Our Mexican Adventure

Well, I can't sleep so I figured I would take a minute to write about our Mexican adventure! You know how you do something and the next day it seems surreal? I feel like that. We had such a great time, but then you come back to the day to day real life and you seem to feel like it was all just a dream! A good one, mind you, but still a dream.
Anyway, the trip started out early! To get the best deals on flights we had a 6:30am flight and for international that means you have to be at the airport at 4:30 which meant we had to leave our house at 3:45, which really didn't happen until about 4:10, but not much traffic and wa-la we get there in time! Now everyone is really excited and so that didn't sleep much before and we have a very long day ahead of us! Amazingly, Abbey, who as you know can't sit still, handled it fairly well. I mean I know she is almost 9, but for her, it's a record! We finally get checked in and on the flight. I think Kaylee managed to sleep through most of the flights, but the rest of us were just too dang excited! After a 3 hour layover in Houston, we get to Cancun. We finally locate our driver and about 45 minutes later we are in Playa del Carmen!
The condo we stayed at was so amazing. It was right on the beach, but had a huge, beautiful reflection pool, which Abbey and Kameron liked most. The condo itself was so pretty and it had a washer and dryer! Yeah! After immediately hitting the pool and ocean we finally got some zzzz's!
Friday we just hung out at the condo. It was really nice to sit by the pool and relax! We checked out the local "Mega" grocery store and filled up on goodies! By Saturday we were ready for the good stuff! We rented a van and headed to Xel-Ha (pronounced "shell-ha"!) We got there early (as we always do when Troy's in charge) so we had plenty of time to snorkel until we couldn't stand it any longer! Xel-ha is an amazing place. It is an enviromental refuge where the fresh water hits the ocean. There is a great river to float down, snorkeling galore and all the food you can eat! We each decided to do a "extra" here. Swimming with the dolphins is way too expensive for 7 people, so a few of us went to Snuba and myself and 3 others went on the Sea Trek. I never did hear how good the Snuba was, but the sea trek was amazing. You put a large air filled helmet on and then go to the bottom of the ocean and hold on to a bar while you walk along the bottom. Really, "walking" is used lightly here, because the current is really trying to pull you away. This was amazing, but difficult and Kam and Abbey had chosen to do this! Poor kids, the helmet weighed as much as Kam and more than Abbey. The were so nervous, but they stuck it out and had a great time! The purpose of walking on the bottom (I know you were wondering why) is because they feed the sting rays there and you get to touch and see them right there. The coolest part is when they basically sit on top of your helmet and there soft white underbelly rubs you as they go by! I love to snorkel, but I usually don't want to touch the fish! This was very cool though! Kameron ended up coming up just a few minutes early, but everyone had a wonderful time. This isn't for the clausterphobic, I have some issues with elevators, but I did ok. On the river there are places to cliff jump or dive if you are Troy, I was so impressed that both Alex(my daredevil) and Kameron jumped several times! I personally have found with age comes wisdom and I stayed plenty far away so not to be coaxed by the big guy! There is also a rope that you walk across while holding on to another rope above your head. I think we all tried this, Alex was the only one to actually make it across, because once anyone else gets on it is very difficult to balance and stay on the rope. Abbey did a great job at this, but because she is so short at times she was hanging from the rope when adults got on behind or in front of her. She and Kameron ended up getting smacked pretty hard in the head by the rope when several people fell off at once! They cried and laughed at the same time then got up and tried again! Gluttens for punishment is what I would call them!
We had arrived at opening and we left when they shut the doors, it was a long and perfect way to start our great trip!
Sunday, was kind of a special treat. We found the local LDS church and got there early. Now that in itself is funny for us, but we found no matter where you are mormons are late! The congregation was full by the end, but sparse in the beginning! We couldn't understand anything except for an occasional "Hyrum Smith", but we felt the spirit. Our family had helped Alex in a young women's project and we were able to bring several suitcases of donated and purchased shoes and clothes for the locals. That was fun! We only stayed for sacrament, but we met another American couple there who was from Preston Idaho! Holy cow, you go thousands of miles away to meet people from practically your home town!
Monday, we went shopping! Shopping in Mexico is like a flea market. A deal on every corner! It was great fun and we loved to see and talk with the locals. In Playa it is a tourist trap, but in between the nice resort hotels there are very poor homes. It was very good for us to recognize the simplicity of the people's lives. We met some great characters who speak very good english and give great compliments! Everyone wants to buy something from someone who tells you how pretty you are! We enjoyed fresh pineapple, mangoes and other fruit in a cup while we watched the ocean roll in. The ice cream was pricey, but well worth it when it is over a hundred degrees and the humidity is a 100%! I truly enjoyed it, but not everyone shared my joy!
Tuesday we rented a van again and headed to the ruins! We first set out for Koba. We took a little tour and after walking about a mile in the jungle we climbed the countries highest pyramid! I(mom) managed to cause a little upset when I found this bean-like thing on a tree limb. Ok, so it looked like a pinto bean to me, so I just wanted to taste it! Evidently the tree it grows on is poisonous and after much panicking on my part, I learned that the ugly "bean" thing was not. However, that is debateable, as my tongue tingled for the rest of the day! My kids and husband will never let me live that down!
We had so much fun finding out how the Mayans lived, but we had an even better time at the "cenotes" (see-note-a's). They are underground caves filled with beautiful clean fresh water! You swim and can jump in them off platforms! It is really a neat experience. We headed for Tulum, which is now a tourist trap, but wasn't so much 5 years before when Troy and I had been there. It was too hot and several of the kids ignored the ruins and jumped in the ocean. I don't blame them I was just too lazy to hike down the really long stairway to get there! We didn't end up staying too long as we were sweating to death so we went and had lunch at "Subway" and did a little shopping and then headed to another great snorkeling area. It was getting late in the day by now and we had to return the van so we had to cut that short, but while I was walking with Abbey on the shore line because she was "done" snorkeling, the rest of the family was able to see a sea turtle. Maybe next time!
We got the van back just in time and went back to rest! It was a long, but great day!
Wednesday, was hang out at the condo day. The kids made some friends and had fun taking silly pictures of themselves! The internet was readily available so no one had to miss their facebook moments or computer games! All the comforts of home for a teenager! Troy started feeling ill this day and ended up with a case of e-choli. He spent most of the day in bed. So on Thursday I was on my way to the pharmacy when the parents of the kids Kam and Abbey had made, came running by. Dad ends up being a anestesiologist and we head off to the pharmacy to by a presciption over the counter! I love Mexico! It was a long day for Troy as he spent most of Thursday in bed as well.
Friday he is feeling better and we head off to Cozumel, an island just off the Yucatan peninsula. The water is soooo blue there and we were excited to snorkel! We decided to try a snorkeling tour. You take a boat out into the reef and then snorkel from there. The boat has a section that has a glass bottom so you can watch the fish from there. It was a lot of fun. We saw sea snakes, a hint of an eel, baracudas, but the coolest part for me was the 1000 or more in the school of fish. It was just like on "Finding Nemo" the fish are so packed together and as the guide moved into them they just made a ring around him, but stayed in a close pack. It was really fun to watch. Abbey had decided to stay back in the boat, but she got out once and snorkeled too! She is really good at it, but it makes her a little nervous! After we got done we walked to a really good resturant and had an amazing meal! Our guide had recommended it, but evidently he didn't understand the word "cheap"! Oh well! I was worth it! There was a couple of guys who sang for us and sang for Kaylee's birthday which was coming up! They were so cute and the kids helped them with the morraccas! We headed back to the ferry and went back to the condo to recuperate from our fun!
Saturday we played a little in the morning, but headed home around 1:30. We didn't get back to the van until midnight so it was a long day too!
All in all I must say it was the best vacation we have ever been on! Our children were the perfect ages and we were all able to participate in everything. I am so grateful that Troy convinced me to go! I will never forget it! The best part was that the kids really seemed to bond. There was very little fighting or contention and we just had a great time! It was also really nice that Kaylee could speak enough spanish to bail us out of a few quandries! Thanks hon! I love Mexico and I would go back again, but I think I will try Hawaii first...hint hint!!