Leaving Highlands this morning where I have been staying this last week with son Dayton and wife Dianne. Thanks. I’m sort of homeless for the winter so am having to impose on my family and friends for a week at a time …..in between trips.

The weather here in Victoria is damp… not raining and 3C.  Not bad really but it will be a whole lot warmer…… like 27 or 28 in the Yucatan when we get there later today.

Yesterday my other daughter-in-law Colleen and I were in getting our toes done when I looked over at the piece of paper in another gal’s hand. It was an AirTransat ticket. I asked if she was going to Cancun tomorrow. Yup she is with a whole wedding party… 16 of 21. Small world.

The plane we are to catch is late coming in…. We are already 2.5 hours later in leaving which means 2.5 plus hours in arriving at our destination. It’s going to be a long day especially with little kidlets. Actually they did extremely well or so I thought…. behaviour-wise.  We arrived even later to our hotel….. Barcelo Maya Colonial, because the bus was waiting for 6 passengers that thought they could get to the hotel faster but failed to tell the bus people that they were going that route. Thoughtless!!!  We finally left and so arrived at the hotel only to find that they did not have any reservations for Dayton, Dianne and myself. They saw that we had the voucher indicating that we had the reservations so found us a room….. With 2 double beds (not even a queen for them)…….and 2 sets of everything…… not 3, like glasses, coffee cups, towels, yadda, yadda.

They had reservations for Brandon, Colleen and children but the first room was right across from the theatre ….. blasting away ( not conducive for children that need to sleep), 2nd suite the A/C was making a hell of a racket so they got a 3rd room only to find that was a little too small for them all so upgraded the next day to a bigger one. In the meantime it was getting close to the time that the last restaurant (the buffet) will be closing for the night in 10 minutes. We all need a drink but all they seem to want to give us (it is supposed to be all-inclusive ….. that means drinks are included) are drinks that cost. Grrrrr!!!!  All in all the first day of our vacation was not off to a good start.

Day two is much better. B&C moved to their 4th suite….. With an upgrade and are happy. The kids absolutely loved the kids’ pool with slides and waterfalls. Funny …..some of the parents would go down with their kids but had the whistle blown at them. Bad, bad, bad!  That’s a no no!!!

This place is absolutely humongous. To go from one place to another is keeping our legs in shape if nothing else. There is a “train” that will take you all around the 4/5 different sections of this complex. We are allowed in all parts free but one, the Palace has a charge for anything and everything.

The beach is beautiful white, white sand but the water is rough….. Not conducive for snorkelling and to get out far enough to swim you have to go over rocks that you cannot see cuz of the waves.  But….. You do not have to go in the salt water. There is many swimming pools and swim up bars. Huge!!!!

It was crazy the hoops you have to go through to get a dinner reservation at the specialty restaurants. I didn’t go but the other 4 adults went. I believe it was an 1.5 hour procedure.

Wifi is not available here unless you pay $12/day or…… included in the cost of an upgrade as in case of B&C. That is where I am right now …. And only one device at a time.

I have booked for Dayton, Dianne, Colleen, Jaxon and myself to go snorkeling, rafting, diving in a cenote and lots of other things….off the grounds….tomorrow, January 8th.  I am looking forward to it.  I so hope that Jaxon enjoys it…..the fish especially. Both kids have really been having a blast just playing in the pools and in the waves in the ocean but I’d like for them to see something different.

The adults, not including me, have gone out on a date….to the specialty restaurants and whatever else they can find tonight.  I get to look after my little darlin’s.

Our room has not been cleaned as of 5:30pm even though the sign has been hanging on the door since 8:30 this morning……and we still have been unable to get 3 cups (for coffee in the morning), 3 glasses, etc, etc….  Not impressed!

I have been writing this …… saving up until I could send…..finally I think, January 7th.