Vacation Time!

 Kathy, Alex, Lorra & Adam left the hotel this morning at 5.  We received a text that their flight is delayed until 11:10 am.  That's an early morning for a long airport sit.  Sandy and I are not even leaving the hotel until 8:30 for a 12:10 flight. I did get the pictures uploaded to yesterday's post.  Go back and check those out. Looks like the weather at home gets colder next week.  Our plan is to go get Christmas trees tomorrow - which also happens to be my bride's 54th birthday.  No worries.  I planned ahead and bought her present before we left on this trip.  Feel free to send her birthday wishes. I would say something snide about her being an old woman or that it's her 60th birthday - but since we are the same age, I'd be making myself just as old.  

 Blah, blah, blah...breakfast Blah, blah, blah...sundeck Blah, blah, blah...lunch Blah, blah, blah...drinks Blah, blah, blah...sun, beach, dinner. Got tons of photos to upload, but the internet is being problematic tonight.  We have checked out and are starting to pack.  The other 4 leave at 0500 tomorrow morning.  We roll out of here at 8:30.  They do beat us home, but at least we get a little more sleep. In the mornings, we hear quite a few bird species - like doves and Mexican crows.  But by mid-morning and for the rest of the day, we do not see any birds.  We figured out why.  There are people walking around with animals - like iguanas, parrots and the like.  They want you to pose with the animals while they take professional pictures and charge you $30 each for them.  Well, we see a guy and a gal walking around with a Harris Hawk.  We figure pictures.  Nope.  They are flying the hawk around to keep all the birds away.  Genius!  Cuts down on all the bird poop.   Today, no hawk.  An

 Today started as most of the other days.  Sandy met Alex, Lorra and Adam for breakfast at 8:30.  Kathy and I held down the chairs on a cloudy day.  Looks like the rain will be coming soon.  We laid out until about Noon.  We left the beach as the rain moved in and headed for our Covid tests that were slated for 12:30.  It was a nasal swab.  Went quickly.  We met at the Rotunda bar and ordered lunch, that took a Mexican Minute - about an hour.  We drank in the meantime.  After which, we went to the Luna Bar and had chips and drinks - lots more drinks.  We even got Sandy to take TWO shots of Lemon Drop.  On top of that, she had two "dirty" banana monkeys (think chocolate shakes with bananas and rum).  She said the top of her head was kinda tingly.  Thta's called Being Intoxicated! We met for Asian Night at the buffet at 7.  Adam and Sandy ordered from the menu.  The rest of us ate sushi and all kinds of Asian cuisine.  And we ate too much. Back to the room for Thursday nigh

 We woke up to the first day of December to a cloudy day.  We met Kathy & Alex on the sundeck about 9 am.  Lorra & Adam were on their way to Tulum. We swam a bit before lunch at the pool.  And then we went to the activity area and played corn hole.  The boys whipped the girls 3-0.  We switched up teams and all you need to know is that I never lost a game.  I went 7-0.  Sandy said she threw the games on purpose so as not to hurt my fragile ego after the girls winning last night.  Everyone knows that is False. We all met in the hotel lobby at 5 pm for the Christmas party and raffles.  Tickets were $20 each, but there were lots of prizes and the money went to under-privileged kids.  So we did not care if we won a thing or not.  Hot Mexican Tea was served while they drew winners.  Prizes ranged from spa days, to wine baskets, to a weeks' stay at this resort.  You want to know the only winner in our group?  It was Sandy.  Want to know what she won?  Kathy called it when they rea

 Yesterday was written under duress.  I have indeed been kidnapped.  While I am not being tortured just yet, the kidnappers have agreed to release me unless you pay them $250k.  Is it worth it?  You decided.  Send funds directly to me!  I will pay the kidnappers. We had our chairs by 8 today.  Sandy was concerned about clouds and rain and wanted as much sun as possible.  While it took all day for the rain to come, the wind was blowing - which was a blessing and a curse.  A blessing as it kept you cool while sunning.  A curse because it kept you too cool once you were wet - which happened a lot as we traversed to and fro the swim-up bar (which happened a lot).  Not that we are complaining!  A price we are willing to pay. Basically a repeat of the day before.  Lunch at the pool.  Left around 3 when the rain started.  Showers.  Dinner was steak and lobsters.  We ate too much.   At this point, Lorra & Adam went off to bed as they have a tour early on Wednesday.  Kathy & Alex joined

 I know, I know.  I'm late posting this Monday update on Tuesday afternoon.  But read on and find out why.  No, I have not yet been kidnapped - keep up the wishful thinking.  There is, however, a Go Fund Me page established in the event I do get kidnapped.  It's collecting funds to pay the kidnappers to Keep me.  So far it's well over $100k.  Check out #KeepCraigConfined... The day started early.  Sandy took a beach walk and got a picture of the sun coming up over the ocean.  We were on the sun deck by 8 am and then grabbed a bite to eat at the buffet for breakfast. Adam did get his parasailing trip in this afternoon and survived. We stayed on the sun deck until about 3 pm when it started to sprinkle.  The smart ones went to their rooms while those wishing to get drenched in a cold downpour stayed out too long.  The Seagers and Martins are in the smart group. We showered (separately, unfortunately) and then went for the Mexican buffet - Sandy's favorite.  This is also w

 After sleeping 12 hours the first night and feeling like an old man (because I am), I logged only 6.5 last night - up and ready at 5:30 this morning.  Even watched the sun come up. We all met on the sun deck about 8:30 and laid out by the pool until lunch at 11:30.  We ate at the restaurant next to the pool, again. It was warm today, so lots of time was spent in the pool to keep cool.  Alex and I hit the ocean.  Adam was supposed to go parasailing, but the jet ski broke, so he is scheduled for tomorrow.  The jet ski is used to taxi folks from the shore to the boat to parasail.  Now it makes sense? The other four had reservations for a Hibachi grill dinner at 5, so showers were early.  Sandy and I went down to the buffet for Brazillian Night. After dinner, we all met back in the room next to the bar to watch NFL games and have a nightcap.  At 8pm, Bingo started.  Since there were very few people in the room, we all took 2 cards.  Turns out there were not enough cards for the number of

 We slept for 12 hours, rolling out of bed at 8 this morning.  We joined Alex for breakfast at the buffet restaurant.  Kathy went to save us chairs by the pool.  Adam and Lorra joined us after breakfast at the pool.  The new government rules do not allow the sale of alcohol until 11 am - it was a long wait by the pool. Since we are here for 8 days, we have to change rooms.  Well, except for Kathy & Alex.  So we all put our gear in their room for the day waiting on our new rooms. We had full sun, a few clouds, and lots of drinks before eating lunch at the pool bar.  We watched the end of the Ohio State v. Michigan football game at the swim up bar TV and #5 M beat #2 OS.  Wow.  We left the pool and went to the hotel bar - that we had to ourselves - where we watched Purdue pounce the crap out of Indiana.  Then we ate a late dinner at the buffet restaurant.  It was Caribbean Night with live music. Will & Hadley called to chat with Mom, Dad, Grandma & Papaw as we were in line to

 So I got about 1 hour of sleep Thanksgiving night.  Sandy logged maybe 2.  We left the house at 3:20 am to head for the airport as our flight to Cancun, MX left at 6:40.  It was 24 oF.  We had a layover in Miami and our gate was right next door.  We grabbed snacks and a drink before boarding to Mexico.  It was under an hour and 20 mins to land in 81 oF weather and sun! We grabbed our luggage and then waited at Margaritaville for Kathy, Alex, Adam and Lorra to arrive - 60 minutes behind us.  Why wait?  We shared a shuttle bus to Playa del Carmen where we are staying in The Royal Haciendas - part of the Royal Resorts chain. We grabbed a late lunch/early dinner at the hotel bar after checking into our rooms.  Then we hit the beds early - like 8 o'clock early as we were all tired. The view looking at the ocean while eating lunch today. Looking N up the beach A panorama pic of the beach that Adam walked through. Makes him look skinny! An inebriated Alex swinging in the hammock. Alex do