Māori and the Man

We awake this morning in a warm and toasty Camper van Beethoven as “Peter, the Heater” has worked much better than the one in the hotel. It was a bit of a challenge turning the dining table into a bed, but quite cozy in the end. After a coffee for me and a tea for […]
The Good, the Bad and the Gracias’s

I’ve got a secret; I wasn’t thrilled to be going to Mexico. I’ve been there before – many times. From working on cruise ships and visiting many of the ports, both on the Pacific side and the Caribbean side, to my time in meeting planning when I worked for a week each in Cancun and […]
This Little Piggy Went to Market

I wake up this morning and join Stewart and Chucho for coffee before they go to work and I hit the road. I depart out of Cancun in two days and am driving back to Akumal to get a bit closer. Yes, I could stay in Cancun or even in Playa del Carmen, but they’re […]
Monday in the Mérida Mercado

Today is dedicated to Mérida, with Stewart showing me around his city. Remember, Stewart is either shady or an international man of mystery (IMM) – there’s a fine line and, as it could be guilt by association, we’ll call him an IMM). He’s lived in England, Saudi Arabia, South Africa and the U.S., yet he’s […]
Making Willie Wonka Proud

We awake early this morning (well, early for Stewart and Chucho on a Sunday) and hit the road by about 9:00am. Today Chucho is driving us about an hour away to go to the ruins at Uxmal, as well as the nearby chocolate museum (it might be the best day ever!). After stopping for a […]
Miles To Go Before I Sleep

Feeling like new women after exiting the cenote, we change clothes, get back in the car and continue our road-trip through the Yucatan Peninsula. It’s now 4:00pm and we have three more hours of driving. We’re behind schedule, but schedules are made to be broken. We get back on Highway 180 which should take us […]
Winning Isn’t Everything

While I’m at the library for the third day (really, I’d only planned on one, but then again, I don’t really plan, and this is why), I attempt to speak with Stephanie’s grandmother outside (you may remember that Stephanie can neither hear nor speak). As her grandmother speaks no English and I speak no Spanish, […]
Is This Heaven? No it’s Akumal

Have you read Child’s Play? You might want to read it before this. After a few hours reading, drawing and playing on the playground with kids at the Akumal Library, I jump into Anne’s car with her and about eleven kids to take to their homes. Anne makes multiple trips and stops at each child’s […]
Child’s Play

I’m here! And I need a shower! I arrive only a half-hour late. They gave us our forms for customs and immigration to complete on the plane and, like any good traveler, I brought a pen with me knowing there would be forms to fill-out, many did not. I could have rented out my pen […]
Weighing In

Hola mi amigos! Como está? Tonight’s the night I head to Cancun via Dallas and Ft. Lauderdale, FL. I’ve spent the day packing everything just so, as I’m flying Spirit Airlines and their rules are a bit different from most U.S. airlines. If you want to check a bag you must pay for it, just […]