually, I do speak Spanish, more or less. Joe and Henry, too. We’re also planning on spending a week at a language school in Guatemala to get better mas rapido.
Soooo glad you’re safely ensconced at your first destination. I DO think that your pop and I deserve some credit for picking you up and driving you to the airport at 4:15. mom
You betcha Mom and Pop! That was most kind.
Yes! Many, many thanks to Mom and Dad, who were in our driveway at 4:15 on the dot to drive us to the airport. Now that’s love.
Congratulations on your arrival! Per your FB post about the balmy weather in A2 last weekend, it has now turned barmy, thanksin part to Sandy. High winds, sleet, cold, in other words, pure Michigan! Thanks for keeping us posted. Dar mi amo a Enrique y Jose!
So glad to know you’re safe, sound, and in one piece! Can’t wait to follow you all on your adventure. xoxo
Looks charming and warm. Are you near any water?
Well, there’s the pool in the courtyard. The beach is about a half an hour away, and in fact is one of the areas where flamingos nest – we went there last time we were here. A sea of pink!